I moved to the counter slowly, ignoring the stares behind me. I needed something to hold. Something normal. Something hot.“Coffee?” I offered half-heartedly, reaching for a mug.“Here?” Lizbella scoffed from behind me. “No, thanks.”I glanced over my shoulder. “Still think the Lycan Kings are cursed?”Her mouth twitched. “Still think you’re not?”I forced a tired smile, pouring the coffee anyway. “Suit yourself.”She stepped into the kitchen finally, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Kai had disappeared somewhere—I didn’t know when—but Kieran was still nearby, quiet. Watching. But he was holding a magazine of ladies in bikinis. But it was upside down. Idiot. Eventually he got up and left. Kylan also disappeared to. Regardless Lizbella stood beside me. She was still as beautiful as ever. Perfect and the kind of woman who never seemed to have a hair out of place. Lizbella’s eyes didn’t leave me. “So… the only reason I finally get to see you again is because the council
The sun had barely begun to dip when I heard the familiar patter of feet and the squeak of the front door opening.“Mummy!”I turned just in time to catch Luna barreling toward me, her backpack slipping halfway off her shoulder.“Hey, sweetheart.” I knelt, wrapping my arms around her tiny frame. She smelled like crayons and a bit of outside air. “Did you miss me today?”She nodded against my neck, clinging tighter. “A lot.”Finn wasn’t far behind. He stood at the doorway for a second before quietly shutting it behind him. His backpack was zipped neat and high on his back, his expression more cautious.“Finn,” I said gently, “come here.”He came — slower, more controlled — but when he finally wrapped his arms around me too, I held them both like I’d never let go.For a long minute, we just stood like that.“I wanted to talk to you both,” I said as I pulled back and led them to the couch. “About everything that’s been happening lately.”Luna frowned. “Is it because you were sick?”I nod
I laughed at their suggestion. “What are you guys? Babies?”The Lycan kings chuckled like I had just thrown down the gauntlet.“Oh, she has jokes,” Kylan said, already stretching like he was warming up for a marathon. “But you’ll be the one begging for a break in five minutes.”Kieran cracked his knuckles, his expression far too smug. “She clearly doesn’t know what kind of game she just agreed to.”Kai just smirked. “Three Lycans. One human. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”I raised a brow. “Didn’t realize you were afraid of losing.”That did it.Kylan’s eyes glinted, his smirk widened into a grin. “You’ve got sixty seconds, Red. Better start hiding.”And just like that, I ran.I darted through the trees, heart racing—not from fear, but the thrill of it. The moon was high, casting silver light through the branches as I pushed through the underbrush, trying to gain some distance.But it was impossible to tell where they were. No footsteps. No rustling. Just wind.Too quiet.Then—A sudden
“A ritual,” I repeated slowly. “Should I be worried?” “No,” Kieran answered, coming up beside us. “It’s something we do after a run. Our mother used to do it. She’d look at the reflection of the moon in the water. Said it kept us from forgetting where we came from.” I frowned softly. I had never seen it that way “That’s… kind of beautiful. Your mother seems like a beautiful soul.” Kylan grinned. "She was. Calm. Collected and the only one who was able to handle us with all our disastrous character. L" We all chuckled at that. Kai glanced at his brothers, then back at me. “It was her quiet way of saying goodbye to the beasts inside us. That even after all the blood, there’s still peace.” I nodded. I wonder what's their story, the story of their beast. Maybe that would be a question for another time, we kept on walking with each other side by side. We walked in sil
The images were still there.I didn’t know if they were true or just a fragment of my imagination—some cruel trick of my mind or something far more ancient and terrifying. Or a memory? I couldn’t shake them off my mind, it just stuck like glue. The little girl’s voice. Her blood-stained dress. Her red eyes.I hugged myself tightly, my arms wrapped around my waist as though that could hold me together.Kylan’s voice came softly from beside me. “Looking at you, I remember what Mom used to say?”I looked up at him, my lips parting, but no words came out.He crouched down to my level, his blue eyes softer than I’d seen them in a while. “She said… you can see things in the water because the water remembers. It holds onto everything. Emotions. Memories. Blood. Magic.”I hummed. True. Kai said that just now. His hand hovered over mine before he pulled it back. “And you… Briar, you’re connected to it. To the water. That’s why it’s easier for you to see.”I stared at the moonlit stream, my
Kylan was back from dropping the kids at school. I felt bored over not doing anything.Also I was starving but I was just too lazy to prepare anything. Maybe Kai could. I looked at him, he was busy typing something into his laptop."Are you...working?" I asked.He hummed."Are you busy?"He hummed again.Gosh, how do I ask him when he keeps on humming like that? Especially in that deep baritone voice that's making my body shiver in the wrong way. .I crossed and uncrossed my legs, cleared my throat. Maybe if I go through this way it would work."What type of business...do you do? Like does the three of you run it?" I asked.Kai shook his head. “We have separate businesses. Mine just needs me on-call more often.”I raised an eyebrow. “You mean you’re not just brooding and glaring for a living?”That earned me a faint smirk. “Tempting career path, but no.”I let out a short laugh, then glanced toward the kitchen. “I’m starving.”“Then eat,” he said without looking up.“I would, but I’m l
Okay, got my brooch. Hair down or hair up?I had an oval face, sharp at the chin, soft around the cheeks. Hair down usually gave me the wild, mysterious look. Hair up? Elegance. I needed something in between, so I twisted it into a low knot and let a few strands fall loose. Not too polished. Not too undone. Just enough to say: I don’t care what the elders say, but I’m going to look flawless while they say it.The dress I chose was simple, but unfairly flattering. A midnight blue wrap dress with a plunging neckline I pretended not to notice. The fabric hugged my waist, fell to my calves, and moved like water when I walked. I paired it with black heels sensible ones, but with enough point to make a vampire rethink lunging at me.And of course, the brooch. An old piece I never wore. It was given to me by the council as a good member of the pack that contributed good things. Well not so much. I’m a demon in their eyes. Silver, crescent-shaped, worn down at the edges like it had survived
The battlefield was a wasteland. Bodies, both fresh and decaying, were strewn across the ground. A thick, unnatural fog hovered over the earth, masking the stench of death, but not enough to hide the horrors from anyone still standing. Still fighting for this war that had gone for more than a week. "Hold the line!" Marcus's voice boomed across the clearing, his silver hair matted with dirt and blood. His piercing blue eyes darted from one corner of the field to another. "Don’t let them break through!"To his left, a Lycan tore through a vampire’s throat with a savage snarl. Blood splattered across his chest, the vampire’s body falling limp before hitting the dirt. The Lycan grunted, his yellow eyes flaring. "This is getting worse, Marcus. They’re faster. Stronger than normal. We can’t keep up."Marcus spat on the ground, his jaw clenched. “We don’t have a choice, Jax. We either fight or die. You wanna run? Then go. But I’m not going down without tearing a few more apart.”Jax wiped
Okay, got my brooch. Hair down or hair up?I had an oval face, sharp at the chin, soft around the cheeks. Hair down usually gave me the wild, mysterious look. Hair up? Elegance. I needed something in between, so I twisted it into a low knot and let a few strands fall loose. Not too polished. Not too undone. Just enough to say: I don’t care what the elders say, but I’m going to look flawless while they say it.The dress I chose was simple, but unfairly flattering. A midnight blue wrap dress with a plunging neckline I pretended not to notice. The fabric hugged my waist, fell to my calves, and moved like water when I walked. I paired it with black heels sensible ones, but with enough point to make a vampire rethink lunging at me.And of course, the brooch. An old piece I never wore. It was given to me by the council as a good member of the pack that contributed good things. Well not so much. I’m a demon in their eyes. Silver, crescent-shaped, worn down at the edges like it had survived
Kylan was back from dropping the kids at school. I felt bored over not doing anything.Also I was starving but I was just too lazy to prepare anything. Maybe Kai could. I looked at him, he was busy typing something into his laptop."Are you...working?" I asked.He hummed."Are you busy?"He hummed again.Gosh, how do I ask him when he keeps on humming like that? Especially in that deep baritone voice that's making my body shiver in the wrong way. .I crossed and uncrossed my legs, cleared my throat. Maybe if I go through this way it would work."What type of business...do you do? Like does the three of you run it?" I asked.Kai shook his head. “We have separate businesses. Mine just needs me on-call more often.”I raised an eyebrow. “You mean you’re not just brooding and glaring for a living?”That earned me a faint smirk. “Tempting career path, but no.”I let out a short laugh, then glanced toward the kitchen. “I’m starving.”“Then eat,” he said without looking up.“I would, but I’m l
The images were still there.I didn’t know if they were true or just a fragment of my imagination—some cruel trick of my mind or something far more ancient and terrifying. Or a memory? I couldn’t shake them off my mind, it just stuck like glue. The little girl’s voice. Her blood-stained dress. Her red eyes.I hugged myself tightly, my arms wrapped around my waist as though that could hold me together.Kylan’s voice came softly from beside me. “Looking at you, I remember what Mom used to say?”I looked up at him, my lips parting, but no words came out.He crouched down to my level, his blue eyes softer than I’d seen them in a while. “She said… you can see things in the water because the water remembers. It holds onto everything. Emotions. Memories. Blood. Magic.”I hummed. True. Kai said that just now. His hand hovered over mine before he pulled it back. “And you… Briar, you’re connected to it. To the water. That’s why it’s easier for you to see.”I stared at the moonlit stream, my
“A ritual,” I repeated slowly. “Should I be worried?” “No,” Kieran answered, coming up beside us. “It’s something we do after a run. Our mother used to do it. She’d look at the reflection of the moon in the water. Said it kept us from forgetting where we came from.” I frowned softly. I had never seen it that way “That’s… kind of beautiful. Your mother seems like a beautiful soul.” Kylan grinned. "She was. Calm. Collected and the only one who was able to handle us with all our disastrous character. L" We all chuckled at that. Kai glanced at his brothers, then back at me. “It was her quiet way of saying goodbye to the beasts inside us. That even after all the blood, there’s still peace.” I nodded. I wonder what's their story, the story of their beast. Maybe that would be a question for another time, we kept on walking with each other side by side. We walked in sil
I laughed at their suggestion. “What are you guys? Babies?”The Lycan kings chuckled like I had just thrown down the gauntlet.“Oh, she has jokes,” Kylan said, already stretching like he was warming up for a marathon. “But you’ll be the one begging for a break in five minutes.”Kieran cracked his knuckles, his expression far too smug. “She clearly doesn’t know what kind of game she just agreed to.”Kai just smirked. “Three Lycans. One human. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”I raised a brow. “Didn’t realize you were afraid of losing.”That did it.Kylan’s eyes glinted, his smirk widened into a grin. “You’ve got sixty seconds, Red. Better start hiding.”And just like that, I ran.I darted through the trees, heart racing—not from fear, but the thrill of it. The moon was high, casting silver light through the branches as I pushed through the underbrush, trying to gain some distance.But it was impossible to tell where they were. No footsteps. No rustling. Just wind.Too quiet.Then—A sudden
The sun had barely begun to dip when I heard the familiar patter of feet and the squeak of the front door opening.“Mummy!”I turned just in time to catch Luna barreling toward me, her backpack slipping halfway off her shoulder.“Hey, sweetheart.” I knelt, wrapping my arms around her tiny frame. She smelled like crayons and a bit of outside air. “Did you miss me today?”She nodded against my neck, clinging tighter. “A lot.”Finn wasn’t far behind. He stood at the doorway for a second before quietly shutting it behind him. His backpack was zipped neat and high on his back, his expression more cautious.“Finn,” I said gently, “come here.”He came — slower, more controlled — but when he finally wrapped his arms around me too, I held them both like I’d never let go.For a long minute, we just stood like that.“I wanted to talk to you both,” I said as I pulled back and led them to the couch. “About everything that’s been happening lately.”Luna frowned. “Is it because you were sick?”I nod
I moved to the counter slowly, ignoring the stares behind me. I needed something to hold. Something normal. Something hot.“Coffee?” I offered half-heartedly, reaching for a mug.“Here?” Lizbella scoffed from behind me. “No, thanks.”I glanced over my shoulder. “Still think the Lycan Kings are cursed?”Her mouth twitched. “Still think you’re not?”I forced a tired smile, pouring the coffee anyway. “Suit yourself.”She stepped into the kitchen finally, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Kai had disappeared somewhere—I didn’t know when—but Kieran was still nearby, quiet. Watching. But he was holding a magazine of ladies in bikinis. But it was upside down. Idiot. Eventually he got up and left. Kylan also disappeared to. Regardless Lizbella stood beside me. She was still as beautiful as ever. Perfect and the kind of woman who never seemed to have a hair out of place. Lizbella’s eyes didn’t leave me. “So… the only reason I finally get to see you again is because the council
"As long as you don't go crazy and kill us," Kieran said, voice dry as ever.I shot him a glare through watery eyes. “Not funny.”Kai had already moved closer, his fingers carefully undoing the chains wrapped around my wrists.His touch was quiet. Gentle. Each click of the locks made me exhale a little easier.“I’m sorry,” he murmured, not meeting my gaze. “We didn’t know what else to do.”I didn’t respond. My throat was still tight.The last shackle dropped to the floor with a metallic clink. I rubbed my wrists instinctively—angry red marks circling them.But before I could say anything, Kai leaned forward, took one of my wrists in his palm… and pressed a kiss against the irritated skin.I froze.The warmth of his lips lingered for only a second—but the sting vanished instantly. I blinked, stunned, and looked down. The marks were gone.“Kai?” I breathed. “How did you…?”He chuckled softly, standing back to his full height. “I can do a lot of things, my love.”My stomach flipped a lit
I stood still.The water dripped from my hair. My skin still glowed faintly, markings humming beneath the surface. The silence around me wasn’t peaceful—it was coiled. Like a held breath.I was naked. But I didn’t feel cold. I didn’t feel… anything. Not properly.And their eyes—God, they were staring.Kai.Kylan.Kieran.They stood frozen near the edge of the spring, all three looking like they wanted to move closer but didn’t dare.“She’s not… blinking,” Kylan muttered.“She’s not Briar,” Kai replied, his voice low and sharp.Something twitched in my chest. I didn’t know if it was anger or sadness. Something flickered. I looked down at the water swirling around my waist. It was still listening. Ready.“What if she screams again?” Kylan whispered. “What if she vaporizes us this time?”I looked up slowly.Kai didn’t move. “Then we hope she remembers who we are before it happens.”Kylan turned to him. “Oh great. Hope. Yeah, that’ll totally keep our bodies from turning to smoke.”“Be qu