LOGINLeo slammed his hand against the wall, pinning Michelle’s back against the cold surface. He leaned in until his lips hovered just breaths away from hers, his heat radiating through her thin shirt.“Don’t test me, Ellie,” he growled, a low vibration she felt deep in her chest. “I take what I want.”Without another word, he pulled away and left. Michelle remained pressed against the wall, her breath coming in shallow hitches as his receding footsteps echoed down the hallway. Her heart hammered against her ribs; his scent clung to her skin, making her head spin with a mix of fury and unwanted adrenaline.“What just happened?” she whispered to the empty space. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog. “Stop it. You have to put up with him. We have nowhere else to go.”She had no family left to turn to and not a cent to her name. She was a stray in every sense of the word. Taking a shaky breath, Michelle smoothed her hair and forced a neutral mask onto her face before heading downstairs
Warm sunlight filtered through the window as Michelle stared blankly at the ceiling. She was in an unfamiliar room, and a steady, radiating heat emanated from the body beside her. When she finally found the courage to turn her head, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head at the sight. She swallowed hard, her gaze tracing over toned muscles and a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. “Leo?” she hissed in a panicked whisper. How had she ended up here? Her thoughts raced, trying to piece together the hazy fragments of her memories with him. His eyelids fluttered, and his mouth curved as he stirred from a deep sleep. “Good morning, Ellie,” he said, his voice husky and low. He smiled at her—a slow, devastatingly handsome look. “How long was I sleeping?” she asked, her voice unintentionally breathy. “Just a couple of hours,” he replied. Then, under his breath, he added, “More like a nap.” “Say what?” “Nothing.” He rolled onto his side to face her fully, propping his head up on one hand
A huge cloud loomed over Michelle’s head. She couldn't bring herself to smile in front of Leo. Yet, here she was grinning as they strolled the village. “Leo…” a million questions swirled in her mind but she didn't know where to start.His callous hand brought warmth as he held hers firmly. Giving her strength to speak up again. “What happened to me? My body… it changed.” She let her hair fall on her face. Covering her left side. “You transitioned to a werewolf. You need to shift soon.” He paused for a bit and looked around. “I'm sorry for leaving you earlier. I should have been there when you woke up.” His eyes bore into her soul as he looked at her. The world seemed to stop when he spoke.Werewolf. She used to think it was just a fairytale. How could she become one? Though her strength and the changes in her body all pointed at something happening inside her. “I'm used to looking after myself. No need to apologize.” She kept holding on to his hand. Even though she wanted to run
“Ray, I got your message. Where is she?” A panting Leo rushed toward the mansion door. Still reeling from the run, he glanced at his surroundings.He sniffed the air; he could smell a faint trace of her scent. Yet, an uneasy feeling kept nagging the back of his mind. ‘Shit! A newly shifted werewolf spells disaster waiting to happen.’Without hesitation, he reached for his pack through his mind. ‘Everyone, listen. I need to find Ellie. If you have eyes on her, tell me your location.’He stepped back outside to personally find her.Within seconds, a couple of pack members had told him where she was, but no one was with her.“Ray, prepare the warriors and the trucks. Those pesky werewolf thugs have slipped through our security,” he ordered.He thought once again, I can’t afford to lose you, Ellie.The stillness of the surroundings felt like a heavy, ill-omened silence.If only he had gotten back sooner. Yet, he had been dealing with sensitive matters back in the human world.He jogged
Michelle woke up with a throbbing head and hot flushes. Her thin nightdress was drenched in sweat. The same went for her bed and blankets. When she checked her air conditioner, it was already on the lowest setting.“What's happening to me?” she asked. Her mind racked her memory. The last thing she remembered was being bitten by a wolf.Not just any ordinary wolf, but a werewolf at that. She lay back on her bed and watched the reflection of sunlight move in the ceiling.A knock on her door drew her attention to it.“Who's there?” Ellie asked timidly, not wanting to attract any attention to herself.“Ms. Ellie, thank goddess you're awake. Lunch is ready downstairs,” Ray informed her.“I'll be there in a couple of minutes. Thank you, Ray,” she informed him. She groaned as she moved her body. She clasped the handle of her bed, and the wood broke into splinters.“What the —” Michelle was stunned. She only applied gentle pressure, nothing to warrant its destruction.She walked towards her c
The full moon shone brightly above them. Leo carried her with utmost care. The recent threat from Princess Kira had cemented his resolve. A successful wolf shift for Michelle would secure his rise to power, and he wouldn't let anything stand in his way. "Hang in there, Ellie," he murmured, his voice flat as he ran through the flowers blooming towards the center of the clearing. He laid her gently on her back and placed her head on a makeshift pillow from the makeshift medical kit he carried. "Dahlia, where are you?" He scanned the surroundings. The gushing sound of water from the falls did nothing to calm his nerves. The moon was about to reach its peak. They were running out of time. "Alpha." Dahlia appeared from the largest tree, her silhouette moving with the breeze. He had never seen her in such a state. The way she moved was fluid, almost ethereal. Her eyes glowed white. In the vast valley, the sun yields to the rising moon, a single flower blooms at its brightest in the







