Brielle The marketplace was busy with activity, the air filled with the smell of fresh-baked bread and spiced meats. The vendors called out their wares in that familiar, rhythmic chant, each one trying to outdo the other for attention. I was here to shop, Elvira had sent me to the market to get her ingredients to make a lipgloss yesterday but I couldn’t go because it was late, and some of the vendors must’ve closed. I hadn’t been interested in any of these trinkets or baubles for a long time. I moved through the crowd, my eyes scanning, looking for the vendor. I paused by a stall, running my fingers over some handwoven scarves, pretending to be interested in the vibrant patterns. I’d seen them all a hundred times before, but it gave me an excuse to stay in place, to watch the crowd without drawing attention to myself. And then, I saw him. He was standing just a few paces away, near the fruit stand, his back to me. Elijah…..Tall, lean, the cut on his dark jacket sharp against the m
JaxonI was done playing games.I’d danced around Elvira for too long, holding back when all I wanted was to consume her. Elvira had become the rhythm of my every thought, the ache in my chest, the fire under my skin. And I knew, I knew, she wanted me too.No more waiting. If I couldn’t have the bond, all of it, I didn’t want anything at all.I stormed through the halls, each step charged with purpose, hunger burning in my chest. Her scent still lingered on my clothes from yesterday morning, soft, citrus and vanilla. I hadn’t changed my clothes. I Couldn’t. I needed that scent with me, like an armor.I stopped at her door and inhaled once, grounding myself. But the moment I knocked, all my restraint cracked.The door opened slowly, and then, a smile. It lit up her face like a morning sunrise , softening her sharp features and making my heart stumble in my chest. But then, as quickly as it appeared, she hid it away, her expression tightening.“If you’re here to play with me again, Jaxo
DericHave been hearing rumors about a witch in Clawshade, a remote area in Morrien, there resides an ancient, powerful witch who could heal anything, even the kind of cancer my father had. Stage 3, they’d told me. He was getting weaker with each passing day, and no doctor, no healer, no one in our pack had been able to stop it. There was no cure.But then, Clawshade. They’d said she could do it. They’d said she had a power that bent the laws of nature itself. Healing magic so pure, so potent, it could restore life itself.I couldn’t sit idly by, watching my father slip away. Queen felen was not an option now. So, I made the decision. I’d go to Clawshade. I’d seek out the witch and ask for her help. What was the worst that could happen? I’d heard of her powers, but I wasn’t naive enough to believe everything I’d been told.I took the trip alone, keeping my thoughts to myself. The drive was long, but the journey was mostly uneventful, until I reached Clawshade. The pack was quieter tha
ElviraI was stepping out of Jaxon’s room, the door clicking shut softly behind me when I almost collided with Talon. My breath caught in my throat, and I took a quick step back, avoiding the bump.“Oh, sorry, Talon,” I muttered, forcing a small smile onto my lips, it’s a cover for the lingering confusion and excitement that had been swirling in my chest ever since Jaxon had pulled me so close.Talon raised an eyebrow, his usual smirk in place. “No harm done,” he said, though I could tell he’d noticed something in my face. Maybe it was the warm pink blush on my cheeks. He’d been teasing me, pushing me to the edge, and yet… it didn’t feel like torment. There was something, it finally felt real, like we’re finally getting along.I cleared my throat, forcing my thoughts back into place. I could feel the thudding of my heart in my chest. Jaxon’s proximity, his scent, his playfulness, it all left me breathless, almost dizzy with confusion. I shook my head as if to clear the lingering fog t
JaxonI don’t even like tea that much.It’s not about the drink, it never was. I wanted Elvira in my space, around me, I wanted her inside me. Moving around my room. Watching her fight that ridiculous urge to act like she didn’t want to look at me, touch me. Goddess, it drove me wild.“Brielle,” I called, leaning lazily against the doorframe of the study room. My voice echoed down the hallway like a command. She turned, brows arched.“Yes, Alpha?”“Do me a favor.” I pretended to think. “Ask Elvira to bring me tea. Now.”She blinked. “You want her to—”“Yes.” My eyes locked with hers. “Her. Don’t bring it yourself. Don’t ask anyone else. I want Elvira to bring it.”She stood there a little too long, her mouth half open like she might protest. I didn’t give her the chance. My eyes hardened.“That wasn’t a request, Brielle.”She swallowed, nodded, and disappeared.I returned to my suite, ignoring the echo of my own heartbeat. The bed was still unmade, Elvira had left it in a rush this mo
DericThe road blurred past the tinted windows as I sat stiffly in the backseat of the black SUV, my thoughts moving far faster than the car. I have a meeting with Jaxon in less than an hour, one I couldn’t afford to miss, but my phone buzzed again and again. I yanked my phone out of the pocket to see the name: Dad’s hospital. My hand clenched around the device before I answered. “Dr. Lim,” I said, voice flat, trying to brace myself.“There’s been a change, Alpha Deric,” she said gently, her voice pinched with exhaustion. “Your father’s vitals dropped earlier this morning. We stabilized him, but… we really need your presence. There are decisions that need to be made. Soon.”I pressed my fingers to my temple. “I’m in the middle of something. I’ll try to be there this evening.”A pause. “With all due respect, sir… he may not have until evening.”The line went quiet as she gave me time to absorb that.I didn’t say anything. I simply ended the call and leaned back against the leather sea
JaxonI stepped out of the shower, steam trailing behind me. The scent of her was still in the room. I half expected her to be gone by the time I dried off, and of course, she didn’t disappoint. The bed was empty. Her side untouched, the pillows slightly creased where she must’ve sat, contemplating, or thinking.I grabbed a fresh towel, and dried my hair. I tossed the towel onto the chair and grabbed my phone. Notifications scrolled across the screen, news alerts, business updates, half a dozen texts from Cassian I hadn’t opened yet. I swiped past most of them, then paused.An ad banner blinked at the bottom of a page. “Advanced Makeup Training – Apply Now.”I almost scrolled past, but something stopped me. Elvira….that night she’d done Callen’s makeup for my birthday gala, how focused she was, how confident. I remembered her hands, smooth and swift, like a painter on canvas. She’d looked happy and passionate about it.Maybe I could register her for it. A surprise. Maybe even help her
ElviraI woke up to warmth. A heavy, steady warmth pressed into my side, lulling me in a small space between sleep and wakefulness. For a second, I thought I was in my own bed, maybe in a dream and a place that smelled like tobacco and sandalwood. Then something shifted, an arm, heavy and muscular, tightened around my waist.My eyes flew open, a face rested inches from mine. Peaceful, soft and masculine. Jaxon!I didn’t scream, I almost did. My breath hitched instead, and I jerked a little, panicked. He was…in my bed? No, this wasn’t my bed. This was his room. The rich navy sheets, the smell of him lingering on the pillows, the open window casting shadows against the wall.What the hell happened last night? How did I get in here? I remember telling him to go to his room, then what happened after? I tried to remember yesterday memories but I can’t remember a solid thing.I sat up carefully, making sure not to wake him. My body was sore in places, my hair dissolved, my face soft, but a
DericThe sheets were warm and tangled around Ava’s legs, her hair fanned out across the pillow like flames. Her chest rose and fell softly in sleep, while I felt my anger boiling in my gut. I sat at the edge of the bed, bare except for my underwear, phone clenched tight in my hand as I stared at the last message I’d sent.Still no reply.Elyra had read it. I saw the damn read receipt. But nothing. Not a single word back. My thumb hovered over the screen, ready to fire off something colder, harsher, but I held back. What was the point? She won’t still reply. Typical Elyra. Spoilt and stubborn. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. My gaze moved back to Ava.I should’ve stayed. Curled back into that bed, pulled her into my arms, inhaled her scent until morning. But the buzzing in my phone didn’t stop.Another Buzz. My heart jumped. Maybe it was Elyra finally….no it was Eric. A message popped up my phone:Eric: My Mom’s coming over. Brace yourself”“Shit,” I muttered.Queen Felen?