VALE:The first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of orange and pink as Valene and Harlyn stood on the outskirts of Shadow Veil, their backs turned to the familiar pack. The weight of exile hung heavy in the air, a bittersweet reminder of the decisions they had made.“This is a big step to make, Vale,” said Tobias as we stood at the city line of Shadow Veil. “It is,” I said. I couldn’t bloody well deny his truth. Harlyn and I’s relationship was still on the mend. There were definitely some kinks that needed to be worked out, but I felt an obligation to her. Not only to her but to Shadow Veil as well. I refused to make it easier for Dronnigan to find me. “But you remember what my mother said, Tobi. Even if Harly wasn’t leaving, I’m not sure that I’d have a choice. Not until I find a way to get rid of him for good.” I said. “Yeah, that’s true. I’ll be shoving off soon too.”“Your dad can’t be happy about that.” Tobias glanced back at the beta and his son. “Not really, but both he
AlastairI stepped out of the backseat of the large unmarked SUV, contemplating what was about to happen. My right hand and beta stood at the rear passenger door, waiting for me to step out of the vehicle. He closed the door behind me whilst I took that moment to take in the large establishment standing before us both.Suddenly, my stomach churned, a large blow to my pride as I considered the reason why I was standing there-why I had wound up at this place.“You alright, Alpha?” I heard my long-time friend ask as he settled himself by my side. I could sense his concerned verdant eyes staring unwaveringly at the side of my face. He would not stop until I answered. “Why do you ask?” Naturally, I knew good and well why my beta had asked me this question. He thought that I was having doubts because he most certainly was having them. When Toran didn’t respond right away, I glanced at him, my brow raised, awaiting his answer.“May I speak candidly, Alpha?” Toran requested. I rolled my eye
AlastairThe pack dashed through the forest floor near the Blue Ridge Highlands, running down prey. With Aziz at the helm, we’d taken down our second hide for the day, the first-a bobcat would not fill this large form, and so we went in search of a Black Bear next.Twice every week, the Shadow Veil Pack was required to go on hunts into the mountains by my command, some lasting no less than a day and sometimes as long as three. It was a great release for our wolves, not to mention it kept both our beasts and us on our toes. No better way to keep ourselves, as well as our counterparts, in peak shape than running the wild for the hunt.I enjoyed these outings with the pack, often needing a welcomed distraction from the heavy weight of life as not only an Alpha but a widower and single father. It’d been over seven years since the death of my beloved Caris. I could not figure out whether it was a good or bad thing that I could not find the time to mourn the anniversary of her death, with
Valene When the school day ended, I was glad that Harlyn had decided to go home for the day. It was a school night after all, though it was Thursday-a day everyone seemed to consider synonymous with Friday. Especially Harly. To me, the days blended into one another like an artist would their paints to create the perfect color that would perfectly mesh with the thoughts they were trying to convey on canvas. Perhaps that was the wrong example to compare me to. Artists were free to release whatever imaginative creativity they saw fit. I was no artist, and I was nowhere near as free. There wasn’t very much freedom for a vassal, and while I was not to be considered the same as the rest, my role was essentially the same as the others. There were one or two freedoms allowed to me that no other knew about outside of Master Wade and Harlyn. Master Wade made it a point to try and make me feel as…free as he possibly could without anyone else noticing it. The need for no one to figure it ou
ValeneWhen he spoke, I left it up to Harlyn to speak first. Had she not, Master Wade surely would have known that something was the matter. Although, due to the long pause and silent stare, he no doubt knew something was up anyway.“Hello, Daddy,” Harlyn said in a spritely manner, her eyes still on me and her expression stoic.“How was our day?” Master Wade asked. His expression seemed normal, but his tone was subtly apprehensive.Harlyn took her time answering him. By the time she finally did, the Alpha was visibly well past the line of suspicion concerning whatever it was that we were talking about. “It was great!” Harlyn finally answered, her eyes steadily on me before finally standing up and walking toward her father to embrace him. “Had to put Penny in her place for disrespecting Vali, but otherwise, things were fine.” She glanced back at me. “Right, Vali?”Without hesitation, I simply nodded. Reluctantly answering would only cause more drama, as far as I was concerned. I had a
Valene A family meeting…a sit down…and there I was…at the table…with the Wade family. I was reluctant to take a seat, but Master Wade practically pushed me into the chair with his beckoning. This wasn’t by far the first family meeting; usually, they did consist of Harlyn and Master Wade however. Sure, I was on standby but not a part of them-never apart; not for seven years. I sat there nervous, under my cool exterior, waiting for Harlyn to arrive. It had been years since a ‘family meeting’. We both were kids at the time-Harlyn, and I and our minds were completely different. Neither of us saw the divide between ourselves as a species. So, when we sat down with one another at the table, Master Wade at the head making decisions, it wasn’t as…uncomfortable as it was at the moment. Seven years it had been since the last meeting with all of us sitting at the table, and it was when Mistress Caris Wade died. Sitting at that table brought back old thoughts, memories, and emotions about
ALASTAIRThe family meeting was a success! Harlyn seemed to receive Valene far better than I thought, volunteering for a shared special day. Admittedly, I was quite proud of my little girl for not being so selfish.After Valene insisted against my word to make a nice meal for the family, we parted ways. It was nice speaking to my girls on the same level. It was daunting for me to address Valene as if I did not count her as my own, and I could only imagine how much more difficult and confusing this arrangement was for her. Yes, this had been the way of things for the greater part of seven years. Nevertheless, it made it no less difficult. Of course, she made it a point of displaying her frustrations far less than I could. “If this situation is too confusing for you, why not turn the child?” Aziz countered in my mind. Sooner or later, I should have known that he’d return to the subject of turning Valene. He never left the matter alone for too long “I assure you things would be far less
bValeneThe fall moon was full, and the night’s breeze was just lively enough to sing through the night air, my favorite type of weather, next to the rain. Pinching the collar of my jacket to cover my neck, I approached my place of work in the cab I caught to reach my destination once securely out of Shadow Veil City.“Thank you!” I tipped the driver and headed toward the bar when suddenly that feeling gripped me again-that same feeling that I’d had in my room a night ago; someone was watching me. Again.I paused when I reached the sidewalk staring ahead of me. In the distance-about, thirty feet away, there was a small forest area, and I…could…have sworn I saw some luminescent eyes peering through them. Needless to say, I did not enjoy the idea of someone