Crimson Ties Novels & Stories

CHAPTER FIVE Dante POV I watched Julian through the vanity mirror as he struggled with the silk tie I’d sent to his room. It was Moretti crimson, the color of fresh arterial spray, a shade that declared war on the shadows of this house. He looked at the fabric with such raw loathing that I half-expected him to use it to hang himself before we reached the car.

CHAPTER ONE ZARA His tie is the first thing I notice. Green. Not the silver one my maids prepared to match my dress for the Pack’s annual Moon Festival. During the festival, the Alpha and Luna always wore matching colors. It was one of the oldest traditions in the Pack, a symbol of unity, stability, and harmony blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. I stare at him from across the bedroom mirror. “You’re supposed to wear the silver tie, Alex.” He adjusts his cufflinks without looking at me. “I misplaced it.”

She pushed Edward toward Chris. "Chris, try the tie on Edward. See if it fits." "They're all the same, nothing to try," Chris replied disinterestedly, eyes drifting to the tie Adriana had purchased. It was woven from gold and silk threads and inlaid with sapphires—tasteful, finely crafted, luxurious without being flashy. Unfortunately, he didn't like blue. Whenever he saw it, he remembered the way Francesco looked at Adriana. "Adriana, I don't like sapphires. How about another one?"

He was wearing a white long sleeve button down shirt, black tie, and a black and gold vest with black slacks. “Well,” I said, throwing my tie behind me, “I’m not trying to impress your girlfriend.” “No, just my sister,” Kam smirked. I flipped him off, then rearranged my shirt in the mirror. I had on a black button down and black slacks. Kimi told me her dress was black and red, so I wanted to match. I’d bought a red tie, and a red vest. However, the vest looked stupid without the tie. Damnit. Kam grabbed my tie, tied it around his neck, then took it off and tossed it to me. “Next time, get a zip tie or a clip on, idiot.”

“Every sob, every shake, every wet inch of you is mine. Forever. You will never forget it. I will never let you.” I pull out slowly, her blood and my release run down her legs. Pink in the water. Perfect. I dry her myself and choose her clothes. Black lace panties, short silk dress. No bra. The collar stays while the brand stays hidden under the dress. But I know it is there. I clip a longer silver chain to the collar. “You walk exactly two steps behind me today. Never closer. Never farther. The chain will remind you with every breath where your place is now.”

Chapter 23 It was 6:45, and I was dressed in my Sabyasachi Anarkali, with my jewelry; since it was a traditional affair, I had parted my hair and rolled it into a sleek bun with a white jasmine flower string abound it, a little red dot around a crystal stone on my forehead called a bindi( worn at the center the forehead between the starting point of both the eyebrows) and Kept my makeup minimum with smokey eyes popping my eyes and nude lipstick. I wore my embellished Amina Muaddi stilettoes, and I was done; the red and gold were a contrast to my porcelain skin.

Her fingers traced the deep crimson silk with something like reverence, and I found myself holding my breath as she examined details I'd spent hours perfecting with the seamstress. "It's beautiful," she said quietly, lifting the dress to catch the light. "But crimson... that's significant, isn't it? In your world, colors mean things." Your world. As if she still saw herself as separate from it, a visitor rather than someone who might choose to stay. But the fact that she understood the symbolic weight of what I was offering sent hope racing through my veins. "Crimson is the pack's color," I admitted, my voice rougher than intended. "It represents... belonging. Family. Those who are claimed a

ILANA. The Blood Moon Festival came five days too early. On the third evening, the moon bathed its eerie, crimson glow over the Nightshade Pack. This was an event rarely experienced and considered by the pack to be a sign from the Moon Goddess, hastening the fate of two destined mates. The pack was in an uproar of joyful frenzy. The whole of the pack square hummed with excitement, as though even the air vibrated in anticipation. I faltered at the door to Rana's small cabin and brushed off invisible lint from the pale blue dress that Rana had lent me for tonight. "Rana, are you sure about this?" I asked, trying to keep the nerves from edging my voice.

"This is such a golden opportunity." "A very big one, so just dress up, look your best, act your best, and the crown is all yours, the name is all yours." "So which outfit do you recommend I go for?" "None of that, we should check out for more exquisite ones." They browsed through their phone checking out clothes. The day refused to pass quickly, Sapphire checked her time constantly. She gazed down at her phone and sprang from her bed, and dashed into her bathroom. She did her things and emerged from the bathroom. She did her makeup light as instructed by her mother.

Minutes after Danica worked out of the airport, a convoy pulled over and a lot of men stepped out of the car. People came to a halt instantly, knowing that they were either there to escort someone in or escort someone out. Whoever it was had to be very rich with the flit of current cars lined up and men whose aura and build spoke of nothing but danger. Dressed in formal attires of black suits, shades and comms in their ears, they looked more like assassins than guards. All tall and huge to a fault, they looked both ravishing and dangerous to the core. The kind of danger that pulled women close. It was almost irresistible and it made them all frantic and excited to know who was coming or who