Ayla POV The man was lanky, but his shoulders were broad. He stepped closer, allowing me to smell the mouldy smell that seemed to surround him. He reached for my arm, grabbing it and squeezing it tight, making me cry out. “Get off me!” I cried. I snatched my arm back and out of his vice-like grip and slapped him across the face, feeling the sting across my palm as it connected with his cheek. The lanky man’s lips twitched, making my blood run cold. I slowly stepped back as his body began to shake, his legs bent backwards, making him fall to the ground. I could hear the echo of his bones as they snapped all around me. His face stretched, and as the skin pulled tight clumps of fur began to grow, covering a large snout. His hands dug into the mud beneath him, and as his hand clenched, his fingers disappeared and a large paw took its place. The man’s body twitched and jerked, his clothes shredded around him, and he was replaced with a dull grey and brown fur that seemed to stick toge
Callan POV *Rogues at the pack house!* Eric screams through the mind link. I look at Ayla, who is watching me. Her eyes sparkle as they catch the light that streams through the large stained glass window that floods the hallway with colour; her lips are pressed tightly together, and I can see the tension in her shoulders. I want to stay here with Ayla more than anything, but my pack needs me, and I refuse to let them down the way Alister did. “I have to go; can we talk again later?” She begins to shake her head whilst stepping back away from me; my chest starts to tighten, and my heart feels heavy. “Callan, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I nod my head as I step back, putting more space between us as I reel from her words; her eyes narrow and her brow pulled down, but I turn before she can utter another devastating word and head down the stairs and toward the forest. As soon as I’m hidden by the cover of the trees, I let my wolf burst forward, letting him take control. His ra
Callan POV Ron stumbled out of the pack house and collapsed onto the floor with a clamorous thud. Eric was already halfway across the garden before I could register what was happening, shifting back to his human form as he reached his father's side. “I need the doctor!” Eric screamed, his voice thick with panic. I bolted toward Eric and Ron, pushing my wolf back so I could help one of the men who treated me as his own. A deep gash oozed blood on the back of Ron’s head; the air smelled like copper and sweat. “I’m here; let’s get him inside.” Doctor Whitelock said as he ran past us into the pack house carrying his black medical bag with him. Eric gently picked his father up and carried him inside, placing him down on the sofa in the common room that the whole pack used. The doctor pushed Eric aside as he examined Ron’s head wound. “Will you be OK if I go and see what happened in the cells?” I asked, not wanting to leave Eric and Ron, but knowing something terrible had to have h
Ayla POV “Because Ayla, you are my mate. I would die for you.” A warmth spread through my chest, and my heart drummed wildly as Callan spoke. I searched his eyes, trying to see if he was joking, but all I saw was love and truth. He really would die for me. Thinking of Callan dying caused a sharp pain right through my heart. I never wanted any harm to come to Callan, literally or figuratively. “I like you too, Callan.” He chuckled and shook his head. He let go of me, letting his hand slide down my arm and clasped my hand so he could lead me up the stairs. “Let’s talk up here.” I relished the tingles that ran up my arm from his touch; I loved how he affected my body. As we walked into the penthouse, his mother stood up from the couch; her eyes went down seeing us holding hands, and her lips curled up into a bright smile that made my heart feel light. “Your sister is waiting for me; we are going to go back to the pack house to take care of things. But you will have to come back t
© 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
“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 “Because Ayla, you are my mate. I would die for you.” A warmth spread through my chest, and my heart drummed wildly as Callan spoke. I searched his eyes, trying to see if he was joking, but all I saw was love and truth. He really would die for me. Thinking of Callan dying caused a sharp pain right through my heart. I never wanted any harm to come to Callan, literally or figuratively. “I like you too, Callan.” He chuckled and shook his head. He let go of me, letting his hand slide down my arm and clasped my hand so he could lead me up the stairs. “Let’s talk up here.” I relished the tingles that ran up my arm from his touch; I loved how he affected my body. As we walked into the penthouse, his mother stood up from the couch; her eyes went down seeing us holding hands, and her lips curled up into a bright smile that made my heart feel light. “Your sister is waiting for me; we are going to go back to the pack house to take care of things. But you will have to come back t
Callan POV Ron stumbled out of the pack house and collapsed onto the floor with a clamorous thud. Eric was already halfway across the garden before I could register what was happening, shifting back to his human form as he reached his father's side. “I need the doctor!” Eric screamed, his voice thick with panic. I bolted toward Eric and Ron, pushing my wolf back so I could help one of the men who treated me as his own. A deep gash oozed blood on the back of Ron’s head; the air smelled like copper and sweat. “I’m here; let’s get him inside.” Doctor Whitelock said as he ran past us into the pack house carrying his black medical bag with him. Eric gently picked his father up and carried him inside, placing him down on the sofa in the common room that the whole pack used. The doctor pushed Eric aside as he examined Ron’s head wound. “Will you be OK if I go and see what happened in the cells?” I asked, not wanting to leave Eric and Ron, but knowing something terrible had to have h
Callan POV *Rogues at the pack house!* Eric screams through the mind link. I look at Ayla, who is watching me. Her eyes sparkle as they catch the light that streams through the large stained glass window that floods the hallway with colour; her lips are pressed tightly together, and I can see the tension in her shoulders. I want to stay here with Ayla more than anything, but my pack needs me, and I refuse to let them down the way Alister did. “I have to go; can we talk again later?” She begins to shake her head whilst stepping back away from me; my chest starts to tighten, and my heart feels heavy. “Callan, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I nod my head as I step back, putting more space between us as I reel from her words; her eyes narrow and her brow pulled down, but I turn before she can utter another devastating word and head down the stairs and toward the forest. As soon as I’m hidden by the cover of the trees, I let my wolf burst forward, letting him take control. His ra
Ayla POV The man was lanky, but his shoulders were broad. He stepped closer, allowing me to smell the mouldy smell that seemed to surround him. He reached for my arm, grabbing it and squeezing it tight, making me cry out. “Get off me!” I cried. I snatched my arm back and out of his vice-like grip and slapped him across the face, feeling the sting across my palm as it connected with his cheek. The lanky man’s lips twitched, making my blood run cold. I slowly stepped back as his body began to shake, his legs bent backwards, making him fall to the ground. I could hear the echo of his bones as they snapped all around me. His face stretched, and as the skin pulled tight clumps of fur began to grow, covering a large snout. His hands dug into the mud beneath him, and as his hand clenched, his fingers disappeared and a large paw took its place. The man’s body twitched and jerked, his clothes shredded around him, and he was replaced with a dull grey and brown fur that seemed to stick toge
Ayla POV “I have to go; can we talk again later?” His voice makes my stomach flutter, and I’m finding it hard to resist him, but I still need time to think about this. I’ve just had an overload of information dumped on me, and I’m finding it hard to wrap my head around everything. I mean, how the hell can I be a nymph, although my dreams do kind of make sense now, or should I say the visitations I received regularly? And not only is Callan a werewolf, but he’s an Alpha; his friends and family are all werewolves, as are probably most of the people I work with, but again, it makes sense why I always felt like an outsider. Then there’s the fact I have an evil elf wanting to drain me of my blood all so he can free his evil imps from some prison realm, and because of that, Callan was seriously hurt; if he wasn’t found by Micha and Eric, then he would have died, and I couldn’t live in a world without Callan. Maybe it’s better that he stays away from me completely; then at least that way h
Callan POV All I can remember from Runduc’s attack is the searing pain that ripped through my side as his sword pierced my skin. And then nothing. Nothing until I felt her touch. It pushed warmth into my body and pulled me back from the brink of nothingness. Her voice called out to me in the darkness, guiding me home. I forced my eyes to open so I could see the face of the angel that had pulled me back from the oblivion that was going to engulf me, but all I saw was worry etched into her beautiful eyes as I briefly gained consciousness. I didn’t know how long I had been outside close to my demise, but I was eternally thankful that I had friends like Micha and Eric. It was them that found me. My room feels cold, but Ayla’s galvanising scent drifts toward me, igniting the fire that burns deeply for her. My bedroom door is wide open, so I have the perfect view of Ayla sitting on the sofa, but the distance between us feels like a chasm filled with falsity and trepidity. “What are you d
Ayla POV I scurried out of his room, leaving the door open so I could keep an eye on him or hear him if he called me. I just couldn’t be around him at the moment. My mind was working overtime; every time I saw his chiselled abs or firm pecs, I couldn’t think of anything other than running my tongue across every inch of his skin. I sat on the sofa, but I kept glancing back into the room. Callan was still sitting up against the pillow I had placed behind his back, his eyes were locked on me. I reached into my pocket, pulling out the card that Rosie had given me, and put her number into my phone before calling her. “Hello.” “Hi Rosie, it's Ayla. Are you free to talk?” “I am indeed. What would you like to know?” She sounded so cheery and preppy, I could picture her full red lips smiling as she spoke to me. “What am I? I always knew I was different, but I just thought I was an empath, just more tuned into people's feelings.” “You are a nymph, the last nymph, to be exact.” “How? Wo
Ayla POV “I’m what?” I asked. “The last nymph, that is why Runduc is after you, he wants you so he can harness your power. If he succeeds he will use it to bring his elves back from Dearrotara, the dark realm they were imprisoned in and if he does that, war will soon be on our doorstep, and every supernatural creature will be killed so they will be the supreme beings on this earth and once they have killed us all they will enslave mankind and turn our world into their new utopia, destroying life as we know it.” “That’s ridiculous.” “Ayla?” Callan’s voice made me stop talking. All the muscles in my back went stiff, I was unsure what to do. I turned to look at him but he looked so weak still, his cheeks had more colour to them and his skin wasn’t as pale as he was this morning but it broke my heart to see him that way. I stepped closer to the bed and leaned down so I was closer to his face. I placed my hand against his chest and felt those sparks run up my arm. “Yes it’s me,
Ayla POV My eyes snapped away from the man poking Callan’s side to Micha and Eric, who were both looking back at me. Micha’s lips pressed together and Eric held his arm across his stomach, holding his elbow with one hand whilst the other made a fist that covered his mouth. “What do you mean?” I asked. Micha took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks as he let it out. “Runduc, the man you have been dreaming of isn’t just a dream, Ayla, but an ancient elf, who for some reason is after you. Callan has already scared him away once before but-” “What do you mean Callan scared him away once before?” “The night you thought you had a nightmare and Callan stayed with you. It wasn’t a nightmare. That was real Ayla. Callan has been doing everything he can to protect you.” Eric answered. My head began to spin, I leaned back perching myself against the windowsill while trying to piece together what Micha and Eric had just said. “You mean that Runduc isn’t just in my head. When he a