Emma“What use have we of a premature wolf?” The male that Reenan brought me to rages. His face turns a darker shade of red every time he glances at me, like I make him furious by just existing. I cower against the far wall, wrapping my arms tight around myself. I’ve not tried to attack him after the first time. After so many blows, I’ve quickly learnt my place. I am officially a stray, homeless and unwanted. “I couldn’t very well kill the bitch.” Reenan rants. “Though I would have loved to.” He sends me a dark look that makes me fold in on myself.Some of those times when I attacked him with the force of my rage, I almost wished he would accidentally kill me. I would be welcomed by my parents and the goddess would smite him to dust. Other times, I thought I should take my own life but ultimately my cowardice won. I stayed alive and bore the brunt of the humiliation. I was too weak, too afraid to follow after my parents. “Well, find some damn use for the girl.” The man barks and pa
CelineI remember the feeling of anger and frustration perfectly, because I’m feeling it again. “The desiccated wolf hunter struck again.” Shawn, Father’s beta says. “What pack?”“Aqua belt. They took away the alpha’s beta herself.”How daring. The Alpha of Aqua belt is mysterious enough, but everyone agrees he is up there on the list of wolves you should not mess with. Is this a statement they are trying to make? That they can target anyone, even such a powerful Alpha’s closest wolves. “They are bound to make mistakes one of these days. Did they leave any sort of clue behind?” I ask. “No. I hear Alpha Hadrian is giving a huge reward to anyone that can bring information to the hunter.”“If information was lying around, we would have found it since.” I growl. “Send an emissary to him. He should join with us to find them. It is unacceptable how much the hunter’s reputation has grown. He creeps into any pack of his choice and kills wolves and nobody can stop him or even recognise hi
Celine I sit with all the ease of an overstrung band. My father and Lor size each other up and the tension is so thick I’m choking on it. I’m not sure what I will do if they suddenly break into a fight, get between them maybe to stop them from killing each other, something that looks like it could happen any moment. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t challenge you to a duel.” Father grits out and my anxiety sky rockets. This is so not what I imagined when I thought of the moment these two men would meet. Lor glances at me and I keep my face neutral. However, I’m sure they can all hear my heart pounding. “Because it would hurt Celine.” He says. My heart stutters and my gaze burns into his profile. What does he care if I’m hurt? What amount of hurt can he serve me now that he hasn’t already done in the last month?“You care about her as much as I do so I assume the last thing you want to do is hurt her by forcing her to watch us go for each other’s throats.”Fucking bastard. I pro
NeemI step slowly into the library, looking around. I know she’s in here, I can feel her powerful aura. It’s a miracle I didn’t feel it before, I was either too engrossed and careless or she has a way of hiding it. She is sitting in her high-backed chair and I slowly come to a stop in front of her. We didn’t really part on the great terms and it is preposterous of me to be here in front of her now. “Female. Did you follow me?” She asks. “I had a feeling you wanted me to.” I sign. She lets out a little laugh and stands. Today’s red outfit leans more towards a formal attire.“You presume to know my intentions.”“Yes.” I sign, holding her eyes. She slowly makes her way around the table. “You are bleeding all over my floors.” She says, stopping in front of me and I glance down hurriedly. I was pressing down on the bite with a hand but the blood has pooled around it and now drops to the floor in red beads. “I’m so sorry!” I sign but more blood only spills out when I remove my fing
Neem“You were summoned by the Prince.” Sera says, barging into my room unannounced. I nod and put down the brush with a shaking hand. I’m trying to hide how delighted I am by the news, that he is healthy enough to ask for me again. He survived!I was worried when there was no more news of him. Everyone was ordered out and since then it has been silence. I brush past Sera and yelp when her hand snaps out to grip mine. Her face is squeezed slightly, like she is chewing on a bitter thought. “Neem, don’t...”I wait, my heart pounding. Her eyes search mine and I wait for her to finish her statement because it is the first time she will be speaking to me that is not an order to go serve the king or prince. She releases my hand instead and the moment passes. She straightens and resumes her professional expression. “Go on, don’t keep the prince waiting.”I fight the urge to rub my arm where she touched me and nod, getting out of the room fast. What was she going to say? What does the fem
CelineA full day has passed since Lor came and I am extremely busy trying to avoid him. My sisters, friends, and just about everyone in the pack house has unanimously agreed to make it difficult for him to finish his task within the three days and Annika has taken it upon her head to pioneer it. My scent has been distributed amongst all the rooms so it is difficult for him to track me by scent and I use the secret doorways to escape from my chambers or whoever's I'm in when he comes looking. I know, childish perhaps but I'm protecting myself. I know I shouldn't go back, I shouldn't listen to whatever he has to say but I also know he is my greatest weakness. I must avoid finding myself alone with him, or I will lose myself. "He almost tore into Constantine last night." Skye says excitedly. She gets stars in her eyes anytime she talks of Lor, and I know there is a little bit of hero worship going on there. Not a surprise that she is the only one that wants me to give him a second chan
Celine He places a hand on my waist and alone in her balcony, we sway to the music. "You look beautiful."Fuck my susceptibility that such a minuscule compliment should make my heart trip so forcefully."Thank you." I say finally, pushing down the lump in my throat. I'm nervous for the first time in his presence, a bizarre feeling. "You do know the dinner is for you right? All these people came here to see you. And you’re here with me.”"There is only one person I came to see." He says and my heart leaps again. If I continue at this rate, I might drop dead from a heart attack. "Why did you run from me?"I shrug, nonchalant as ever. "Do I owe you my presence?"He stops dancing suddenly and backs me into the wall. I gasp with shock and when he invades my space, I glare up at him. "I'm sorry." He says finally, heavily. I don't have to ask around to know how difficult it is for somebody like him to admit wrong. "Every day, I beat myself up for that cursed night that ruined everything
CelineLor tackles me to the ground a split second before the bullets aimed right for me can hit. I fall hard, crushed under his hard body and wolves fall behind us, those that were not so lucky to escape the bullets. The porcelain white floors are immediately stained with red, and roars of pain and rage hit the roof. They have attacked me before, but never so blatantly, or so publicly. "Get off me!" I shove at Lor, desperate to see if my family is fine. Skye! She was around the area the machine gun came from. "Stay down!" He snarls and doesn't budge an inch. I can't see a thing, I can't turn my neck to check either and the goddamn machine gun is still spraying bullets. "Skye! I need to find Skye.""Stay down!" He commands, stilling my wriggling and then he is up. My heart drops to the bottom of my feet and I instinctively grab at him only to catch air. It is only a split second later I realise the machine gun has stopped and it is that short period before they reload. I leap up
Neem "I thought you would be done dressing up. We are going to be late." I tell Aden. "These buttons are hell." He mutters. "There should be about a hundred buttons on here.""Hardly." I say, amused. "There are only fifteen."Our clothes in Lyria never had buttons and it's always amusing that something so simple always gives him so much trouble. "Might as well be a hundred." He mutters and shaking my head, I go to help. He stares down at me as I work one button to the next. "You are staring.""I can't help it, you're beautiful." He says and I smile. "One would think you were only seeing me for the first time.""It feels like that sometimes." He says. "Sometimes I wake up amazed to have you by my side.""Only sometimes?" I tease him and he laughs. "Come here." He pulls my lips to his and kisses me and I forget about the buttons as I hold on, revelling in the movement of his lips on mine. I moan when his tongue darts in to taste me and his hands clench conclusively on my ass. "D
EmmaOne of the creatures runs at us, foaming at the mouth and bleeding from a dozen cuts. Celine intercepts him and kills him and I stare at her. “They said you controlled these creatures. Control them and end this wretched war.”She shakes her head. “It’s not that easy anymore. I was able to control them when my cat was dominant, when they absorbed my wolf. Someone donated her energy to bring back my wolf, but she neglected to mention that I would lose control of the soldiers when she is restored. I wouldn’t have it any other way anyway.”I sneer. “How pathetic. Of what use are you with your wolf then? You should sacrifice her to save hundreds of lives if need be but you are nothing but selfish as ever.”Her brows rise. “I’m not receiving a lecture on selflessness from you, am I? Now I have seen it all.”Behind us, Lor finally rips the king’s heart out with a roar. The war seems to stop for a second, everyone watching as he twists his head off his throat and sends it flying. And t
Celine They are unending. It is as if the entire world has moved against the Island. My soldiers are not enough, and so people of Lyria have joined, fighting against the enemy but they are lacking in spirit. Perhaps because they have been broken down by the economy but they fall like corn stalk against the enemy. I keep soldiers on their leader constantly, but he is not the only one to be worried about. My soldiers tear into most of the soldiers before they have a chance to defend themselves but too many of them are experienced killers, cutting through our numbers in swaths. I glance behind me but the king and the Whisperer are now gone from their perch, and then finally the harpies are released. Terrible terrible creatures that can ice the blood in your veins with a touch. Where they go, death follows, immortals shrivelling up and dying in numbers. And yet more of their army comes. There are about ten of the harpies and I’m surprised when one of them streams from the ground right i
CelineI feel it when Ismir dies, like a lance directly into my heart. I scream in pain and my attack falters. No. I look back, knowing I will not find him at he balcony he once occupied with his father and the Whisperer. My eyes meet his father’s and I wonder if he knows. My distraction costs me. Strong arms wrap around me from behind and I’m plastered hard against a male chest. “Stand back.” He orders the creatures, keeping them in front of us and me as a shield between them. They angle and pace, the front liners reluctant to attack and skewer me. “What do you think you are doing?” I grit out, trying to break out of his grip but he’s too strong. “You’re coming back with me.” He says, shuffling back. I burst into laughter, a little hysterical. “Are you daft as fuck? You want to leap through the barrier to freedom? The both of us will die before our next breath.”“I passed through the barrier to get here.” He says, his voice resolved. “By some freak accident. You will not be so
EmmaHe has grown so much in three days alone, this baby that has become my last surviving shield.“Dan!” I snap, heading to the balcony. “Yes, Emma.” She says from where she balances precariously on the ledge, not even bothering to look up. I thought the female stuck to my side because she had grown a soft side for me, as I have worked hard to lower her guard. I should have known better, she is an omega herself, an emotional fortress. Since the end of the three days that we raised Alaric, she has completely withdrawn, not even bothering to stand for any other person but the little brat. ”You said the three days were all we needed to ensure his survival.”“Yes. Your boy is stronger than a horse.” She says, raising her face to the sun. “Mama!” The culprit comes toddling out, holding chubby little hands out to me with a grin. I stare at him, my face going sour. “So why the hell does he still follow me around everywhere?!” I ask in dismay. I can’t look across a room without finding h
Neem“You found the source.” He says. His voice is cold and the way he is looking at me scares me. I affect a light tone. “Prince Ismir-““I cannot allow you to live.” Chills race down my spine and I laugh awkwardly. “What are you talking about?” I say, my voice pleading. I always knew my inquisitiveness would land me in trouble one day. I cannot believe the day is finally here. “Why do you always have to go around snooping and putting yourself in situations you have no business being in?”“I’m sorry!” I say, taking a step forward. “I’m sorry okay? This will never happen again.”“You are right, it won’t.” He says and then he shifts. I scream and dive to the side as he leaps, coming up on my knee and watching him nearly crash into the crystals. He sidesteps them in a precarious move in the last second and spins around, furious. I’ve never seen him shift, and for good reason, I realise. That is no wolf, he looks like he belongs amongst the deformities on the front line. He is thre
NeemI burst into the library, unconcerned about the racket I’m making as I race through the shelves to the back. Maria is reading a book and doesn’t bother to put it down. “Ordinarily, you should be banned from coming into the library.” She says placidly. “Outside.” I say urgently. “They are engaged in a fight. Celine and-““I know.” She cuts me off, not taking her eyes off the book. I gape at her. “You do? Then how can you be so calm?”“I am calm. I would recommend some to you too. What concern is it of mine if two idiots want to kill each other?”She’s right, she doesn’t give a fuck. She has said it enough times and yet she was the first person I thought of when I needed help.“I need your help.” I say and she finally puts the book down and pins with a stare piercing enough to make me squirm. “I see you got your tongue back.”“I need your help.” I say again, refusing to be redirected. “No.” She says, making me gape again. “No? But you don’t even know what I want to ask.”“I d
Prince Ismir“How did he come through the barrier?” Father snarls, finally thrown off his feet by the unexpected happening. “I don’t know.” The Whisperer says, my first time hearing him utter those words. “It should be impossible.”Apparently not, if he’s right there. “What do you know about him?” I ask. There is something about him that has my hair standing on end. It is simply my most primitive instincts recognising a threat, a major one.“Nothing,” The Whisperer says. “But judging by his power and the fact that he entered the barrier unscathed, there are only a few people that come to mind. I believe that is her mate, the one commonly known as the demon wolf.”“What?” I say, startled out of the blue. Is that where the sense of familiarity comes from? Am I feeling her familiarity with him? “She does not look like she recognises him.” I say, tracing her location.“Not with the the amount of poison we had to pump into her system.” He says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t ev
LorFor the umpteenth time, I put a hand on the barrier and it goes straight through. My hand curls into a tight fist and I punch it hard. Nothing. It is just air. The demarcation that shows the island of Lyria, a slight shimmer in the air is quite obvious if you know what you are looking for. Otherwise, your eyes would probably skip right over it. We have besieged this perimeter for two days now and to my frustration, we have nothing to show for it. Not a soul has stepped out of it, and neither can we step inside either. If I didn’t have a strong gut feeling that she is behind that barrier, I would have believed that it is all a conjecture of my deranged mind.Maddilla comes to a stop beside me and peers into the barrier. It is not just Bloodbound pack but nearly every damn pack this side of the world out here. There are more than a hundred and fifty packs here, each one of them as eager and enthusiastic to pierce the barrier of the island as the next. I didn’t have much convincing