ALPHA RAIDEN~~“You don’t want to know how hard it has been to keep a straight face.” After leaving Aurelia in the apartment, I exhaled as soon as I saw Andrew, ignoring the hurt in her stormy blue eyes.“The look on her face when she realizes your surprise will be worth it. Trust me, Raid.” Andrew muttered.“I hope so.” I told my best friend, ignoring the discomfort the nickname ‘Raid’ caused in my heart. I was beginning to hate that version of my name thanks to Larisa whose name I shouldn’t be thinking on my woman’s birthday. I looked at Andrew and asked, “Are you certain you want to celebrate Susanna today? I don’t see why you can’t wait till her birthday. It’s just seven days away.”Andrew shook his head, “I’m certain. I have to do this today if I want it to still be a surprise. I mean if you surprise Aurelia today and I don’t do the same for my mate, she would see it coming on her birthday. I want her to be surprised.”“That makes a lot of sense,” I mumbled, walking to the mid
AURELIA~~Using the word “Breathtaking” to describe myself or more precisely, the reflection of me that I was staring at in the mirror would be an understatement. All my life, I had been basic. Basic Luna. Basic Mate. Basic warrior and perhaps a basic friend. The one thing I did right was being more than basic to my babies– Katie and Kyle.But as soon as I wore this dress, I could feel myself transitioning from mere basic to extraordinary. From this moment onward, the old basic me ceased to exist. I stepped out of the room with Iris and Susanna beside me and for some reason, neither of them mentioned Raiden while they were dressing me up. It was as if he wasn’t supposed to be here… as if they knew he wouldn’t be here. If I wasn’t too afraid to know more, I would have asked Iris but I’d rather hold my tongue.“Mama!” Kyle gasped when he saw me. “You look like a bride! Ouch–” I couldn’t see what happened between the twins but Kyle’s cry caught my attention and I frowned at Katie
ALPHA RAIDEN~~I saw and felt every emotion zapping through my mate as her eyes shifted from one part of the hall to another. Fuck! Hall. I quickly corrected myself even though I knew Aurelia understood me, “Welcome to the grand hall built within our home as you will be–” Perhaps she did it to save me from stuttering as her beauty made it hard for my brain to function. Whatever her reason was, Aurelia tiptoed and captured my lips right there before everyone, including our silly kids whose giggles filled my ears like music while I held on to their breathtaking mother. I could taste the flavor of her lipgloss as I deepened the kiss, thinking about how I would peel this dress off her later, in our new room… In our new home. The kiss lasted until Mia Lu walked up to us and said, “We have to get started before we can end the ceremony and you both can eat each other’s face for as long as you want.” True, kissing the bride should be reserved for the end of the ceremony. But what i
ALPHA RAIDEN~~Thankfully, before I could forget that today was meant for celebration, Mia Lu voiced, her words resonating through the hall, “This water now carries the essence of the soul of every white wolf alive, Aurelia Seer King and to become our Alpha, you have to be capable of holding this essence within you. Do you dare to drink this water?”Aurelia took the bowl from Mia Lu and at that instant, I could see that her eyes had turned white like it did when she transformed weeks ago. Her voice came out with peace and confidence, “I, Aurelia Seer King dare to become your Alpha, White Wolves of the Great White Shade Pack.” As soon as she said those words, she brought the bowl to her lips and right before our eyes, she drank the water. She didn’t stop until she emptied the bowl and returned it to Mia Lu, her eyes still glowing. “It’s time to take the Alpha’s pledge, Aurelia Seer King.” Mia Lu muttered. “Repeat after me.” Aurelia did as told. She repeated these words, “I, Aureli
AURELIA~~That wasn’t the birthday I expected. I mean, how do I go from being sad this morning to being this happy? The kind of happiness flowing with my blood could be enough to make a thousand people laugh for days like they inhaled laughing gas, I was on cloud ten, and still ascending.“I can barely contain it. I want to shift, Relia, and run around the house with the loudest howl.” Inara uttered happily, jumping around in my head.“Thank you for telling me. Now I know to keep you locked up. I can’t have you forcing a shift on my wedding night or running around when I could be getting pleasured in bed.” I muttered to my wolf, the smell of my arousal hitting my nostrils way before Raiden let out a deep growl.He etched, looking back at me as his hold on my hand tightened, “I thought I should show you around our new home before taking you to the room but smelling like that? Relia, we won’t make it past the hallway.” Consummating our wedding in the hallway? That sounds eroticall
ALPHA RAIDEN~~The war was here. The same one that would claim my life and make my kids fatherless. The same one that would make the woman I love a widow– mateless. The same one I have been dreading since Aurelia started falling in love with me again. The same one–“Snap out of it, Raiden. Death or not we still have to fight!” My wolf barked at me as I mindlessly stood beside Aurelia in the same hall where we married. “Aurelia is right. You gave up even before the war. It’s like you are willing to die–” “If that will keep them safe, then yes, I’ll die.” I cut my wolf off. “You can’t keep them safe by being a living dead!” Lex seethed. “Look at her taking over and leading alone even though you are still here. Wake up, Raiden or Aurelia will die before the so-called predicted death gets to you!” My wolf’s words hit me hard.I tried to pull myself together just as Aurelia started addressing the people in the hall. When I built the hall and had some of my pack engineers work on it
ALPHA RAIDEN~~Without hesitation, I agreed with Lex because I couldn’t imagine my family without me even though they lived well without me in the past…I couldn’t imagine living in the Great Beyond without them– if there was a Great Beyond. Heck, nothing would be great about a place where my family wouldn’t be–Katie etched, calling me back to reality, “Can I go with you? I can fight too.” Truly, she could fight. She has been training with Seth and Tara, the strongest female warrior if Aurelia isn’t in the group. My daughter was a little warrior but she was one I wouldn’t want on the battlefield.Her innocence was to be protected for as long as possible so I answered, “You will fight right here beside Mia Lu and every others that will be staying behind. They need you to protect them.” Katie didn’t seem convinced but she nodded regardless while Kyle just looked at us. He didn’t utter a word, not until I asked him, “Everything okay, buddy?” My son held my gaze for a second before
AURELIA~~I heard him scream. I heard him plead. I heard him lose his cool. Scratch that, I felt it more, his emotions pushing through our bond in a way that had me standing outside the shield for what seemed like forever even though I had no time to waste. I just couldn’t bring myself to move away from the house even though it was hidden perfectly within Tamia’s shield. I could see beyond the shield if I wanted to but I was scared I would change my mind if I was to see Raiden again. I was afraid I would let him out because he doesn't deserve to be locked up against his will–“We have to move now, Luna Aurelia,” Seth said to me, without asking questions about why I had to lock Raiden up. Even Andrew who was standing on my other side didn’t question me. It was as if they knew. I also didn’t ask them any questions as my feet failed to move away from the shield. I didn’t realize Andrew was experiencing the same until I heard him groan in pain. Susanna was also beyond his reach a
Princess Katie Anne~~“You have to be extra careful, Katie Anne. One emotional trigger is all you need to break down, and if you do, it will force you to shift. You know you can’t shift unless you have mastered the act, or else your soul will split between your two wolves. Until we know how to train you while you are there, please be careful.”Those words were in the long text that my dad sent to me this morning, and even though I could hear my mom’s voice as I read the text, I knew my dad chose to send it because he was equally worried.It’s been two days since we told him and my mom about our decision to stay in Black Fur, and I understood that this must be hard for him because he was losing his baby girl. Yeah, I wasn’t dying, but sadly, my parents’ nervous system couldn’t tell the difference.Same with my siblings…“Your cellphone would be blaring with messages and calls if you didn’t ask your parents to keep your decision from your siblings for the time being,” Zuri chimed int
DAVIEN~~Jade was wrong.I knew that before, but after listening to Aurelia, I got my confirmation. If anyone was to blame for Auntie Jessica’s death, it should be the witch Larisa. Auntie Jessica knew what she was walking into, and if I were in Aurelia’s shoes, I would have saved a helpless five-year-old, whether he was my son or not.“Her shoe must hurt.” Dolf whimpered within me after we heard the full story. “She is stranger than the history books can capture, yet she is so calm.”While Katie had so much in common with her mom, they were still two different people. For one, while Luna Aurelia was calm, Katie wasn’t.“She gave her life for Kyle.” Katie whimpered after her mom finished telling us how my aunt died.Queen Aurelia muttered from the other side of the connected line, “I am sorry, Katie, and I should properly apologize to Jessica’s loved ones. Her death must have hurt them deeply.”“Yes, it did.” Katie sniffled back tears before she mumbled, “I will apologize to Jade a
Princess Katie Anne~~With the new development, Davien and I knew better than to discuss important issues loudly in the bedroom we were staying in. In fact, we knew better than to make important calls in that room.Which was why I had to walk out of the bedroom with Davien when my cellphone began to ring that evening. I could see my mom’s contact ID flashing on the screen. Although I answered the call, I didn’t say anything important until Davien and I made it out of his parents’ mansion.As soon as we settled in the garden, after confirming Davien and I were the only ones there, I said to my mom, “Why haven’t you answered my calls? I was beginning to worry.”Her voice hit my eardrums as she responded, “I am sorry, Katie. I knew your dad and siblings would call you every second, so I thought it would be good if we all stayed off our cellphones for a few days. At least so you could settle down in Black Fur.”My mom informed me that she had to take everyone’s cellphone and hide them
Princess Katie Anne~~“You are a healer, Katie. Please help Cole before you go.”Alpha Jarrett’s voice stopped me from following Davien, whose mixed feelings surged within me. All of this was a show, but Davien’s tense emotions weren’t, and I was genuinely worried about him.He needed me. I could lift his spirits if we celebrated this successful ruse together—without his family. But I had to stay back and maintain the facade. I rushed over to Cole, who couldn’t stand up straight due to a few broken ribs.But the pain from his broken ribs and swollen face wasn’t enough to keep Cole silent. Sadly.I resisted the urge to punch him when he began to speak. “You see what he did to me? He’s an insecure brat, Katie. You don’t deserve to be his ego booster every time he’s feeling down.”“Shut up, or I’ll walk away without healing you,” I seethed, holding his gaze so he’d see my seriousness reflected in my eyes.I hadn’t healed anyone before, but I could use the practice—especially on Cole—an
DAVIEN~~Disrespect from my family members was one thing, but getting the same from Cole, a man who was after my mate, was a whole different game, and my ego just wouldn’t have that. It was more than raging to think about Cole in the same space as Katie alone.Hell, it was a miracle that I didn’t go after Cole the second Katie told me about his visit. By miracle, I mean Katie’s reassuring words and magic touch. She calmed me down.But unfortunately for Cole, Katie wasn’t around to save him now, and the group of ladies around us just weren’t strong enough to get me off him—if they even cared.“My mate is off-limits!” I seethed, raising my tightly balled fist and forcing it down with a force that burst Cole’s lip on impact.Cole tried to fight back, but my second hand was holding him against the wet patio, and with Dolf’s strength pumping through my veins, he was no match for me.Cole proved to be the sneaky bastard we all knew him to be when he chose another method to fight me. He c
DAVIEN~~Having that talk with Katie made me realize that the path I was supposed to walk was already in front of me. Or maybe I knew it was there, and I was just doubting whether I wanted to walk that path.But with Katie’s words and the fire I saw in her eyes when she told me she was willing to become the Luna of my birth pack, give up staying with her family, and stay here with me, I knew what I wanted for myself. For us.Not only did I get a clearer vision, but the path before me also became clearer.“We have to become the Alpha of Black Fur Pack and Katie the Luna,” Dolf said within me as I walked through the corridors the very next morning after planning how to beat my family in their selfish games, with the smart-ass woman that the goddess decided to bless me with.My wolf’s words were meant to be a reminder, even though he knew I didn’t forget that I had made up my mind to stand against my family for the first time in my life.I would become Alpha, and the plan to achieve t
Princess Katie Anne~~Davien stared back at me like I had lost my mind, but soon, realization began to glint in his eyes. He went from angry to conflicted, and that broke my heart because I could tell that his family had once again gotten to him.“Oh,” he muttered, his shoulders falling.I stretched my hands to him, and he took them, joining me on the bed. I opened my mind to Dolf, asking him to create a mental link between Davien and me, even though a part of me wanted to keep the realization I had after Cole left to myself so I could protect my mate.“No, we have to tell him,” Zuri encouraged me.Zoe did the same when she said, “Yes. If we have been dancing to their tunes, it’s high time we changed the tune to ours and made them dance. We can’t do that without Davien.”I could feel Dolf agreeing with my wolves as he created the link between Davien and me. I then smiled at my mate, cupping his face as I sent words through the link: “He was glad we hadn’t marked each other. If only
DAVIEN~~A waste of time.That’s what I would call this meeting with my dad. For goddess’ sake, we have been here for what? Almost an hour, yet all he has done is look down on me and try to intimidate me. He was beating around the bush.Even a blind man could see that.I could feel regret in my bones because staying with Katie, who needed me, would have been a better and more efficient way to spend the hour than sitting here listening to my dad.“That’s it. I am leaving,” I blurted, cutting my dad’s statement short.He grumbled, “But I am not done. Sit down.”“Done what exactly?” I seethed, seeing shock flash through his eyes for the millionth time. I would be stupid not to realize that he suspected I had a wolf now. “Reminding me that I am your unloved son isn’t doing it for me. If you don’t want me here or need my help, just let me know, and I will be out of your hair.”Damn! I just needed him to let me in on the plan. I needed something tangible to tell those who had trusted me…
Princess Katie Anne~~“Why won’t anyone answer their damn phones?” I gritted, resisting the urge to throw my cellphone against the wall.Before I left home, we agreed that my family members would be accessible and that they would call me at least once every day, but even though this was my second morning in Black Fur, that agreement seemed to mean nothing.“There’s no special occasion. No ceremony or ritual that could have kept them busy since yesterday. I am beginning to worry,” Zuri said to me.However, I was too angry to be worried. I felt like my mom was screwing me because she already knew I would discover the truths she had tried hard to hide from me during my stay in Black Fur. Hell, I am certain she knew why I was trying to reach her.“Are they ignoring the calls intentionally?” Zoe queried, her confusion mixing with Zuri’s. “That’s far-fetched, Katie. We might have to be patient and—”A sharp knock on the door disrupted Zoe’s statement.I made the mistake of assuming that t