MATTHAN There was more murmur but the delay in their response meant at least some of them had an interest in my cause. I had even the blasted attention of the Marigold elder. It was fun to watch because I already knew where this was going. I had gotten my cause imprinted in their minds. It wasn't like they had any other important matters to attend to.They finally stopped to give me a unison answer. "Matthan Gardenia, you excuse the table. The circle would like to come to a conclusion in regards to your request."I put up with a ceremonial bow before being escorted out by a sentinel. The alone time prancing to and fro outside gave me the time I needed to work on the twinges of my master plan. The way I saw it, Eloise would eventually have to reach out to me for help out of the dilemma I was about to put her in and I would gladly help. Whatever solution I was going to offer was going to be a far cry from what the several packs that would solicit her allegiance would demand. I was stil
ELOISEI woke up to the noise of people arguing. Or maybe arguing wasn't right; it was more like an angry and aggressive shouting match. The voices were muffled through the walls of my room, but I could still hear them.“How did she get exposed?” A male voice shouted. It was my father and I knew the man to be a man of few words. If he was pissed, it had to be something unforgivable. "Eloise is still a child! She's not ready for this sort of meeting. She still has nightmares and now you want to open all those wounds that have barely healed?”"I know but it is not like I have a choice. She is in potential danger and she deserves to know. We've kept up this act of fragile little human for far too long. She is no weakling. Now, where is she?"The other voice sounded familiar. It sounded like a man. From the baritone laced in his voice, I could tell he was old but I could not shake the feeling that I had heard the voice somewhere. But that was not the only thing that caught my attention. T
ELOISE Despite the fear that warped my mind, I still had questions. I had been safe for as long as I remembered all because I believed my father was rotting within the confines of his prison cell. But if that was not the case, if he had indeed been looking for me all those years, how come he had never found me? It was not like I was hiding."Don't bring them into this," I told Fergus. "If you are serious about what you are saying, I have to ensure that this family is safe."That my father blatantly objected to. "What the hell are you talking about Eloise? This is an adult matter. Now go and join your mother."I refused to be intimidated, even though I was no stranger to the concern he was feeling. It was the same emotion that rushed through me. "You don't understand... My bio dad is dangerous. He could hurt you and mom in ways that haven't even been invented yet." I warned him, turning around to look at him. My eyes were closed but I tried my best not to cry. "I will not be able to l
ELOISEI could hardly believe that I was doing it. Coming out clean. "I don't have a choice," I told Fergus."He's threatening you?"Well, that part was not wrong but I wished that was truly all there was to it. However, that was not the case and someone deserved to know. Now more than ever. The bond between Matthan and I was not something I had intended to hide from my parents but I had believed it would scare them. The concept of mates and werewolves seemed all too complicated but now, that wedge was gone. They knew it all. No point hiding it now."Matthan is my mate," I confessed. It was no easier saying the words aloud than it had been thinking them.I expected some negative reaction; maybe an overreacting gasp but that did not happen. Instead, they simply nodded solemnly as if they already knew."That would explain why the Beta is acting irrationally." Fergus surmised. "Love can make us do crazy things. I assume he is doing this because you want nothing to do with him?"I nodded.
MATTHANIt was hell. Knowing I had done something so unspeakable to someone I surely could not leave without. My fascination. My quest to discover who Eloise Carter was and I had left the most important stone unturned. Her father. If I had known, I wouldn't have done it. But what was the point of regretting it now? I had done it. I had to put her in danger. With my own hands, I had sent hail into her life once again. I could teleport to her house and promise to protect but it was crystal clear even for me that she wouldn't want me there. I wouldn't even want myself there. I remained that way for a pretty long time. The curtains were down so I could not tell how much time had gone. Not that any of that mattered much. I just wanted to remain in my bed. Kept alive by misery. Occasionally, it crossed my mind that hurting myself was not going to fix all the things I had broken. Common sense would tell me to think and make an attempt to fix things. My wolf would do the same but he had also
ELOISEI don't think I've ever had a lucid dream. Dreams to Eloise Carter were a rare experience. Nightmares and terrors of the night were more of my forte but being completely aware of my actions in a dream was new to me. A wise person once said by embracing your subconscious, you gained a different way of seeing and experiencing. An expanded doorway that explored hidden vices of oneself. I had half expected tonight to be riddled with horrible replays of that unfortunate night but there I was having a heart to heart with Matthan. He looked real. He looked flesh and bone but I knew this was a dream. Since it was nothing but a dream, I didn't hold back. I said every word that lingered at the back of my mind. Things I didn't think I had the guts to say in front of Matthan Gardenia when I finally woke up from this moment. Once I said it all, I left it all. I figured the only way to end the dream was to walk back through the door I had used to come in. I closed my eyes walking through, hal
ALICE I monitored Declan the day after his drunken confession, hoping that perhaps he would realize that I knew his secret but he went about his duties as usual, and now that I knew why the Alpha of the Gardenia pack would never be interested in me. It was painfully obvious that at any opportunity he got, Declan would try his best to avoid me. He would spend his nighttime in his office doing 'official business' and when morning came, he would continue the same thing. It got frustrating and despite knowing the truth, I refused to accept that it was just going to end there for me. I sacrificed my future with Matthan for him. His sexuality sure as hell was not going to fuck up the future I had envisioned for myself. So on the second night after Matthan's party, I wore something slutty. A short and near-transparent dress, grabbed some alcohol, and headed to Declan's office unannounced. I knocked lightly twice and entered as soon as I heard his muffled grunt. Declan was standing behind hi
DECLAN Alice was mad. If I had a choice in the matter, she would probably be six feet under. But she was given to me. The whole pack was expecting that we consummate whatever we had going on all because history had shown again and again that an Alpha was stronger with a mate. It was one of the reasons my parents had forced this arrangement on us. Apart from the fact, that it would align our separate packs to become a single body, it would set their minds at rest that I was not waiting for my fated mate to arrive. I wish I got it honestly. For most of my life, the fated mate concept was what I had used to keep my parents in check but as time went on, they got impatient and wanted things their way. I couldn't say no of course because then they would ask questions. Questions that had answers I knew they wouldn't like. The Moon goddess did not make me wrong. No. I wasn't the first and no one could call me unnatural because if I did find my fated like others like me, my parents' fears woul