"Fucking hell!" Ethan cursed as he ran his hand over his face in frustration. He was exhausted. They had spent the majority of the day digging people out of the rubble and Ethan didn't feel comfortable leaving, going back to the safety of his land while his people were suffering. The casualties were significant, and the grief of the victims' families hung like a heavy cloud over him. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the safety of his people. Ethan had failed to prepare in case of an attack, but he never thought that this would happen. He never thought Kenneth would stoop so low to do this. And now, rogue packs were beginning to take advantage of the situation. One pack had already been taken over and he would need to acknowledge their claim or destroy them. On top of that, there were so many in need of help. "My King? My King, are you there? What would you have us do?" his warrior said through their telepathic link. "Issue warriors to each pack and pride. Make sure t
"I know my mate is dead!" Bethany snapped, causing Kelly to instinctively cover her mouth in shock. "That's what I know. You want to know what else I know?" "Bethany, I'm…" Kelly started, but Bethany interrupted her as she began pacing angrily. "I know, my son, your grandson is barely clinging on. I know that he may never see again, and he may lose a leg because of silver poisoning. He will never be Alpha now. His life is ruined. What the hell do I not know about this situation? What the fuck did I need to see by being there?" Bethany snarled. Deep down, Bethany felt regret about not going with them to the trial. Perhaps if she had, she would have been able to save them, but where they were, Bethany would have more than likely been killed along with her mate. Kelly's heart ached at the pain in her daughter's eyes. "Bethany, I'm so sorry," she said, taking a step toward her, hoping to offer some comfort. But Bethany pushed her away, her expression fierce as she glared at Kelly.
Lily's eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze locked onto Brandy as if the world had just shifted beneath her feet. "What do you mean he's not my father?" she stammered. "What are you saying?" Brandy looked depressed as she didn't want to have this conversation. She helped Lily out of the bed and said, "Let's get you into a bath first." Lily wanted to argue with Brandy but as the adrenaline began to fade, she started to feel the pain in her body. She just nodded and let Brandy help her out of the bed. Brandy wrapped the sheet around her, tying it into a knot before leading her out of the room. Brandy led Lily back to her bedroom. It was bare because Lily had moved all of her belongings to Garrett's villa. The thought of Garrett made Lily sad. She hoped he was okay. 'We need to worry about ourselves for now,' Dina said. 'This is all weird. Why is Brandy being nice to us? She has never been this nice.' Lily was also confused and slightly frightened by the attitude change. Did Br
In the sterile confines of the pack hospital, Matthew lay motionless on the bed, his once vibrant form now pale and frail. Kelly was inconsolable, her anguished sobs filling the room as she clung to her dying son's hand. The scent of despair and grief hung heavy in the air, a suffocating reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded. Jack stood by the bedside, his fists clenched in impotent rage. His eyes bore into Ethan demanding answers. "How could this happen? How could someone kill a werewolf's wolf without an Elder's involvement?" Ethan's expression mirrored the gravity of the situation as he explained, "It should be impossible, Alpha Jack. No one but the Elders should possess the knowledge or the power to do this." "Then, Elder Richard did this!" Kelly said hysterically. "No, that is impossible. All the Elders are accounted for. Elder Richard would not have been able to do this. Whoever did this must have been taught how to do this," Ethan explained. Kelly continued to so
"I did as you asked, Luna," The mousy little Omega stood in front of Mandy, trembling in fear. She had already been beaten for not getting information for her, so she hoped that Mandy would be satisfied with what she had to tell her. "Finally. I hope it is worth my waiting," Mandy said. Her frustration had grown to a boiling point. Kenneth's recent behavior had left her feeling uneasy and resentful. He was evasive, secretive, and had been avoiding her like a plague. The joy she had anticipated during the attack had been shattered by Kenneth's refusal to engage with her. "It is, my Luna. I have found out the reason why Alpha has been acting so weird," the Omega stated. "Stop wasting time and speak then. What have you learned? Tell me what you have learned," Mandy questioned. She had hoped that the chaos of the attack would be the catalyst for them to unite, to revel in the ensuing power and control. Instead, Kenneth had retreated into his study, leaving her to wonder what was
"My fellow pack members, we are here today to remember our beloved Matthew and to announce a path to justice," Jack said. His voice carried the weight of his anger and sorrow as he addressed his assembled pack. Outside of the pack house, Jack, Kelly, Garrett and Bethany stood on a stage in the middle of the pack grounds right in front of the steps of the pack house. Before the stage was the funeral pyre with Matthew lying there dressed in a black suit. There was a somber silence, the weight of grief pressing upon every heart. Matthew did not wake up from his coma after speaking. The loss of Matthew, a beloved member of the pack, hung like a dark cloud. "We will not rest until we have justice for Matthew. The Alpha of Blue Creek took one of ours and has crossed a line that cannot be ignored," Jack continued. He and Kelly, the leaders of the Grey Blood pack, called a meeting with their pack members. Majority of the pack had been angry for their inaction. It was a moment the
"You look so beautiful, Lily. You should smile. Are you not feeling well?" one of the Omegas said as she tended to Lily's hair, her hands moving mechanically, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within Lily. "I have nothing to smile about. I am once again a slave in my own home," Lily countered, her frown deepening. "Well, that's all going to change after today," the Omega said with unwavering optimism. "You just wait and see. Life is going to be so much better for you. Fred is such a lovely man. You will see." Lily nodded, offering a small smile that failed to reach her eyes. She stood before the mirror, a simple, long white gown draped over her figure. Her reflection appeared distant as if it belonged to someone else. Her stomach churned with a nauseating mix of fear and dread. 'I do not want to be mated to another wolf. I would rather die, Dina,' Lily complained silently. Every room she had been in was a cage. Silver-laced doors and windows ensured her captivity. 'That is n
"Don't look back, Lily," Brandy urged urgently. She knew they needed to get as far away as possible. Her father would stop at nothing to possess Lily, and she had to find a way to hide her until things calmed down. The chaos from the packhouse faded into the distance as Lily and Brandy sprinted through the woods. Lily's breath came ragged and panicked, and her once-pristine white gown now fluttered behind her, tattered and dirtied by the forest. "Let's shift," Lily suggested as she tried to catch her breath. "We can move much faster that way." "We don't have time. We can't pause. They will catch up to us," Brandy replied. She continued to pull Lily forward. Brandy could hear chuckling in Brandy's mind. 'You idiotic girl. Do you really think you can escape me?' The voice mocked her. Brandy knew the voice and didn't want to believe that this person was following them. She didn't want to face them if she didn't have to. The forest seemed to swallow them whole, with towering
"No, I know who you are," Amdis said firmly. "You are my mate. I would recognize you anywhere." The sincerity in his words made her heart skip a beat. Kasia's heart thundered in her chest, its pulse thudding through her veins as if attempting to escape her very being. The room itself seemed to press in on her from all sides, suffocating her. "What are you talking about?" she asked. The crackle of thunder from outside caused her to jump in surprise. Her mind reeled as she struggled to process his claim. How could this be? Alpha King Ethan was her mate; there was no doubt in her mind about that. Panic bubbled up inside her, and she fought to maintain control over her emotions. "I keep telling you that you're wrong. You have me confused with someone else. I don't know how many times I must tell you this," she said firmly, trying to mask the fear in her voice. "My mate is Alpha King Ethan, not you." The mere mention of Ethan's name caused Amdis' features to contort into a frown
Kasia awoke with a start, her heart pounding. Her body felt cocooned in silk, the fabric clinging to her like an unwelcome lover. As she tried to make sense of her surroundings, memories of Amdis, the vampire who had taken her away, flooded back. She glanced down at herself, noticing for the first time that she wore nothing but a sheer camisole. Anger flared within her, and she clenched her fists, cursing silently. "Who does he think he is?" Kasia muttered under her breath as she threw off the silk sheets and slid out of bed. For a moment, she considered tearing the offensive garment from her body, but practicality won out. She needed to find a way out of this place, and she couldn't do that naked. The room was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the ornate furnishings. Kasia's instincts kicked in, and she moved cautiously towards the window, scanning the room for any potential threats. As her eyes adjusted to the fading light, she realized tha
'Go back there and rip her throat out!' Deva snarled. 'No, he made his decision. We will not fight over him,' Kasia responded as she continued walking away. How could he have done this to her? She should've known better. This was all just part of the plan. He just wanted her close because she is a blessed blood. That's all it was. "Kasia, stop!" Lily said, grabbing her wrist. "Calm down. It's not what you think it is." "I saw what I saw. He was with that b****! I know what I saw," Kasia growled. "That's not what I saw," Lily responded, causing Kasia to squint at her. "What do you mean that's not what you saw? He was humping Aimee," Kasia retorted. "Yes, but when I first saw them, she looked a lot like you," Lily explained. "That…that doesn't make any sense," Kasia said. "How could Aimee have gotten to him so fast? We had just seen her. I don't know. I think something else is going on," Lily argued. "It doesn't matter," Kasia replied, her voice strained. She tried to
'You didn't have to be so mean,' Kasia scolded Deva. 'And he didn't have to have females all over him like he doesn't have a mate for WEEKS,' Deva growled back. Kasia watched as Ethan walked away and sighed. She regretted being coy with him. Perhaps he would have been able to tell her what he needed to say before he got pulled away. The mood was ruined, and Kasia didn't feel like dancing anymore. She moved away from the stage where the live music was playing. "This is only temporary," Lily said, surprising Kasia as she looped arms with her. "Let's get something to eat. Have you ever had fairy pastries before?" "That's a thing?!" Kasia asked, causing Lily to laugh. Lily and Kasia sampled mouthwatering dishes at one of the many food stalls. The scent of spiced meats and vegetables filled the air, mingling with laughter and chatter from the crowd. Kasia's hazel eyes twinkled with delight as she savored a bite of grilled meat skewer, not caring what she was eating because it was
The sun blazed high in the sky, casting a golden hue over the city as the Summer Solstice festival commenced. Colorful banners and streamers adorned the buildings, while stalls lined the bustling streets, offering food, games, and trinkets to the celebrating crowd. Laughter and lively music filled the air, setting a jovial atmosphere that reached every corner of the city. At the heart of it all, Ethan scanned the festive scene before him. "Relax, Ethan," Garrett encouraged with a knowing smile. "This isn't something you haven't hosted before." Ethan let out a strained chuckle, doing his best to maintain a calm facade. "Easier said than done," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Kasia, who had been avoiding him for days. The uncertainty gnawed at him. "You're still worrying about Kasia, aren't you? Lily says she has been super busy with Kasia to get her prepared for today. She's not avoiding you on purpose," Garrett stated. "She
"Are you sure about telling him now before finding out anything else?" As they neared the door, Lana asked nervously. "We haven't even done any research on the paperwork." "Positive," Janet replied, her voice steady. "We need to tell Alpha Ethan what we found immediately, so we can figure out our next moves." Deanna nodded in agreement as they stopped in front of the heavy wooden door. With a deep breath, Lana knocked firmly, and after a moment, the door creaked open, revealing Ethan seated behind his desk and the pack doctor, Brian, with him. "Come in," Ethan said calmly. "I am happy to see that we didn't have casualties." "Thanks to Lana. She was right about those traps," Deanna said as she entered the room, followed by Janet and Lana. "We have a report on the base we found." "Go on," Ethan prompted. "What did you find out?" "Not much. The base was pretty much destroyed," Deanna answered. "What do you mean?" Ethan asked. "It's not just us that have a problem with th
The moon cast an eerie glow on the ground as Deanna, Janet, Lana, and a few warriors made their way through the dense forest. The air was thick with tension, and Lana led them with quiet determination. Sweat beaded on her brow, but she focused on the task at hand. "Remember," she whispered to the others, "the closer we get to the hunters' base, the more traps there'll be. Stay alert." An impatient warrior, his face contorted in frustration, grumbled under his breath. He'd grown tired of following Lana's slow pace, and he decided to speed forward. Lana's hazel eyes flashed a warning, and she called out to him. "Don't! You don't know where the traps are." But her words fell on deaf ears. Just as the warrior was about to step into a well-hidden pit filled with sharp spikes, Lana lunged at him, pushing him aside. In doing so, her arm grazed one of the silver-tipped spikes, and she winced, silver oozing from the wound. "Idiot!" Lana hissed as she clutched her injured arm. "You could
Milo frowned, confusion etched on his features. "How is that possible? You don't smell like a human anymore." "Long story," Kasia replied, glancing away from him and out the window at the blurred city lights. She felt exposed and vulnerable under his scrutiny. "Hey, I've got time," Milo said, leaning back in his seat with a casual air. He studied Kasia intently for a moment before asking, "Where are you headed?" Lily chimed in, her voice soft and hesitant. "We were going to grab dinner. You're welcome to join us if you'd like." Kasia shook her head, dismissing the suggestion. "That would compromise your cover, Milo. We can't risk it." "About that," Milo began with a smirk. He reached up and removed his contacts, revealing striking gold eyes that burned with intensity. Next, he pulled off his blond wig, displaying his true hair color—black, cropped short, and messy. Kasia blinked in surprise at the transformation. Finally, Milo took a cloth and wiped his face clean of make
"Come on, let's try this store," Lily suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she pulled Kasia into a boutique overflowing with colorful garments. Kasia couldn't help but smile as she browsed the racks, selecting pieces she'd never dreamed of wearing before. The normalcy of the moment brought a sense of comfort, something that had been sorely lacking in her life since her parents' deaths. "I've never really had the chance to do normal things like this, you know?" Kasia confided in Lily as they sat down on a plush bench, laden with clothes to try on. "Ever since my parents died, it's just been... surviving, and then I joined them, but I still felt like I was struggling. I don't know why I am talking about this now." Lily's face softened, her gaze full of understanding. "I'm so sorry, Kasia. What happened to your parents?" Kasia took a deep breath, feeling the familiar ache in her chest. "We were foragers, living off the land. One day, Lana and I went out to gather sup