Selene’s POV
“I am not going,” I muttered as I started walking away from my father.I had no reason to be there anymore. My mom’s body was gone. I wasn’t going with my father and I didn’t want to talk to him again. There was no need for me to linger at the burial site any longer. I was going to go home, sleep on my mom’s bed, and scream my eyes out.I wasn’t going with my father anyplace. There was no friggin way that I was abandoning my rucksack. There was no friggin way that I was going anywhere with that dude.“Selene!” he yelled after me.I didn’t react. I didn’t even turn around.The dude left me. He deserted my mom. I didn’t need him or his sympathy money.“Selene!” he called me again, but this time I heard him following behind me.I started walking faster.“Selene, stop!” my father shouted.I ignored him.My heart was thumping a mile a minute. I wasn’t leaving. I wasn’t leaving my pack. I wasn’t leaving my house. My mom’s stuff was there. I wasn’t going to leave the spot that reminded me of my mom. Her fragrance was still there. I couldn't leave. I didn’t want to leave.I felt tears flow down my cheeks.Someone grabbed my arm and stopped me.I sensed wrath mounting.“Selene, please,” my father begged.I tried to withdraw my arm from his hold, but he merely tightened his grip on it.“I know I screwed up, Selene,” he groaned as he turned me around. “Please let me make it right.”I squinted my eyes at him.“I don’t need you to make it right,” I said. “I don’t need your help. My mom and I were well on our own. I am going to be OK on my own.”“You do need his help, Selene,” Alpha Jasper moaned. “You don’t have money. You are about to lose your house. You need your father’s help.”A searing agony surged across my chest. I felt tears in the corners of my eyes, but these weren’t sad tears, they were furious ones. I always sobbed when I was furious and I despised it.“I can work more,” I responded, my voice hoarse. “I can take more shifts. You can offer me a job in the packhouse. I can…”“Selene,” Alpha Jasper interrupted me.He groaned and withdrew my father’s fingers away. He drew me into a hug and the tears finally spilled on my cheeks.“You need to go with your father, Selene,” Alpha Jasper remarked quietly.“Why?” I asked, trying to stop my voice from cracking. “I don’t need him. I don’t want to go with him. I can remain here. I can remain at the packhouse. I can work as much as you need me to.”Alpha Jasper moaned as he let me go. He placed his hands on my shoulders and bent down.“You know the pack rules, Selene,” he added. “You can’t live in the packhouse until you get your wolf.”I stiffened my jaw.“Can’t you make an exception?” I begged. “I am 17. I will be 18 in nine months.”Alpha Jasper took a big breath and exhaled it gently.“I can’t do that, Selene,” he murmured, hurting my heart all over again. “You are not the first wolf to lose a parent. Usually, the wolves that are underage go live with their family. Your father is the only living relative you have.”I attempted to gulp down the lump in my throat.“So you are exiling me?” I asked gently.“Goddess, Selene, no!” Alpha Jasper exclaimed. “The minute you turn 18 and get your wolf you can come back and live in the packhouse.”I looked down and took a long breath.“I am so sorry, Selene,” Alpha Jasper groaned. “Your mom wanted you to go live with your dad.”I looked up at my father and his new mate.“My mom forgave him for what he did,” I added. “I never will.”My father closed his eyes and took a big breath.“You don’t need to forgive me, Selene,” he murmured as he opened his eyes and stared at me. “You just need to let me take care of you.”I wanted to escape away. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to find another pack and start over.But I knew what would happen the minute I left my rucksack. I still didn’t have my wolf and I felt unprotected. The rogues would devour me alive, and if they didn’t and I somehow made it to another pack, they would send out a message that there was a 17-year-old she-wolf on the run. I would end up back here or with my father.I couldn't go away and start my life in another pack until I was 18.“You won’t be taking care of me,” I answered coldly. “I will find a job at your pack. I shall feed myself. I will take care of myself. I will only go with you because I know what would happen to me if I didn’t. The moment I turn 18, I shall be out of your pack and out of your life.”My father’s eyes expanded.“We are fine with that,” his selected mate responded.I didn’t even know that she was standing next to my father.Of course, they were cool with it. My father never wanted me. If my mom hadn’t phoned him, he wouldn't even know that she was sick and dying.“Selene…” my father said, but I interrupted him.“I said everything I wanted to say,” I muttered, squeezing my hands. “When are we leaving?”My father gazed at Alpha Jasper.“Tomorrow morning,” Alpha Jasper replied. “Your father and his mate will stay at the packhouse.”I nodded and turned around. I ran toward my house.I couldn't comprehend that I had to leave my house. I couldn't believe that I wouldn't be able to stay here. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to go.But I had to.It would be for nine months only. Nine months and I would be free. Nine months and I would never have to see my father again.Selene's povTake off your clothes." He said, to my outermost Surprise. I turned around sharply to him, "What?" I asked."Take off the clothes, we need to burn them. The guards have our scents." He explained. He was already in his briefs."Oh," I exclaimed. It made more sense now he explained himself.My hand went to the black shirt, and I was about to take it off when I noticed his eyes on my body. I instantly blushed and turned my face away. His constant staring made me super uncomfortable."Do you mind?" I asked shyly. He looked at me dumbfounded, like he just discovered I existed."What?" He asked, confused."I’m taking the clothes off." I explained."Ohhh." He said and turned away. "I'll be downstairs when you're done.” He said, closing the door behind him as he walked away. The room was suddenly quiet, but I was grateful for it. I took the shirt off gingerly; my ribs hurt me like hell. I walked to the mirror and stood in front of the mirror; I traced my hand through my skin, tr
Gabriel's povI stared in awe as the army of wolves of every single pack in Western America rushed down the hills of Moonstone in all of their terrifying power. The moon was not out, and all I could witness was them in their normal human states, but even that brought joy to my eyes.The monsters looked at one another in confusion. The army that Saltos had called forth was one terrifying number, but they were scattered across the battlefield without accurate coordination."Form your lines!" Saltos's voice boomed angrily. He had lost all of his former coordination as desperation began." Form your lines, you bloody idiots."But it was already too late for that. Mira got to her feet and slit the throat of the login that was next to her. The other wolves of our pack saw what she did, and one by one, they picked up their swords and began to press the enemy."Fight back, you idiots!" their leader cried. "stand and fight!" a large goblin turned on his heels and began to run."No, no, no, no,"
Ansari's povI looked up at the figure that hovered over the town In wonder. Was that the child that I had condemned to death out of fear of who she was?Of who she represented?"Mom!!" Magnus cried as he sighted his mother."Magnus!!" Mira yelled, and I turned just in time to see mother and child run to each other. They locked in a firm embrace as the formally strung and formidable Mira sank to her knees in tears."I thought we had lost you." She cried. "I'm sorry mom." "Why didn't you call? It's been two weeks. We thought you were dead.""I can explain everything.” He said with a smile. My daughter's face radiated with joy.I looked around for Gabriel, but he was nowhere to be seen.My mind raced to conclusions as I feared the worst. Now was not the time for news like this. If Gabriel were dead, it would shatter Mira and the little strength she had left."Where's Gabriel?" I heard her ask. I turned around to see the look on Magnus's face as he delivered the news I expected to hear
Ansari's povYou alright?" I paid no heed to the man as I ran down the corridor.A hand grabbed mine, and I was flung into someone's chest."Shhhh." The baritone voice said. I knew that voice. I looked up to see Conner looking down at me. "Let me go." I whispered."No." He whispered back. Conner was the only person who knew what I had become, the only one who saw the true me. I loved him so much and still did, but he could never."Please let me go." I cried."I have loved you, and this won't ever change things. Never." He pulled his collar away from his neck and looked down at me, "if you being this way would keep you away from me then… make me one too.""You don't know what you're talking about." I said."I do it because I love you."…. Slashed and hacked and cut through every single one of them as if they were made of paper. Blood flew up in the air along with their marked organs and veins. In the end, I stood there in the middle of the room, with pieces Of their bodies lying all
Gabriel's povMy legs hurt, and the distant feeling of vomit sitting at the back of my throat like some final boss was not helping me on this trek. It has been a good two days since we arrived in Iceland, and the entire company was utterly exhausted. I could not vouch for anyone, but I could bet that I was the most exhausted one out of the three of us. From time to time, I remember when there were four of us. An extra one that had been my responsibility to care for, one I had allowed to be corrupted and destroyed."It's beautiful here," Selene remarked. I looked around at the scenery here. I left Iceland long ago, but even in my memories, it had been a place of extraordinary beauty. It was a good thing that it had not changed. "Yes, it truly is," I replied. It was hard not to fall asleep while driving, but Magnus was terrible. Selene was entirely out of the question. Completely."So this is Akur…""Akureyri." I helped. She rolled her eyes and nodded."Roll off the tip of your tongu
Selene's pov."What news?" I asked."Saltos opened a portal to our side.""To moonstone?" I asked, fear spear diving through every cell I had in me. Magnus shook his head. "No, but he took the guardians of the most powerful weapon known to our kind. It was one he had used when he was still of this world, before he was banished. It was taken away from moonstone immediately he was released but he found it and massacred and entire pack just to get it. He has it all now, all that remains is to lay waste to everything we hold dear. My mother, my grandmother, my pack and yours."His words were like a knife to my heart, and I was suddenly lightheaded. I collapsed, but he caught me deftly and pulled me back to my feet. "No." I whispered in disbelief."It is the truth child." My father said sadly."You are the only hope we have of beating him," Olivia said.Her words hurt me more than every other person's."Of beating salts?" I asked, "You saw what happened the last time? I couldn't even t