Author’s POVRobert forced his way through the busy kitchen, shoving maids aside as he made a beeline for the small storage room."Excuse me, coming through," he barked, reckless of the protests that followed him."Wait, you can’t go in there, that’s a private—"Reaching the door, he pulled it open and slipped inside, quickly closing it behind him and locking it. Bringing the phone to his ear, he braced himself as the familiar number flashed across the screen.The orphanage owner's voice was filled with distress as he delivered the news. "Why haven’t you been answering my calls? Your son's condition has worsened. If you don't get a doctor to operate on him soon, I'm afraid..."Robert cut him off, his grip tightening around the phone. "Do whatever it takes, to keep him alive," he growled. "I will send more money. Just make sure he gets the care he needs, you can look for a doctor on my behalf."The man's response was filled with frustration. "Money isn't the solution here, Mr. Robert.
Author’s POVRobert followed Carol down the dimly lit corridors, his eyes running about nervously, ensuring no one had spotted them. The sound of his wet footsteps echoed against the walls, the patter of rain a nonstop backdrop.At last, they reached a solid wooden door. Carol quickly brought out a key, glancing around before unlocking the door and pushing it open and leading Robert inside. The room was covered in darkness, the only light coming from the narrow sliver of light that filtered in from the hallway."Stay close," Carol murmured, reaching out to tug the door shut behind them.Blinded by total blackness, Robert felt the woman move past him, the sound of rustling footsteps signaling her movement. Suddenly, the room was bathed in soft light as she pulled a white cloth off one of the mysterious shapes that scattered the room.Beneath the cloth, rows upon rows of large plastic containers came into view. Robert's brow furrowed as Carol turned to him, a delighted shine in her eyes
Author’s POVThe roads leading to the Demontail Packhouse were a muddied mess, the heavy rainstorm of the previous night having left its mark. Nevertheless, Emily continued walking, her bare feet sinking into the wet sand with each step.Hunger troubled her empty stomach, her body growing weaker with every passing moment. But she was driven by a singular purpose, to ensure her son's wellbeing and, if possible, secure her own freedom by reuniting with Robert.As the huge gates of the packhouse came into view, Emily's determined walk faltered. A group of warriors stood guard, their voices raised in a noisy celebration."Open the gates!" one shouted. "The truck's about to go out!"Curiosity got the better of Emily as she moved closer, looking through the open gate. Her jaw slightly dropped in surprise as she spotted, Marcus next to the truck, in a deep conversation with Nicholas. Her breath caught in her throat. Nicholas, alive?Forgetting caution, she opened her mouth, ready to call out
Author’s POVEmily woke up with a pounding headache, her vision blurry as she pushed herself upright in the unfamiliar bed. Glancing around, she found herself in a lightly furnished room, a single door and restricted window the only means of escape.Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Emily made her way to the door, grasping the knob and pulling. To her surprise, it was unlocked. But as she began to walk out, without looking ahead of her, she bumped into a solid wall—that was someone’s chest.Wincing, she stretched out her neck upwards, her breath catching in her throat as she recognized the familiar face of Nicholas.Before she could utter a word, his large hand clamped over her mouth, and he shoved her roughly back into the room, slamming the door behind them. Emily's back collided with the wooden surface, and she found herself trapped, Nicholas's body trapping her in.His other hand braced above her head, and Nicholas fixed her with an unreadable gaze. "Listen to me," he mu
Author’s POVRobert gazed down at the twin children, their wide eyes and contagious grins instantly tugging at his heartstrings. Jessica's children—a boy and a girl—have brown locks that mirror the image of their mother's.Mr. Parker quickly shushed the kids, waving them away. "Shush, go away, I have told you, little troublemakers, times without number to stop calling everyone you see 'Daddy'! You know your mother isn't married."But the children refused to budge, looking up at Robert with uncontrolled adoration. "If you want to marry Mommy, we would love it!" the girl beamed.The older man's expression soured. "Naughty kids! Go away, or I won't let you have your birthday party!"The twins grumbled under their breath but scurried away, disappearing up the grand staircase.Robert turned to Mr. Parker, his brow furrowed. "Um, if Jessica isn't married, how did she have these kids? Is there something I am missing? Perhaps they are my..." He trailed off, his eyes widened in surprise. The
Author’s POVResting restlessly in the bed, Emily was holding a pillow to her chest inside the dark room. Her mind was consumed by thoughts of her son. How was Winston doing? Was the pain from his heart condition growing unbearable without his mother by his side?The sudden creak of the door had her sitting up, her heart was galloping so fast. Looking into the darkness, she could make out a ghostly figure approaching, their silhouette becoming clearer as they neared the bed.Gripping the spoon she had used for her meal, Emily scrambled to the edge of the bed, her legs curled protectively against her chest. "Stay back!" she cried, waving the spoon threateningly. "Don’t come any closer, or I won't hesitate to use this!"The mysterious person chuckled, and Emily's body relaxed as Carol's familiar face appeared in the darkness. "Am I really that scary?" the woman inquired, moving closer.Emily released a shaky breath. "Scary? I wasn't expecting someone to sneak in here like a ghost!" She
Author’s POVRobert's eyes fluttered open to the persistent slapping of Nicholas's palm against his cheek. Frowning, he glanced up at his new ally, who regarded him impatiently."Wake up, sleepyhead, we don't have all day," Nicholas scolded. "Time to get moving to the Duskfall pack, we don't want Marcus's henchmen to catch up to us, do we?"Handing Robert a wrapped burger, he added, "Eat up. You will need the energy."Accepting the food with a cautious glare, Robert took a hesitant bite, chewing thoughtfully. "Which side are you really on?" he questioned, his tone serious. "Are you seriously trying to make this deal happen, or what?"Nicholas's expression darkened. "I have to sell off some of the disease at the Duskfall pack," he admitted. "And I don't have a choice, we still need Marcus's trust if we are going to win this war, and the only way to have his full trust is by selling some of the containers and sending the money back to him."Robert's brow furrowed, his doubts persisting
Author’s POVAs the Duskfall warriors began offloading the containers of disease, the Alpha and his beta ushered Robert and Nicholas into the grand living room. But the two men came to a sudden stop, their gazes engrossed on the familiar person lounging on the couch."Michael?" Robert breathed, his brow furrowing in confusion.The Alpha gestured grandly. "Make yourselves at home. My beta will finalize the deal with you, I have another business to attend to."Without another word, he turned and began climbing the grand staircase, Michael getting up to follow him. Nicholas seized the younger Alpha's arm, whispering urgently. "What are you doing here? Didn't you refuse to join me yesterday? How did you get here so fast on your own anyway?"Michael offered a mysterious smile. "Sheesh, you ask way too many questions, you sound like my brother. I came here for another reason, I will let you know how it turns out." With that, he broke free and hurried after the retreating Alpha.The older ma