LOGINDebbie "Because there may be no food in the afterlife," she said. I could feel the concern. "What if you remain hungry forever? Maybe you should have one last meal." "Me? Is it not us?" "You know I'm not staying for long. I'm moving to the next special born." True. Wolves don't remain in a lifeless soul. One last taste of life before I leave won't hurt. "Fine," I muttered. "I’ll eat. Then I’ll do it." I said, finally succumbing to her idea. I picked up the spoon. I scooped up a big portion of rice and a piece of meat. I shoved it into my mouth, expecting the warm, savory taste of home. But as I chewed, something felt wrong. It didn't taste like rice. It didn't taste like food at all. It felt like I was chewing on small, hard pebbles. My teeth crunched down on something that felt like soft plastic. "What the...?" I spat the mouthful out into my hand. My eyes widened. It wasn't rice. Mixed in with the real food were squishy plastic balls. The surface texture looked exact
DebbieThe door to the guest wing opened with that same slow, heavy creak. I didn't move from the bed. I was staring at the white ceiling, trying to count the seconds of my life as they slipped away. The old woman walked in, her footsteps dragging on the floor. She wasn't carrying the thin broth this time. She was carrying a heavy wooden tray. "I brought what you asked for, King-maker," she said. Her voice was soft, almost kind. I sat up slowly. My body felt like it was made of lead. "The fruits?" She nodded. She set the tray down on the bedside table. On it was a bowl of steaming rice with meat and thick soup, but beside it was a plate of apples and oranges. And there it was. A small, sharp paring knife with a silver blade. It looked beautiful to me. It looked like a key to a door I was desperate to open. "Thank you," I whispered. The woman reached out and touched my shoulder. Her hand was dry and cold. "Eat up, child. I am glad you are coping. I am glad you are starting to
ChloeI sat on the edge of the large bed in the guest suite, my hand pressed against my left ear. The room was silent, but my head was full of voices. Through the tiny device in my ear, I was connected to the brothers’ house. Rex had done something high-tech; he had hacked into the temple’s security or used a hidden camera near the High Priest. I was watching it all on my phone, which somehow was also connected to whatever Rex and his brothers were using to watch. I saw Black. I saw the greedy look in his eyes when he said he wanted my life. No remorse. A sharp ache of betrayal filled my chest. Did I think Rex and his brothers were lying when they said this was what Black wanted to do with me? No, I didn't think so. But somehow, I wished it could all be a lie. "Did you hear that?" Rex’s voice came through the earpiece. It was low, like a vibrating hum. "I heard it," I whispered. My stomach felt like it was full of ice. "He doesn't even see me as a person. He’s talking about
Black The corridors of the High Priest’s temple were cold, smelling of old incense and damp stone. I walked with a bounce in my step that I hadn't felt in weeks. My chest was out. My head was high. I felt like a man who had just found a chest of gold buried in his backyard. Oh yes, I did. I found a treasure. A lost treasure. I found the High Priest in the inner chamber. He was sitting on a carved wooden chair, his eyes closed, looking like a piece of ancient furniture himself. He didn't open his eyes when I entered, but I knew he heard my boots on the floor. He knew exactly who just came in. "She is back," I said, my voice echoing off the high ceiling. The old man didn't move. "Who is back, Alpha?" "The girl," I snapped, feeling a bit of my patience slip. "Chloe. The one we were going to use for the original plan. She’s back, and she is in the palace as we speak." The High Priest opened his eyes then. They were milky, like two marbles. He looked at me for a long time befo
ChloeIt was Rex. Although he and his brothers had different tones, sometimes their voices sounded so much alike it was scary. "It's Black," I whispered into the mirror. "What's up with him?" another voice asked. That was Rain. I could hear the hate in his tone. He didn't even try to hide how much he disliked me. Did I care? Yes, I did. "He... I think he wants us to have sex," I said. "Sex?" Rex asked. Then, "Isn't that what you do for a living?" Rain snapped from the other side of the comm device. I could practically see him rolling his eyes through the speaker. "Rain!" That was River, warning him to shut up. "What?" Rain muttered. "She’s been fucking him for free this whole time. Now is the time to fuck with a purpose." "Ignore him, Chloe," Rex’s voice came through, steady and calm. I already ignored him. If I didn't, I would walk out of that door and never look back. "What do you want to do?" Rex asked calmly. "I don't know," I said, my voice rising in panic.
Chloe.The car sped toward the palace, and every bump in the road made my heart climb higher into my throat. I sat in the backseat, staring out the window at the dark trees passing by. I looked like a woman returning home, but inside, I felt like a lamb walking straight into a slaughterhouse. I reached up and touched the small gold stud in my left ear. It looked like a normal earring, but it was my only lifeline in this den I was entering. It was a tiny communication device given to me by Rex. On the other end, miles away, the three brothers were listening to every breath I took. How did I get here? I thought to myself. I still couldn't believe it. Black—the man I had loved and cherished, the man I thought was my ticket to the top—had intended to kill me? He didn't want me? Not for the reasons I thought he did? This man saw me and he saw a sacrifice. He intended—or still intends—to rip the life out of me to give himself a wolf. Every time I thought about it, my skin crawled.
RiverI was seated there with my jaw clenched so tight it felt like my teeth were going to shatter.Julius stood there, his hand stretched out toward Debbie like he was offering her the world. He had that smug, confident smirk on his face—the kind of look a man wears when he knows he’s pushing your
Debbie I didn't even have to look through the peephole. When the knock came, the scent hit me before the door was even fully open.It was River.I opened the door, and he was standing there, looking a bit like a dog in the cold.I was still wrapped in my robe, my skin glowing and damp from the bat
Rex(Back at the Grand Alpha’s estate…)I didn't like the way the hallway felt. It was too quiet, like a trap waiting to snap shut. I reached the heavy doors of my father’s private study in his inner chambers.My heart was beating fast. Today was the day I had to take those things out.The document
Debbie(Back at the resort.)The dining hall felt warm. River and I were sitting at a beautifully set table, the candlelight dancing in his blue eyes.“It’s getting late,” River said, his voice low. He kept glancing at the entrance. “I noticed your assistant hasn’t arrived yet. Isn’t she supposed t







