ArdalDue to Susan’s recent “offense,” I’ve been called in to meet with Kadeem. Everything in me had hoped I could keep a distance from him, but it appears that’s not going to happen as I’m sitting right across from him now.We stare at each other in silence for a moment, both of us glowering for our own personal reasons. It makes the air in the room feel electric as neither of us choose to back down, though I assume that’s what Kadeem is waiting for. I only wish he’d speak already so I could get this meeting over with, but apparently, he’s choosing to be stubborn.“So what? Am I fired or something?” I finally ask, wondering if Kadeem has pulled some strings to dismiss my position. Due to his love for Susan, it wouldn’t surprise me. Plus, he’s the Alpha of the Red Moon pack, which means he can make anyone do whatever he wants - including having the gym fire me.“No,” Kadeem answers, impatience within his tone. I’m surprised by his answer, but I don’t show it as I realize there’s more
ArdalI can tell from Kadeem’s expression that he’s surprised by my anger. He stares at me, swallowing slowly as he studies my tightened features. But I don’t allow them to smooth no matter how long he stares.In fact, my face doesn’t even change as I notice a shift in his gaze. It’s subtle, faint - but I swear I see something - something familiar.It almost looked like…arousal - a stare I’ve seen from Kadeem plenty of times. The suspicion causes only my stomach to turn sour as the look disappears, causing me to question if I’d actually seen it in the first place.Maybe I hadn’t. Yes, I must have been mistaken. Kadeem would never look at me that way again - I’m sure of it.“Alright,” Kadeem says finally with a breath. Only, he then stops to clear his throat, seeming to regain himself. Still, I remind myself that it’s not at my expense, believing he’s just caught off guard by my continued annoyance.I wait for him to continue, watching his every move as Kadeem pauses again, almost loo
Ardal I’m standing in front of James, watching his sneering face as he appears as if he wants to tear my head off. However, I try to keep my head high as I prepare to keep him busy by listing out the workout plan I’ve laid out. Already, I don’t react to his vicious stare as I begin to walk toward a machine, showing it off as I insist he tries it. His eyes watch my every move, and I swear I can practically feel Susan’s doing the same somewhere. James follows my request, walking closer as he heads for the machine. I almost feel my heart relax a little as I see him reach for a weight. But then my heart slams the front of my chest as his hand lunges out and firmly grasps my wrist instead. Holy Goddess - despite being out of shape he’s surprisingly fast. And strong. That discovery hits me hard as he still holds onto me, smiling menacingly as I turn to face him. “You’re a pretty little thing,” he breathes into my face, causing me to grimace. “I’d love to see what this body looks like
Ardal My wolf wildly tries to fight for control, shaken by the scent that has woken her from a light sleep. She’s searching for the source, wanting to draw closer to immediately. However, I try to press her desires down however I can. Seconds slip by and we still reside in silence as I have yet to reply. I’m waiting for Kadeem to tug at my arm, yell at me for answers. Only, I’m surprised when he doesn’t offer frustrated words. In fact, as we stand together, my head remains dizzy and wolf frantic as I watch him slowly inhale, his eyes flickering as some of his annoyance slips from his features. Instead, he looks intrigued…skeptical, but curious. As I notice him inhale again, I feel my stomach tighten as I realize what may have caused his reaction. He scents me too. But not my real scent - there’s no way. Not even I can smell it through my perfume. However, I’ve still caught his interest and I don’t fail to notice that he tries to take a step closer as if to breathe me in more. Th
Kadeem Kadeem still threatened to smile as two of the babies sat in front of him as they snacked on the popsicles they’d been rewarded while waiting for the third to return from the bathroom. He watched them warmly, noticing how his staff also couldn’t stop fawning over them. Finally, a small voice could be heard as the third baby returned, accompanied by a member of the team. Kadeem glanced up to greet the boy, but his voice suddenly lodged in his throat as he blinked at the child’s face. It was the boy from the airport - the one who had stopped Kadeem right in his tracks. And just like that day, he couldn’t get over how similar they looked. It caused Kadeem to look back at the other children, noting the dark hair again - ravenous black like his own. And their eyes…all similar shades of green, yet only the boy’s exactly matched his. “Where are your parents?” Kadeem was compelled to ask, wanting to see what their mother and father looked like. “Mommy is working,” the baby with gl
Ardal It was difficult to say goodbye to babies again this morning, watching them leave with Hannah as I went to get ready for work. However, I was glad to see they were all excited for school, making me relieved that they’re settling in okay. I wish I shared their level of happiness as I move through the doors of the gym this morning. I don’t hate my job, but it has come with plenty of complications already. And one of the “complications” is already yelling as I walk into the main room. “This is your fault!” Susan shouts as she stands over a man on the ground. He seems to be in pain as he holds his leg, grimacing as Susan continues to berate him. It’s only eight in the morning and she’s already riled up. Getting closer, I watch as Susan continues to sneer down at him. “If you had been using the equipment properly then you wouldn’t have gotten hurt!” She yells at the man. What the - Soaking in Susan’s words, I look to the machine the man had been using, my brow raising as I se
Ardal I’m still baffled as I stand in the locker room, removing my clothes as I change into my fighting gear. I can’t believe that Kadeem actually made Susan stand down, handed over her responsibilities to me. I would have never expected him to go against her. It still doesn’t make sense to me, but I’m glad Kadeem finally managed to make a smart decision. If he chose to leave Susan in charge then they’d probably have lawsuits flooding in left and right. Not that I actually care about Kadeem’s well-being or the ridiculous amount of money he possesses - I’m only concerned about their guests. Finally dressed and making sure my ponytail is secure, I make sure to coat myself in more perfume in order to guarantee my true scent won’t be detected. I then hide the perfume away, leaving me to officially turn and go to the door. I still have a few minutes before Kadeem is expecting me, but I want to make sure I stretch and get my thoughts straight before we train. I still don’t know why he w
Susan Following the incident with Ardal in the locker room, Susan left for the day - claiming she wasn’t feeling well. She called her mother during her drive home, letting her know Susan needed to see her immediately. Due to living so close, Susan arrived at her house quickly, causing her to storm through the door as she remained unnerved. Her anger even caused her to knock over a few vases and photos, leaving glass to scatter to the ground. But just as she was about to turnover her entire entryway table, her mother’s voice coming through the front door stopped her. “What is the meaning of this?” her mother asked, studying the glass and Susan’s wild state. “That stupid bitch at work is trying to steal Kadeem!” Susan yelled quickly, hungry to destroy something else. However, she couldn’t move under her mother’s thoughtful gaze. “Smashing things won’t solve your problems,” the woman scolded, clicking your tongue. “Only getting pregnant will.” Susan harshly sighed as she knew her m
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
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
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 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
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 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?!
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
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,
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