Swift as a wraith. Accurate as a reaper. Ten seconds. That’s all it took for Zaria to rip off their heads. I was in the back of her mind, given a 3D view of their exchange. Even then, I couldn’t figure out how she did it. I was becoming increasingly aware of how different she was, how different we were, from the ordinary she-wolves and she-Lycans. And with this awareness, my anxiety increased. If there was anything that I had learned from the few years of living in the Evergreen Pack, that was she didn’t bless others with special abilities for no reason. I’d received mine from birth, and embraced it early on. However, that still did not prepare me to discover just how drastically different I was. Because impersonating Alpha Malivik's daughter seemed to be only the first step of a grander scheme that my mind failed to grasp. “Of course. Why else would this Princess be trapped with you?” Picking up on my thoughts, Zaria scoffed and turned towards the waterfall. “We still have an un
“Sai, the usual drill?” Sofia asked, pulling me back to my senses. Zaria relinquished control enough for me to mind-link them. “Yes. Send the unconscious to the lab, and the rest for testing. We must make sure nothing happens to them.” “Hm.” Sofia nodded and turned to the girls. “Let’s get to work.” She hollered through the link, getting them to action. Again. I commanded her natural ability to take control of the situation. As their Alpha, all I had to do was give the order, and she saw to it that it got carried out. “We need to scour the perimeter.” Zaria reminded me. I gave the girls a few more instructions. After ensuring they didn’t need me, I said “Girls, the usual drill. Once clear, leave immediately.” “Yes, Alpha!” They chorused in unison and shifted into their human form, looking awfully like a squad of military soldiers. Tia, Bilia and Calla unstrapped the women and set water repellent balls around the water screen, while Sofia, Oma, and Zoya rolled them out to hand t
Seated in a hall of opinionated Lycans, I popped the button of my suite in restless agitation. “Idris, calm down. I’m sure Saira will be fine.” Luna Nazia said, looking warm and relaxed in her seat near the fireplace. So unlike a Luna whose clan had narrowly escaped a disaster. I felt stuffy. Saira was missing, and I couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that every wolf and Lycan sitting in this hall was safe because of her. “Fine? Heh. Saira runs off, refusing me to accompany her. The second she enters the woods, a bomb explodes and she goes missing. Nothing about this seems fine to me, and you’re asking me to calm down?” Every second we were separated from her, Malko drew closer to the edge. He wasn’t listening to me. Growling and snarling was about all he did. I had the feeling that if I hadn’t kept him on a tight leash, he would’ve already broken to the surface and slaughtered anyone and anything in his way to get to her. And that was the problem. For as long as I have known
I returned to the clan more dazed and shaken than I’ve ever been before. Stars twinkled in the sky, and the full moon glowed radiantly above the trees and crystal-like buildings.Sofia and the girls trailed behind me. The worry in their eyes seared my back. I knew they had questions. In fact, many questions. However, upon seeing the vacant expression on my face, they waited. They probably thought I would tell them what happened in that underground stronghold when the time came, or when I got myself together, like I always did. But the incident this time…I didn’t think I could tell them. “Saira!” “Mate!” Two cries rang out at the same time. I snapped to my senses and raised my head to see Idris Raed and a troop of warriors racing towards us. The worry and fear in the Lycan’s eyes formed a lump in my throat. It’s only been a few minutes, half an hour at most, after the blast. But this short period felt as if hours had passed since I last saw him. My limbs moved without conscious
**Caira** 8 hours ago. "Caira Mirza, daughter of Mirza Orabi, former Commander of the Pacific Sea, do you accept Einas Raed as your Chosen Mate and Lycan Commander, your husband and...” No. Why would I accept a worthless bastard as my mate? He could neither give me the throne nor the power I desired. Forget about throne and power. This mongrel didn’t even have the wealth Idris Raed possessed! Though I thought this, my lips remained fixed in the gentle smile I’d perfected over the years. When the Shaman completed his words, I opened my mouth and a resounding BOOM exploded through the air. “Haha! Hope the she-wolf croaks to death!” Isra cackled in the back of my mind, making me smile in agreement. A commotion ensued in the clearing. Omegas pushed and shoved as they fled the scene. Einas wrapped his arm protectively around my waist. I couldn’t help but internally ridicule the fool. “Go easy on him, Cai. He doesn’t know we’re behind the explosion.” “A complete loser. And he calls
“Caira gave us the recording. She overheard her sister conspiring with a rogue and recorded their conversation.” My mind went blank. What the hell was going on? Asma Mirza attempted to murder me, but I didn’t find that surprising. After all, the she-Lycan had already made it clear how much she hated me. But to get rid of me, would she disregard the lives of her own family and clan members? I couldn’t wrap my mind around that fact. From birth, my birth family hated me. They did everything in their power to get rid of me. My pack didn’t know about me. However, they had still consented to my death. Even then, I didn’t hate them, nor did I feel the desire to slaughter them. “Because you’re different. Before shifting, I didn’t even know how much you suffered.” Zaria sighed melancholically and said, “I can now understand why Selene chose you for me.” My lips inadvertently stretched into a smile. This was the first time I heard Zaria acknowledge me. Somehow, it felt good. “So, where i
“She tried to kill you.” Not a question. The Lycan Leader stared at me with unblinking eyes, probably trying to figure out what I was thinking. I nodded my head at him and said with a smile, “That she did. However, what she does has nothing to do with me. Just because she’s vicious, doesn’t mean I have to be the same. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not the forgiving or easy to bully kind of she-wolf. I just don’t want to stoop to her level.” I shrugged and retracted my gaze. Asma Mirza was neither my goal nor my greatest worry. She could stoop to the level of planting a bomb in a region where her family members were present, because that was her nature. A reflection of her true character. Though I was still skeptical about the notion, I didn't care enough to waste my energy on her. I had greater problems to worry about. A few nods of approval spread through the hall. The Lycans and their Lunas exchanged meaningful glances, before looking at me with unnerving smiles that raised the hackles
I woke in the evening with a splitting headache that had me groaning like a dying woman. My body was heavy with exhaustion. I hadn’t slept well. Stubborn flashes of my short encounter with the vampires haunted me until late evening. After another failed attempt at a peaceful nap, I sighed and tiredly rolled off the bed. “What, that’s it?” Zaria asked. “We’d been out all night and barely got any rest! How am I supposed to restore my strength at this rate?” She snapped with a trace of irritation in her voice. I frowned. What was she getting at? “I didn’t stop you from resting, girl.” “And that’s supposed to help me, how? In case you forgot, we’re now literally one and the same. Your every action affects me and vice versa.” Resentment and frustration dripped from her in undulating waves. I was caught off guard and nearly tripped from the internal assault. I inhaled a gasp of air, but not from pain. From shock. Because I couldn’t shut my brain well enough to sleep, Zaria couldn’t eit