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#Chapter 52: Blackout
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2023-06-29 18:15:20Ardal
“Are you alright?” “I’m fine,” I say, trying to reassure Jack - and myself. But I’m really not. The wheels in my head have been spinning since Jack took me up to his loft apartment last night, and spiraled to a dizzying pace with him this morning. Why can’t I just get Kadeem out of my mind? Jack drops me off at my home, and since I'm running late for work (Saturday is our busiest day of the week), I hastily climb into my car in last night’s clothes. There's no way I can chance going inside without adding on at least fifteen minutes of questions and hugs from the quints, even with Hannah attempting to corral them for me. “IDGAF if anyone notices,” I text Julia as I pull up. By “anyone,” of course I mean Kadeem, but I don’t tell her. I dash inside, planning to go straight to the locker room to shower and change. If the stars align, I won’t be late for the 10AMRelated chapters
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Ardal“Mom. Mommy?”I blink and look down. I realize Lottie’s been tugging on my shirt, trying to get my attention for at least a full minute while I stare out into space.“Sorry, girly.” I crouch down to meet her eyes.“I’ve got a lot on my mind today.”It’s been a day since Erbao’s first dialysis treatment and the weight of it is intense. I could barely pull myself out of bed today, and I’m stumbling through this morning with the kids, but I’m not really here.Lottie puts her hand on her hip. “I was trying,” she says, huffily, “To ask you a question.”I tuck a stand of her dark hair behind her ear.“What’s your question?”Her eyes get big, brimming with excitement. “Can I go with you to work? I want to go to the gym, too.“ Look! I have my gym outfit on. See?”She spins around so I can appre
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KadeemThe pink dawn shone through the windows of the donut shop. Mateo ripped the plastic lid off of his coffee cup, releasing a cloud of steam.“I want the scoop on your beta.”Kadeem sighed and slumped in his seat. “Give it a rest,” he said, taking a sip from his own styrofoam cup.Mateo began opening small packets of sweetened creamer, stirring in one after another like a man possessed.Kadeem watched in amusement. “Maybe we should just get you some sugar in IV form already,” he smirked, glancing at his pile of empty packets next to Mateo’s giant stack of donuts.Mateo waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t need your judgment,” he said. “Just eat your egg things.”“Egg bites,” Kadeem corrected. “And they’re not half bad,” he said, winking.Mateo clicked his tongue. “Whoever heard of ordering healthy crap like that in a donut store, for God’s sake?” He
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Last Updated : 2023-07-12
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Outside of Kadeem's health club, his security guard, Nora, is aggressively confronting someone. As expected.She shoots me her usual scowl when I pass by, but I don't acknowledge it, and simply yank the door open to go inside. I told Kadeem to fire her, but he doesn’t listen.I’m not giving up, though.I head over to the check-in area where my main rival, Rory, is lazily answering a phone call. A pile of white gym towels on the counter behind him is waiting to be folded.My left arm is braced across my chest in a sling and cast, but I make sure to lean my good arm casually on the counter like I own the place. Because, let’s face it, I pretty much do."I'm here to see Kadeem," I announce, adding a sarcastic, "Is that alright with you?"Rory gives me an icy glare before turning his attention back to his call. I drum my fingers on the counter and flash him an innocent smile before walking away."Yes, sir," he mumbles into the phone, before whispering a snide, "If he wants you around.""H
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Orange and yellow leaves dot the sidewalk outside of the pack headquarters where I huddle with the kids as we prepare for our next move. Despite the chill in the air, beads of sweat are dripping down the back of my neck.Thanks to Jack’s magic and a shit ton of luck, we left Sasha, Gabe, and the rest of our captors unconscious and tied up in Kadeem’s cabin. Jack stayed behind to help Riley before setting out to slay his mother. Talk about an Electra complex.I take a moment to catch my breath when the sounds of a growing commotion come from the Council building. Without warning, Erbao bolts off, charging up the concrete steps, his eyes blazing with determination.“HEY!” I belt out. Bob could have dozens of henchmen stationed inside. Worse, he could have already seized control of Red Moon.Erbao ignores me and his siblings rush after him. My heart is a race car, but my legs are still Jello from wolfsbane. All I can do is stumble after them as they burst through the doors of the crowded
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The pack headquarters was in an ordinary brick building, tucked away right in the heart of the city. The activity was minimal, except for nights when the council met - usually on the full moon. Even then, it was never bustling. It was a seat of immense power, but it looked an awful lot like a local Elk’s Club.Today was different.Pack members, raw with emotion, gathered like storm clouds at the downtown HQ. As dawn broke, Council Elders fought to maintain control of the room, elbow-to-elbow with Weres demanding answers.The vampire attack had come without warning, had been brutal and swift. The enemy was fueled with a devastating strength, leaving many injuries and fatalities.Amidst all of the chaos, one question loomed over them all: Where was their Alpha?It was into this pressure cooker that Kadeem allowed himself to be dragged in by Bob.The room erupted at the sight of him. Even the stoic Council gasped in shock. Bob was barreling in Kadeem with a ruthless force - leather boots
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The stage is set.I've got to hand it to Bob, he's built a well-oiled network of evil and orchestrated his plan perfectly.Kadeem will be taken in front of the Council elders. He'll be blamed for everything from Susan's death to the vampire attack. Bob will get to play the hero and declare himself the rightful Alpha. Kadeem will be killed.It's everything Bob hoped for.His henchmen arrive in the darkness to haul off me, Jack, and Riley. Jack is coming to, Riley's still holding on, and I'm less noodle-like, but I fake incapacity, forcing one of them to lift me from the ground and half-carry me, supporting my weight.My last glimpse of Kadeem is as weighty as you would imagine. There's no fear in his eyes, though. I'm starting to feel hints of my inner wolf again and the emotional link between us. What I pick up from him is exactly what he's projecting outwards: calm.It sets me off. Where's the anger?! The steely determination?! The whirling thoughts as he plans a way out of things?!
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Kadeem's eyes flash like lightning.The wind picks up, stirring the night air and whipping up a swirl of leaves. On the ground nearby, Susan's tresses blow gently across her face, still staring lifelessly into the darkness ahead."Guess you've got it all figured out," Kadeem says quietly, almost eerily calm. His gaze shifts to Riley, who's lying unconscious on a bed of leaves. "But you forgot her.""Collateral damage," Bob shrugs. "I was planning on having her killed anyway. No way I can trust her."A low growl rumbles from Kadeem's throat. "No deal, then."Bob laughs. "If you think you have any kind of leverage over me, you're sadly mistaken. I've got more than enough to ensure your compliance, including your sweetie over there." He gestures lazily in my direction as he approaches Riley, still hovering somewhere between life and death."I'll give her a warrior's end," he says, staring down at her. "The Council will believe she died trying to stop you, trying to protect the pack."Nex
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Kadeem glares at Bob. “Cooperate?" he spats. "You should know me better than that."Kadeem is on the ground, his weight supported by a tree. Exhaustion is etched into his sweat-covered face and the blood from his shoulder has seeped into the fabric of his shirt, staining it bright red.Nearby, Jack's sole focus is on the medical emergency in front of him. He's been working quickly to keep Kadeem's beta alive, turning her onto her side, holding pressure against her stab wound and checking her pulse.Increasingly drowsy, the sound of Bob chuckling in response to Kadeem is faint in my ears. Susan yanks me by my wrists and begins to drag me along the damp ground, limping as she goes. Before my eyes grow too heavy, I glimpse the deep bites around her right shin and calf."If you hurt her-"I'm too weak to take advantage of her injury and I don't resist. I simply wonder what the point is. Why expend her energy to put more distance between me and the others?In this current state of affairs,
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 144: Knives Out
Riley spoke in a low, urgent whisper. "One wrong move and you're dead, got it?"Rayburn's voice rose as he responded fiercely, "Perhaps at some point you'll realize I haven't done anything wrong and I'm not going-"Kadeem whipped around to interrupt him with an icy growl. They were on the brink of reaching Ardal, and Riley had made a dangerous gamble by freeing Rayburn.Kadeem could only hope it wouldn't backfire on them.He knew Riley well enough to guess her thought process. Intimidation was part of the game, and Kadeem showing up with his distracted beta tagging after him while she juggled a captive was no good. Riley wanted it made clear that Kadeem had back-up, and she needed to give herself the chance to fight by his side when it boiled down to it.But Kadeem also knew the reality of their situation. Now, there was nothing to prevent Rayburn from using the spell that had knocked them unconscious in the woods, killing them, or worse: going after Ardal or the kids. What were the o
