Novels by Zara Dusk

Scarlett's POV“I’ll get it!” I yelled, pushing myself off the bed with a groan. My bare feet hit the cold floor as I tugged at the white clips in my hair, yanking them out one by one.Annoyance simmered beneath my skin, I’d gotten all cute, just for Roman to cancel.I tossed the clips onto my vanity with a clatter, running a hand through my hair to shake it out as I stalked toward the door.“What?” my brother called from down the hall, his voice muffled. He poked his head out of his room, blinking at me as he tugged out one of his AirPods. His music was still blasting; I could hear the faint thump of bass even from where I stood.He bobbed his head to the beat, completely unbothered, as if the entire house wasn’t shaking from his playlist.“Never mind,” I said, waving a hand dismissively in front of his face. He scrunched his brows, confused, his mouth opening to say something.My eyes caught the bit of pancake stuck to the corner of his lips, and before he could speak, he dramatical

SCARLETT'S POV“Where is the damn thing?” I muttered under my breath, crouching lower to peer into the abyss that was the space under my bed.The hardwood floor was freezing against my knees, and my flimsy tank top did nothing to keep the chill from seeping into my skin.A shiver ran down my spine as I stretched my arm further under the bed, fingers sweeping through a graveyard of dust bunnies, stray hair ties, andWas that an old sock?Gross. I grimaced, pulling my hand back and wiping it on my pajama shorts. Still no sign of the slippers.As if mocking me, my phone let out a sharp beep from its spot on the nightstand, a notification lighting up the screen.I ignored it, letting out a frustrated sigh as I pushed myself to my feet, wincing at the ache in my knees. “Great,” I muttered, brushing off my hands and glancing around the room as though the slippers might magically materialize if I stared hard enough.They didn’t.Running a hand through my hair, I flung open the bedroom door w

Ares’ POVI rubbed my eyes tiredly, the elevator doors gliding open with a soft ding.Byron and Scarlett stood at the entrance of the lobby, talking animatedly. Byron spotted me first, his gaze flicking in my direction before nudging Scarlett in the ribs.She turned, swatting him away playfully as her eyes landed on me. Byron leaned in, whispering something in her ear, and whatever he said made her cheeks flush. She swatted him again, more embarrassed this time, as he waved her off with a smug grin and walked away.Scarlett grinned at me, her smile bright despite the exhaustion I knew she was hiding.She waved me over, and I ran a hand through my hair, trying to muster up something resembling a smile.It wasn’t easy. The last forty-eight hours had been hell, and the six hours of sleep I’d managed in between felt like a cruel joke.“See?” she said, her gaze flicking to my cheek. “Now it doesn’t look like shit,” she teased, her voice warm as her fingers reached up to trace the bruise.H

Scarlett's POVI coughed awkwardly, clearing my throat as I shuffled backward, trying to put some space between us.My foot caught on something, Ares’ shoe, of course, the world tilted sharply as I stumbled.My arms flailed uselessly, and a startled yelp escaped me as I felt myself falling. Before I could hit the ground, Ares moved faster than I thought possible.He shot out of the chair, his hands gripping me firmly and pulling me back up.His large hands cupped the small of my back, steadying me as my palms instinctively landed on his chest. He was close, too close.I could feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath my hands, his breathing still uneven from the sudden movement. My heart hammered in my chest as I looked up at him, and for a moment, neither of us moved.The air between us thickened, charged with something unspoken.His dark eyes searched mine, and I swore the corner of his lips twitched, like he was fighting back a smirk. My cheeks flushed, and I opened my mouth to s

Scarlett's POVHe trailed behind me, holding his cheek gingerly as I rummaged through the freezer, muttering under my breath. The cold air bit at my fingertips as I pushed aside a box of frozen waffles and a tub of ice cream, searching for something, anything, that could double as a cold press.The sound of his quiet groans made my stomach twist with guilt. I risked a glance over my shoulder to find him leaning heavily on the counter, his face twisted in pain as his fingers massaged the tender spot I’d hit.“You’re not gonna take a seat?” I asked, trying to sound casual, though the knot of worry in my chest made my voice come out sharper than intended.He arched a brow at me, clearly unimpressed, but said nothing. His hand dropped from his cheek, resting on the counter as he shifted his weight.I could tell he wasn’t planning to move until I forced him to. With a triumphant huff, I pulled out a bag of frozen peas, the plastic crinkling loudly in my grip.“Don’t be stubborn,” I said, g

Scarlett's POV“Is something happening at work today?” Spencer asked, his eyes flicking from the road to me as he turned left onto the long, winding driveway leading to the Blackwood compound.Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting fleeting shadows across the car’s dashboard.I blinked hard, trying to keep my eyes open, but the weight of exhaustion dragged them shut every time I let my guard down.My head lolled to the side against the window, and a sharp, dull ache pulsed behind my temples, forcing a groan out of me as the car slowed to a stop at the gate.“What do you mean?” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper, as I fought to string together coherent words. Talking felt like a chore, like my brain was wrapped in cotton.Spencer glanced at me again, his brows furrowing, before punching in the code to open the gate.“It’s literally seven a.m., Scar. I don’t think even receptionists go to work this early,” he said, his tone laced with mild disbelief. He shifted the car into

My eyes slowly opened because of the light streaming through the large window. I felt my arms tighten around my waist.I turned around to see a sleeping Parker. His dark hair hung messily in his face and his lips were slightly parted. He looked so peaceful yet still so sexy even when he's asleep. My eyes wandered down to his bare chest.I reached out and touched his tattoos. I stared at them curiously.Why did he pick a rose?My fingers traced the intricate designs before I heard Parker's voice."Do you like what you see?" he asked confidently.I smiled at him and nodded. "I do."He smiled back at me. My eyes followed their way back to his tattoo."Why do you have a tattoo of a rose?" I asked him curiously.He was silent for a moment before he responded. "When I was young, my mother told me to give my mate a rose whenever I messed up. It was her favorite flower because it symbolizes love, something so amazing to experience."His hand reached up and cupped my cheek. "Some of the beauti

I sighed, a smile gracing my lips as I leaned under the warm water beating down my back. It felt amazing to finally be able to be clean. I watched dirt mixed with water flow down the drain. I washed off the cuts and all the dried up blood off my skin.After cleaning and showering, I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I cringed at myself. My skin looked paler and I looked thinner. My eyes were dull and lifeless. I stared at all the scars on my body.I didn't know what to think about it. I continued to stare at them. I thought about how I survived all this.The scars will remind me that I survived.I heard a knock on the door. I walked over to it and opened it. Parker stood there, leaning against the frame. His eyes swept over my body, his eyes slightly darkening."Can I help you?" I asked with a slight smirk on my face.Parker looked back up at me and scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, I just came to check up on you," he

*Jasmine's POV*Parker pulled me up the stairs, one arm wrapped around my waist to keep me steady, while I draped an arm around his shoulder.I still felt dizzy and my skin still burned, but the feeling of Parker's around me somewhat soothed me. I wanted more but I kept telling myself that it wasn't the right time.When we reached the top, Parker looked around to make sure no rogues were around. I squinted as light hit my face. My eyes adjusted themselves to the light and soon I was able to see again.My eyes settled on Parker. He looked extremely exhausted and his eyes had dark circles around them. Other than that, he looked extremely sexy, his dark hair messy and his chest bare for me to stare at.He turned to look at me and his lips immediately pressed into a firm line, his jaw clenching. He lifted his hand and cupped my face. He tilted it to the side and examined it.He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm going to kill him," he whispered, his voice deadly and dark."I'm f

*Parker's POV*I sat with my head between my hands. My hair is messy from running my hands through them numerous times.I sent some of my best warriors in the direction that Jasmine's wolf gave me. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that they are going the right way.'Anything yet?' I asked through the mind-link.'No, Alpha,' someone responded.Not at all satisfied with the answer, I stood up from my desk. Without looking at the door, I knew someone was there."What do you want, Peyton?" I asked."Just checking up on my twin," she replied. I looked up and saw her leaning against the door frame.Her eyes softened when she took in my state. "We're going to find her. I'm sure of it," she reassured me.We tried to get some information from Dakota, but he didn't know anything. All he told us was that those who left the hideout were drugged so they couldn't remember the way back just in case they were betrayed."Jasmine is strong and I know that she is ok," Peyton murmured as she came up beside m

*Parker's POV*I tossed and turned in my bed. It's been almost three months since Jasmine was kidnapped. I've barely slept at all. Zander's forcing me to sleep. I've done everything I can to try to find her but no luck. It's been worse than hell. I have members searching all throughout the country for her.How can I even sleep if Jasmine is all that runs through my head?My eyes felt like they were on fire and I felt like I would pass out any moment.After what seemed like forever, I finally fell asleep.~~~My vision was blurred. Everything looked like shadows. No light, just darkness.However, there was one blob of light off in the distance. I tried to move towards it, but I never got closer.My vision slowly began to become clear and I saw, standing in the light, a black wolf staring at me. It's icy blue eyes staring straight into my soul.I felt a pull towards it. My wolf yearned for it.'What's wrong?' I asked my wolf.He growled in response, 'Mate.'My eyes fixed back onto the w

*Parker's POV:*I reached the East Border in a matter of 10 minutes."What's going on?" I asked the one in charge of the scouting shift at this side of the pack.He turned to me and bowed. "Alpha, there seem to be more rogue ms tonight. This time it's different, the aren't trying to hide, as if they want us to know they are there."I then get a mind-link from the west. 'Alpha there are rogues surrounding the border. More than usual.'I got more mind-links from the other borders right after. This was all planned by the Rogue King. There's no doubt about it. One thing was on my mind. I needed to get to Jasmine.I began barking orders. "Triple the scouting! Make sure no rogue enters my territory," I growled.I then shifted to my wolf and sprinted home. I hoped she listened to me and didn't wander into the woods.I shifted back into my human form and ran up the steps of the porch of our house. I stopped midway when I noticed keys in the lock. I pushed the door open, my heart pounding in m