The face of havoc

It was all a blur to Cinnia.

In merely two months and two days, she had mind-blowing sex with a devilishly handsome rake, found her way back home, got kidnapped, found out she was pregnant with a hybrid baby, and is currently being used as a pawn in a witch game. How exciting.

"So, you're telling me that you're putting my life in danger because you want protection from blood devils or whatever you call them? Are you fucking kidding me right now? You witches, are crazy." Cinnia scoffed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Says the girl who was born part-witch," Sophie retorted.

"Maybe that's why I'm not as crazy as you and your coven!"

"Cinnia."

It was the first time he mentioned her name and as she turned to face him, she found herself yearning to hear her name from his mouth every single day.

"I'll handle this, Princess," he murmured, stroking her cheek softly.

Scratch that previous thought, she wanted him to continue calling her princess every day of her life.

Without even realizing her submission, she gave one last nasty look to Sophie and Esther before sitting down on the bed.

"I don't enjoy being forced to negotiate. I expect that you already know that. However, I have to make an exception but I will only do that after you explain to me, in detail, why you want a seat on the council and my protection."

Denzel folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, waiting for Esther to speak.

"Our reasons for wanting to be on the council is entirely our business. Not yours, Prince. The lives of your mate and your child are in our hands so I suggest you grant our requests without further questions."

Denzel let out a short laugh.

"Hm. You'll get your seat. I see you evaded my second question though."

"The blood demons are our common enemy. We know what they've been doing to the werewolves. They have been doing it to us, but worse," Sophie finally answered.

"Explain."

"We believe they have a witch working for them. A very powerful one. Every time we have tried retaliating against their attacks, we've found ourselves unable to do magic. It shouldn't be possible but it has happened more times than I can count. It cannot keep happening," Esther said.

"And what makes you think that I and my pack can help you?"

"We don't need the help of your pack. Just yours. You are a Lycan. A being that has existed only in myths and legends. A witch, no matter how powerful, cannot bring you down for long. Only you can protect us from the rogues, Denzel," Esther said as she grasped his hands in hers.

Denzel immediately recoiled from her touch.

Cinnia had been listening intently to their exchange but had only learned one thing fully. She had slept with a mythical beast. Such luck.

"You have my word, as long as nothing happens to Cinnia, your requests will be met. If a hair on her head is harmed and I find out that you or any of the other witches are responsible..." Denzel stepped closer to Esther and glared at her with an intensity that caused chills to run down her spine.

"I will wipe out your coven from the face of the earth."

Cinnia knew she should be terrified of the malice and danger that exuded from Denzel at the moment, but all she could feel was heat pooling between her legs and a heady need to fuck him at that second.

...

"I'm... I apologize for all you had to go through. I-" Denzel wanted to say more, to ask why she had left without turning back, instead, he shook his head and held her warm hand.

"Are you okay, Princess?" he asked after a moment without a response from her.

Cinnia finally turned her head away from the buildings rushing past her as the car sped toward the pack house of the Nightfall wolves.

'No, I'm not fine, genius. I want to rip those clothes off of your body and ride you till-'

"I'm okay. Just...lost in thought." 'Both confusing and unholy thoughts.'

"You're wondering if this is all real."

"Yeah." 'And no.'

"Would you feel better if I told you that you're stuck in a dream?" His fingers drew lazy circles around her palm as the ghost of a smile danced across his lips.

Cinnia chuckled lightly, the corners of her eyes crinkling in amusement.

"It's more of a nightmare, wouldn't you agree?"

"Damn. I didn't know being around me was a nightmare," Denzel said, mock hurt written all over his face as he placed a hand on his chest as if in pain.

"Don't be such a baby," Cinnia replied, rolling her eyes. However, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Denzel nodded grimly. "Right. I don't think you need two babies on your plate."

She glanced at him briefly, unblinking, before they both burst into laughter.

The shifts in his behavior still immensely fascinated her. Here he was, laughing along with her when he just threatened to eliminate an entire coven not long ago.

Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence with her hand still encased snugly in his larger one. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly at peace.

Soon, the car began to slow down as it pulled into the compound of the pack house.

"You know, when you called this a 'Pack House', I expected a house...a very ordinary house. Why am I looking at a sprawling mansion?" Cinnia exclaimed in awe as she stuck her head out of the window.

"The name is just a formality. A lot of families live here and the ones that don't, are not too far away. Nightfall Pack has the largest territory of all. I'll show you around soon."

"You better."

As the car finally came to a stop, Cinnia opened the door and stepped out before Denzel could open it for her.

"What?" She asked, perplexed because of the way he stared at her from the other side of the vehicle.

"Oh..." she scratched her hair once she got the message. "I thought chivalry was dead. Sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't do it next time," He instructed as he came over to her and took her hand in his once more.

'Does this man know how sexy he is right now?'

While they strode hand in hand, Cinnia took note of her surroundings. The earthy scent of werewolves filled her nostrils as she passed by the training yard where a group of young men and women threw blows at each other in quick succession.

The sight of them faintly reminded her of her dad teaching her how to properly throw a punch.

The minute they caught a glimpse of Denzel, they hurriedly bowed their heads in greeting and didn't move till Denzel gave an answering nod.

'Lycan Prince. That's what he is.' 

Standing guard outside the doors were two bulky men who seemed to be in their mid to late twenties.

"Welcome back, Alpha," They greeted simultaneously. However, their eyes drifted to eye Cinnia warily, causing her to squirm a bit under their gaze.

"Thank you. Now, peel your eyes away from her. She's not a wild animal."

Without waiting to see the sheepish looks on their faces, Denzel opened the doors and she was welcomed into the magnificent threshold.

"Woah." She blew out a breath as her gaze flitted from corner to corner.

"Go upstairs and enter the 3rd room on your right. I'll send someone to you with clean clothes you can wear after freshening up. It seems my father is back."

He planted a chaste kiss on her forehead before pulling away, leaving in the opposite direction and entering a hallway by the left.

There were clothes on the bed in what Cinnia assumed to be a guest room because of the lack of personal effects after she finished showering and getting rid of the scent of witches that clung to her like a second skin.

She put on the long, purple maxi dress with a high slit, which clung to her narrow waist, and wedged black sandals, then stepped out of the room.

Denzel hadn't told her not to leave the room and even if he had, she had no plans of obedience. Some parts of her even craved to see him angry again. One particular part of her.

The pack members around and maids stared at her like she was an exotic animal or land that had recently been discovered by a colonist.

Meeting their curious and mistrustful stares with confidence, she descended the curved marble staircase and sauntered in the direction of the hallway Denzel had disappeared into.

The moment she stepped into the hall, she realized that she should have simply stayed put in the room and waited for Denzel to come to her.

She had thought that it was a single hallway and perhaps with two doors where she would be able to hear voices and trace them.

However, it turned out that the long, white-walled corridor branched off to the left and right.

Staring in disbelief, she pulled at her afro thoughtfully before squaring her shoulders and began to walk down the corridor.

Her hearing, though not as good or sharp as a werewolf's, was better than the average human and she used it to her advantage to catch any hint of Denzel's voice.

She caught the faint traces of people talking from the hallway to the left but wasn't sure who they were.

Cinnia strolled down the corridor and came to a stop to the left branch. Uncertainly, she followed the sound of the voices down the empty, unadorned hallway. She merely closed her eyes for a moment to concentrate on the voices when she felt a hand wrap around her arm.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

Her eyes flew open to meet the scowling features of a man who bore a very similar resemblance to Denzel.

"Are you related to Denzel?" she asked, eyeing him from head to toe.

"Who are you, girl?" He repeated, ignoring her question.

'Girl? Are you fucking kidding me?'

"Cinnia. Nice to meet you, my lord of gloom," she smiled sweetly, offering her other hand for a handshake.

The man glared at her extended hand as if it was contaminated or contained deadly poison.

"O...kay. Not a fan of handshakes. Sorry," she muttered, bringing her hand back to her side.

"What are you doing here? Who even let you in?"

He didn't wait for her to answer before dragging her off.

"Hey! Stop! I'm Denzel's...mate?" She sounded unsure of herself. The idea of being his mate still hadn't settled fully in her mind.

At least, it was enough to halt the man in his tracks.

"You're not the first whore to say this, girl," he spat, his forest-green eyes burning with disdain.

"Whore? Excuse you!" Cinnia exclaimed, incredibly offended by the insult.

"Maverick, what the hell is going on?" Denzel's deep baritone echoed.

"Denzel, you should know better than to let your whore near father's apartments!" Maverick scolded.

'Seriously?! He's going to keep calling me that?' 

"Get your hand off of her before I break your fingers," Denzel drawled. He was already in a bad mood and not ready for Maverick's overprotective attitude.

"Denzel, she-"

"Now," Denzel ordered, leaving no room for argument.

Maverick's fingers uncurled from Cinnia's arm.

"Finally..." she murmured, rubbing the spot where his fingers had clutched tightly.

"Come." Denzel extended a hand out to Cinnia.

Resisting the childish urge to blow raspberries at Maverick, she resorted to a simple glare before walking forward and taking his hand.

"You're beautiful," Denzel whispered in her ears, causing a shy smile to bloom on her face.

She had heard this compliment more times than she could count and knew that she was stunning but hearing it from him made her heart melt regardless. Softie.

"She's your mate? The one the witch spoke about?" Maverick asked, suspicion still evident in his eyes.

"Yes."

"She doesn't have a scent. Is she human?"

"You know, you could just ask me. I'd be overjoyed to answer all your questions," Cinnia chipped in cheerfully but was promptly ignored by Maverick.

'Ouch.'

"Look, brother, I'll explain later. Father wants to meet her." Murmuring to himself, he continued, "I don't even know why I answer to him sometimes."

"Very well. I expect details, Denzel. Full details." With that, he spared one last glance at Cinnia before walking away.

"Come on, after this meeting, I'll show you around our territory and some parts of Lunar Crest, okay?"

"I'd like that."

Letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm around her waist instead, he led her down the wide corridor and to plain double doors.

Once he opened the doors, Cinnia was immediately met with the face that had haunted her dreams for years, sitting up straight behind a mahogany table.

The face of the man who had ambushed her home, struck her father down, and delivered the killing blow to her already dying mother who was trying to fight to defend the home she loved and buy Cinnia more time to escape.

"Father, this is my mate, Cinnia."

'His father... No...'

Anger surged in her chest as her hands tightened into fists. In front of her was the man who took her life away. What a cruel joke.

She had found her mission without even needing to look.

Reining in her rising temper, she forced a smile onto her face and removed Denzel's arm from her waist.

"Excuse me."

Without waiting for a response, she flung open the doors and stormed out.