The wound is the place where the Light enters you.— Rumi.CAMELLIA Everything hurts.My chest, my skin, even my swollen finger that still throbbed since I slapped Lucien’s face. But all of it was nothing beside the mark searing into my neck.Darius shielded me as the car tumbled, the sound of metal screaming and glass shattering drowning out everything else.When the rolling finally stopped, I was unharmed, but blood from Darius dripped from above me.“Are you okay?” he asked, though his voice was strained.With inhuman strength, he hit the hood of the car until the metal bent and gave way, leaving just enough of an opening.Darius crawled out through the wreckage like the glass buried in his skin and the blood running down his face didn’t exist then stretched out a hand toward me.He lifted me the moment my hand touched his, setting me down gently on the road.“What the hell just happened?” he muttered, looking unfazed, while I was one second away from peeing my pants.He moved ba
The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.—Dante Alighieri.DARIUS I hated how excited I was that camellia called me to come get her away from Lucien.I held the coffee cups closer as I headed to her room.Why do humans even drink this crap?The drive to my pack was five hours, and it was already getting late. She deserved some rest after everything that had happened.Still, I couldn’t stop grinning. Smacking Lucien's face and flipping the podium? That was pure badass.An all-too-familiar scent hit my nose, followed by a thud from upstairs.What the hell was Lucien doing here?I picked up my pace, storming up the stairs, and yanked the door to her hotel room open, the handle falling to the floor from the force I used.Lucien had his claws out, his eyes glowing bright red, as he backed Camellia into the corner.But that wasn’t what made me freeze.On her neck was a bright red mark, raw and angry.Fucking bastard. He mark
The damage done in one generation is often the cause of the struggles in the next.— Steven Aitchison.LUCIEN I tasted blood and shame in the same bite.I coughed, a harsh sound that left blood staining my lips.My ribs screamed, my chest felt like it was on fire, and bruises were already painting themselves across my skin.“You let men be killed while you were busy burying your cock in human pussy” my father growled, each word like a knife pressing into me.“You let them question the pack and leadership!” his fists slammed into my ribs.“I should have made you mate with Selene instead of just swearing in” he spat.Another fist slammed into my shoulder, sending stars blooming across my vision.“You let a mere human girl embarrass the pack.“I wanted to roar back but my body refused. All I could do was feel the weight of his fists, and think of Camellia.She didn’t deserve this.“I love her… and I don’t regret a single thing.” My words were barely audible. It hurt to speak.My father
Sex is the most fun you can have without laughing. —Woody Allen ALARIC Bless the universe for making me show up instead of Darius. This… this is more entertainment than I’ve seen in years. I crooked a finger at one of the servers. He approached too eagerly, the tray balanced like an offering. When he tried to hand me just one glass, I waved his hand away and took the entire tray instead. If chaos was about to unfold, I intended to enjoy it properly in the best seat. The human girl Darius was apparently obsessed with was storming up to the stage, two of Lucien’s pack members scrambling behind her—one of them being the only woman in this pack. I hadn’t dragged into my bed, Alanna, and her poor mate panting to keep up. They tried to subdue her but she kept shaking them off like they were mosquitoes, and honestly, it was the funniest thing I’d seen all year. Two werewolves walking on eggshells around a mere human. “You have to come see this shit,” I mindlinked Darius. I d
“Pleasure of love lasts but a moment. The pain of love lasts a lifetime.” — Bette Davis CAMELLIA I reapplied my mascara, but my tears smudged it again. Breathe, Camellia. Just breathe. My hands trembled as I dragged the wand through my lashes, another desperate layer. But with my eyes swollen and red, the effort only made me look more broken. I could hear the whispers from the girls in the room,as they powdered their faces and curled their lashes. But I couldn’t even bring myself to care. “How about you go treat that STD instead of talking shit about her crying, Veronica?” Lily’s voice cut through the room, silencing their laughter in one strike. Veronica audibly gasped, her mascara wand freezing mid-air. Buckling her heels, she scoffed while tossing her hair back dramatically. “Pathetic,” she hissed under her breath. The click of her stilettos echoed as she walked out. “The only thing pathetic is that spray tan you’re trying to pull off.” Lily snorted. Th
There is always some madness in love. But there is always some reason in madness.” — Friedrich Nietzsche CAMELLIA Sex toys and ice cream dripping on my nipples wasn't how I'd spend my typical wednesday. The vanilla ice cream slid over my breast, the chill sending a shiver through my spine, and I gasped when his fingers followed the slick trail, teasing me. “Do you feel that?” he murmured, hovering over me. His lips brushed against the shell of my ear as he pressed the tip of his tongue to my collarbone making my chest heave and nipples harden even more under the cold cream. He wasn’t gentle—not entirely.One hand pinched my nipple while the other traced circles around my soaking folds until I was already desperate to feel filled. I whimpered, arching into him, trying to chase the pleasure his hands promised. Then he brought out the first toy—a sleek, vibrating wand. He pressed it against my nipple. My hands clawed at his shoulders, but he held me down, thumbs brushing ove