Ava held Ryder's hand,"Ryder, that isn't true.""It is true." Ryder insisted. He looked at Ava and continued talking, "Everyone always wonders why I care about Lily so much. It's because I was her priority, she always thought about my feelings and she loved me so much""Ryder, I know things between us are complicated but I want you to know that you are my priority. And I care about you." Ava told him."You do?" Ryder asked hesitantly."Yes, I do." Ava replied.Ryder leaned in closer and kissed her soundly. Ava pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. Soon the kiss became heated and Ryder left her lips and kissed her neck, leaving feathery kisses on her while his hands caressed her body.His teeth grazed her neck and Ava froze. If Ryder bit her right now on that spot, it would mean that he had acknowledged their mate bond and accepted her.To her disappointment, Ryder withdrew himself from her."We should go back home." he said and went to driver's seat without looking at her.Ava sat
Ryder decided to go an early morning run, he changed into some loose clothing and walked outside. He saw Jayden waiting for him outside his room."What do you want?" Ryder asked."are you going for a run?" Jayden asked instead of answering him."Yes.""Can I come along?"Ryder looked at him and didn't say anything."Please." Jayden pleaded."Fine, you can come along." Ryder agreed.Ryder waited for Jayden to change into some running clothes and the two left the house.It was still dark outside and only the sentries on duty were outside. Nobody else had woken up. They ran in silence until they stopped to rest. They both sat on the ground to catch their breath. "I am sorry Ryder. I really am." Jayden said earnestly. Ryder turned to look at his face, "Why are you sorry? Because you feel I need to hear it?" he asked. "No, I am sorry because I hurt you. As your beta, I am sorry for breaking your trust and as your friend, your best friend, I am sorry for lying to you all these years. I
Lavender lay on the bed, he had been awake for a while but was feeling lazy about getting out of bed. He heard a knock on his door, it was probably Jayden, he thought to himself. "Come in." he hollered. The door opened and to his surprise the person who came in was not Jayden but Ryder. "Hey." Ryder said. "Hi." he replied. "Can I sit down?" Ryder asked looking at the chair by the bed. "Yes. Please sit down."Ryder sat down, Lavender sat up in bed also. The two sat in silence, Lavender was tired of the awkwardness. "Did you sleep well?" he asked to break the silence. "Yes I did. You?" Ryder asked him as well. "I slept well too." Lavender replied. "You are my brother." Ryder told Lavender. Lavender looked at him in confusion. "Huh?""You are my brother Lavender, the reason I care about you is because you are my brother not because I am your Alpha. Even if you denounce this pack and go rogue, I will still care about you." Ryder told him. "Really?" Lavender asked hopefully.
Ava wandered around the house bored out of her mind. She was the only person at home. Everyone had gone off to their different destination.She remembered the photo album she had been looking at that night and went to get it.She sat on a chair and looked at the pictures of Lavender. Now that she knew his true identity and his story, her curiosity was appeased.She touched his face and thought to herself that their stories were so similar, they had both attacked Lily and had been punished by Ryder for it.But what could have caused Lavender to attack his own sister. At least she had a reason to do what she had done but what had been Lavender's reason.Ava needed to talk to Lavender, she felt she was missing something about the whole matter.She stood up and went to the kitchen to drink a cup of water. To her surprise, Lavender was in the kitchen making a sandwich.This was just perfect! Her prey had fallen into her hands willingly."Aren't you supposed to be at practice?" she asked hi
Ryder walked into the room and noticed the both were behaving weird."What's going on here? Shouldn't you be at practice?" he asked Lavender."I was hungry so I came home for lunch. Ava was hungry as well so I made her a sandwich too. We just finished eating it." Lavender answered."Hmmm! Since you are done eating, I have a task for you." Ryder told him."What is it?""I need you to accompany Jayden to Crescent Moon pack to run an errand.""I don't have a choice, do I?""Nope." Ryder said in a voice that was too cheerful for Lavender's liking."Okay. Where is Jayden?" Lavender asked."He is outside waiting with the car."Lavender stood up from the table. "Bye Ava.""Bye Lavender." Ava replied. Lavender nodded at Ryder and left.Ava and Ryder were left alone."Hey Ryder." Ava said brightly."What are you doing sitting here and laughing with him? Shouldn't you be resting?" Ryder asked with a deep scowl on his face."I was resting but then I felt hungry so I came to the kitchen to get so
Evena laughed hard at Ryder's embarrassed face."I told you to shut it." Ryder scowled at him.Evena put up his hands in a peace gesture."All right, I am sorry for laughing.""Why are you here anyway?" Ryder asked him.Evena put a hand to his chest in a mock show of heartbroken misery."is that anyway to talk to your dearest friend. Maybe I should go and not tell you what I found out.""All right, all right. I am sorry for being rude. What did you find out? Did you find anything about the plant.""Nope, but I found out something about your mate's problem." Evena said."What did you find out?" Ryder asked eagerly."The only reason for such a delayed shift is if the werewolf in question isn't a full wolf but a hybrid.""Hybrid? She didn't say anything about that. Are you sure?" Ryder asked."I am. I used my magic on her just now when I wiped her mouth. She is an hybrid.""But even hybrids ought to have shifted by now." Ryder pointed out."That is if it's a human werewolf hybrid. She is
"Eternal chaos?" Lavender asked. "Yes. At first we didn't know what the plant could do. We tested it out by grinding it and dissolving it in water then we gave it to animals like cats, dogs and rabbits." Claudia replied. "What happened to the animals?""They became very aggressive and attacked us or anything in front of them. These animals were normally peaceful and had no history of aggressiveness.""What are you saying Claudia? I...I am afraid I don't quite understand you." Lavender asked in confusion. "When you wolfed out? Did you feel like something else controlled you?" she asked. "Yes. That's what I felt." Lavender said."I suspect that she used it on you. When I left, I destroyed all the plants and samples but she must have either kept some in secret or she probably learned how to grow them already" Lavender stood up from the bench and paced around the bench. "You knew that something like this plant existed and yet you remained quiet after you heard what happened. Why did
Ava stood up from the bed and paced around the room."That is impossible. My father would never lie to me about such an important thing." she told Ryder.Ryder stood up and held her in his arms."Look Ava, Evena might be a total nutcase but he is also one of the most powerful witches to ever exist. He cannot be mistaken about this. Maybe your father was also clueless about your mother's true identity as well. Maybe he didn't lie to you." Ryder tried to calm her down."You think that might be the case?" she asked."I think so. I will take a trip to Creekwood pack one of these days and invite your father here." he replied."You would do that for me?""Yes, I would do that for you." Ryder kissed her on the lips.There was a knock on the door. "Ava sweetie, it's Helena." the person behind the door announced.They looked at each other in panic. "What are we going to do? She can't find me here." Ryder asked in a frantic whisper."Ava?" Helena knocked on the door again.Ava looked around in
FIREBLOOD PACK"Ryder, we sent her away. and cut off all contact for her safety, we can't contact her, we are still being watched by the council. The best thing we can do for her now is to trust in your aunt and your uncle and have trust in her too." Ava told Ryder comfortingly as she stroked his hair."Ava, do you think I failed my family?" Ryder asked her."Of course not, why would you think such a thing?""Well I was the reason my younger brother ran away from home as a teenager and now my pregnant younger sister is away from home and I don't know where she is and how she is.""Ryder, you did the best you could do and I am sure Lavender and Lily know that." Ava replied him.Ryder smiled, Ava always knew how to reassure him anytime he felt this way."Thanks for always knowing the right things to say. I love you so much Ava.""I love you too Ryder." she stood up and pulled him up as well."Let's go eat lunch." she told him, he nodded and allowed himself to be pulled away by her.THRE
CREEKWOOD PACKJax looked at himself in the mirror, he looked very different from how he looked before everything started. He had lost a lot of weight from his time in prison and his eyes looked haunted. Jax had changed and he knew deep in his soul that he had changed, he could only hope that he would be able to defend his pack and make them proud once more.There was a slight knock on the door."Come in" he answered.Dean walked in, he glanced at Jax worriedly, his Alpha looked so tired, he wished that he would be able to help Jax in a way that would be beneficial to him."Yes?" Jax prompted him after seeing him remain silent."The pack is ready for you Alpha." Dean told him."Thanks, let's go." Jax replied."Uhm shouldn't you eat something first, you look a bit weak." Dean said, worry apparent in his tone."I will be fine Dean, don't worry too much about me." Jax said with a smile on his face to ease Dean's worry."If you say so Alpha." Dean replied. "Let's go meet the pack." Jax s
A couple of months later "Push! Come on Lily you can do this." The midwife urged Lily. Lily tried her best but the pain was too much, it felt like her whole body was being torn up from inside."Lily, you can do this, I know that you can do this." her aunt pleaded with her.Lily groaned in pain as she tried to push the baby out. She was losing strength but she had to be brave for her innocent baby.In all her life, whenever Lily thought of when she would give birth to her first child, she had never imagined that she would be alone, hated by her mate, banished from her pack and family.She was currently leaving with some human relatives and she would have to live as one and train her child as one too.She grit her teeth as she pushed the baby out.The sound of the baby cries filled the room."It's a boy!" the midwife announced as she lifted the baby up.Lily sat up in bed, already she could feel her injuries healing and the pain fading away.The midwife handed her the baby, she cuddle
Ryder went up to Ava and kissed her on her neck and wrapped his hand around her waist.Ava turned around and hugged him."I am so sorry." she apologized again to him."I am even more sorry, I shouldn't have gone angry on you. It wasn't your fault at all."Ava leaned up and kissed him."I love you Ryder.""I love you too Ava.""We are sorry too Ryder." Jayden and Lavender apologized."It's okay, I forgive you too. But we are going to sit and talk more about the relationship between you two.""Lets eat breakfast now, can we?" Evena asked.They all sat down to eat breakfast.As they were eating a sentry came into the room."Alpha, miss Lily is outside and she seeks an audience."They all stood up in shock, "Lily?"They went outside to meet her."How dare you show your face around here?" Ryder asked."Calm down Ryder. I came because you are all in danger.""What do you mean by that?" Ava asked.Lily told them everything about Claudia and what she was planning. Unknown to Claudia, Lily did
Evena opened the door quickly and ushered Ava inside the room."please tell me you are joking." he told Ava. "I wish I was" Ava replied. She narrated everything that had happened that night to Evena."Wait a minute, Lavender and Jayden are seeing each other?" Evena asked."really? That's what you are concerned about?" Ava asked."I am just shocked, I never knew grumpy Jayden had it in him" Evena defended himself."Well he does and that's not the matter at hand now, Ryder knows that you are here and he knows about the deal you made with my aunt, I wonder the plan he has cooked up already in his anger." Ava said worriedly."where is he now?" "I have no idea, he walked out on us and said he needed space""OK, first thing tomorrow, we will go back together and hopefully I would be able to talk sense into him."Ava sighed in relief."He is very mad at you, isn't he?" Evena asked."Yes, he looked so disappointed in me too.""Don't worry, I will make sure he knows that you didn't keep it
"What the fuck is going on here?" Ryder asked shocked.Lavender and Jayden separated from each other, very shocked to see Ryder home."Ryder, you are back?" Jayden stuttered in alarm."Yes, I am back. What the hell is going on here?" Ryder asked."Uhmm Ryder, I think you should calm down a bit." Ava tried to calm Ryder down. Ryder spun around to look at her with incredous eyes. "I should calm down? I came back home to meet my little brother being fucked by my close friend and Beta and you expect me to be calm?" he asked her. He turned around to look at Jayden."When did this even start? As far as I know you aren't gay? Or have you been deceiving me all along?" he asked Jayden. Jayden sighed in despair, this was the exact reason, he had refused to be with Lavender. He knew Ryder would be furious and right now seeing Ryder's face, he knew that Ryder was beyond reason at the moment. Ryder looked at Lavender. "Do you care to tell me when this started? Was it when you came back home o
Ryder stared as Reni was taken away. He recognized Reni as Evena's apprentice. How did Reni's apprentice find his way to Salvatore. He wanted to talk to him about Evena but he was already taken away by the king."Babe did you know that Reni was here?" Ryder asked Ava."That guy? Not at all. Do you know him?" Ava asked feigning ignorance."He is Evena's apprentice . I wonder what he is doing here, I also wonder if he knows where Evena is." Ryder asked."Well he has already been taken by the king, I doubt there is a way you can talk to him."The queen came to them. "I am so sorry your first ball went this way." she apologized to them."It's okay." Ava answered as she held her hands to comfort her."You have to leave now, the ball is over. Dreya will take you guys home, your father is coming along with you guys.""My father?""Yes, he said he would be staying in Fireblood for a while now.""Okay, we will wait for him." Ava replied."Take care of yourself dear.""I will Aunt, take care of
The king turned to Ava. "Hello granddaughter." he said to her."Hello to you too." Ava replied."My apologies for just meeting you. I had no idea that you were still alive.""That's because you ordered for my death." Ava replied. She had gotten over her fear and could speak to him freely now.The king chuckled at her reply."I can see that you are still angry with me. The reason I ordered for you to be killed was because I doubted that you would survive. Your twin brother had already died. You have to understand something Ava, no werewolf vampire hybrid has ever survived."Ava looked at him warily, she had no idea what to feel towards him."So I am told you have started taking blood and your fangs are out, have you gained any special abilities yet?" he asked Ava."None that I know of." she replied."Your mother Freya was very powerful. She had the ability to control minds, she could control a full city to do her bidding. I wonder if you have the same power?" the king said as he looked
"Where is the secret stash?" Claudia asked eagerly."I buried it beneath the ground behind the cell where the shadow Wolves are.""Okay. I will find them, just give me the contact of the pack.""I will give you their number but you have to promise me one thing, no harm will come to anyone in the pack.""I promise you, no harm shall come to any of them.""Okay." Lily picked up a piece of paper and wrote the number on it. She then handed it to Claudia. Claudia smiled as she took it, all her plans were slowly coming up. The funniest thing was that the players had no idea that they were just pawns in her game.She went back to stir the food on the fire..............SALVATOREThe ball was going on, and the party was in full swing. Everyone looked at Ava and Ryder curiously. Some of them had heard little snippets about Ava's identity and they were curious to know her history.Ava felt nervous about all the stares. She didn't know how to behave.At that moment, her Aunt came to her."The