The ceiling of the Dark Fang pack’s great hall shines with a thousand lights, illuminating the hall with warmth, the ambience ethereal, smelling and showing luxury with the perfect designs used in its decoration for the biggest event the pack has had in over a decade, the Alpha’s wedding.
Clara, the Alpha’s bride stares at the a gigantic arch on the altar, decorated by her most favourite flowers and a trickle of tears run down her eyes, she smiles sadly, her heart clenching in pain as she turns her attention to the walls mounted full stretch by led TVs displaying beautiful pre-wedding pictures of her and Alpha Jace. She shifts her gaze upwards to stare at the blinding lights before staring back at her feet in a desolate manner as she stands on them, the many empty seats in front of her that teemed with smiling guests a few hours ago mirror exactly how she feels within. Empty. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, if she got to marry the man she loved for a decade, not abandoned by him. She can’t get that image out of her head. It was all perfect when she walked in, clasped in her father’s arm. She walked towards the altar, the song that ushered her in and the cheers and applause from the guests were loud but not loud enough to drown out the sound of her nervously beating heart. Jace looked perfect, handsome and sexy as always, she could not believe this day was finally here but he stepped down from the altar in the middle of her procession and waved his hand for the band to stop playing, sending everyone into shock. He had that look in his eyes again, the one that spelled trouble. He pried her from her father’s hand and pulled her to the side. “We can’t have this wedding today. I’ll get you a bigger one.” And just like that, he rushed off, leaving her heart in shambles. She stared at him as he left, her mouth slightly parted in shock, her heart searing in pain and even though he spoke to her alone, his voice was loud enough for those close to them to hear and the whispers quickly travelled through the crowd. Her knees felt weak and her mind went numb in pain. She turned to her father as the tears welled up in her eyes, hoping to hide her shame and tears in his embrace but he held his hands up for her to stay back, the calm look in his eyes turned cold and he shook his head at her, not in pity but in disappointment. Her mother rushed to her side and softly rubbed her shoulder, giving her a calm smile before she rushed after her husband who was already storming off without as much as a word of comfort. Clara was left in the full view of the guests in the middle of the aisle, a bride who never made it to the altar and if she needed anyone’s pity at that time, no one gave it to her. Sneer and mockery were all the guests' eyes held as Jace’s parents dismissed them almost immediately, as if they were aware of their son’s decision beforehand. Some guests whispered and murmured loud enough for her to hear as they walked past her from all angles where she just stood perplexed and in pain. “She never deserved the Alpha.” “I’m glad this sham of a wedding didn’t hold.” “She is not Luna material, everyone knows that.” “Not Luna material,” Clara scoffs, remembering that particular comment as she picks up her bouquet, ripping it apart flower by flower, “I bet Luci is,” she stares coldly at the picture of Jace on the screen, in pain of only humiliation and sorrow. That was his big emergency, Luci, his ex. Who abandons their bride on the altar to cater for their ex? Why did Jace choose to humiliate her and her family like this? He could have called off the wedding a week ago, even yesterday would have been better, not like this, not with such ridicule. When Luci returned a month ago, she worried there would be a problem but she buried all that worry behind making today perfect. She never thought her perfect wedding would be perfectly ruined in such a manner. Luci still has such a hold on Jace, strong enough to make him call off his wedding for her sake. A bigger wedding? His promise only makes her realise how ridiculous and pathetic she has been. She scoffs and shakes her head, no, she doesn’t want a bigger wedding, she wants no wedding now.She stared back at him with eyes that pleaded with him to speak. The air between them was thick, almost suffocating. There was so much on his mind, but very little from his lips.The lanky fellow’s chest rose and fell, his lips parted again, as if to say something, then closed them. His gaze dropped to the ground before him, and it held a heavy message behind it.Eliana didn’t speak, she only watched him, waiting, with insistent but soft eyes. When he shifted in his position and attempted to stand, she reached out with her hand and grabbed his, stopping him midway. She gently, but firmly, shook her head, then patted the spot beside her with her other hand. Her fingers tightened slightly as she nodded toward the space she had just patted, then pushed the snacks away to clear it. He looked down at her hand, then at her face, then at the spot, then back at her.With a reluctant sigh, he sat down beside her, keeping a small gap between them. For a long moment, he simply stared forward, i
Whatever it is that just happened, he knew he wasn't safe any longer. He feared what Blackwood would do to him if he found out about it, so he did the only sane thing he could do.He ran. The lanky man staggered out of the wretched living room, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. The heavy weight of what he had done hung on to him like a heavy load; he nearly tripped over the unconscious body of Eliana's father, then his eyes fell on the crumpled form of her mother, both still breathing, but struggling.He had just betrayed the only family he’d ever had. Blackwood had picked him up from the gutters, given him comfort. The scarred man, his partner, his brother in all but blood, lay dead just at the far corner. His hand still had fragments of blood smeared on it hand and it haunted him. Just when he was about to dash out of the building, his eyes fell on Eliana, her chest rose and fell gently, she was awake, but too weak to move.He wanted to run, to run as far away as poss
In the city, just where they had marked out, trouble had erupted that night. What they had predicted was coming to pass, but it was happening sooner, and far worse, than anyone could have imagined, not even the three leaders of the Pack.The clock had barely struck one when Blackwood’s men crept into the heart of the sleeping city like rogue wolves into an unguarded pen. Their boots echoed across the empty streets, echoing off the cracked concrete, and their shadows filled the city through the flickering streetlights. They were all dressed in black, masked and armed with sharp swords, cans of gasoline with lighters, chains, and handguns. They stormed into the small city with one purpose: to cause havoc. Their eyes held a glint of wicked anticipation. This wasn't their mission, it was all part of Blackwood's sick game. They went around with a smile, their laughter, heavy and amused, showed how unbothered they were as they kicked down anything in their path. They turned the night into
A week had passed since the brutal message from Blackwood. Jace was yet to fully recover from the horror; he had put his entire team of soldiers on alert, surveillance was up and running, but he wasn’t satisfied; something was missing.He hadn’t known peace since the incident with Reed. The haunting memory of one of his most loyal soldier’s bloodied face was permanently carved into his mind like a painful artwork. He could still hear the pain behind his voice, still see the hollow hole where Reed’s eye was to be. No matter how many times he shut his eyes, it was that same scene that greeted him. He had hoped for some rest, but none. Jace could count the number of hours he had slept all week, and he didn’t even need all ten fingers to do it.It was Friday, the end of the week, but for Jace, it was just another moment in his endless ticking clock. He sat at his smooth marble table opposite Gabriel, and he had leaned over so much that his back began to ache. His eyes were swollen and la
Jace could barely believe what he was hearing. He didn't believe that it could happen so soon. He barely had time to think of a counterattack when Stephanie came bursting through his door, and she looked weary again.Jace ran a hand over his face in frustration and leaned over the huge pile of documents littered around his desk. His mind was on fire, overloaded with reports, alliance requests, the ambush earlier today, and the mounting pressure from his inner circle. His office had a feeling of heavy pressure; the air conditioner was on, but the heat in the room couldn't be overstated.He barely had time to take a deep breath before the door flung open, and it was Stephanie again. “Alpha—” Stephanie gasped. Her face was pale, and her eyes were frantic. Her hair was scattered over her, and it looked like she hadn’t rested at all.Jace didn’t even bother to look up this time. “This is becoming a pattern, Stephanie. Can you get to the point? I’m busy.”She took a deep breath and steadied
Jace stopped dead in his tracks. The last time Stephanie came rushing toward him with that same urgency in her eyes, the news had shattered his world. He hadn’t even recovered from it till now. He had barely stitched the pieces of himself back together, and now here she was again, carrying the same expression with a weighty possibility.His heart pounded as if trying to show through his chest. Stephanie didn’t say a word, still, she just looked at him with those widened eyes that begged him to brace himself. His throat went dry, and he stared at her for a moment, frozen in place. He shook his head, almost hoping the motion would push away whatever this was."Lead me," he said unenthusiastically.She nodded immediately and turned. Her heels clicked against the tiled floor with urgency as she nearly zoomed through the hallway. Jace mirrored her steps, each step carried more force than the previous, as though he was pushing himself to continue. They reached her office and she swung open