The world around Gonzalo felt like it was closing in, all the air had been sucked out of the room. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, drowning out Sophia's words. He needed to move, needed to see Echo and River for himself. Stepping out of the house, he could feel the cold, early morning air biting at his skin. He ignored it, letting it fuel the anger and confusion churning inside him. He couldn't believe River would do something like this. They had a plan for goodness sake! Now the whole pack will be after her throat cause she'd attacked their Alpha. As he rushed down the pack's grounds, he got close to some pack members, his wolf hearing picking up what they were whispering amongst themselves. "Did you hear? The Alpha was attacked." A male pack member said to a female. "Oh, I heard. The news has been spread all around the pack already." The female replied. "I heard it was a witch." Another female added. "What?" The male who spoke first gasped. "As if the troubles from the ro
Frustration nibbled at Gonzalo like an insatiable beast. He scoured the packhouse, turning over crates with his wolf senses on high alert, sniffing every corner for any trace of Rain's scent. But the familiar, comforting scent of his daughter was absent. Hours melted away without him even noticing. His thoughts were only preoccupied with one thing; finding Rain and getting River out of that Goddamn cell. He swore, that if Echo really did abduct Rain, she would have herself to blame for it. He wouldn't take it easy with her. How could she abduct a minor? That was callous and unbelievable. If she truly took Rain, Gonzalo would be seriously disappointed in her. He already was plenty disappointed in her, but this was the height of it. This was uncalled for. He couldn't believe he was consoling the woman who had taken his daughter earlier. But how could he have known? He commenced with his search, apprehension forming beads of sweat on his forehead. Still, nothing. Dejection settled i
River ~~ She ran to the pack house. As she arrived, she couldn't help but halt even if it was for a brief second to take in the view and bask in the nostalgia of returning to the place where she was born. This was the place where she had grown up from, together with Echo. Well, it was also the place where the bad memories started from. It was also where she has had to grow up faster than she had ever done. And this place… she had been away from it for seven years. Standing in front of it right now, she could tell that the air was different. She stood, unblinking and taking the view in. It was good to be back here, but bad that it was not for a good reason that she was in front of her right now. Her heart thumped so hard that she thought it’d fall on the floor anytime soon. When her eyes got glossy and the mansion before her blurred, she sniffed back and swallowed her sentimentality. This was her daughter’s safety on the line. She wouldn't hold back and allow her emotions to get
Before River could think of what to say, another guard came in. He waltzed so casually, scratching somewhere between his legs.Without thinking, “What have you done with my daughter?" She gripped the bars and growled.The guard gave a cruel chuckle. "Seems the crazy witch finally woke up," he sneered. "You're in the dungeon, traitor. And your little pup? Who knows, maybe she's roaming the woods with the wild wolves by now."River's heart pounded like a trapped bird. The image of Rain, being torn apart by rogues ran to her in quick succession and she had to shake her head to send them off.She snarled, lunging for the guard from behind the bars. "Let me out! You will pay for this!" she roared, but her voice betrayed the fear swarming over her. The guard just shook his head and clicked his tongue. "We'll see about that," he scoffed and turned away with the other one, leaving River alone in the darkness.Alone, River thought she might go insane with worry. She didn't want to picture the
River stared into Gonzalo's remorseful eyes, her insides becoming a vortex of conflicting emotions. First, it was a relief to finally unburden herself. Then, it was fear that she had let someone in after years of isolating her heart. It became a terrifying prospect. Taking a shaky breath, she met his liquid gaze. "I accept your apology, Gonzalo. I was scared, clinging to the little pride I had left. But you deserve to know after seeing so much effort you are putting into redeeming yourself. And for my daughter, I am doing this. Rain deserves a father." A radiant smile bloomed on Gonzalo's face, chasing away the regret that had always been residing permanently on his face. Relief and pure joy radiated from him. He pulled her into a tight embrace and his arms became a comforting haven. "Thank you, River. Thank you for giving us a chance." He pulled back slightly, his eyes blazing with determination. "Now, let's find our daughter." "We need to go to this Lord Draven's mansion," he d
River felt a sudden wave of panic rising in her throat, making it hard to breathe. "Gone? But where could they have gone, Gonzalo? How could they have taken Rain? My girl is…” Her voice began to break as tears welled up in her eyes. “… just a little girl.”“I know, River. But the world is too complex to place your trust in anyone.” He sighed, hands on his hips as he glanced around.Funny how she never trusted Annemarie and her family, not even once. There was always that alien feeling somewhere deep within her, gnawing at her and yelling; “Don't trust them. Trust no one!”She was glad she followed her instincts and had lied to them regarding certain matters. Yet, just when she let her guard down, they took advantage of it and stole her daughter away.They would pay.Gonzalo knelt, sniffing the air like a hunting dog. A frown creased his brow. "I can try to follow their scent, see if they left any trail."Their trail? Nah. There was no how they could have walked. Her heart sank. "It w
Gonzalo pressed his lips into a thin line. “It won't, River. If I had to, I’d claw at the earth until I found water. My daughter must be found.”Together, they launched into a digging frenzy, clawing at the hard-packed earth with their bare hands. Minutes bled into what felt like an eternity. Just as despair was about to consume River again, when she was about to finally lose up and drown herself in a pool of self-pity, a familiar scent tickled her nose, sending a jolt of fear and recognition through her.That scent… she’d recognize it anywhere and anytime. Her entire body froze, her hands trembling at the realization. He was here. With great struggle with her muscles, she looked up to meet the chilling gaze of Lord Draven. He held a crumpled paper in his hand with a cruel smile on his lips as he flipped the paper. "Looking for this, little human?" His voice was as cold as he looked, giving River the chills.It was like being transported back seven years ago when he had found her le
A bewildered silence followed Lord Draven's chilling words. Swallowing in her fear, “S-so, do you know where she's taken?” River inquired. With his hands intertwined behind him, Lord Draven replied. “I know where they took her." River's voice was raw with desperate hope, so it came out loud and disrupted the silent tension between them. "You knew? You've been... watching us all along?" Lord Draven's crimson gaze met hers blandly. "Is that the pressing issue now, River, or getting Rain back?" Right, it wasn't like he would tell her anyway. "Of course it's Rain!" River exploded, nodding vigorously. "Where is she? Tell us!" Lord Draven’s words had just confirmed that Annemarie and her family were the ones who had abducted her daughter. Like, how could they…? That was outrageous. She expected better from them. “I have no idea why you are wasting time. If you know you want to help my daughter, tell us where they took her!” Gonzalo seethed from behind. River knew Gonzalo was holdin
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