๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter Sixty-Six
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2022-09-30 20:00:59
๊ด๋ จ ์ฑํฐ
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Seven
Notwithstanding the relatively uncomfortable lack of furnishings and creature comforts in the cave, I thoroughly enjoyed my respite from reality with Silas as we took the time to solidify our relationship, but I knew our escape was drawing to an end. I felt the same soreness from when my canines had made an appearance, only the feeling was emanating from my whole body. Itโd been hours since Iโd claimed my mate, but it seemed the rest of my body was determined to catch up now. Silas was slumbering peacefully at my side as the pain woke me up, and Iโd moved away from his body in an effort to not rouse him. Yet, he was awake a minute later, his familiar voice soothing some of my frayed edges as he explained what was happening, saying, โItโs time to shift, Bell. The pain will stop once the first transformation is complete. Iโm here, baby. Let your wolf guide you.โ The anguish deepened, and I writhed on the ground as my body splintered apart, an inferno razing its way through me, leavin
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-09-30After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Eight
Needless to say, Silas, nor Slade for that matter, were pleased with the way things were turning out, but they couldnโt necessarily ignore the bond that had been formed between Rylan and Rhona. Truthfully, it would probably be just for Rylan to lose his chance at finding happiness given all the hurt heโd perpetrated over a period of years from what the males had revealed, but that wouldnโt be fair to Rhona. Moreover, I couldnโt help but think my epiphany would change things. I didnโt know everything about how the mate bond worked, but if I was correct and Alissa had been Rylanโs first mate, there was no doubt in my mind that her erratic behavior could have contributed to his crazed state of mind with her absence. I remembered how Silas had eventually confided in me how my distance was affecting our mental health when Iโd overheard parts of his conversation with Saint above ground prior, and I felt confident the level Alissa had gone to would likely drive any man insane. It was conv
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-09-30After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Nine
Silas didnโt need to ask why my mood had plummeted when he returned to walk back to the pack house with me, and he didnโt pressure me into anything when we were alone in the spacious room. Instead, he ran me a bubble bath, encouraging me to relax in the soapy water as he massaged the tension from my shoulders, comforting, โIโm sure theyโll both be here any day now, Bell. Atlas and Gage can take care of themselves, but Iโm more than willing to knock some sense into them when they do finally make it here after all the worry that theyโve put you through.โ I chuckled weakly at his attempt to bring a smile to my face, but it was transient at best, even if I had no misgivings about whether Silas would follow through on his threat if I really wanted him to. We didnโt end up continuing what weโd begun earlier in the evening, but Silas didnโt seem to mind in the slightest, holding me securely against his chest in the king-sized bed throughout the night without even a whisper of what heโd bee
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-09-30After the Downfallย ย ย Thank you!!
First off, I want to thank all of you who've stuck with me since the beginning of this book. I appreciate all the patience you've shown as I navigate through this bumpy part in my life. I've had a pretty crappy couple of months, from the many goodbyes in my life to a freaking hurricane interfering with everything, I've struggled to put anything into words, but I'm slowly coming back to myself. There are a ridiculous amount of edits waiting to be approved (particularly at the end), but editors are on break, so it may unfortunately take a while for them to show. The word count should be over 120k once they are approved, but you may also have to log out and then back into the app for them to show. Any feedback would be much appreciated!! Reviews and/or comments are an author's brainfood! I do want to also touch base on the ending. I realize I've left some things unanswered. This was done intentionally because Gage will be getting his own book. However, I do not have a timeframe for w
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-10-02After the Downfallย ย ย Epigraph
The Road Not TakenTwo roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and IโI took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.โRobert Frostโ
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-04-30After the Downfallย ย ย Prologue
Ten Years Ago Concern sparked through me at the sight of my father sprinting towards the driverโs side of the vehicle, my eight-year-old mind not comprehending the extent of what was happening around me, but I was already on edge from being roused in the middle of the night. My mom hurried over the center console as soon as the truck came to a standstill, fumbling with her seatbelt due to her shaking hands, but my dad didnโt waste any time, tearing off down the road as he closed the door behind him. The stench of burning rubber and gasoline filled my nostrils, and I couldnโt stop my right leg from bouncing up and down as I watched our surroundings whiz by in a blur, blaring horns and wreckage following in our wake. โWhatโs going on Daddy? Mom?โ The questions spilled out at last as fear began to set in, but they remained unanswered as my dad weaved through traffic, blatantly ignoring the stoplights as we barreled through the semi-crowded streets. I was terrified of what would make
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-07After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter One
Present Day I hunched in on myself as salty tears leaked down my face in rivulets, the moisture trickling across my cracked lips as gravity took over. It felt like I shouldโve been all cried out by this point, having watched my mother, and now my father, wither away before my eyes. I knew I had been neglecting myself in the interim, but it was hard to think about anything with death surrounding me at every turn. I wrapped my arms around my legs where I sat in the hardbacked chair at my dadโs bedside, opting to rest my head on my knees while his eyes were shut, and I tried to envision what my future would look like with me by my lonesome. My mom had been the first to go, the nausea and hair loss sheโd experienced signaling that her health was rapidly declining, but sheโd slipped into a coma without us knowing the reason for it. Hell, the cause was unknown to this day. Nothing we tried could bring her back, and it seemed as if the light had left my dadโs eyes ever since the day that
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-05-22After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Two
Iโd braced myself for the bitter cold beforehand thanks to my dadโs warnings about what to expect in this new world, but it didnโt stop the shivers from wracking through my slender frame as gusts of wind washed over me. The sky shouldโve been lit up by the sun at this time of day, but it was as dark as if it was still nighttime due to the radioactive dust and ash still clinging in the atmosphere. My father had been an environmental scientist before the downfall of society, but all his knowledge hadnโt been enough to save him in the end. Numbness threatened to take over as despondency crept in with the memory of my parentsโ deaths still raw, and I considered simply giving up for what seemed the thousandth time since Iโd started losing my family members. Howbeit, some tiny portion of my head reminded me why I had to carry on, the promise Iโd made to my dad replaying in my mind as I forced myself to take one step after another. On some subconscious level, Iโd been imagining a complet
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-06
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
After the Downfallย ย ย Thank you!!
First off, I want to thank all of you who've stuck with me since the beginning of this book. I appreciate all the patience you've shown as I navigate through this bumpy part in my life. I've had a pretty crappy couple of months, from the many goodbyes in my life to a freaking hurricane interfering with everything, I've struggled to put anything into words, but I'm slowly coming back to myself. There are a ridiculous amount of edits waiting to be approved (particularly at the end), but editors are on break, so it may unfortunately take a while for them to show. The word count should be over 120k once they are approved, but you may also have to log out and then back into the app for them to show. Any feedback would be much appreciated!! Reviews and/or comments are an author's brainfood! I do want to also touch base on the ending. I realize I've left some things unanswered. This was done intentionally because Gage will be getting his own book. However, I do not have a timeframe for w
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Nine
Silas didnโt need to ask why my mood had plummeted when he returned to walk back to the pack house with me, and he didnโt pressure me into anything when we were alone in the spacious room. Instead, he ran me a bubble bath, encouraging me to relax in the soapy water as he massaged the tension from my shoulders, comforting, โIโm sure theyโll both be here any day now, Bell. Atlas and Gage can take care of themselves, but Iโm more than willing to knock some sense into them when they do finally make it here after all the worry that theyโve put you through.โ I chuckled weakly at his attempt to bring a smile to my face, but it was transient at best, even if I had no misgivings about whether Silas would follow through on his threat if I really wanted him to. We didnโt end up continuing what weโd begun earlier in the evening, but Silas didnโt seem to mind in the slightest, holding me securely against his chest in the king-sized bed throughout the night without even a whisper of what heโd bee
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Eight
Needless to say, Silas, nor Slade for that matter, were pleased with the way things were turning out, but they couldnโt necessarily ignore the bond that had been formed between Rylan and Rhona. Truthfully, it would probably be just for Rylan to lose his chance at finding happiness given all the hurt heโd perpetrated over a period of years from what the males had revealed, but that wouldnโt be fair to Rhona. Moreover, I couldnโt help but think my epiphany would change things. I didnโt know everything about how the mate bond worked, but if I was correct and Alissa had been Rylanโs first mate, there was no doubt in my mind that her erratic behavior could have contributed to his crazed state of mind with her absence. I remembered how Silas had eventually confided in me how my distance was affecting our mental health when Iโd overheard parts of his conversation with Saint above ground prior, and I felt confident the level Alissa had gone to would likely drive any man insane. It was conv
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Seven
Notwithstanding the relatively uncomfortable lack of furnishings and creature comforts in the cave, I thoroughly enjoyed my respite from reality with Silas as we took the time to solidify our relationship, but I knew our escape was drawing to an end. I felt the same soreness from when my canines had made an appearance, only the feeling was emanating from my whole body. Itโd been hours since Iโd claimed my mate, but it seemed the rest of my body was determined to catch up now. Silas was slumbering peacefully at my side as the pain woke me up, and Iโd moved away from his body in an effort to not rouse him. Yet, he was awake a minute later, his familiar voice soothing some of my frayed edges as he explained what was happening, saying, โItโs time to shift, Bell. The pain will stop once the first transformation is complete. Iโm here, baby. Let your wolf guide you.โ The anguish deepened, and I writhed on the ground as my body splintered apart, an inferno razing its way through me, leavin
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Six
After everything weโd been through to get to this point, I knew every minute of heartache and pain had been worth it, and I beamed as the strength of our connection blossomed in my mind, seeming to branch out its leafy tendrils as I basked in the exhilaration flowing through me. The feelings spreading through me were beyond incredible, and my wail was the only thing I could hear as I floated high up in the clouds overhead, figuratively speaking of course. Even so, I wasnโt so gone that I didnโt revel in the feeling of Silasโs dick spurting deep into my rippling core, his hard body pressing mine into the unforgiving ground as he released my legs to fall forward until our naked chests were smooshed together. He was breathing hard, still brushing a few soft kisses across my face as we both came down from our zenith and laving his tongue over where heโd claimed me at long last. Sweat slicked our skin, cooling my overheated body as he pulled out, rolling over and positioning me to where
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Five
All thought ground to a halt in my mind; then, my brain kicked into overdrive, and I was blurting out the first thing to pop into my head, โBlaze was down. I got him with my daggers. Thereโs no way he was going anywhere.โ My denial was prompt. Gage couldnโt be missing. It just couldnโt be true. Saint exchanged glances with Kat as he moved to put his arms around Mira, whom had tears leaking down her face for some reason. Silas pulled me in closer to his body, wrapping his own burly arms around my shaking frame. โI donโt know what happened between when you saw Blaze and when I did, Zoe, but Iโm positive it was him that Gage was tracking. Maybe he was able to resist the poison longer due to him being an Alpha, but Gage and Atlas can handle him, regardless. Your uncle went out looking for him, so heโll guide Gage back to our pack.โ Woodsy oak and damp moss invaded my nostrils as Silas pressed my face against his chest, the coarse hair tickling against my cheek providing another sensati
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Four
โShit! When the fuck did they join the fight?โ Silas shouted, speedily setting me on my feet as he shifted shapes, sprinting after the rogue wolf. I wanted to follow them, worry for Rhona already blossoming in the pit of my stomach, but I made myself split off to hobble through the waterfall, intent on checking on the others. Not to mention, I was plainly in no condition to be launching a manhunt. Hell, I was barely standing on two feet by this point. The icy liquid washed over me, and I was spluttering as I advanced through the short cave until I reached the others, using the rocky wall as a support. All the females were on guard, Rhonaโs scream having put them on high alert, but Mira threw herself forward once Iโd made it within the circle of light, her voice frantic as she inquired, โZoe! What happened?! Are you okay? Whereโs Rhona?โ I didnโt have the strength to keep standing upright, the weight of Silasโs and my own wounds coalescing to leave me feeling as if a hurricane had
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Three
There was instantaneous chaos surrounding me, and I sprung up onto my feet as I scanned the area, unable to see further than a foot or two in front of me. It was still dark outside, but I knelt down once more, fumbling around for my bag as I registered the femalesโ cries and the wolves scampering towards the exit. It took me a minute, but I was bolstered by Silasโs determined aura radiating back to me through the connection we shared. I didnโt question anything for now, simply grateful when my hand came into contact with the familiar worn canvas of my backpack, and I dipped out of the way of a shifter whoโd nearly bulldozed over me in his haste to cut off the assault before itโd truly begun. A fleeting jolt of fear rocketed through me as I grasped that we were on our own, and I silently said a prayer that we could manage to keep the enemies at bay without Katya and Slade. I knew Silas was strong, and the other guys Iโd been travelling with had proved they could take care of themsel
After the Downfallย ย ย Chapter Sixty-Two
Silas and the others returned before I had the chance to panic too much, and they brought some much-needed provisions with them to everyoneโs relief, even if it wasnโt much after it had been divvied up between the members of our group. It was enough to keep the girls calm and the shifters from complaining until the cows came home anyway, but I wasnโt foolish enough to believe we were out of hot water. Still, I thought it wise not to bring the issue to everyoneโs attention, knowing it would only throw the others into disarray if they hadnโt already figured out that something was up. While everyone was engrossed with filling their bellies, I joined my mate, asking in a low voice, โIs everything okay?โ I didnโt miss the anxious look in his amber brown eyes, but he responded with a tight smile, saying, โIt will be. I contacted Slade and Katya. Theyโre gathering a group to come meet us so weโre not traveling through the forest at such a disadvantage. The girls need rest before we move a
