Emily’s POVThe sound of thundering footsteps shoved me awake, my entire body aching with a dull, throbbing pain. Puzzled, I shifted across the unfamiliar bed, squinting against the darkness that filled the room.Before I could fully gather my bearings, a stream of cold water came pouring down, soaking through my clothes and bed clothes. I jumped up with a startled yelp, my gaze snapping towards the shadowy person using the now-empty bucket."What the hell?" I demanded, wrapping my arms around myself. "Who the fuck are you? Why did you do that?""You should be grateful it was just water," a familiar voice hissed. The person stepped forward, and I felt my stomach crash as I recognized the crushing glare of Mrs. Blackwood. "If I had my way, it would have been acid."I stiffened at her bitter tone, a fresh wave of anger crashed over me. "How dare you!" I snapped. "How can you treat me like a piece of shit? Do you think I wanted to be here in the first place? I would rather be in the dang
Emily’s POVThe sight that greeted me through the glass panel stole the breath from my lungs, a sharp sting of pain shooting through my chest. There, chained to the bed, was a massive white wolf—its fur knotted and yellow eyes wild with fury. It could only be one person."J-James," I breathed, the realization hitting me on the head like a lead pipe.Beside me, Michael placed a steadying hand on the small of my back as I staggered, threatening to collapse to the floor."Easy, there," he murmured, his gaze trained on the tortured wolf before us. "The doctors are doing everything they can to bring him back to his normal state."I could only stare in mute horror as the medical staff moved with purpose, attaching various tubes and electrodes to the wolf's body. Suddenly, the head physician picked up a set of menacing-looking metal spikes, mouthing a word that sent a chill down my spine."Charge."With a shock the wolf shuddered, its body wrecked by violent shocks. The disturbing sound of i
Alpha Michael’s POVI stood in the courtyard, the cool night air doing little to crush the rumbling frustration bubbling inside me. Beside me, Emily listened carefully as the doctor narrated the latest developments regarding my brother."No one can go near him." I interrupted, furrowing my brow. "That's precisely why I hired you—to find a way to bring him back so people can go near him, especially his family."The man winced, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Alpha Michael, you just... wouldn't understand. We are still trying our best, but it's proving incredibly difficult." He paused, his expression darkening. "He has become a wild, dangerous beast. The chains have had to be replaced three times today alone."Emily moved closer, her face filled with a mix of concern and defiance. "How can he be dangerous when he is confined in that room?" she challenged.The doctor sighed heavily. "That's just it, the restraints may not be enough. He..." He hesitated, his Adam's apple bobbing as he s
Alpha Michael’s POVI leveled her with a bored stare. "If you are expecting my brother to show up after everything you have done to him, then you are asking for too much," I declared. "He is a bit... preoccupied at the moment."Her face fell, an intense sadness crashing over her expression. "I see. After everything I did to him, I can understand why he wouldn't want to see me." She paused, glancing around secretively. "But the rumors... are they true? Has he really..."I cut her off with a sharp gesture. "Enough of the sob story. Get to the point, why did you want to see my brother? I am here in his place, so you might as well relay the information to me."Carol leaned in closer, and I couldn't help but wince, discomfort climbed up my spine. "I don't have much time," she whispered hurriedly. "Marcus is planning to attack the packhouse. He's... he has created some kind of disease that's going to wipe everyone out."Shock coasted through me when she delivered the bombshell, and I felt m
Alpha Michael’s POVI leaned against the wall, a cigarette hanging from my lips as I watched Nicholas oversee the engineer's anxious work. The man was carefully placing explosive charges along the surface of the reinforced glass, sweat beading on his brow as he secured each one.Taking a long drag, I eyed the proceedings with a furrowed brow. "Are you sure setting off explosives in the packhouse is a good idea?" I inquired, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "We could just as easily get a glass-cutting laser to do the job."Nicholas didn't bother looking up from his job. "It would take hours to go out and get a laser," he replied briefly. "By then, James's wolf could have already murdered Emily, judging from the situation she is in right now."My gaze drifted to the glass, where I could see Emily's terrified body clinging to a window bar, the massive wolf snarling and snapping at her from the ground. My heart clenched at the sight, and I had to force myself to look away."I told her not to
Alpha Michael’s POVStruggling against the choking pain, I staggered down the corridor, still calling out Nicholas's name. But the sound that reached my ears was far more worrying—a chorus of tortured cries.Bracing myself, I pressed on, the strain on my lungs making each step a massive effort. As I reached the balcony overlooking the living room, the sight that greeted me sent a chill down my spine.Nicholas stood there, a gas mask obscuring the lower half of his face. The engineer cowered at his feet, his face swollen and damaged. Nicholas was yelling, his voice muffled by the mask, as he demanded answers."Tell me what you did, you asshole!" he roared, punctuating his words with a sharp slap that echoed through the hall.The engineer looked up, his lips curling into a twisted smile. "Aren’t you tired of barking? You are just wasting your time if you think I am going to snitch on my boss," he spat. "You were stupid to hire me in the first place, you were looking for an engineer, and
Alpha Michael’s POVAs I approached Emily's bedside, the doctor's words cut through the fog of my concern."Alpha Michael, remember that this is an airborne disease. We must practice strict social distancing and avoid any physical contact with the infected." He explained, his voice hoarse. "It’s the only way for us to keep the disease under control for now."The warning registered through the fog of my worry, and I hesitated, my hand hovering mere inches from Emily's. Nicholas, sensing my intent, reached out and firmly grasped my wrist, pulling me back."He is right," he said, his voice muffled by the gas mask. "You need to keep your emotions in check. Remember, Emily is still James's mate, not yours."I shot him an arrogant glare, my wolf struggling to surface. "Who says my brother can't share his mate?" I growled. "There's no rule against a she-wolf having two mates, or three as long as they can take care of her, and besides, if she is infected, then I am also infected, so why can’t
Alpha Michael’s POVI took another bite of the hastily assembled sandwich, my gaze drifting to the courtyard outside my window. A crowd of angry pack members had gathered, their faces covered by protective masks as they displayed placards, their demands echoing through the cold night air."We want our old Alpha back!""The temporary Alpha must step down!"With a sigh, I released the curtain, the fabric falling back into place. I didn't have the manpower to disband them—not with our warriors weakened by that damned toxin.A pair of slender arms encircled my waist, and I felt Jasmine's soft boobs press against my back. Her familiar floral scent filled my senses, but I found myself strangely unmoved, my focus trained solely on the discouraging job at hand.My phone chose that moment to ring, the screen lighting up with an unfamiliar number. Bracing myself, I answered, praying it was the Duskfall Alpha I had been trying to reach.To my relief, the gruff voice on the other end confirmed my