Vaughan Pov I walked into the quarters where Hank had lived for years, ever since my late father had brought him into the pack. The virtue my father had seen in him and assigned him as my omega before he died was something I couldn't understand for a long time, until he started working with me.I realized his unwavering dedication to working for me and the welfare of the pack. If anyone deserved the position it was him, and it would be a shame to let him fade before my eyes.I was surprised to discover the door to his house was ajar, but the smell that hit me, as I entered his room, startled the crap out of me. “Hell man, what the fuck?!”. I yelled, covering my nose, before I combust from the foul stench. Everywhere was dark and stuffy, and without any change of air. How the hell did he cope being here all day for weeks. I made my way to the window, and pulled the curtains to one side, opening the window for ventilation.He was sprawled on his big bed, empty of alcohol bottles litte
Riev povFew days later…“So the rumors are true, you are finally leaving?”. Jade asked, sourly, her expression sad, as she peered at my belongings in the room. “You make it sound as if I’m going and never coming back. I have a sister here, remember?”. I peered at her, but she curled the ends of hair with her index finger, her eyes everywhere but mine.“That is why you have to take care of yourself”. She said, staring at me.“Come on, I'm not a child, surviving after escaping Dark Valley should give you a hint on what I'm capable of”. “It's about your sister, she would be worried about you. You don't know how much she was distressed, when she thought you were dead”. I had also been worried about leaving her here, but she would be fine. “Alpha Vaughan made it worse, when he tried to hunt you down, thinking you were her lover”. I chortled in disbelief, Vaughan was indeed crazy to have such absurd thoughts about us.“Sounds like he was nuts”. I muttered. He wouldn't be able to even i
Raven pov “Why are you acting so uptight?”. I asked Vaughan for the umpteenth time tonight, as he enveloped me in his arms.“You have gone for the packrun these past months, and nothing went wrong. I will be fine on my own”. I assured him, but he hugged me tighter. “I can't just help it but feel edgy. Zane needs to be out, but at the same time I feel strange about tonight’s run”. He said, his warm breath against my neck, before he pressed his lips to my mark, which made my toes curl.“Maybe I should stay back tonight…”. He said, and pulled his body away from me, his lips curling up in mirth. “No, you can't put off things you should do, because of me”. I moved a few steps back from him.“Nothing is more important to me than you”. “You have been this way ever since the past few days”. I muttered, and observed him, but he avoided my eyes. “You are hiding something from me”. I said, eyeing him intently. This was one of the times I hated being the only one who couldn't read his thought
Raven pov‘Weak wolf?’. The voice scoffed in anger. ‘Now who the hell is the weak one, you piece of garbage’. It continued, and I kicked a part of his limb which was close to my foreleg. Picking up the scents of people nearby, I hid behind the pillar, just as the guards came back, scanning the surroundings, and looking for who had caused the mess. Everything felt like I was doing too much. ‘After so long of being away, I never thought I would have to hide for my first kill'.The voice continued talking, while I had to bear with the noise, unable to do anything. It took a while, until I perceived a strong scent, followed by a series of frantic voices in my head. ‘Where the hell was she?!’.Immediately I saw Vaughan followed by Riev, both of them, and knew it was his thought. They both swept their eyes around, barking out orders at the guards around. I thought they both went for the pack run. ‘Well, here comes our overbearing mate, going over the top, like always as if we are freakin
Riev pov“How is she doing?”. I asked Vaughan as soon as he came out of the room.“Handling it better than I could imagine, but she is already asleep”. He answered, as he glanced back at the opened door. “Still going with your plan, or you are not sure yet?”. His voice low, so as not to disturb Raven. “I have to go now”. I muttered, my heart feeling a bit heavy. I got new information that the situation was dire. “But I will be back earlier than intended”. I said. “You can stay back if you are that worried-”. “I know she is in safe hands, and she already has her wolf”. I interrupted him, my eyes on him. It would be better to handle the situation faster, and be back than shifting it. “Suit yourself“. He muttered dryly, and I pushed him aside, entering the room. Raven was sleeping calmly, I stared at her for a while, knowing the night had been hard for her. I wrote down a message for her on a notepad, before exiting the room. I wasn’t surprised to see him at the door.“You better mak
Raven pov“WHAT?!”. Vaughan yelled and moved from his closet, which he had been rummaging for some minutes.“No, I can't allow that?”. He shook his head, and continued with what he was doing, dismissing what I just said.“Why?”. Not understanding his refusal, on allowing Mason to stay in the house.“I don't just want to, he is fine where he is. Why are you so keen about this?”. A frown appeared at his forehead, as he threw a shirt on.“He's just a child, and I'm not just saying this, because of him, but his sister, who misses his company. We will give him a separate room, for our privacy, if that's what you are bothered about”. I persuaded him.“They literally see each other everyday. How is that possible?”.“I wish it was only about that, but he had been oddly quiet these days, and more withdrawn into his shell, something is wrong about him”. He sighed deeply, and sat down on the bed. “I feel he needs some comfort, and someone who…”.“You pamper him beyond understanding, and differen
Vaughan pov“It better be something important, for me to leave my mate”. I said to Hank, as I strolled into the office, also noticing Gale was here.“I think he found a link to the person who took the missing locket”. Gale said, throwing a document on the desk. I discovered it was the list of everything that was brought into the pack. It had been a way of ensuring everything was under scrutiny, and control from people that did illegal work, within the pack. I scanned the list, but did not find anything I felt was important to us.“What is this about?”. I asked, staring at the both of them for explanation, as I dropped the document back on the desk. They better not be kidding me!“Didn't see the odd item there?”. Hank asked calmly, which only made me pissed off the more. He took the list, and pointed at a single item, which was brought into the pack.“Don't you find this odd?”. He raised his eyebrows, and I stared at the item again, racking my brain on what he meant. “Who brought thi
Vaughan pov“It's from Riev”. He whispered. I wasn't surprised to see the content of the message. It was none other, but Jade responsible for everything. Yet what surprised me was the fact that it was sent a day ago. “Why are we just seeing this now?”. I asked no one in particular as Gale reached forward to have a look of who it was, and gasped in shock. “I just stumbled upon it on the shelf, and curiously checked it, just to see this message”. Hank said, “She…she asked for it a day ago…” Gale whispered, running his hands through his hair. “If I knew she was up to no good, I wouldn’t have given it to her”. That only meant Riev was already on his way back to RedMoon and should be here before dusk. I could only wonder how he knew it was Jade, when he was miles away. “Can’t we still search around the pack house?”. Fia said, tears in her red eyes. Even though I had almost killed minutes ago, she was still pumped up about helping to search for Raven. “He isn’t just some random being,
Raven povHours earlier in Matoma village…“What is her name?”. The lady at the village’s clinic asked, after I asked about Maggie. She pulled out a big wrinkled old book of record, underneath a book she was writing on. I saw her trace the previous day’s date, and my eyes widened in shock at the number of people who visited the clinic. It was an outrageous number of people.I then surveyed the crowded space, discovering the people around were mostly injured people around. Why were there so many injured people? Some limped around, or cradled their arms. I saw a young girl who was still in her teens with a bandage on her head. My heart immediately went out for her. Was it a normal thing to get hurt all the time or I was missing something?“She had been discharged”. The lady said, “...but her condition was severe yesterday”. I said. She shouldn't be discharged, Altair’s hit had been too fatal. “Are you sure…?”. He had told me not to bring her up, so it was for me to make sure she was ok
Vaughan povI banged incessantly, on Minka’s wooden door. I was holding back from taking it to the ground because of the respect I had for her privacy. I checked the wristwatch on me, and it was already past six. I have been here for the past fifteen minutes, and yet she hadn't shown up. “How long are you going to take? It's been three days already”. I yelled, as I continued to hit the door. I didn't close my eyes a wink throughout the night, and kept watch till it was morning. I didn't see Riev, after he left the dungeons yesterday, but I knew he was around also waiting for Minka’s arrival this morning. She was our last resort.After another fifteen minutes, and at my wits end, she finally opened her door, her face groggy from sleep, but I knew she hadn't been sleeping because the lights in her room were shining bright as daylight.“Why are you here?”. She asked, squinting her eyes, in confusion, which made the hairs on my neck stand up immediately. Had she forgotten what she told m
Raven povDusk came in a blur, and I found myself still mulling over the reason why I wasn't happy. I had a husband who loves me, and any girl would love to be in my position as his wife, yet I wasn't satisfied. Something was obviously lacking in his love. Although I believed he cared for me, the rational part of me could sense he was keeping some things away from me. Bored to death, with Maggie who wasn't in the room, to keep me company. I left the room with no intention of having dinner. I didn't feel like eating at the moment, but I knew I would have a late night snack. It was something I did all the time. I caught myself immediately, realizing I didn’t even recall ever having a late snack here, but deep in my mind I knew it was something I did often. Lost in my thoughts I didn't realize when I lost my way. Unfortunately, I couldn't see any maids around, which made me a bit anxious. As I walked further in the hallway, I noticed an opened door, hoping it was someone I could ask fo
Raven povIn no time I woke up with a loud scream. My eyes wet from tears, and my body filled with perspirations, while I reeled from the odd dream I just had.“Are you okay?”. The same young girl, from before burst into the room. “...yes…”. I whispered, staring at the girl oddly, while wondering how she knew I was distressed in the first place.“I’m… sorry for barging into your room, but I heard your voice, that was why I rushed in thinking you were hurt, I didn't know you had been asleep”. She said, as if reading my mind. Her head was bent facing the floor, as she avoided my gaze. What sort of dream was that? I had never seen such wolf before.“I’m okay, thank you”. I dismissed her, but she stood there. “You can go”. I said.“It’s already time for lunch”. I peered at the small clock on the small table beside me, and realized I had been sleeping for almost three hours. “If you don't mind, I would love to dress you up”. She said, her eyes hopeful, and without thinking much about it,
Raven pov“Oh my…You look so beautiful, my lady”. One of the ladies, dressing me up, gushed behind me, touching my hair, which was brushed and packed behind my nape, with different adornment on my slicked hair. She came forward and touched an area on my cheeks, smiling brightly at me, while another adjusted a headpiece on my head.“Thank you”. I muttered, feeling uncomfortable with the little chaos around me. I wondered what the occasion was for, but I kept the thought to myself.“The dress suits you well, my lady”. Another praise, as soon as I was shoved into a tight fitting long gown, which accentuated my curves. It felt like all my internal organs were rammed together. I couldn't breathe properly. I stood like a piece of art being adorned by nosy onlookers. “Come on, you are needed outside”. An older woman came up to me from behind, but I didn't move.“Is there something that can be done…here”. I pointed to my waistline, where I felt discomfort. “It’s too tight”. I muttered, my ex
Vaughan pov“You look horrible, I wonder what my sister sees in you”. Riev said in disgust, as he walked into my office, and plopped on an empty chair. I didn't know how I looked, but It was definitely an eyesore. I had barely had any sleep last night, and had been holed up in the office. I avoided our room like a plaque. Everything in there reminded me of Raven. I couldn't remember how I had coped sleeping there before she came into my life. Life just seemed to be gloomy without her around. ‘Let's get to the bitch’. Zane growled in my mind, but I sat down feeling reluctant to face Jade. “What about the old…any traces of where they could be?”. He asked, his eyes furrowed in concern. “That old hag must be shitting me!”. He yelled, after I told him what Minka said. He stood up, and ran both hands through his hair. “I don't care what you both discussed, but I will find her myself, you guys are of no use”. He blurted out.“Do you know the village of the witches?”. It had been a though
Riev povMindlessly I didn’t know when I released her arm, then I noticed the way she cradled it, wincing in pain. Staring down at the arm I could notice the bandage there. I took a step closer to her, but held my myself back, the question why she had that injury, burning on my tongue.“I…didn’t mean to follow you, but there is something you have to know”. She muttered, and eventually met my gaze. It was strange seeing her anxious. “My brother…he is planning a war with some other packs who are against RedMoon”. “Why are you telling me this? I don’t look like the Alpha of RedMoon”. I said, nonchalantly, masking my surprise tone. But I was shocked at why she decided to tell me this, when she knew we were enemies. “For your sister. I owe her this, I ruined her life in DarkValley. If anything happens to her. It would also affect you”. She was clearly contradicting herself. She said something but meant another. I chuckled.“And why should I believe you’ve not? You also planned this wit
Riev povMiles away from RedMoon…“Are you sure of where you are going?”. I asked the Omega, who was driving the car. He looked better than the last time I saw him. It was strange that we were always with each other during operations like this. “I know her more than anyone does in the whole pack”. He said, but I scoffed in irritation.“You know her well enough not to know what she was up to all this time”. “I want to believe that she was manipulated into doing this”. He huffed out a deep sigh, I sensed the masked emotions beneath his calm demeanor. “Manipulated my ass”. I refuted. It was a well sought out plan of hers. Her questions about me staying back after the incident with Raven, with her stupid confession of love, out of the blue, were all the clues I missed out. I chuckled smugly as I remembered it. I must have been crazy to think it was genuine. I’m sure she would have laughed herself to death about my reaction.In all honesty I cared for as a friend could, and also wished
Vaughan pov“You shouldn’t feel bad about not doing anything to help”. Riev said to him, hugging him. “We are going to bring her back. It isn’t an option”. He flashed his eyes to me, indicating I agree with him.“Yes, Mason”. I muttered, and touched his small shoulders for the first time. I could now realize why Raven was so attached to him, he was more bright for his age. “I should have known about this even before I left”. Riev said, as we both watched him go. “His wary eyes when Jade had showed up in his room, when he wanted to say something to me. She had been threatening him for a while”. Then I also remembered Raven’s concern about his quiet demeanor. She had also sensed something was wrong with him, and to now know he was being threatened by Jade must have been a scary experience for him, since Raven was always in her company. The signs were there all along, no one knew it, except the little boy that had been caught up in the middle of all this. “That wench should be caught,