Mag-log inOLIVIAAfter watching that horrendous display of pure violence labeled as entertainment for the demon spawn that lived in this pack, Nathaniel disappeared. It had been three days since I last saw him; all the while, I was forbidden to leave the manor. Whenever I tried to exit this god-forsaken place, the guards would either follow me to the gate before telling me to turn around or they would simply stop me at the door.Two days ago, I tried to sneak out, but I only got to the front of the gate before someone smacked me over the head, and I woke up in our room.Lady Lockheart and her husband were away as well; that was a win, I guess. When roaming the halls of the manor was the only form of excursion I was allowed, I took it to the next level; peaking my head in every room, wandering the corridors to map out every exit— not that there were many— until I had seen every inch of the right wing.One room caught my curiosity the most; it was the only locked door I could find. Here I was, on
NATHANIELTo say that the devil and I shared a few common traits would be an understatement; when you’ve been brought up to learn to love the bloodshed, the cries, the screams of agony for something you’ve inflicted, it kind of messes with your head a bit.Today, I couldn’t imagine a life without it. With every drop of blood I shed, the need for more only grew. That was until three years ago, at the eve of a sad little party on the outskirts of a pack where the grounds had burned, but the people prevailed—living in poverty yet managing to find a sliver of joy in the haze of the butcher shop that someone had turned into a makeshift club.Music and lights that flickered in attempts to drown out the obscenity happening outside the doors, yet it was the alcohol that ultimately transferred them to a temporary illusion that all was well. The plan was easy; we were to go through the packs and towns to look for any rebel camps or people speaking of rebellion. I was at the club that night to s
The next morning, Nathaniel had left before I woke up. It was a pleasant surprise to awaken in solitude, though a thick, growing lump of anxiety joined me instead.Last night, he told me about the bloodline forged for the purpose of ridding the world of the Lockhearts. He never told me the family's name, not that he had to; I’d heard it many times before.After my shower, I got dressed and headed out, bypassing everyone who followed me with their gazes. Down in the town square, there were boutiques and smaller shops, and streets stretched for multiple blocks with everything a person could need. There was life here. A busy buzzing I hadn’t heard in years. Dressed as though the world wasn’t burning around them— humans torched in their cities at the reaping of werewolves— they strutted about their day in blissful ignorance.Forgetting to look where I was walking, I accidentally bumped into someone on the sidewalk. She turned her head, calm at first until she saw me, after which her eyes
OLIVIAThe barn erupted in cheers. People rose to their feet when Nathaniel leaned in to kiss me. He took his time, one inch at a time, slowly, calculating my fear that rose to the surface the closer he got. ”Smile, sweetheart.” Our lips pressed together, but it didn’t stop there; he didn’t pull away. Instead, his tongue pressed against my lips, demanding entrance. I parted my lips. He was ravenous in the way he claimed me, his fingers digging into my waist, his other hand cupping the side of my head.When the barn doors opened and a brisk wind blew in, that was when I returned to my body, realizing that this had just happened.Nathaniel held around my waist, proudly gazing out over the heads of a chosen few of his pack members.He leaned down, and a shiver sparked down my spine when his breath fanned my ear.”You’re mine now.””Have you ever not gotten anything you’ve wanted?” I asked through a soft smile as I looked out over the crowd.”Never. And I wasn’t about to let that stop wit
OLIVIACars drove as though they were being chased. Men in black uniforms with red threads across the linings barged into my house. Trunks opened, bags tossed in, doors shut as though nothing had value. With fixed gazes, they made it a point not to look at the worn-down houses around mine.Most likely wondering how people could live like this. When it was they who had caused it.The sight of my mother stepping out on the porch, clutching her hands to her chest as she watched the backs of the men emptying her daughter’s room. Tears welling in her eyes, a cloud forming in the air as she let out a breath.”Olivia,” she breathed, hurrying down to the sidewalk where I watched from a distance as my life was being ripped away. From her…from me…from everyone and everything I had ever known.”Why didn’t you say no?” Her fingers dug into my shoulders, shaking me like she was trying to wake me up.”I did,” I nodded. “But because it was him, they wouldn’t accept it.”Her lips parted in silent bre
OLIVIAThe girls straightened up, some more than others. My girls looked at each other, a deep-seated disgust piercing each glare.One step was all it took for my heart to stop.Don’t come here, go to the siren…please. A pair of blue eyes that would’ve pulled any man under the surface of the water to touch her skin was flirting with the beast from the line. Go to her for fucks sake.The way her eyes captured you, her melodious voice lured you in; it wouldn’t surprise me if she were, in fact, a siren. But based on the smell, she was a werewolf, like everyone else in here.Another step. He was dragging this out— stalking like a predator about to pounce.With a few steps left before he reached me, Nathaniel turned, stepped up to the siren, leaned down, and placed a kiss on her lips. I drew a breath so deep that my breast rose to my chin. My shoulders fell, and I allowed myself a second to close my eyes and thank the gods.”We had a lovely conversation. You’re clever,” he said. ”You would







