"Hear ye! Hear ye!!" Luke, the twelve year old kid from the neighbourhood screamed dramatically as he came rushing into our house and stopped abruptly when his eyes greeted the sight of dear old me.I had been standing in front of my wardrobe, arranging my clothes when I heard his voice and went out to the hallway, being the only one in the house.I felt the boy's eyes roaming my face before he saw that I was looking at him, and he immediately fixed his eyes on the floor."Is no one else at home- I mean, sister Lexie, where is brother Dylan? Or Katrine?"I smiled at his efforts at covering up his uneasiness and replied, making my voice as soft as possible. "They are not at home right now, but you can tell me. What is it?"Luke seemed to consider this for a moment before he hurriedly blurted out."Alpha- alpha Paul has invited everyone to the party tonight, because he is searching for his mate!"Luke had barely finished his sentence before he dashed off in a hurry, leaving me with his
After geometry class got over, I packed up my things and left the room for the next lecture. But before I could have left the room, someone called out my name from the back of the classroom. "Lexie, you left your earphones behind!" As I turned around to see what the matter was, my shoulder bumped into someone coming in from the doorway. I could only see a flash of blonde hair before I stumbled backwards from the force of the collision and stabilised myself against a desk. "Watch where you are going! Or has that scar made you lose your vision in the second eye too?!" I didn't even need to pull down my hood to see that the person my bad luck had made me collide with, was none other than Abby. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention…" I mumbled an apology for the sake of the friendship Abby and I used to share, back when we were just kids who played together. I knew her from my days in the Celene pack, where we both had been brought up in the same neighbourhood. She was the
Although it had been two years since we had joined this pack and in the meantime, we had also established good relations with most of the native people in our neighborhood. But still, the blot of being 'Rogues'- unwanted outsiders- was still visible on our foreheads, and the last thing I wanted was to get into an argument that would confirm such people's prejudices against our family. Micheal had been trying so hard for all three of our sakes, and I commanded myself to take deep breaths so I would not end up spoiling this for all of us. Thankfully, I felt Jean's pat on my shoulder right on time. She was the one who had called out my name a few minutes ago, and her intervention was a good enough excuse for me to divert my attention. She handed me my earphones and nudged me towards the exit. But before leaving the classroom, I arranged my features into the most deadpan expression I could manage and made my voice cloyingly sweet, giving my reply seconds before putting my earphones in my
"Got it.”I nodded in affirmation before I gulped down my own saliva in an attempt to hide my nervousness. Trying to compose myself, I glanced at the facade of the imposing archway under which the two of us were standing. It was made completely with a black stone, in the centre of which, a large exploding sun had been carved. The rays of that sun extended in all directions, and the two sides were flanked with beautiful depictions of every life form that owed its existence to the presence of the sun, all the way down to where the two pillars ended. If it had not been carved on a black stone, one could easily have been fooled by the intricate details, judging by how realistic it all seemed. Indeed, it was quite fitting that the Apollo pack would appreciate the gifts that the Sun had provided to earth; thinking this, I extended a hand to touch one of the lotus flowers carved on the right pillar, before I returned to my senses and promptly pulled my hand backwards. Sneaking a glance at
How idiotic can a fourteen year old be!? If that's your question, then my answer would be: not more than me, at least!Because when I was fourteen, I really had my head filled with ideal stories of fairytale romances. I used to believe that I must be the luckiest girl in the world who has had everything since her birth- good friends, perfect family, and most importantly the most loving mate of the entire world!' When I had been in my pack, I really had no dreams apart from spending my whole life with Nate as his loving mate. However, I was not delusional to have fed myself all these things from my imagination; it was because we used to be a couple. I used to believe that we were truly made for each other, till the day I was brutally introduced to reality. On his seventeenth birthday, Nate had rejected me as his mate. And I shouldn't be saying that he had simply rejected me, but he had brutally torn apart every dream of mine and snatched my self confidence. I still remember the disg
It took a little longer than usual for me to walk home. I had never been one to dawdle on the way, and neither was today the day for it; but the reason was that I could physically feel my legs getting heavier after what had happened today. I don't know what was going inside my brain at the moment I entered home, but I must have been in the mood to make my bad day worse. Because the first sentence that left my mouth in front of Katrine, after she just asked me where I had been out of her usual curiosity and concern and not with any other hope of getting entertained, was; "You won't believe me, but I will still say it : I am returning from the actual hell present on the surface of earth and the deadliest dungen one can ever visit, also known as the Alpha's house-" "Alpha Paul's house?" The moment I was already regretting speaking gibberish and saying something I was never supposed to have, I noticed Dylan's ears perking up and his eyes getting curious as he asked his question.
I really did not want to go to school this morning; after the last incident, I was not feeling inclined to go back to school or even the least bit willing to drag my body out of bed. The incidents of the past day were making me queasy just at the thought of leaving the comfort and safety of my room; not only the part where I was taken away by the beta of the pack, including the embarrassment I had experienced at the Alpha's residence, but also because of my fight with Abby.I was assured that whenever we were to indulge in any fight, I was the one who was going to win; but still, I really did not want to get into any new fights with her. We used to be very good friends once, and I want my good memories to remain intact and away from the prying eyes of everyone. 'There are already very few moments that I find good in my life, hence the better option will be ignoring her for the entire time I am in school.'Because no matter how badly I wanted to skip school today, I was aware that I w
That hand gave my shoulder a soft squeeze before letting go. Even before the gesture, that person's scant was able to make me calm to some degree… but who could it be?My thoughts got an answer when Paul's voice came from somewhere close to me;"Lexie, listen! Calm down and let her go, listen to me, I said calm down and let her go!!"A few moments later, I noticed that I had actually left her neck and given her the space to run away from my sight. And this was exactly what she did as she ran away, coughing and trying to grasp as much air as she could in every breath.Although I knew why Paul had done this- first and foremost, he was the Alpha of the pack, he had to make sure about the safety of every pack member; but this act of his left me seething with unspent anger. The moment Abby left our sight, he lifted his hand from my shoulder and I turned back to face him. I might have spoken way too many things to make him regret all his decisions of considering me as his mate, if only he h
Lexie's POV:The first thing I noticed was the smell of crisp detergent on the linens that had been worn down by the disinfectant.The chemical smell of antiseptic, and the faint fragrance of flowers… lavender, maybe?My head felt like it was packed with cotton, and when I tried to move, fire shot through my whole body at once. A slow groan of pain slipped past my lips before I could stop it.“Lexie?”The voice was familiar and hopeful, my name whispered with hesitation. I forced my eyes to open, and my gaze landed on the white ceiling above, illuminated by soft light. A few machines beeped in tandem, and just then, a small head with curly hair and wide, worried eyes leaned over me.“Lex…?”“Andy…” I croaked out, even though my throat felt like sandpaper.He beamed immediately, his eyes shining with relief. “You’re awake! You’re really awake!”I blinked again, trying to make sense of this room. I was in the infirmary. Apollo pack. I made it.“You scared us so bad,” Andy continued,
Lexie's POV:I opened my eyes, only to find that the world was still covered with the veil of darkness.The throbbing in my head was making it difficult to blink, but a gasp slipped out of my mouth as I became aware of my surroundings. My body screamed in protest as I managed to push myself up from the damp earth, groaning as the pain shooting through every limb, intensified. My palms stung from scratches, and my clothes were torn, soaked with sweat and something sticky, warm and dark– blood. There was no one around me.No bodies, no voices. Just the hum of night creatures and the rustling of leaves above.I was alone.It was probably midnight, or later. A few hours since we had been ambushed and… no, Lexie. Make sure of where you are first. Forcing myself to take a sharp breathe. The stars offered little comfort with their presence as I tried to find my bearings, but I didn’t dare turn back. I couldn’t go back where our car was supposed to be. The store, that clearing, the clif
Lexie's POV:“Jonas!”His name tore from my throat as I stumbled forward, blood still ringing in my ears.I knew it was him. Despite the years we spent apart, I was confident I would have known him. That tall, broad back like our dad's; the rigid and fast walk like he was constantly hiding something behind his mask. But he didn’t turn around, not even once. “Jonas!” I screamed again, louder this time. I didn't care if I sounded desperate, I needed him to respond.But still, there was nothing. No flinch. No pause. He was just gone.And suddenly, I wasn't so sure anymore. My brother would have heard my cries, he would never hurt me and my mate like this… that's not Jonas, it can't be, right?My little brother… the boy I used to carry on my back when he scraped his knee, the one I smuggled extra sweets to, under the dinner table… he couldn't be the one walking away from me right now. He couldn't be the man who had disappeared between the pines without so much as a backward glance i
Lexie's POV:It was finally time to leave our little bubble of paradise. Paul and I had spent every second of the past week wrapped up in each other, tangled in white sheets and sun kissed sand, laughing, teasing, dancing under moonlight. But now, this trip back home was supposed to be the quiet end to a perfect honeymoon, with my memories filled with yacht rides, ocean breeze and lazy afternoons.We had been driving for hours when we spotted a lonely convenience store in the middle of nowhere– the paint outside was chipping, the neon sign was turned on and flickering even in the evening. I raised my gaze, shielding my eyes with my hand. “One last pit stop?”Paul murmured, kissing my knuckles before pulling into the gravel lot. “Elrick’s Go_ds” was written in peeling red letters. One of the letters was missing, but the location was still quite charming. “Want me to go?” I asked, unbuckling my seatbelt.Paul leaned across to kiss my cheek. “I’ll pump the gas. You grab the snac
Lexie’s POVThe world outside our window was still dark, but a hint of morning clung to the edges of the horizon. Paul's breathing was still ragged, his forehead damp against mine. We were tangled in the sheets, our bodies slick with sweat and love. His heartbeat thumped against my chest, strong and steady, as if it had finally found its rhythm.He brushed a kiss to my temple, his hand caressing my back slowly, fingers splayed like he was trying to memorize every inch of me. “You okay?” he whispered, voice low and hoarse.“Mmm,” I hummed, too blissed out to form words. I curled into his warmth, nuzzling his neck, where his scent still lingered. “I’ve never been better.”His fingers were soft as they traced idle circles into my lower back, and even though his body was spent, I could feel the way he still wanted to stay connected.He shifted after a moment, gently pulling out with a wince and a groan. I whined at the emptiness. He laughed softly and kissed my nose.“Come here, love…”
Lexie’s POV:The moment he sat inside the car, I leaned over, hooking my right leg over his thigh and kisser him with all I had. Paul was stunned for a few moments before he responded, his lips moving against mine for a few moments before I pulled back, bringing my lips near his ears, just like he had been teasing me all night. “You like when they call me Mrs. Paul, right? Then I'll show you what it's like to be your wife, daddy…”It didn't take us more than five minutes to reach our mansion, and it wasn't a surprise to me, since I had been straddling his lap all the way back. There was excitement, anticipation and a little bit of fear in Paul's eyes as I closed the door behind me. “Hi, husband…” I grinned, pushing him onto the plush chair by the window, the moonlight casting silver trails over his skin.“Hey, wife,” he murmured back, voice already darkening with need.His eyes burned into mine as I straddled him, my knees on either side of his strong thighs. I could feel the he
Lexie's POV:The southern Alpha’s estate was everything I imagined: ornate but not ostentatious, steeped in age-old tradition with ivy-covered walls, torch-lit gardens, and the scent of orange blossoms lingering in the warm evening air. Gold-lined lanterns floated in the courtyard pool as we arrived, and the staff greeted us with bows deep enough to impress even royalty from the North. Alpha Rian and Luna Alina stood at the top of the marble steps, radiating the composed elegance of true leadership. “Alpha Paul, Luna Lexie! Thank you for honouring us with your presence.”I gave a respectful nod, while Paul offered a grin that was both polite and perfectly confident. “We’re grateful for the invitation. It's been a beautiful week here.”Luna Alina gave me a knowing smile, eyes crinkling. “You both look like the holiday has been treating you very well.”Paul’s fingers brushed lightly against the small of my back. “Couldn’t be better!”He replied, and I bit back a smile. We were esco
The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a beautiful golden glow over the southern territories. The yacht Paul had rented glided gently across the shimmering waves, anchored now just off the private cove they had claimed as their temporary paradise. Lexie leaned against the polished railing, the sea breeze toying with strands of her hair, her eyes half-lidded in peace as she watched the horizon stretch endlessly before them. This had quickly become her favorite time of the day… and the thought of leaving this place was beginning to bug her slowly. As if reading her mind, Paul emerged from the cabin, shirt unbuttoned, a drink in one hand and that irrepressible smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “There you are, Mrs. Paul!”His voice was bubbly and affectionate, the nickname rolling off his tongue like it belonged to her as much as the sea belonged to the sky.Lexie smiled, turning toward him. “You have been calling me that all week.”“And I’m never going to stop.” He handed he
Paul's POV:It was a Saturday afternoon, the kind that wrapped around your skin just right. The sun was warm on my shoulders, but the breeze kept her from sweating. The crisp air fluttered my skirt and teased my collarbone through the loose neckline of my t-shirt… well, Paul's t-shirt that I had declared as my own. Paul and I had wandered down to the market after breakfast, lazily strolling hand in hand past flower vendors, spice carts, and tables piled high with sun-ripened fruit. The market was buzzing with life; vendors calling out the sweetness of their fruit, kids tugging at their parents’ hands, and it lifted my mood even further. If this was how life was supposed to look like, I was finally starting to feel glad that I survived long enough to reach here. Bright red strawberries caught my eye, and I stopped at a wooden cart stacked high with plump, red berries, and my hand reached for one before I could stop myself. I pressed it between my fingers and it gave just slightly,