ROSANNEThe room had gone quiet. If I had thought that Axel looked scary when I first noticed his burning red eyes. I was wrong.Gone were his warm blue eyes. Now, it felt like I was staring into death’s eyes. He was primal. Gone was his humanity.“Leave,” he growled, his hand tightening around the man’s neck.My feet stood frozen in fear.“Leave!” he hissed in a darker tone.Anita’s shaky hands grabbed mine as she tried to pull me behind the counter, “We have to hide,” she whispered, her face decorated with tears.The sound of choking and bones cracking brought me back to reality. The man who once stood before Axel had dropped to the floor with a loud thud, his neck twisted at an odd angle.Blood mage. I would never have believed it, had I not witnessed it with my eyes. They were perceived to be a myth—some bogeyman our parents told us about as kids just to keep us in line.The sound of claws and pain echoed through the room. No matter how hard I squeezed my eyes shut, the sounds I h
MIKHAILFailures. That was all that rang through my mind. My eyes darkened as I stared at the last hunter, blood dripping from his shoulders, his pathetic attempt to show me that he had fought and failed. He'd told me he found Axel, Anita, Yvonne and Rosanne in a wrecked building. But stepping in was a bloodbath. Men from the Alpha of the Goldenrise pack were there to capture Axel as well. “Forgive me,” he stuttered, his heartbeat echoing through the room. “He was something we hadn’t seen before, dark, sinister, evil,” he whispered the last part, like if he had said it any louder he would have summoned an ancient god.“A few men, couldn’t fight against one man and two women?” I asked, rising from my throne as I approached him. “I thought you were the best of them all?” I mocked, my claws drawing out from my fingers.“Believe me, he was no man,” he whispered, fear radiating from his body, filling the room with its stench.“Was he scarier than me?” I growled, lunging my fist in his c
ROSANNEYvonne was gone. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the morning had come and she was nowhere to be found.“Shit!” Axel hissed, his fist hitting the tree trunk next to him. “I should have broken her bones,” he growled his eyes flashing red.Anita was quiet, tears brimming the sides of her eyes, I could see the struggle in her eyes, as much as we were all hurt by her betrayal, I did not doubt that we would have fought to work it out.Yvonne was her only relative, and after hearing their story, I understood Yvonne’s actions perfectly.“We have to move now,” Axel growled, packing up the things we had used for the night. “We don’t know what and how far she has gone,” he said in urgency.I was gutted, even with all that we had been through, I had hoped that she would stay with us and maybe try to make us sort things out.“Anita?” I called out, my feet aching as I moved closer to where she was. She was quiet, too quiet like she was trying to reel through everything that had happe
MIKHAIL“Take your finest men, search every territory on the east, kill the maid,”“No!” Yvonne screamed, her hands wrapped around my leg, begging for mercy. It was cute that she thought her sister would be spared. Since the Alpha of the Goldenrise pack hadn't given her exactly what she wanted, she ran to me instead, telling me exactly where they were. Big mistake. “My patience is wearing thin, take your hands off me,”The room had gone cold, and my eyes darkened as I waited for her to flunk my order. A twisted thought filled my mind, I had set up the bounty, but yet I couldn’t stop the anger I felt watching as she happily sold them out.“You promised,” she cried, disbelief in her eyes as the guards dragged her out of the building.“What do you want to be done to her?” Hudson asked.I shrugged, she had given me everything that I needed to know. But something still irked me, the clear disdain in her voice when she spat out Rosanne’s name.“Throw her to the wolves,”“Has someone ever
ANITAI couldn’t say which was worse, the constant screaming or the endless flow of blood that pooled by the bed.“What is happening?” I asked the nurse, my eyes fixed on Rosanne, watching her scream.“She is fighting us,” the nurse tried to explain.Fight?“She is lying there, bleeding to death, and you say she is fighting?” I hissed.“Not us, her kids need some kind of push, is the father here?” the nurse asked.Kids? Father?Didn’t she know we were damned souls who had done the impossible — running from the Lycan king?“Their father is dead,” I lied. It seems Maverick hadn’t told them who we are yet.“But she has an Alpha blood,” I quickly added. I don’t know why, but maybe the piece of information would help them think of a way to save her.“We need something strong, a strong blood to propel them out,” she said.There she goes again with this talk of two babies, “I am sorry, them?” I asked.“Yes,” she smiled gleefully. “She is having twins!”Twins?I wanted to scream— excitement?
ROSANNEThe burning smell of oak wood filled my lungs. Beneath the burnt smell was the pungent smell of metallic blood.I was weak, my body covered in sweat and in pain.“You have to be strong, they need your strength,” a woman whispered, placing a warm washcloth on my forehead. It has been dipped in lavender. Rather than soothe me, my eyes darkened, anger surging through my chest as I let out a blood-hurling scream.They were wrong, I wasn’t having twins. Each day, I have listened to the tiny heartbeat in my womb. I had heard one, not two.“Help me!” I screamed, my claws digging into the palm of my hand, drawing blood.That is why I have been smelling blood, I have been hurting myself each time I screamed.“We are trying,” she replied, tears liking in her eyes like she couldn’t bear to see me in pain.“She is crowning, do something!” a midwife yelled, her head under my gown as I felt her cold gloved hands touch my thigh.“Don’t push yet,” the lady whispered, her voice trembling with
MIKHAILMEANWHILE IN HIS TERRITORY…“I will use your blood to paint the whole pack red,” I growled at Hudson, my eyes wide with rage.Hudson snickered, fear flashing through his eyes, one thing was certain, my words had struck a chord in him, “Sorry, but it is just funny watching the big bad Lycan writhe in pain,” he mumbled.After Blair the witchy seer had disappeared on us without a single remedy to my situation, I was thankful for Hudson's fast thinking, locking me down in my room away from the eyes of my people. I couldn’t even imagine what they would have thought hearing that I was experiencing labour pains.The downside to this great plan was that I was stuck here with him, enduring his chuckles and a few dead jokes.“How long is this going to take?” I hissed, clutching my chest as I felt another wave of pain crashing through me.It was beginning to feel like each pain was hitting differently, and I felt a tad bit of guilt in my heart, Rosanne must be going through it worse than
ROSANNEThe raw shrilling cries of babies filled the room, it was real, filled with emotions.My children.I groaned, my body groaning in pain as I tried to rise to my feet, through my blurry vision I noticed the nurse from earlier, holding onto my children’s cot, her eyes devoid of the warmth they once had.I couldn’t remember much that had happened after the birth of my third child, the one that had been hiding behind his siblings, surprising the midwife and me. I had thought I was having twins, but the little shocker had decided to finally make himself known.And from how loud the cries were, I knew it was him, my firecracker; Aiden.“Let me hold them,” I whispered, my body still struggling to recover from everything that had happened.I looked around the room, expecting to find Axel or Anita, but I was shocked to find Maverick, standing by the side, his eyes staring at me with untold emotions in them.“Good to see that you are awake,” he muttered, smiling slyly at me as he moved c
LANDONHiding away in the human world wasn’t going to make me forget about her. Her smiles, her eyes, even her scent; they drove me crazy. Or at least they did.“Would you like another coffee?” a soothing soft voice serenaded my eardrums and filled my body with warmth.I had thought that I would never be able to get over Rosanne but I was wrong. After her escape from my brother, I had done the only right thing I could have imagined. I decided to leave too. Staying back at the pack would have led me to destruction; I would have chased after her, trying to claim her as mine.But she was Mikhail’s, I could see it in her eyes, beyond those layers of hate, was a glimmer of love. As the saying goes, there is a thin line between love and hate.“Excuse me, do you need any other thing?” the voice called out, snapping me out of my reverie.I smiled, shaking my head as I cleared the fog that had gathered, “I am sorry,” I said in a low tone, my eyes staring into her soft blue orbs. “A cup of coff
ROSANNE“I don’t know what to say,” the nurse muttered, her voice dripping with surprise as she stared at my daughter Aria. “I think the blood mage’s power in flowing through her too,” she mumbled, her fingers touching her face as she spoke.Aria cried, her wails breaking my heart as I watched the nurses poke her arm, trying to draw blood from her veins. At nine months, Aria had two discoloured pupils, one bright brown like mine and the other red, burning brightly like fire.Her tantrums were different, loud, cruel, like her soul was hurting, “How is that possible?” I muttered, my hands wrapped tightly around Ace and Aiden.The nurse shrugged, we were short on medical facilities, and her theories would be abstract. My heart ached, there was nothing that I could do to help her. Returning to Mikhail was out of the question. I had thought about seeking help from any pack who was willing to look our way, but I knew the dangers I would be putting her through. Axel had spent his whole life
ANITAA year had passed, but the journey was unending. Watching Rosanne grow into the woman she was now filled me with pride. Gone was the scared girl, who lived a manipulated life, but standing now, strong with a fierce aura surrounding her was a different person; grown, better and most importantly a mother.Watching her with her kids filled me with longing. Axel and I have barely talked about our future, we were mates, but the constant running and fighting hadn’t given us a chance to decide our path.The door creaked open, the room was instantly filled with the strong smell of cedar wood, “How was the meeting?” I asked.Axel sighed, tired lines forming on his forehead, he wouldn’t say it, but he was stressed. Teaching the warriors how to fight, and being Rosanne’s guard. It was taking a toll on him. But I knew Axel, he enjoyed every moment of it.“Reading through files of people is a kind of torture I never knew existed,” he mumbled, his lips brushing against my neck as he spoke.My
HUDSON“Don’t touch me!” Jade screamed, her eyes shut as she cried.It has been like this, constant nightmares right from the first night I had brought her here. I had made the mistake of rushing to her the first time, trying to hold her back from harming herself, but the minute she felt my touch, her screams became louder, her claws drawn as she fought to free herself from my hold.The truth had cut deeper than the whipping I had received— I was her terror, the one thing she feared more than death.My wolf was restlessly, howling in pain as we watched our mate scream, unable to reach out to her to hold her. Be her protector. The one thing we had been designed to do, and we had failed.“I can’t,” I rasped, my chest tightening as I stared at the scene before me.“You can’t leave, she needs you,” Blair said, her voice filled with pity as she stared at Jade.It was nice, their blossoming friendship made me feel somewhat fine. She wasn’t alone, she had Blair, the quirky witch.“How is my
MIKHAILIt’s been a year and ten months, the world had spun through moons and suns, but still there was no sign of Rosanne. The bitter taste of defeat cloaked me, no one knew a thing. It was like she had vanished.The tail had gone cold, colder than the lonely path to Hades. Knox screamed louder, his pleas echoing through the walls, “I have told you everything that I know, please,” he cried, his voice muffled from how swollen his lips were.“Tell me again!” I snarled, the silver blade cutting through his back.This was the pattern. Torturing Knox until he was at the brink of death, and just before he crosses over, I stop; giving him the best medical help he can ever have.“Lycan King,” a guard called out, his eyes fixed to the ground as he avoided my gaze.“What!” I barked out.I had one rule, no one interrupted my section with Knox, if the kingdom was burning, and they were to keep it standing till I came out.“His heartbeat is dropping,” he said, his tone quivering.I growled, Kno
ROSANNEONE YEAR LATERThe fresh smell of pines and citrus danced in the cold morning breeze. The sweet melody of birds singing in the trees echoed around.Gone was the burning smell of wood and blood; everything smelled fresher— warmer. “Morning, Alpha Rosanne,” some kids greeted, running through the cornfield, obviously playing a game.Alpha Rosanne. The name that had stopped sounding after a few months. It had been tough, leading a group of broken souls, all lost but hopeful. It wasn’t an easy road, there were moments of breakdowns, fights, and pain. But we had gotten stronger— a family.It had been tough, months spent in fear, wondering when Mikhail would show up. Breaking down the fences we had made, demanding for his breeder and heirs.Some months were dark, the constant battle with myself, breaking the invisible chains that had caged my mind.I doubted myself, spent nights crying, praying for the goddess to have mercy on us, keeping us safe from Mikhail.“I knew I would find
MIKHAILI stared at my phone, trying to decipher the text, Landon had sent, “Will be staying longer than expected, something came up,” The words made no sense, “Xavier, have you heard a word from Landon since he travelled to the human world?” I asked.“Xavier!” I growled, throwing a book in his direction.“Would it kill you to use your words?” he hissed, his hand rubbing the part the book had made contact with.“If you had paid attention, rather than stay fixated on that device, maybe you would have seen it coming,” I snapped.I was angry, not at him but at the way things had been in the past few days. Knox couldn’t be tortured until he had fully recovered, and until then I had to sit on my hands waiting for something— a sign to drop from the sky pointing to where Rosanne could be.“You need to get laid,” Xavier grumbled.I growled, the sound snapping him into shape, “You will lead the next war,” I threatened walking out of the room.I was lenient on him, letting him enjoy the privil
HUDSONThe silence never disturbed me, and neither did the angry glares that my men sent my way. Killing one of our own was abominable, a law I would happily break a thousand times over.My eyes flickered to the enchantress in my arms, a soft smile coiled across my lips as I watched her furrow her face deeper into my body.The action filled with me with a fussy feeling, I was excited, and even though she was passed out in my arms, I liked it. It calmed my wolf and took away the rage I had felt earlier.And in that minute it dawned on me, that I was weak, a broken soul, waiting for her to fix me. Change me. I wasn’t going to fight her—never! Not when she is everything that I have always longed for— prayed for.A gentle breeze blew, and my lungs exploded with her scent, reminding me of the colour that had been added to my grey world.My body tensed, we were just by our border. I would be reporting to Mikhail, and for the first time ever, I felt doubt.What was going to be his cause of a
HUDSONWolves circled her, their fangs bared as they tried to scare her.I had jumped down the minute after she did, but I was too late, my men had already had her cornered. They were toying with her, waiting for her to move, then they would attack, tear her piece by piece until she was nothing but bones, a reminder of who she was.“Stand down!” I barked, my wolf surging forward. But my words were on deaf ears, Mikhail’s order stood firm, commanding their will.Her green eyes met mine, and instantly I was filled with a new order—protect.I lunged, landing right in the middle, blocking her from their vicious eyes, “Stay behind me,” I growled.She nodded, her heart beating loudly in her chest, the sound reverberating through my body. Her touch was soft against my back, a buzzing feeling surrounded the spot where she touched.“No one harms her,” I sneered, my claws drawn.For her, I would go to the end of the world—killing the men I called my family if need be.“Get out of our way beta H