LOGINShare
Chapter Twenty Two
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56The way he held her face and kissed her with purpose made her stomach flutter. Hands trembling as they dropped to his arms teeming with muscles, she felt her breath almost leave her. The sensation of kissing him was unlike anything she had experienced, and without control, she channelled her gift and moaned against the tide of his emotions crashing down on her.
To steady herself, she drew back and took a deep breath. With a smile that made her curious, his amber eyes brimmed into hers, making her giddy. She resented how she couldn’t find the right things to say when his eyes were fixed on her like that, or when he was so close his sandalwood scent tingled along her skin like a caress, claiming her before he even marked her.
“Your mate,” Lucian whispered before kissing her shoulder. “That was the first time I’ve ever heard you call me that.”
Her gaze returned to him. “No, it’s not.”
“Really it is.
Related chapters
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Three
Elyssa shrugged in response, as he watched her in an unfamiliar way. But it felt good to get that off her chest. “How did you manage to survive it?” “That night, I snuck out to a party, and by the time I got back home the next morning, all that was left was ashes.” Hanging her hands on her hips after she tossed her hair, she shook the image of that night from her mind. He walked over to her and just stared at her. He said, “I am so sorry for your loss.” His voice was soft and comforting, and his reaction was far from what she expected to see. “How have you survived without a pack?” “I’ve got the Ewings.” Lucian shook his head in disbelief. “You never truly accepted them as your pack. It’s evident by how you act. You’re a lone wolf.” “After the fire, trust was not something that came easily to me. No matter how much I wanted to, and believe me I really wanted to. I felt I would be letting my family down by pledging another pack.
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Four
The Callisto compound was crowded with people setting up for the midnight ceremony when they arrived. Victoria hadn’t said anything to her about it, just told her to rest up like she wasn’t needed there tonight. She mentally facepalmed herself as she followed Lucian to her bedroom; she still didn’t have a change of clothes.“There you are, we need you in the private room,” Alfred Callisto said as he walked toward them from the other side of the hall.“Whatever it is can wait.” Lucian took her hand in his, and she peeked a glance at him.“It cannot, it’s urgent.” Alfred insisted as his eyes slithered over her in the most lecherous way.Glaring at him, she clung closer to her mate.“Go on. I’ll be right behind you,” Lucian said to his brother, tightening his hold on her hand.In a rather arrogant stride, his brother turned back the way he had come, one hand tucked in
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Five
For a moment, Elyssa stood staring at him in confusion. It wasn’t just that he knew she had a gift, he also knew she’d used it.“That’s incredible. You can peek into people’s minds.” He folded his arms across his chest, and her gaze followed his massive arms.“How did you know?”“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He flashed her a dazzling smile, and she could see he looked a lot like her mate.She did not want to admit it, but Alfred was gorgeous. Tawny hair perfectly styled and a well-groomed beard that almost made her want to touch it.“Yes, I would. How could you tell?”Almost as quickly as Lucian, he propped her up against the wall. Elyssa gasped, and then her eyebrows creased in a frown.“Oh, I’ll tell you later, once you tell Lucian you let that Ewing prick touch you.” Alfred held her arm in a firm grip behind her back. “I’m not
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Six
Moaning, she broke away from the kiss. It was the most difficult thing she’d ever had to do. She had to resist her body trembling in profound need for him to touch, caress and mark her. Amber eyes flashed at her, dark with yearning before he gulped and tucked his hands into his pocket; a pose that made him look dangerously alluring. “I’ll see you in the–” “Lucian, I don’t… I don’t want this to be a one-off.” She explained when she noticed the disappointment in his eyes. “You’re not obliged to explain yourself to me. What you want is your prerogative. I have no right to force you to do what you don’t want to, regardless of how badly I want you.” With a smile that slowed her heart, he stroked her hair, and she returned it as her cheeks burned. “Come on, I’ll walk you back.” He took her hand and led her on a stroll down the field. “You could have me back in a blink.” “I want to spend some time with you. After tonight, things will
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Seven
Elyssa groaned as Taylor checked herself in the mirror for the millionth time. “Seriously?” she asked Taylor. Their dresses were superb, and although she hadn’t cared what she wore before, the red studded dress matched her to perfection. She and Taylor were alone in the private room of the main lounge close, just beside the ceremony hall. The other females who made it out of the lair were in the general room, waiting to be present by their mates. The females of the alphas were separated from the rest and once all the elites had presented their mates, the alphas, if any, followed. That placed her and Lucian right after Antonio and Taylor. “I look incredible, let me enjoy it,” Taylor said, in a gorgeous black dress that complemented her in a way that Elyssa could not convey in words. “Ivan’s a wizard of clothes,” Elyssa admitted. “His skill is unbelievable. I’ve never felt–” A soft knock interrupted Taylor, and the two of them gl
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Eight
Following the Luna’s blessing and joining them as mates, the hall full of Peskington’s elites bowed to them. Lucian squeezed her hand gently as he led her down from the podium to join the other Alphas.“Luna.”As the Alphas saluted her, she gritted her teeth. Luna? The damn tradition of becoming Luna after joining with an Alpha irked her; she was an Alpha. Their faces were bright with curiosity as they looked between her and Lucian. They would probably burst from all the questions they couldn't bring themselves to ask about her Mazzeo heritage. With her return as the Mazzeo Alpha, she had effectively eclipsed Victoria as LunaElyssa smiled at them and turned just as Victoria climbed down from the podium and started towards the other end of the hall.“Excuse me,” Elyssa said to them as she slipped away from her mate.The guests stopped to salute her and make way for her as she traversed the hall. She waded through
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Twenty Nine
It was a long night. In the foyer of the Callisto main hall, Elyssa and Lucian bid the guests’ goodbye. She painfully realized then that she could no longer come and go as she pleased due to her apparent duties as Luna and host. Most of the Alphas had already left by now, including Antonio and Taylor, who whispered to her that they needed to talk before he and his mate left. Elyssa glanced around the almost empty ballroom in search of Zuker. They hadn’t seen him yet, did he leave already or what? Let’s. The rest of the guests can find their way out. Lucian’s voice echoed in her head, and she turned her attention to him. The real joy was hearing her mate in her mind, and not the thrill of finally feeling connected with her Alpha and her pack. As he guided her out of the main house, his fingers curled into hers. He led her into the hallway that led to the private courtyard. Following him quietly, Elyssa soon realized he wasn’t leading h
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty
“Look at how you’ve grown, my sweet girl.”Elyssa stared in awe, confused by what was happening. Could she be imagining things or was her mother really standing in front of her? She could feel Lucian’s burning hands all over her.“Mum.”“You’re not dreaming, sweetheart.”Caitlyn stroked her face and she felt her mother’s touch as if she were flesh and blood and real. Elyssa squeezed her in a tight hug as she choked on a sob, and Caitlyn held her. Elyssa laughed through her tears as her mother embraced her and kissed her cheeks with that big smile she would never forget.“Mum, how are you here?”“This is what happens when azure royalty is marked,” her mother explained. “Your predecessor comes to bless you with the powers of your line.”“It was true what Victoria said. You… I am a royal azure?”“We are chieftai
Latest chapter
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Forty Two
While Elyssa would have preferred to ride with Zuker instead of Rita to the Ewing compound, she went with Rita. She was not surprised to see Keith and Jared downstairs either. Lucian was very sweet, and just thinking about him made her smile. Watching the cars go by, she wondered how he was doing, as she found it difficult to feel him despite their link, even though she wanted to.Their car screeched to a stop along the quiet streets of Boulder Row, and Rita and she braced themselves. Keith cursed as he gazed out at the pack of wolves blocking their path from the passenger seat, then he unbuckled his seatbelt.“Don’t confront them.” Elyssa interrupted him before he could step out of the car. “Who are they?”“They are part of the resistance, Luna,” Keith said. “That tattoo on their necks is the crest.”When Keith called her Luna, she caught Rita’s sideways glance and felt uncomfortable. Rita had d
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Forty One
Elyssa snuggled into Zuker’s warmth, and he cradled her closer. Listening to him ramble on about the wolves and the gods, she smiled. Even though her intention had been to listen to this, Zuker was so close to her and drowning her in his scent that she could not focus on anything else.“You’re not listening, are you?”Looking up, she found his brow arched in question, and she laughed loudly as he shook his head at her.“I was. Please continue.”Intent on paying attention to him, she drew back from him and slid to the edge of the couch.“What’s going on over there? Come here.” He waved her over, and she refused with a shake of her head.Zuker closed the space between them, wrapping his arm around her waist and pinning her against him. With a gasp, her arms found his chest and slowly slid around his shoulder as she gazed at him.“I think I’m okay with having two mates, bu
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Forty
“Something happened when I went to the Ewing compound ahead of you.” Taking Lucian by the hand, Elyssa led him to her living room and lowered into a couch with him. As he waited for her to tell him what was going on, his brow furrowed into a deep frown. Meanwhile, she wondered when Zuker would join them. “What is it?” “Lucian, you need to understand things as I do know, so you know it’s no one’s fault; mine, his or yours.” “Don’t tell me you slept with him.” Lucian tightened his grip on her hand, and when her gaze fell to it, he slipped his hand away from her. “Go on.” “Do you know anything about the war between the gods and the dark?” she asked. On the couch, Lucian reclined, then he adjusted. “I am aware. My bloodline is adamantly opposed to the light, my forefathers pledged us to the dark. How do you know about that?” “My parents were both pledged to both sides.” Elyssa huffed, stunned by how stuck she was in the middle of a
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Nine
A confused Elyssa sat with her legs crossed in the white expanse, unsure of what was happening or what to do next. With no awareness of her physical surroundings, she wondered how Zuker and Lucian were doing. The two of them were probably at each other’s throats, and it was likely Zuker had revealed their match to spite Lucian. More than anything, she needed to be out of here, wherever it was, to make sure Zuker did not tell Lucian anything. “That is why you are here, Elyssa.” Her eyes snapped open at the echo of the voice within the expanse. Jumping to her feet, she looked around for anyone or anything. “What am I doing here? What is this place?” she asked. “Your mates must work things out and accept that you belong with them, both of you.” A churning of bells echoed in his voice, and Elyssa laughed at the absurdity of what he said. “Lucian would never accept such a thing.” “If he won’t conform, he will be removed. He
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Eight
Lucian’s POVAfter setting her in her bed, Lucian lowered himself to sit beside her and gawked, unable to look away from her. She was in pain, and he had no idea how to help her. The way she’d screamed in excruciating agony crushed him, and given that she was azure royalty and an alpha, the mesh of all that power made it difficult to tell which was hurting her now.He wanted to help her.Yet, it appeared that she didn’t want his help. Just moments after they’d shared the most mind-blowing night together, he managed to hurt her and make her jealous. Goddess, she had been so open and eager for him that it nearly drove him mad. With just one visit to Rita, he had managed to push her to the point where she wanted to distance herself from him and be with Zuker.Then he turned to Zuker who was standing in the doorway. The scent of his anxiety and worry filled the room.“Would you be so kind…?” L
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Seven
After stepping out of the shower, Elyssa donned a pair of red silk pyjamas and went to Zuker in her living room. She resolved to stay here until she was no longer bothered by Lucian’s inane questions. Then she scoffed, recalling the perverse question he had asked her following his admission of still having feelings for Rita and his reduction of her importance in his life.When he was crazy about Rita, why had he insisted on being with her? A lot more had to be going on, and Ravyn had to reveal it.“You’re fuming.”Zuker’s voice roused her from her thoughts, and she watched him, standing beside her living room window that overlooked the city.“I’m just a little annoyed.”“Is this about the witch or Lucian?” Zuker folded his arms over his chest. “I am upset that you went down that path alone. What if you had gotten hurt?”As she walked up to him, Elyssa smiled ear-to-ear.
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Six
The darkness of the path swallowed her, even with the scorching morning sun, and this far down the path, she couldn’t see back into the Callisto compound.But she was not afraid.The wind whipped up with unusual force, and she quickly plaited her hair to prevent it from thrashing over her face. Ravyn’s voice was everywhere, echoing over and over through the dark path, and Elyssa took a deep breath. When she reopened her eyes, she saw the path in front of her clearly, and her brows furrowed in wonder. As her eyes got hot, she raised her hand to calm them down. It was then she noticed the blue glow emanating from her eyes, and it startled her.“The azure eyes,” she exclaimed to herself and continued down the path.Unlike her other gifts, channelling this gift took a lot of energy from her. It caused her eyes to burn badly, and she held her head with a wince. Squeezing both eyes shut, she put her hands out and walked along the path bl
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Five
After she slipped away from Zuker, shaking her head to clear it of her new unfounded attraction to him, Elyssa returned to Rita’s side. It wasn’t that she didn’t already have feelings for him, she never acted on them or requited his advances because the goddess didn’t match them. As she channelled her ability, eyes clenched shut, trying not to leer at him, she believed that desire to be with a matched mate was an azure thing. “Anything?” Zuker’s voice boomed over to her, and she shook her head, eyes still closed. Then she pushed him and Lucian out of her mind for a moment; letting go of the doubts that plagued her, and the crippling fear that her life was headed in a direction she had never imagined. Rita’s hand heated up in hers, and Elyssa focused on the sensation. She followed it, or rather directed it, as the sensation spread throughout her body, and once it had settled Ely
The Prey in The Dark Chapter Thirty Four
As Alfred paced in front of them, Elyssa struggled to avoid looking at Zuker. She craved his presence for some ungodly reason, and it was a bittersweet feeling. Her bond with Lucian made her feel guilty, and she wondered if he felt her particular attraction to Zuker now. She was worried because Alfred and Melissa had no explanation, but they knew precisely how terrible it would be to have Lucian’s mate be matched with their son. It was still necessary for her to see Rita to know that she was recovering well. What she really wanted to do was help Rita recover. Victoria told her the royal azure had multiple gifts; she wondered if her mother’s healing ability was one of them. But a more riveting dilemma occurred, and she hated that she was once again stuck in the middle. “Has something like this ever happened before?” Zuker asked. “
