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*~~Chapter One Hundred and Nine~~*
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2024-07-31 22:50:09
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The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ten~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}The first testing was about to begin, and I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. The lab, now a hive of activity, was a testament to the countless hours of preparation and planning that had brought us to this moment. Every piece of equipment, every test tube and microscope, was ready to be put to use in our quest to find a cure for Lycanthropic Decay Syndrome (LDS).Martin Miller, our patient, lay on the bed in the observation room, his body weak and his eyes half-closed. He was barely awake, but we were committed to keeping him as comfortable as possible, ensuring he was fed and hydrated throughout the process. The one-way glass allowed us to monitor him without causing any additional stress, giving us a clear view of his condition. After the rage, the violence, the victims of the LDS are left with pain, hollow feeling and wishes of death.I took a deep breath and glanced at Avery, who was by my side, her face set with determination. Together, we had put everyt
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-07-31The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Eleven~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I slept for a while on Logan's chest, the most comfortable place in the world. His steady heartbeat was my lullaby, and the warmth of his embrace was my cocoon. I was in a deep, dreamless sleep, cocooned in his arms, completely oblivious to the world outside. Hours seemed to pass by in mere minutes, and I only woke up when the rain began to slow down and he gently nudged me awake.It felt like we had been there for ages, wrapped up in each otherâs warmth while the storm raged outside. A simple check to my phone... my phone! Where was my phone? Panic surged through me as I frantically patted my pockets and rummaged through my bag. "Crap, Logan, we have to go back to the hospital. I can't find my phone."He glanced at me with a calm demeanor that I envied. "It's in your bag. I saw you place it in."I mouthed an "O," feeling sheepish. I hadn't expected that. Sighing with relief, I thanked him, grateful for his attention to detail. I just wanted to sleep, to sink back
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-02The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Twelve~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}The warm body sliding up against me made my breath hitch, and if I hadnât had plans for today I would taken the invite her body was giving. Although Iâm not sure she was aware of how her body was grinding into mine. I exhaled softly and opened my eyes so I could see the woman in front of me. I couldnât connect her to Ava. She looked so different when she was sleeping. Like the world couldnât bother her. Like everything was okay.I rolled out of bed before i did something stupid like kiss her awake. Stretching my bones, I grabbed my phone so i could call my mother. Itâs time we did something else right with Avery but first, I had to speak with them.I went into the hotel bathroom, locking the door behind me. As though some spirit was watching me, my phone started to ring right away. I glanced at the unknown number and weighed my choices before choosing to answer it.I was hit with immediate regret. âLogan.â Ava. God, why is it that the moment I decide to move on she su
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-03The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I rushed out of the taxi and headed straight for the cafe doors. I would have been here sooner but logan had turned a quick shower into letâs have a quickie and now heâs headed to the hospital- where Iâll need to be in an hour- and Iâm hurrying to meet with a soon-to-be widow. Um, I mean.... a disgruntled woman. Who has been through so much?To my luck, it seemed like she was just arriving so perhaps sheâd lied to get me here quicker. I couldnât blame her. I wouldnât want to wait to discuss my dying husbandâs illness or my missing daughters. I took a spot while she was at the counter, and asked myself to breathe a little better. I might be able to pull off being here earlier thing.She turns, scanning the room. And when she spotted me, I waved a little. She smiles, but her eyes are sort of empty. Even though her husband was an asshole, I believe he wasnât always like that. This disease, it truly fucks with a person. Turning a once good man or woman, although it is
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-04The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Sheâs late. She should be done by now. I turned on the tracker I had on her phone and found that Avery was headed towards the hospital. Not wanting to seem desperate I took the stairs so by the time I got to the last floor her taxi would have arrived. I looked forward to talking to her. We didnât get much time together.I stepped out of the time. Just in time. But she was frozen in the spot, not hearing a single thing I said. Following where her horrid expression was aimed, I spotted something that stole my happiness. And that thing was pregnant.âHi, Logan,â Ava said. Her bright smile aimed at me. But all I could notice was her big round belly, and how the alpha in me wanted me to grab Avery and run for the hills. Instead of doing something that pathetic, I emptied my face and looked at her.âAva, I didnât think youâd return.ââI told you I was in town. Can we talk in private?â she made a small gesture with her eyes towards Avery.Avery seemed to snap out of her shoc
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-05The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I canât believe she came back. I was so sure that she wouldnât, and yet here she is. Ready to take back her man. Her man. Thatâs right. Heâs not mine. Sure, we were trying to build something good but this is the girl he was waiting for. Now weâre not in different states Iâm sure he can see what he was missing out on when he decided to settle for me.âExcuse me, Miss Sterling.â A male nurse called for me. I looked up.âYes?ââThereâs a guy who wants to see you out back.â I frowned, why wouldnât Logan just take the front doors? Or right, itâs probably not him. Heâs discussing future plans with Ava right now as we speak. I said I wouldnât run away, but I think Iâm going to keep my promise to Aisha. Pack up my stuff, and just leave overnight.Thatâll save him the stress of having to hand me divorce papers. Iâll leave the ring and a note telling him to just mail them to me. Yep, thatâs the plan. I followed the nurse outside until I was in the back yard of the hospital.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-05The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}âWhat the fuck do you mean?âAva went back to sit on the bench. She didnât look like she was ready to comply or tell me anything. I was prepared to ask her once more when my phone started to ring. My gut tightened, and a sickening feeling filled it. I answered it once i saw Ryanâs name.âFuck, youâre okay. Thank goodness.ââHuh? Why wouldnât I be okay?ââI got an emergency call from your hospital. There were shots fired, and some patients saw a nurse running from an angry gunman. I wanted.... is Avery there with you?âAnother drop in my gut. âOh no. Ryan, I need to tell you something.â I turned from Ava and ran. I was leaving her there. If she thought I would waste my time trying to get her to speak to me then she was in for a rude surprise. I explained what was happening to Ryan, needing his advice while also begging the gods that I find Avery in good health.And that the nurse being chased is anyone else but her.âI knew that bitch wouldnât be gone forever. Listen t
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-06The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery seemed to go into a panicked frenzy as soon as she realized that Rex wasnât the one Iâd attacked. Her eyes went wide with shock, her face drained of color, and before I could steady her, she crumpled, unconscious from the shock. I scooped her up in my arms, my heart pounding in sync with the urgency of the situation. Without a second thought, I carried her all the way to the hospital, my mind racing with the possibilities of what might happen if we didnât get her treated quickly.The hospital was a hive of activity, chaotic yet purposeful. Ryanâs second-in-command was already there, a tall, no-nonsense officer with a clipboard, taking statements from the nurses, doctors, and patients. His presence was a calm center amidst the storm, efficiently coordinating with the other officers who were busy cuffing the men responsible for this whole mess. The air was thick with tension, a mix of fear and determination as everyone worked to restore order and safety.I hurried
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2024-08-07
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The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   Epilogue 3: Rustic Honeymoon pt 2
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The waterfall is majestic and stunning. Logan suggested we go in naked since weâre the only ones here. Iâll admit, trusting a radically vegan hippie to plan my honeymoon was a bold and disturbing choice. Third year in college she lugged me off to the rain forest where we camped for six weeks so we could connect with the gods who brought us here.It was my worst summer vacation. Six long weeks. But I got so much work done that I felt like I came back even smarter. I love Agatha, but my goodness, her ideas of fun are always nature-like. The lack of wifi is going to kill me, but thank god I got another honeymoon present from Loganâs parents as an apology for the way they acted at the start of my marriage to their son.And that one is for two months on a cruise. Weâll be leaving for that after a week of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.The water is cold, and the view is even better. I talk alot of crap about Agatha but the woman is far more connected to this world t
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   Epilogue 2: Rustic Honeymoon pt 1
{~~Logan Grey~~}My honeymoon is not at all what I expected. Itâs one of those situations where you step back and think, How did I not see this coming? But I guess thatâs what happens when you go with the flow and donât plan out every last detail, just trusting that things will fall into place. We decided not to bring Hope with us, even though part of me wanted her to be here. Sheâs spending the week with my parentsâher grandparentsâwhich feels like a huge milestone, not just for her, but for me too. Avery and I wanted this time to ourselves, to really celebrate our marriage without any distractions, to focus on us for a change.Weâre an odd pair to most people, and I know some didnât expect us to last, but weâve made it work in ways that surprise even me sometimes. Over the last year, weâve settled into this rhythm thatâs become second nature. Itâs a good rhythm, one thatâs brought us closer, and made us stronger. Itâs funnyâwhen you think about it, but it feels like so much longer.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   Epilogue 1: The Wedding
\One Year Later/{~~Avery Sterling~~}So, you know how little girls always dream about their wedding day? Itâs supposed to be this big, magical event, where everything falls perfectly into place, and for some, itâs the pinnacle of their dreams, right? But not me. I never had those kinds of dreams. You know how my life was, how crappy my sister and parents treated me. There was never much room in my head for fantasies like that. Growing up, I couldnât even imagine what marriage would feel like because I was too busy surviving and getting through the mess of my family. But, okay, maybe deep down, I had some dreams. Everyone does, right? I just never thought theyâd come true.And marrying Logan Greyâthatâs a whole different thing altogether. I mean, when we started planning the wedding, I was so overwhelmed. There were just so many details, and so many decisions, and with everything Iâve been through, I just didnât have the energy to care about floral arrangements or seating charts. So, I
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~One Hundred and Ninety-Three~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The almost-car accident shakes me up more than I expected, but Logan is fine, and Iâm fine. It all happened so fast, and yet I can still feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my throat when I think about it. That truck had come out of nowhere. The driver didnât even slow down. Had I not tripped over that stone while I was looking for a signal on my phone and heâd come to check on me... logan would have died a painful death before my eyes.So of course I was a fucking mess. That driver is crazy. Did he not see the car? Why did the car even stop? What was wrong with the engine? I have like six million questions!He called Ryan to come get us. I was in his arms on the side of the road, watching as other cars drove around the wreckage. They donât stop but look on surprised at the mess. Whoever that driver was I hope to god his truck breaks down and heâs fired. Because what the hell?He should have at least stopped. Panic fills me but so does anger. The panic wins though.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Two~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had left Hope in the hospital. The tiny bundle of lifeâso fragile, yet resilientâwas resting safely in the nursery, surrounded by the quiet hum of machines and the gentle presence of nurses. Weâd return tomorrow, once we were sure theyâd had time to scan her brain and ensure she was truly safe for release. My heart ached to leave her, but it was necessary. Thank goodness she was a baby, still too young to understand fear in the way that we did. She wouldnât know the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the never-ending worry. All she knew was warmth and the safety of sleep, cocooned in blankets too big for her tiny form.The snow had started falling again, soft and silent, covering the world in a layer of purity that felt both soothing and unsettling. Logan drove carefully through the winding streets, the heater on low, warming our chilled fingers. We didnât speak much, but the silence wasnât uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that sat between two peo
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-one~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Iâm back in this beautiful pack, surrounded by familiar faces, and yet it feels so foreign after everything weâve been through. the rain stopped while I was away and now we have a new season. The landscape is stunning, especially now, with the first snowfall of the season transforming the dense forest and the lake into a quiet, white wonderland. The snow blankets the ground in thick, untouched layers, making the whole world seem calm and serene, but coldâbitingly cold. It's as if the snow carries the weight of my worries. The weather has shifted dramatically over the past few days, moving from endless, gloomy rain to this sudden onset of winter. So, congratulations on freezing my butt off, even with all the layers I'm bundled in.Logan and I had spent last night at the lake house, a place of solace for us, trying to reconnect after everything thatâs been thrown at us. It was bittersweet, those quiet moments by the fire, the crackling logs filling the air with warm
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Ninety~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery is coming home today. Avery is coming home today. Iâve been repeating that sentence in my head for the past 48 hours, counting down the seconds like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipationâitâs all bubbling up inside me, and I can barely sit still. I glance at the clock on my phone for what feels like the hundredth time, knowing it hasn't moved much since the last time I looked but somehow hoping the hands of time have sped up. It's been far too long since Iâve seen her.The air in the terminal is thick with the usual airport chaosâpeople rushing by, announcements echoing through the speakers, kids whining in the backgroundâbut it all fades into the background noise. Iâm laser-focused, my heart pounding in sync with the roaring engines of planes outside. Sheâs been gone for weeks, and though it wasnât that long, it feels like an eternity. Weâve been working tirelessly on the cureâsleepless nights, constant research, trial and error.
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Nine~~*
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Agatha and I had been at it for hours, possibly days, though the passage of time had become something of a blur in the dim, candlelit room. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and burning incense, their heady aromas mixing in a way that both calmed and invigorated me. I had never spent so much time in the presence of a witch doctor beforeânot like this, not in such an intimate setting where every movement, every word, every breath was part of a delicate and complex dance of life and death.Iâd seen witchcraft before. In university, we had a professor who dabbled in the ancient arts, using it to enhance her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. Itâs why i wished Iâd been chosen to be a doctor, it would be so nice to be able to do so much than what a nurse can. But even she had never worked with the sheer precision and raw power that Agatha wielded. It was... mesmerizing. I couldnât help but be drawn in, watching her every move, the way her
The Cruel Alpha's Unwanted Bride   *~~Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Eight~~*
{~~Logan Grey~~}Two days without Avery isn't an eternity, but it sure feels like a long time. Iâm surviving, or at least I think I am. Tonight, Iâm having dinner at my parents' place, and the whole family is here to celebrate the newborns. Felixâs child, Marley, and my daughter, Hope. It feels good to be around everyone, even if my mind keeps drifting to Avery. The house is buzzing with laughter and chatter. The babies are in their playpen, tapping at toys, oblivious to the joyful chaos around them. My parents are practically glowing as they fawn over their grandkids, doting on every little coo and babbling like theyâre treasures.I sit back in a rocking chair, watching the scene play out before me. My brothers are in the kitchen, joking around while they cook, and their wives are on the couch, chatting and laughing. And Ronanâs children are lying on the floor coloring something. Itâs one of those moments that feels picture-perfect, like a scene out of some old family movie. Even Rya
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