The River: A Novel Novels & Stories

"Don't be." Thomas fell silent and crouched down near the river, splashing his face. The cool water slipped between his lips and made him shudder. It tasted so pure, soothing his raw throat and refreshing his skin. Even though the water met the sea, it had no taste of salt or any rot that the brine carried.

I muttered and rose to follow. The mansion was bigger than I’d imagined, it was almost endless. She led me to a training ground where wolves tore into each other violently. I winced as one fighter’s arm bent then snapped back into place like nothing happened. “And this..” Arya gestured toward a wide river glinting beneath the morning light, “..is the River of Healings. Or it used to be. This river doesn’t heal a damn thing anymore.” “Why?” I asked, drawn to the water’s stillness.

River cools a cloth with ice water and presses it gently against the back of my neck. Every time he pulls away even slightly, panic flares beneath my skin. By the time evening settles outside the windows, I’m exhausted enough to feel delirious. He stands, and the fear is immediate. “No.” I hate the desperation in my own voice. “I just…” My throat tightens painfully. “Don’t go yet.” Something unbearably soft moves across his face. “I’m not very far away, sweetheart.” River watches me unravel quietly for another second, then, without a word, he kicks his shoes off and climbs carefully onto the bed beside the nest.

"Cecilia's grip on him tightens, poisoning his mind. I fear for our pack's future, for our family's unity." Tears rolled down River's cheeks as her mother's pain and betrayal leapt off the pages. She felt Catherine's desperation, her longing for a love that had never been truly hers. The journal's words painted a vivid picture: Raymond's cold indifference, Cecilia's manipulative grasp, and Catherine's shattered heart. River's own memories of her family's dynamics began to shift, reframing her understanding of the past. No wonder she was unloved, her own mother was never loved.

“If you don't let me go, those wolves will get to us and tear us both into shreds.” “Well, I can take care of myself even though I can not say the same for you.” He smirked back in the same knowing way. He knew he was winning. River was left at a crossroads, unsure of what decision to take. Cold sweats had begun to break out of her skin. Just why was she always so unlucky in life? Her troubles had begun from the day she was born. She was tired. Really tired. She was about to think when the twigs of branches signified that the enemy was getting closer. Yet, River had no idea what enemy to be afraid of – the one coming behind her or the one in front of her?

Moonlight had long given way to the pale blue haze of dawn, but inside, the darkness still lingered—in silence, in breath, in thought. The Alpha King stood by the floor-length windows, one hand loosely tucked into the pocket of his dark slacks, the other holding a tumbler of untouched water. His gaze wasn’t on the city but somewhere beyond it, somewhere in the folds of the past and the tangle of the unknown. Behind him, Victoria paced the living room like a storm trapped in a bottle. Her arms crossed, then uncrossed. She looked toward the hallway every few seconds, as though willing the medic to appear and say something—anything.

The lights reflected in the small river, shimmering on the water. She sat in a small tavern by the river, listening to melodious songs and tasting local wine. Her heart was full of contentment and joy. It had been a long time since she had thought about George and Kimberly. This was a good thing. Having drunk a bit, Cora felt lightheaded. She decided to go out for a walk to sober up. When Cora reached a small courtyard, the sky suddenly opened up with light rain. Rain fell at an angle past the dark eaves. Cora leaned against the weathered wooden doorframe.

We produced enough to not only sell to the kingdom packs but also to supply our own packs and feed the growing population here. After coming back here, the three of us had combed the territory and discovered a long stretch of a wide river that ran right through our land. Big enough and wide enough for boats and the river forked off from the mountains, which created a waterfall leading to a larger body of water - Stretching all the way out towards the ocean, the copious amount of salmon it supplied was an added bonus to land.

In Jesse and Kyle’s bedroom at the packhouse, the atmosphere was thick and heavy, charged with the lingering electricity of a connection that went far deeper than the physical. Outside, the Medina River rushed against the banks, a rhythmic pulse that mirrored the steady, synchronized beating of two hearts. Inside, the world had narrowed down to the space between four walls, illuminated only by the soft, amber glow of a bedside lamp and the silver moonlight filtering through the curtains.

“Sammy is getting torn apart by his father by now. Victor is surrounded by enemies who smile to his face. I cannot just sit here and read while everything burns.” “And you cannot keep acting like you are invincible,” she snapped. River rubbed his face with his hands. “Jayden,” he said carefully, “did you even finish reading that Gem of Life book.” I froze. “…No,” I admitted. Jane made a sound like she was about to scream into a pillow. “I actually read the whole thing,” River continued, and I turned to him in shock. “I wanted to understand how a human like you can do all this. And also if I could do it too.”