Novel-novel oleh Josemaria

LUCYFew days had passed since Lothar was killed. Normalcy returned in the pack and everything seemed to be going peacefully. With Lothar's tyranny finally vanquished, the pack could begin to heal from the wounds of betrayal and deceit. My mother had returned to the pack after much persuasion from I and Chris. Though she preferred to be away from the pack considering how they had treated her and my father in the past. Her eyes filled up with tears as she recalled the past events. "You did it, Lucy. You brought us back home," my mother said, her tears flowing freely down her cheek."No, mother. We did. Without you, I wouldn't have had the courage to fight back," I said, my voice shaky as I fought the tears. Chris' mother approached us, her expression pained as she apologised for the sins of her family. "I'm greatly sorry, Lucy, for all that my family put you through. We should have done better in finding the truth.""None of this is your fault, anyone would do the same if they wer

CHRISI, Chris Parker, the vibrant leader and alpha of the hallowed manes pack was now subjected to a life of misery. My guards who were once my loyal subordinates were now against me, torturing the hell out of me.I endured the torment of the dungeon with only one motive in mind, vengeance. The pain of the wolfsbane coursing my veins only served as fuel to my determination. I gritted my teeth in agony as the wolfsbane began to take its toll on me. But I refused to give my captors the satisfaction of seeing my falter.After much torture, Lothar decided to pay me a visit. The scorn on his face infuriated me, causing me to curse under my breath. "You look a mess, Chris. I didn't reckon that my boys would be this harsh to their Alpha," he mocked."You bloody traitor. I should give it to you. You played your game so well, betraying both father and son," I said."Oh please don't flatter me. I was just one step ahead of you folks in everything. You know, I wasn't originally from here. Yo

CHRISAs I got close to Lothar's quarters, I had my doubts about telling him what Cade had told me. It was top secret and should remain the same until I was sure of who to trust. Not that I didn't trust Lothar in any way, as a matter of fact, I did. I trusted Lothar not because he had stood by me but because he was my father's beta and best friend. But things at the pack were getting overboard and I didn't know what to do.Since Lucy had suggested that I told him, why shouldn't I? I arrived at his door and found it unusually open. So unlike Lothar, I must say, he kept to himself most times and kept his door shut at all times. I peeped into the dark room and found a shirtless figure standing in the room, his chest was bare and his muscles were taut in tension. At first, I couldn't tell if it was Lothar or someone else."Lothar," I said, my voice filled with uncertainty.The shirtless man turned and it turned out to be Lothar as I expected. "You're finally here," he said. I didn't u

LUCY"Cade," I muttered. My body was covered in his blood as I tried to stop the bleeding. Cade whimpered and pleaded for forgiveness, but it was too late for that. All I needed was the name of whoever did this. Cade tried to speak but I couldn't figure out what he was saying. "He's here," that was all I heard. His bloodied hand pointed to something ahead of us. I raised my head to see who it was but his face wasn't clear enough. "Looking for me?" the man sneered. Before I could say anything or do anything, he struck me with his sword.My eyes fluttered open, the remnant of the nightmare still clinging in my head like a cobweb. I glanced around the dimly lit chamber, my heart pounding heavily against my ribs as I tried to shake off the fear. "Chris," I called out after I realized that he wasn't beside me. There was no answer and my unease deepened. Where could he be? I recalled that he had gone to see Lothar to further discuss ways of catching the murderer, but I didn't realize

CHRISFrom the moment Cade's lifeless body was found in the dungeon, I had a deep suspicion that one of the elders was involved in this mischief. "Get me Orvyn," I demanded.I sat in the courtroom, grappling with the weight of the recent events, my mind churned with suspicion and great uncertainty. "Are you sure of what you're doing?" Lucy asked. "Are you sure Orvyn is the killer?""I'm certain he's responsible for all that has happened so far," I said.I recalled the night, the pack had been attacked under Cade's lead, how the guards at the gate had been rendered unconscious. One of the guards had informed me that Orvyn had offered them drinks before they had succumbed to unconsciousness. It was a revelation that had fueled my suspicions.The guards securing the dungeon had also been poisoned which made me believe that he had a hand in Cade's death. He probably was hiding something and feared that Cade would reveal the truth.Orvyn was led to the courtroom, bound with hands and fee

CADEMy stay in the dungeon had taught me a lot of lessons I wished I had known long ago. My envy and greed had made me lose the people I valued most, friends and family. "I know you hate me because of the throne, but I need you to know that I wouldn't be taking your place if it hadn't been assigned to me to do so," my younger brother said.I scoffed. "Save me the details, I know you are more than glad to be stealing my position as alpha of this pack. I knew Father had always chosen you over me but that will never happen. The throne is mine and there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it."On the day of his coronation, I watched in envy as my brother took my place as alpha. I wished I could strangle him where he stood with the rest of the elders. I hated my father and brother so much that I rarely spent time in the palace. Rather, I built another pack of my own far from the pack, a rogue pack in my name where I could be alpha. I recruited many rogues and formed an army of my

RYANThe cruise was finally coming to an end. I could feel it in the way the air felt, it was lighter, more serene. I noticed the way the staff walked faster, they cleaned and packed up. I noticed the way the horizon now showed the familiar outline of land instead of the endless stretch of blue. The yacht swayed gently as we headed back to shore and my heart swayed with it.For the past few weeks, this yacht has been my world, the floatings, the days spent under the sun, nights filled with laughter and clinking glasses. and now, just like that, it was coming to an end.I had been preparing myself for this moment, telling myself to forget about Ryan, that this was just a mere contract, a one time thing, nothing more. but while packing my things, my suitcase felt heavier than I imagined. Each movements and preparation reminded me of the moments I wasn't sure I would ever get back.Ryan. Ryan had been impossible to ignore or forget.At first, he was simply a man I had met. the charming,

AVAThe most unexpected part of the cruise was spending time alone with Ryan and it was easily the best part. Everything about him was different compared to his usual official looks or business talks. Now, he was just Ryan in sweatpants and T-shirt, barefoot, messy hair from sleep. He was warm and calm and easy to be around. He made me laugh, he listened to me and never once pressured me in any way. I never thought someone like him ever existed. He was too real to be true.Most times, I would watch him from across the room, admiring him quietly as he moved around the room shirtless. I had to stop myself from staring. Ryan was everything, he was built differently. He was like a sculpture, broad chest, defined abs, shoulders that looked like they belonged in a superhero movie. His skin was smooth and warm-toned and there was a faint line of hair running from his chest down to his waist.Ryan wasn’t just handsome, he was breathtaking.But I knew better. I knew all of these wouldn’t last

RYANAva’s body was warm against mine. We were tangled up in the sheets. Our breathing was soft despite the quietness of the room. I just lay there, trying to process what had happened. We had crossed a line. I had crossed a dangerous line.But I didn't regret it, not once. Not when I had a beautiful woman lying next to me. Not when it felt this….right.Ava who was lying beside me, turned slightly away, the blanket pulling up to her shoulder. Her back was bare, sexy, inviting; her hair was a mess, yet she looked more than beautiful, even in this moment of silence.I turned toward her, resting my hand on her arm. “Hey,” I said in a low tone.She peeked over her shoulder but she didn’t say a word.“Do you regret it?” I asked gently.Her eyes widened for a minute and I immediately regretted asking. But I needed to know how she felt about it.She shrugged, chewing her bottom lip. Then she gave the tiniest shake of her head. “No, I don't,” she whispered.I felt relief rush through me like

AVAI waited.The gala was slowly coming to an end. The music had softened to a quiet hum. People were beginning to leave in pairs, laughter fading behind them as they stepped out of the hall. Even Mr. Langston and his wife had said their goodnight.“You’re sure he’s coming back?” Mrs. Langston asked kindly. “He will,” I said, even though I wasn't sure anymore. “You don’t have to wait behind, I can handle things here on my own.”As they left, I kept staring at the door, hoping for his return. I wondered what took him so long.Finally, after what felt like forever, Ryan walked into the hall.But this time, he looked different. His hair was a bit out of place, his tux was wrinkled and there was something off about his look.“Sorry for keeping you waiting. You must be hungry, let’s go grab dinner,” he said like nothing had happened.I stood up slow;y. “Ryan, where have you been?” I asked.He avoided my eyes. “I had to get things done,” he muttered.That answer didn’t sit right with me.

RYANThe party was going smoothly, it was great so far. Ava looked comfortable now. She was beautiful, breathtaking. The way she carried herself, even though I knew she was nervous, made me feel so proud of her. I was proud to have a woman like her by my side.I could tell that Mr. Langston and his wife were impressed. Ava made them laugh, she even shared stories about her childhood. She didn't even try too hard and that was the charm she possessed. She didn’t have to pretend about who she was and they loved her for it.I felt happy. Everything was going according to plan so far. We were in the clear or so I thought.Then, I heard a loud shout just outside the hall.At first, I thought it was just two drunk guests arguing outside. It was normal for parties of this kind. Too much champagne and a bruised ego, maybe. I excused myself and stepped out to check what the situation was.But when I got to the hallway, I met a different scenario.It was Ethan, Ava’s ex-boyfriend.He was drunk.

AVAThe Christmas gala was finally here.I stood in front of the mirror, holding my breath as I stared at the dress Ryan had gotten for me. The dress fit so perfectly. It was smooth and soft and hugged my body like it was made just for me. Ryan had chosen a dark green colour, and truly, he made the right choice. The colour made my skin glow, and the way it flowed around my legs made me feel different. Like someone elegant. Like royalty.But I was nervous. Very nervous. I had never been to any fancy events like this before. I didn’t even mingle with the kind of people that could be found in a place like that. I was just a regular girl with a regular life who worked extra hard to get by every day. Now, I wasn't just standing in a luxury yacht, I was getting ready for an event filled with people of influence and riches with a man I barely knew.Who was he anyway? He had claimed to be a mere team leader, and now he was taking me to an event as glamorous as this.Ryan had stepped out earl