The next few days passed by in a whirlwind of activity for me. I picked up my car and started working my new job, pulling a three-hour shift to assist with the lunch crowd. Josephine had decided to stay at the house, too anxious to return to her apartment and unwilling to go to work until her bruises faded.Meanwhile, Killian was out early each morning and came home late at night, fully engrossed in leading the search for Viktor and also the witch. Every evening, he looked more exhausted and frustrated, quickly devouring his dinner before immersing himself in the office to catch up on work. Sometimes he even went on patrol, hoping to catch Viktor lurking around the property, but it always ended in disappointment.I found myself reminiscing about the good times Killian and I had shared the previous week, when we had more time to ourselves. He was so drained at night that he'd collapse into bed and fall asleep almost instantly, even though he'd put his arm around me if I snuggled up cl
My heart hammered against my ribs as Josephine stammered her confession. Killlian's rage was tangible, a storm ready to burst.Gathering my nerve, I stood up and stepped between the two, placing my hand on Killian's arm. “Killian, calm down. It really was a great picture. You’d be proud of it and there’s no harm done. No one will ever know it’s you.”I squeezed his arm, but he shrugged me off, eyes blazing with fury."No harm done?" he ripped, voice a growl. "You think selling my likeness out to a hungry collector of wolf art is harmless? Don't you realize their kind loves to dissect anomalies? One of them will notice the wrong shadow under the jaw, the extra inch in the leg, the glint of something unnatural in the eyes. Then what? Questions. Investigations. Traps in the forest, cameras trained on our den. Can't you see, Josephine? We'll be rats in a maze, hunted for sport!""We have enough Hunters to fucking deal with already," Killian growled at Josephine. “We’ve spent years in this
"I'm really sorry I brought it up. Like you, I never thought it would be such a big deal. I gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know. And I shouldn’t have given in to Viktor, but he can be so persuasive and I was in love,” she said, studying me for a moment. “Have you ever been in love?” she asked. I shifted uncomfortably, my face growing warm as I tried to think of a diplomatic answer. I didn't mind Josephine that much anymore, but I didn't want to discuss personal matters with her either. “Well...I...” “It’s okay, Hailey. We all know that you and Killian didn’t make a love match, but it will work out in the end, you’ll see,” she reassured me. Changing topics, Josephine asked about my phone call. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help overhear part of your conversation. You sounded pretty enthusiastic about meeting someone tomorrow.” “Just an old friend from back home. We grew up together,” I explained. Josephine nodded and then said she was going to grab a bite to eat and hi
Pausing at the edge of the tree line, I cocked my head and listened carefully, then sniffed, testing the scents that drifted by. As I waited for Killian to finish checking the area, I acknowledged the crispness of the air. It bit at my nose, cooling my cheeks and ears, but I didn’t mind the temperature. It was yet another perk of my wolf-like genetics. “The patrols have been here recently,” Killian announced. “The area is secure, so we can safely run.” With that, he shifted into the form of a sleek black wolf and I quickly followed suit. The change to wolf form always made me feel exhilarated. My senses were heightened and I could feel the latent strength of my muscles. Stretching first my front legs and then my back, I raised my muzzle to the sky, squinting up at the moon and sniffing the air. An exciting blend of scents assaulted my brain: other wolves, plant life, rabbits and squirrels, but most importantly, Killian. There was something about being in wolf form that made our b
Killian's lips were fast approaching mine when the sudden sound of a gunshot echoed in the dense quiet forest. I whipped my head in the opposite direction and found at least a dozen men standing armed to the teeth staring at us maliciously and immediately I started to panic."Shit!," Killian cursed as he darted his eyes around scouting for danger zones and the numbers of the intruders. I gripped Killian's arms instinctively. I could tell they were Lycan Hunters. It was certainly strange, I had been attacked by Hunters twice since meeting Killian. I knew it wasn't a coincidence. Something or someone else was at play. A wicked malicious game. My best guess Viktor."Killian we should shift and make a run for it," I told Killian. "We won't get far, bullets would come raining down and we'll likely get hit at least twice," Killian balled his fists, "We need to make a stand,""Alpha Killian, it's an honor to finally meet you," Stepping from the shadows, a large man with a nicely styled must
Killian's POVThe forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds. The taste of the bitter poison of wolfsbane lingered in my sensory organs and my chest felt like it was on fire. I collapsed to the ground, the damp earth cool against my feverish skin as I struggled to stay conscious. Painful spasms wracked my body as I fought against the poison coursing through my veins.I reached out a trembling hand, my fingers clawing at the roots and fallen leaves as I desperately tried to get back up. Each breath was a struggle, my lungs burning with every inhale. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat sending waves of agony through my body.The trees blurred together, the sun-dappled forest spinning around me as I fought to stay upright. Every step was a battle against the overwhelming fatigue, but I refused to give up. I had to stay alive. I knew passing out was as good as a death sentence for Hailey. I had to get us to safety. Although, by now, my beta and pack member
"You lost, get the fuck away from here," I glared at Adam slowly shifting back to my human form."Lost?" Adam tilted his gaze and took off his leather jacket and then his shirt revealing a slash that stretched from his left shoulder down his right torso. He repeatedly fired shots in my direction but I was too quick of a target to hit. Immediately I shifted back to my Lycan form and dashed into the woods."Don't run away Alpha Killian, the fun is just getting started," Adam yelled and chased after me.The dense woodland was extra silent as I prowled through the underbrush, my keen senses alert to any disturbance in the natural rhythm of the forest. The scent of the Lycan hunter wafted toward me with a mix of sweat, fear, and determination. I could feel him getting closer, his presence like a looming shadow in the woods.I stealthily maneuvered through the foliage, fangs bared and muscles tensed. The weight of the hunter's steps thudded against the earth, sending shivers through the ro
"You have Lost Adam, tell me where Viktor is and j might consider sparing your life," I said crouching down my gaze sweeping down to his open wounds. I could tell he was in a lot of pain, but I didn't want to end his suffering, at least not until I knew his connection with Viktor."You know I told the police it was your kind that killed my wife and son," Adam chuckled ignoring my words, "But they insisted it was a bunch of wild wolves, and the shock probably made me see things that weren't there," "I'm sorry for your loss, but respectfully I don't give a fuck about any of that. you don't get to attack my pack, MY MATE, and expect a pity speech from me," I glared at the hunter panting for breath."A bunch of Lycans Killed your wife, so what?, do you think that legitimizes and justifies your reason and conviction to hate and exterminate my kind?," I chuckled at the silly ideology, "My mate lost her mother to your kind, hunters, does that also mean she gets to hate your kind?,"Adam tur