Nobela ni C.K Hawks

"You seem distant. What's on your mind?" Owen had served dinner by the fire, yet his companion hardly touched his share. "It's just me and you, Julius. You're safe with me.""You have to take me back to my Master," Julius pleaded. Reed was not a man he could hurt without hurting himself."You really care about him," Reed said."Do not look at me that way," Julius' lips curved into a dubious smile. "Master Arlen and I are like sworn brothers - a soul flame. One does not go without the other.""Hmm... I figured. But where does that leave me?""You?"Their eyes met in awkward silence. Not even the night could stop Reed from getting lost in that glow."Buried somewhere in my soul... Pfft... I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from," the beta said, scratching his head and looking back at the fire with a flushed face.Owen grinned, staring closely at the man next to him with a profound longing. The Prince was right - there was something else besides rage inside this beta. Without holdin

Julius thought he had fallen into a dream when he woke up in an old bed, cooped up in a different setting than the one he slept in the night before. Sitting up, the world appeared brighter. He could hear the shrill melody of birds chirping and a rushing stream sweeping over pebbled rocks. There was a faint throb in his head, but it subsided as he gathered himself.A pair of straw slippers sat beside the bedpost, along with a bamboo hat perched on the side.Julius' mind remained blank even as he stepped outside the wooden hut. The tranquillity of nature greeted him with a glimmer he had not seen in days. His feet stumbled a few times as he moved further away from where he had slept. When they came within inches of the clear stream, he stopped. Something about this stillness felt off- too off for someone like him."You're awake."His gaze shot away from the water. He adjusted his footing as the familiar voice approached, attached to a tall, healthy man. Thick dark brows, kind eyes, a we

"Yes, Uncle. You wanted to talk?" Rufus stood before Caesar, his father seated at the King's right hand.Caesar poured himself a drink before getting to the point. "Nephew, how would you feel about acting as regent of Ingram someday?""Pardon me?" Rufus glanced at his father, then back at Caesar."As you know, my son is a flower. Arlen will need a strong alpha by his side to safeguard his kingdom and position." Caesar set his cup down with a thud."Uncle, Luca Beaumont is-""You and your family have protected my son since the day he left home. Am I wrong to assume you care about him?" Caesar's countenance turned solemn, as if the mere mention of Luca's name was taboo."Of course not. Arlen is dear to my heart," Rufus murmured, lowering his gaze. The thought of his darkest desires coming true outweighed his sense of shame."Good. That is what I wished to hear. I've heard many things about the giant of Candor, an alpha who is fearless and swift to defend Ingram against any aggressor. Wh

Axel barged into his father’s tent as the troops waited for orders to march. “Father, perhaps you should reconsider this war. I spoke to Lady Maren… It seems Luca is already in Ingram.” Theoden adjusted his outer robe. “And she knows this because?” “Luca came to her. He was with Rufus Loughty and David. We can’t proceed without considering their safety.” “You’re mistaken. This gives us even more reason to take down Ingram.” “Father, I beg you, let’s approach this with caution. What if my brother was right and the real culprit wasn’t Arlen? If the other kingdoms lose their heirs, all of this will have been for nothing.” “I forbid you from mentioning this to Zavian. Claude’s son has always been a rebel at heart-it’s not my concern if he gets caught in the fire.” “And Luca? Are you going to doom him as well?” “Think of the people who have died because King Caesar and his son are still alive! Your brother has been brainwashed, Axel. Once that family is dead, we’ll finally be

"Master David, your brother must be very proud of you," Zariah said, clearly impressed by David's wittiness. David chuckled. "Haha, thank you, General, but my brother thinks I’m a wimp." Zariah smiled at the alpha. "Clearly, he’s blind. Stick close to me for the time being. You might learn something new." Her eyes lingered on David for a moment before shifting to the couple in the room. "Arlen," she began, "You will help the citizens hide and use the dead to steer those armies as planned, but not away from the main city. Instead, toward it, closer to Kraken Mountain. If we can get through to the kings, we can offer them the real criminal who burned down their towns to appease them." Arlen’s heart clenched. "What?" Zariah continued as if she hadn’t noticed his distress. "Your father is meeting with the council as we speak. He’s waiting for me to give the final word because he trusts me, as you should. This is my decision. While your ghouls draw the armies towards the coastal

Arlen had summoned only Zariah to his quarters, but she arrived accompanied by Rufus, David, and Nathan. "They wanted to help," Zariah shrugged casually. Arlen glanced at the people now gathered around his table, silently calculating how to keep them safe when the time came. "This is insane, Arlen. You'll be outnumbered," Zariah said, shaking her head. Arlen met her gaze steadily. "The aim is to save as many lives as possible. By the time the clans reach the main city, I’ll have hidden our people. I need two-thirds of our men to make sure my father and uncle are well protected." "And then what?" Zariah asked sharply. "You’re setting us up to fail here." "With all due respect, General, let him finish," Luca interjected, squeezing Arlen's hand. The quiet gesture conveyed his unwavering support. Even if Luca didn’t fully agree with Arlen’s methods, he had no intention of abandoning him. Zariah exhaled silently, her arms folded as she studied the pair. With a slight nod, she

(High School)Derrick’s P.O.V.“Whooo!”A giant splash echoed through the backyard, followed by unfiltered laughter. Just two boys, lost in summer heat and reckless joy, playing in a giant, lonely swimming pool. Derrick and Riley were glued together at every given chance.“That jump was lame. Watch this.” Derrick took a running start along the wet sidewalk, did a double flip, and landed in the water with a clean splash.“Booo! Show-off!” Riley shouted, matching his energy.They were spending the day at Derrick’s house, which had a vastly different vibe from Riley’s. No strict rules, no bodyguards shadowing every move, and certainly no parents hovering or scolding them.“Boys, come out for some refreshments soon!”The lady of the house called from the cabana, while the maid set glasses of juice on the table.Derrick rolled his eyes and hissed under his breath.“Pfft. Your stepmom seems nice,” Riley teased, only to get a rise out of him.“Don’t be fooled by her fake smile. She’s just an

Days later..."I'm home," Derrick announced as he entered the house. Day in and day out, he had gradually added more staff - more eyes to watch over the precious treasure locked within these walls."Baby? Violet?" he called, exhaustion evident in his voice. The bedroom was dim, curtains drawn shut. For a moment, he thought she wasn’t there. Then he flicked on the lights.Valery was still in bed - exactly where she had been when he left that morning."Hey," he said gently, rubbing her shoulders and planting a soft kiss. "I thought we agreed - you weren’t going to do this today.""I called the hospital," Valery murmured, voice brittle. "He’s still not awake.""He will wake up.""You don’t understand, Derrick. I’m… I’m scared. What if I was wrong? What if my decision ends up killing him?”Derrick pulled back, his tone icing over. "So you’d rather kill yourself before he croaks?"Valery’s eyes widened. Her head lifted. "What did you just say?""Nothing," he muttered, jaw tight as he turne

Valery was soon called into a closed-door meeting. Seven people. Five white coats, two administrators in tailored suits. Not a single smile among them. There was no mention of Ryan’s improved vitals. Just questions. Why did you authorize that drug? What is your true relationship with the patient? Do you know the risk you’ve put this facility under? “You didn’t wait for the team leader.” The hospital administrator, Dr Ali said after Valery explained her methods. “Do you understand what’s at stake here? We’re talking about potential liability, breach of research protocol, and risking a multi-million-dollar trial.” Valery’s gaze didn’t waver. “You mean risking your funding.” Dr. Ali’s jaw tensed. “This is not about money-” “Isn’t it?” she interrupted, tone stern but controlled. “Because I haven’t heard one question about Ryan. Just the trial. The optics. The fallout.” The Chief of the department said, “That patient’s outcome, while fortunate, doesn’t negate the risk.”

The longer she stared at him, the harder her memory broke. It dragged her back to her greatest loss - Riley. The quiet beeping of monitors echoed the hollow silence that followed his final breath. They were supposed to have forever. But hope… Hope is a liar. Sweet on the tongue, cruel in the fall. “Temp’s at 41.3°C! BP’s 78 over 32. Oxygen’s crashing, 82% and falling!” Nurse Eva’s voice snapped Valery to the present. Ryan was burning up, his skin hot under the pulse oximeter. His chest heaved, as if his lungs were forgetting how to breathe. Dr. Linda stormed in, assessing the vitals with a practiced eye. “He’s rejecting the drug. Shut it down. Prep for sedation now.” “No.” Valery stepped forward, shoulders squared, voice steel. The room froze at the sharpness of it. Her heart thundered, but her mind was cold and clinical. “This isn’t rejection. It’s cytokine release. He’s in the middle of a full-blown immune storm.” “Valery, if it’s systemic inflammation-” Dr.

Days slowly crept into weeks, and weeks into months before anyone realized. Ryan and Valery’s hostile exchanges slowly gave way to cooperation. Yet, every time she was near him, Valery couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The fierce soul she once knew had dimmed- left behind was a man enduring the daily grind of drug trials and surgical procedures. On the bright side, her relationship with Derrick remained steady. In fact, he seemed to be trying harder than ever - more attentive, more patient. Her mother, ever the matchmaker, frequently pressed her to push Derrick toward a proposal. “Before someone else snatches him,” she’d say. Valery just nodded along for some peace of mind. Meanwhile, the team of doctors working Ryan’s case had finally settled on a course of action. They called it ‘Phase One’, a trial to gauge his endurance. It wasn’t a cure, but at least it could slow things down. The first week went surprisingly well. Ryan had no complications and the p

High SchoolRyan had always been a rebel. Living with an illness didn’t tame his spirit, it only made him fiercer, more defiant. If his days were numbered, he sure as hell wasn’t going to spend them trying to please anyone.He didn’t pick fights, but he never walked away from one either. And every time, he made sure to finish what someone else had started.After his fifth school suspension in a single year, his mother, Hecate, had finally made the difficult call. Homeschooling. It wasn’t just about his record; it was about survival. Ryan’s condition had shown little progress, and every morning he left for school felt like a gamble. Worse, his identical twin Riley was constantly dragged into his mess.So when Riley finally got into a new school without him, Hecate clung to the hope that her calmer son might thrive. Riley was thoughtful, rational - the kind of kid teachers liked. But even he couldn’t avoid trouble. One evening, he came home with bruises, hidden beneath long sleeves and

Apollo swung his fist the second Jake got close enough. He did not hold back his anger, and his men supported him wholeheartedly. Jake was denied the chance to speak. He managed to get a punch on Apollo, but his fighting chances grew slim as the other guards took hold of him.The cab driver was too scared to step out or even think of breaking up the fight. He tried to stop Iris from leaving the car, but she couldn't care less."What do you think you're doing?" Iris said, gaining attention as she got closer. Apollo let go of Jake and hastened to her. His hands fell on her cheeks, his eyes ridden with suspicion."Forgive me. I shouldn't have let you leave the house in this condition," said Apollo.Iris took his hands off, secretly enduring the pain in her gut. "I thought we agreed you were not going to lay a finger on my donor?"Apollo paused to soak in her expression. "There was CCTV footage of him pulling you against your will down the streets. Was I supposed to just sit quietly when

Apollo was doing his afternoon checks when he entered the security room. His mind was foggy, his knuckles tense. His fists got tighter whenever his memory jerked to previous nights: visions of his black leather belt scratching Iris' neck as she suffered for breath.Apollo had to shake that cold memory off a dozen times. He wasn't supposed to touch her. And now he felt guilty because he treated her too roughly, which may have fueled her sudden state. Iris was sick - too weak to be the commanding voice of the house.The men were snacking on sandwiches as they monitored the security cameras. Apollo was moving on to the next post when his eyes flashed over the screen. A person was standing at a corner of the main gates, hiding from the sun."Who is that?" He said."It’s the boss’s assistant. Should we let him in?" Said one of his men."No, I'll handle this myself." Apollo took his radio device and walked out.His steps lightened the closer he got to his place of interest. Jake was despera

He had her attention. Iris was a minute away from taking responsibility for Jake's swollen phallus. Her role was to house it till it was flaccid enough to fit in his pants. Her reward would be a good amount of jizz and a pleasurable sensation in her tummy.Iris's phone rang out of the blue. Jake, who wished to mute it, got a good look at the name on the screen.'It's that bodyguard.' Jake felt a wave of anger twisting in his throat. Iris was close to picking it up when he pushed it away from her reach. He placed some files on the gadget to minimize the noise and got to the bottom of Iris' panties.Iris was neither saying no nor yes, but her body was ready for him. Jake rubbed his crown against her entrance, loving the short shudders he got out of her. Iris bobbed forward ever so gently as he went it."Oww," her chin went down when she let out a soft coo. Jake stole a moment to admire her. Iris let go of her anger and took his gift. 'He's taking it slow? Since when has he been conside

Iris let herself in, pulling at her fingertips to take off the cotton gloves. She had been here a couple of times and knew her way around. "Hello, Ma'am." Larry popped out of the kitchen to welcome her. "I trust that you do not lack anything in this house," Iris said. "No, we're good," Jake responded instead, bypassing the visitor he had been dying to see earlier. Larry did not comment on the sudden switch in attitude. "I'll be in my room," he said. "Were you not busy in the kitchen? Stay, we'll talk in my room," Jake insisted, his tone a little thick.Iris followed Jake and waited by the bed while he shut the door. Her hands fumbled with her buttons as Jake sorted out the noise in his head. Quickly concluding, he turned towards the lady. "I appreciate you taking time off your schedule to see me, but-" Jake's mind rebooted when his eyes fell on Iris. Her blouse glided down her waist.'Don't end up like the last guy.' Apollo's advice began to shrink in Jake's head. He could swear

Iris slowed down her steps as she observed the number of cars parked outside the garage. When the servants who welcomed her confirmed her suspicions, she let out a stressed sigh. "Great, more badgers to fend off," she muttered.Her heels hit the floor in short, brisk steps as she went inside, heading straight to the main lounge downstairs."At last, the jester shows up," Charlotte said, spotting Iris from afar.Abigail sat in the middle, her head bowed like a drenched kitten. She rushed into Iris' arms, seeking refuge. Baron remained on the single couch with his legs crossed and a glass of liquor in hand. "All the fuss about gaining custody of our father's lastborn, and yet you can't even play the part of a guardian. Is this the time a responsible adult comes home?""What do you want?" Iris said.Charlotte stood next to Baron, feeling high and mighty with her sibling's support. "Don't you think you owe us an explanation for rubbing your bad luck off on that girl? What kind of guidanc

They raced through the dimly lit streets with the hazard lights on. Time seemed to blur into a hazy, surreal sequence of events. Jake's breathing was shallow and laboured, his body growing weaker with each passing moment.Iris held his hand tightly, engaging Jake with words, trying to keep him awake. Jake may be stubborn, but she couldn't help but blame herself. None of this would have happened if she stuck to her plan and got him home instead of giving in to his petty whims; she should have been stricter with him.Upon reaching the hospital, the medical staff immediately took over, whisking Jake away to the emergency room. Iris, barely holding it in, filled the doctors in on what had happened, desperately praying for a miracle. Hours later...Iris was confined to the waiting area, forced to wait on the doctors to work their magic. Dawn was fast approaching. The last time she saw Jake, he was cold and unresponsive. People in blue and white were performing chest compressions, administ