"My darling Alinta, you are finally awake!" exclaimed a deep, familiar voice."Mr. Crassus?" Alinta replied, a mix of surprise and panic in her voice."Oh, how my heart can now be at ease," he said, greedily cupping the side of her face as he examined her. He noticed the tension in her body language but chose to ignore it."I am so happy I was able to reach you in time before that fool had the chance to take you away from m... ahem, town.""You saved us?" Alinta asked in disbelief, her heart softening as gratitude began to replace the fear she had felt for the man over the past 11 years. "Thank you," she said, her relief evident as tears started to form."Get a grip, girl! I find this whole situation he's orchestrating suspicious!" Angela snarled defensively.Alinta silently thanked her wolf for bringing her back to reality. As she reflected on the event, she noticed Bellinor interpreting her silence as an invitation for affection; he began to caress her cheek lovingly with his thumb.
Alinta was feeling overwhelmed, so Angela stepped in and shifted, sprinting with fierce energy as she sensed her person's raw emotions. "Als, you did so well, and I am proud of you, but you don’t need to appear strong in front of me. Let it out; you can't keep everything bottled up inside." Taking a deep, trembling breath, Alinta began to weep uncontrollably."That's it. Once we get home, I’ll comfort my sister," Angela comforted as she skillfully raced toward their cottage. She didn’t stop, her large, clawed paws digging into the earth with each fleeting stride. Her fluffy tails fluttered in the wind, making her look like an elegant firework shooting through the forest, ready to burst into flames at any moment.Finally, Angela reached the cottage, but she hadn't transformed back just yet. Instead, she took the key gently in her mouth and unlocked the door. Once inside, she kicked the door closed with her hind leg and made her way to her mother's room. She carefully climbed onto the b
It was four in the morning when a familiar noise invaded Alinta's dream, like a Viking raid on a peaceful village. She groaned as she woke up to her buzzing alarm. Just as she was about to turn it off, she remembered that today was the day of their trip. Alinta jumped out of bed, brushed her teeth, and took a quick shower. Since comfort was key to her travels, she put on some jeans, sneakers, and a pretty navy top that matched her shoes. Alinta tied her thick red hair into a high ponytail and opted for light makeup: some foundation powder, eyeliner, mascara, and cherry lip gloss. Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her handbag and stepped out of the cottage, just in time to see the taxi driver ready to help with her luggage.Alinta arrived at the bus station an hour before departure. Great, some time to grab snacks for the road, she thought. Just then, she caught a familiar scent and anxiously spun around, only to find Bellinor standing among the trees, almost hidden in their s
The following morning, Alinta woke up early to the sound of her mother singing as she carried a cup of freshly brewed coffee."Happy birthday, my baby," her mother sang, pulling Alinta into a tight hug. Her mother was beautiful, with raven black hair and striking green eyes, just like her daughter. "Today is the day the Moon blesses you with your wolf, Lara, and I can't wait to meet her." She hummed and kissed Alinta on the forehead. "I wanted to spoil you with a special breakfast, but since Bellinor has gotten to you first with his invitation, I guess you'll have to settle for some coffee instead," she winked."Mom, no matter what you make or give me, it's always the best," Alinta giggled, enjoying the warmth of her mother's embrace."Oh, my baby, I wish I could give you the world—that’s how precious you are to me. When you get home, we can go to the river as promised and run with our wolves.""I'm so excited!" Alinta exclaimed, eagerly trying to call for her wolf, but there was no r
Bellinor released Alinta to cover his mouth as he coughed uncomfortably, trying to get his thoughts together. Her words were completely unexpected. Though determined to change her perspective of him, Bellinor slips his free hand under her jaw to cup the side of her face, making her look at him."My dear, please rather see me as your beloved protector, for my feelings for you are so much more. If ever I wanted to be a father it would only be of our future pups," he whispered sensually close to her ear."Oh my!" Alinta reddened uncomfortably, then continued, "Um...but I first would like to find my true..." Bellinor silenced her as he kissed Alinta. She tried to retreat from his hold, but he tightened his grip. Hoping to sway her mind, believing she would melt in his arms by his touch. Alinta gasped through her nose in surprise. Instead of a quick peck, Bellinor snaked another hand behind her head, holding her in place, pressing himself against her soft lips, praying the kiss would trans
“Earth to Alinta! You’re next in the queue,” Angela called out.“Oh, sorry! Thanks, Ange,” Alinta replied as she snapped out of her thoughts and quickly shifted her attention to the cashier.“Hey, don’t let that jerk scare you. He’s not going to ruin our holiday,” Angela said once Alinta finished paying for her items.Alinta glanced at her phone and sighed. “We have twenty-five minutes left. What are we going to do now?” she asked reluctantly as she approached the exit.Angela looked around, trying to see through Alinta's eyes. “I don’t see him anywhere. Where do we need to go for our bus?”Alinta checked the name of the bus company. “It’s called Grey Hare.” She then stared at the long building with different entrances, each window displaying the corresponding company name, but she couldn’t see their bus brand."Guess we have no choice, but to leave the safety of the shop," Alinta sighed and quickly walked down the sidewalk, which felt like a long trek.“Dang, who knew there were so m
Alinta was so excited. She had just boarded the plane and found her seat. It had been an hour and a half since she ran from the silver-haired stranger, and Angela had been awfully quiet. This usually happened when Angela was genuinely pissed off.“Ange, are you angry with me?” Alinta asked, worried. She waited for a response, but there was none. Alinta felt regret wash over her as a pit of unease settled in her stomach. She never wanted to upset her best friend, but she had her reasons. It was just too absurd; no werewolf in history had ever had a second-chance mate. Why now? Why right before their birthday? Was it because Eddison finally rejected her? That would explain the timing, but still... he shouldn't exist. Did the Moon finally realise he had made a mistake, just like he had with the imperfect lesser deity?“Geez, your thoughts are so loud!” Angela giggled like a little girl.“Ange! Are you okay?” Alinta asked anxiously.“Yeah. Why do you sound so stressed?” Angela replied, co
Alinta eagerly gazed at the earth below her as the plane descended. The buildings grew larger as they got closer. "I can see the landing strip!" she exclaimed, animated like a young child. Angela, her wolf, was just as thrilled, experiencing the moment through Alinta’s eyes.Dacian let out a small chuckle and said, "Get yourself ready. Once the wheels make contact with the ground, it can be a bit intense for a first-timer.""Thanks," Alinta replied excitedly. "I can't wait to get off this plane and relax in a normal room," she sighed tiredly, fidgeting with her hands."Yeah, it was nice of Helen to book us a hotel close to the airport for the night," Angela hummed."That woman thought of everything. I don't know how I will pay her back," Alinta said with a sigh."We will find a way, don't you worry." Alinta nodded at her wolf's reassurance, her mind racing through possible solutions."Your wolf must be excited; you look so happy and lost in thought," Dacian said humorously, observing h
Trigger warning: The following chapter contains themes of violence, and sexual assault which may be triggering for some survivors. Reader’s discretion is advised.Draven made sure his body remained between her squirming legs. He aggressively suckled her breast to try and salvage the mood that was so abruptly ruined, but Alinta was not biting. He then started leaving a trail of angry kisses from her breasts, down her stomach. His strong hands carefully and sensually moved towards her hips, making sure his prey did not escape at any given opportunity.“Please, Ange! It’s the same voice that warned us to run during the festival! Something bad is about to happen!” Alinta cried desperately, but her wolf only answered her with deafening silence.Draven teasingly licked her belly button, making her wriggle more beneath him. The deity’s patience thinned, and he bore his fingers painfully into her hips out of anger, causing Alinta to cease her movements.“There’s a good girl,” he hummed and pl
"Yes!" Draven growled with excitement in his vessel’s mind. "This is what I've been waiting for. Let your body guide you to us, my beautiful princess," he hummed desperately in Bellinor’s mind.Alinta gasped as Bellinor grabbed her breast and started squeezing it. Alinta released a soundless whimper, and he speedily latched onto her lips before she tried to run away. The more he teased her breast, the more her body betrayed her.Bellinor's hand sensually slithered down her stomach to between her legs. His thumb carefully stroked the fabric of her denim. The sparks from the mate bond somehow feel more electrifying than before and Alinta's hips automatically moved with need against his touch.“You ready for this, my princess? You yearn for more?" Draven excitedly asked as he continued to tease her body, weakening her resolve. Alinta nodded with difficulty whilst her cheeks burned red.Draven laughed triumphantly and proceeded to slowly unbutton her blouse, tickling her with his fingers
As soon as Alinta got out of the car, she froze at the sight before her. It was a large grey medieval castle from the eleven hundreds, standing majestically before them. Her eyes glittered in awe at the historical piece of architecture before her; she so badly wanted to take pictures and sightsee."Beautiful, isn't it, my darling? This is the castle of Axel Triggs, the last of the Cobalt Lupus Bellatores," Bellinor explained, holding his treasure close to him. Alinta looked at him in shock as she heard his words. She had no idea he too had an interest in werewolf history, making her heart flutter.“I recently discovered my bloodline is from the Kerwin Guild. I wanted to learn more about our intriguing history, so I did some digging on the other Lupus Bellatores. I uncovered two very important findings."Bellinor smiled as he saw Alinta's fascinated and shocked gaze; having her full attention like this was a rare and wonderful sight indeed. He cupped her face, then continued, "I got i
***Hours earlier***Bellinor and Alinta are travelling to one of the oldest and most famous towns of the werewolf race. It was a six-hour flight from Umber Valley, but Alinta managed it better than her previous two flights. Bellinor ensured she was comfortable while remaining close by his side.Alinta had no idea where they were going until Bellinor casually asked, “I wonder what the weather is like in Wereradix, hmmm?” He looked at his treasure with a playful glint in his eyes.She gaped at him in complete shock as she heard that name. It was a town she had only dreamed of visiting. She and Aunt Dianna had spent countless hours discussing Wereradix, a place of pilgrimage for any devoted werewolf.“I will only gift you what your heart desires, my lovely,” Bellinor declared, as he looked at his fixation intently. Alinta earnestly took hold of Bellinor’s hand and tenderly intertwined her slender, delicate fingers with his to show him how much she appreciated his words.“As long as I can
Silas almost let a deep growl escape his lips, but he then realised Alinta's smell was faint. "She does not sleep here. Thank the higher Divinities," he sighed with relief. He carefully made his way to Bellinor's bed, to the side which looked the most used. He gently bit the drawer handle of the bedside table and pulled it open.He didn't know what to expect, surely Bellinor wouldn't be careless enough to leave anything of value in a place like this. As he opened it completely, a bottle of medication rolled into view.“Probably for sleep,” Orion guessed."He will have more sleepless nights when I am done with him!" Silas snapped.“Feel if there is anything else hidden, the drawer,” Orion suggested."I have a better idea. Let's first change back to our human form, and get dressed in his clothes. We will need our hands for this, and it should help musk our scent.”"Agreed," Orion said, and in an instant, he shifted. He quickly made his way to the large cupboards on the opposite side of t
Orion and Silas finally arrived in Umber Valley, and though exhausted, nothing would deter their mission. They will find their mate! As they reached the estate's gate, Orion looked frantically about, hoping he would see his mate. He snapped out of his pursuit as the driver asked for the code on his phone to give to the guards at the gate.Orion switches on his phone and overlooks the new messages from Kyle to find the gate passcode. He noticed the missed call messages, but he made a mental note to contact Kyle later once he got a gap. After a few minutes, the driver was cleared to enter the estate and after ten minutes Orion and Silas were at their little duplex. They thanked the driver and tipped him. Once alone, Orion did not waste a moment. It was a small two-story building and Orion dashed for the balcony to scan the area.It was beautiful tropical terrain full of large, lush trees and plants. This part of Umber Valley is a protected wildlife nature reserve with many ancient trees
"What are the conditions for such a hex?" Kyle quickly asked as he stopped writing."The ritual is a spiritual practice that involves numerous chants and the use of rare herbs. The participant referred to as the rejector, must spend a month mentally and spiritually preparing themselves. This preparation period is essential to ensure they are fully ready for the experience. They drink a potent cocktail, then scream at the top of their lungs the name of their mate and wolf they wish to be free of.""A month?” Kyle exclaimed. This method could not be the answer between the timeframe Alinta and Orion met and then the time their bond snapped. Kyle rubbed his brows as he tried to think of something more probable.“Can a third initiate such a hex?" Kyle asked."What do ya mean, Officer Kyle?""Say there is a fated paired couple, and another male is interested in the paired she-wolf; can he enforce such a ritual on her?"Jack laughed, "No. Even if he holds a gun to her head, and she participa
“Great! I look forward to your update. Thank you for your time, Mr. Crassus. Have a good day further,” Kyle greeted. He remained quiet until Bellinor returned the farewell and ended the call. He released a frustrated exhale and looked at his notes helplessly. Kyle was spent.In the past few days, after investigating the Reverie Villa, he and his team uncovered evidence on a massive scale. Which linked multiple old and new cases to numerous she-wolves who had dissapeared. Additionally, they discovered several underground dungeons where women were brought in and kept before being auctioned off for entertainment in the extravagant parties hosted at the villa.Kyle had a long list of suspects connected to both trafficking and drug-related activities. It was a significant discovery, but it also meant more sleepless nights. Kyle did not mind, though; in fact, he and his wolf were anxious to find those missing women and put every foul bastard involved behind bars. Martha settled on a plea an
Bellinor had just left Alinta at the library, as he had important business to attend to. The woman made her way about the space, staring at all the books in awe. She tried to reach out to Angela, but still, she could not feel her wolf. She must be with Onyx; that’s probably why I can’t feel her, she sighed to herself, in dismay. It was the first time ever that Angela snapped at her like that and avoided her for so long. Alinta absentmindedly grabbed a large book while she thought over the conversation before Angela got angry, and it continued to deeply bother her. She sat down on the faint couch, staring seriously into nothingness, and then she quickly realised something. Could it be that Ange is still mourning over Silas and Orion? Though I thought she seemed to have adjusted quite well to Onyx and Bellinor. Angela only grieved for an instant when she told me that our second mate was gone, but she sounded more angry than sad then. Dammit! What sister am I?! I never visited my poor