“Come on, join us. Can I make you a plate?” Ash waved his hand dismissively.
“A glass of wine will be fine.” He said. Mr Clifton was pulling out a chair next to Melissa but Ash went around him.
The chair next to Lola’s was pulled out and she gulped when she saw him sit down.
Melissa looked over the table. She needed to see Lola’s face and make sure that she was alright. She also wanted to scream across the table and ask what the hell was going on but luckily she had some restraint.
“Ash, how nice of you to join us. Who told you about the dinner?” Mrs. Blackwood asked. Ash thanked Mr. Clifton for the wine and swirled it in his glass.
“Nobody told me about the dinner. Jax said that Lola was spending the night at Melissa&r
Dinner had been a disaster for everyone except Mr and Mrs. Clifton who were wrapping up the evening with a glass of wine on the couch. They played a random show on the TV and held each other close. Lola stood in the hallway, watching as they gazed into each other's eyes and gently caressed each other lovingly.Mr. Cilfton grabbed his wife's chin and attacked her with several pecks on her lips as she laughed.โJealous?โ Lola spun on her feet and looked at Ash.โNo,โ she said but she was. The ever-growing longing for a love like that was evident in the twinkle in her eyes.Ever since she met Jax it was as though something awoke inside of her. Something she didn't think would ever come.The prospect of a future with a loving man who wanted her.Ash could see the lies spread on her face but he let it go.โMargret is gone, I'm going to head home. Are you sure youโre not coming?โ He asked her.Lola nodded and clasped her hands in her front.โYes. Thank you for coming tonight,โ she smiled. W
The school was different today. Everyone walked with a somber expression through the halls and they all stopped by a locker on their way to class. Lola and Melissa stood in the hallway and watched as the students put flowers, paintings, bears, and pictures by the locker. Her locker was covered in pictures of friends and her father, and signs that said โrest in peaceโ and โnever forgottenโ were taped on the metal. Flowers in her favorite shades, pink and purple, stood in vases on the floor. Clarissa had grown up with a lot of these people, when you live in a small town like Wild Cliff youโre pretty much stuck with the people born in your age group. All the way from kindergarten if not longer. A lot of the parents had helped Professor Adams when Clarissa was a baby, those who had kids her age would have them play together from birth and that kind of love creates unusually strong bonds.The sniffles were heard all throughout the school and many stopped and stayed by the locker as they cr
โWeโre leaving,โ Ash growled. His eyes glowed and even Ember took a step back. โGive me back my note,โ Lola demanded, standing her ground. From where they were standing nobody could hear them and they could hear nothing that happened in the school. โWeโre leaving.โ He said again and took a step toward her. Lola took the opportunity to reach out for his hand but he grabbed her wrist and held her still. โYou either come willingly or I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you out through school- ass first.โ He threatened. His anger only seemed to grow. โLetโs go.โ He pulled Lola behind him as she kicked and screamed. For each refusal to obey, one more string was snapped in his consciousness until all that was left was uncontrolled, primal rage. He dragged her around him and slammed her back against the wall. Lola gasped and stared in shock. Ash was heaving, he fought to gain control of the anger that consumed him but all he wanted was to get Lola out of the school no matter the
“Get out of my way.” Lola seethed and slammed her shoulder into Jax’s as she passed him. The door was slammed shut in front of her face and Jax stood leaning against it.“Lola, listen to me.” He said calmly.The chill grabbed her ankles and moved up her legs.“I’m not interested in anything you have to say.” She said.She scanned his face and not a single muscle was moving. It didn't feel like it was Jax’s eyes that she was looking into.He nodded and moved slowly over the carpet to his desk. His fingers tapped against the table, he flicked his tongue and grabbed a piece of paper. Lola’s stared at the white sheet folded over.It was the note that Ash had taken from her.
“You can’t be serious. You’re taking her from the pack? I can’t tell if this is sleep deprivation or if your brain just isn’t capable of calculating the risks,” Ash seethed and slammed his forehead in a gesture of Jax’s apparent stupidity.“I’m doing what I think is right for my wife,” he explained and dropped the files into his bag.Ash grabbed his cousin’s arm and pulled him around.“You’re being selfish! You two out there alone, with a clan of vampires out to get her. Do you not see how stupid this is?” Ash spat.Jax stepped closer and pushed his chest out as he raised his head.“What I see is that you have a misguided sense of protection. Or was it not you who told Lola yesterday
Lola cleared her throat, and Melissa waited eagerly to hear the story that, in some way, connected to her best friend.โOnce upon a time, in a village covered in ash, a woman stepped out of her house. She looked in despair at what the fire had caused and then looked further at the backs of the disappearing guards. They rode on their horses back to their king, who wallowed in sorrow over the loss of his son. The guards told their king of yet another village they had plundered. They had burnt their homes in front of the villagersโ eyes.โWe told them, my King, how to make it stop, but none stepped forward ready to pay the price.โThe king had sent guards to plunder village after village and bring back his heir.The king rose from his throne and lifted his sword in the air.โI will go to the village and talk to the people, with the promise of gold and new homes.โโMy King, if they resist, what then?โโIf they resist, I give the kingdom my word that I will burn their starving bones.โThe
โNaw!โ Melissa said in the back. She pouted and looked between the two.Lola rolled her eyes and pressed Melissa back into her seat, all the while laughing at her best friendโs hopelessly romantic side shining through.โHey, Jax,โ Melissa said. โDo you have a friend you can fix me up with?โ She placed her chin on the top of his seat.Jax laughed and shook his head.โNone that I would feel good fixing you up with,โ he said and looked at her through the rearview mirror.Melissa shrugged her shoulders and fell back in the seat. Jax had no human friends and Melissa didnโt need a werewolf boyfriend to complicate things further.โWhere are we going exactly?โ Lola asked, looking at the streets they passed.โAsh and I managed to find a living relative to the bookโs author. Weโre going to visit her.โ Jax clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowed on the road, and darkness engulfed them.โI just donโt know what to expect. Whoever wrote the book has a connection to the Doe. Her relative may know the an
โTell me why youโre here,โ she said. Her brows raised to her hairline. Her eyes were round and eager.Lola shifted next to Jax, and she saw Melissa in the corner of the couch, wrinkling her nose and looking around the room.โWe wanted to ask you about this story,โ Jax said, opening the book to the first page.Elwinaโs face lit up.โAhh, the story of the Doe. Remarkable, isnโt it?โ she said and dragged her plain nails over the text. Lola wouldโve thought that Ewlinaโs nails would scream as loud as her jewelry, but she was mistaken.They were rather rough and torn.โItโs lovely, but we were wondering what you could tell us about it apart from what is already written,โ Lola said as her brows pinched together.โHow do you mean?โ Elwina asked sweetly.Lola and Jax shared a look.โThe story behind the Doe, where did it originate from?โ Jax asked and leaned his elbows on his knees.Eliwna started laughing.โIts origin? Itโs a story. It originated in one personโs mind, and that person was cra
โGet your butt in here right now, young lady!โ Lola scolded while running around with a towel chasing her two-year-old daughter who was running down the hallways butt naked. With her arms swinging in the air and laughing menacingly, the water traced her steps on the carpets, and she headed towards the stairs. Just before reaching the end of the hallway, she was lifted into the air by two large arms and flown around like an airplane. โDaddy!โ โMy darling Ophelia,โ he said and lowered her gently. He tickled her nose and hugged her tight when Lola came to a stop with the towel. โThat little girl is definitely wolf,โ Lola panted. She halted to a stop and raised a brow when she took in Jaxโs appearance. โDaddy indeed,โ Lola purred when she watched her husbandโs bare upper body as he stood sweating after his workout with the warriors. โShe could be a Doe,โ Jax said and looked into his daughtersโ eyes. โShe has your big, beautiful eyes,โ he remarked. Lola giggled and cupped Jaxโs che
They were back at the mansion and had constructed a plan on the way. The danger was still not altogether eliminated, not all enemies had been neutralized and there were those on the inside still wanting to break Jax and Lola apart.Jax and Ash walked into the mansion with Lola keeping her distance behind them. She turned away from them and hid where they wouldn't see her until it was time. Jax had called for a meeting on the way and told his parents and Lavina to meet him in the study. Nobody had suspected a thing, they were all just glad to hear that he was alright and their Alpha and son were returning home. The Blackwood boys entered the office and let the door fall to a near close. โIt is so good to see you again, darling,โ Mrs. Blackwood gleamed.Lavina ran up and wrapped her arms around him. The wide smile on her face and the wrinkles on her eyes deepened as relief washed over her. โI was so worried I almost went after you myself but Lola insisted she had it covered,โ she sai
Lucien clapped his hands, starting slow as the sound echoed in the room before he picked up the speed and laughed menacingly. He slammed his fist in the air and blew into his hands in celebration.โI have played this in my mind for months, going over what it would be like to have you all here and to tell you the things I knew but now that it is happening, holy shit, there is not a feeling like it.โ He licked his lips and wiped the sweat from his face.He used his speed and kneeled next to Lola in a second. She fell back and tried to widen the distance between them by crawling backward but Lucien circled his fingers around her ankle and pulled her in with a rough grip. He gestured with his hand towards Jax and said through a deep smirk, โHow I have been waiting for this. Be honest now, which do you prefer- getting fucked by a werewolf-โ he grabbed her chin and forced her head back, โ-or a vampire?โ He asked. Jaxโs mouth fell open and his eyes glistened as though all the pain came rus
Ashโs eyes glowed as his wolf stepped up, his canines extended and his growl shook the walls of the house when he pulled the knife out of his side and he flung it at his cousin's hands. They all turned their heads and watched as the knife cut through the air and went clean through the chains that bound Jax's hands. Jax fell into a pool of his blood, his heart barely beating and his body weakened from the poison in his wounds.โWhat the fuck?โ One of the vampires spat and tried to overrun Ash. Ash grabbed the vampire's arm and spared no time as he ripped his head clean of his body and through against one of the windows, shattering the glass.โLet go of her.โ He growled and walked towards Lucien. Whatever they had laced the blade with was eating at his insides, burning his flesh like acid but Ash refused to fall, not until he knew that she was safe.Lucien pulled out his fangs and lifted his head, looking toward the ceiling in a euphoric high.Three of his men jumped on Ash who was alre
They went to sleep not long after their talk and Ash slept on top of the covers. He watched Lola drift off into slumber and lay awake completing his choices.His cousin had been taken and he was making moves on his girl. Though he knew what he wanted, he now began to regret the many decisions heโd made that had led him this far. He looked at her lips slightly parted in her sleep and her eyes softly closed still, the faint freckles on her nose and her thick hair landing over her shoulder.She was a special girl, loved by many and desired by more. Perhaps it was the curse of being the Doe or maybe it was just her heart that sparked interest once she trusted people enough to show it to them. Regardless of the reasons, Ash realized now that his fighting was futile because her heart was not his to win. He should've been grateful to have felt her love, the one she gave him when she chose to trust him. The love was addictive, at first taste he wanted more, and he wanted what his cousin had.
They drove up to the Inn though it was further away from the street than advertised and they circled a sharp turn that led up a narrow path.As they arrived at a red neon sign saying โopenโ and a lady sitting with headphones on behind the desk inside they looked at each other, a lingering silence that was questioning just how good of an idea it was to go in. The rain poured around them. Drops on the roof of the car began to sound like firecrackers went off in a tunnel.Ash gave Lola his jacket to hold over her head and they shared a look before they ran from the car and slammed open the door as they tumbled inside.The lady looked up, slowly and gently as though a couple of strangers hadn't just tumbled into her hallway. She slowly leaned to the side to look past them and watch the pour outside of the Inn.โYou kids donโt listen to the news, do ya?โ She laughed.She wiggled her finger in front of Lola and pointed to the den.โThere are towels in there, go grab yourselves some and I'll
They were back in the mansion. Ash had gathered the Alpha's warriors and filled them in on the situation. One of the cleaners had turned on the radio and Lola heard on the news that extreme weather was to be expected as she walked down after having changed clothes. Extreme rainfall was to occur during the night and the following days in and around town.She had the keys to her car and a small bag with toiletries.Ash and the warriors came out of the office and saw Lola standing at the entrance. His shoulders rose in a predatory bow as he stalked towards her.โWhere do you think youโre going?โ He asked. โTo find Jax. Whatever he and I are, itโs my fault that heโs been taken. I'm going to bring him home,โAsh was in front of her before she could blink and ripped the keys from her hand.โThe hell you are.โ He put the keys in his pocket and grabbed her wrists when she tried to get them back. โItโs my fault that he was taken, he was protecting ME!โ โAnd I will get him back!โ He growled
She froze, time stilled around them and that picture would now be etched in her mind forever as it was all she saw wherever she looked.Nobody moved, she heard faint gasps and a low growl behind her but she couldn't turn around.For Lola, it felt as though hours passed without either Jax or Lavina moving but when a hand weighed down on her shoulder and forced her to turn she noticed everything moving a lot faster and people not having noticed what happened.She looked over her shoulder at Jax and Lavina and saw that they stood apart from each other, Lavina was by the table and Jax wiped his thumb over his lips and turned his head, his eyes locked with Lolaโs, and his hand fell to his side. โLola,โ Ash said and tried to get her attention.Melissa had her arm hooked in Edโs and watched with a glimmer in her eyes as her worst fear came true.But at that moment Lola couldn't breathe, she couldn't hear what anyone said and needed to get away from all of the people that surrounded her.On
โShe did an amazing job,โ Lola said, trying to break the thick ice coating when they were alone.โShe did.โ He said huskily and looked down at her. His gaze burned into her skin, his eyes glistened as they scanned her as they had many times before and his tongue slid over his lips.They stood staring into each other's eyes and Lola noticed the life in Jaxโs eyes had dimmed. It wasn't what she looked into before, he seemed hardened and cold. Not just towards her but in general.Lola didn't know the first thing about being an Alpha but she was starting to realize that perhaps it entailed your persona shifting from tough but fair to cold and hard.Was it Alphas or just Jax?There didn't seem to be any in-between.โYou wanted to talk.โ He said.Taken aback by the hurry in his tone she realized he wanted to leave.โWe havenโt talked since that night in the guest room. You slept in my bed, told me to be patient with you and then I don't hear from you for weeks.โ Jaxโs brows furrow and a ch