All Chapters of The Darkness Within : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ryder's POV For a werewolf, especially higher class werewolves like Commanders, Betas and Alphas, the need for training is in our blood. We yearn for it, desire it, we need it! It's who we are. We are fighting machines, and have the urge to spar, train harder, fight, and fight some more… It was weird to be on the training field again. Before Angelica's death, I returned to the pack at least once a week for training. After her death, I stopped going altogether.After training, I was exhausted, but I welcomed it. It took my mind off of her. From the moment my head hit the pillow last night, she was all I could think of. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her long dark hair and smooth skin covered in tattoos. It was frustrating. I didn't want to think of her, or anyone else but Angelica, but this mysterious woman consumed my thoughts. When I went to sleep, it was no better; in fact, it was worse. When I went to sleep, she was there. Her sultry voice lured me in. It felt so real; she t

Third Person's POV Ryder sat outside on the patio with his laptop, trying to finalize his daughter's birthday party planning. When she came bouncing out of the back door, he closed the laptop and smiled. Her red hair bounced, and her smile was like sunshine. Time seemed to pause for a moment as he realized how much she looked like her mother. She was so soft, good, and pure, just like her mother. “Hi, my little angel,” Ryder said as he opened his arms and welcomed her in. “Hi, Daddy,” Azalea said as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. “Here you go, my little lady,” Ryder said as he handed her a basket of birthday invites. She's been begging her father to let her pass them out herself. She thought it would be fun to walk around and pass out her invites. A personal touch! She thought, smiling as she took the invites and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy! I'm going to pass these out now!” she said excitedly, and he chuckled. “I figured you would want to. Have fun, sweet

Ryder’s POV Setting up my daughter's birthday party has been anything but easy. Every now and then, I hear her sultry voice whispering my name in my ear. The desire to see her is so strong that it's driving me crazy.I feel my phone vibrate, and I pull it out to find a message from a familiar number. My heart beat faster, and my thumb quickly moved to open the message.“Hey, Wolfie!” Her message starts, and my lips tug up at her nickname for me. I could hear her voice as I read the message. “I know things are complicated for you, but they don't need to be as complicated as you say. Come see me Friday night at the bar. I don't work this Friday, but I'll be up there hanging out. I hope to see you there.” I sat down, closed my eyes, and breathed out as I rested my forehead against the edge of the phone. I pulled the phone back, and my fingers began moving as I typed my reply. “I'm sorry! I don't think this is a good idea. I think it's best if you forget about me. You're a beautiful l

Third Person's POV The day is bittersweet. Ryder watches his daughter on her 18th birthday as she mingles with family and friends. Everything is almost perfect. There's only one thing missing—one person who means the world to Ryder and Azalea: Angelica. It's been just a little over two years, and it still hurts like hell that she's not here. He wishes more than anything that when he scanned the party, his eyes would land on her beautiful face. He wishes he could see her smile, hear her laughter, look into her beautiful eyes, and smell her beautiful scent. He wished he could feel the warmth of her skin and the tingles dancing under his fingertips when he touched her. He wished he could feel her light; it was so strong. He could feel it from across the yard when she was in her garden, and he was cutting wood. He wonders if she's up there looking down on him and their daughter. He hopes she is at the very least, watching their daughter grow. He hears his daughter's laughter, blinks hi

Maverick's POVMy other half has been so depressed that I thought letting him out would cheer him up. We slipped out of the territory easily and found a small cave. He was eager to come out and stretch his limbs. As soon as he did, he dropped to the ground inside the cave and refused to get up. Now, here I am, stuck in Shade’s true form, lying on the floor inside a cave. This lovesick beast refuses to give me back control. He lies here, sighing periodically, filling the cave with smoke.“Shade, you have to give me back control. We have to get back before they find out we're missing.” I begged again, but just like last time, he ignored me.Time ticked by. Every now and then, the smoke intensified when his longing for her became stronger. His red eyes burned red like the flames of hell, and the heat in the cave was intense. Our ability to block out their sound was fractured by his heartbreak, and their voices seeped through, filling the cave with dark voices and whispers from the darkn