RYDEN “Your dad told me the note is cleaned.” I joined her on the couch as I promised to take a day off with pack business and other matters. Zeph ran the lodge and the Crimson Corp, so I knew they were in good hands. “I thought no pack business.” She grabbed the steaming mug of coffee and sipped it. “Sorry. Just wanna update you.” “Did you notice something last night?” I smiled as I pressed my lips to hers. “I thought we were gonna watch movies and order pizza later.” She giggled, and rested her head on my shoulder, her feet on top of the coffee table. Her toenails painted blood red. “Fine. We can talk about it. Just not work on it.” “Right.” I kissed her hair as I turned the TV on and chose a giant streaming app. “What did you notice about last night?” “Can you choose a series for us?” “No drama.” “I hate drama,” she echoed. “Let’s watch The Vikings or The Last Kingdom.” “So you have a thing with medieval guys or just the theme of the show.” I placed my palm on her thig
AMELIA My phone rang, and it was from an unknown number. “Hello? Hello.” Nobody answered from the other line. “Who’s this?” The call ended. “Is everything okay?” Ren asked while I was still looking at the phone screen. “Wrong number.” “I thought you were taking a break. Where exactly are we going?” “Theia, if she said she’s taking a break, she means to say, she’s doing other extra activities,” Ren said from the passenger’s seat. “You should have stopped asking her a long time ago.“I’m not comfortable sitting in the backseat,” she complained as she used to be behind the wheel. “We’re not going far. Just away from his house.” “Hmm. Interesting,” she mumbled.I parked the car at the clearing. We were still in Ryden’s territory. At least, he wouldn’t see us sneaking out. I photocopied Ryden’s new proposal for investors earlier. I knew I went behind his back, but I had good intentions. I wanted to help as much as I could. His business may be his problem, but he wasn’t alone anym
RYDEN “Wow. Chopsticks.” I didn’t know what to say, but grateful, and at the same time confused. “Why chopsticks? Is there a meaning behind it?” It was made of steel with a serpentine design at the handle. “Silly. It’s Kanzashi.” I still didn’t know what that was. “A what?”“A hair accessory. It comes in several varieties. Beautiful,” she said as she examined it. Then she twisted the nob as if she’d seen it before. I heard a soft click. Then the sharp point popped up, shining against the light. “Holy shit. A weapon?” “Yup. I’m pretty sure it’s laced with poison.” She twisted it back, giving me the other one. “One for you, one for me.” I chuckled as I took it from her. “Do you expect me to grow hair and use it, ladybug?” “Keep it in your jacket pocket, or your pencil holder on top of your desk. It may come in handy,” she said as she put her Kanzashi back into the box. “You should resume your training with the sword, Alpha.” “I’ll give Ren a heads-up. Thanks.” I kissed her on
AMELIA “What are you doing?” Ryden came from behind, his arms snaked around me, cupping my breasts. “Leave that for later. I need you now.” “It can’t wait, Ryden. I’m almost done, anyway.” He shushed me, sliding his hands into the black lingerie I was wearing. I already bit my bottom lip to stifle my moan when he got to rub his thumb against my sensitive nipples. “Alpha.” I bit my bottom lip harder, it might bleed. His fingers just rolled my nipples, pinching them to almost painful, yet, I could feel my body reacting against his touch. My skin felt hot. My breathing hitched. My head dropped back, resting against his chest, and I felt his cock growing hard pressed against my butt. “I want you,” he whispered, voice raspy and breathy, spreading goosebumps all over my skin. He shut the laptop and put it aside, grabbing me by my waist to the middle of the bed. “You’re such a dick sometimes.” “I’ve been called worse. Get naked and spread your legs for me. I miss the taste of your pu
RYDEN “Why did you want to kill my pack?” With the help of the police database and the traffic cams, we found who tried to kill Jaxon. This smug son of a bitch just punched his death card. “Did you assert the attack in the pack house weeks ago?” I’d been punching John Deacon to get information from him, but I just broke his jaw and nose and pulled two teeth, and he never gave up on whoever he was protecting. He spat the blood out on my face. It angered me further. Rage was filling my chest so fast I wanted to rip his heart out. But I still needed something from him. And he knew once I had what I wanted, he’d be dead. “Talk or I will rip your throat out! I will find out why you targeted my people one way or another.” “You won’t get a shit!” He tried to scream, but Zeph threw a bucket of water soaked with wolfsbane on his face. He screamed in pain, but no one could ever hear him in the tunnel in my territory. I watched his face and upper body burn, as if he just showered in boili
AMELIA “Please…” I moaned as I arched my hips helplessly, surrendering my body to him, begging for his mercy, begging him to make me come. And I was there, yet I was not. A frustrated groan tore from my throat, widening my shaking thighs farther for him. “Tell me what you want, sweetheart.” He paused. His voice was deep and husky. “You. I want you,” I said between pants, flexing my hips to his mouth. “You have me, Amelia. I’m all yours.” His voice dropped to whisper before he tortured me again with his tongue and mouth. I shuddered, feeling the coldness of air against my skin. I could smell his addicting scent and the scent of winter night. I could taste the sweetness in his kiss. I could hear the rapid breathing and every beat of his heart. I made a long and slow pleading moan as I shut my eyes close. My body was stiffening, floating. At that moment, I knew I was so close to the edge. I could almost fly until someone nudged me to wake up. I gasped. My heart was still beating f
LUCIUSA few weeks ago“Who the fuck are you?” a terrified motherfucker asked. His eyes bulged. His body was tremored. Face ashed. He was clutching his chest which had just been burned. He was lucky he didn’t burn to ashes if you could even call it luck.“Who ordered you to attack the woman?” I stalked him inside the abandoned warehouse until his back hit the wall. “What kind of sick fuck are you attacking a defenseless woman, huh?” I looked right into his terrified eyes. He might have just seen death in mine as he started screaming, squeezing his eyes shut. “Talk!”He jumped at my voice.I turned to Drak and Eann, shaking my head in annoyance and dismay.“We’ll take care of him. He can’t say a shit anymore.”“Wait,” said the asshole with trembling lips.Eann shrugged. “His mouth is still intact.”Narrowing my eyes, I turned around and faced the motherfucker. My nose flared as I dragged himself down the ground.“I don’t think he will tell us something useful,” Drak said. Sometimes, pe
AMELIA I smoothed my blue dress as the car pulled over at the front of the pack house. I suddenly became nervous. Ryden and I waited for Ren’s parents to get out of the vehicle. Their details helped them out as we approached. “Oba, Oji.” I bowed my head in respect to our guests for tonight. Ren welcomed his parents as well. “Mr. and Mrs. Raito, please, welcome to our pack.” Ryden in his fancy well-tailored suit shook their hands and led them to the entrance hall with me by his side. He initially planned a dinner at the restaurant, but I suggested that it would be great to be done at the pack house so they could meet everyone, and the pack could join at the dining table. I wanted to make a good impression, especially when Ryden’s name was on the line, the pack, and the Corporation. I even stressed about the five-course menu but everyone had been very helpful in making this dinner possible. The dinner started smoothly. Our people dressed accordingly, which impressed me, and how th
RYDEN “Oh, so the Avengers have arrived.” Amelia looked at everyone, including Zarah, on the dining table. I took another slice of the steak and shoved it into my mouth, and I felt her gaze on me. “I’m starving. I wasn’t aware lying there like dead could starve me this much.” “Your body was recuperating, and you were lying there without food for three days. What do you expect?” Zarah said, grabbing some roasted asparagus. “Easy, Ryden. It would be too awful to die from choking. Headline: Alpha Ryden has lost his life to steak.” She did a little drama with her fingers. “Let him eat, Amelia. He needs the three-day meal he missed.” Sebastien watched me while he sipped his wine. “What matters is he made a full recovery.” “Thanks, Alpha King. Once this matter is over, we’ll be out of your hair.” “I’m not kicking you out. Take your time, Ryden. Your presence here takes Zarah away from her work. She has spent a lot of time here with me for the past three days.” “You make me look bad,
AMELIA “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked me, his voice soft as butter. “How are you feeling? Really.” “Aside from starving, I’m feeling good. I got a better idea to feed my hunger.” I got a better idea, too. I had no doubt he wanted me. I could see it in his eyes and feel it in his touch. His lips were a thread to mine when I pressed my finger against his own. “Ryden, you almost died. Whatever you are hungry for right now, that can wait.” He groaned as he dramatically pulled away from me and lay back on the bed. “I just missed you, ladybug.” “So do I. I was so worried about you, Ryden. I thought you wouldn’t going to make it. Rest your body. We’ll do it once you’re completely healed.” “Zarah told me that she has to make you sleep.” “Make me? What’s that supposed to mean?” She stared down at me, reading my face. “You wouldn’t leave my bed. She magically put you asleep like Sleeping Beauty. On the other thought, she did the right thing.” He traced his thumb on my
RYDEN I cracked my eyes open to an unfamiliar room, yet I knew where I was as the smell of sage and spices assaulted my nostrils. “Well, welcome back to the world of living.” I tried to clear my throat but I was so parched. “Zarah.” “You’re alive. You should thank the goddess and your annoying stubborn mate.” I turned my head at her. She looked stubborn as well. Her arms crossed over her chest. “How long I’ve been out?” “It doesn’t matter.” “How’s everyone?” I propped my elbows so I could get up She shook her head in annoyance and pressed the button. “You’re not going anywhere, Ryden. The next time you get injured, I won’t be coming to heal your sorry ass.” “Thank you.” I accepted the glass of water she offered and took a sip from it. “Where’s Amelia?” “Sleeping. Resting. She’d been up for more than a day since they brought you here. If I didn’t let her sleep, she would still be here watching you until you wake up.” “You mean you put her to sleep.” I chuckled. I knew how Am
AMELIA “Why he hasn’t woken up? It’s been eighteen hours, Zarah.” I watched Ryden still unconscious in bed. The portal took us to Italy, where there was an infirmary, and where Zarah had a den and conducted her magic. “You should rest and get some sleep. He needs you when he wakes up, Amelia. I will take care of him. You have my word.” I shook my head stubbornly. “I can’t sleep. I can’t rest. I can’t breathe until I know he’s okay and will wake up soon.” “Now you sound like a wife and a luna. He’s recuperating right now. He has internal bleeding. A lobe of his left lung is punctured. He should be dead by now if he wasn’t strong enough that he still chose to find you instead of getting treatment. You owe him that much, Amelia. Now go and rest.” I blew a breath. I was beyond exhausted. I was even surprised I hadn’t fallen to the ground, and I had barely eaten since we got here. “Maybe I should call my mom.” I pressed my lips on his forehead. He was warm which was a good sign. “N
RYDEN I wasn’t healing fast. I was losing my strength quickly. I knew I had broken bones, and something wrong inside me that made me difficult to breathe. I was even surprised I was still able to shift earlier. I could barely stand but Amelia was still out there, waiting for my help. The moment my pack managed to escape into the woods, I felt relieved. I knew they could make it out even if they scattered everywhere. We could regroup later once Amelia was safe. “Ryden!” I was still in wolf form when someone called my name. Zeph jumped off the tree and dropped some clothes for me. “Thank Goddess, you’re okay.” I quickly shifted back. My bones were cracking, and I instantly felt a couple of broken bones. “I’m not okay, Zeph. They have your sister. Goddess, why did she have to be—? Fuck!” I couldn’t even breathe without struggling. “What’s wrong?” He looked at my chest. The bruises were getting worse, turning purple quickly. “Oh, shit.” “Yup.” I tried to move my shoulder back, but
AMELIA They’d been fighting for half an hour now. They were both bloody, and breathing hard, but none of them wanted to give up. There was something weird going on with Alec. He came prepared. For a man in his fifties, probably twice in human age, he was strong, like he was on steroids. “This is taking too long.” Zeph became more anxious, constantly sighing when Ryden received another kick in the chest. Our pack just gasped, hearing that crack, surely he just got another broken bone. “That’s not good.” My heart bled, and couldn’t compensate for pumping so hard as Ryden fell to the ground. “He’s taking a lot of punches and kicks, why isn’t he even trying hard to fight back, Amelia?” I narrowed my eyes at Theia. “I don’t know, but Alec seems on magic steroids.” “Yes. He has something going on in him,” Ren agreed. I hadn’t told him the sword was gone. I stared at Walker with my jaw clenched as he watched the fight. That son of a bitch. He seemed to grind his jaw hard every time R
AMELIA “Can we talk?” “Nope. I’m done talking, and we have nothing to talk about. You made it pretty clear. The only decisions matter are yours, and you chose not to involve me. I respect an alpha’s decision.” “Amelia, that’s not—” “That’s not what, Ryden?” I glared at him. “I came here only to help heal my brother, but I put my plans, my life on hold for you because you’re my mate, and I would do everything in a heartbeat for you, but right now, after what you did? I don’t think I will risk my life for you again. You’re not the mate I risked my life for, the man I married, and the alpha I swore my loyalty to.” I didn’t want to say some shits that I would regret later. I went into his closet and grabbed my backpack. “What are you doing?” I heard the panic in his voice behind me. “I can’t watch you get yourself killed. I don’t want to lie about my feelings for you.” I felt his grip on my arm, forcing me to face him. “You’re leaving me?” “I’m leaving, yes.” I met his gaze, makin
RYDEN “If you’re so suicidal to fight Alec tomorrow why didn’t you just slash their throats when you got the chance?” she said harshly. Her gaze grew serious. I groaned in exasperation. “I have plans, Amelia. Don’t worry, it will work.” “And what is it?” She glared at me before getting into the passenger’s seat. “You’re acting out of anger. You’re illogical.” “I can’t tell you right now.” I joined her back in the car. She shook her head in disappointment. “Because you don’t trust me enough to share your plan with me. You don’t see me as the Luna of the pack. You don’t see me as your equal. Why am I wasting my time here with you if I can’t be useful?” “That’s not true.” My voice was low and urgent, eyes still blazing with fury. “That’s the truth, Ryden!” She wiped her face and looked outside the window. “Don’t talk to me.” Amelia was fuming in her seat. She hadn’t said a word, but working in her truckload of anger not to light this car to flames. She had no idea what betrayals
RYDEN “I’m sure you know what’s taste of vengeance is like, Alec. And I’m not here to threaten you. I want that man before sunset today or I will find a way to cut his head off and give it to you as a present.” He snorted, shaking his head. “You think you’re so brave and smart, Ryden, but you’re not.” “I know I’m neither of those, but when people come to me and hurt the people I care about, I don’t need to be smart or to be brave. I do what’s necessary.” “Yet, you haven’t found the people responsible for the attack on your pack house. You’re too busy finding the, what do you call it, wraiths? Yes, I know every plan you make. I know everything about you, especially that woman you call mate. I know her secret, too.” I didn’t have to listen or react. He’d already anticipated I would be pissed off. I stayed calm as if he wasn’t trying to intimidate us both. “Then you should be very careful.” “You should be, Ryden. If I wanted to kill you, I could have done it already, and you would