River's heart pounded as she burst out of the small room where she'd been conversing with Annemarie. The absence of Rain's infectious laughter and Leo's playful chatter left a chilling hollowness in the passageway. This place could have passed for a mischievous horror setting without the aura of the kids. Had they gone exploring the surrounding woods? Or perhaps Rain, with her boundless energy, had convinced Annemarie to take her out for a walk?Knowing her daughter, River knew Rain must be up to some mischief and had dragged Leo with her. Fretting about where Rain could have wandered to was becoming a daily habit for her. And she was very very used to it too.Swooping into the living room, River's gaze darted around the space, searching for any sign of her precious daughter. It was, however, empty. Annemarie sat alone on an armchair, her brow furrowed in concentration, a half-eaten apple resting on a plate beside her, a frown creasing her brow as she stared into the oblivion, seemin
Relief washed over River as Finn, muttering under his breath, went out of the kitchen. The sizzle of sausages filled the air. Her mind raced with questions about Gonzalo's appearance, his intentions, and the unsettling feeling that everything was about to unravel.She fretted that her daughter might be taken away from her but she also knew she’d do anything to keep Rain. No one— not Gonzalo or Lord Draven had a right to Rain but her.Finn lumbered towards the back door, barking orders at Rain and Leo to come inside. They obeyed reluctantly, Rain's infectious energy dampened by the seriousness inscribed on River's face. As Finn ushered them in, River hovered near the kitchen entrance, stealing glances out the window, searching for any sign of Gonzalo.He was gone. Thankfully. What did he want anyway? How could he have found them that easily? Did someone give her away already?W–Was this family working for Echo? What if everything they had told her were lies orchestrated by Echo to lead
Fury burned in River's eyes as Leo hesitated in his response. “Messenger bird?" she pressed, her eyes squinted in wonder of who Annemarie could possibly be sending a message to. Leo, in all his childish innocence tilted his head, “The one used to communicate with…" He started, but his voice was cut short by Annemarie sharply."Leo!" Annemarie's voice countered from behind. "Don't answer grown-up questions."The hairs on the back of River's neck prickled. Annemarie's sudden appearance and forceful silencing of Leo only deepened her suspicion. Moreover, she had no business scolding the boy especially for simply answering a question.“Annemarie," she turned to her, "it's alright. I was the one who asked him a question."She forced a smile at Leo, trying to dispel the signs of fear in his eyes, ignited by Annemarie.Annemarie turned to River, her face uncharacteristically guarded. "Why are you looking for me, dear?""I was hoping we could talk," River said, her voice getting mow. "Ther
River almost couldn't believe her eyes. Why were all of her nightmares hell-bent on coming to pass? Why couldn't she just catch a break for once? A jolt of terror shot through her. Her breath welled up in her throat, threatening to choke her. All thoughts of distrust towards Annemarie and Finn earlier vanished and were replaced by fear for Rain's safety. For seven years, she'd lived in fear of this very moment, the moment Gonzalo would find them. Her feet moved on autopilot, carrying her towards Rain and Gonzalo. As she drew closer, she noticed the way Rain seemed livened up, gesturing with her small hands as she spoke to him with giggles flying around. Gonzalo, for his part, listened intently with a gentle smile on his lips. For a fleeting moment, a ridiculous, traitorous part of River felt a flicker of warmth at the sight. Seeing her daughter and her father being so cordial, smiling and giggling was probably what every mother would want. It would have been a picture-perfect f
The aroma of sizzling meat and steaming sauces greeted River as she pushed open the swinging doors of the restaurant. The lunchtime rush was just beginning. She could tell by the steady stream of customers filling the tables and lively chatter buzzing in the air. She would love the view as she had come to cherish normalcy after being harbored in the De La Morts mansion for years, but right now, with Gonzalo’s episode, nothing seemed soothing to her. Tara, who was wiping down a counter near the entrance, spotted River and rushed over. "Thank goodness you're back!" she exclaimed, wiping her hands on her apron. "I need you right away." Her gaze traveled to the anxious expressions on Rain and Leo's faces clinging to River's side. "Everything alright?" River asked, shortly forgetting the encounter with Gonzalo. Tara didn't seem to notice the apprehension in River's eyes. "Everything's fine, just swamped," she said, ushering them towards the back. "Go drop them off in the living room
Tara's eyes widened as River uttered the name. "Gonzalo? You mean the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack?"River nodded, loathing talking about Gonzalo as a whole. "Yes, him."With her gaze fixed on Gonzalo, who sat impatiently at the table, “He looks so... normal," Tara commented. "Why is he dressed like that?""Wouldn't know," River replied, shrugging.Would Tara quit asking her about Gonzalo already?! The answer was no.Suddenly, Tara's eyes narrowed. "Maybe... maybe the rumors are true."Now, that piqued River's interest. Her head snapped towards Tara with curiosity sparking in her eyes. "What rumors?"Tara leaned closer, hands shielding her mouth as she said. “Word on the street is that Echo has been furious ever since you left. Apparently, Gonzalo refused to mate with her because he felt guilty about what happened to you. Now that the Moonstone Pack has come seeking shelter, Echo's been making things very difficult for them just out of spite.”Sounds like Echo; River thought. But did T
That was it.He just crossed the line. Did he just remind her of that night, the night when she shamelessly forced herself on him and he shamelessly took her?The night that begets her child. The best gift she could ever ask for. That night they shared alone behind closed wasn't a weakness if that was Gonzalo’s thoughts. It was a source of joy. Yet, a wave of shame washed over River at his words. Remembering how stupid she was when she snuck into his room made a blush creep up her neck. The memory of that night– knocked over in a moment of vulnerability and fueled by potent emotions was something she'd tried desperately to bury. But Gonzalo's words unearthed it, bringing back the searing pain of the rejection that followed. A blazing fury took hold of her like the moon took over the sky at night, overriding the shame she felt. Allowing her emotions to take the best of her, she lunged across the table behind them, grabbing the half-full bottle of wine that belonged to the patrons
“Rain! I told you not to mention that name anymore. Do you ever listen?!” River scolded her daughter.Rain flinched and scrunched up her small face. “I'm just trying to help, Mama.”This was such a distressful life River had and she was a hell of a lot tired of it. Her heart ached. How could she shield Rain from the turmoil she felt burrowing deep inside of her soul? Could she even achieve that now with Gonzalo back in the picture?Taking a tired sigh, she tried for a light tone. “Mama’s just a little tired, honey. But seeing your happy faces always makes me feel better.”Rain wasn't convinced. “Are you sure? Did Mr. Grumpy come back?”River's smile wavered slightly. “Mr. Grumpy?”“Yeah,” Leo piped up, finally looking away from his drawing. “Nicholas from the bakery who looked like he swallowed a lemon.”River chuckled genuinely for the first time since Gonzalo's arrival. “That's a good way to describe him, Leo.” She said, remembering how everyone used to whisper about the gr
The air was filled with noises of music and laughter later that night. Every civilian member of the new Moon claw pack got dressed in their best wears as they swarmed the old Iron claw pack house in their numbers. The pack house itself was filled to the brim with people chattering and laughing among themselves. The large hall which was the venue of the celebration was decorated with d colorful disco light up ahead as a slow jazz music played in the DJ played a soft jazz music. Meanwhile, River was a little nervous as she got dressed with the help of Calantha, Claire and some maids. "Luna, relax, you look great." Claire assured her with a warm smile as she put the finishing touches on her wavy auburn hair. She was seated, facing a mirror, tapping her foot nervously as she looked up at the clock. "He hasn't picked up his phone in an hour. What if something came up?" She paused, her eyes lingering on the shimmering red dress she wore. "Besides, I don't think red is really my color...
The days moved fast again until the day finally came. The day of the celebration for the creation of the new Moon claw pack. River woke up that morning, stretching lazily on her bed. Today was special for three reasons actually. There'd be a full moon tonight and then the celebration for the creation of the pack.Wolves from both sides of the territory would be coming together in the old Iron Claw's pack house to celebrate. The place where it'd all begun…But also, today was the day of the official opening of 'Luna's Delight '. The restaurant had been set for days now, but River wanted a big opening. One that would coincide with a day of celebration.Gonzalo was currently at his side of the pack, preparing some things. They were constructing a new pack house, one that would represent the essence of their new pack while also giving the both of them a chance to stay together again. She already missed her charming Spanish prince, even though they'd last seen the previous morning.She g
ONE WEEK LATER . Things were looking good ever since their declaration for a joint pack. The new pack of 'Moon Claw' observed days of celebrations after the announcement. As for River, well, she finally did something she'd been meaning to do in a while. "Ta da!" She exclaimed excitedly, after taking off the blind folds from Gonzalo and Rain's faces. What stood before them was a large building with only a group floor and a neon sign board that read "Luna's Delight". It was still under construction—some site workers still going around and adding finishing touches, but it was basically done. It was a restaurant. Her very own restaurant situated at the border between old IronClaw and old Moonstone. They both gasped in surprise, looking between her and the building repeatedly. After a while, Gonzalo rushed up to her, lifting her in a hug. "Ugh. Pequena, I'm so happy for you! Your dreams are finally a reality." He blurted excitedly before dropping her to the ground. "I m
Hand in hand, River and Gonzalo walked out of the pack house, trailing behind Claire. As they did, they were greeted by civilians, all showing their respect and gratitude for their Alpha. "Thank you for saving us, Alpha Gonzalo!" "He's a hero. I got to see my son again because of him." A woman muttered to her friend with a grateful tone. "And look, isn't that River of the IronClaw pack?" "Apparently, it's 'Alpha River' now. She rules over her pack now." A man who'd been staying in River's pack provided casually. "What? Since when?" "Who cares? We wouldn't have gotten our pack back without her help too. They're both heroes." A blush crept up her face when she heard those words. She tried ignoring them like Gonzalo, but she just couldn't. Knowing that these people saw her as their hero brought pride to her heart. She was beyond touched. They finally got to the town square, which was packed to the brim with pack members. Men, women, and children from all works of life were gat
An old quote River once read says: "The aftermath of war is not just about rebuilding, but also reconnecting with what we love and stand for". Well, there was a lot of reconnecting and rebuilding to do, and the war wasn't over yet. They still had one more thing to do. They had to reclaim Gonzalo's territory from the rogues. "It's a simple plan. No diversions. No baits. And most of all, we're killing every rogue in sight." River spoke calmly as she drew a circle around a part of a large map where Gonzalo's territory lay. The moonstone pack's citizens have been seeking refuge in the IronClaw pack for a while, courtesy of the fake Echo, but there were still some imprisoned back in the pack by the rogues. Gathered in the dimly lit meeting hall were River and her advisors, which included Old Man Thomas, Gonzalo, Calantha, Claire from the rebellion, and also two other men from the rebellion. They stood around a table, their faces stern with one thing in mind. Victory. "I've sent spies
River woke up the next morning, her body aching like an old woman's. Last night was wild! She and Gonzalo literally had hours of 'naked cuddle sessions ' from dusk till dawn. She turned to look at the clock. Eleven AM! Shit, time goes by fast when you're overrun with pleasure! She tried getting up but only then realized that she was lying on top of Gonzalo's chest, his arms wrapped around her naked body. The man was drained, and she couldn't help feeling bad. Her face flushed with embarrassment when she remembered how she'd repeatedly used magic to increase his vigor and stamina whenever he reached orgasm. It was like having infinite strength, but there was only so much magic could do when it was used to offset the natural balance of a wolf's anatomy. The constant use of magic on both of them had them drained. Would they even be able to do anything today? Just then, Gonzalo turned, but his grasp on her body didn't lessen in the slightest. He blinked awkwardly as his eyes trie
Warning: Mature content The days after the battle at BloodHill were rather peaceful. River and Gonzalo enjoyed that moment of peace, using it to reconnect with themselves and also to spend more time with Rain. Emphasis on the ‘’reconnecting’ though. Their nights had been more steamier than ever, and they had some of the best sex since they took over IronClaw. Good moon goddess, have mercy, if she could just stay all night and all day having sex with her man, she would. But sadly, she had her duties as Alpha to attend to. And it was an unrealistic wish anyway. Unless…...“You want us to do what?” Gonzalo blurted out again when they'd entered their room one night and were about to get freaky. He arched his eyebrows in surprise, looking at her like she'd said the vilest thing known to werewolf, witch, heck even vampire kind. River purred playfully, as her hands went up his chest. “Come on, think about it. If I'm able to use my magic to increase your stamina, we'll be able to go
Warning: Some graphic scenesCalantha was relentless, as she bared her fangs at the rogue wolves, managing to intimidate a lot of them. She jumped down from the elevated area, causing the rogues on the ground to make way. The other four of her brethren also jumped down, snarling viciously at the rogues, but most especially the rogue witches who'd just lost two sisters.River smirked. That was her cue. She'd managed to gather enough magic up to that point and wiggled her fingers, concentrating all of it on her chains. It took some effort, but eventually, the chains fell off like threads, startling the rogue wolves watching over her and Gonzalo.“What the–?” The female rogue who she'd mind-controlled for that brief moment looked at her with bulged eyes and was about to draw out her weapon. However, River was faster as she brought out the two daggers strapped to her thighs, slashing the rogue on the chest first and then on her neck. It was so swift and the rogue was speechless, as she
The cave indeed had a large interior. The ceiling was lined with jagged stalactites, hanging over them like giant icicles and casting eerie shadows on them. The cave was lit up by several fire torches, and also by a large hole carved into the ceiling, which allowed moonlight to glimmer down like a wave, falling directly on a stone altar.The cave was filled with even more rogue wolves and was blossoming with activities. However, it all died down when the others from outside brought in River and Gonzalo. "Brethren!" The old hag raised her staff into the air triumphantly. "Behold, the hybrid Alpha of the IronClaw pack and her mate, the fallen Alpha of the Moonstone pack! The ones responsible for taking our hold on the IronClaw territory."The rogue wolves snarled, throwing a torrent of curses at River and Gonzalo. They dropped them to the ground, forcing her to kneel while Gonzalo lay there, groaning as his face hit the ground. Ignoring their plight, the 'maiden' of the trio of witche