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#Chapter 76: Overnight Guest
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 77: Losing Her
Kadeem Kadeem staggered into his office the next day, but just barely. He was exhausted and his head felt achy and heavy, his mind sluggish. He put his hand in his pocket, feeling for the amethyst stone, only to realize it was still in the pocket of his jeans from yesterday - now laying in a pile of dirty laundry. He was on his own, and reached for a bottle of ibuprofen instead. He settled at his desk and scanned through his emails. The room was silent but for the gentle hum of his computer. As his gaze crawled over the screen, he began to feel more and more frustrated. The words on the screen blurred together and the harsh blue light stung his eyes. Giving up for the moment, he switched off the screen to dull the irritating light and put his head in his hands, just as a knock came at the door. “Come in,” he grumbled, unable to muster the energy to even look up. A light voice rippled through the air. “Good morning.” Greta. Something in her voice jolted him to a
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 78: Lovesick Mortals
KadeemKadeem and Mateo raced across the twisted terrain of the woods, lupine shapes just a blur in the shadows of the trees. Kadeem effortlessly veered left and right, weaving through foliage, dodging branches, and clearing fallen logs with ease as Mateo gasped behind him."Wait, wait…" he pleaded, his human voice echoing through the forest.Kadeem spun around to see Mateo slumped against an old oak, breathless and exhausted from the chase. He shifted back into his human form, walking back towards his friend."You're out of shape, old man," he said with a tsk."Please, I'm a young stallion," Mateo panted.Kadeem raised an eyebrow and pointed at the crown of Mateo's head. "I dunno," he said in a singsong jibe. "I noticed a couple grays."Mateo rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair flirtatiously. "We call that 'glitter.'"Kadeem laughed and plopped down onto a nearby stump, relishing the warm s
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 79 A huge mistake
Ardal I stand on my tiptoes, my hands trembling, and yank my suitcase off the closet shelf. Jack will arrive any moment, and here I am, damn it, in a last-minute scramble! The last couple of days have gone by at breakneck speed. With the school year’s conclusion, Erbao’s last round of dialysis complete, and a seemingly never-ending
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 80: Delayed
ArdalInstantly livid, I storm towards Kadeem and the stranger. They’re standing, cool as cucumbers, on the edge of the gravel drive.I throw a hand on my hip and a low growl escapes my throat. “What the hell are you doing here?”I don’t know howKadeem managed it, but it’s no coincidence he arrived to blindsight us right as we were leaving. I know it.The stranger turns to Kadeem, a smug satisfaction plain on her face. "You were right! She is a feisty one."I raise my eyebrow in a scathing, Vivian Leigh-worthy arch. Kadeem gives me his trademark smirk in return, and I nearly pulverize the popcorn bag I’m clutching."Oh please!”Kadeem drops his gaze and chuckles softly. That only adds to my fury. I want nothing more than to slap that infuriating grin right off of his face!I whirl around to the kids. “Get in the van now!"Their eyes are wide with astonishment
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 81:Plan Z
KadeemKadeem's heart beat like hummingbird wings in his chest.The insatiable heat from the sun baked down on him, his ebony hair absorbing the searing warmth. He felt the sweat pooling along his brow and at the nape of his neck.The oppressive blaze seemed to intensify the roiling fear inside him. A warning bell echoed in his head with every breath, urging him to use all of his strength to persuade Ardal to abandon the foolhardy plan.She and Rayburn were standing at the outer rim of the cool shadows cast by the branches of a pecan tree’s broad arms. His muscles twitched to push into their space and take respite from the inferno, but he stayed as rooted as the old tree.Because despite feeling as though he had walked into the fires of hell itself, he couldn’t interrupt the spell between them. He had to gauge her reaction to his words. He’d laid his entreaty as bare as he could, and now it was time to decipher and decode her intentions.He watched as Ardal seemed to soak up the situa
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 82: The Deal
ArdalIt takes me a second before his words register.Then it hits.“Oh no, you’re not!” I stomp my foot on the ground, every bit as petulant as a child, and not giving a damn.The sheer audacity!Kadeem takes a large step towards me under the tree, and the smell of fresh sweat washes over me. His damp collarbone and hairline are dappled with it. Despite everything, I feel pinpricks of desire - although they’re quickly replaced by a resurgence of anger.“Baby,” he says, and I roll my eyes immediately at his infuriating patronizing.He grits his teeth and struggles to steady his voice. “Trust me when I say this is the optimum choice. I will be accompanying you every step of the way."As he utters, “every step,” the overwhelming urge to smack him resurfaces.&
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 83: Road Trip
ArdalKadeem demands that Jack drive, while he sits next to him in the passenger seat.“To make sure you don’t try anything,” he growls.Jack furrows his brow. “What are you talking about?”“As if you don’t know,” Kadeem scoffs.Already fed up, I throw my head back against my seat in the second row and heave a loud sigh. We're not even out of the driveway.“This trip is going to be loooong if you two are going to snip at each other the whole way."Jack tightens his lips, reaching forward to switch on the radio to a news channel. Kadeem immediately changes it to classic rock. Jack makes an attempt to regain control and I stretch out an arm to stop him."I'm changing it," I say, firmly, finding a pop station instead. “And don’t think I won’t separat
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 84: A Love Triangle
ArdalJack confers with Kadeem over the itinerary, while the kids bolt around like wild animals - all but Erbao, who soon tires out and plops down onto the curb in the shade.I take a seat next to him and hold out my open bag of popcorn, but he shakes his head.“Mom?”I fling a piece of popcorn into my mouth. “Hmm.”“I heard you talking to Kadeem about me.”I freeze, mouth half-open to gobble another bit of snack. “You did,” I ask, feeling the anxiety rising inside of me. “That’s why we’re leaving? Because of me?”I fold up my bag. “There are different reasons… An adventure… Maybe turning a page for all of us.”“Mom,” he presses.I wrap my arm around hi
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The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Epilogue, Part 2: Sonnet 116
Shitty, shit, shit!Kadeem quietly gauges my reaction.“Kadeem,” I begin, not wanting to hurt him, but panicky all the same, “Could we just - pretend you didn’t give me this?” It comes out in the vein of an anxious Western villain. Walk away slowly, and no one gets hurt.“Suit yourself.” He goes back to working on his computer. “But you might like what you see in there,” he adds.I run my fingers over the soft, velvety surface of the box. My voice comes out high-pitched as I try to change the subject. “Are you getting nervous about your surgery?”“No.”“Really?”“It doesn’t ruffle my feathers,” Kadeem mumbles, half-distracted. He pauses. “Erbao’s surgery on the other hand…”My stomach knots at the thought of it. “Me too. But for both of you.”“It’ll all be worth it,” he says, looking up to smile.Seeing Erbao healthy will be worth it. Thank the Goddess Kadeem was a match for his kidney transplant.“Something did ruffle your feathers once,” I say, “Maybe something medical.”“Impossible
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Epilogue, Part 1: The Final Rose
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
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 150: The Fray
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
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 149: Hero
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
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 148: Reckless
ArdalJust like that, our goodbye is cut. I slump against the couch, head in my hands."I'm sorry," Jack says.I lift my head to shoot him a fiery glare.The first rays of sun are lighting the windows. Around us, the quintuplets are Energizer bunnies- getting cranky, maybe, but still going. I'm scraping by on their fumes and my emotional torment.Guilt is splashed across Jack's face.What am I actually seeing?I scrutinize him, hard. The emotion looks utterly real. For a second I am so disgusted, it renders me speechless."You’re pathological," I spit out.He flinches at my words. I picture myself wolfing out and tearing him to bits.Well, it’s a split between that, and throwing myself into his arms to melt into him. Inexplicably, my confusing feelings for him will not die. It only makes me hate him- and myself- more. My hands ball into fists and I battle the urge to scream.Sasha pockets her phone. Next to Jack, Lottie and Milo fight over the box of cookies."Sit tight for now," Sash
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 147: In the Wee Small Hours
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?!
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 146: “Ten Duel Commandments”
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
The Reawakened Mates and their Quintuplets #Chapter 145: No Way Out
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
