© 2024 Anna T. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, distributed, or adapted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except as permitted by UK copyright law. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. Book Cover by © 2024 Anna T. Chapter 1 The small purple flowers that fill the floor crunch beneath my feet, I can smell the pleasant fragrance drifting up toward me, taking me back to a time I had almost forgotten about. The pure, unadulterated magic that created the magical plant that spreads out before me like some disease grasping onto everything in its path and consuming it, pulses in the air, I can feel it brushing against my flesh as I move closer to the circle of stones used by the fairies a time now past. Images of that consequential night so many moons ago flashed through my mind, and even though I lost the queen I so desperately needed to complete the ritual and give me the monumental power I needed to free my kin, I could feel the new queen’s presence. Her magic is like a siren calling out to me on a fog-filled night, her power radiating just beneath the surface and I will do whatever it takes to free that power and take it for myself. “Are you sure this is the place?” I turned to look at the witch I had coerced to help me, feeling my annoyance bubbling at her stupidity. I step closer, making the bell around my neck chime as I make the sudden movement, but I also make the witch step back, I can smell her fear seeping from every single pore on her curvy figure. “Are you questioning me?” “N...no.” she stutters, making the corners of my lips curl up with delight. “This is where I took my sword and drove it through the queen's chest. This spot where you stand is where her heartbeat for the last time, where she took her last, agonising breath as her blood filled her lungs, and this will be where you will take your last agonising breath if you do not summon the new queen to me.” The witch's eyes filled with clear liquid, making her brown eyes glisten in the moonlight, she nodded her head and dropped to her knees, opening a large bag she carried on her shoulder and began to pull things out, placing them on the mystical purple flowers that hid the ground that was once stained a deep maroon from the queens blood just beneath her. I walked around the witch watching her carefully. Her dark skin had a sheen of sweat coating it, and her dark unruly hair looked wild as the moonlight shone through it. Her back tensed up, but she never looked up, concentrating on the task at hand. I had waited centuries for the new queen to be born, centuries of roaming this world in solitude, just waiting until she was finally here and now that time had finally come. 24 years ago I felt a shift in this plane of existence, a shift I was drawn to 400 years ago. The new queen had finally been born. I grew tired of roaming this world searching for her, now I was taking matters into my own hands and bringing her to me, back to the place where I snuffed out that bright, life-giving light from the last queen's eyes, quite poetic really that she would also take her last breath here in the very spot her predecessor did. “This is going to be difficult if you don't know who she is.” the witch complained. “If I knew who she was, I wouldn't need you now, would I?” I snarled, growing tired of her insolence. The witch picked up a bottle of serpent blood and poured it out onto the ground around herself, creating a circle. Next, she poured some of the bitterweed essence into a large golden bowl and some of the blood I had generously given. She raised her arms over the bowl, creating a flame that erupted up into the air. I could feel the witches' magic encircling me, a warm breeze enveloped me, vanishing suddenly as the flame disappeared back into the golden bowl. Next, she picked up a piece of twine, dipping it into the bowl, soaking it in the mixture she had created. She pulled it out slowly and began to quietly chant under her breath. She leaned across, picked up a large silver dagger and began to cut the twine. The wind howled loudly as it roared around her. I could see the witch's hair flailing around her face, but she didn't seem to notice, her already dark eyes looked pitch black now. If I wasn't so powerful, I might have actually been afraid of this witch. The wind dropped and the witch looked up, her smile sinful, but rousing. “It is done. Her life will begin to fall apart, she will lose everything and everyone in her life and she will be drawn here to you. You can rest now, the new queen will be yours, and she will come willingly to you.” I walked around the witch again, stopping in front of her. “How long will it take? I grow tired of these humans.” “It is already in motion.” I turned back toward the town, leaving the witch to gather her things. The trees that surrounded this empty land were ancient but very few exist now. The last time I was here, the land was full of vibrant trees that filled the air with freshness, but the humans that had infested this once peaceful world had cut them down to make their homes to the now overpopulated world that these humans had consumed. “Wait!” she cried, forcing me to stop. “Can I have my brother back now?” “You can have him back when I know your little spell has worked.” “BUT!” I grabbed the little witch by her throat, squeezing until she began to gasp for breath. Her face began to turn red and her long fingernails clawed at my wrist as she tried to free herself. “Do not cross me, witch! When and only when the new queen is here may you have your brother back. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” I dropped her to the ground, ignoring her coughing as I headed back through the forest. This place was full of supernatural creatures, but I wasn't scared of any of them. In fact, I was going to enjoy myself whilst I waited for the new queen to arrive. I had already made the headlines in those human tabloids during my search for the queen, so now I was going to play with the wolves that claimed this land as their own. After all, I owed the wolves a debt, and I was going to enjoy paying it back.“Tamara needs to see you.” Alice, Tamara’s secretary says quietly as she stands by my desk. I look up to see her brows pulled together and a pained look filling her sweet face. Tamara was the head of accounting in the large business firm I work at. I sit up straight to see her glaring at me through the large glass wall that encases her office. Her dark ebony hair frames her perfectly painted face with beautiful waves that look effortless. I swallow the lump in my throat and stand up, straightening my skirt and blouse as I make my way to her office. I can feel everyone’s eyes watching me as I walk by them, they are all eager to see the Tamara bitch show, and I just so happened to be her favourite contestant. “Ayla, take a seat.” Her voice always sounds so condescending, and the way she says my name, it is always filled with disgust, as if my name is a sour taste on her tongue. I hear the door close behind me as I take a seat on the chair placed in front of her desk, I glance over m
Ayla POV I walk into the lobby of the large premier inn in the the city centre and head straight to the front desk to get a room for the night. Today had been one giant cluster fuck of a day, but I couldn’t go home to my parents just yet. I had run out of Marcus’s flat with just my handbag and coat. So, I had decided to make the journey back home tomorrow, after I had returned to Marcus' flat and got my stuff, but I would have to wait until Marcus had left for work, I didn’t want to see his cheating face. I sat down on the end of the bed, looking around at the clean but plain room. The walls were beige giving a clean feel and the curtains were the signature purple that the chain hotel was known for. I ran my hand across the purple coverlet that ran across the double bed, noting how smooth it felt. The room smelled clean, and a pleasant scent lingered in the air, but my heart ached, I had lost my job, my boyfriend and my home all in the space of a couple of hours. My heart had bee
The night air feels crisp and fresh, there’s a small chill on the breeze that feels refreshing, I can hear crickets chirping all around me and the small birds call out to each other in a beautiful chorus that takes me back to my childhood, to the long summer nights that I would spend hidden in the gardens of the pack house or roaming the forest searching for something, anything that would protect us from Alister. Summer is almost over and the autumn nights will set in fast. The waxing crescent moon hangs perfectly in the cloudless sky, bright twinkling stars fill the black void, giving it warmth. The smell of pine and wet grass mixes with the fresh water and moss from the rocks that line the bed of the small stream that runs along the small dirt path joggers and dog walkers use during the day. Droplets of rain still linger on the vibrant green leaves that hang above me, I feel them dripping onto my black fur as I move beneath the thick, ancient trees that surround me. I can almost fee
Ayla POV If someone had told me 3 months ago that I would have ended up on this road, I would have laughed at them, but here I was. Driving back to my home town to live with my parents because I had no job, no home and a broken heart. I had failed at life and now I was crawling back to my parents with my tail between my legs. My mum and dad had moved out of my childhood home, with me gone and creating a new life for myself they decided to sell the home in the hopes that a new family would buy it and they would go on to create some amazing memories in the house which was a nice thought, they ended up buying some fancy apartment in the nicer part of town where most of the well to do people lived. I had been meaning to stop by and visit them, but life always seemed too hectic. Marcus never really wanted to come and visit with me. He always made excuses as to why he couldn’t come, and my job was so demanding at the time, but that’s not really a good enough excuse. I can see the welcome s
Callan POV I hear the front door closing and look up from the pile of paperwork laid on the table in front of me to see Micha walking in, I glance at my watch and notice he has been gone for the last 90 minutes. His face has a smug look plastered on it, piquing my interest in what he has been doing for the last one and a half hours. “What’s made you so happy?” I ask. “I’ve just met Iris and Wyatt’s daughter, Ayla, and she is.. interesting.” The name Ayla makes my wolf stir and my heart race, but it also ignites fury deep inside of me hearing it come from another man’s mouth. I sit up straight, feeling uncomfortable with what is happening to me from hearing some girl's name. “She’s just moved back in with them, and fuck she’s sexy, I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better. Where’s Eric?” Micha continues as he moves across the penthouse, pulling the fridge door open. Fury pumped through my veins, making my blood boil. I can feel the heat of rage consuming me. I clenched my fists
Ayla POV “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather just grab some wine and we can drink at your place?” I asked Nicola for the tenth time since leaving my parents flat. No matter how hard I tried to fight her on things, I always somehow seemed to cave in and do what she wanted, I think it’s because she is so domineering and dynamic, that I couldn’t really help but say yes to her. I squirm in the fake leather seat in the back of the taxi feeling underdressed, especially in comparison to Nicola. I hadn’t brought many of my clothes when I went back to Marcus’ flat, I just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible so I grabbed the first things my hands landed on and threw them into the bag but Nicola was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted something. I must admit she did have a way of making me feel good about myself, and she had managed to pull off making me look somewhat decent. She went through the few clothes I did have, picking out the nicest top which was a simple white top
Ayla POV I spun around to see Micha and Eric watching me trying to make the great escape. “You caught me!”I held my hands in the air making them smile. “We are just heading to another bar, do you want to join us?” Micha asked with a dashing smile. I found myself nodding my head in agreement, even though I had just been longing for my bed, I knew going with the two handsome men would be much more fun. “Great, let's go!” Eric clapped his hands and climbed into the front of the taxi I had just gotten for myself to take me home.The night seemed to blur into nonstop laughter, Micha was hilarious and such a smooth talker, ladies seemed to be throwing themselves at him and Eric was oblivious to how good-looking he was. Not once did either man try to make a move on me, and I felt like I was in the company of people I had known my whole life. We ended up falling into a taxi and rolling home at 2 am, something I hadn’t done since I left uni. As I stumbled out of the taxi the fresh air
Callan POV My mind was in turmoil. Haunted by a fucking scent and a name that had no meaning to me. That name was branded onto my brain, repeating over and over until I wanted to scream just to hear something different, and that scent was burnt into my nostrils. God, it made me feel like a man starved of water for a thousand years and the source of that scent was the elixir of life. I lay on the sofa listening to the sound of the wind as it rushed past the window, rustling the leaves of the forest surrounding me. I closed my eyes, praying to the goddess that I could finally fall asleep, but she had different ideas, she wanted to torture me and play the mantra going around my head louder. Ayla, Ayla, Ayla. “Fuck it!” I growled. I grabbed my brown leather laptop bag which was filled with the paperwork I had been trying to complete before I left for the pack meeting last night and sat down at the dining table, pulling out the folders of work that I couldn’t be arsed to do. But wha
Ayla POV Excruciating pain shot through my neck, burning my skin and seeping into my veins. With every pump of my heart, it felt like acid moving through my body, scalding my body from the inside. My skin felt itchy, and all I wanted to do was scratch until I was a bloody mess and free from the painful prickle. I squeezed my eyes closed, silently praying for the pain to ease when suddenly I felt nothing. My body felt weightless, like I was floating above the world. I opened my eyes so I could look at Callan and reassure him I was ok; his voice sounded panicked. As my eyes blinked open, I glanced around confused. I was standing in front of the tree, the mystical tree with the twisted trunk in the forest beside the flats. The grass felt soft beneath my bare feet, and I could feel a soft breeze brushing against my skin, bringing with it the sweet scent of flowers. Above me, I could hear the wind blowing through the large leaves of the magnificent tree, creating a soft rustle that mad
Callan POV This was supposed to be a moment in time that I would cherish for the rest of my life. I had a true mate, chosen by the moon goddess herself, and she wanted to be mine just as much as I wanted her. She chose to entwine her life with mine, making me feel complete; she had chosen to stay with me until our hearts beat as one for the last time, and I couldn’t have been happier. I had spent hours picturing the moment when I finally got to place my mark on Ayla’s neck; even when I tried to fight against our bond, I still couldn’t stop the fantasies of the moment I officially made her mine. This was supposed to be special. A magical moment when our souls connected as one. This is supposed to be one of the most memorable moments of our lives, but I never thought it would be memorable for this reason. She let out a chilling scream as my teeth pierced her neck. Her body went limp, and her head rolled forward, resting against my shoulder. “Ayla! AYLA!” I shouted, shaking her slightl
Ayla POV Callan leaned over me, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. This kiss was harder than before; it made my head spin and my heart race. He pulled me up off the bed and abruptly pulled his lips away from mine; my chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. His lips curled up into a sulty smile as he ran his hand up my arms, sending pleasant shivers through me as he skilfully slipped his T-shirt up and over my head. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered as he cupped my cheek and tilted my head to the side, his lips pressed against my neck, and Callan moved down, leaving a trail of soft kisses and small explosions of pleasure. I let my head roll to the side as I bit down on my lip again to stop my moan. His hand grazed across my cheek, his thumb gently tugging on my lip, freeing it from my teeth. I opened my eyes to find his rich brown eyes staring into mine. “I want to hear every moan you have for me.” He grunted before kissing my lips hard. My head began to spin, but I di
Ayla POV I hated feeling so needy as I watched Callan leave the room, but I needed him more than I needed my next breath. The front door clicked shut, and as soon as I was alone, the walls around me began to close in. My breathing became laboured as all the air began to leave the room, and I found myself hyperventilating, desperately trying to suck air into my mouth. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and began to count to 10 slowly in my head, but I became distracted by the mouthwatering smell of Callan’s aftershave that filled the air in his bedroom. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now the smell was overpowering and so calming. I knew I was safe in here, but I couldn’t help but feel safer when Callan was with me, when his hand was touching mine or when his arms were wrapped around me, shielding me from the world, his touch seemed to calm all the raging storms that flurried around inside my head. When my eyes fluttered open, they landed on his T-shirt, which was lying on the f
Micha’s POV The penthouse is eerily quiet without Callan or Eric; growing up in a pack, I was used to being surrounded by people, and as soon as Ayla becomes Luna, I will move back into the pack house and say goodbye to this sweet bachelor pad and the quiet life I was still unaccustomed to. Waking up every morning without the hustle and bustle of the pack getting ready for the day was still taking some getting used to, but I will miss the peace of not being needed and my late-night booty calls. *I’m almost there.* Callan informs me just as the toaster pops up, filling the penthouse with the first sound I've heard all morning other than myself. I grab my toast and shove it into my mouth while grabbing my phone, keys, and wallet and shove them into my pocket. The door below me slams shut, and I know Ayla has just left for work. *Ayla is on the move; I’m right behind her though.* *Thank you, Micha.* I bounce down the steps, chewing on the toast, when the bottom door opens and Mr
Ayla POV “Marcus, what are you doing here?” My stomach felt like it was plummeting to the earth; chills ran down my spine as Marcus emerged from the shadows; the darkness seemed to shroud him, and the air in the garage felt cold, making goosebumps ripple across my skin. His usual perfect hair was dishevelled, and his bright blue eyes looked dark and demented; large dark circles encased his eyes, making them look sunken into his face; his smooth, clean-shaven jaw was coated with a dark beard that looked scraggly and unkempt; and his expensive clothes that he took great pride in keeping pristine looked wrinkled with ketchup and gravy stains down his front. If I saw him down the street and I didn’t know how vein he was, I would have thought he had been sleeping in them for a few days. A sour taste filled my mouth as my eyes darted around the garage and the dread of knowing we were alone hit me. “Ayla, I miss you; please come back.” I had never been afraid of Marcus, but right no
Ayla POV I felt paralysed; fear had taken hold of my body, and I was unable to move. The room was dark, so dark I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face, but I could see his eyes; they peered out from the darkness burning into my soul. His raspy breathing echoed all around me, and my heart pounded hard against my chest. I could hear the sound of his bones creaking as he stepped out of the darkness, the ceiling stretched up or I shrunk in size, because Runduc looked like a giant now; his face was gaunt and his skin a deathly white, but his eyes glowed brightly, like searchlights seeking me out. His bony fingers reached out toward me; they moved like vines as they weaved their way toward me. All I could do was watch as his vine-like fingers coiled around my feet, tightening as they moved up my body, engulfing me. “Hey, it’s ok. It was just a bad dream. I’m here.” As I jumped up, I felt his arms wrapping around me. I had never felt as safe as I did in his arms in my entire life
Eric POV Now… The door to the living room opened, and Callan walked back in after taking Ayla to his old bedroom. Even though he was beside himself with Freya being attacked, I could tell that having Ayla here made him happy, and he deserved some happiness after a lifetime of abuse. He could concentrate fully on Freya knowing Ayla was safe because this part of the pack house was for the high-ranking members of the pack; no members of the pack were allowed in this part of the house unless invited, meaning we had total privacy and no one would disturb Ayla. Cora had just had the room redecorated, removing all traces of Alister. The furniture had been dumped and new furniture was arriving soon, meaning we only had the floor to pace whilst we waited, but I didn’t mind; moving helped my mind from slipping back to that dreadful moment of finding Freya beaten and bloodied on the forest floor. Callan cleared his throat, making my legs stop moving to look at him. “Do we know what happened
Ayla POV The room was large but it felt so warm and cosy. The smell of fresh paint vexed my senses, but Callan’s aftershave helped keep the sting away. The walls were a light greenish-brown colour that reminded me of a mushroom, or the forest. Dark wooden beams ran across the ceiling, and a large stone fireplace took pride in the centre of the room. The mantle sat high above a large wood-burning stove, almost as tall as Callan, and I could just make out the pictures that sat proudly on top of it. “Freya is ok; she’s already beginning to heal.” Callan’s mother said. She strolled toward Callan, her heels clicking against the dark wooden floor, making the sound bounce around the large and barren room, she kissed him tenderly on his cheek before turning to me. She placed her hand on my arm and gave me a loving smile, her eyes looked red and swollen and her skin looked splotchy. “What happened?” “Rogues!” Eric growled. The growl that came from Eric sounded so primal and feral that m