Number Five Novels & Stories

one two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four fiveone two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four fiveone two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four fiveone two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three four five one two three

He was handsome and a notorious playboy who loved parties yet somehow always escaped scandal. ​Finally, there was the youngest, Kageo Limantara. The fifth master was a mystery who was whispered to be paralyzed and rarely seen outside the mansion. Rumors claimed he suffered from a rare illness yet his social media was a sensation filled with the hauntingly beautiful melodies of his violin and saxophone. ​"If you're accepted, you’ll be working under their roof every single day. You’ll be part of their world," Reva added with a voice laced with worry.

The counter-verse, the holder’s shield: Five gifts to ground what power yields Salt for truth, and ash for wrong, Wind for change, and bone for bond; A name once kept, at last set free Thus caged fire learns to breathe. “When sky turns iron, mountains mourn, Seek eyries where the storms are born. There waits the last, the final sworn, To close the wound and crown the thorn.” “Beware the crown that sings of war; A queen may rule, or end the shore. If grief is helm and rage the blade, Balance bleeds and light will fade. But choose the quiet brave instead Build with hands that once drew red.” “And if they stand, the five made whole, One breath, one will, one woven soul,

One of them quickly ran off to report. Inside the mansion, T-Five, a man with a mustache and a scar running down his face, sat at the head of a table, sipping tea. His henchman rushed in and reported, "Master Five, there's a woman who claims to be your grandmother." "What a big mouth!" T-Five slapped the table in fury, then asked, "How many of them are there?" "Just her alone." "Let her in!" T-Five sneered coldly. A woman dared to break into his mansion? She had some guts!

On the very edge of the white paper, written in tiny, faint pencil marks, were six numbers. 8, 4, 3, 9, 1, 5. My eyes memorized the sequence in a single second, repeating it over and over in my head like a prayer. Eight, four, three, nine, one, five. I pulled my phone from my pocket, my thumbs flying across the screen as I opened the text thread with the unknown number. I typed the six digits into the box and hit send, my hand shaking so violently the phone almost slipped from my fingers.

I buy it. Next is a phone store. “Yours is trash,” Enzo says, holding up my cracked android. “It works,” I argue. “Barely,” Nico says. Luca talks to the guy behind the counter for maybe two minutes. When we walk out I have a new phone. His number is already saved as *L*. Marco is *M*. Dante *D*. Enzo *E*. Nico *N*. And Isabella is *ZIA* with a little crown emoji.

Honest. Careless. He glanced at the screen again. Unknown Number. He should delete it. He didn’t. Instead, he pressed a button on his desk. Within seconds, his security analyst appeared on the monitor. “Yes, sir.” Kael’s voice was calm. “I need information on a number.” A pause. “Priority level?” Kael’s eyes darkened slightly as he replayed her laugh in his head. “Immediate.” The analyst nodded and disappeared from the screen. Kael leaned back in his chair, staring at the city.

she continued gently, "it might be easier if you try to see this as an opportunity rather than a punishment." I sighed softly. We spoke for a while after that. She tried to calm me, offering small reassurances until the heaviness in my chest eased slightly. Still, everything felt unreal. Five months. Five strangers. And their father, who was known to be insanely rich and extremely strict. Before going to sleep, I found myself thinking about the countless magazine covers I had seen over the years. King in a sharp suit at some gala. Kyle performing on stage with a guitar. Keith smiling at a movie premiere.

I had failed her. "I understand, Mom. Don't worry. I'll take a few days to adjust. Once I finalize my divorce, I'll return to the company." She studied me carefully, as if trying to confirm the truth for herself. "This time… you really mean to divorce her?" I gave no reply, only a heavy, silent nod. Confusion clouded her features. She couldn't understand why, after five years of relentless persistence, I had suddenly let go. "Mom… Jake isn't my child."

The smile on his face faltered a little as he opened a black umbrella and walked over. "What are you doing here? Who's handling things in the pack downtown district?" he asked with a frown. "I've got everything arranged," I said, forcing a smile as I handed him the gift I'd been holding onto this whole time. "I came to say… happy fifth mating anniversary, Alaric." He looked startled, clearly having forgotten it was our fifth anniversary, let alone expecting me to travel all this way to bring him a gift. Surprise flashed in his eyes, and just as he reached for the gift, Serene Vargar's coquettish voice rang out. "Alaric, the elders are here. The council's starting."