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#Chapter 61: Manufactured Thrill
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2023-07-13 11:29:53Ardal
My heart begins to race. Jack meets my eyes, swallowing nervously. “And I’ve been missing you,” he says. His affection is a balm for my pain. The heat I’m feeling between us is an escape from my fears. The longing to feel something - anything - but the stark reality of my child sitting a few doors down hooked to a dialysis machine, makes me want to fling myself into his arms. He is the superhero in a white coat saving us. Heart pounding, I raise my head, tilting my lips up to his. He leans in to kiss me, but before I can lose myself in him, we’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside of the partially opened door. He yanks apart from me just as a nurse walks by. “Maybe you should head off upstairs,” he says, voice heavy with a mixture of lust and frustration. A sly smile tugs at my lips. I reach my arm out, clicking the door shut. HRelated chapters
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Last Updated : 2023-07-14The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 63: Softly, as I Leave You
KadeemArdal flung open the door, her face an exquisite portrait of frazzled despair. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw him - quickly replaced by a harried disappointment flooding her face. She looked like a drowning woman who had fought desperately for the shore, only to find the island she finally reached was just a mirage."Kadeem?"A choking endearment welled up in Kadeem's chest as he took her in, framed in the threshold of the doorway, the unedited chaos of parenthood all around her.Her beauty was unadorned and wild - hair undone in messy waves, her face scrubbed clean of make-up. She stood barefoot, hairbrush in one hand, phone in the other, with Lottie clinging tightly to her soft pink dress.Lottie tugged at Ardal’s dress excitedly, jumping up and down to get closer to Kadeem."Hi," he said, his voice nearly drowned out by the ear-splitting screams of rowdy little boys
Last Updated : 2023-07-15The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 64: The Picture
Ardal Kadeem’s hand interlocks with mine and a familiar warmth floods over me. Five children are giggling and hollering feet away, but they fall to a dim background hum. Amber afternoon light spills from the windows, highlighting Kadeem’s chiseled features and chocolate brown eyes. The worn leather band of his watch is pressed against my wrist, a gentle reminder of the passage of time, even in a moment that seems endless. We’re standing so close, I can find the rippling scar that lines his neck - a badge of survival from a vicious fight when he was 17. I can see the jagged one at his right temple - a trace of the car accident Susan used to erode what was left of our marriage. Just as easily, I see the constellations of freckles that dot his arms, and the dimple in his cheek that deepens when a smirk plays upon his lips. There’s the dark hair I used to rake my fingers through, the lip I used to softly bite, and the eyes that seem to darken when he grows angry or detached. The same
Last Updated : 2023-07-18The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 65: The Mask
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KadeemKadeem strode away from Ardal’s with such an inexplicable calmness, even he didn’t fully understand it. Whatever the reason, he was glad his cooler head had prevailed. He was ready to go to battle, and he wasn’t about to succumb to his own self-destructive impulses.As he walked down the sidewalk, he wretched his phone out of his pocket and quickly scrolled for Riley’s number.He waited for what seemed like ages for her to pick up, but there was no answer - only her voicemail greeted him. A surge of annoyance swept over him.“Riley,” he growled, “Call me back.”He clenched the phone in his fist as he marched down the sidewalk, the sunlight radiating off the pavement as he moved.Finally determining it may be a longer delay than he’d hoped, he slid the phone into his pocket with a sigh. Riley’d better respond soon, though, or he’d go knock down her door. Kadeem passed by a string of storefronts. He lingered for a second
Last Updated : 2023-07-21The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 67 A gemstone
KadeemBob squirmed in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the threat that lingered in Riley's voice. His voice trembled slightly when he spoke again."Okay," he said quietly. "Maybe I did meet with him a few times." He swallowed hard and continued speaking quickly, as if trying to get it all out before he changed his mind. "He's been looking for something for years - some kind of ancient artifact or relic that's supposed to have immense power or something like that."Kadeem leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Bob. "Interesting," he mused, trying to keep his tone casual. He could feel the flutter of excitement in his chest, like a butterfly trapped in a jar. "And you've been helping him?"Bob hesitated before nodding slowly. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I've been helping him gather information. In exchange, he promised me a cut of whatever he finds."Riley snorted in disgust. "And you don't care what kind of damage
Last Updated : 2023-07-22The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 68: Chipper
ArdalThe bats are out.Their leathery wings flutter in the sky overhead, their dark bodies casting a silhouette against the pale morning light.“Are those vampires,” Ezra asks, as we stare up at the sky, all of us rooted to the porch.I take a drink of my coffee, letting its warmth soak into me before addressing."No, they're just little animals, completely harmless." I pat his head. "They're on their way back to their roost a little late, though."I take a breath, trying to ready myself for the day."Okay, let's get going," I say, trying to break through whatever spell we've found ourselves under. I motion for the quints to hop in the van. They groan their useless protests, picking up their backpacks and lunchboxes with little huffs, and grumbling while they tote their things to the car."Last week of school," I say cheerily. "You can do
Last Updated : 2023-07-23The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 69: Passion
ArdalHere we go.My insides start to boil. I expect to see a look of jealous anger surface from within Kadeem - but instead, there's worry spread over his face. I let the fake smile fade from mine."I don't have solid details to share," he says, "But I have some information about him that's a little troubling."I cross my arms over my chest. "What are you talking about?" My tone is slightly hostile, but I don’t try to hide it.“Gloves off already, huh?” Kadeem regards me with a wry sort of hesitation.“You’ve already made it abundantly clear you don’t like him,” I say. “Let’s just agree to disagree and leave it at that.”“It’s not for my sake I’m bringing this back up,” he says. “I found out some more information yesterday and -“I take a step forward, the words bursting from my mouth. “Why are you trying to wreck something good in my life?” I can barely choke out the last word, the painful hurt suddenly tumbling to the surface.Ka
Last Updated : 2023-07-25
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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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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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