ELENA'S POVShe was wearing a side pleated gown with ruffles down the arm, and a thin pearl necklace around her neck. A thin silver belt anchored the gown around her small waist, on any other person the cloth would look ridiculous but she managed to pull it off elegantly. It must be a rich people thing.She was looking at me the way you would look at a rat that wasn't where it was supposed to be.From what I gathered the last time we had an encounter, she was related to Valerian.Once I got within talking distance, I stopped walking. It wasn't like I couldn't ignore her and pass but she was pretty much standing in the middle of the hallway, so if I wanted to leave I'd have to touch her.In my current state, I was physically and mentally drained, all I just wanted to was just curl up on my bed and sleep. Probably never wake up again."You look horrible." She finally spoke, her lips pursed in disgust as she looked at me from head to toe.The vehemence behind her words made me look at my
ELENA’S POVI LAY down on my back, looking at the ceiling trying to get my mind lost in the pattern drawn there. My left hand which lay on the bed traced a word over and over again.Valerian.The past couple of days have been quiet. I hadn't stepped out of the room, not even to the gardens. I guess the irrational fear that if I stepped out of this space- my enclosed bubble, something terrible would happen kept me confined here.All I just did was sleep, eat, think, and shower.Over and over again.I hadn't seen Anika since that day. Don't get me wrong, my room was still getting cleaned like clockwork and my meals never stopped. Only it was by another person now.I didn't know what to make of it at first, I thought maybe something had happened to make Anika not show up but when my new maid came in and continued coming over the next couple of days, I realized that maybe Anika didn't want to see me anymore.As much as that hurt, I respected it even though I had gotten used to our meeting
VALERIAN'S POVI watched Collins waiting patiently for a response but Colins just stared at him, and I let the infraction go. Being stared at was rude, and usually precipitated a Challenge but I didn't see any challenge in the other wolf."Colins do you wish to leave Red Sun Hill? Would you be content to serve Andromeda, a female and a beta? She would definitely not condone any incursion to her authority so you may be seen as nothing but a common shifter, unranked and alone." I told him, wanting to know what he thinks.Going from being a powerful beta to an Alpha to something of a lowly servant was a difficult transition to make. It would have to result in Colins ready to make some much needed changes to fit in here."I'm all alone anyway." Colins spat, clenching his hands at his knees. He was not fully broken in spirit then, just a bit battered. "Most people used to respect me because I was your Father's ward, and now because I serve Maddox. No one really respects me for me."Becaus
VALERIAN'S POV I strode to the couch, and pulled the unresisting wolf to his feet. Colins let me drag him up, limp and pliant, and I gave him a gentle shake.The other shifter breathed in a ragged breath, gasping lungful of air. It was obvious he didn't expect the conversation to take such a turn and he wasn't expecting anything like he was hearing from Valerian and I took that as a good sign."Do you agree? Will you be one of mine, and follow my lead as an alpha? Answerable to me and my second? Jared will outrank you and so will Sophia but neither will treat you badly, nor will I. Let me show you how a true alpha cares for his wolves."Colins didn't answer, but I saw the reply I wanted in the other wolf's eyes. Shortly after, Collins then capitulated, and nodded, wiping his eyes.I squeezed his shoulder, then I dropped my hand. Colin went to compose himself and regain control, and I gave him a smile."My first task for you as my wolf, is for you to return to the communal hall and ap
ELENA’S POV The guards continued to drag me kicking and screaming down the hall, from the corner of my eye during my tantrum I saw the maid- I never got the chance to know her name, not that I wanted to stand at the doorway, her dusting broom in one hand and a dirty rag cloth clutched to her chest in the other hand. Her eyes, terrified eyes were much like mine at the moment as she just watched me being dragged out like a common criminal.I didn't blame her for not doing anything. What could she even do? I reckon she even getting involved would just make everything much worse and she would get hurt in the process.When it seemed like the men were deaf and impregnable to my struggles, I went limp in their arms placing most of my weight on them. It's better to conserve my strength for the unknown. While we were moving, taking twists and turns using a different route than the one through the front door, I kept my gaze fixed on the leader of the soldier's bald head.I didn't even get the
ELENA’S POV"Elena….elenaaaaaaa." the sound of my name pierced my food-deprived brain.It turns out that being starved and isolated was a new form of torture I hadn't discovered yet. I held out for the first day, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break. However, by the third day, I was ready to beg for anything even just water.Wolves could survive without food for a week before their strength began to get depleted but my wolf was weak on a normal day, so this affected me more than usual. My wolf had long since ignored me and went to curl up somewhere, she saving her energy for a fight or flight situation.I lifted my bleary eyes to look at who had called my name, and the same man I saw when Anika and I were making our back to the house was standing in front of me.Valerian's father. Even that shocking discovery didn't jolt me into moving a muscle, I was hoarding every bit of strength I had. From where I was seated, I saw he tilted his head and a guard appeared with
VALERIAN’S POVThe paws of my wolf pounded on the soft earth, my claws sinking into the ground as I ran knowing exactly where to go with the directions Jared had mapped to me. I summoned my wolf's speed, his powerful black form devouring the miles between them. I was a very big wolf even for a powerful alpha, my legs long, my stamina unmatched and soon I left Collins behind, my impatience to reach the cabin overwhelming. I would finally have my chance to exact revenge at last. Jared's anger increased when he found out that the cabin not only contained one trespasser but two, both of them wolf shifters.How dare they?"I was right, he's here!" Jared reached out to him, his mental voice angry. I ran faster, convinced I would see Jared and the trespasser tearing each other apart."Valerian! I was wrong about him, hurry!""What do you mean?""He has someone with him but he's not a trespasser, it's one of the missing wolves."Huh? Why was one of the missing wolves with this man? Especial
Valerian's PovI let Jared take over the wheel while I took a nap. I had the feeling that I was going to need a lot of my energy so I better start storing up.I was awake but I kept my eyes closed, feeling the rumble of the car beneath me. I was still angry but I felt much calmer now.Opening my eyes, I glanced over at Jared" How much longer?" I asked."We should be there in four hours." He replied.I twisted my neck to the back so I could look at Sophia but she was focused on something in her hands."Huhmphhh.." I cleared my throat to gain her attention, and her head snapped up, instantly alert.Seeing it was only me, she relaxed."Any updates?" I tilted my chin towards the tab in her hands."Some of our men are canvassing several areas where she might be held.I've given instructions that security be tightened at our sector and the major exit points."I nodded, satisfied. She was doing exactly what I would do if I was in her position.I waited for more information, looking at her
Ethan's POV I jerked awake out of the darkness with a deep gasp, clutching my heart which felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest.I felt my chest knit itself back slowly in my chest, and I felt the faint sharp cut still worrying me."What do you remember? Can you hear me?" Someone asked, leaning and blocking the light, which upset me. And of the three men, one guy came close being brave to check on me.I remember his cute, innocent eyes peering at me...I loved when those same eyes were bleeding with fear.I tried to raise my other hand only for the hand to stubbornly refuse my command, the other hand however have graduated enough to learn movement.Before even the next morning, I had already learned about the major languages in the country and can strangely pronounce them.My body and joints felt very awkward like they weren't mine and it took some getting used to.I moved forward, my muscles grinding against my bone, creating a very unpleasant experience.I wanted to s
Valerian's POV Ethan was so caught up in what he was doing that he didn't hear me coming in time and only turned back at the last minute.I rushed towards his knees, tackling him to the floor.I raised my fists and brought them down on his nose, breaking it with a sick crack.I lunged again but he dodged, rolling to the side and I lost my balance."Why. Won't. You. Fucking. Die?" He banged my head against the floor harder with each word he uttered as he tightened his hand on my head.I reach out to hit him but He rolls and leaps to his feet kicking me in my stomach. I curl into a ball as fresh pain blooms in my stomach as the kick reopened the wound. He didn't care, kicking me harder, so much so the force made me fly backward hitting the window and shattering the glass to pieces.I was so badly hurt that I didn't move after I slumped to the floor, just moaning in pain."Fucking pathetic prick." He spat, stumbling to his feet, and walked drunkenly towards Elena. She scrambled back,
Valerian's POV My heart was in my throat as we sped back to the city, all the while inside my mind I was beating myself up for not seeing everything they had planned out sooner.I should have known it was all a setup.I've heard stories about how sick those men were and I can only imagine the twisted and depraved things they were doing to my pack mates, people who right now were looking up to me for help….and I let them down."You'll drive yourself crazy if you don't stop." Jared came to stand beside me where I was fidgeting. I couldn't keep calm, eager to get back home and fight."I can't stop!" I hissed, whirling around to turn furious eyes at him. "It's all my fault that this is happening. I was in such a hurry to get to Elena, I rushed in blindly avoiding a lot of blinking red flags.""Blaming yourself won't help our people, pulling yourself together will."Due to my whole display in the woods, everyone kept away from me giving me a wide berth.I didn't like messy killings prefer
Somewhere on the outskirts of Red Sun Hill CityZayn's POV The soft rays of the early morning sun were filtering through the clouds and I moved around impatiently, waiting for the signal.We were all gathered here since yesterday, camping in their backyard. It was quite hard to conceal this large number of people from the city's radar but our people on the inside helped with that, diverting any attention away from us."What's the status?"I spoke into the earpiece I'd wired into my ear for easy communication, while one eye was on my mate. She was by Ethan's side, her head swept to the side to display her collar which was a symbol of our ownership. "It's a go, sir." A voice squeaked over the earpiece, quite difficult to hear but I easily got the message since it was what I'd been waiting to hear all day.Immediately I signaled to the Alpha for them to kick into action, then called Trent to the side.He jogged over to meet me, decked in his battle gear with several daggers and a knife
Valerian's POV "Hey," Jared calls out and I turned from where I was on the balcony to stare at him, watching his long legs eat up the space before he crossed over to where I was."Heard anything from her yet?" It had taken him a few hours but he healed from the wound, and after being placed on mandatory bed rest he was back to his normal jovial self.The search was still out for Ruby but I doubt we would catch her, I had a feeling she was long gone.I turn back, looking down at the activities taking place below.I was at the Court for some meetings- which seems never ending recently - and also because I needed to think. Being clouded by Elena's things and her scent in the house wasn't helping me think clearly.I had needed to come to a fast decision on what to do, either to forget about Elena and try to move on with my life or to fight like hell for her.I was quite torn about it for a while, the natural instincts as Alpha to protect my pack weighing heavily against my selfish desir
Ethan's POV"I've been thinking," Zayn announced out of the blue, gesturing for us to take a walk down the line of trees by the cabin away from prying eyes. "About what?” I ask, watching two birds tweeting at each other.“Elena.” The sound of her name was like a blaring alarm which caused me to look up at Zayn.“What happened to her?” I think back to the unconscious woman lying on the floor a few feet away from where we stood.“I want us to perform the mating ceremony today.” He informs me, not looking anywhere near me.“That’s sudden,” I turned to look at him. “what caused the change?” “If she’s mated with us, she would truly become one with us in every aspect physically and up here” he tapped the side of his head looking fierce. “she won't be able to hide anything.""You're not giving her the choice?"We might have not been the most loving of mates but there are some lines I do consider extreme, we are mates but performing the mating ceremony has to be the choice of both people i
Ethan's POV I watched Zayn down drink after drink of alcohol, trying to blot out whatever he was feeling.When he first found out, he yelled, raged, and raked for the longest time until I thought he wouldn't stop.I totally understood why she would do that, she was a simple creature that just wanted love and to be loved, unfortunately, she got saddled with the wrong people but what made Zayn so angry was that she was going to take our child away from him.I opened the door quietly and looked at where Elena lay unconscious on the floor with the mark on her thigh.Zayn had rubbed wolfsbane into the wound to ensure that it didn't heal properly, even if it did heal, it would ensure that his name would forever be branded on her thigh.I had initially wanted to stop him thinking that that would be too much and it would definitely make her hate him all the more, but then I understood that he was hurt and he needed to lash out, in whatever form.After he stomped out still angry, his marks on
Elena's POV I was rudely awakened when someone dragged me out of bed in the morning by thrusting the covers back, letting the chill of the morning air kiss my skin, and winding their hand around my arm, pushing me out. I blinked my eyes several times to clear the grogginess and focus on the brick of a man dragging me away, my night dress flapping around my feet. I whimpered when my bare foot stubbed on a table, effectively clearing the sleepiness from my eyes and the man turned to look at me and I realized it was Zayn. I sagged in his hold with relief and looked up at his face. "Za-yn slow down!" I shrieked when he increased his pace. He rounded the corner, his long legs eating up the floor and I hurried behind him walking twice as fast to keep up. He almost ran down the stairs, still dragging me without paying any attention to me or even stopping. If I thought my words were going to convince him to let up, boy was I wrong, because if anything he started to walk faster. "Zay-n! P
Valerian's POV "Someone get me, Jared!" I yelled to the entire room not speaking to anyone in particular, raking my hand through my hair in agitation. I've been trying to get across to him but to no avail. We were supposed to meet up this morning but he wasn't picking up at all and after a while, the calls were going to voicemail. I was getting worried, it was not like him to dismiss an important meeting without cause. "Sir." Someone called my attention to the front and I turned in that direction, meeting one of the younger shifter's earnest gaze. "I've tracked his phone as you suggested, its location is still pinging that it's at his house. 'So why wasn't he picking up the phone?" I mutter to myself. Then I picked up my keys and dashed out of the room like my tail was on fire. The beta assigned to drive me today saw me rushing out of the building and standing up in a hurry, to jump into the vehicle but I paid him no heed, rounding to the driver's side and I sped off without lo