《Mated to the Alpha Twins》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    We pulled up to the rickety old house, and I felt a twinge of excitement that echoed within the sea of


    mncholy I had been feelingtely.


    The house was by no means new or luxurious, but it was much more than I had anticipated.


    We moved from California, where we had a two bedroom apartment in the worst part of town. Walking


    to work each day had be a constant nightmare. While I was thankful to move, I couldn¡¯t help but


    expect the worst.


    I¡¯ve lived with my mother and her husband for three years now, and to say I hate it is an


    understatement. I was raised by my amazing grandmother for most of my life, but unfortunately she


    died a few years back. The only other rtive able to take me in was my mother.


    ¡®Melissa¡¯, she insists I call her. As though I¡¯m just some child she found on the street.


    Melissa and I have a non-existent rtionship, which means she pretends I don¡¯t exist and I stay out of


    the way. The issue lies in her husband. Frank likes to drink far too much, and when he does he


    bes aplete a*****e. I keep my distance from Frank when he¡¯s been hitting the bottle too


    much.


    We just moved all the way to Georgia due to a job offer Melissa had gotten. Frank could hardly hold a


    job, so Melissa paid most of the bills. Typically, I worked part time. I used my money to buy the


    necessities that Melissa refused to provide.


    The new house was much bigger than I had expected. It looked pretty old, sporting chipped white paint


    and a crooked porch jutting out from the front of the house.


    The only thing I was looking forward to regarding out cross country move, was finally having my own


    bedroom. My bedroom in California consisted of me hanging a curtain to block off the unused dining


    room. Frank insisted he needed the second bedroom as an office.


    I climbed out of the car and stretched, slinging my backpack over my shoulder as I walked to the front


    porch. I could hear Melissa and Frank already begin to argue, but I had learned to sessfully tune


    them out.


    The front porch creaked and groaned under my feet, but I didn¡¯t mind it. Frank only ever stepped


    outside to run to the liquor store, so I would have plenty of time to myself on the porch.


    Melissa opened the front door and stepped inside behind Frank. I wasted no time heading upstairs to


    my bedroom.


    ¡°The smallest room, Aurora. Don¡¯t forget it.¡± Melissa reminded me, not that I could forget.


    I went upstairs and looked around, instantly grateful I had a bathroom close to my bedroom. I felt a


    smile form on my face when I peeked in Melissa and Frank¡¯s room. They had their own bathroom


    connected to their bedroom, which meant Frank would leave me alone for a change.


    Frank always pushed his boundaries with me when he was drunk. He was smart, and never did it while


    Melissa was around. I had a constant air of caution when I was around Frank. He had gotten handsy a


    few times, but when he was drunk he was easy to escape.


    I walked into my bedroom and looked at the paint peeling from the walls. Once I managed to find


    myself a job, I could make this room a little more presentable.


    I had a small fund saved up since I was old enough to get a job. While I was a straight A student, I


    needed a backup n in case I didn¡¯t get a schrship. Escaping this ce the moment I turned


    eighteen was constantly on my mind.


    I dropped my backpack on the floor and looked around. It was a small room, but it had a working door


    and four walls. A rickety queen sized bed sat against the far wall along with a dusty oak dresser.


    I ran downstairs and grabbed myrge suitcase from the trunk of Melissa¡¯s car, struggling under its


    weight. Melissa and Frank were still arguing, but that gave me plenty of time to wrestle my suitcase to


    the top of the stairs.


    Everything I needed fitfortably in my suitcase. I didn¡¯t have many clothes, but I had grown used to


    that sad fact.


    I stuffed what clothes I owned in the dusty dresser, pulling out an outfit for school tomorrow.


    Melissa had wasted no time enrolling me at the local public school. Anything to get me out of the house


    and out of Frank¡¯s thinning hair.


    I stuffed my debit card in my back pocket and ran downstairs.


    Melissa had her back turned to me, bickering at Frank as he set up the small TV in the living room.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Melissa snapped, turning around to face me as I opened the front


    door.


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her. She never cared where I went before.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go find something for dinner.¡± I shrugged.


    I had stopped eating dinners with Melissa and Frank a long time ago. The court had made Melissa my


    legal guardian until I turned eighteen, so I refused to give her any of the money I worked for. Instead, I


    supported myself to the best of my ability.


    ¡°Get me a six pack while you¡¯re out.¡± Frank snapped, his beady eyes narrowed at the hazy image on


    the TV.


    I gritted my teeth together, this man was an idiot. ¡°I¡¯m seventeen.¡±


    I turned on my heel and walked out the front door, ignoring Frank¡¯s mumbling.


    I walked out onto the main road and sighed. I had no idea where I was going. My eyes flickered left and


    right a few times before finally deciding to go right.


    All I needed was a gas station. I could get myself a bag of chips and a bottle of water and call it a night.


    I walked down the main road for maybe fifteen minutes and sighed with relief when a small corner store


    came into view.


    That was one thing I¡¯d miss about California. In Cali, you could walk in just about any direction and find


    a gas station or grocery store.


    I walked into the poorly lit corner store and said hello to the cashier, a girl not much older than myself. I


    grabbed a bag of chips, a couple bottles of water and a gran bar and walked over to the register.


    ¡°Hi, um do you know where Weske Highschool is?¡± I asked the girl as I swiped my debit card. She


    had to be in her early twenties. Her hair was jet ck but she had a stripe of green running through it.


    The girl nodded as she pressed some buttons on the register, ¡°Sure do. Just follow this road until you


    reach the traffic light and turn left. You won¡¯t be able to miss it.¡± She nodded.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I gave her a small smile as I took my receipt from her hand.


    The girl looked up from the register, ¡°You new around here?¡±


    ¡°That obvious?¡± I chuckled. I haven¡¯t seen much of the town, but it was clear that it wasn¡¯t thergest.


    The girl nodded, a small smirk ying on her face. ¡°Towns pretty small. Most of the people in town


    have houses further out in the woods.¡± She shrugged, as if it were nothing new.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I furrowed my eyebrows, it just sounded strange. ¡°Why not just live in town?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. People around here seem to like their privacy.¡± She shrugged.


    I left the corner store feeling confused and a little wary. The girl didn¡¯t give me much hope for school


    tomorrow. If this town really was small, there was no way I¡¯d go unnoticed.


    This was the middle of my junior year. Once I finished the rest of this year, I only had one more to go.


    One more year and I could finally escape Melissa and Frank.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    I woke up to the sound of my old rm clock. It was six in the morning, leaving me with plenty of time


    to get ready and walk to school


    Melissa would already be at work, and Frank typically slept in until 11 a.m orter.


    I crept out of my bedroom and into the bathroom, making as little noise as possible. Frank was an


    absolute nightmare if you woke him up.


    I went into the bathroom andbed my long chocte brown hair. Everyone on Melissa¡¯s side of the


    family had extremely light blonde hair, making me stand out even more. I also have this rare condition


    called Heterochromia Iridum, making my eyes two different colors. While my left eye was an incredibly


    light blue, my right eye was a deep chocte brown.


    My grandma would rarely ever speak of my father, but when she did she would mention he also had


    the same condition.


    l had a feeling that was why Melissa didn¡¯t like me, my own mother. Something bad happened between


    her and my father, resulting in him leaving the two of us behind.


    Grandma would always receive a mysterious check every month, always written out for me. The minute


    I moved in with Melissa, she began receiving the checks too. The only difference was she used them


    for herself and Frank.


    I looked in the mirror and frowned. I constantly felt like a walking abnormality. While I had friends at my


    old school, there were always kids who bullied me for my condition. It took me a long time to ept


    that part of myself and find it beautiful.


    I slipped on a simple and inconspicuous outfit. A simple pair of skinny jeans, a white tank top and a


    ck jacket. The point was to blend in.


    I grabbed the gran bar that I bought yesterday and left the house. I followed the girl¡¯s instructions


    and was happy the school wasn¡¯t too far of a walk away. My walk took up half of my time and by the


    time I made it to the school, the parking lot was nearly full. Student¡¯s hopped out of their cars and


    headed to the front doors. Chattering and conversations filled the air around us.


    I merged into the crowd of student¡¯s and tried to blend in.


    My first stop was the office, which I managed to find quite easily. Arge sign hung from the ceiling


    pointing out the small office.


    ¡°Well hello, dear.¡± A plump woman in a purple sweater smiled at me, her rounded sses hanging low


    on her face. ¡°Are you new here?¡±


    I nodded at her and gave her a small smile, ¡°Aurora St. ire.¡±


    I had been given my father¡¯sst name as a child, and while Melissa insisted I change it to Frank¡¯sst


    name, I refused.


    ¡°Beautiful name.¡± The woman smiled, rifling through a bunch of papers. ¡°Here you are Ms. Aurora.¡± She


    smiled up at me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled back at her and turned to leave the office.


    I was looking down at the ss schedule she had given me, when I mmed into someone.


    I would have thought it was a brick wall if it weren¡¯t for the strong smell of cologne.


    My bottom hit the floor with a thud, and the hallway quickly became quiet.


    I looked up at the person I mmed into and my jaw dropped.


    Standing in front of me were two, veryrge and very angry twins. I had never seen two guys who


    looked the way they did, as if they belonged on the cover of a magazine instead of at a highschool.


    The two of them had jet ck hair, strong jaw lines, and extremely dark eyes. They were both


    extremely muscr, but held that athletic slimness in their body. One of the twins had his hair shaved


    on the sides and back, but long on the top. The other twin had hair down to the top of his ears, but it


    had that messy look that other guys try and fail to achieve. Each one was drop d**d gorgeous in their


    own way.


    One of the twins had a tall blonde clinging to their arm, an incredulous sneer formed on her heart


    shaped face.


    ¡°What the h**l is wrong with her eyes?¡± The tall blonde sneered, looking down on me like I was a piece


    of trash.


    I hardly nced at the blonde, my eyes kept flickering to the two g*d-like twins standing over me. They


    nced at each other, as if they were having some silent conversation.


    I stifled the urge to roll my eyes, but my mouth replied without warning. ¡°It¡¯s a condition.¡±


    ¡°F*****g freak.¡± The blonde spat. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going next time.¡±


    With thosest words, the severely attractive twins and the tall blonde walked away. The twin¡¯s hadn¡¯t


    said a single word to me, and I wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. The look in their eyes was


    cold, and I had the sinking feeling I was looking into the eyes of my new bullies.


    Staying to myself was already proving to be a nightmare.


    I picked myself off the floor and somehow managed to find my locker. I couldn¡¯t help but scan each


    hallway. Some small part of me wanted to see the twins again, to let my eyes roam them once more.


    After a stern conversation with myself on blending in and not drawing attention, I continued to avoid


    them at all costs.


    My first ss had neither the gorgeous twins or the mean blonde girl. The teacher pointed me to a seat


    in the back and I plopped down next to a girl withrge sses and curly red hair.


    She gave me a small smile and told me her name.


    ¡°I¡¯m Tori.¡± The curly redhead smiled at me, and I returned it with a small smile of my own.


    I cleared my throat and nced around at the nosy student¡¯s around us, ¡°I¡¯m Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Woah, awesome name.¡± Tori nodded as she doodled on a piece of paper.


    I shrugged, ¡°My father picked it out.¡±


    ¡°My Dad wanted to name me Charlie.¡± Tori gave me a look of h****r and I giggled. ¡°Your eyes look


    awesome by the way.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled, gettingpliments on my eye condition seemed to be rare.


    ¡°My childhood friend had the same thing, but only in one eye.¡± Tori grinned back at me.


    I spent most of the ss talking to Tori, and trying to subtly ask questions about the g*d-like twins I had


    quite literally ran into.


    ¡°Oh the twins.¡± Tori blushed as she scowled down at her paper. ¡°Kade and Alec.¡±


    ¡°Which one is which?¡± I frowned. Their names seemed to fit their bad-boy persona¡¯s perfectly.


    Tori frowned, ¡°I always get them mixed up but I¡¯m pretty sure the longer haired one is Alec and the


    other one is Kade.¡±


    ¡°Oh okay.¡± I nodded.


    As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t get the two of them out of my head. The way they looked at me was


    cold, and it made me feel strange. Yet I continued to think about them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mess with them if I were you.¡± Tori shook her head, ¡°They sleep around, a lot.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t nning on it.¡± I shook my head.


    I promised myself then and there that I wouldn¡¯t get involved with the twins. Not that they would ever go


    for someone like me. It seemed like they were into the morous model-type girl¡¯s anyway.


    I was theplete opposite. I tend to stick to myself, and most often than not I waspletely clumsy.


    Tori and I made ns together this weekend while we made small talk. She told me how she works at


    this restaurant in town and even offered to get me a job as a waitress.


    She told me she¡¯d give me a ride after school tomorrow to interview at the restaurant.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fancy or anything, but it¡¯s the fanciest we have in this town.¡± Tori shrugged. ¡°You get decent tips


    though if you know how to be flirty.¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°I have no idea how to be flirty.¡±


    I was definitely worried about working as a waitress. My clumsiness seemed to increase the more


    nervous I became, and thest thing anyone wanted was a waitress spilling drinks all over them.


    ¡®You¡¯ll learn. Ites with the job.¡± Tori shrugged.


    I felt as though I were having a lucky day when I walked to my next ss and saw Tori sitting in the


    back.


    We spent the next ss continuing our conversation.


    ¡°The people here really aren¡¯t all bad.¡± Tori smiled, ¡°You¡¯ll survive with no problem as long as you avoid


    Grace and her friends.¡±


    ¡°Grace?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°The blonde girl who hangs around the twins.¡± Tori replied and finally I could fit the name to a face.


    Grace was the supermodel looking girl that called me a freak. What a great start.


    ¡°I think I already blew that one.¡± I frowned.


    Tori shuddered, ¡°Justpletely avoid the twins from now on. She¡¯s with Kade at the moment and


    she¡¯s super possessive.¡±


    I was more than happy to take Tori¡¯s advice, but it seemed my luck had finally ran out.


    My next ss held both of the twins. They sat by themselves at arge square table. My heart nearly


    fell out of my bottom when the teacher told me to sit at their table. As I was walking towards the back,


    my foot hit the leg of someone¡¯s table and I nearly fell to the ground. I managed to catch myself in time


    and ignore the snickers from other students.


    With my face burning and my stomach doing flips, I sank down at the twin¡¯s table. I avoided all eye


    contact with them until I could get my thundering heart under control.


    I could feel two sets of eyes b**n into me and I let out a shaky sigh. I turned my head and met the gaze


    of both of the twins. The two of them were sitting across the table from me, their dark eyes boring into


    my own.


    Sitting this close to them was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because I had a much


    better look at them. They were so much more intoxicating up close.


    Kade was the slightest bit more muscr than his brother, but their faces were nearly identical. Full


    eyebrows followed by long eyshes and plump lips. As I sat there in silence, I tried to choose


    between the two and it just wasn¡¯t possible. The two of them were equally incredibly attractive and I


    simply couldn¡¯t pick.


    ¡°Oh look, Kade.¡± Alec smirked, his voice tinged with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s the little girl with the strange


    eyes.¡±


    I could feel my voice catch in my throat at the sound of Alec¡¯s voice. It was deep and rough around the


    edges.


    Kade¡¯s full lips turned up in a smirk, while his cold eyes roamed me. ¡°This is the girl Grace was talking


    about?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who didn¡¯t watch where she was going.¡± Alec smirked at his brother.


    They were both talking to me and about me. Like the incredibly alluring and smart girl that I am, I sat


    silently and tried not to gape at them.


    The two of them knew how attractive they were, it waspletely obvious. That didn¡¯t mean they had


    to act like a******s. I was beginning to regret my strange and instant attraction to the twins.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed.¡± Kade sneered and I held back the urge to flinch.


    As much as Frank berates me when he¡¯s drunk, you¡¯d think I would be used to it by now. For whatever


    reason, what the twins said actually bothered me and I found them much harder to ignore than Frank.


    ¡°Oh look, Kade.¡± Alec smirked. ¡°The little doll is trying to ignore us.¡±


    My heart jumped at what he called me. I couldn¡¯t figure out if it was an insult or apliment. The way


    they both looked at me scared me and enticed something deep within me.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Ignoring us will only make it worse for you, sweetheart.¡± Kade stared into my own eyes, his dark ones


    felt hot on my skin.


    My heart continued to jump at the names they called me. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the game they were


    ying. Borderline bullying yet calling these names made it sound like they liked me. I scolded myself


    for actually thinking they might like me. Why would I of all people draw the attention of two g*d-like


    twins.


    I continued to ignore the twins, and Kade was right. It was most certainly worse.


    The entire ss they continued to makements that pushed my buttons. I wasn¡¯t sure if they


    wanted a response from me or some kind of outburst, but I wasn¡¯t giving it to them.


    They made me do all of the work myself including the project that was supposed to take a week to


    complete.


    I wasn¡¯t sure which ss was worse. The ss I had with the twins or the next ss, the one I had with


    Grace and her friends.


    My next ss featured Alec, Tori, Grace and the rest of her friends.


    I was lucky enough to sit by Tori the entire time, but Alec continued to smirk and pester me.


    I could tell from one look, Grace absolutely loathed me and that wasn¡¯t going to change anytime soon.


    The more attention Alec gave me, the angrier she got. Why she was concerned with her boyfriend¡¯s


    brother was beyond me.


    Somehow I managed to get through the rest of the school day. Each day only consisted of five


    extremely long sses, and I was unlucky enough to have both of the twins in two of those sses.


    Myst ss of the day was gym. Gym ss was always hated to begin with, but knowing I had it with


    both of the twins only made it worse. I was naturally uncoordinated and feeling the hot gazes of the


    twin¡¯s only made it worse. Luckily, I was able to sit out until they found me an extra uniform. Knowing I


    would officially start gym Monday put a huge knot in my stomach.


    An entire week passed before I fully realized it. Frank was as bad as ever, but I did my best to avoid


    any confrontations or handsy grabbing on his end.


    The twins continued to torment me, both managing to upset me and leave me confused.


    Grace and her friends escted from petty res and snickers to full blown meanments. Tori and


    I became closer once I was hired at the same restaurant she works at, a little italian ce in the middle


    of town.


    I had even made a new friend in one of my sses, an athletic girl named Autumn with sandy blonde


    hair andrge blue eyes.


    My first weekend in Georgia began, most of which I n to spend on working. After getting myself


    school supplies and food for the week, I had a lot of money I needed to make up.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if things were looking up, or slowly settling down.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure you don¡¯t mind?¡± I sighed, looking at Tori with shameful eyes.


    Tori scoffed and rolled her eyes, ¡°Of course not. We work the same days anyway, I¡¯d just have toe


    in thirty minutes early.¡± Tori shrugged.


    When Tori found out I nned to walk thirty minutes to and from work, she insisted to giving me a ride


    everyday. I wasn¡¯t used to people wanting to help me, so the gesture made me feel like c**p.


    ¡°Let me at least give you gas money every week.¡± I frowned, fidgeting with the tight uniform we were


    forced to wear.


    While my Saturday was spentpleting the project Alec and Kade refused to do, today was Sunday


    and my first day of work.


    The first half of the day was rather slow, but the people in this town seemed to tip well. I seemed to fare


    well, only spilling things on myself rather than everyone else.


    I was thankful the uniforms consisted of a ck tshirt with the restaurants logo and a pair of tight ck


    cks. All of my spills were unnoticeable on the ck shirt. My chocte hair cascaded in waves down


    my back.


    Tori and I stepped back inside the restaurant, our thirty minute break had just ended.


    I peeked my head from the kitchen doors and looked out at the restaurant. It was around 5 p.m. and


    there were a lot more peopleing in the front door. My shift ended in two hours and I was counting


    the minutes until I could fall right into bed.


    My heart nearly stopped when Kade and Alec came through the doors with Grace and another


    beautiful girl. I felt a strange sharp pain radiate through me at the sight of them with two girls, but I


    shoved that deep down. Now wasn¡¯t the time for my stupid conflicting feelings. They approached the


    hostess and I audibly groaned when she ced them in my section.


    Kade and Alec looked even more delectable outside of school. Kade wore a ck sweater rolled up to


    his elbows, a pair of dark jeans, and some ck boots. Alec wore nearly the same thing, but he had a


    leather jacket thrown on top. I caught myself gawking at them and scolded myself. Thest thing I


    needed was to go all doe eyed and y right into their game.


    I watched in confusion when Kade¡¯s eyes scanned the room, stopping when he noticed my head


    peeking out from the kitchen doors. A smirk formed on his perfectly chiseled face when he caught my


    eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tori frowned, peeking out the door.


    I sighed, ¡°Kade and Alec of course.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to get on their radar, but I feel for you.¡± Tori shook her head with a sad


    chuckle.


    I grimaced down at my hands, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. I ran into them one time by mistake and they


    decided to make my life h**l.¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d tell you to go to the principal but they seem to have everyone wrapped around their fingers.¡± Tori


    frowned at me.


    I sighed and quitining. They wanted a reaction and I refused to give them one. I wasn¡¯t


    interested in ying their games. All I needed was to hold out until I turned eighteen next February and


    I would be out of this little town.


    ¡°Do you want me to wait on them?¡± Tori asked.


    I shook my head, ¡°Nah, they¡¯ll never let me live it down.¡±


    I let out one more sigh and chuckled when Tori gave me two thumbs up and an encouraging smile.


    ¡°Here we go.¡± I mumbled to myself.


    I could feel all four of their eyes on me as I approached the table they sat at.


    I stered a fake smile on my face and kept my eyes on the girls. I wanted to look at the twin¡¯s as little


    as possible. Grace sat along side Kade while Alec had a beautiful raven haired girl on his side.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Aurora and I¡¯ll be your server today.¡± I nearly grimaced as Grace shot me with a sneer. ¡°Can I


    get you anything to drink this evening?¡±


    ¡°Aurora. What kind of name is that?¡± The raven haired girl snickered, causing Grace to let out a nasal


    laugh.


    I kept my smile in ce and stared at the two.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take water.¡± Grace sighed, ¡°But I¡¯m going to need something a lot stronger if I have to look at your


    freaky eyes for too long.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what was so ¡®freaky¡¯ about my condition. Was it really that weird to have two different


    colored eyes? Rare yes, freaky no. Having one brown eye and one blue eye made it nearly impossible


    to find a color that suited me perfectly. Inconvenient? Definitely.


    I couldn¡¯t help but nce at Kade and Alec, almost grimacing at the stupid smirks that were on their


    faces.


    The twin¡¯s ordered sodas, while the girls ordered water. I practically ran from the table and helped two


    others in my section. Finally, I rushed to the back to grab them their drinks.


    Before I could run back out, I was stopped by Tori and one of the cooks, Kyle.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going with the twins?¡± Tori asked, a frown ying on her lips as she nced out into the


    seating area.


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°Always pleasant when dealing with them.


    ¡°Whose always pleasant?¡± Kyle appeared beside me and draped his arm over my shoulder. I felt


    myself stiffen. Kyle was one of those guys who flirts with every girl he sees and has absolutely no


    concept regarding personal space.


    Iughed at the number of times Tori had to tell him to get away from her in one afternoon. I never


    thought I¡¯d be on the receiving end of his attention.


    Kyle was definitely attractive. He had sun kissed hair that swooped across his head in a superman type


    hairstyle. His nose was sharp and spattered with freckles. He looked like a surfer in Cali rather than a


    cook in Georgia.


    ¡°Why do you feel the need to put your grubby hands all over everyone?¡± Tori huffed, cing her hands


    on her hips while she stared at Kyle usingly.


    Kyle smirked and tightened his arm around my shoulders, and I could feel my face turn red.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± I swatted him away, feeling much too warm at the moment.


    Kyle smirked and walked back to the kitchen, ¡°Jealousy doesn¡¯t suit you, Tori.¡±


    ¡°Vermin.¡± Tori sneered at him, shaking her head. Her red bouncy girls jostled with the sudden motion


    and resembled a lit me.


    I never had time to be interested in boys before. I was too young to notice them when I lived with


    grandma, and when I moved in with Melissa I was too busy taking care of myself.


    ¡°Grace really has it out for you, huh?¡± Tori shook her head.


    I pouted, ¡°Seems like it.¡±


    I grabbed their drinks while I still had the chance and tried to still my breath as I approached their table.


    I nearly cheered when I managed to make it all the way there without spilling anything.


    I set their drinks in front of them. As I went to set Kade¡¯s drink down, his hand flicked forward at the


    same exact second. The ss of soda tumbled over, spilling onto the table.


    My voice caught in my throat when a smirk formed on his full lips. His dark eyes twinkled mischievously


    as they burned into my face.


    ¡°I apologize for that.¡± I kept my voice as polite as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll clean that right up and grab you


    another.¡±


    I pursed my lips as I pulled out a rag and mopped the soda up. I couldn¡¯t help it when my eyes flickered


    across the table.


    I¡¯d have to get close to Kade to clean that. Much closer than I wanted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, sweetheart. You made the mess.¡± Kade gave me a sly smirk and watched the heat rise


    to my cheeks.


    I could feel the butterflies swarming in my stomach, and my heart nearly pounding out of my chest as I


    leaned across the table.


    Kade¡¯s face was inches from my own and I could smell the husky cologne he was wearing. I had never


    smelled something so intoxicating before. It was earthy and husky with just a tiny bit of sweetness to it.


    It had me wondering what Alec smelled like.


    ¡°Why do you smell like cologne?¡± Kade demanded in a low voice, causing my eyes to snap up to his


    own. Kade¡¯s eyes flickered over to Alec and both of them looked at me with the same demanding


    expression on their faces. Confusion and disbelief formed on my face as I processed what he was


    saying.


    I felt myself stammering for a response, unsure why I even wanted to give them one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why that matters.¡± I murmured, butchering almost half the words as their eyes gazed at me


    with a strange intensity.


    Eager to get away from the intense and borderline angry res of Alec and Kade, I rushed back into


    the kitchen for a recement drink.


    ¡°You alright, Aurora?¡± Kyle stopped me with a sandy eyebrow raised.


    I huffed, ¡°Yeah, Kyle. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I grabbed another drink and sped from the kitchen, desperately wanting to be anywhere else.


    I ced the drink down in front of Kade and felt relieved when it wasn¡¯t knocked over.


    ¡°Is everyone ready to order?¡± I asked, my smile much more forced this time.


    Kade and Alec¡¯s mood seemed to drastically change. Neither of them were looking at me with their


    patented smirks, and quite frankly they both looked pissed. I could hear Grace¡¯s nasalugh from


    across the dining room, as well as the res from the twin¡¯s thrown in my direction.


    The rest of my shift went as expected. Grace had at least sixty things wrong with her sd that needed


    recing, while Kade and Alec directed little insults my way.


    I grinned through each insult and bit my cheek, pretending I hadn¡¯t heard a thing.


    I let out an audible sigh of relief when the four of them got up to leave.


    I ran back to their table and grabbed the check before retreating to the back to clock out for the day.


    My eyes widened as I looked down at the check. Those twins were definitely ying some kind of


    game, and for whatever reason I was their target.


    Their bill had been almost $70.00 and they left me a $60.00 tip.


    They had to have been rich or somehow managed to find good paying jobs. Judging from their


    incredible looks and their cocky demeanor, I¡¯d guess they were rich.


    The tip wasn¡¯t the most concerning part of the check. What concerned me more, and sent butterflies


    and nausea rushing through me was the little note at the bottom of the receipt.


    ¡®See you soon, doll.¡¯

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    I clocked out of work after making quite a bit of money from tips alone. It would definitely help replenish


    some of the money I had spent on clothes and necessities.


    While I was happy to be free from work, going home was another situation entirely.


    When Tori dropped me off, Melissa was still at work for another hour. That left me alone with Frank.


    I knew he waspletely s**t-faced the second I walked through the front door.


    He sat in the recliner watching some fuzzy football match on the TV. His face contorted in anger and I


    sighed.


    ¡°Where the f**k have you been?¡± He spat, struggling to lift himself off the recliner.


    I tried not to roll my eyes, knowing it only pissed him off more.


    ¡°Working, Frank.¡± I repeated myself for the hundredth time.


    I turned to walk up the stairs and escape his drunken tirade when something he said had me turning


    back around.


    ¡°Working?¡± He scoffed, wobbling as he stood from the recliner. ¡°You were out whoring around like your


    f*****g mother.¡±


    This time I did roll my eyes. If he wasn¡¯t drunk all of the time he¡¯d remember that Melissa made me pay


    for everything myself. I didn¡¯t have time to ¡®w***e around¡¯ when I was busy supporting myself and going


    to high school.


    ¡°Melissa isn¡¯t my mother.¡± I snapped, turning to walk up the stairs.


    His hand wrapped around my wrist and yanked me backwards.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    While I didn¡¯t fall, I did stumble back a few steps.


    ¡°Get off of me, Frank.¡± I mumbled, my body tensing in fear.


    The few times he had managed to get this close to me weren¡¯t pretty. Frank was always handsy when


    he was drunk, whether it be abusive or sexual.


    ¡°F*****g w***e.¡± He spat, his alcohol tinged breath invading my sensitive nose. He yanked me closer to


    him and I nearly gagged at the sight of his sweat stained shirt.


    My entire body felt cold with fear. He was much too close forfort.


    I grimaced at the disgusting smell of stale beer and body odor.


    His grip was tightening around my wrist, and I gritted my teeth against the pain.


    ¡°I said get off!¡± I screeched, bringing my knee up in between his stubby legs.


    Frank let out a hiss of pain as his hand dropped my wrist. I could hear his drunken yelling as I ran to my


    bedroom and mmed the door behind me.


    I fumbled with the lock through the tears that had sprung up in my eyes.


    Once the door was sessfully locked, I flopped down on my bed and let a few tears trail down my


    face.


    Some days were harder than others, but it would all be worth it when I left this ce.


    Over the years, I had quickly lost hope that Melissa would treat me like her own daughter and instead


    looked forward to escaping the moment I turned 18.


    I sat on the bed for hours, not daring to move until I heard the front door open and Melissae inside.


    It was then I pulled myself off the bed and trudged into the shower. The steaming water hid the tears as


    they fell from my eyes, and I gave up and let them run freely.


    I was always extremely aware of Frank¡¯s movements in the house, and always needed to be on guard


    around him. That fact alone was tiring and put me in a perpetual state of paranoia.


    I hopped out of the shower feelingpletely exhausted, and fell into bed.


    The morning came around much too quickly. After a few hours of restless sleep, I woke up and


    changed for school.


    I put on one of the outfits I had recently bought, a pair of skinny jeans and an off-shoulder long sleeve


    shirt.


    I grimaced down at the handprint bruise left on my porcin skin and yanked my sleeve down over it.


    As usual, my first and second ss of the day was with Tori. We sat and talked while working on our


    assignments. My next ss was the one I was worried about. Kade¡¯sment about cologne at the


    restaurant had me confused, but I let it flit from my mind shortly after it had happened. Apparently the


    two of them did not.


    Kade and Alec both looked equally irresistible. Both of the twins¡¯ hair were tousled and had that messy


    look that other guys struggled to achieve. Kade wore a dark blue button down shirt, while Alec had on a


    simple ck t-shirt.


    Kade and Alec sat at our normal table, only this time Alec sat across from Kade. I grimaced to myself,


    realizing I¡¯d have to sit next to one of them.


    Kade seemed to be more serious than Alec and sometimes scarier, so I plopped down in the seat


    beside Alec.


    Alec smirked at Kade, as if he had won some bet. I kept my eyes averted from the sinfully attractive


    twins and pretended to be interested in what the teacher was saying.


    ¡°Did the little doll finish our group project?¡± Alec teased, his hot breath curling around my ear.


    A shudder wracked through my body and Alec snickered. I mped my lips shut and ignored him. Of


    course I finished the project. I couldn¡¯t let the troublesome twins ruin my grade.


    When I didn¡¯t answer Alec¡¯s fingers danced over my shoulder and tickled my cor bone. I sucked in a


    sharp breath at the tingles that bubbled against my skin under his touch.


    ¡°Stop.¡± I hissed, keeping my gaze on the teacher.


    I could hear a weird rumbling sounding from Alec, and the urge to look became overwhelming.


    My eyes flickered over to Alec who had a strange glint hidden in his dark orbs.


    I couldn¡¯t understand these insanely gorgeous twins. First, the two of them chose me to pick on.


    Second, they wanted a reaction from me. Third, when they finally got a reaction, they seemed pissed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you make me stop, doll?¡± Alec gave me a sly grin, his thick fingers running along my


    exposed cor bone.


    Just then, the teacher walked around the room collecting the group project we were supposed to


    complete.


    Alec¡¯s wandering hand retreated to his own body and I rifled through my binder in search of the project.


    After handing our project to the teacher, I nearly jumped from my seat as arge hand grasped my


    t***h.


    Alec smirked down at me and I felt my body stiffen.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that feisty little attitude, doll?¡± His gruff voice was quiet and much too close to my ear.


    I mped my teeth down on the side of my cheek, determined not to feed into their b******t. I wasn¡¯t


    sure if they got off on acting this way, but I wasn¡¯t nning on encouraging it.


    And that¡¯s how I sat for the remainder of ss.


    Sucking in sharp breaths when Alec¡¯s hand traveled where it shouldn¡¯t. At one point his fingers found a


    strand of my hair and tugged yfully.


    I had to turn my head to hide the aggressive blush that formed on my cheeks.


    I quickly noticed that Kade was the quiet one of the two. His eyes were glued on me the entire ss.


    When his nk stare wasn¡¯t on me, his eyes flickered to his brother. I swore I could see jealousy


    burning in his eyes.


    Such a shame, they wanted to take turns tormenting me.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    My next ss featured Alec, Tori, and Grace.


    I was beginning to have a love hate rtionship with this particr ss.


    It wasn¡¯t all bad because I got to sit next to Tori, which kept Alec from tormenting me. The downside


    was Grace and her friends would constantly throw insults my way. For someone who acts like their


    bulletproof, her insults sure hurt a lot.


    I had been dreading Gym ss all day. We were split between Volleyball and Basketball for the next


    month or so.


    Sports have always been challenging for me. And as funny as it sounds, the ball always seemed


    attracted to my face.


    I chose the option that didn¡¯t include Alec or Kade, which was Volleyball. Much to my dismay Grace


    happened to choose Volleyball as well.


    My options weren¡¯t looking too great. Pick Basketball and suffer the intruding touches of the twins, or


    Volleyball and suffer meanments from Grace.


    I¡¯d choose meanments any day.


    While the medium sized gym shirt fit mefortably, they only had a size small in the shorts. I was


    naturally slim, but my hips red out along with a full bottom. The shorts constantly rid up my thighs,


    and in my opinion looked as though they were going to tear at any moment.


    Thankfully, that weird mesh material gym shorts were made from was typically strong.


    I somehow managed to survive fifteen minutes of dodging the Volleyball when something had to


    happen.


    Grace had served the ball and someone on the other team had hit it back. The ball was heading


    straight for my face, and I braced myself for the impact.


    Instead of getting hit in the face, I was abruptly knocked to the ground. My head bounced against the


    linoleum floor with a sickening crack. A dazed whimper escaped my lips as my teeth clicked together.


    ¡°S**t, Aurora. You okay?¡± Autumn¡¯s familiar voice spoke from over me.


    She had her hand out and I gratefully took it as she pulled me to my feet.


    The Earth wobbled a little and I knew I was going to have a k****r headache tomorrow, but I¡¯d survive.


    ¡°What the h**l happened?¡± I groaned, my fingers grazing the side of my head for any traces of blood.


    I turned my attention to Autumn¡¯s gaze and looked into the smug eyes of Grace. She was snickering


    with another one of the girls and when she caught me looking, she gave me a taunting wave.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Grace happened.¡± I gritted my teeth, answering my own question.


    I noticed the rest of the ss had stopped ying Basketball, and decided to gawk at what just


    happened.


    My eyes scanned the other kids until theynded on Alec and Kade.


    My heart nearly dropped as I took in their sweaty physiques and tousled hair. What made my blood run


    cold was the murderous res they were throwing in my direction.


    ¡°Autumn, take Aurora to the nurse.¡± The gym teacher snapped, ¡°Everyone else get back to ying!¡±


    A couple whistle blowster and it was as if nothing had happened.


    Autumn walked me to the nurses office where we both sat waiting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy honey. Some poor kid threw up in Science ss.¡± The Nurse shuddered and


    zipped from the room.


    ¡°At least you¡¯re not the only one having a bad day?¡± Autumn¡¯sment was phrased as a question


    and she let out a little giggle.


    ¡°Fair point.¡± I chuckled dryly, the side of my head beginning to throb. ¡°At least everyone else saw her


    knock me to the ground.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like anything will happen to her.¡± Autumn grimaced, her lips pressed tightly together.


    I frowned, ¡°Why the h**l not? Everyone saw her knock me down, since when is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Since she¡¯s Grace, favorite toy to Kade.¡± Autumnughed humorlessly.


    I shook my head, ¡°What the h**l is up with these people. How can they not get in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Their parents like to own the town or something.¡± Autumn shrugged, genuinely looking confused, ¡°No


    one wants to get on their bad side, especially the twins.¡±


    ¡°That needs to change.¡± I muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to sit here with me y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°Any excuse to miss out on Gym is fine with me.¡± Autumn chuckled, ¡°How¡¯s your head feeling?¡±


    ¡°Like I need a new one.¡± I shook my head. Hopefully the nurse would give me some Advil.


    ¡°Oh that reminds me, there¡¯s a party this Saturday and I want you toe with me. I¡¯ll invite Tori too


    after school.¡± Autumn grinned, showing a set of white teeth.


    I shook my head, ¡°How did that remind you of a party?¡±


    Autumn shrugged, ¡°No clue, but are you interested?¡±


    Autumn was one of those girls who seemed to fit into every social group. A lot of her friends were the


    athletic kids, but Autumn tended to fit in everywhere.


    ¡°I suppose.¡± I shrugged. I only worked 8 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon. That would give me plenty


    of time to take a shower and get dressed.


    ¡°Great!¡± Autumn grinned, ¡°Wear a dress or something. I¡¯ve got these heels I¡¯ve been d***g to wear.¡±


    I pursed my lips together, not wanting to interrupt her monologue on shoes. ¡°I don¡¯t have any dresses,


    besides I¡¯d rather befortable.¡± I shrugged.


    There would be no drinking or smoking for me, I was simply going for a friend. And thest thing I


    wanted was to stand out.


    ¡°Wait, will the twins be there?¡± I scowled. I definitely wasn¡¯t going to show if they were going toe.


    ¡°They nevere to our parties.¡± Autumn scoffed, ¡°They must think theirs are better or something.


    Who even throws parties out in the middle of the woods. Weirdo¡¯s.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow, ¡°That is weird, and slightly murderish.¡±


    Autumn was forced to go back to ss once the Nurse returned. She brought a rather green looking


    kid into the room and shooed him towards the bathroom.


    After looking me over for a moment and giving me a couple Advil (thankfully), she told me I could head


    home.


    ¡°No thanks.¡± I shook my head, ¡°A friend drives me home, and I really don¡¯t feel like walking.¡±


    ¡°I can always call your Momma, hon.¡± The plump nurse gave me a soft smile.


    I shook my head a little too vigorously, wincing at the pain. ¡°No, no. Not necessary. She¡¯s working and


    won¡¯t be happy if she gets a call.¡±


    ¡°Well- Alright dear. Just take it easy and drink lots of water. Wouldn¡¯t hurt ya to have a doctor check you


    out.¡± The nurse gave me a weird look but smiled politely.


    I nodded my head, really wanting to leave. ¡°Yup, sure. I¡¯ll have a doctor check me out.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a chance in h**l I¡¯d be going to a doctor any time soon. One, I had no idea where the


    closest doctor was and two, I¡¯m fairly sure I don¡¯t have any insurance.


    I left the Nurses office before she could say anything else and headed to my locker.


    I sat in the hallway for another half hour before I found the motivation to pull myself from the floor.


    Going home early simply wasn¡¯t an option. Frank would likely be home and he¡¯d go straight to Melissa


    if he saw me home early.


    The bell signaling the end of ss rang when I finally stood from the floor.


    I moved slowly as I flung my locker open and stuffed my books into the ratty backpack I owned. Once


    the second bell sounded, kids would begin flooding from ss.


    The familiar yet intoxicating scent of cologne and male sweat filled my nose. I resisted the urge to sigh


    and mmed my locker shut.


    ¡°Looks like the little doll is having a bad day.¡± Alec smirked, his dark eyes flickering to his brother and


    finally back to my face. Alec stood on one side of me, much too close I might add.


    Kade stood on the other side, his dark eyes looking down at my head. ¡°How¡¯s your head, sweetheart?¡±


    Kade¡¯s voice was rough but the corners of his lips turned down.


    Their mind games had my head throbbing all over again, and I swore I was going to get whish from


    their mood swings. One minute they¡¯re calling me names, insulting me. The next minute Alec won¡¯t


    keep his d**n hands away from me. Then they hurl d***h res my way, only to care about my stupid


    headter on.


    Before I could say anything Kade¡¯s rough hand gripped my chin, turning my face to his own. His touch


    sent a strange shiver down my spine and I shuddered as Alec¡¯s breath hit my ear.


    Kade¡¯s other hand was much more gentle than I would¡¯ve anticipated, only leaving me more confused.


    His hand reached out gently and touched the spot I had mmed into the Gym floor.


    A hiss of pain left my lips under his touch and I cringed away, pressing my backside closer to Alec.


    ¡°Poor little doll is hurt.¡± Alec murmured in my ear. ¡°You know what that means, Kade.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make you feel better, sweetheart.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was a rough murmur as his fingers held tight on


    my chin.


    My heart was hammering in my chest and the urge to run was ever so present in my mind. I was at war


    with myself. On one hand I wanted to run, and on the other I was basking in their gentle touch, in the


    attention they were giving to me.


    A yelp of surprise left my lips as Alec¡¯s hands grasped my waist. His fingers teased the end of my shirt,


    grazing the soft skin beneath it.


    ¡°S-Stop.¡± I muttered, using my hands to push his away.


    My hands were swatted away effortlessly as Kade tilted my head to the side.


    ¡°Shh.¡± His mint filled breath wafted across my face enticingly.


    Kade tilted my head to the side with ease and I visibly jumped as a pair of soft lips collided with my


    neck.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± I yelped as his lips moved down my neck.


    To say it felt good would be an understatement. Some hidden part of me wanted to stay in this empty


    hallway with the two of them forever, no longer gued with life outside of our little bubble.


    A life where they¡¯d go back to tormenting me at first chance.


    ¡°Making you feel better, doll.¡± Alec murmured in my ear, his fingers tracing patterns on my b**e


    stomach.


    Kade was skilled with his mouth. He left little pecks and nibbles down my neck and shoulder, making


    me gasp in both pain and pleasure.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± Tori¡¯s familiar voice echoed down the hall, along with her pattering footsteps.


    The clock on the far wall showed 2:12 in the afternoon, two minutes past the second bell.


    Faster than I would mentally handle, Kade and Alec retracted themselves from me.


    ¡°Until next time, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured in my ear, the light stubble on his face tickling my cheek.


    I visibly shivered from his rough voice. My eyes were stered on the smirk his full lips formed.


    I wanted to kiss the two of them, but I also wanted to shove them both away and run. What kind of


    mind games were they ying? I was beginning to think we should¡¯ve stayed in California.


    The two of them turned and left me alone in the hall. Tori came into view only a secondter, a strange


    look gracing her face.


    Well, the twins were right about one thing. My headache was a fading memory.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    The car ride was awkward and silent as Tori shed me suspicious nces.


    ¡°You were awful red when I found you in the hall.¡± Tori raised her eyebrow at me.


    I wanted to tell her the truth, but I knew nothing woulde of it. If these twins were really as


    ¡®untouchable¡¯ as everyone imed, what good would ite?


    I was stillpletely torn about what actually happened. They had touched me against my will, kissed


    me against my will. If it was all against my will then why did I enjoy it so much? Why did some part of


    me want this to happen again?


    I chalked it up to reasonable insanity and due to the fact the twins were irresistibly hot.


    After iming innocence a million and one times, Tori reluctantly stopped interrogating me.


    I navigated the house carefully, nearly jumping for joy when I saw Frank snoring on the recliner.


    I flopped down on my bed after finishing some homework and touched my head angrily.


    It wasn¡¯t even sore anymore.


    A muffled ringing pulled me from the bed and I searched for the crappy phone Melissa had gotten me.


    Our social worker practically demanded Melissa provide me with a cellphone. So Melissa being


    Melissa, she got me the lowest quality phone possible. I didn¡¯t even know they made those chunky flip


    phones anymore. The only thing this phone was good for is calling people.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I sighed, already knowing who was on the other end.


    The only person who called this phone was the social worker.


    ¡°Hello, Aurora.¡± Jenny, my social worked for thest couple years chuckled. ¡°Just calling to check up on


    you and to see how everything¡¯s going.¡±


    ¡°Everything is the same.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Not bad, just the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Aurora.¡± Jenny sighed, it was no secret Melissa never wanted me. ¡°We¡¯ve


    actually just gotten word your Father¡¯s been sending checks written out for you, and I wanted to see


    how they were helping.¡±


    I snickered, ¡°It¡¯s been years and you just got word now?¡± ¡°Your Father¡¯s a pretty private person it


    seems.¡± Jenny chuckled. ¡°They should fill up your college fund pretty fast.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if I had gotten any of them.¡± I scoffed, rolling my eyes.


    Melissa was expecting the next check any day now. No doubt she¡¯d make some snidement once


    she received it.


    There was a pause on the other end, ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten any of the checks?¡±


    ¡°Melissa¡¯s gotten them just fine.¡± I shrugged. I had long ago given up on receiving any of the checks,


    not that I¡¯d want anything from an absentee sperm donor.


    Another long pause.


    ¡°I see.¡± Jenny sounded irritated, ¡°Thanks for the info, Aurora. I¡¯ll see what I can do to fix that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten any since Grandma died and I really don¡¯t feel like


    hearing Melissa yell at me.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Jenny sounded unconvinced.


    Sleep didn¡¯te easy that night. The twin¡¯s gued my dreams as though tormenting me in real life


    wasn¡¯t enough.


    I woke from sleep with a couple ragged breaths. My dream was set at school, where the twins hurled


    cruel insults my way. After the insults they dragged me into a closet and picked up where they had left


    off in real life, leaving me even more confused.


    I was jolted from my bed as a crack of lightning split the air. Rain hammered down against the house,


    and what I once found calming now sounded sinister.


    I flicked mymp on and pulled myself from bed. The chill of my room did nothing to cool my heated


    skin. I could practically feel the goosebumps under the twin¡¯s rough touches, as if my dream had been


    real.


    Leaning my head against the cool window in my bedroom, I peered out into the rain. We lived in a part


    of California that was horribly dry for most of the year. Everything about Georgia was green and wet,


    and I wasn¡¯t sure if I found it unsettling orforting.


    Another crack of lightning sounded, and I watched entranced at how the lightning sent a sh of yellow


    across the forest beside the house. Everything waspletely dark under the pale light of the moon,


    but the lightning spotlighted everything before it sent the forest plunging into darkness.


    I stood with my forehead against the cool ss, my eyes reflecting the brilliant shes of lightning.


    Every now and again the deafening crack of thunder would sound and make me jump a little.


    I squinted my eyes harder at the forest below me. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the bustling wind, or if


    something else was rustling the branches below. The lightning only provided seconds of rity before


    the darkness returned.


    I leaped back from the window in shock. The lightning has crashed down, illuminating the forest and I


    wasn¡¯t sure what I had just seen.


    Two veryrge, furry heads poked from the forest. The fur surrounding their intelligent eyes was dark


    as night. I had only a glimpse at the elongated snouts, but if I had to guess I would¡¯ve said they were


    wolves or a ck bear. Did wolves and bears even live in Georgia?


    What was most unsettling was hoe the two wolves seemed to be staring directly at my bedroom


    window.


    I stayed home from school the next day, feigning sickness. In all honesty, I wasn¡¯t mentally prepared for


    school today. The relentless dreams had woke me up and the sight of the strange animals had kept me


    up for the remainder of the night.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I knew Melissa wouldn¡¯t notice if I stayed home from school. As usual, Frank was the one to look out


    for. I was determined to spend the entire day in my room, only sneaking out for the asional


    bathroom break.


    I clicked the lock on my door and curled back up in bed. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had slept, but I was


    beyond grateful it was a peaceful nap. My dreams weren¡¯t gued with Kade and Alec.


    The day passed quickly and effortlessly, and once 2 o¡¯clock came around, I got dressed for work. It


    wasn¡¯t a long shift, thankfully.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if Tori would show up to take me to work, especially with me missing school today.


    Surprisingly Tori¡¯s car pulled into the driveway and I crept downstairs.


    Frank had his attention on some football game rerun, and I darted from the house.


    ¡°Where the h**l were you today?¡± Tori frowned, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I should pick you up for work or not.¡±


    I frowned, ¡°Sorry, had a rough night.¡±


    ¡°Did the storm bother you?¡± Tori frowned, curling a lock of fire kissed hair around her finger.


    I shrugged, ¡°Yeah, it woke me up. I had a hard time falling back asleep. Just needed a break is all.¡±


    ¡°Next time let a girl know!¡± Tori scoffed and shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t exactly have a phone.¡± I pursed my lips. There was no way I nned on pulling out my chunky


    flip phone. Better no phone than this one.


    Tori frowned, ¡°You don¡¯t have a phone? Can¡¯t you just get your own n?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not eighteen yet.¡± I frowned, ¡°Besides, I need to replenish my savings.¡±


    Tori seemed perplexed, and it had never urred to me that she might be one of the many wealthier


    families in town.


    ¡°Why do you need to replenish it?¡± Tori frowned.


    I chuckled at her confusion, ¡°I¡¯ve already spent too much money on food, school supplies and clothes.¡±


    ¡°Um, isn¡¯t that stuff your parents should help with?¡± Tori grimaced, confirming my assumption about her.


    I sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very nice.¡± Tori shook her head.


    ¡°Not everyone is.¡± I shrugged, hopping out of her car.


    Thankfully, Tori dropped the topic of conversation and started a new one. Comining about Kyle was


    one of her favorite things to do. At one point I almost thought she had some strange crush on him. Tori


    reluctantly confessed she had dated Kyle two years ago, and learned the hard way when he left her for


    another girl.


    The first half of my shift went on perfectly. Around the four hour mark I managed to run into another


    waitress and stter alfredo sauce all over my dark shirt. The manager working at the time gave me


    another to change into, but unfortunately it was short sleeved. The bruise I had received days ago was


    already healing, but now it was an ugly yellow color.


    I slipped the short sleeve, ck t-shirt on in the bathroom, tying my apron around my waist.


    As I left the bathroom I mmed into something hard. That something emitted a familiar intoxicating


    smell and I stumbled as I tried to stay on my feet.


    A pair of warm and rough hands held my shoulders, steadying me. Alec¡¯s stern face looked down on


    me, his full eyebrow cocked as I had ran into him for the second time.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the little doll.¡± Alec smirked down at me, his hands falling to his sides. His unruly and


    tousled hair hung on his head, a strand falling down to just reach his eyes. He looked like the typical


    bad boy you¡¯d see in all of the movies, a type of guy I had never been interested in. Until now.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I cleared my throat and tried to keep my voice even.


    Alec and Kade held some unseen power that made me act like a blundering idiot whenever I was


    around them.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t in school today.¡± Alec pointed out, a serious look on his handsome face.


    Anger and irritation shed inside of me. Alec and his brother tormented me and now he wanted to act


    concerned? It was clear that the approach I was taking held no affect on their behavior. They wanted


    me to have a reaction? Fine. Maybe that would bore them and end their strange fixation on me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s any of your business.¡± I growled at him, ring into his dark eyes.


    I was sure I seemed like a defensive kitten inparison to Alec¡¯srge build, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Everything was beginning to weigh on me, and I wasn¡¯t sure how long it would be until my sanity had


    left mepletely.


    I stepped around Alec and hastily made my way to the kitchens, not daring to search the room for


    Kade¡¯s intense gaze.


    I was in the kitchen for a total of six minutes when the waitress I had ran into stormed over to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about you?¡± The waitress snapped.


    I stared at her dumbfounded. Sure, I had ran into her by ident but I apologized for that.


    She looked me up and down with a sour look on her face. Her hazel eyes pierced my skin with their


    judge mental gaze.


    ¡°What?¡± I scoffed, reacting much too slowly for her liking.


    The waitress crossed her arms over her chest, ¡°You must think you¡¯re so f*****g great huh?¡±


    ¡°I literally have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I snapped back at her, grateful when I saw Tori


    rushing up to us.


    ¡°Woah, what the h**l Cameron?¡± Tori barked at the caramel haired waitress. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I have no clue.¡± I shrugged, trying not to shrink under Cameron¡¯s re.


    ¡°This is the second time the twin¡¯s havee in here asking for her specifically.¡± Cameron snapped,


    ¡°As if she¡¯s f*****g special or something.¡±


    My mouth ran dry as she said that, and my heart hammered unhappily.


    ¡°By all means, be their waitress.¡± I forced the words out of my mouth.


    A look of surprise followed by suspicion crossed over Cameron¡¯s face, ¡°I¡¯ve already tried. They want


    you.¡±


    For a split second I contemted quitting my job all together, but that wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Was I


    really going to let two guys force me from my job? From school? Not a chance.


    I left the kitchen with a grumble, my stomach doing flips and my heart racing. I took a moment to collect


    myself.


    ¡°Hello sweetheart.¡± Kade smirked as I walked up to their table. Alec sat on the other side, an identical


    smirk on his face. I gritted my teeth together, ¡°What can I get you to drink?¡±


    The two of them ordered soda¡¯s and I stormed away before they could say any more.


    It took me only a minute, as we weren¡¯t very busy today.


    It was always much easier having tables of three or less. I hated using those huge trays to carry drinks


    on. One little misstep and all your drinks would go tumbling over. It was much easier to keep food


    bnced. Most of my idents involved drinks.


    I set both of their drinks in front of them when Kade¡¯s rough hand reached out and snatched my arm.


    ¡°What the f**k is this?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    ¡°It¡¯s a bruise.¡± I snapped, trying to yank my arm away from the two of them.


    Kade¡¯s eyes hardened at my defiance and a yelp escaped my lips as Kade roughly pulled me onto his


    lap.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hissed, feeling my face flush under the nces of the other customers. ¡°I¡¯m at


    work!¡±


    I¡¯m at work? Was that really the best I coulde up with. I pushed my embarrassingment to the


    side, knowing it would keep me up at night.


    ¡°Our family owns this ce, no one cares doll.¡± Alec¡¯s full lips turned up in a smirk but his eyes


    remained hard.


    Get off of me, Kade.¡± I hissed, trying to squirm out of his irond grip.


    ¡°You might want to stop doing that, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled lowly in my heart.


    A deep rumble emerged from his mouth as I felt something stir against my bottom. I was positive my


    face was lit up like a christmas tree right now.


    Gathering all of the strength I could muster, I pushed myself through his arms and attempted to stand


    up. I didn¡¯t get very far. Kade¡¯s arms wrapped around like a vice grip and grounded me back on hisp.


    ¡°Do that one more time and you¡¯ll be screaming my name.¡± Kade¡¯s husky voice was deep and rich in


    my ear.


    Kade and Alec observed me with clouded eyes. Kade held my arm out and Alec touched it gingerly.


    ¡°This didn¡¯t happen in Gym.¡± Alec pointed out, and I mped my lips shut.


    ¡°Was it that cook?¡± Kade growled roughly in my ear, his grip on my waist tightening.


    ¡°Was it Kyle?¡± Alec demanded alongside his brother.


    I could feel my blood run cold as I worried for Kyle. Kyle was a d****e most of the time, but he wasn¡¯t a


    woman beater.


    ¡°No.¡± I sputtered, looking at the two of them incredulously. ¡°Kyle had nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°What happened to your arm, sweetheart.¡± Kade used his rough hand to turn my face towards the two


    of them.


    I grimaced at the both of them, my impatience reaching an all time high.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s any of your business.¡± I huffed at the two of them.


    I was sick and tired of their mind games. Not only was it exhausting me, it was also introducing new


    and foreign sensations I had never felt before.


    One minute they acted like they hated me, and now they were acting like my well being actually


    mattered to them. They didn¡¯t act like they had a mere crush on me. This was something different,


    something possessive.


    ¡°Little doll,¡± Alec chuckled as though I were an innocent and ignorant little girl. ¡°It is most certainly our


    business.¡±


    ¡°You belong to us, sweetheart.¡± Kade¡¯s rough voice murmured in my ear, and something strange


    fluttered in my stomach.


    I could feel Kade¡¯s rough hands tracing circles on my lower back, and I took what would be my only


    opportunity to run away.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I dashed off of Kade¡¯sp and into the kitchens, not daring to look back.


    ¡°What the h**l was that, Aurora?¡± Tori¡¯s jaw was dropped as she clutched a stack of tes in her hand.


    I shook my head profusely, ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    My body was quite literally at war with itself.


    A strange sensation was tingling between my legs, begging me to run back to the twins. For some


    insane reason, I felt safe and secure with them. While they overwhelmed me, I didn¡¯t believe they


    would ever cause me harm. They pushed my boundaries and made me feel some unexinable


    things.


    On the other hand, they were two guys who quite literally barged into my life and tried to im me as if


    I were some object. They didn¡¯t treat me like a normal girl whom they happened to have a crush on.


    What confused me the most was how willing they were to share me. What kind of twins, brothers even,


    would agree to sharing a girl?


    And why did I feel the same strange connection with both of the twins?


    ¡°You look sick.¡± Tori pointed out, setting the dishes aside.


    I nodded my head, ¡°Definitely sick.¡±


    ¡°Let me talk to the manager. I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± Tori gave me a sympathetic smile and ran off.


    She was back only a few secondster, my jacket in her hands.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Tori nodded, ¡°We can go out the back doors.¡±


    Relief flushed through me and I gave Tori a weak smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    We slipped into her car and Tori took off without a second thought.


    ¡°You wanna tell me what that was?¡± Tori raised her eyebrow at me.


    Something glinted in the back of her eyes, something like awareness.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± I floundered for the words to say, ¡°The twins just won¡¯t leave me alone. One minute I


    think they hate me, and the next they act like they have a weird crush on me or something.¡±


    Tori pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say more. ¡°Well, how do you feel about them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I shook my head, rubbing my temples against the impending headache I was bound to


    have. ¡°They make me feel strange.¡±


    ¡°Strange.¡± Tori noted with a nod, ¡°Strange is better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°You support this?¡± I looked at her wide eyed.


    Tori sighed, ¡°Their really not bad once you get to know them. I used to be friends with them when I was


    a kid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of time for them to change, Tori.¡± I huffed, shaking my head.


    Tori frowned, she definitely wanted to say more.


    ¡°Look, I know they can press your boundaries but they¡¯re not bad people.¡± Tori shrugged, dropping the


    topic for the time being.


    ¡°I appreciate the advice.¡± I nodded, ¡°But I think I need to figure this out on my own.¡±


    Tori dropped me off at home and left after giving me a sympathetic smile.


    I trudged in the house, ready for a nice hot shower when Melissa stomped up to me.


    ¡°What the f**k did you do?¡± Melissa spat at me, her blonde hair flying wildly behind her.


    I mped my lips shut and looked at her nkly, ¡°I have no idea. What did I do this time, Melissa?¡±


    She grimaced at the use of her name, not that I noticed.


    ¡°I just got a phone call. Your check isn¡¯ting.¡± Melissa spat, mming her phone down on the


    counter.


    Despite my best judgement, I let out a dry chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s about time. You¡¯ve been getting them for years.


    They¡¯re not even for you.¡±


    ¡°Your pathetic f*****g father ditched me and I got stuck with you.¡± Melissa spat, ¡°I deserve the money


    more than you ever will.¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°If you say so. That won¡¯t change anything.¡±


    I turned and retreated up to my bedroom, hearing Melissa¡¯s screaming in the background.


    I took quite awhile in the shower, simply staring at the fading bruise on my arm and contemting my


    non-existent rtionship with Melissa.


    I suppose the Social Worker managed to reach my sperm donor after all. Life is full of surprises.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    After my pointless conversation with Melissa, I hopped in the shower.


    My body refused to put me out of my misery and allow me some restful sleep.


    Instead, Iid awake staring at the chipped ceiling mulling over what Alec and Kade had said to me.


    How could they possibly think I belonged to them? I had just started school here, and I hardly even


    knew them. Yet they imed I belonged to them, as if they had known me forever.


    It would¡¯ve been easier to ignore the twins if I wasn¡¯t feeling this annoyingly strange connection to the


    two of them. Sure, they were drop d**d gorgeous but some innate part of me wanted to be around


    them. It was as if my instincts were pushing me closer to them while the logical side of me pulled away.


    Nheless, my body seemed to react on it¡¯s own under the twins touches as if it wanted to be


    imed by them.


    I had no choice but to go to school the next day. Melissa had a day off and thest thing I wanted was


    to be stuck inside with her and Frank. Their arguing would torment me enough.


    I pulled myself from the bed with a tired groan. I had slept a total of four hoursst night.


    I grained as I looked down at the d***y pile of clothes in my room. I hadpletely forgotton to do my


    laundry yesterday, leaving me with minimal options on what to wear.


    I had a floral t***h high dress, a pair of extremely short shorts, and one pair of fuzzy pajama pants.


    Choosing the option that would grant me the least amount of attention, I slipped on the floral dress. I


    paired it with an old jean jacket I had avable and a pair of ratty old sneakers.


    My eyes were bright and somewhat bloodshot as I stared into the mirror. I red at the bags forming


    under my eyes and silently cursed the twins.


    I came downstairs at thest minute, ignoring the d***h res Melissa shot my way.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Aurora,e here for a minute.¡± Melissa called out, and I ground my teeth together.


    My body instinctively clenched as I approached the woman who had carried me in her womb for 9


    months.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I pursed my lips and stared into her pale eyes.


    When I had first moved in with Melissa, it hurt to look at her. Every time I looked into her pale eyes, I


    saw what she could¡¯ve been. She could¡¯ve been the Mom to teach me about boys, to take me out to


    the mall and spend afternoonsughing and watching movies.


    She could¡¯ve been so much more if she had only tried, if she had only cared in the slightest.


    Over time I stopped seeing what she could¡¯ve been. Now, I only saw her for what she was.


    Something lurked in her pale eyes,and I knew any kindness she portrayed would be false.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call the social worker and tell her you were just being dramatic.¡± Melissa said


    nonchntly, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± I frowned, crossing my arms as I looked into her blue eyes.


    Frank sat off to the side in his recliner, watching something on the TV. I purposefully kept my eyes


    away from him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, if you do I¡¯ll split the checks with you.¡± Melissa¡¯s voice was unusually soft, and I


    wondered how much effort she put into her words.


    On extremely rare asions Melissa would say or do something that made my insides hurt with


    longing. The softness in her voice caused a sharp pain to radiate through my chest, wishing she wasn¡¯t


    putting on a cheap facade.


    ¡°Think of how much that could help for college.¡± Melissa pointed out, and my chest continued aching.


    I had no idea she even knew of my ns for college. I certainly had never told her, and she never


    asked.


    I clenched my teeth and fought against the pain, ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Melissa nodded, turning back to her task in the kitchen.


    I turned my back and headed for the front door.


    ¡°Have a good day at school.¡± Her words sliced through me like a knife, and I was sure she knew the


    impact they had on me.


    My heart ached the entire way to Tori¡¯s car, and for once I desperately wanted to walk to school.


    Tears formed in the back of my eyes, making my head and throat ache.


    Just when I thought I hardened myself against any pain Melissa could cause, she did something that


    hurt me.


    Whenever Melissa wanted something, she used everything she could at her disposal. She knew deep


    down I wanted a Mom, that I wanted to be loved and epted. She¡¯d pretend to care for as long as it


    took to get her way, reverting back to her usual self once she seeded.


    ¡°You feeling alright?¡± Tori raised her eyebrow at me, pulling out of the driveway and down the road.


    I took a few seconds topose myself, and chase away the tears that threatened to form.


    ¡°Yup.¡± I forced the word from my lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep very well.¡±


    That was one thing I was beginning to truly appreciate about Tori. When you wanted to drop the


    subject, she didn¡¯t fight it. She simply went with the flow.


    ¡°Loving the dress by the way.¡± Tori smiled, nodding to the floral dress I had on.


    I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve had it for a few years. I forgot to doundry yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You need to let me take you shopping sometime.¡± Tori sighed and shook her head, making her fire


    kissed curls bounce.


    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t have the money for clothes right now.¡± I raised my eyebrow at her, knowing she could


    be quite stubborn at times.


    ¡°I already told you-¡± She started, but I cut her off.


    ¡°Nuh uh, nope. You¡¯re not buying me clothes.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I could never pay you back for that.¡±


    ¡°Once again, I already told you I wouldn¡¯t need you to pay me back.¡± Tori rolled her eyes at me, ¡°My


    family can definitely afford it.¡±


    ¡°If I say maybe will you be satisfied?¡± I lifted my eyebrow at her, grimacing when a smirk came over her


    face.


    ¡°Yes, yes I will.¡± Tori smirked.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I rolled my eyes, but a smile yed on my lips. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Good, maybe is two steps away from a yes.¡± Tori grinned.


    ¡°And one step away from a no.¡± I snickered at her.


    The first two sses went perfectly. I somehow managed to maintain an A average, and turned my


    homework in on time. School never came hard for me, it was everything else that gave me a hard time.


    My third ss was just another speed bump in my normal day.


    Kade and Alec once again sat on opposite sides of the table, leaving me to choose between who I was


    sitting next to.


    The two of them looked cocky and gorgeous as they stared me down.


    I could feel my face heat ufortably as their dark eyes trailed my exposed legs.


    I should¡¯ve just worn the fuzzy pajama pants to school.


    Kade leaned against his chair, his short hair tousled to perfection while the t-shirt her wore showed off


    his defined arms. Alec¡¯s hair was intoxicatingly messy, and the leather jacket he wore made him look


    like some kind of bad-boy biker.


    If I was being honest, I didn¡¯t really have to choose who to sit next to. Kade was more stoic and serious


    than his brother, while Alec seemed to be more yful at times.


    Instead of choosing, I just picked randomly. Either way I would be tormented.


    I plopped down next to Kade and made sure the hem of my dress was tucked under my bottom.


    ¡°Looks like the little doll chose you this time.¡± Alec smirked at his brother, his eyes flickering


    dangerously as he looked me over.


    Kade leaned farther back in his chair and draped his arm over the back of my own. There were a few


    wary nces from some of the other students, but no one said anything.


    I let out a long sigh, setting my books on the desk and opening them to today¡¯s assignment.


    ¡°Something wrong, sweetheart?¡± Kade¡¯s rough voice was low in my ear, making me jump unexpectedly.


    ¡°Just wondering if I can ever catch a break.¡± I stared pointedly at Alec and Kade.


    I nearly wanted tough at the innocent looks that fell on their chiseled faces. Even with my difort


    around them, I was bing bolder with my reactions. They continued pushing my boundaries, and in


    return I began pushing back.


    ¡°Why would you want a break, sweetheart?¡± Kade murmured in my ear, a smirk on his face.


    ¡°Especially when we¡¯re having so much fun, little doll.¡± Alec¡¯s devious smirk matched his brothers.


    I raised my eyebrow at the two of them, ignoring the feeling of blood rushing to my face.


    ¡°The only ones having fun are you two.¡± I grimaced at the two of them, turning my attention to the


    teacher¡¯s enthusiastic lecture on the neenth century.


    ¡°Are you not having fun?¡± Kade¡¯s voice sounded amused, shooting goosebumps down my exposed


    legs.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± I mumbled, keeping my eyes locked on the teacher.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to change that, brother.¡± Alec smirked, his voice growing husky.


    I kept my attention on the teacher for the remainder of ss, but Alec¡¯s words stuck with me.


    Something about the way he said them held some underlying meaning. My stomach twisted into knots,


    and I suspected they had something nned.


    My next ss was quite miserable.


    I sat next to Tori as usual, but that didn¡¯t stop Grace from being unusually cruel today.


    Typically I could ignore the snidements and insults, but she was growing much more bold.


    ¡°Such a shame.¡± Grace snickered to her friends, ¡°The little freak didn¡¯t show up today, I was hoping


    something happened. Too bad she¡¯s back.¡±


    Grace sighed as though I had massively inconvenienced her and all of her little friendsughed.


    I made the mistake of rolling my eyes, not finding her littlement amusing in the slightest.


    Typically I had self-control when it came to bullies, but I was feeling unusually crankytely. I felt


    constantly on edge and agitated, with no exnation on why I felt that way.


    ¡°What was that, freak?¡± Grace spat, standing from her desk and stomping over to me.


    The smell of her designer perfume was strong and almost sickening. It made my head feel strange and


    floaty.


    Her strong perfume triggered my gag reflex, and I clenched my teeth together to maintain some control.


    Some distant part of me wondered if I was pregnant. The first girl pregnant without ever having s*x, a


    hrious anomaly.


    Tori sat next to me, rigid as can be. Her face was reddening, turning the same shade as her fire coated


    curls.


    Alec sat across the room, talking to a group of guys about something unimportant.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave her alone.¡± Tori spat, sounding much more venomous that I ever could.


    Grace turned to Tori and snickered, ¡°So the little freak can¡¯t defend herself now?¡±


    ¡°F**k off, Grace.¡± Tori growled. It was such a strange sounding from a girl as small as Tori.


    ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re so threatening.¡± Grace feigned shock, ¡°Why not let the freak stick up for herself. Got a little


    crush on her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Alec would like how you¡¯re talking to Aurora.¡± Tori red at Grace, speaking loud enough


    to catch Alec¡¯s attention.


    My eyes flickered over to the g*d-like twin and I couldn¡¯t control myself in time. My eyes flickered over


    his towering form, lingering on the dips and grooves his muscles formed in his shirt.


    Alec¡¯s dark eyes locked on my own, then flickered over to an equally pissed off Tori and Grace.


    What happened next was somewhat strange, and I would¡¯ve given more thought to it hadn¡¯t my head


    been swimming by Grace¡¯s overwhelming perfume.


    Alec said nothing to Grace, but his expression turned furious and deadly.


    Grace paled, all traces of anger wiped from her slim face.


    With onest re that screamed absolute hatred and m****r, Grace turned around and twitched back


    to her seat.


    Alec nodded once at Tori before his dark eyes flickered back to my face.


    ¡°Stupid b***h.¡± Tori grumbled under her breath.


    Iid my head down against the cool desk and took a few calming breaths. My head waspletely


    swimming now, the smell of Grace¡¯s perfume was lodged somewhere between my sinuses and frontal


    lobe.


    ¡°You feeling alright, Aurora?¡± Tori¡¯s concerned voice was close by.


    I opened my eyes for a second and looked at her concerned face, ¡°Yup, just feeling kinda nauseous.¡±


    ¡°Do you wanna go to the nurse?¡± Tori frowned, her eyes flickering somewhere across the room.


    ¡°No.¡± I sighed, lifting my head from the desk slowly. ¡°It¡¯ll pass. Honestly, Grace¡¯s perfume is just really


    strong.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Tori looked at me strangely, ¡°I could hardly smell it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something wrong with my nose.¡± I shrugged.


    Tori stood from the desk and walked over to the window, cracking it open wide and letting a gust of


    fresh air invade the ssroom.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± I sighed, leaning my face against my hand.


    Tori snickered, ¡°You flirting with me Aurora?¡±


    ¡°I just might be.¡± I chuckled alongside her.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Gym ss wasst, and I waspletely dreading it. The Volleyball and Basketball lesson was still


    going at full force.


    Luckily, I was ced on Autumn¡¯s team.


    ¡°Just stay close to me, and when the balles run the other way.¡± Autumn chuckled, mming her


    locker shut as we walked out into the gym.


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± I nodded gratefully.


    ¡°And keep away from Grace, not that I think she¡¯ll be a problem anymore.¡± Autumn shrugged.


    My brows furrowed in response, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear?¡± Autumn smirked, her eyes flickering over to Alec and Kade.


    The two of them were in the middle of ying basketball, outrunning the other guys on the team with


    ease.


    ¡°Um, no.¡± I stared at Autumn impatiently.


    ¡°Apparently Alec flipped out on Grace.¡± Autumn shrugged, ¡°And she went to Kade all upset.¡±


    I ignored the strange pang that went through me. It felt oddly simr to jealousy. What was there to be


    jealous of? I didn¡¯t own them, and I wasn¡¯t dating either one of the twins.


    Some small, hidden part of me mumbled incoherently.


    ¡°If they say that I¡¯m theirs, that mean¡¯s their also mine. And I don¡¯t share.¡±


    I ignored the small part of me burning with possessive jealousy, wondering where the h**l she came


    from.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Kade was mad at Alec?¡± I shrugged, unable to keep my eyes from ncing their way.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, Kade wasn¡¯t mad at Alec.¡± Autumn shrugged, ¡°He was mad at Grace.¡±


    Another weird pang of emotion ran through me, and I felt somewhat smug. Grace was finally getting


    what wasing to her. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t seen Grace hanging around Kade and


    Alec for the past few days.


    ¡°What even caused all of this?¡± I grimaced.


    ¡°No one knows.¡± Autumn shrugged, ¡°But Grace has been pouting all day.¡±


    Autumn was definitely right, Grace hadn¡¯t caused a single issue the entire ss.


    Halfway through the ss Autumn had gotten distracted.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    We were in the middle of a Volleyball game and I stood in the center of the court. Autumn stood next to


    me, but as soon as the ball was served the Coach called her name.


    ¡°Be right back.¡± She shouted back at me, running towards the Coach.


    Everything seemed to happen quickly, and I questioned how bad my luck truly was.


    One girl served the ball, and another one hit it back to my side.


    The ball was flying down towards my face.


    The rest of the girls on my team reacted much too slow, staring at me with mixtures of sympathy and


    shock.


    I couldn¡¯t really exin what happened next. It was like a freak shot of adrenaline into my system, and I


    felt myself jumping towards the ball instead of dodging it.


    I vaguely remembered the instructions the Coach gave the ss on how to hit a volleyball.


    Instead of feeling the sharp impact against my face, I felt it against my hand and wrist.


    I had actually managed to hit the d**n Volleyball.


    The rest of the girls on my team didn¡¯t find it impressive, but I was reeling.


    I had always been horrible at sports, never managing tond a single hit in any game I yed. This


    was the first time I managed tond a sessful hit, even if it was a one off.


    ¡°Great hit!¡± Autumn grinned at me proudly, and I couldn¡¯t help but grin back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did that.¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t either.¡± Autumnughed, ¡°I definitely thought you were gonna get hit in the face for a second


    there.¡±


    ¡°Oh I did too.¡± Iughed along side her.


    We finished up Gym early and headed to the locker rooms to change.


    Autumn and I said our goodbyes, and she reminded me about the party on Saturday.


    I headed down the empty hallway to my locker and flung it open. Out of newfound habit, my eyes


    flickered around me searching for any sign of the twins.


    I decided to grab my stuff from the locker and head over to Tori¡¯s, knowing she would be out of ss in


    twenty minutes.


    Halfway through my walk, someone grabbed me around the waist and yanked me into an empty


    ssroom.


    My scream was muffled by arge hand ced over my mouth.


    ¡°Rx, doll.¡± A familiar voice chuckled, ¡°No need to freak out.¡±


    I whipped around with an incredulous re on my face.


    Alec stood two feet away, his patented smirk etched onto his face. Kade was a little farther away, sitting


    against the teacher¡¯s desk.


    ¡°What the h**l!¡± I gasped, my hammering heart was practically audible.


    ¡°So ferocious.¡± Alec smirked, his chest rumbling withughter.


    I could feel my face flush and turn red just as the intense nervousness kicked in.


    Alec had dragged me into an empty ssroom.


    I was alone with Alec and Kade.


    My body reacted ordingly and sent excitement flooding through my veins, while the rational side of


    me told me to get the h**l out.


    I decided to listen to the rational side. I turned for the door and grimaced as Alec blocked my path.


    ¡°What¡¯re you afraid of, doll?¡± Alec¡¯s dark eyes smoldered as they looked down on me.


    My heart jumped as an audible ¡®click¡¯ was heard. Alec had skillfully locked the door, trapping me with


    the two of them.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m afraid of.¡± I pinched my lips together, wondering if I should run towards the door or


    one of the windows.


    Alec walked forward, and I took a few steps back.


    I was forced to stop when my back hit into something hard. Alec continued approaching me, leaving me


    squished between the intoxicating twins.


    Kade¡¯srge hands rested on my hips, igniting more foreign feelings within me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly think we would hurt you, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured down in my ear, ¡°You belong


    to us.¡±


    Kade¡¯s rough words made that small part of me roar to life, a wave of desire pulsing through me.


    ¡°I belong to no one.¡± I forced the words from my lips, putting my frustration and anger into them. What


    was supposed to sound firm and hostile, felt weak and flimsy.


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you putting up a fight?¡± Alec murmured as he leaned down, his face only inches from


    my own. His rough hand lifted my chin, turning my head to face his own.


    Alec¡¯s smirk deepened and I realized he had said something to me.


    I had been holding my breath this entire time, my eyes locked on Alec¡¯s plush lips.


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t having fun.¡± Kade murmured in my ear, making me shudder as my eyes were


    pulled back to Alec¡¯s.


    ¡°We needed a chance to change that, doll.¡± Alec smirked, and I sucked in a sharp breath as his rough


    thumb ran across my lower lip.


    A ragged gasp left my lips as Alec lifted me from the ground, setting me down on the teacher¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Alec, don¡¯t-¡± I exhaled sharply, noting how he parted my legs with ease and stepped in between them.


    ¡°Begging will only make us enjoy this more.¡± Alec murmured, his nose trailing slowly down my neck.


    My body went rigid as he inhaled along my skin. Confusion, desire, fear, and lust. All were swarming in


    my head like an angry bee¡¯s nest.


    ¡°Both of you-¡± I sucked in another sharp breath.


    Alec¡¯s fingers grazed the inside of my t***h, sending pangs of desire rushing up my legs.


    A weird sensation formed in between my legs. A type of pressure I had never felt before throbbed


    against my core, following a swift wetness that pressed against my panties.


    ¡°Those perfect little lips say stop, but your body is saying something else entirely.¡± Kade murmured


    roughly in my ear, turning my head so my face was inches from his own.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    ¡°Those perfect little lips say stop, but your body is saying something else entirely.¡± Kade murmured


    roughly in my ear, turning my head so my face was inches from his own.


    Kade¡¯s hot breath fanned across my face, smelling strongly of mint and something sweet.


    I had little time to collect my thoughts as plush lips fell on my own. Kade¡¯s hand rested behind my head,


    holding my lips against his.


    For just a moment, I waspletely dazzled. Kade¡¯s lips were soft and firm, melting with my own in a


    way that showed ferocity and experience. It was as if Kade was pouring his heart out, making his


    desires and thoughts known against my lips. His mouth moved feverishly against my own, moving in


    their own writtennguage I could not decipher.


    Once the initial shock of losing my first kiss wore off, I struggled against his grip.


    My body pushed closer to Kade, while my mind protested the very thought of him touching me.


    I was all too aware of Alec¡¯s wandering hands. His fingers tickled up my inner t***h slowly, causing my


    core to clench painfully. A clouded smirk formed on Alec¡¯s face, and he brushed the hair from my


    shoulder before cing his lips against my cool skin.


    While Kade¡¯s lips worked against my own, Alec sucked and nibbled on the sensitive flesh of my neck.


    ¡°St-¡± I began to mumble the word against Kade¡¯s lips, only to have Alec nip my neck yfully. The word


    was caught in my throat by the sudden pang of pleasure. I had never been touched like this before, and


    my body was marveling in the attention.


    ¡°Open your mouth, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured against my lips, his fingers tangling in my hair. I shook


    my head, iming my lips together.


    I had to find some resolve, some shred of control to hang onto. The twin¡¯s knew the affect they had on


    me, and knew saying ¡®no¡¯ would be next to impossible. Kade was right, my lips could say what they


    wanted but my body showed the truth.


    My legs parted on their own ord, weing Alec¡¯s wandering fingers. Kade tugged on my hair, still


    trying to part my lips. Another swift bite to the soft flesh of my neck and I nearly opened my lips to let


    out a muffled whimper. Alec¡¯s fingers trailed higher, grazing against the front of my panties. His touch


    was brief and gentle, but it did the trick. My lips parted in a gasp, and Kade slid his tongue into my


    mouth. Sharp peppermint coupled with something sweet. Kade¡¯s tongue tasted incredible as it fought


    against my own. I could taste the experience on his tongue as he flicked it against my own. My licks


    and strokes were tentative and shy, while his were demanding and posessive.


    My will power was shriveling, crumbling into nothing under the heated touches of the twins. My body


    reacted to their touch, and the logical side of me bowed in response.


    Alec¡¯s fingers were rougher this time, grazing against my covered c**t. The touch sent a pulse of


    pleasure coursing through me and I whimpered against Kade¡¯s lips.


    Alec pushed my panties to the side, and a cool breeze washed over my exposed p***y. I jumped at the


    rush of cool air, and a whimper left my lips.


    ¡°Shh, you¡¯ll enjoy this sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, his voice raw and husky. His voice alone


    encouraged the wetness that seeped from my lips.


    I had never felt arousal quite like this. While I was still a virgin, I had pleasured myself in the past and


    while it felt good it was nothingpared to this.


    Alec¡¯s finger ran the length of my parted lips, feeling the moisture they had stirred.


    ¡°So wet for us, little doll.¡± Alec murmured roughly against my neck. ¡°Free her lips brother, I want to hear


    her.¡±


    Kade gave my lower lip a final nibble as his own lips trailed down the opposite side of my neck.


    My breath wasing out in heavy pants, the sensitive spot between my legs pulsing.


    Alec¡¯s finger parted my soaked lips and pressed gently against my entrance, sliding his finger in


    skillfully.


    A breathless whimper left my lips as I experienced a new sensation. Alec pumped in and out of me


    making my p***y clench and grip onto his finger. His finger felt quiterge within me, and I couldn¡¯t help


    it when the thought of their c**k¡¯s came into mind. What would it feel like to have him fully inside of me?


    ¡°Do you like having your p***y yed with, sweetheart?¡± Kade murmured against my neck, nibbling


    along my jaw.


    Alec¡¯s thumb brushed against my swollen c**t, sending a wave of pleasure through me. The onught


    of pleasure was so strong, my head fell back and a moan left my parted lips.


    ¡°Answer my brother doll.¡± Alec murmured lustfully as he used his other hand to grip my chin. Alec


    forced my eyes back on his own, and a harsh blush creeped up my face. It was bad enough they went


    against my wishes and tormented me, now they wanted to watch.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The word fell from my lips before I could stop it.


    A low growl left Kade¡¯s lips, ¡°So f*****g sweet.¡± His tongue flicked out and ran the length of my neck.


    My senses were being overwhelmed, and my body was basking in it. All I could feel were Alec and


    Kade¡¯s touches. All I could hear were my breathless moans and husky whispers from the twins. I had


    ¡°I want to watch you c*m all over my fingers, doll.¡± Alec murmured, his rough voice had me parting my


    legs even further. ¡°Let me see that pretty little face.¡±


    Alec¡¯s pace turned rougher, sliding in and out of me with doubled intensity. My breathless whimpers


    turned into full blown moans as his thumb rubbed hungrily at my c**t. A familiar pressure was building


    within my p***y, growing at a rapid rate under Alec¡¯s touch. I couldn¡¯t control myself as my hips began


    to buck, grinding my p***y against Alec¡¯s hand.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, doll.¡± Alec murmured, his dark eyes stered to my face. ¡°Just like that.¡±


    ¡°C*m for us, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured against my neck, sucking and biting on the sensitive skin.


    The bubble within me began to burst, shredding at the seams under the twin¡¯s touches. A loud cry left


    my lips, a sound I had never made before, as I began toe undone on Alec¡¯s fingers.


    I could no longer hear the quietments the twins made, fully caught in my own bliss. My toes curled


    in my shoes, and my entire body stiffened as I was wracked with the most intense o****m I had ever


    felt.


    ¡°F**k, doll.¡± Alec growled under his breath, his fingers continuing their steady rhythm.


    ¡°Look at her.¡± Kade murmured in the same husky tone his brother had, ¡°She¡¯s f*****g perfect.¡±


    My p***y throbbed against Alec¡¯s fingers as the waves of intense pleasure began to d*e down. Alec


    slipped out of my throbbing p***y and licked my juices from his finger.


    ¡°Such a sweet little thing.¡± Alec murmured, watching my senses return to me.


    Finally, the h****r and satisfaction of what just happened hit me like a ton of bricks. My body hadn¡¯t


    even put up a fight against them. It hadpletely given in, sumbing to their touch as though it had


    no choice.


    A deep smirk formed on Kade¡¯s face, ¡°Having fun now, sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°Until next time, little doll.¡± Alec¡¯s smirk matched his twin¡¯s.


    The two of them left the empty ssroom, and I began to d***n in my thoughts.


    Something had to be wrong with me. To have absolutely no control wasn¡¯t normal. I¡¯m positive I didn¡¯t


    react this way to any other man. H**l, Kyle put his arm around my shouldersst week and I wasn¡¯t


    ready to drop down on all fours.


    The more the twin¡¯s touched me, the more muddled my mind seemed to get.


    Whats so wrong with wanting them?


    A random voice ran through my head, posing a question that had me lost in thought.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly normal to be shared between two guys, but I couldn¡¯t choose between the twin¡¯s. They


    both clearly wanted me for some odd reason, and obviously weren¡¯t opposed to sharing. And deep


    down, I wanted the both of them. I wanted to be shared.


    But the twins were demanding, overwhelming, possessive, and kind of dangerous.


    My logical side screamed and pleaded, but there was more boiling in my head. A new side of me had


    emerged since we moved here, a side I had never encountered before. That side of me reacted to the


    twins in a pleasurable and intoxicating way.


    They touch you against your will, Aurora!


    The logical side of me screamed this over and over.


    But why did I enjoy it so much?

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    The final bell pulled me from my hectic thoughts. I pulled myself from the empty teachers desk and


    wobbled over to the door. My legs felt shaky, and the sensitive spot between my legs was slightly sore.


    It was a short walk to Tori¡¯s locker and much to my surprise she was already there.


    Tori¡¯s first words had me nearly falling over.


    ¡°Woah, what the h**l happened to your neck?¡± Tori gaped, her eyes locked on something I couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡°W-What?¡± I gasped and Tori stepped aside, gesturing to the mirror hanging on her locker door.


    I stood on my tiptoes and peered into the mirror, choking on my own breath at the dark bruise-like spots


    that ran down my neck.


    The f*****g twins had left hickeys all over me. There was no way I¡¯d be able to hide this from Melissa,


    or the people at work. I never had hickeys before, but I knew they didn¡¯t go away in 24 hours.


    Tori pursed her lips and eyed me knowingly, ¡°The twins?¡±


    I clenched my teeth together and fought against the furious blush that stained my face. Apparently my


    reaction was a suitable answer.


    ¡°If I give you this, I want a detailed exnation.¡± Tori cocked her g****r eyebrow and held up a bottle of


    concealer.


    ¡°Deal.¡± I huffed, grabbing the bottle from her hands.


    ¡°Now exin.¡± Tori ced a hand on her hip while I flipped my hair forward.


    I shook my head, ¡°Not here. In your car so I can put this on my neck.¡±


    We hopped in Tori¡¯s car and she helped me dab the creamy liquid on my neck. It wasn¡¯t the perfect


    shade, but it hid the spots just fine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up one in your shade.¡± Tori nodded to herself, and I was forever grateful.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    While I wanted to decline, I valued self preservation more. Frank would be incorrigible if he saw my


    neck coated in hickeys. Being called ¡®s**t¡¯ and ¡®w***e¡¯ would be the least of my concerns.


    By the time I was done exining what happened in the empty ssroom, we were parked in my


    driveway.


    Tori had been speechless the entire time, a look of shock lingered on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m horrible aren¡¯t I.¡± I groaned, ¡°Can¡¯t even control myself.¡±


    Tori shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think most girls would resist them either, myself included.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing though, I want to resist them.¡± I sighed, confusion swirling within me.


    Is that really what I wanted?


    It had to be. It had to be what I wanted. A year from now I won¡¯t be in this town anymore. Alec and


    Kade were yers, the twins who took what they wanted. For whatever reason they set their sights on


    me.


    This back and forth was exhausting, but I needed to make a decision and try to stick to it. Kade and


    Alec weren¡¯t good for me. I had always looked out for myself, and now I needed to more than ever.


    ¡°Oh, almost forgot.¡± Tori grinned sheepishly, ¡°I got you something.¡±


    I pursed my lips and stared at her, ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Tori contorted her face into one of mock offense, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what it is. Tsk tsk, and I thought


    you liked surprises.¡±


    ¡°I hate surprises.¡± I raised my eyebrow at her, ¡°You know that.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sucks for you but I happen to love surprises.¡± Tori smirked, pulling out a small box.


    ¡°Tori-¡± I groaned, but was cut off by the ming red head.


    ¡°Listen here miss.¡± Tori red at me, ¡°You are going to ept my gift, and you are going to like it.¡±


    I gave her onest weary nce and peeled back the bright wrapping paper on the box.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t even a holiday.¡± I murmured grumpily.


    ¡°It¡¯s give a friend a gift day, b***h.¡± Tori snickered, a grin ying on her lips as I looked at what was


    inside the box.


    A phone; an actual phone. Not a chunky flip phone like the one Melissa got me. This phone was shiny


    and new, set with a huge screen and multiple camera¡¯s.


    I shook my head furiously, ¡°No, not a chance. I could never afford to pay you back for this, and I can¡¯t


    even afford my own phone n.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay anything back, Aurora.¡± Tori shook her head, turning the phone on for me. ¡°And


    it¡¯s already on my phone n. Everything¡¯s paid for.¡±


    ¡°Why would you get me something like this?¡± I frowned. It made no sense. Tori had only known me for


    a whopping total of two weeks.


    ¡°I told you, my family has money.¡± Tori shrugged, ¡°And besides, you¡¯re my friend.¡±


    I could tell she was holding something back, but I decided not to question it.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± I clenched my teeth together, ¡°But the minute I have the money for my own phone,


    I¡¯m giving this one back. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Tori grinned, giving me one of those one-armed hugs. ¡°By the way, my number¡¯s already


    in there.¡±


    I went inside feeling a little teary eyed, tucking the new cellphone deep in my book bag.


    This morning had momentarily been forgotton when Melissa approached me again.


    ¡°So, did you think about what I said this morning?¡± Melissa asked softly, forcing a carefree smile to her


    face.


    Another sharp pang, ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± I lied through my teeth. I had tried to forget about this morning the


    second it happened.


    ¡°And?¡± Melissa grinned at me.


    This time Frank was listening in on the conversation from his recliner, a fresh beer in his hand.


    I paused for a moment and thought it over hastily. The money would definitely be useful for my college


    fund, even if I only got half.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll call her, but on one condition.¡±


    Melissa¡¯s smile twitched for a moment and I stiffened as she wrapped a single arm around my


    shoulders. This made me more nerve wracked than anything Alec or Kade did.


    ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± Her voice was cool, even.


    ¡°I want to stay home until Saturday.¡± I pursed my lips. It was only two days of school, I could make the


    work up easily. Plus, it gave me plenty of time to think about Alec and Kade.


    Melissa nodded, ¡°Alright, deal.¡±


    My Mother- Melissa, was hugging me.


    It¡¯s just a fluke, my mind repeated. My defenses shot up and did what they could to protect me when


    the inevitable happened. Melissa had what she wanted, sooner orter she¡¯d go back to treating me


    like vermin.


    ¡°I gotta go do homework.¡± My voice sounded strained and hoarse, ¡°I¡¯ll call her when I get upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Alright hon.¡± Melissa called as I turned and scrambled away.


    My lungs and heart were on overdrive as I flopped down on my bed. I knew it sounded silly, but Melissa


    had that affect on me. Even after living with her for years, some part of me wanted a Mom.


    Every time Melissa needed something from me, she¡¯d turn all nice and caring. Over time I learned


    she¡¯d never change, she¡¯d just continue manipting me. It was nice though, for a moment. For those


    short hours I had an actual Mom.


    Once my breathing finally stilled, I called the Social Worker.


    The call went straight to voice mail and I recited the line Melissa had told me.


    I was just a bratty kid who made the entire thing up. Of course I was getting my checks, of course they


    helped me. I was just mad at Melissa.


    Once my homework was finished I took an extremely long shower, basking in the hot water. My


    defenses slipped for just a moment, remembering what it felt like to be hugged by Melissa- by my


    Mother. I let a few tears slip down my cheeks and gave into the hollow feeling in my chest. Five


    minutes passed and I raised my defenses, pushing Melissa from my mind. Five minutes was all she


    deserved.


    I snuck downstairs at one point, grabbing some leftovers I had taken home from the restaurant.


    Whenever an order was messed up, they¡¯d set the food off to the side. No one noticed or cared when I


    slipped a few containers for myself. It saved money on buying my own food, and tasted much better


    than anything I could make on my own.


    I flopped over on the bed and unlocked the phone Tori had given me. It was only fair of me to let her


    know about missing school the next two days.


    -Aurora 8:58p.m.


    Hey, I¡¯m not gonna be in school these next 2 days. Sorry Tori


    I cringed at the text I had sent, wondering if it was sufficient. It took me long enough to tap the letters


    out on the phone.


    -Tori 9:00p.m.


    Aw d**n You feeling alright???


    -Aurora 9:03p.m.


    Just need some time to think. I¡¯ll be back Monday. Promise


    -Tori 9:05p.m.


    Ugh alright, I get it Also, just a heads up. I¡¯m inviting myself over to your ce tomorrow


    My stomach clenched at the thought of Tori meeting Melissa and Frank. Not a chance I was gonna let


    that happen.


    -Aurora 9:08p.m.


    Actually can we just hang out at your house? There¡¯s some renovations going on at mine.


    I felt guilty for lying, but I refused to see the look of pity on her face when she saw where we lived. The


    most run down looking house in town. Plus, Melissa would put on a good show for her. She¡¯d act like


    the caring Mom for a couple hours, and I couldn¡¯t handle that.


    Quite a bit of time passed and I wondered if I said something wrong. Maybe Tori was just as


    ufortable with bringing friends over her house as I was.


    -Tori 9:34p.m.


    Sounds good to me. Be ready at 3:30! G¡¯night!

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    I went to bed early that night, hoping to get some decent sleep for a change. The twin¡¯s lingered in my


    waking and sleeping moments. I thought about them a minimum of three hundred and twenty nine


    times a day. I¡¯m not sure how that¡¯s possible, but you¡¯d think that would keep them from lingering


    around in my dreams.


    I tossed and turned for half the night, finally falling sleep around three in the morning. I didn¡¯t bother


    setting an rm, I wanted to sleep through as much of the day as possible.


    I woke around one in the afternoon, noticing a voicemail on the flip phone Melissa had gotten me.


    The social worker had got my message and sent it along. She told me to expect the next check in the


    mail any day now. Melissa would be thrilled. I wonder how long it¡¯ll take her to revert back to her usual


    self. Hopefully she¡¯ll keep to her word and give me half of the money.


    I trudged down the hall quietly, slipping into the bathroom when I thought the coast was clear.


    I did my business and stared sleepily into the mirror as I brushed my teeth. The bathroom door creaked


    then swung open, and a very drunk Frank stepped in.


    I choked on the toothpaste I had in my mouth and took a tentative step back. In an instant my skin was


    mmy and fear coursed through my veins. Frank had that d**d stare most drunk people have, and he


    smelled like p**s and liquor.


    ¡°You a liar now, girl?¡± Frank slurred drunkenly, taking a fumbling step forward.


    I shook my head, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    My voice was scratchy and muffled by the toothpaste in my mouth. I inwardly cringed as I swallowed


    the toothpaste, nearly gagging from the overwhelming taste of mint. I couldn¡¯t see any way out of this


    that didn¡¯t lead to me hitting or kicking Frank.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re lyin¡¯ to me right now.¡± Frank rumbled, his beefy arm shooting out from his side.


    His hand mmed into my shoulder, and my teeth clicked as my back hit the drywall. The corner of the


    windowsill jammed into my shoulder de, leaving a stinging pain behind.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± I forced through gritted teeth.


    Staying on my feet was my number one priority at the moment. If I ended up on the floor, who knows


    what would happen to me.


    ¡°You were talkin¡¯ to the social worker c**t.¡± Frank yelled boisterously, ¡°tellin¡¯ her you didn¡¯t get none of


    them checks, f****n¡¯ liar.¡±


    ¡°I called her back and told her I lied.¡± I knew it was useless reasoning with a drunk person, but he had


    me cornered.


    ¡°What else did you lie ¡¯bout?¡± Frank snapped, ¡°You lie and say I touch you?¡±


    I mped my lips together. There wasn¡¯t a chance I would tell anyone about that. I would just be


    thrown in a foster home to rot, forgotten about until my eighteenth birthday. Living with Melissa at least


    granted me freedom. She didn¡¯t care where I was or what I did. I could work, have friends and do what


    I wanted, so long as I supported myself.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I shook my head furiously.


    My eyes were darting around, looking for any exit I could manage. Fear made my hands slick with


    sweat, and adrenaline rushed through my veins. I could try and get out the bathroom window, but I


    wouldn¡¯t be fast enough. Frank would just grab me and throw me to the ground. The only way out was


    through the bathroom door. If I was fast enough I could race down the hall and to my bedroom. My


    bedroom door thankfully had a lock.


    ¡°F****n¡¯ liar.¡± Frank snapped, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion.


    His hand lurched out, no doubt to aim a punch at my torso. Even drunk, Frank wasn¡¯t stupid enough to


    hit me in the face. I made the mistake of ducking to the floor in an attempt to dodge his hit and leap for


    the open door.


    Frank¡¯s balled up fist connected with the side of my face, sending me off to the side. My rib cage


    mmed against the porcin bathtub, but with the adrenaline rushing through me the pain was


    blocked out.


    I didn¡¯t stay on the floor long. Frank took longer to recover, being drunk and all. rm shed over his


    drunken features after realizing his fist connected with my face. I used the moment of confusion to dart


    under his arm and out the bathroom door.


    His confusion was short lived as he spun on his heel, wobbling slightly. I darted for my bedroom door,


    feeling him close behind. His hand was mere inches away from my door when I mmed it shut in his


    face and clicked the lock.


    Frank pounded on my bedroom door, screaming obscenities. His words were muffled for the time


    being, but I didn¡¯t n on sticking around until he broke my door down.


    Thankful I fell asleep in a pair of sweat pants, I grabbed a jacket and slipped on some shoes. After


    stuffing my wallet and cellphone in my pocket, I yanked my bedroom window open.


    I silently thanked whoever made the house for including a roof to the back porch. My bedroom faced


    the woods and my window was only a few feet above the porch ceiling.


    Closing my window silently behind me, I dropped down onto the roof. The action sent a small pain


    through my ankle, but I ignored it. Getting down from the porch room would be harder than I thought.


    There was nothing there for me to hold onto, nothing to ease myself to the ground with.


    The adrenaline was slowly wearing off and I was all too aware of the throbbing pain in my face. I


    scooted close to the edge of the roof and let my feet hang down. I wasn¡¯t sure how I¡¯d manage this, but


    the goal was to hit the ground in one piece.


    I slid my body off the roof and held on with my hands. My upper body strength was clearlycking, and


    I could feel my fingers slip with every second that passed.


    Somewhere in the back of my head, I had the feeling someone was scolding me. Ignoring the odd


    feeling, I let go of the ledge.


    I was pleasantly surprised to find out the porch roof wasn¡¯t that high, not nearly high enough to cause


    me serious harm. However, I¡¯m clumbsy and have a talent for getting injured.


    As Inded, I felt my ankle roll out from under me. A sharp pain shot up my foot and into the side of my


    leg. While I was fairly sure my foot wasn¡¯t broken, it hurt pretty badly.


    I let out a relieved huff and looked around our crappy back yard. I had stressed so much about getting


    out of Frank¡¯s grasp that I hadn¡¯t thought about what I¡¯d do once I made it outside.


    The backyard was in absolute shambles, and I wondered who the previous owners of the house were.


    There was a rickety old y set in the back yard, tossed into the corner to collect dust and termites.


    The grass was extremely patchy, and weeds grew inrge clumps. I wasn¡¯t sure when was thest time


    thewn was mowed, but judging from the height of the grass I¡¯d say at least six months or more.


    It was nearing 2 o¡¯clock now and school would be letting out soon. My stomach¡¯s angry rumble cut


    through my thoughts, and my feet headed in the direction of the gas station I visited the first day we


    moved here.


    The same girl was at the front counter as I walked in. I gave a tentative wave and walked towards the


    drinks. After grabbing a water, I headed to the front of the store to grab some gran bars.


    A familiar face walked in and I found myself blinking as I looked at a sheepish Autumn.


    ¡°Hey Aurora.¡± Autumn had a forced grin on her face, as though she had been caught doing something


    bad.


    I frowned, ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±


    I chided myself just a momentter. Why wouldn¡¯t she be here? It¡¯s a gas station.


    ¡°I¡¯m skippingst period.¡± Autumn shrugged, a light pink color tinging her cheeks, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you


    saw me, alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I grinned at her, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m not in school either.¡±


    ¡°That makes me feel much better about skipping gym.¡± Autumn chuckled. ¡°Grace has been insufferable


    today.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I frowned, ¡°d I didn¡¯t show then.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been extra obnoxious since her and Kade got back together.¡± Autumn rolled her eyes and


    flipped her long hair behind her back.


    Something painful echoed within my chest at the thought of Kade getting back together with Grace.


    They had me locked in a d**n ssroom and Kade was back with her as though nothing happened.


    Sleeping around wasn¡¯t something I did, but I certainly wouldn¡¯t be used as a d**n toy for anyone.


    ¡°They got back together?¡± I tried to keep the utter disappointment and pain from my voice.


    Doesn¡¯t even matter, I told myself. He was never yours, and it¡¯s your fault for getting swept up in them.


    Should¡¯ve known you¡¯d get hurt in the end. You probably didn¡¯t even mean anything to them, just


    another piece of a*s.


    ¡°Seems like it.¡± Autumn shrugged, ¡°She¡¯s been hanging off his arm all day.¡±


    ¡°Best of luck to Kade then.¡± I let out a forced chuckle.


    ¡°When are you nning oning back to school?¡± Autumn asked as I swiped my card to pay for my


    things.


    I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll be back Monday.¡± What I really wanted to say was ¡®never¡¯.


    I needed to get a d**n grip and learn to resist the twins. There was no way I¡¯d be Kade¡¯s little y thing


    while he was still involved with Grace.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you Monday then!¡± Autumn smiled and I headed for the door, ¡°Oh don¡¯t forget to be ready by


    9pm Saturday!¡±


    ¡°Put your number in my phone.¡± I mumbled half heatedly, still peeved that Tori gave me an entire


    cellphone.


    After Autumn put her number in my phone, I sent her a quick text and headed out the door.


    I wandered aimlessly around the parts of town I was familiar with and shot a quick text to Tori.


    -Me 2:23p.m.


    Hey, my folks needed me out of the house for a bit. Any chance you could pick me up early?


    Another bold faced lie. What else was I going to say? ¡®Hi, can you pick me up early cause my drunk


    piece of s**t Step-Frank decided to go crazy and hit me? Oh and I fucked my ankle up jumping out of


    the window so bring some ice along.


    That definitely wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    -Tori 2:26p.m.


    Sure thing!  I¡¯ll be at your house in five!


    I wasn¡¯t sure what I did to deserve a friend like Tori, but goodness was I thankful. I hadn¡¯t had a friend


    like her since elementary school. Once middle school rolled around bullying began and I learned to


    stick to myself.


    -Me 2:37p.m.


    Actually, could you just pick me up from the park in the center of town?


    I felt horrible for asking even more of her, but my ankle was throbbing like crazy. The short walk to the


    gas station had me hissing in pain with every step.


    -Tori 2:39p.m.


    D**n, you walked that far? Be there in 5.


    By the time I thought out a coherent response, Tori was pulling up next to the curb.


    ¡°Hop in b***h!¡± Tori¡¯s yelled from the car, sticking her head out the window to grin at me. Her fire


    colored locks shifted with the wind and hung out of the car window.


    I rolled my eyes at her, but a grin crept onto my face. I mped my teeth down on the side of my cheek


    and tried not to limp as I walked over to the passenger side.


    ¡°Just a little tiny heads up.¡± Tori grinned at me sheepishly, and I nearly let out a groan.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I raised my eyebrow at her, a bad feeling nestling itself in my stomach.


    ¡°So, I kinda sorta live next to Alec and Kade.¡± Tori squeaked out, her voice getting higher with each


    word.


    ¡°You what.¡± I stared at her deadpan and let out a long breath. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s alright. I can handle it. I¡¯m not


    giving into them anymore. I¡¯m done with them.¡±


    ¡°You got this, Aurora.¡± Tori nodded proudly, speeding off down the road.


    ¡°I¡¯m tough, I can handle this.¡± I nodded sternly, giving myself a half-hearted pep talk.


    ¡°Super tough.¡± Tori nodded, obviously doing her best to cheer me on.


    I gave her a pointed look and chuckled when she burst out intoughter.


    ¡°You gotta work on your pep talk skills.¡± Tori shook her head mournfully, and I munched on my gran


    bars.


    Tori pulled down a road that led directly into the vast forest that surrounded town. I cocked an eyebrow


    at her questioningly and she shrugged.


    ¡°A lot of people live out here.¡± She shrugged, as if it were no big deal.


    Some familiar words ran through my head, words the young cashier had spoken to me when I first


    moved here.


    ¡°Towns pretty small. Most of the people in town have houses further out in the woods. People around


    here seem to like their privacy.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Tori drove deep into the woods and I watched the trees pass by in silence. We drove about ten minutes


    into the forest until spotting another paved road.


    I let my fingers wander up to my cheek, wincing at the soreness that radiated across my face. Frank


    had never hit me in the face before, and I wondered how long it would take until my face began to swell


    and bruise. Hopefully it could wait until I made it safely home. I didn¡¯t bother letting Melissa know where


    I was. I didn¡¯t have her number anyway.


    Tori turned down another road and I felt my jaw drop as a mini town came into view. A small town


    nestled in the middle of the forest, and it looked all shiny and new. A sprinkling fountain sat in the


    middle of the small town square. H**l, they even had a few shops lingering around. I instantly spotted a


    coffee shop and and a little diner type restaurant.


    ¡°Wow.¡± I gaped, looking around the town square.


    People were out and about, walking down the sidewalk and sitting on benches. Some were even


    nting flowers or maintaining the grounds.


    ¡°Awesome right?¡± Tori turned and grinned, as shes rolled the windows down.


    I inhaled deeply, the smell of fresh flowers mingling with the cool breeze. The sound of chattering and


    running water was in the air, and I couldn¡¯t get over how peaceful it felt here. Completely away from


    everyone else, nestled deep in the woods.


    ¡°Who knew there was a whole town back here.¡± I chuckled and shook my head, but my eyes were


    glued to my surroundings.


    So this is where Kade and Alec lived. My heart ached just thinking about them, an image of Grace


    popping into my mind at the worst moment. Stupid tears pricked at the backs of my eyes, but I forced


    them down. No way I would even spare a tear over the two of them. My heart felt twisted and confused.


    Sure Alec wasn¡¯t dating Grace, but my heart told me I wanted them both. One without the other made


    me feel empty inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite the size of a normal town, but we have amazing coffee so that¡¯s a plus.¡± Tori giggled,


    making a turn down another road.


    ¡°You have to take me there sometime.¡± I grinned back at her, confused by the hidden emotion flickering


    in her eyes.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Tori grinned, the hidden emotion buried deep.


    We turned down a different road and headed a little deeper into the forest. The Towns square was still


    visible as Tori pulled into a strange looking cul de sac.


    A absolutely huge house sat at the end, with a driveway big enough to fit at least six cars. It was at


    least three stories high, painted the color of a clear sky. Huge windows adorned the house, making it


    look like a modern version of a farmhouse.


    ¡°Who lives there?¡± I gaped at the huge house, noticing there were no cars in the driveway. Flowers


    lined the entrance to the driveway, giving the house a colorful and cheerful feel.


    ¡°Biggest house in our little town.¡± Tori chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can guess who lives there.¡±


    ¡°Kade and Alec?¡± I pursed my lips, and gave her a pointed look.


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct.¡± Tori chuckled humorlessly, ¡°This is my house.¡±


    Tori grinned as she pulled up to a simr but much smaller looking house. Tori didn¡¯t lie when she said


    she lived near Alec and Kade. By near, she meant right next to them. Her house was nestled on the


    side of the cul de sac, sitting just a few feet away from the twin¡¯s home. It was a simple two story


    house, painted a brilliant white. Deep blue shutters stuck out on the side of each window, along with a


    long wrap around porch. I had never seen houses this shiny and new before, only in movies.


    ¡°Wow.¡± I grinned, running my eyes over every detail of her home. Seeing these new houses made me


    realize the dump of a house I¡¯ve been living in.


    ¡°Mom and Dad painted the outside a year or two ago.¡± Tori grinned, ¡°Mom gets tired of the color every


    year and insists on repainting it.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice the way Tori talked about her mom, the amusement and love that filled her


    eyes at the mention of her parents. Having amazing parents was a privilege that most people never


    took into consideration.


    I tried to keep the tant jealousy from my eyes as I followed Tori to her house. We made it to the


    porch when a woman identical to Tori practically burst through the front door. She was almost vibrating


    with excitement as she juggled a te of food, two sses, and a pitcher of something dark.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Tori groaned, giving me an embarrassed nce, ¡°I told you to give us a minute.¡±


    ¡°I gave you plenty of minutes!¡± Tori¡¯s Mom dismissed her with a wave and a cheeky grin, ¡°I just wanted


    to meet¨C your friend!¡±


    ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled shyly, taking a seat next to Tori on one of the outdoor couches scattered on the porch.


    The couch was ced against the wall of the house, giving us a good view of the entire cul-de-sac.


    ¡°Mom, this is Aurora.¡± Tori gave a forced looking grin, putting emphasis on my name, ¡°Aurora, this is my


    mom.¡±


    ¡°So nice to meet you, Aurora.¡± Tori¡¯s mom beamed, looking so much like her daughter.


    While I was surprised at how weing and giddy Tori¡¯s Mom was, the entire situation was kind of


    odd. Tori continued using my full name, putting emphasis on it as though her Mom would forget. It was


    also strange how excited Tori¡¯s Mom was to meet me. I¡¯m sure Tori had other friends, and I couldn¡¯t find


    an exnation for her Mom¡¯s unruly excitement.


    Tori¡¯s was the spitting image of her Mom. While her Mom hadugh lines around her mouth and eyes,


    she had the same curly red hair.


    ¡°I made the two of you some sandwiches and sweet tea!¡± Tori¡¯s Mom grinned happily and sat the te


    and pitcher down. I nced down hungrily at the food. I can¡¯t remember thest time I had an actual


    sand which. Usually I just bought cheap frozen foods for dinner, and small snacks for the rest of the


    day. No, it wasn¡¯t healthy but it was very cost efficient.


    I tentatively grabbed and sand which and nibbled on the corner, visibly jumping as Tori¡¯s Mom plopped


    down beside me.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Tori whined, cing a hand against her forehead.


    ¡°I just wanna talk to your friend!¡± Tori¡¯s Mom grinned, ¡°You never bring anyone over.¡±


    Tori rolled her eyes and gave me an apologetic smile. Embers of jealousy swirled in my stomach as


    Tori¡¯s Mom grinned happily at me.


    ¡°So I heard you just moved here!¡± Tori¡¯s Mom grinned, pouring some sweet tea in a ss and handing


    sliding it my way.


    I nodded, swallowing a mouthful of sand which. ¡°Yeah, we came from California.¡±


    ¡°Such a long way.¡± Tori¡¯s Mom gave a soft smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure you had to leave a lot of people behind.¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°Not really. I didn¡¯t exactly have friends in Cali.¡±


    My face was burning under the gaze of Tori and her Mom. I felt like I was at some kind of twisted


    interrogation. Sweat tea and sandwiches to calm me, and a million questions to worry me.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Tori¡¯s Mom frowned, ¡°From what Tori¡¯s told me, you¡¯re such a nice girl.¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± Tori groaned again, earning another sheepish smile from her Mom.


    I was trying really hard not to be creeped out by the entire situation, but it was hard. My Grandma and I


    were fairly close, but I stillcked that mother daughter rtionship. It waspletely foreign and weird


    to see how close Tori was with her Mom.


    ¡°I just never had the time.¡± I shrugged, taking another bite. ¡°Work and school took up most of my time.¡±


    ¡°You held a job and went to school?¡± Tori¡¯s Mom frowned for just a moment. ¡°Did your parents make


    you get a job? I know Dan- Tori¡¯s Dad tried for the longest time, but I told him she needed to focus on


    her studies.¡±


    ¡°Mom, really?¡± Tori rolled her eyes and took another bite of sand which


    I chuckled quietly as Tori¡¯s Mom finished her little mini-rant. Her and Tori¡¯s rtionship was what I


    always wanted with Melissa. It was clear they loved eachother, even in the way they argued.


    ¡°No.¡± I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°Melissa and Frank don¡¯t make me work. I¡¯m saving up for college.¡±


    ¡°Melissa and Frank?¡± Tori¡¯s Mom raised an eyebrow and I looked at her in confusion.


    I know it was probably weird calling your ¡®parents¡¯ by their first name, but I¡¯m sure other kids did it too


    right?


    ¡°My Mom and Step-Dad.¡± I grimaced, the words tasting sour on my tongue.


    Tori¡¯s Mom opened her mouth to say something else when the sound of amused yelling filled the air. A


    jeep full of guys sped down the cul-de-sac skidding to a stop in front of the sky blue house.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Aurora, maybe we should go inside.¡± Tori frowned, picking up her book bag.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Tori¡¯s Mom gave her a stern look, ¡°I¡¯m sure Aurora wouldn¡¯t mind meeting the twin¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Mom, she¡¯s already met them.¡± Tori grimaced, and I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes from wandering over to the


    parked Jeep.


    Alec and Kade hopped out of the Jeep, followed by two other guys. As if they could feel my eyes on


    them, they turned their heads in my direction. The other two guys went silent and looked our way.


    Jealousy and longing churned in my stomach as I looked into the dark eyes of the twins. I definitely


    wanted to go inside. I was practically itching to go up to them. An entire day without seeing them felt


    too long, but I wouldn¡¯t let my resolve crumble. Kade had Grace, and I¡¯m sure Alec had someone for


    himself as well. I wasn¡¯t going to be some side piece.


    ¡°Nice kids.¡± Tori¡¯s Mom nodded, sending a weird smile my way. ¡°Troublemakers, but good kids.¡±


    ¡°Lets go inside, Aurora.¡± Tori nudged my shoulder, snapping me out of the staringpetition I was


    holding with the twin¡¯s.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, peeling my gaze away from them. ¡°Lets go.¡±


    I turned my back on the twin¡¯s, still feeling their eyes burning holes in my skin. A frown formed on my


    face as I went inside Tori¡¯s house. It felt like I was leaving a piece of myself behind, in the care of Alec


    and Kade.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    I followed Tori into her house, my ankle absolutely screaming in protest. I could in the short time I¡¯d


    been hanging out with Tori, my ankle had swelled up considerably.


    I tried to cover my horrendous limp, but the sharp pain shooting up my leg made it difficult.


    ¡°Are you limping?¡± Tori frowned, her eyes locked on my injured ankle.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I fell earlier and must¡¯ve twisted it.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t much experience with lying, but I hoped I had enough skill to fool Tori. My heart was thundering


    in my chest from the simple lie and Tori stood quietly for a few moments. The more seconds that


    passed in silence, the faster my heart began to beat.


    ¡°You should let me wrap it.¡± Tori pursed her lips, she didn¡¯t look fooled, ¡°It¡¯ll hurt less to walk on.¡±


    I contemted that for a few moments and nodded in defeat. I could easily cover up a twisted ankle. A


    simple fall would be the perfect excuse. She knew how clumbsy I was, so it was no wonder I somehow


    managed to fall.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± Tori called out over her shoulder as she walked down the hall on the first floor.


    Tori came back a few momentster with a first aid kit in hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna help you up the stairs to my bedroom.¡± Tori nodded, her lips still pursed.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can get up the stairs.¡± I mumbled, sulking past her.


    I gritted my teeth and held in a hiss of pain as I pulled myself up each step. Tori waspletely silent


    behind me. It was clear she wasn¡¯t buying my story about falling. My heart hammered in response. The


    Tori pointed at a door down the hall, and I let her take the lead.


    Her room was huge, full of fuzzy pillows and plush carpets. I plopped down on a couch she had in her


    room, pushed up against the wall.


    I looked around in amazement as Tori pulled out a thick looking wrap. I had never seen a room so


    huge, or so decorated. Her room looked more like a suite. A four poster bed sat across the room, a


    whiteforter sat on top with tons of fuzzy white and purple pillows. It looked like one of those


    bedrooms you see in an interior design magazine.


    ¡°Your room is amazing.¡± I gaped, hoping to change the subject.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s an interior designer.¡± Tori grinned. ¡°She went crazy with the entire house.¡±


    ¡°Well that exins it.¡± I chuckled, ¡°Send her over to my house sometime.¡±


    I mped my lips shut hastily, hoping I hadn¡¯t implied anything strange. If I had, Tori didn¡¯t seem to


    notice.


    ¡°How¡¯s renovations going over at your ce?¡± Tori looked up and smiled.


    ¡°Their going- good, great really.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Just fixing up the bathrooms and kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could stay the night sometime.¡± Tori smiled, something shed across her eyes but was


    gone before I could identify it.


    ¡°Maybe!¡± I grinned back. ¡°Any night is fine with me.¡±


    ¡°Your parents don¡¯t care if you stay over on a school night?¡± Tori inquired, her eyebrow raised curiously.


    ¡°Not really.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Melissa kinda let¡¯s me do my own thing.¡±


    The voice in my head groaned. By trying to remain rxed, I was simply attracting more unwanted


    attention. I was truly horrible at keeping anything a secret.


    ¡°Take your shoe off.¡± Tori poked at my shoe.


    I could feel my jaw clench as I untied my shoces. Every little movement made my ankle throb, and I


    was beginning to worry something was actually wrong with it.


    I averted my eyes once I peeled my sock off. Tori¡¯s startled gasp had me gnawing on the inside of my


    cheek. I let my eyes flicker down warily, and they nearly bulged out of my head as I took in the state of


    my ankle.


    It wasn¡¯t simply swollen, it looked like a d**n balloon. Splotches of ck and purple intertwined and


    mixed on my foot like an art palette. This was definitely more than a twisted ankle.


    ¡°Oh my g*d, Aurora.¡± Tori ced her hand over her mouth, ¡°And this happened when you fell?¡±


    I gritted my teeth together and let out a hiss of pain when Tori gently lifted my foot.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, ¡°I tripped over something and fell down the stairs. I didn¡¯t think it was this bad.¡±


    ¡°You need to go to a hospital.¡± Tori gave me a hard stare, ncing down at my purple foot.


    Fear knotted itself in my stomach, and I turned my head away from her intense stare.


    ¡°What happened to your face, Aurora?¡± Tori¡¯s tone was nk, guarded.


    Tentatively, I lifted a hand to my cheek. It was definitely sore, painful even when I touched it. I couldn¡¯t


    tell if it had swelled up or not.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I frowned.


    Tori huffed and got up from the floor, cing apact mirror in my hands.


    I pursed my lips as my eyes trailed over the side of my face.


    My cheekbone was swollen, not horribly but enough to draw plenty of unwanted attention. The skin


    around it was turning a deep shade of blue.


    ¡°I must¡¯ve hit my face when I fell.¡± I shrugged, my eyes flickering from Tori¡¯s to my throbbing foot.


    ¡®Lie better¡¯, my conscience was telling me.


    ¡°Yeah, we need to get you to a hospital.¡± Tori nodded with finality and I sputtered for a reasonable


    response.


    ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± I shook my head, reaching down to pull my sock back on, ¡°I don¡¯t have insurance and Mel- my


    family doesn¡¯t have the money.¡±


    Tori¡¯s eyes flickered rapidly from my purple foot, to my swollen cheek, and back to my eyes. I could


    practically see the gears in her head turning. Any second now, I expected steam to erupt from her ears.


    Her hair was such a bright red, it already looked like her head was on fire.


    ¡°My Dad¡¯s a doctor.¡± Tori crossed her arms, ¡°He has an office here in town. Were going, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Tori, I can¡¯t afford that.¡± I shook my head. I slipped my shoe back on through clenched teeth and went


    to stand.


    Tori met me half way and wrapped an arm around my waist.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay for anything.¡± Tori sighed impatiently, helping me down the stairs.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m kind of afraid of doctors and hospitals.¡± I hissed through clenched teeth.


    While this wasn¡¯t aplete lie, I was basically grasping at straws. Some primitive part of my brain


    even contemted just running away from Tori. Even if I somehow managed to get far on my busted


    ankle, I didn¡¯t know my way around.


    I understand, Tori¡¯s just trying to be a good friend but the truth could ruin everything for me. Child abuse


    would get reported to Social Services, and another agent woulde out and ¡°investigate¡±. Melissa


    would clean up her act and pretend to be the caring and dutiful mother. Once the Social Worker found


    no proof, they¡¯d leave me with an extremely pissed off Melissa and Frank. See? No happy ending in


    sight. My happy ending was graduating Highschool and getting out of this town.


    ¡°Aurora, you¡¯re my friend and I care about you.¡± Tori grimaced, ¡°You¡¯re going to the d**n Doctor¡¯s. I¡¯ll


    carry you if I have to.¡±


    ¡°You might need to.¡± I hissed, my strength was quickly waning. I was practically panting as we made it


    to the bot5tom of the stairs.


    ¡°Here, shift your weight.¡± Tori nudged my side, and I grimaced. She hit the exact spot I mmed


    against the tub, but there was no way I¡¯d make that known.


    ¡°Oh gosh, what happened to Aurora?¡± Tori¡¯s Mom poked her head from the kitchen, her concerned


    eyes locked on Tori and I.


    I swallowed and gave her a weary smile. The concern in her voice hit me hard, something I had never


    heard in Melissa¡¯s words.


    ¡°She hurt her ankle earlier.¡± Tori gave me a pointed look before she turned her gaze back to her Mom.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her to Dad¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking.¡± Tori¡¯s Mom nodded, a frown formed on her face. ¡°Do you girls need any help?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I got her.¡± Tori shook her head, practically propping me against her as she opened the front door.


    ¡°Thank¡¯s Tori¡¯s Mom.¡± I gave her a small smile, ignoring the thundering pain in my heart.


    ¡°Call me Olivia, dear.¡± Tori¡¯s Mom smiled softly as we walked out onto the porch.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how she managed it, but Tori supported most of my weight on her own. she didn¡¯t even


    seem to be struggling.


    My blood ran cold when a familiar voice called out.


    ¡°S**t, what happened?¡± Kade¡¯s rough voice called out from the blue house next door.


    I mped my jaw shut as Kade strolled up to Tori and I. Alec followed behind his brother. The two guys


    they had driven home with stood off to the side awkwardly.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡± Alec frowned, ncing at his brother.


    The two of them looked absolutely g*d-like, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Alec wore his typical ck t-shirt and a leather jacket, his chocte hair a tousled mess on his head.


    Kade wore a ck button down shirt which was rolled up to his elbows. My eyes couldn¡¯t help but


    flicker over his muscr vein filled forearms. The two of them were devastatingly handsome, and my


    heart reacted to that fact.


    My heart thundered and pleaded to seek outfort from the twins, and I had nearly given in. A clear


    image of Grace in Kade¡¯s arms sent jealousy flooding through me, and allowed me to take control of


    my hectic emotions. And to think I was going to give into their confusing advances.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I snapped, taking the two of them by surprise. Their widened eyes made me feel smug, and I


    tried not to let that show.


    ¡°She hurt her ankle.¡± Tori shrugged, giving me an apologetic look, ¡°I¡¯m taking her to my Dad¡¯s office.¡±


    Kade nodded and gave Alec a hard look before turning back to Tori.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take her.¡± Kade nodded to Tori, and I watched the muscle in his jaw work. His voice was rough


    and demanding, sending a weird shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± I shook my head furiously.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Tori nodded, and I gaped at her incredulously, ¡°But I¡¯ming with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Alec nodded at Tori and nced at Kade.


    ¡°No.¡± I pursed my lips, but none of them were listening to me.


    ¡°What the h**l, Tori.¡± I growled under my breath at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aurora.¡± Tori frowned, but her gaze continued to flicker to the twins.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what pissed me off more. Tori blinding listening to the twin¡¯s even though she knew I


    wanted to avoid them, or the fact that she acted like she had no choice in the matter. As though Kade¡¯s


    word wasw.


    ¡°Come here, doll.¡± Alec murmured, knocking my legs out from under me and pulling me into his arms.


    ¡°I can walk.¡± I snapped, squirming as I tried to force myself from his grip.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s feisty today.¡± Kade¡¯s full lips turned up in a smirk as he opened the door of the Jeep.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be worrying about someone else.¡± I snapped at Kade, watching his eyebrows lift in


    surprise.


    ¡°And who do you suppose I should be worrying about, sweetheart?¡± Kade murmured, getting much too


    close to me.


    My heart pounded erratically and my brain became cloudy as the husky smell of Kade¡¯s cologne filled


    my nose.


    ¡°Grace would be a good start.¡± I snapped, and mped my lips shut once I realized what I had said.


    Much to my dismay, amusement shed over Kade¡¯s features and he looked over at Alec with a deep


    smirk.


    Alec set me down in the passenger seat of the Jeep, and I tried to ignore the fact that the entire vehicle


    smelled just like the twins.


    Alec had his own identical smirk on his face, which only pissed me off more. They continued to toy with


    me, and now it was funny Kade had taken back his girlfriend.


    ¡°She¡¯s practically shaking with jealousy.¡± Alec murmured to his brother with a low chuckle.


    I ground my teeth together in a poor attempt to keep my mouth shut.


    ¡°You wish I was jealous.¡± I snapped to the two of them, keeping my gaze on the window.


    We drove back through the small towns square and stopped at one of the small buildings in the center.


    I hadn¡¯t even noticed a Doctor¡¯s office sat in the middle of town.


    ¡°My turn.¡± Kade smirked at his brother, and I rolled my eyes. I¡¯d much rather have Tori carry me.


    Speaking of which, Tori had beenpletely silent the entire ride.


    ¡°Careful, brother.¡± Alec chuckled lowly, ¡°She¡¯s seething.¡±


    A frustrated growl left my lips. If they weren¡¯t trying to sexually harass me, they were trying to provoke


    me with words. It felt good giving them a reaction though. They obviously didn¡¯t expect it, and it helped


    me let off some steam.


    Kade lifted me off the seat as though I weighed less than a feather. I refused to melt into his arms,


    despite how much I desperately wanted to.


    ¡°You are too small to hold this much anger, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured in amusement and I scoffed.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen angry yet.¡± I mumbled, equally disgruntled and ecstatic to be nestled in Kade¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Alec


    ¡°Hello there Tori.¡± The new receptionist grinned.


    ¡°Hey Jaycee.¡± Tori smiled in return, ¡°Is my Dad in the back?¡±


    Jaycee had just recently graduated highschool, and her parents practically begged for their daughter to


    apprentice under the pack doctor.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sure is.¡± Jaycee nodded, ¡°Go on through, he¡¯s not busy at the moment.¡±


    My fingers twitched irritably, and I nced over at my brother. While I relented and let Kade have a turn


    holding Aurora, I was already beginning to miss her.


    Twin¡¯s were exceedingly rare in the werewolfmunity, making Kade and I a medical anomaly. While


    Kade happened to be a few minutes older than I, the two of us shared the role of Alpha. We had spent


    out entire lives sharing things. The only thing we refused to share was women. Kade and I had never


    found a woman worth sharing, someone we both couldn¡¯t part with.


    Our parents were at a standstill. It was clear Kade and I were both Alpha¡¯s, but what would that mean


    for our future mates? Would we each find a separate mate? Or would we share a woman, like we had


    shared everything else in our lives.


    In all honesty, the idea of sharing a mate with my brother made my blood boil. That is, until we met


    Aurora.


    The little thing ran into us in the hallway, provoking an irritating response from Grace.


    The two of us werepletely stunned. While sharing a mate was always the topic of discussion, it


    had never been done before in our history. The two of us felt the mate bond clearly, drawing us in and


    making us crave the quiet new girl.


    Kade was quick to end things with Grace, and I wondered if he would stay true to his word. The two of


    us have had many sexual partners, but Grace was someone Kade could always turn to when he


    wanted an easy f**k.


    The two of us werepletely captivated with Aurora. Her name as unique as per personality. Her


    eyes were the first thing to draw us in. One a brilliant shade of blue, the other the color of molten


    chocte. We had never seen someone with two different colored eyes before.


    Kade and I have always enjoyed games. After realizing how quiet and timid the little doll was, we made


    it our mission to provoke a reaction. The two of us had clearly underestimated the power of the mate


    bond. The urge to touch her, to feel her creamy skin beneath our fingers was stronger than the two of


    us anticipated. After a heated discussion between the two of us, we decided to resist the mate bond.


    Neither of us wanted to share, and yet neither wanted to part with Aurora. It took some time for us to


    ept the situation for what it was. We were both destined to love the same girl.


    Tori thanked the cheerful receptionist and turned back to Aurora. Her gaze was guarded, giving Aurora


    a look I couldn¡¯t ce.


    It was clear Aurora was unaware of what we truly were. Kade and I struggled toe to a consensus


    on how to approach that subject. While we were determined to keep the little doll, thest thing we


    wanted was topletely scare her off.


    While we were absolute s**t at showing it, we wanted her. We wanted her love and affection, but my


    brother and I are not what you¡¯d call romantic. H**l, neither of us have ever had an actual girlfriend. We


    simply had piece¡¯s of a*s that wished they were our girlfriends. Grace would fall under that category.


    We werepletely thrown through a loop when we met Aurora.


    Jaycee¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head as her eyes flickered between my brother and I. I tried to


    shoot my brother a warning nce, but his eyes were glued on Aurora.


    She pouted in his arms, still seething from thetest rumor she somehow heard. How she heard it


    when she failed toe to school was beyond me. Kade and I had been irritable all day, seeing our


    mate in school was what we looked forward to most. The two of us hoped we hadn¡¯t scared her off with


    our little fun in the empty ssroom, but we simply couldn¡¯t keep our hands off of her.


    Kade and I adored a girl who tried to resist our advances, secretly fantasizing about our fingers


    roaming her heated skin. The fight made it fun, and boy did Aurora put up a fight. The desire she held


    for the two of us was clear in her unique eyes, but so was the determination that fueled her defiance.


    It was thrilling and incredibly arousing pushing Aurora¡¯s boundaries, crumbling her willpower into dust.


    Her body responded to the two of us fully. She had truly been made for Kade and I. Perfection in a


    petite and feisty form.


    ¡°Alph-¡± Jaycee¡¯s voice was shaky, her fingers smoothing the cream blouse she was wearing.


    ¡°Thank you, Jaycee.¡± My brother cut her off with a polite smile, now that he finally peeled his eyes away


    from our entrancing mate.


    Kade and I followed Tori down the hall, walking into arge room. Kade and I had never visited the


    pack doctor before. The two of us were exceptionally skilled at fighting, and neither of us had ever been


    harmed bad enough to visit.


    ¡°Tori, what brings you here darlin¡¯?¡± Tori¡¯s Dad, the pack doctor grinned at his child.


    Tori had once been close friends with Kade and I, but sometimes people grow apart. It was sheer luck


    that Tori foundsting friendship with our mate.


    ¡°My friend hurt her ankle.¡± Tori smiled, raising her eyebrow at Aurora. Tori was silently daring her to


    argue.


    I couldn¡¯t keep the smirk from my face when defiance shed through Aurora¡¯s intoxicating eyes. She


    clearly wasn¡¯t happy to be here. Although, seeing her with Tori answered a few questions.


    Aurora obviously wasn¡¯t sick, so why did she stay home from school? Was it really to avoid Kade and


    I?


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what we are.¡± Kade informed the Doctor through the mind-link. ¡°We would like to


    keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Alpha¡¯s.¡± The Pack Doctor replied, shooting a nce our way.


    ¡°You can set her down over here.¡± The Doctor motioned for Kade toe forward.


    Kade sat Aurora down on the thick pad, and I could tell he missed having her in his arms. That makes


    the two of us then.


    ¡°She¡¯s quite angry over a silly rumor.¡± Kade murmured through the mind-link in amusement.


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°You should¡¯ve pushed Grace off of you.¡±


    ¡°Grace knows we are done.¡± Kade grimaced, his eyes locked on Aurora.


    ¡°You know Grace as well as I do, she will not give up.¡± I pursed my lips, watching the Doctor remove


    Aurora¡¯s shoe.


    ¡°Then she will be punished for defying us.¡± Kade crossed his arms over his chest, ¡°I have no use for


    her anymore.¡±


    That was Kade¡¯s romantic way of saying no one else could rece Aurora. As I said, we aren¡¯t the


    romantic type. Regardless, we would strive to be whatever Aurora wanted us to be.


    My teeth clenched together audibly as I looked down at Aurora¡¯s foot. It was three times the size it


    should¡¯ve been, and was covered in purple and ck splotches.


    ¡°What the f**k happened to her foot.¡± Kade was the first of us to snap. His re was directed at Tori.


    Aurora jumped at Kade¡¯s outburst and his eyes instantly softened.


    I could tell Kade hated the idea of Aurora in pain as much as I did. The urge to be near her, tofort


    her, was overwhelming. Her vani and pear scent swirled around the room, like an alluring perfume.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to take Aurora down the hall for x-rays.¡± The Doctor informed us, a concerning look on his


    face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I demanded through the mind-link.


    The concerned look on the Doctor¡¯s face twisted my insides painfully.


    ¡°It looks like a simple fracture, but I would like to know how this happened.¡± The Doctor responded


    quickly, ¡°She has a bruise on her face. Has she been in any fights at school?¡±


    Kade and I locked eyes. I wonder if he had the same sickening feeling in his gut. Neither one of us


    knew much about Aurora¡¯s family. However, she was a clumbsy little thing. Regardless, my blood


    boiled at the thought of someoneying a hand on her. I could easily tell Kade felt the same.


    ¡°No. She wouldn¡¯t fight anyone.¡± I shook my head.


    Aurora might be feisty at times, but she wouldn¡¯t fight anyone. She might act tough at times, but it was


    clear she had a kind heart.


    ¡°If I could make a suggestion, I¡¯m going to carry her to the next room if that is alright with the two of


    you.¡± The Doctor¡¯s eyes flickered up to Aurora as she hissed in pain under his touch, ¡°You can see


    what Tori knows.¡±


    Kade shed me a hard look, and I could practically tell what he was thinking. No way in h**l did we


    want any man touching our mate, but I highly doubted Aurora would tell us anything. She was still


    pissed at the thought of Kade getting back with Grace.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I muttered, clenching my fists as the Doctor lifted Aurora into his arms.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Aurora frowned at Tori, her eyes unusuallyrge.


    Tori shook her head. She gave Kade and I a hard look, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there, give me five minutes.¡±


    Aurora sighed and nodded her head. It was clear she felt ufortable, and I desperately wanted to


    wipe away the frown that fell on her plush lips.


    Tori waited patiently for her Dad to leave with Aurora and turned to the two of us with a frown.


    ¡°Before you ask, I only know what she told me.¡± Tori huffed, her gaze flickering between the two of us,


    ¡°But in return I have a question for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°You want to negotiate?¡± Kade spat irritably, ¡°Aurora is hurt and you n on keeping information from


    us?¡±


    I rolled my eyes at my brother, he was the more temperamental one of the two of us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear her out before we condemn her.¡± I murmured through the mind-link.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Kade¡¯s reply was gruff and irritable.


    ¡°What¡¯s your question?¡± I asked Tori.


    Her eyebrow cocked as her hazel eyes canned my brother and I. Tori had once been a close friend, it


    was interesting how much she had changed over the years. Once a shy and timid child, she had


    be just as confident and outgoing as her mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a question, really.¡± Tori pursed her lips, ¡°More so, I want your input on an.. observation I made.¡±


    Well, that definitely gained our attention. What Tori said next had my brother and I exchanging weary


    nces.


    ¡°Aurora¡¯s your mate isn¡¯t she?¡± Tori¡¯s lips twitched, fighting a smirk.


    Kade and I were rendered speechless for a moment, ncing at eachother hastily.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t miss much, does she?¡± I let out an amused chuckle through the mind-link.


    ¡°Apparently not.¡± Kade remarked.


    ¡°Even if you deny it, your reaction tells me everything I need to know.¡± Tori nodded, looking somewhat


    worried for her friend.


    We decided to keep the news of finding our mate from the pack. We didn¡¯t need anyone slipping up


    and telling Aurora what we truly were. Even our parents were in the dark about Aurora¡¯s identity.


    ¡°And she¡¯s really both of your mates?¡± Tori frowned, confusion shining in her eyes, ¡°That¡¯s never


    happened before.¡±


    I was the first to answer, ¡°She is. We would.. appreciate if you kept this to yourself.¡±


    I was the more charming and diplomatic brother, if I do say so myself. I spoke my words carefully, not


    wanting to use an Alpha Command unless absolutely necessary.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Tori nodded, ¡°She¡¯s my bestfriend, but it¡¯s not my ce to say anything.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded, satisfied with her response. ¡°We have an agreement then.¡±


    ¡°Now tell us, how did she get hurt?¡± Kade grimaced, his anger and impatience lingering in his words.


    I decided to chime in, ¡°We know she has a bruise on her face. Are those the extent of her injuries?¡±


    Tori frowned, ¡°I have no clue. It¡¯s not like I can just tell her to take her clothes off.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow at Kade, ¡°I¡¯m sure we could convince her.¡±


    Desire for our little mate shed in my brother¡¯s eyes, just as it shed within my own.


    Tori snorted in disbelief, earning an incredulous look from Kade and I.


    ¡°Um if it wasn¡¯t already obvious, she¡¯s not happy with the two of you.¡± Tori gave the two of us a stern


    look, oddly reminding me of my mother, ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll get her out of her clothes anytime soon.¡±


    I shot Kade a hard re, unsupervised when he snapped at me through the mind-link.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it more than clear, Grace and I are finished.¡± Kade snapped, ¡°How was I supposed to know


    she¡¯d spread rumors?¡±


    ¡°Make it clearer.¡± I snapped back.


    ¡°There is something else.¡± Tori frowned, looking mildly worried and ufortable. ¡°She told me she


    got hurt falling down the stairs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a long shot.¡± Kade murmured, ¡°She is quite clumbsy.¡±


    ¡°She is.¡± Tori nodded, ¡°But I think she¡¯s hiding something.¡±


    ¡°What do you suspect?¡± I grimaced, two seconds away from storming up to Aurora and demanding


    some answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suspect anything.¡± Tori shrugged, ¡°She just got real nervous and defensive when I asked what


    happened.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to keep an eye on her.¡± I nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll stay in the woods, keep to wolf form so she


    doesn¡¯t think we¡¯re stalking her.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Tori¡¯s Dad was really nice as far as Doctor¡¯s go. While I still hated hospitals, I felt a little more


    comfortable.


    Tori¡¯s Dad had given me half of some little white pill. After about half an hour, the pain in my foot


    subsided to a dull throb.


    ¡°You have a fracture in your foot.¡± Tori¡¯s Dad pursed his lips, obviously eyeing the bruise on my cheek.


    ¡°Quite a fall you had.¡±


    ¡°Sure was.¡± I nodded, fighting to keep my voice rxed and even. ¡°I¡¯m pretty clumbsy though so it isn¡¯t


    a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to be careful next time.¡± Tori¡¯s Dad nodded, seeming unconvinced.


    ¡°Will do.¡± I murmured, ¡°My folk¡¯s are renovating the house at the moment so it¡¯s been pretty cluttered at


    the moment.¡±


    I was just burying myself in lies at this point. Lying about my rtionship with my family. Lying about my


    house. Lying about my bruises. I reminded myself it¡¯ll all be worth it once I graduate and move the h**l


    out. All of the lies would be worth it in the end.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to wear this boot for a few weeks.¡± The Doctor informed me, wrapping my foot up


    tightly.


    My heart jumped at the thought of wearing a boot. If Melissa noticed it would be game over. She¡¯d


    assume Frank hurt me, and would know I went to the hospital. But how the h**l was I going to hide a


    d**n boot? Tori would flip out if she caught me not wearing it. Either way, I was screwed. It was only a


    matter of time.


    Alec, Kade, and Tori filtered back into the room. Each had a strange look on their face that made the


    knot in my stomach grow heavy. Tori wasn¡¯t stupid, she knew something was up. Pair that with my


    crappy lying skills and she was almost half way there to figuring out the truth.


    It¡¯s not like Frank constantly abused me. It was few and far between. Mostly verbal abuse, which I


    could take with ease. It was a mistake on his part that caused my face to bruise, and a mistake on my


    own that led to my foot injury. I¡¯m sure my torso was covered in bruises, but no one would have the


    opportunity to see those. The porcin tub left my ribs feeling tender and painful, but I wasn¡¯t about to


    bring that up.


    ¡°So, how bad is it?¡± Tori grimaced, her face matching Kade and Alec¡¯s.


    ¡°Just a small fracture.¡± Tori¡¯s Dad nodded, ¡°Nothing a boot won¡¯t fix. Just gotta let the body heal itself.¡±


    My visit to the Doctor¡¯s had taken almost all of the time I had. Hanging out with Tori definitely did not go


    as nned.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Alec and Kade drove us back to Tori¡¯s house. The ride was silent, something I was thankful for. I


    refused to let either one of them carry me again, choosing to hobble along at an excruciatingly slow


    pace.


    I was officially dering myself done with the two of them. I¡¯d have to muster up the willpower and


    hope they didn¡¯t manage to get me alone again.


    Kade could have fun with Grace, and Alec could have fun with whoever else. While my insides burned


    with jealousy at the thought, I wasn¡¯t sticking around as some toy they could s***w with.


    ¡°Do you really have to go?¡± Tori pouted.


    I gave her a small smile, ¡°Mel- My Mom wants me back before dinner.¡±


    Another lie. I just wanted to get home before Frank woke up from his drunken stupor. I¡¯d be safely in


    my room with the door locked by the time he got up from the recliner.


    ¡°Next time you gotta stay for dinner.¡± Tori scolded me, ¡°My Mom isn¡¯t gonna let me hear the end of it


    once I take you home.¡±


    ¡°Maybe next time I could sleep over.¡± I grinned, thankful she forgot her suspicions for the moment.


    ¡°Mind if we talk to Aurora for a moment?¡± Kade stepped forward, and I clenched my teeth together


    angrily.


    Tori bowed her head to the side, a really strange move to make.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    What the h**l was that about? Since when could Tori not stand up for herself. She seemed to do it


    easily with Grace or anyone else for that matter.


    ¡°What do you guys want?¡± I sighed, leaning against Tori¡¯s car.


    I felt antsy with the two of them around. It felt like the two of them were a d**g, and I was just a junkie


    trying to resist the pull.


    ¡°Sweetheart, you can¡¯t truly be mad at us.¡± Kade gave me a breathtaking smile that made me weak at


    the knees.


    His smile was almost bashful, full of an unspoken apology. my heart lurched at the sight, making it


    nearly impossible to resist them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweetheart me.¡± I growled under my breath, ¡°I can and will be mad at the two of you.¡±


    Goodness. Why was it so hard to stay mad at them? They both looked at me with wide adoring eyes


    and I had to force my gaze away from theirs.


    ¡°Doll, Kade isn¡¯t back with Grace.¡± Alec shook his head, his hand reaching out to turn my face to theirs,


    ¡°It was a stupid rumor courtesy of Grace.¡±


    Again, my heart thundered. The two of them looked so sincere. It was a side I had never seen before.


    But truly, what chance could there be for the tree of us? People didn¡¯t just share other people. Guys


    didn¡¯t share girls, and twin¡¯s definitely didn¡¯t share a girl.


    Within another year I would be gone from this town, and I wanted to do that with as little attachment as


    possible. I could handle leaving friends behind. I wasn¡¯t sure I could handle leaving someone I was in


    love with behind. I nned on leaving without any notice, sneaking out in the middle of the night. I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to do that to the twins, not if this continued.


    ¡°Look, whatever this is between us needs to stop.¡± I forced the words from my mouth, cringing at how


    weak they sounded. ¡°I¡¯m not a toy you can just y with when you¡¯re bored.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be a toy to us, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured with his rough voice, his hand reaching out to


    y with a piece of my hair.


    ¡°The second I graduate, I¡¯m gone.¡± I frowned at the two of them. I could practically feel my heart


    splitting in two. ¡°I¡¯m not sticking around any longer than necessary.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to leave, doll?¡± Alec frowned.


    I hesitated, ¡°That¡¯s personal. All that matters is I¡¯m done with this. It¡¯s not¡­normal to share a girl like


    this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve never been normal, sweetheart.¡± Kade¡¯s dark eyes burned into my own, honesty pouring


    through his words.


    Kade and Alec exchanged a meaningful look, one that made me wonder how many times they had this


    particr conversation before.


    ¡°You might be done with us, but we aren¡¯t done with you beautiful.¡± Alec murmured, something strange


    glinting in his eyes.


    Too many emotions bubbled in my gut, ones that made me question if I was making the right decision.


    ¡°You¡¯re ours Aurora.¡± Kade murmured, his dark eyes shing with concealed emotions.


    ¡°Always will be.¡± Alec chimed in.


    Both of their eyes were locked on my own, and I swore they could hear my hammering heart. That side


    of me wanted them desperately, as though my life depended on it. They weren¡¯t just two hot guys, they


    were like a part of me.


    Tori chose this moment toe walking back outside. While I was grateful for her interrupting before I


    did something I regretted, I desperately wanted to reach out and touch the twins.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you in school, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, and I tensed as the two of them did something


    completely unexpected.


    Kade same forward and pressed his lips against my forehead, his rough stubble grazing my skin.


    Alec was next, doing the same as his brother.


    All of the stress I had felt at the Doctor¡¯s had vanished as their lips met my skin. The move felt


    strangely intimate, and not in the sexual way I was bing used to.


    I hopped into Tori¡¯s car before they could say another word.


    ¡°They seem to really care about you.¡± Tori murmured as she drove me home.


    I frowned at her and her strange behavior.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with youtely?¡± I grimaced, ¡°It¡¯s like you can¡¯t say no to them.¡±


    Tori sighed and rubbed her forehead wearily, ¡°I can¡¯t really exin it but their family kinda owns


    everything in town. It¡¯s not like you can just say no to them.¡±


    I ignored her flimsy excuse, deciding not toment.


    ¡°Are youing to school tomorrow?¡± Tori frowned.


    ¡°Probably not.¡± I gave her a weak smile, ¡°I think I¡¯m just gonna take it easy tomorrow. Maybe get some


    homework done.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll be at work on Sunday?¡± Tori raised her eyebrow at me, daring me to ke out.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± I nodded, chuckling as a grin fell on her face.


    Tori dropped me off at home and I let out a sigh of relief as Frank was passed out cold in the recliner. I


    grabbed some cold leftovers from the fridge and hobbled up to my room.


    The first thing I did when we moved in was install a new lock on my bedroom door. You needed a key


    to get into my bedroom, making it easier for me toe and go. Frank and Melissa couldn¡¯t touch any


    of my stuff while I was gone.


    I unlocked my door quickly and stepped inside. I picked at my food whilstying in bed, staring up at


    the ceiling.


    I went to bed early that night, determined to sleep through as much of the day as possible. Sleep was a


    peaceful break from the conflicting emotions that haunted my every move.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    I somehow managed to sleep well into Friday and I was grateful for the few extra hours.


    Alec and Kade¡¯s words swam in my head like hungry sharks.


    They said I belonged to them, and for whatever reason the feeling was mutual. No matter how hard I


    resisted, some part of me felt they were mine. That the twins belonged to me.


    I kept to my room most of Friday, only dare venturing out when I knew Melissa was at work. Frank was


    the biggest risk. S**t would go downhill instantly if he was awake.


    It must¡¯ve been my lucky day. As I tiptoed downstairs, Frank was snoring away in his recliner. I


    managed to grab another box of leftovers from the restaurant and creep back up to my bedroom. I


    couldn¡¯t wait until I managed to get out of this h**l-hole. Sneaking around my own house was


    miserable. Constantly tiptoeing around, hoping I didn¡¯t step on and-mine.


    My Friday was spent inplete solitude, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. Either Frank was


    completely unaware I stayed home from school, or he simply didn¡¯t feel like bothering me.


    Melissa left me alone the entire day, not that she made it her mission to talk to me. I texted back and


    forth with Tori a little bit,menting as she gave me a run down on her day. Autumn and I texted a


    little as well, but it was mostly about what Autumn nned to wear to the party Saturday. While Autumn


    had a dress and heels picked out, I nned to take thefortable route.


    The remainder of my Friday was spent thinking about Alec and Kade. I wanted to resist the, but why


    did I miss them so much? Why did I wish they were with me?


    I went to bed Friday afternoon, ready for another night of blissful sleep. Sleep was a break from the


    stress my conflicting emotions were bringing on me.


    Unfortunately, tonight would provide me with little rest.


    I woke in the middle of the night, sitting straight up in my bed as my heart hammered away.


    A deafening c***h of lightning had ripped me from my strange dream. This particr dream featured


    Alec and Kade.


    I was dreaming about a girl, a girl I had never met before. She sure seemed to know me. She was


    yelling at me, but I felt no danger from her. ¡®Clean your d**n ears out and start listening to me¡¯, she


    yelled. Followed by, ¡®Quit fighting Alec and Kade, stupid. They belong to you.¡¯


    While it was an interesting dream, I couldn¡¯t see it changing anything. It was simply a reflection of my


    subconscious, telling me what I wanted to hear.


    While I found the intense storms quite beautiful, I wasn¡¯t used to them. Moving to Georgia had exposed


    me to a whole new side of the weather.


    I was used to the dry heat, and desert-like surroundings. Georgia was so green, so intense with it¡¯s


    humidity and storms.


    I shuffled out of bed and to the bathroom, walking over to the window once I came back to the


    bedroom.


    The thick ledge by my window was probably my favorite thing about the small bedroom. I could


    squeeze right onto the ledge and watch the intense storms.


    I kept my eyes trained on the forest, half expecting to see the two wolves looking up at me. Admittedly,


    I was disappointed when I didn¡¯t see their familiar dark eyes. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I saw on the


    window sill. The rain had gradually faded, leaving behind a wet afterglow on the forest and grass.


    Once my legs and back were stiff from sitting on the windowsill, I trudged back to bed and hoped sleep


    would finally im me.


    I woke sometime in the afternoon. Peaking my head from my bedroom, I crept down the hall and into


    the bathroom. My shower was a total of four minutes, any longer would simply be a risk.


    Melissa was home from work today, meaning I would have to be extremely careful when leaving my


    room. I applied the concealer to the fading marks on my neck, courtesy of Alec and Kade.


    My dinner consisted of a couple gran bars I had leftover from a few days ago, and a tall bottle of


    water.


    I worked on some overdue homework while lounging around my bedroom. By the time I was finished, it


    was nearly time for Autumn to pick me up for the party.


    I wasn¡¯t exactly looking forward to said party. I was simply going for Autumn, and the fact that Tori


    would be there only encouraged me further.


    I texted Autumn my address and dug through the small pile of clothes I owned. I settled on a thin long


    sleeve shirt, jeans, and my usual beat up sneakers. My boot wasrge and ufortable on my foot,


    making me hobble unsteadily. Comfort over everything in my opinion.


    Once I got the text from Autumn telling me she was here, my heart began hammering. I could only


    hope Melissa and Frank had went to bed early.


    I opened my door slowly and nced down the hall, only leaving my room after listening for several


    seconds. There was no way in h**l I was nning on jumping from my window any time soon. I crept


    down the stairs and nearly jumped out of my shoe and boot when I noticed Melissa and Frank watching


    TV. Neither one of them turned to look up at me.


    I made it to the front door before Melissa dared to look up from the TV. I kept half my body out the front


    door, shielding my boot from view.


    Melissa said nothing about me leaving sote at night, which I figured she wouldn¡¯t She simply raised


    her eyebrow at me and turned her attention back to the TV.


    I closed the front door behind me with a shaky sigh, and locked it before walking down to Autumns car.


    Autumn wasn¡¯t lying when she said she nned on wearing a dress. She had on a skin tight crimson


    dress, with a pair of ck heels to match. Her chocte hair framed her face inrge curls.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t lying when you said you¡¯d dressfortable.¡± Autumn chuckled, pulling out of the


    driveway.


    I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m probably not going to know anyone there anyway.¡±


    Autumn¡¯s gaze flickered down to the giant boot on my foot, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Fell down the stairs.¡± I frowned. I had been telling the lie so much, it almost sounded convincing.


    Autumn chuckled and shook her head, ¡°Only you could break your foot falling down a flight of stairs.¡±


    While Tori remained suspicious, Autumn believed my lie with no problem.


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± I shook my head, ¡°My clumsiness will be the d***h of me some day.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wrap you in bubble wrap to keep you safe.¡± Autumn chuckled.


    I wasn¡¯t sure who was hosting the party, but they didn¡¯t live very far from me. We turned into a much


    nicer neighborhood than what I lived in and pulled up to arge house. The house wasn¡¯t as big as


    Kade and Alec¡¯s, but it was much bigger than my own.


    Two stories and very wide, house sat at the beginning of the neighborhood. I could already hear the


    thumping musicing from inside. Kids stood around the front yard, and in clusters on the porch.


    I hobbled from the car and Autumn waited for me patiently.


    There were so many people inside, no one noticed when Autumn and I strolled in. Many girls were


    dressed much like Autumn, shy dresses and short skirts. I had never been to a party before, but I felt


    under dressed.


    Autumn¡¯s crimson dress hugged her athletic body perfectly and I silently wondered if I¡¯d look that good


    in a dress. My body wasn¡¯t athletic by any means, but my stomach was technically on the slimmer side.


    I felt beyond awkward trailing after Autumn half the night. This party was truly a testament to my


    conversation skills, meaning I had none.


    Around thirty minutes into the party, I trudged into the kitchen. Bottles of liquor were strewn about


    everywhere. Avoiding anything with alcohol, I poured myself a cup of some soda.


    I had been looking for Tori for the past half an hour, failing miserably at finding her. Instead of


    wandering the house, I pulled out the phone she had gifted me.


    -Aurora 10:12p.m. Hey, where are you?


    -Tori 10:18p.m. Home lol? Where are you??


    I frowned down at my phone for several minutes. Was she not able to make it? Why hadn¡¯t she let me


    know?


    -Aurora 10:23p.m. I¡¯m at some party with Autumn. She said you wereing too?


    -Tori 10:28p.m. I never heard anything about a party? You sure she meant me???


    I shoved the phone into my pocket, something unfamiliar and threatening swirling around in my


    stomach.


    Maybe Autumn was talking about someone else, and I had thought she meant Tori.


    This was partially my fault to begin with. I hadn¡¯t mentioned the party to Tori at all this week, too


    wrapped up in my conflicting thoughts. I simply assumed she knew about it already and nned on


    going.


    ¡°Aurora right?¡± A deep voice caused me to turn.


    I looked into a pair of bright hazel eyes. A guy around my age was talking to me. Sandy blonde hair sat


    on his head, long enough to graze his shoulders.


    ¡°Uh, yeah that¡¯s me.¡± I frowned.


    The guy was definitely my age, but I don¡¯t remember ever seeing him before.


    ¡°I¡¯m Carson.¡± The guy grinned, showing a perfect smile. ¡°I¡¯m in your first period ss.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± My mouth popped open. I had never noticed him before. ¡°Sorry about that. I never noticed


    before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, beautiful.¡± Carson grinned.


    Normally butterflies would swarm in my stomach at the thought of talking to a guy as hot as Carson, but


    this time I felt nothing. Anxiety was still swirling in my stomach, and at the moment I just wanted to talk


    to Autumn.


    ¡°Um, I gotta find my friend real quick.¡± I mumbled awkwardly, ¡°It was nice talking to you, Carson.¡±


    I grabbed my cup of soda and walked back out to the living room, thest ce I had seen Autumn.


    Autumn was talking to a group of people. Three girls and two guys to be more exact. I tapped on her


    shoulder timidly, nearly cringing when their conversation came to a halt.


    ¡°Hey, can I talk to you for a minute.¡± I raised my voice over the thumping music.


    Confusion flickered on Autumn¡¯s face and she nodded. We walked over to the dining room, which had


    far less people than the rest of the house.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Autumn frowned, noticing the look of worry on my face.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°You told me Tori wasing, right?¡± I pursed my lips at her.


    Autumn nodded, ¡°Yeah, I talked to her about the partyst week.¡±


    ¡°I texted her and she said she never heard anything about a party.¡± I frowned.


    Realization shed in Autumn¡¯s eyes, ¡°S**t. I might¡¯ve forgotten to mention it to her. Did you want me to


    take you home?¡±


    I could see the reluctance in Autumn¡¯s eyes, and I instantly felt guilty. Here I was practically freaking


    out that Tori wasn¡¯t here. I could survive another hour or two. Just long enough for Autumn to have


    some fun before she took me home.


    I drank the rest of the soda in my cup and shook my head, ¡°No no, it¡¯s alright.¡±


    A relieved grin came over Autumn¡¯s face, ¡°You¡¯re the best Aurora. I¡¯ve been talking to this guy over


    there, and I think he¡¯s into me.¡±


    I chuckled along with Autumn, ncing over at the guy she was talking about. He was nothing special


    in my eyes, strutting the ¡®bad-boy¡¯ look as best he could. I couldn¡¯t help butpare it to Alec and


    Kade. The guy was a kid ying dress uppared to the twins.


    My stomach was still swirling though, despite my decision to stay at the party.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna head to the bathroom.¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with youter.¡±


    Autumn nodded and gave me another grin, walking back to the living room as I trudged up the stairs.


    My stomach wasn¡¯t just swirling now, it was flip flopping in my torso. The feeling made me nauseous


    and a little dizzy.


    I managed to find the bathroom with little issues and closed the door behind me. Sshing cool water


    on my face did nothing to make me feel better. Any sort of movement made my head swim and my


    vision blur.


    Something was seriously wrong.


    I was having difficulty forming coherent thoughts. My mind was only able to think of one thing at a time.


    I yanked the phone from my pocket and stared at the shifting screen. The letters on the brightened


    screen were floating and swirling around my head. I could vaguely make out Tori¡¯s name, but


    everything else was a blur.


    -Tori 10:30p.m.


    Do you need me toe get you??


    Autumn never said anything about a party??


    Are you alright??


    Aurora answer me.


    Send me the address.


    Hello???


    I barely managed to shove the phone back in my pocket when another one track thought came to mind.


    I needed to find Autumn, fast.


    I flung open the bathroom door and walked out, but whatever was happening began to get worse. I


    couldn¡¯t walk straight, and it was bing harder and harder to stay on my feet.


    The entire hallway was tilting, swirling into one big jumbled mess. I couldn¡¯t remember which way I had


    come from, which way led to the stairs.


    I picked a direction and stumbled down the hall, my hand grazing against the wall in a pitiful attempt to


    keep myself upright. My leg buckled from under me, and I fell towards the floor.


    ¡°I got you.¡± A familiar voice murmured, lifting me from the ground.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    ¡°I got you.¡± A familiar voice murmured, lifting me from the ground.


    I felt weightless in Carson¡¯s arms. My mind was swimming numbly, struggling to form any kind of


    coherent thoughts. All I knew was something was desperately wrong with me. My limbs refused to


    respond, and if they did it was incredibly dyed.


    Carson carried me somewhere. Sights and sounds I had experienced multiple times were now


    completely foreign.


    I was thrown on something soft. My mind couldn¡¯tprehend what it was. My fingers twisted in the


    soft material slowly, winding and unwinding.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t even notice.¡± Carson¡¯s voice rang out, but I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying. I could


    hear the words clearly, but I couldn¡¯t understand the meanings.


    In the midst of the absolute cloudiness of my brain, something else was happening inside of me. At first


    it felt like little pinpricks. Like something hitting against a brick wall. The feeling was like an itch inside


    my head. It was the only thing I could focus on at the moment.


    ¡®Quit ignoring me, stupid.¡¯


    ¡®Ugh what the h**l have you gotten yourself into.¡¯


    Some part of my brain was having it¡¯s own running dialogue.


    ¡®Should¡¯ve listened sooner, d**n it.¡¯


    ¡®Gotta do everything around here.¡¯


    A giggle left my lips. I was having an argument with myself.


    The itching feeling grew stronger while the brick wall grew weaker.


    Something began rushing through me. Something warm and potent was coursing through my veins.


    Like a gulp of hot chocte after ying out in the snow all day.


    My mind became clearer, and the details around me became much sharper.


    I wasying on a bed, and Carson stood only a few feet away. He was talking very animatedly on the


    phone.


    ¡°Carson?¡± I mumbled, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°S**t.¡± Carson hissed under his breath, and I wasn¡¯t sure how I was able to hear it.


    I could hear someoneing up the stairs, walking down the hall. My mind was beginning to clear, but


    it was taking longer for my body to get the message.


    The bedroom door opened and two people stepped inside.


    My stomach clenched and anger swam through me. The anger felt misced, like it wasn¡¯ting


    from me.


    Grace and a dark haired girl came into the room. A malicious look on both of their faces.


    ¡°Grace?¡± My voice was clear, confusion swirling in my words.


    The smug look on Grace¡¯s face slipped just an inch as she turned to Carson.


    ¡°I told you to give her enough.¡± Grace spat angrily, ¡°Can¡¯t do a simple f*****g job?¡±


    ¡°I gave her exactly what you told me to.¡± Carson snapped, ¡°I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s f*****g wearing off


    already.¡±


    It took all of my energy to sit up from the bed. My movements were slow and groggy. It felt like my mind


    was wide awake while my body was asleep.


    Their words had cold fear rushing through me.


    ¡°Tori.¡± Her name left my lips, feeling like a lifeline.


    Tori had sent me multiple texts. She could easily be on her way.


    ¡°Tori?¡± Grace spat, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that b***h is here.¡±


    Grace turned to her dark haired friend, ¡°Go get the other one.¡±


    Grace¡¯s friend left without a word, and finally Grace turned her attention on me.


    Her blue eyes were glinting maliciously. I had never looked into the eyes of a psychopath before, but I


    assumed this is what they¡¯d look like. There was no light behind her ocean blue eyes, just an


    emptiness that had me shaking with fear.


    ¡°Poor little Aurora.¡± Grace spat, ¡°You moved to the wrong town and fucked with the wrong girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything to you.¡± I pointed out, my voice shaking.


    ¡°Oh, but you have.¡± Grace¡¯s smile was serpent-like, ¡°You think they see something in you? They see an


    easy little b***h who can¡¯t say no.¡±


    ¡°They?¡± I paused, ¡°The twins?¡±


    While everything was beginning to make sense, that didn¡¯t stop the fear from continuing to wash over


    me. Grace had that unhinged look in her eye, a look that said she¡¯d go to any lengths for what she


    wanted.


    ¡°Who else, Aurora.¡± Grace¡¯s voice was soft, her eyes murderous. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure that no one


    wants you after this. No one at all.¡±


    ¡°Got her.¡± Grace¡¯s friend came back in the room, a familiar face in tow.


    ¡°Autumn?¡± My mouth dropped.


    Too many emotions were running through me. half of which felt like they didn¡¯t belong.


    ¡°Sorry Aurora.¡± Autumn replied with a straight face. Any familiarity was wiped clean.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Grace hissed, ¡°Did Torie with her?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Autumn shook her head, ¡°I did as you said. Tori never knew about the party.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Grace turned her reptilian smile back on me. ¡°That mean¡¯s we won¡¯t be interrupted.¡±


    Carson leaned against the dresser,a silent yer in Grace¡¯s twisted game.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to stay away from the twin¡¯s, Aurora.¡± Grace spoke, her voice crystal clear, ¡°H**l, drop out


    of school if you have to. I don¡¯t really care.¡±


    Before I could bite back a reply, something hard mmed into the side of my face. I was knocked back


    onto the bed with a thud. ck spots danced across my vision and my face pounded ruefully.


    My vision cleared and I locked eyes with a smiling Grace. Her fist was cocked back, aiming for another


    hit. I couldn¡¯t understand how she was so strong. Grace was thin, with little muscle on her body. She


    shouldn¡¯t be this strong.


    Another blow mmed into me. A sharp pain pulsed along my lip, following a spurt of something warm


    and metallic tasting.


    ¡°Stop¡± The word was a garbled whimper as it left my lips.


    My eye throbbed, and I could feel the skin around it swelling. Autumn stood across the room, her eyes


    looking anywhere other than at me.


    Grace on the other hand grinned, admiring her handiwork.


    ¡°You won¡¯t tell them about this either, Aurora.¡± Grace murmured, getting close to my busted face. ¡°Trust


    me, I have no problem getting rid of you. Permanently.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay away.¡± I whimpered, nodded my head profusely.


    Nothing was worth this. Nothing was worth the pain, the torment, or the fear. If she wanted me out of


    their life, I¡¯d do just that. The look in her eyes terrified me, and I knew she¡¯d enjoy getting rid of me.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Surviving until I graduated was no longer a waiting game. My frantic brain was trying toe up with


    options, anything to get me out of this town.


    ¡°Good.¡± Grace murmured, ¡°I¡¯m d we have an understanding, Aurora.¡±


    A strangled gasp left my lips when Grace turned to leave the room, her dark haired friend and Autumn


    beginning to follow.


    I tried to assess the damages done to me. My eye was swelling, my lip was definitely busted. I¡¯d need a


    mirror to see the full extent.


    Grace turned and said something to Carson. I didn¡¯t think it was possible for me to be more


    afraid, but I was wrong. Grace was telling the truth when she said she¡¯d ruin me. She was staying true


    to her word.


    ¡°Have fun with her, Carson.¡± Grace murmured, a single manicured hand ced on his shoulder.


    I tried to turn and lift myself from the bed, but my movements were still staggered. Whatever d**g


    Carson slipped me was wearing off, but not nearly fast enough.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening. What kind of highschool girl went to these lengths. What made her think


    she could get away with doing something like this? This wasn¡¯t the kind of stuff that happened in real


    life, just movies or violent books.


    Grace, Autumn, and the dark haired girl left the room. Carson stared at me, something burning in his


    gaze. His eyes racked down my body slowly. I felt disgusted, disgusted with myself and what was done


    to me.


    ¡°She fucked your face up pretty bad.¡± Carson murmured, a smirk forming on his face. ¡°But I can just


    look away. It doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°Carson don¡¯t-¡± I opened my mouth to plead, to beg with him.


    ¡°Shh¡± Carson cooed, the same cruel look Grace had was gleaming in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for you if


    you don¡¯t struggle.¡±


    Carson knelt onto the bed and grabbed onto my legs, tugging me towards him.


    My movements might¡¯ve been sluggish, but fight or flight kicked in with a violent c***h. I used all of the


    energy I had and kicked my legs out, praying it was enough.


    ¡°Going to put up a fight?¡± Carson chuckled, ¡°Good. Make¡¯s it more fun.¡±


    Carson was much stronger than me, and my sluggish movements did little to hurt him.


    The itching feeling in my head was stronger than ever, setting my teeth on edge. It felt like someone


    constantly poking at the side of your head, but when you turned no one was there.


    ¡®Let me through, d**n you!¡¯


    A pissed off voice filtered through my head. I must¡¯ve been going crazy, that or the d***s Carson gave


    me left me mentally unhinged.


    ¡®Fight Aurora! F**k, I can only do so much if you don¡¯t let me through.¡¯


    Carson¡¯s hands fumbled with the button on my jeans when a surge of energy rushed through me. I sat


    up with a force I didn¡¯t know I had.


    Carson cocked his fist back,nding a solid blow to my face before I could throw my arms up in


    defense. Carson¡¯s strength matched Grace¡¯s, leaving me dazed after a single punch.


    ¡®Focus!¡¯


    Everything sharpened in what felt like an instant. I could hear the people downstairs, their insignificant


    little conversations. The music thumped and pulsed, carrying a fast paced beat. The smell of cologne,


    alcohol and sweat was in the air.


    Carson continued fumbling with my jeans, finally getting the button undone and the zipper down.


    ¡°No!¡± The word was ripped from my mouth and I brought my knee forward. The goal was to hit Carson


    in his sensitive bits, but I aimed too high.


    Instead i managed to knee him in the gut. For just a split second, I froze. Fear surged through me. I


    was terrified I didn¡¯t hit him hard enough, that I didn¡¯t have the strength to cause any actual damage.


    ¡®Get up, Aurora!¡¯


    I rolled off the bed, my movements bing easier and easier. The strength that was running through


    me made me move much faster than normal.


    Carson groaned and clutched his stomach, frozen long enough for me to take action.


    Without thinking, I grabbed the thickmp that sat on the table and forced it down on Carson¡¯s head


    with all the force I had left.


    Themp base was metal, I learned. The sound reverberated off of Carson¡¯s skull. He crumpled to the


    ground, a gruff moan leaving his lips.


    I didn¡¯t take the time to assess whether or not he was knocked out. Fight or flight mode was in full


    effect, and right now it was telling me to get the f**k out.


    I ripped the bedroom door open and sped down the hall. Pictures on the wall rushed by in a blur of


    color. I couldn¡¯t remember ever running this fast. The fear coursing through my veins kept me from


    appreciating it fully.


    I didn¡¯t bother looking for Grace or Autumn. I wasn¡¯t looking for anyone. I stayed clear of the living


    room. Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I turned and darted out the back door.


    I had a vague idea of how to get home, remembering the way we took when Autumn was driving.


    I ran through the back yard and jumped a fence. Circling around the side of the neighbors house, I


    ended up on the sidewalk.


    The house I had just fled from was only fifty feet away. Cars were lined up down the block.


    My thoughts were racing at a hundred miles an hour, but I could understand each one clearly.


    Getting home, that was the only thing I needed to concentrate on.


    I darted down the sidewalk, my gaze continuously flickering back to the house. My foot was howling in


    agony, screaming and begging for me to stop but I couldn¡¯t. My left eye was nearly swelled shut, but I


    didn¡¯t care. I let the pain and fear of getting caught push me farther.


    A strangled scream left my lips when I mmed into someone and their hands wrapped tightly around


    my forearms.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    I felt hands wrap around the tops of my arms, and a strangled scream left my throat.


    Fear was a powerful thing. I had never experienced it in it¡¯s fullest. Fear cripples the mind and clouds


    the senses. Fear brings out our most animalistic tendencies, forcing everything that makes us human


    from our minds in an attempt to escape, to survive.


    I didn¡¯t look into the eyes of the person that grabbed me, nor did I want to. A strangled scream tore


    through my throat as my hands lifted to defend myself. The strength I once had was waning, but I used


    what was left to its fullest. I kicked, punched, and wed the person touching me.


    I only bothered to look up when the person¡¯s hands left my body and my bottom hit the sidewalk.


    Kade and Alec looked absolutely f*****g horrified. Like I was a caged animal who had escaped and was


    now on a murderous rampage.


    I watched the emotion¡¯s shift in their eyes when they took in the state of my face. I had no idea how


    bad the damage was, but judging from their clear emotions, I was in pretty bad shape.


    I peered at them from my one eye, the other was too swollen and sore to bother moving.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    H****r, fury, disbelief, agony.


    Each emotion yed across their face like a movie. For a moment, just a small moment I felt safe. For


    just a second I contemted throwing myself into their arms, sobbing my heart out about what


    happened tonight. I was so close, but Grace¡¯s words ran through my head.


    The fear that had left me at the sight of the twins had roared back to life. The fear was a smoldering


    ember buried within me, looking for anything to rekindle the me.


    Kade was the first to move, leaning forward to help me from the ground.


    ¡°G- Get away from me!¡± My voice was hoarse, stammering and sounded nothing like my usual self.


    I scrambled backwards, stumbling to my feet in what I¡¯m sure looked like a horrendous and slightly


    drunken effort.


    ¡°Aurora-¡± Alec opened his mouth, his eyes practically glowing in pain as he struggled to find the words


    to say.


    ¡°Leave- Leave me alone.¡± I hissed, ¡°P-Please just leave me alone.¡±


    I gathered all the remaining strength I had left in my body and propelled myself the only way I could. I


    darted through the grass inbetween houses, barreling into the woods. Alec and Kade wouldn¡¯t follow


    me this way, and I was sure I could still find my way home.


    I didn¡¯t look back as I ran, nor did I listen for anyone following me. All I paid attention to was my uneven


    gait and the searing agony spreading through my booted ankle.


    That other side of me, the one that sent strength flooding through my muscles, urged me to return to


    the twins.


    ¡®Go back to them. They can help us.¡¯


    The voice didn¡¯t sound like my own, but it was impossible to have someone else in your head. The


    voice was just my inner thoughts or conscience. There was no other usible option.


    ¡®No. No one can help us. We got hurt because of them.¡¯ I argued with myself, proving my insanity was


    reaching it¡¯s peak.


    ¡®We¡¯re safe with them. Can¡¯t you feel it?¡¯ The voice in my head was growing quieter, more muffled.


    ¡®No! No! I am not doing this! I am not arguing with myself!¡¯ I screamed in my own head.


    My thoughts grew silent, incredibly silent. I could no longer feel the irritating itch in my mind, nor the


    strange voice lingering in my head. The brick wall in my mind was solid, standing tall.


    The sound of my uneven steps echoed through out the forest. Branches whipped against my skin, but


    my long sleeve shirt shielded me from the pain. My pants were still unbuttoned, but I didn¡¯t dare stop to


    fix them.


    I slowed my sprinting pace to a jog when I emerged from the woods and found myself on the main


    road.


    Relief thundered in my chest and I resumed my fast pace. I stuck to the forest line, using the brush and


    shrubbery to conceal me. I didn¡¯t know who would be driving down this road, and I didn¡¯t need to be


    spotted.


    I was hyper aware of everything my body was feeling. My lungs burned from theck of oxygen, while


    my muscles pumped and contracted to propel me forward. My ankle radiated a sharp pain, while my


    eye throbbed and my lip ached. My rib cage was a thundering mass of pain as I ran, mming into the


    porcin tub had done me no favors.


    I felt like my entire body was practically falling apart, and yet I had never felt so strong. I took Carson


    down with more strength than I had ever thought possible.


    My house was just in sight and for the first time in my life, I was f*****g ecstatic to be back with Melissa


    and Frank. I didn¡¯t care what they thought of my face or the boot on my foot. They could think whatever


    they wanted, none of it mattered. It wouldn¡¯t make Melissa magically care, nor would it fix our


    demolished rtionship.


    I thundered up the steps to the front porch and barreled through the front door. My heavy steps


    sounded like a freight train, but I didn¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t force myself to give a c**p about Frank or


    Melissa. Frank had never hurt me as bad as Grace did.


    I mmed the front door behind me and practically copsed against it. Thest sliver of my strength


    was responsible for keeping me on my feet. My chest heaved and I sucked in deep breaths selfishly.


    Only when my lungs stopped burning did I realize Melissa and Frank were still in the living room. Frank


    was snoring loudly in his recliner, a half finished bottle of beer still resting in his hand.


    Melissa stood frozen in the kitchen, her eyes locked on my face.


    She had a look of h****r simr to Alec and Kade¡¯s. Any other time my heart would clench at the


    thought of her looking at me with so much concern. After the night I had, I was beyond caring. If I just


    had more money in my bank ount, I would leave tonight.


    Melissa¡¯s mouth was parted in shock, her eyes lingering on my swollen face. I stood p*******d as her


    eyes flickered from my face down to my unbuttoned jeans and down to the chunky boot on my foot.


    I didn¡¯t wait for her to say anything. Instead of longing for my Mom, the look of concern in her eyes


    pissed me the h**l off.


    I darted from my spot against the front door andunched myself up the stairs. I didn¡¯t stop running


    until I found myself safely in the bathroom, the door locked behind me.


    I looked into the bathroom mirror and stared into the familiar stranger¡¯s face.


    She looked just like me. Chocte colored hair down to her waist, only there were twigs and leaves


    poking out at odd angles. Her face was simr too, but was swollen horribly. Her once heart shaped


    face was now a lumpy oval. The deep chocte colored eye she once had was swollen shut, her blue


    eye looked much too pale with a milky film hanging over it. Her full lips were much too full now, swollen


    and crusted with blood. She was me, and yet I didn¡¯t know her.


    I turned the sink on and cleaned the blood from my face, my gaze never left the milky blue eye in my


    reflection.


    Once I was finished I stumbled back into my room. The strength I once had was nowpletely gone,


    and I felt scared and so very tired.


    I copsed onto my bed, a strangled squeal leaving my lips at the sound of a loud ringtone.


    The phone Tori had gotten me had somehow stayed in my back pocket. The screen was scratched


    from my fall, but it was still intact.


    A photo of Tori shed on the screen, apanying the ring ringtone.


    I hesitated, but ultimately answered the phone.


    ¡°Oh my g*d, Aurora.¡± Tori practically screamed on the other end, and I cringed away from the phone.


    ¡°What the f**k? I got you a phone and you can¡¯t even answer the d**n thing! I didn¡¯t know what to think,


    I didn¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My voice was hoarse, ¡°The phone died.¡±


    How could I tell her the truth and protect myself? I couldn¡¯t. in and simple. This wasn¡¯t about getting


    back at Grace, this was about surviving so I could leave. F**k graduating highschool. The second I had


    enough money I would be gone. Grace, Melissa, Frank, Alec, Kade, Autumn and everyone else long


    forgotten. My heart squeezed at the thought of leaving Tori, Alec and Kade behind but I couldn¡¯t dwell


    on the things I couldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°The phone died?¡± Tori sounded calmer, but I could tell she didn¡¯t believe me. Not one bit.


    ¡°Yes.¡± My hands shook, ¡°I just got home.¡±


    ¡°Did you see Alec and Kade?¡± Tori responded, ¡°I couldn¡¯t figure out where the party was so I asked


    them. They said they¡¯d show up and make sure you were alright.¡±


    My heart lurched. My lips couldn¡¯t physically form the words to exin what happened to me. A sob


    wracked my chest and I gave up trying. She¡¯d find out tomorrow at work just by looking at me. There


    was no way I could bail on work now, not when I was so close to leaving.


    ¡°I saw them.¡± I kept my answers clipped and short, fighting the tears that finally made their way to my


    eyes.


    ¡°O-Okay.¡± Tori sounded unsure, nervous.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna head to bed now.¡± I murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°See you, Aurora.¡± Tori replied just as I hung up.


    The tears finally came, and I fell back onto the bed in a broken mess.


    I cried until I fell into a blissful and dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    I finally woke up around one in the afternoon.


    My sleep had been the most pleasant part of this entire weekend. The twin¡¯s had vanished from my


    mind and dreams. I forced any and all thoughts of them from my head. I was left with a dull and


    sometimes excruciatingly sharp pain in my chest. It honestly felt like a chunk of my soul was missing,


    but it doesn¡¯t help to dwell on what could¡¯ve been.


    My n to leave was officially set into motion. I would leave Friday night. That gave me an entire week


    to work, and pick up my check Friday morning. I had a little over twenty five grand in my bank ount.


    While it wouldn¡¯t sustain me forever, it would be plenty until I found myself a job.


    I had everything nned out. Friday night I would catch a bus to Anta, Georgia. From there I¡¯d get


    the soonest ne ticket. My destination didn¡¯t matter. I wanted to be far away from Georgia,


    somewhere no one would look. Once the nended, I¡¯d find myself a job and somewhere cheap to


    live.


    I had no intention of going to school at all this week. It simply didn¡¯t matter anymore. Once I was


    established in a new state, I¡¯d work on getting my GED. For the first time in years, I was truly excited.


    I trudged into the bathroom, no longer caring whether Frank was awake or not. Melissa was home from


    work for the day, which would hopefully prove a worthy distraction.


    My face looked awful. My eye was swollen, only showing the smallest sliver of my chocte brown iris.


    The skin around it was a sickly shade of purple. My lip had seen better days, but the bleeding had


    stopped. Any other bruises would be sessfully covered by my work uniform.


    I pulled the concealer Tori had given me out of the bathroom drawer and applied some to my face. I


    blended it into my cheek and eye area as best as I could.


    While it did nothing to help the swelling, the bruises werepletely covered on my skin.


    I slipped my work uniform on and inhaled a couple gran bars while sitting on my bed. Tori would be


    here within the next five minutes, forcing me to retreat downstairs.


    Melissa was in the kitchen cooking, and my stomach rumbled at the thought of eating some hot home


    cooked food. It grew tiring living off of restaurant leftovers and gran bars, but I refused to cook in the


    kitchen. It would only give Frank more time to torment me.


    Melissa stiffened as she heard meing downstairs. I kept my eyes away from her and walked over


    to the window. The window was directly by the front door, giving me a clear view of the empty driveway.


    ¡°Aurora.¡± Melissa called my name, snapping me from my thoughts with a hard flinch.


    I turned my head and looked at the woman who carried me for nine months. She had a small white


    bottle in her left hand, two round pills in her right.


    ¡°Take some aspirin.¡± Melissa mumbled awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯ll help the swelling.¡±


    I took the pills from her, ignoring the shaking of my own hand. For the first time I felt absolutely nothing


    towards Melissa. Not hate, not the sharp pangs that wracked my body whenever she did something the


    least bit motherly. It was truly nice feeling nothing for a change.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I mumbled, swallowing the pills and taking a long drink of water.


    I turned my attention back to the window and the empty driveway. For the second time, Melissa pulled


    me from my thoughts.


    I nearly wanted tough at the irony. This was the most she¡¯s spoken to me in months. If only I knew it


    would take getting my face fucked up for her to show the tiniest shred of concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll tell me what happened to you.¡± Melissa¡¯s voice was low, yet even.


    Her voice held a tone I had never heard before, her words churning with concern. The emotion nearly


    made me sick. It was too much to process after what happened. I already had too many thoughts and


    emotions bubbling within me, this threatened to send them over the edge.


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± I murmured, my eyes never once straying from the empty driveway.


    ¡°You leftst night with some girl ande running home looking like this.¡± I could hear the frown in


    her words, the concern hidden underneath. I couldn¡¯t help but notice she hadn¡¯t answered my question.


    ¡°Who did this, Aurora?¡± Her voice was strong and stern. She had that tone that only a mother could pull


    off.


    ¡°What will it change, Melissa?¡± I sneered as her name fell from my lips, turning to see the hurt in her


    eyes. ¡°We both know nothing will change.¡±


    The hurt lingered in her eyes for a few moments, but I felt nothing. Her dismissal of me had caused


    years of hurt. She could handle a few seconds.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt you again.¡± Melissa murmured, her blue eyes burning into my own.


    ¡°You say that, but you don¡¯t mean it.¡± I scoffed, ¡°We both know nothing will change until I leave. Until


    then, quit with the fake f*****g concern.¡±


    Tori picked the perfect moment to pull into the driveway. I hesitated for a moment, wondering which


    option would be worse. Melissa or Tori?


    Tori would without a doubt be worse. Her eyes would flood with suspicion and concern as she hounded


    me with endless questions. But I needed the money. I needed all the money I could manage before I


    left Friday.


    I turned my back on Melissa, as she had done to me for years, and left the house.


    Tori¡¯s eyes were locked on me the moment I closed the front door, and I ignored her burning gaze.


    Even walking down the driveway, her gaze set my teeth on edge.


    The minute I opened the car door and sat down, rushed and slightly hostile words left her mouth.


    ¡°What the f**k happened to your face?¡± She hissed, not even bothering to put the car in reverse.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to bete.¡± I pointed out, but I knew the effort to change the subject was futile.


    Tori scoffed, ¡°F**k work. What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± I pursed my lips and stared into her hazel eyes.


    ¡°Something happened at the party didn¡¯t it?¡± Tori snapped, ¡°Alec and Kade said you flipped out on


    them, but I didn¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°All that matters is it¡¯ll never happen again.¡± My voice wascking emotion. I sounded cold and


    detached, but I didn¡¯t mind. Maybe it would cate Tori.


    ¡°Who?¡± Tori growled like a d**n animal, earning a wide eyed look from me.


    ¡°Who?¡± I repeated, my face nk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y stupid.¡± Tori growled, again. The sound was funnying from her mouth. A petite red


    head growling like an animal. ¡°Who hurt you?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It wont happen again.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Aurora.¡± Tori hissed, mming her fist against the steering wheel.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I never knew Tori had anger issues like this, but I didn¡¯t find her reaction surprising. I had known she¡¯d


    react this way.


    Obviously the defensive route wasn¡¯t working. What would another lie hurt? I had been telling so many


    of themtely.


    ¡°Look.¡± I sighed, forcing emotion into my words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it right now. I just need time


    to process everything, but I¡¯ll tell you exactly what happened Saturday.¡±


    Tori looked at me nkly for a few minutes, her hazel eyes were much darker now. I shifted


    ufortably under her gaze. Just when I was about to look away, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Tori pursed her lips, ¡°One week. But I swear if you don¡¯t tell me I will hunt you down.¡±


    I nodded, feeling her threat churn in my stomach. Tori wasn¡¯t one to talk idle, she meant every word


    she said. Hopefully I¡¯d get far enough to be way outside her reach.


    The car ride was silent, and for once I appreciated it. Awkward silence or not, it kept me from giving


    any details of my weekend.


    We got to the restaurant and walked inside. I got a few strange looks from the other employee¡¯s but I


    didn¡¯t care. I ignored the ones who asked what happened, and praised the ones who kept quiet.


    The only one to snicker and make rude remarks was Cameron. Obviously still jealous the twins wanted


    me to be their server, but that also didn¡¯t matter any more.


    Three quarters of my shift had gone off without a hitch. I made good money in tips, my busted face


    earning the sympathy of many customers. Pair my swollen eye and busted lip with the giant boot on my


    foot and I was a walking charity case.


    My booted foot was throbbing with pain, as was my swollen eye but I was managing just fine. Another


    employee had a few Advil in their bag which I took greedily.


    Two hours before the end of my shift, my heart nearly stopped.


    Kade and Alec walked in, no doubt looking for me. I hid in the kitchen, not daring to peak out the


    window at them.


    ¡°Alec and Kade are asking for you.¡± Cameron spat, her shoulder banging into mine as she stormed


    past me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not waiting on them.¡± My words came out in a frantic rush.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Cameron froze in her ce, turning to look at me incredulously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡± I shook my head furiously. Tears were prickling at the backs of my eyes, but I


    absolutely refused to cry at work.


    Cameron paused and looked at me, something lingering in her gaze.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Cameron¡¯s voice was harsh and impatient.


    I felt rooted into ce. I trusted Cameron as much as I trusted Grace. It would be my luck to follow


    Cameron and get my a*s kicked yet again. I wasn¡¯t falling for it this time.


    ¡°Ohe on, Aurora.¡± Cameron hissed, but there was no menace in her words.


    Her hand wrapped around my forearm as she pulled me towards the employee bathroom. She grabbed


    her purse from a coat hanger on the way and mmed the bathroom door behind us.


    The employee bathroom was basically one room with a toilet, sink and urinal inside. It wasn¡¯t for any


    specific gender, but it wasn¡¯t essible by the customers.


    ¡°Pull yourself together.¡± Cameron mumbled to herself, grabbing a wad of paper towels and cing


    them in my hand.


    ¡°What?¡± My voice was broken, and confused.


    ¡°You¡¯re crying.¡± Cameron mumbled, looking somewhat ufortable. ¡°And your concealer is fading.¡±


    Cameron pulled a little tan bottle from her purse and dabbed some of the concealer on her finger,


    blotting it gently against my cheek.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with you and I¡¯m not gonna ask.¡± Cameron mumbled as she


    blended the makeup into my skin, ¡°But your face is fucked up and you¡¯re obviously upset. Don¡¯t worry


    about the twins, alright? I¡¯ll get them or make someone else do it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Just stay in here until you¡¯re ready toe out. I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± Cameron nodded, giving my face


    and boot onest nce before she closed the bathroom door behind her.


    I let out a sharp breath that I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been holding.


    Cameron was blunt, and didn¡¯t have a filter but shecked the d**d cruelty in her eyes that Grace


    clearly had. Maybe Cameron wasn¡¯t so bad.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    I somehow managed to get through an entire shift without once running into the twins.


    I finally emerged from the bathroom after pulling myself together and was pleased to find the twins had


    already left. My pitiful joy was short lived when Cameron handed me a note.


    ¡°They wanted me to give this to you.¡± Cameron frowned, ¡°They didn¡¯t hurt you did they?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. That was all the answers I was willing to give.


    ¡°Good.¡± Cameron nodded, ¡°Just making sure. Men who hit women are scum.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Here.¡± Cameron grunted, ¡°Take my phone number in case you need anything.¡±


    After getting over the initial shock of Cameron being nice to me, I looked down at the note in my hands.


    I waited until Cameron walked away to read the messy scrawl on the paper.


    ¡®Quit avoiding us, Aurora. We need to talk. Alec & Kade¡¯


    Of course the simple note had my heart thundering in my chest. Not a chance in h**l would I risk talking


    to them. I took Grace¡¯s threat seriously, ande this Friday I would be out of town for good. No more


    confusing twins, no more threatening and psychotic girls. While my life had not been pleasant, I¡¯ve


    never been assaulted at that magnitude before. Sure, Frank couldn¡¯t keep his hands to himself but with


    a well ced kick to the b***s he¡¯d leave me alone. I never had someone viciously a****k me the way


    Grace did, and it definitely left asting impression. Everytime I caught a nce at my swollen face, I


    remembered her words. Her demand was simple, stay away from the twins. As much as my heart


    pleaded for me to go to them, I wasn¡¯t that stupid. After the damage Grace did on my face, I couldn¡¯t


    imagine what else she¡¯d do. I fully believed she¡¯d have no problem ending my life. She probably


    wouldn¡¯t even get caught for my m****r. I¡¯d just rot in the ground, and soon enough the twins would


    forget about me.


    That¡¯s what I repeated in my head, the one thought that kept me from seeking the twins out. I was just


    the new girl, something fun and shiny to y with. They wanted me because they already had every


    other girl in town. I was a challenge, in and simple. Their infatuation would wear off, and I¡¯d finally be


    free.


    Tori drove me home that afternoon. The car ride was awkwardly silent, but I didn¡¯t mind. As always, the


    silence couldn¡¯tst forever.


    ¡°The twins were asking for you today.¡± Tori mumbled, noticing my difort.


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to them anymore.¡±


    ¡°I can tell.¡± Tori grimaced, ¡°Did something happen with them?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m just not interested in them anymore.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that way.¡± Tori pointed out, and I debated on ignoring herment.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m just something shiny and new to them. The sooner they leave me


    alone, the better.¡±


    The minute I walked through the door, Melissa approached me.


    ¡°Are we really doing this again?¡± I huffed. I was not in the mood for another attempt at a heart to heart.


    ¡°I think we need to.¡± Melissa frowned, her eyes lingering distastefully on my face.


    ¡°Oh, you think we need to?¡± I scoffed, ¡°You had three years to try and do this. You¡¯re toote.¡±


    ¡°Aurora, don¡¯t be like this.¡± Melissa snapped, letting out a tired sigh. ¡°I know I¡¯ve fucked up, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I pursed my lips, ¡°That¡¯s good you came to that conclusion all on your own, congrats.¡±


    I retreated up the stairs and into my bedroom before she could say another word. It pissed me off to no


    end that she magically decided to give a s**t about me. Three whole years she had practically ignored


    me, and now she wanted to y the concerned mother card. I was determined to get back into my


    normal routine. It¡¯ll be easier to leave in the middle of the night if she continued to pretend I didn¡¯t exist.


    I hopped in the shower, letting the warm water run down my swollen face. The water stung my busted


    lip and made my bruised eye throb, but it released a lot of the tension I had been feeling. Sleep had


    quickly be my bestfriend, protecting me from my intrusive thoughts. It was easier to forget the


    world around you existed when you simply went to sleep. A peaceful break from the turmoil and drama


    that life brought.


    I woke sometime in the middle of the day, the sunlight streaming through my c******s cast hues of gold


    around the room. There was something peaceful about staying home from school. Everyone was either


    working or in ss, making me feel blissfully alone.


    Deciding to do something new today, I pulled myself from bed and got dressed. I had yet to simply


    explore, and taking a walk through the woods seemed like a good idea.


    Our town in California didn¡¯t really have a forest. The town was close to the desert, making it dry and


    overflowing with dirt. There wasn¡¯t much green in our old town. Everything was so..open, in California.


    All of the tree¡¯s made Georgia feel much more crowded. While it felt crowded, it also made me feel as


    though I could hide easier. This thought wasforting, as I really didn¡¯t want to be seen anymore. Not


    by the twins, and not by Grace. I simply wanted to remain invisible to everyone, possibly even Tori.


    Having no friends would make it easier to leave, to know no one was angry at me for my decision.


    I walked from my bedroom and out the back door, not once stopping to look for Frank. It was almost


    funny how having your life threatened seemed to take away other fears. I was no longer afraid of


    Frank, just afraid of getting stuck in this town. I was afraid of having my ns foiled. Frank couldn¡¯t hurt


    me more than Grace had, as I could easily defend myself against him.


    I walked down the steps and directly into the woods that surrounded most of the houses in the


    neighborhood. I was far from that little town in the middle of the woods, making me feel calm and


    secure. Thest thing I wanted was to stumble into the little town Tori, and the twins lived in.


    My fingers grazed the back pocket of my jeans, itching to touch the note the twin¡¯s had left me at the


    restaurant. I stuck it in my back pocket, my intention was to throw it away as soon as Imitted the


    hastily scrawled words to memory.


    I walked in a straight line through the woods,mitting each tree and bush to memory. I


    contemted where I would go this Friday. Should I go to a city? Somewhere with lots of tree¡¯s? Or


    maybe in the mountains.


    It would be much harder to find me if I ran to a city, but I didn¡¯t enjoy living in cities. I had never lived in


    the mountains before, the thought sounded tempting. Unfortunately, my sense of survival won out. I


    decided my best bet would be a crowded city, but now I would have to figure out which city. New York


    was too expensive and overrated. Plus, New York was simply too close to Georgia. Denver, CO


    popped into my head. Mountains and a city.


    I sat against a huge oak tree in this small clearing, a bottle of water lying on myp. A withered book


    sat in my hands. I wasn¡¯t sure what the title was, nor did I really care. I read the words greedily, a


    desperate attempt to escape the world I lived in.


    The sound of snapping branches ripped me from my thoughts.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Snapping branches tore me from my thoughts and my heart nearly stopped as two wolves walked into


    the clearing. I had never seen wolves in person before, only in pictures and movies. I was sure wolves


    weren¡¯t naturally this big. The two were nearly identical, both the color of midnight. Their fur was shiny


    and glistening. I had expected wolves to look much dirtier, living in the woods and all. While I wasn¡¯t


    sure the geographical cement of wolves, I was also fairly sure wolves did not live in Georgia. What


    troubled me even more was that I wasn¡¯t afraid. It was though my mind and body had simply epted


    my d***h as inevitable.


    My mind yed through the scenario. Aurora eaten by wolves. Grace would probably dance with joy


    while Tori and the twins wondered what happened to me. Would Melissa even notice when I failed to


    come home? Did wolves leave any scraps?


    I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn¡¯t noticed the two wolves were sitting only twenty feet away, simply


    staring at me as though I were the anomaly. The two wolves locked eyes for just a moment, and


    resumed staring at me.


    ¡°Are you guys going to eat me or not?¡± I huffed.


    Sure, I felt stupid. I was talking to two giant and supposedly violent animals, but they simply just stared


    at me. In the back of my mind, I had decided that being eaten by wolves wouldn¡¯t be a bad way to go.


    Painful for sure, but I¡¯d d*e feeding two beautiful wolves. That had to count for something, right? My


    fearlessness freaked me out, and some small part of me wondered if I had truly lost my mind.


    The way the two wolves stared at me was starting to get on my nerves. Their eyes were much too


    intelligent for two animals, staring at me with shock and almost concern. Wolves couldn¡¯t feel those


    emotions. I was supposed to be prey to them, and yet they looked at me like a lost cub.


    ¡°What are you two looking at?¡± I grumbled, dropping my book on the earthen floor. ¡°Go on, get out of


    here!¡±


    I shouted at the two wolves, and they continued staring.


    One of the wolves opened their mouth, letting their tongue roll out the side. If a wolf could grin, I¡¯d


    imagine that¡¯s what it would look like. The other wolf looked at it¡¯spanion and huffed, rolling it¡¯s


    eyes. Could wolves even roll their eyes?


    ¡°Fine.¡± I snapped, ¡°Sit there and stare at me.¡±


    I picked my book up with a grumble and continued reading, determined to ignore the freakish wolves.


    My mind couldn¡¯t focus on the book in my hands, it was busying up with insane senarios. What


    would make two wolves act this way? Maybe they were experimented on at ab and had human-like


    intelligence? Maybe evolution had simply taken it¡¯s toll and produced much smarter creatures. All kinds


    of theories were running through my head, all of which were bouts of fiction and partial insanity. It was


    clear I was off my rocker.


    I looked up from my book and noticed the wolves were much closer now, sitting only ten feet away.


    ¡°Quit inching up on me.¡± I snapped, ring at the two wolves.


    I looked on incredulously as one of the wolves stood and slowly took a step forward. It was almost


    humorous how slow the wolf moved, as though it were tip-toeing over to me.


    ¡°I said stop.¡± I red, and the wolf took another step.


    The second wolf simply looked at it¡¯s tip-toeing friend and shook it¡¯s head.


    ¡°Get your friend.¡± I snapped at the other wolf, and it gave me a pointed look.


    How could wolves convey this much emotion in a single look? The d**n wolf looked exasperated with


    it¡¯spanion, tired of it¡¯s antics. Did wolves even have antics?


    The first wolf continued tip-toeing over to me, and I tensed when it was only three feet away. The wolf


    didn¡¯t look angry. Surely it would growl or snarl if it wanted to k**l me, right? I never had a dog before,


    but I¡¯m pretty sure they growl and snap when angry.


    ¡°Bad dog.¡± I snapped, pointing my finger at the towering wolf.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what made me say that particr phrase, but it seemed to work. The wolf stopped in it¡¯s


    tracks and looked at me with an almost.. offended look. It¡¯srge ears ttened back and a low whine


    left it¡¯s mouth. I could feel the small hairs on my arms stand, and yet I wasn¡¯t afraid. Could I truly be


    that numb from what happened with Grace to not even fear two giant wolves?


    ¡°So, I guess this mean¡¯s you¡¯re going to eat me now.¡± I nodded with far too much eptance.


    The wolf that had been inching closer to me, sat on the ground with a loud thud. It shook it¡¯s head at


    me, it¡¯s tongue rolling out the side of it¡¯s mouth. I assumed the head shake meant ¡®no, I am not going to


    eat you¡¯.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I pursed my lips, ¡°I think.¡±


    The wolf sitting in front of me whined, bringing it¡¯s face closer to my legs. It rubbed the top of it¡¯s head


    against my leg, a low rumbleing from it¡¯s mouth. While I never had a dog before, I met other


    people¡¯s dogs. One dog I had met rubbed it¡¯s head against my hand in an effort to get me to pet it.


    Hoping the wolf wouldn¡¯t freak out and rip my hand off, I ran my fingers through it¡¯s soft fur. It¡¯s fur was


    the color of obsidian, but it was much softer than it looked. Like long strands of silk, it slid through my


    fingers effortlessly.


    ¡°Does your friend not like me?¡± I nced at the other wolf, the one sitting farther away.


    The wolf I had been petting raised it¡¯s head and nced at it¡¯s friend. A mix between a whine and a


    growl left it¡¯s lips, as though they were talking to eachother. The conversation must¡¯ve been interesting,


    as the other wolf began to approach me. It¡¯s eyes were guarded and it¡¯s steps were slow and


    calcted. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think the wolf was trying not to scare me. Myfort with the


    strange situation wasughable and made absolutely no sense. I was sitting in the middle of the woods


    petting two giant wolves like Snow White or something.


    ¡®Aurora the Animal Whisperer¡¯ popped into my head.


    ¡°Uh, hello.¡± I spoke to the other wolf as it flopped down next to it¡¯s friend.


    The wolf that had just flopped down rubbed it¡¯s head against my leg so I began petting it. The other


    wolf seemed jealous, shooting a low growl at it¡¯spanion.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    And here I was. In the middle of the woods, each hand on a veryrge wolve¡¯s head. The two wolves


    were letting out a low rumbling sound, almost like purring as I petted them.


    For just a moment, I lost myself in the silent ¡®whoosh¡¯ sound my hand made against their fur. The storm


    zing in my mind was forgotten for those small moments. I felt safe and at home, but I knew that


    wouldn¡¯tst.


    ¡°As fun as this is, I need to get home.¡± I frowned, looking at the two wolves.


    They seemed reluctant, giving eachother wary nces as they stood. I picked myself up from the


    ground and retrieved my forgotten book and water bottle.


    I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say. See you next time? Ask for their phone numbers?


    ¡°See ya.¡± I nodded awkwardly at the giant wolves, walking back to the house.


    I walked back into the house, and grabbed one of my boxes of leftovers. As I plopped down on my bed


    to eat, I thought about the two wolves I had met. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad to be a wolf. Living in the forest,


    hunting for your own food. No worrying about who would hurt you or how to escape your fractured


    family or small town. You could simply live on your own, fending for yourself.


    I fell asleep quickly that night, dreaming about the midnight wolves with their intelligent eyes.


    I knew it was well into the morning when I woke up. Shooting from my bed at the sound of a frantic


    knock on my door. In my years of living with Melissa, not once had she ever knocked or asked for me. I


    pulled myself from bed and unlocked my door, cracking it open to look into her faded blue eyes.


    ¡°Aurora, I need you downstairs.¡± Melissa pursed her lips, she looked almost petrified.


    ¡°For what?¡± I huffed. The idea of mming the door in her face popped into mind, but her next words


    made my blood run cold.


    ¡°Your father is here.¡± Melissa rushed the words from her mouth, her voice sounding as frightened as I


    felt.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    ¡°Your father is here.¡± Melissa rushed the words from her mouth and my heart nearly stopped.


    What she was saying made no sense in my mind. My father- I didn¡¯t have a father. I had Frank and a


    sperm donor. A Father was a foreign concept only lucky kids were able to fully experience. I was not


    one of those lucky kids.


    ¡°Father?¡± I found myself repeating the word, confusion soaking each letter.


    ¡°Your father.¡± Melissa spat, anger forming in her crystal eyes. ¡°The social worker managed to track him


    down.¡±


    ¡°The social worker.¡± I nodded, not fully processing the conversation.


    I still couldn¡¯t get passed the word ¡®father¡¯. It simply wasn¡¯t possible, wasn¡¯t fathomable.


    ¡°Get down here.¡± Melissa snapped, ¡°He wants to speak with you.¡±


    Was that jealousy in her tone? Why would Melissa be jealous?


    I trudged downstairs,pletely ignoring the fact that I was still in my pajama¡¯s. My busted and swollen


    face hadn¡¯t even registered in my mind. I had spent so many years as a child imagining my father


    sweeping into my life and stealing me away. We would live in a big house together and I¡¯d finally be


    happy. I imagined him in so many different ways. Strong and handsome, working as a secret agent or


    international spy. His job was the reason he had left my mom, had left me and never returned. My


    child-like mind hade up with all sorts of excuses for his behavior. It took me such a long time to


    realize people simply didn¡¯t care. They didn¡¯t care about their spouses, family or children. In the end


    you needed to look out for yourself, relying on anyone else was a broken heart waiting to happen.


    I had spent too many days crying for my Father, begging the invisable man in the sky to bring him


    home.


    My eyes locked instantly on the foreign man standing in the living room. My Father- my sperm-donor.


    His eyes were just like my own. One so blue it looked almost white, one chocte brown. His dark hair


    was the same color as my own, cropped close to his head. I could easily see the simrities between


    us. I used to love the fact that I looked like my father, and now I hated it. I resisted the urge to cringe as


    his piercing gaze met my own. Did I look at people like that? With the same wide and startling gaze?


    The contrast of the deep brown and light blue was violent, making his eyes be the center of


    attention.


    My Father- sperm-donor was build extremely tall and wide. He looked muscr for his age, and might


    even be called handsome. He wore a finely tailored suit, te grey with blue ents. Full eyebrows


    and a wide nose, full lips and long eyshes. I could see myself within him, and my own self-hate


    began to bubble and boil towards the surface.


    ¡°Aurora.¡± My name left his lips, surprise widening his eyes as he took in my mangled face.


    Some child-like part of me wanted to run into his arms, cry in joy that my father had finallye home.


    Well, it was too f*****gte.


    Too many nights spent crying in the dark, begging for him. Too many nights suffering at the hands of


    Frank and the cruel words of Melissa. He was toote for me, for my love, my admiration, my loyalty.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I paused, for a moment I hadn¡¯t even recognized my own voice. It sounded distant and


    foreign. Hidden pain and torment filled my words.


    ¡°I¡¯m your Father.¡± The stranger cleared his throat, running a hand over the dark stubble on his chin.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Garrett Maddox.¡±


    ¡°Garrett.¡± I nodded. Garrett I could deal with, a man iming to be my Father was out of the question.


    Garrett paused, some conflicting emotions forming on his face. None of which I cared to recognize.


    ¡°Aurora, what happened to your face?¡± Garrett was very good at controlling his emotions. Nothing


    leaked out through his words, his eyes were another story entirely. They were lit with unspoken rage,


    enough to nearly cause a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°I told you, I tried to ask her.¡± Melissa frowned, her voice sounded pleading and almost whiny. ¡°She


    won¡¯t tell me.¡±


    My eyes darted to Melissa, hardening at the sight of her. She was practically cooing for his attention,


    even with Frank feet away in the recliner.


    ¡°Aurora, tell me.¡± Garrett insisted.


    The anger that rushed through me was enough to snap me from my stupor. Not a chance in h**l would


    I give this stranger what ever he wanted, no matter who he imed to be. He was ruining my ns,


    ns I was determined to follow through on no matter what.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you anything.¡± I snarled, ¡°Not a single one of you.¡±


    ¡°Aurora-¡± Garrett opened his mouth to speak, but I silenced him with a wave of my hand.


    ¡°You do not get to speak to me, Garrett.¡± I snarled his name, glee running through me as his eyes


    widened.


    Pure, unfiltered rage ran through me. Rage spanning well over ten years. Every single time I cried for


    him ran through my head, every single time I bragged about him to other kids. Each moment was on


    debut in my mind, each filling me with more and more anger. The world around me vibrated, and it took


    me a moment to realize I was quite literally shaking with rage. Fear rolled through me and I attempted


    to control the torrent of anger. My vision tinged red, and I tasted something burnt in my mouth.


    Garrett hesitated, some sort of unmet expectation forming in his eyes. He seemed much too gleeful,


    much too epting of the anger I felt. It only pissed me off further.


    The brick wall exploded in my mind, demolished. The bricks crumbled into nothing, the cement


    disintegrated. Rebuilding the wall was hopeless, futile. Something stirred in the back of my mind,


    waking at the onught of rage I felt.


    ¡®Finally¡¯ The voice in my head shouted, sounding much too gleeful.


    I stepped towards Garrett, the anger was bing too much. It started as a fire,forting and warm.


    It quickly grew out of control, consuming me and dousing me with gasoline. I wanted to end the source


    of my anger, Garrett.


    His eyes widened as I hobbled forward.


    Two sets of knocks pounded on the thin screen door. A familiar voice pulled me from my rage,


    somehow dousing the mes as if they had never existed.


    ¡°Aurora.¡± Kade¡¯s deep voice called out. Alec stood next to him. Both sets of their dark and alluring eyes


    were locked on me. The mes were gone, vanishing. They no longer licked against my skin, egging


    me on.


    The brick wall in my head was still in shambles, unable to be repaired. The voice in my mind that had


    once been quiet was now much louder, unable to be held back.


    Garrett¡¯s expectant look in his eyes faded, but kept their interest as they looked me over.


    I hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but I was looking at the twins with both eyes. I somehow managed to open my


    swollen eye. It no longer throbbed with pain, nor did my busted lip. My face felt fine, painless even.


    Something had happened indeed, whether I chose to ept it or not.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    I was torn between my miraculously appearing sperm-donor and the twins stationed at the front door.


    Each looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to make the first move.


    ¡°This is too much.¡± I snapped under my breath, feeling much too exhausted for just waking up.


    There was no way I nned on letting the twins inside, or entertaining my sperm donor for any longer.


    I¡¯d simply retreat back into my bedroom and pretend this entire day never happened. Garrett and the


    twins would hopefully be long gone.


    ¡®Let them in.¡¯ The voice in my head rang out clear as day. The voice was so close, I looked around the


    room wondering if someone else had came into the house.


    ¡®I know you can here me.¡¯ The voice called out again, sounding exasperated.


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± I mumbled under my breath, turning my back on Garrett and the twins as I bounded


    up the stairs.


    It was all too easy to listen in on their conversation. The house was old and the walls thin. All I had to


    do was peak my head from my bedroom to hear whispers of what they were saying.


    ¡°You left¡ªCan¡¯t take her now.¡± Melissa¡¯s voice sounded angry, that same whining tone present in her


    words.


    ¡°My firstborn¡ªjust like me.¡± Garrett replied in his annoyingly calm voice.


    I flopped down on my bed, pulling the covers tight around me. I squeezed my eyes close and prayed


    for sleep, prayed for all of this to be a horrible dream. My world had been flipped upside down in a


    matter of one day.


    ¡®Aurora.¡¯ The voice in my head was soft and teasing, ¡®You can talk to me, y¡¯know.¡¯


    ¡®No, I can¡¯t.¡¯ I shook my head, ¡®Because that would mean I¡¯m actually crazy.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re not crazy.¡¯ The voice in my head chuckled, ¡®I could exin but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s my ce to do


    that or not.¡¯


    ¡®The exnation is that I¡¯m clearly bing mentally unhinged.¡¯ I snapped back, ¡®Only crazy people


    hear voices in their head.¡¯


    ¡®Well, crazy people and werewolves.¡¯ The voice responded in a calm tone, as if this were simple fact.


    ¡®Yep. I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ I nodded, ¡®Goodbye now.¡¯


    Sleep had finally managed to take me. I knew it was well into the evening when I finally woke up. The


    bright sunlight was much more dim, the sky darkening in deep hues of blue and orange. A light knock


    sounded on my door, and a strange smell flooded into my nose.


    The smell was of stale perfume and something dull and spicy. I couldn¡¯t ce my finger on it, and I


    couldn¡¯t remember ever smelling something like it before.


    ¡°Come in.¡± I grunted, sitting up from the bed with sleep crusted eyes.


    Melissa came into my room timidly, and I realized this was the first time she hade into my room in


    three years. She had never bothereding to get me for anything. Today was a day of firsts, and


    hopefullysts.


    ¡°Your Father left awhile ago.¡± Melissa murmured, ¡°He¡¯s going to being back soon.¡±


    ¡°Garrett.¡± I grimaced, ¡°His name is Garrett. Why is heing back?¡±


    Melissa sat on the end of my bed and sighed, looking truly defeated. Yet another first today, Melissa


    was sitting on the end of my bed. She nced at my face warily, and I noticed I was looking at her


    through two clear eyes. Slowly, my hand reached up to my face. I let my fingers graze over my swollen


    eye, surprised to find no pain. I couldn¡¯t feel the puffy skin that was once there. Everything felt smooth


    and t. I reminded myself to look in the mirror as soon as I could.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to say, Aurora.¡± Melissa frowned, ¡°There¡¯s just some stuff he needs to talk to you


    about.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in talking to him.¡± I snapped, ¡°Or you.¡±


    Melissa flinched at my words, but I felt no guilt. Guilt couldn¡¯t touch me when I nned to run away in


    just a few short days. I nned on working a double shift tomorrow, giving me the entire day away from


    Melissa, Frank, and now Garrett. This would be thest bit of money I needed for me tofortably


    leave this town behind. Friday was so close, and I was counting down the seconds.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I know.¡± Melissa nodded, not meeting my eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll find it hard to say no to him. He can be very


    persuasive.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for you.¡± I scoffed, ¡°I on the other hand have no problem saying no.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve always had his strength.¡± Melissa nodded to herself, ¡°Certainly not mine.¡±


    ¡°I have my own strength.¡± I growled, the sound was odd in my ears. Apparently Melissa thought the


    same. ¡°I got my own strength from dealing with you and Frank for years. Not from Garrett.¡±


    Melissa sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right. Either way, he¡¯s going to want to speak with you. You don¡¯t have to give


    him a chance or let him into your heart, but try and listen to what he has to say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making any promises.¡± I shrugged, looking away.


    Melissa left silently and I trudged to the bathroom a few minutester. My jaw dropped as I looked into


    the bathroom mirror.


    My swollen eye waspletely healed, my busted lip absent from my face. It was as though the event


    with Grace had never happened. All physical wounds were gone from my body, only the mental ones


    remained.


    ¡®You¡¯re wee.¡¯ The voice in my head chimed out smugly.


    ¡®Quiet.¡¯ I growled, ¡®You¡¯re just a voice in my head. You didn¡¯t do this.¡¯


    ¡®Then what did, Aurora?¡¯ The voice teased, ¡®Enlighten me.¡¯


    I paused for a moment, thinking over the possibilities. Realistically, there were none. Things like this


    didn¡¯t happen to normal people, then again normal people didn¡¯t hear voices in their head either.


    ¡®Shut up.¡¯ I mumbled, trudging back into my room.


    I sat in the silence and nibbled on a gran bar, thankful the voice in my head remained quiet.


    It was strange. The voice didn¡¯t sound like my own, a little deeper and rougher around the edges. Yet I


    felt like I knew the person who was speaking in my head, as if they were a close friend. That didn¡¯t


    change my feelings on the situation. Only crazy people heard voices. Once I left this town and finally


    got established in another, I¡¯d have to look into a psychologist.


    Around two hourster, I had absolutely no insight on my situation. I would simply continue what I had


    been doing. Ignoring the twins, making money, and pretending Garrett never existed.


    A rougher knock sounded on my bedroom door, and Garrett peaked his head inside.


    He was wearing a different suit, this one a dark Ash grey. What kind of man changed his suits more


    than once in a day? His bright blue eye and rich brown eye stared at me past longshes.


    ¡°Aurora, could I talk to you for a minute?¡± Garrett asked, his face an emotionless mask. It seemed


    Garrett was good at that particr expression.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Was all I responded with.


    I watched at Garrett entered my room, his eyes flickering around at my minimal belongings. His eyes


    flickered over the cracked and peeling paint, and the metal bed frame my d***y mattress sat on.


    ¡°Where are your belongings?¡± Garrett questioned.


    His words had me clenching my teeth. There was interest and concern in his words, two emotions I


    couldn¡¯t stand to hearing from him.


    ¡°These are my belongings.¡± I snapped, ¡°Mind your own business.¡±


    Garrett paused and raised an eyebrow at me, ¡°Your mother¡¯s temper, I see.¡±


    ¡°Say what you want.¡± I growled lowly, ¡°But I am nothing like Melissa.¡±


    My chest continued to rumble, and I stopped the motion with a wary look. I was making all kinds of


    strange sounds today. I passed it off on my failing mental health and the outburst of anger I had earlier.


    ¡°Melissa?¡± Garrett nodded to himself, ¡°Noted.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Garrett?¡± I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me Garrett, Aurora.¡± Garrett gave a small and gentle smile. ¡°Call me whatever


    you wish.¡±


    I bit back the urge to call him my sperm-donor, feeling like that might be a little childish.


    ¡°Garrett is fine.¡± I snapped, ¡°Quit changing the subject.¡±


    Garrett looked truly ufortable in that moment, and I resisted the urge tough out loud. If only he


    knew he wasn¡¯t the only one extremely ufortable with this entire situation. He should¡¯ve just


    stayed where he was and minded his own business. He went seventeen years without thinking of me,


    whats a few more?


    ¡°There is no way for me to break this easily.¡± Garrett sighed, running a hand through his chocte


    colored hair. ¡°I want you toe live with me, Aurora.¡±


    Again, my jaw dropped. Dropped in surprise, dropped in offense, dropped in disbelief. My¡ªGarrett


    wanted me toe live with him? He missed seventeen years of my life and now he wanted me?


    ¡°No.¡± I replied deadpan, no lingering emotion on my face.


    Garrett opened his mouth to continue.


    ¡°No.¡± I cut him off.


    ¡°Aurora, let me speak.¡± Garrett frowned, a stern looking over his face.


    I paused, giving him this one moment.


    ¡°My¡ªwife and I have just bought a house in town. You wouldn¡¯t have to leave your friends, your


    school. All I ask is for you toe live with us. There is much you do not understand about our family,


    and I would like to exin it all.¡± Garrett sounded sincere, but that same strange aura of power


    surrounded him. It made him seem bigger, more scary. I could feel it swirling around me, but for some


    reason it couldn¡¯t touch me. Garrett wasn¡¯t big nor scary, simply a man who gave himself too much


    importance.


    ¡°Let me make this crystal clear.¡± A snarl ripped through me, remnants of today¡¯s intense anger flooded


    through my veins.


    ¡°I am not your family.¡± I snapped, ¡°I want nothing to do with you. All I want is for you to turn around and


    leave my life the way you came. I would never live with you.¡±


    Garrett seemed absolutely unfazed by the anger that wracked through me. The voice in the back of my


    head was urging me to calm down.


    ¡®Now¡¯s not the time.¡¯ The voice murmured, ¡®We need Alec and Kade for your first time.¡¯


    ¡°Aurora, I was not asking.¡± Garrett¡¯s voice turned stern, making me wonder if he had any other children.


    ¡°You areing to live with me.¡±


    ¡°Why.¡± I grimaced, my anger seeping from my pores. ¡°Why now.¡±


    ¡°Because you are almost eighteen.¡± Garrett turned, remorse burning in his eyes. ¡°And I have spent far


    too long absent from your life.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find the words, couldn¡¯t force my lips to form them. His eyes were burning with sincerity, his


    voice held hidden longing and sorrow. I didn¡¯t forgive him, not one bit. And yet I couldn¡¯t figure out what


    to say, nothing felt right. I wanted nothing to do with this man, and yet he regretted abandoning me. Did


    his regret warrant my forgiveness? Absolutely not.


    ¡°I saw your¡ªcondition when you came downstairs.¡± Garrett grimaced, ¡°The state of your room, and


    yourck of belongings only solidifies my decision.¡±


    I mped my lips shut. Garrett had that tone most adults had. The tone that made it clear there was no


    room for argument. I would simply be wasting my breath. What infuriated me even more was how


    Garrett made me out to be a child who couldn¡¯t take care of herself. I had been caring for myself for


    three years. Who cares if I didn¡¯t have belongings? That didn¡¯t matter to me.


    ¡°I would like to take you to dinner this afternoon.¡± Garrett paused, ¡°Then I will leave you to pack your


    things. I¡¯ll return in the morning to pick you up.¡±


    I pursed my lips, Garrett sure seemed to like things in order.


    ¡°Fine, Garrett.¡± My voice was void of any emotion.


    The anger had fully left my system, leaving me with a blissful numb sensation.


    ¡°Onest thing.¡± I called out, making Garrett turn in the doorway.


    ¡°I will y it your way.¡± I nodded, my eyes locked on his own. Our eyes equally identical in every way.


    ¡°But do not forget that I¡¯ve been taking care of myself all this time. I do not need you, and I do not want


    you. Never forget that.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°Be ready in an hour.¡±


    The door closed behind him, and for some reason I felt as though a lot of doors had been mmed


    shut by his decision.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    An hour was much too long to get ready.


    I brushed my hair, and changed my clothes in ten minutes. That left me fifty minutes to contemte


    what the h**l was going on. Fifty minutes to realize how horribly my fractured life had been upended.


    Once hour passed, and Garrett knocked on my door. He didn¡¯t wait for me to answer, he simply poked


    his head inside until his eyes locked on my own.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Garrett asked, his eyes shining brightly.


    I nodded, grumbling something unintelligible and stood to my feet. While my face was somehow


    miraculously healed, my ankle was anything but. asionally dull pain would twitch up my ankle,


    making me wince.


    Garrett and I walked downstairs, to where Melissa and Frank were sitting on the sofa. Frank was drunk,


    as usual. Melissa was desperately trying to keep her gaze off of Garrett. Her eyes kept flickering from


    the TV to his towering form. I resisted the urge to scoff, she¡¯s more interested in Garrett than she¡¯s


    been in me for three years. A blind man could see how taken Melissa was with Garrett, even seventeen


    yearster.


    ¡°Try and have a good time, Aurora.¡± Melissa spoke gently.


    Her hand lifted, reaching towards my face. Call it a instinct, but I stumbled back. I didn¡¯t stumble back


    because I was afraid of her hitting me, I stumbled because not once had she ever touched me. This


    move was too intimate, too caring. It might¡¯ve made sense for any other mother and daughter, but not


    for us. The action was unwarranted. I didn¡¯t want herfort or her false sympathy. She noticed my


    reaction and her face fell, her washed out eyes flickering to Garrett.


    ¡®Watch closely.¡¯ The voice murmured in my head, ¡®Her concern isn¡¯t for your benefit. It¡¯s for his.¡¯


    For once, the voice was actually helpful. It was right. Melissa wasn¡¯t taking on the roll of a caring


    mother because she somehow realized the error of her ways, she was doing it for Garrett¡¯s benefit.


    She truly can¡¯t stand for others to see her as the d**d-beat parent. Her mask was thin on her weathered


    face, and I could see through it clearly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be outside.¡± I mumbled, tripping on the chunky boot but somehow managing to make it to the front


    door unharmed.


    I stood outside taking deep breaths of the crisp afternoon air. The breeze was picking up, chilling my


    skin in a way that brought me some semnce offort. Looking out into the woods was the most


    peaceful I had felt in days. Everything was so silent. The only sound was from birds and the quiet


    ¡®whoosh¡¯ of the wind against the tree¡¯s. Some small part of me wanted to bound off into the woods, and


    note back out.


    Garrett came outside just a few minutester. I nced up at his face and snorted, he looked


    ufortable.


    ¡°Something funny?¡± Garrett raised his eyebrow at me, and I marveled at how simr we looked.


    ¡°You seem ufortable.¡± I noted, leaving him behind as I walked down the porch steps.


    ¡°Something you can rte to.¡± Garrett responded once he had caught up to me.


    I resisted the urge tough spitefully. Of course he¡¯d say that, and of course I could rte. This was all


    brought on by him, not by me. If he hadn¡¯t ignored the existence of his child for seventeen years, the


    two of us might not be so ufortable.


    Garrett opened the passenger door of arge and shy sedan. I had never been in a car this fancy


    before. Melissa¡¯s car was a ¡¯95 Buick, practically falling apart at the seams. This car had all the shing


    lights and fancy button¡¯s you¡¯d see on a brand new car. So it seems Garrett here had money,


    something that could easily be beneficial for me, not that I¡¯d ever be caught asking.


    We arrived at the only restaurant in town, the one I worked at.


    Cameron gave me a strange look as she walked Garrett and I over to one of the many tables. Garrett


    excused himself to go to the bathroom, and I grunted in response. If I was dreading an hour long dinner


    with the man, how the h**l was I going to live with him?


    ¡°Oh look, your face is all better.¡± Cameron gave me a side-eyed look.


    ¡°Lots of cover-up and ibuprofen.¡± I nodded absentmindedly.


    ¡°Who the h**l is that?¡± Cameron snorted, her eyes flickering towards the bathrooms.


    ¡°Long lost sperm-donor.¡± I shrugged, picking at the napkin on the table.


    ¡°Sperm-donor?¡± Cameron scrunched her nose, ¡°I thought Frank was your Dad?¡±


    Her specific information about my family didn¡¯t phase me. This was a small town after all. I had heard


    my fair share of gossip and drama about the other townspeople, choosing to ignore it all. The typical


    rumors flew around. Who slept with who, couples getting divorced, and the asional g******g or


    cheating scandal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a Dad.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I have Frank, and I have a sperm-donor.¡±


    Sure, it was childish but I felt like I had that right. I had spent years taking care of myself, didn¡¯t I


    deserve just a single childish moment?


    ¡°Well, it looks like sperm-donor has some money.¡± Cameron shrugged, ¡°Might as well get what you can


    from it.¡±


    I nodded in agreement, but I truly didn¡¯t want anything from Garrett. I didn¡¯t need money, or some


    poorly constructed rtionship. I was seventeen years old and spent my life without a single father


    figure, what makes him think I needed one now? The only person I wanted was my Grandma. She¡¯d


    understand how I was feeling and take me away from all of this mess, as she had many times in the


    past. I also wanted Alec and Kade, not that I¡¯d admit it to myself or anyone else.


    Garrett came back to the table and sat across from me, looking as awkward as I felt. The awkward


    silence was picking at me, making me grow more irritable with each passing moment.


    ¡°So, do you have any other kids?¡± I blurted out, nearly cringing at the hostile tone in my voice.


    Garrett nodded, ¡°I have a daughter. She¡¯s two years younger than you.¡±


    Two years¨CThat¡¯s all it took for Garrett to forget about me and have another child.


    ¡°And you have a wife.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, just a statement. He had his own little family, while mine


    was left in shambles.


    ¡°I do.¡± Garrett cleared his throat, ¡°Not that I didn¡¯t love Melissa-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I held my hand up, ¡°Yours and Melissa¡¯s rtionship doesn¡¯t concern me.¡±


    ¡°It was brief.¡± Garrett gave me a painful smile, ¡°The rtionship was a mistake¨Cbut the oue was a


    blessing of sorts.¡±


    I inwardly cringed at his words. It didn¡¯t hurt to know his rtionship with Melissa was a mistake, what


    hurt was hearing how he called me a blessing. A blessing he had openly chose to ignore for seventeen


    years.


    ¡°Do you normally toss your blessings to the side and ignore them for seventeen years?¡± I asked,


    ¡°cating them by throwing money their way.¡±


    Garrett pursed his lips, ¡°Ignoring you¨CThat wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±


    We were interrupted by Tori walking up to the table, a notepad in her hand. She paused for a moment


    when she saw us, her eyes running over my face slowly. It was obvious she noticed my healed face,


    and something told me she suspected the cause.


    ¡°Hey, Aurora.¡± Tori smiled at me, her eyes wandering over to Garrett questioningly. ¡°Do you two know


    what you want to drink?¡±


    ¡°Coke.¡± I murmured, giving her a small smile. Her eyes flickered between the two of us, and I could


    practically hear what she was trying to tell me.


    ¡®You better give me a good exnation.¡¯ Her eyes practically screamed. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was


    referring to Garrett or my newly healed face.


    ¡°Just a water for me.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°We will need q few more moments to look over the menu.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Tori peeled her eyes off of me and gave Garrett a polite smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be right out with your


    drinks.¡±


    Tori walked away and I sighed as Garrett picked up where he left off.


    ¡°I had¡ªlet¡¯s just call it an arranged marriage.¡± Garrett looked ufortable, ¡°I was with Melissa right


    before meeting my intended, resulting in you. My wife¨Cwell she¡¯s not fond of Melissa.¡±


    His statement held another meaning, and I found my face turning into a grimace as I understood his


    words.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not happy you have another child by some other woman.¡± I pointed out, and the look on


    Garrett¡¯s face told me I was correct.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t.¡± Garrett paused, ¡°But you are my firstborn child. That means something where Ie


    from.¡±


    ¡°Where Ie from it means I¡¯m a mistake.¡± I shrugged, unfazed.


    Tori brought out our drinks, and I ordered some alfredo pasta. In all honesty, I was tired of eating the


    food from this restaurant. I didn¡¯t cook for myself, so I¡¯d often bring home leftovers. I¡¯ve been eating this


    food for two weeks now, and it was getting old. The food wasn¡¯t bad, but the repetition was tiresome.


    Garrett ordered something for his self and the two of us watched as Tori walked away.


    ¡°That is a friend of yours?¡± Garrett asked, his gaze showing interest.


    ¡°My first friend since moving here.¡± I nodded.


    Garrett sat quiet for a few moments, then finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°I would like you to tell me what happened to your face.¡± Garrett¡¯s voice was soft, yet incredibly fierce.


    He sounded almost, protective. That tone made me feel nauseous.


    ¡°Not important.¡± I dismissed him, ¡°As you can clearly see, my face is fine.¡±


    Garrett didn¡¯t seem surprised by my magical healing, if anything he seemed to have expected it. That


    fact only left me more confused.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll drop it, if you tell me what happened to your foot.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    ¨C I cringed, but telling him about Frank was a lot easier than telling him about Grace. Frank couldn¡¯t


    torment me anymore, not with me being forced to live with Garrett. Grace on the other hand could still


    manage to get to me.


    ¡°Frank likes to drink.¡± I shrugged, ¡°He gets rough. I ran and locked myself in my room. He was trying to


    break down my door so I climbed out the window and jumped.¡±


    ¡°You jumped from your window?¡± Garrett¡¯s voice was calm.


    ¡°No.¡± I replied, deadpan. ¡°I jumped from the roof.¡±


    ¡°That fact makes no difference.¡± Garrett growled under his breath.


    ¡°Look.¡± I sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t go ying the caring father card. Seriously, for my sanity don¡¯t do it.¡±


    This entire conversation was giving me a headache. My heart was being pulled in so many different


    directions, I wondered if it could withstand all of the torment. ¡®Only a few more days¡¯, I told myself. Then


    I¡¯d be in the wind, not a single person to worry about.


    Two devastatingly handsome faces walked through the doors to the restaurant, making my heart skip a


    beat. I choked on my drink, nearly spewing soda across the table. Alec and Kade strolled through the


    front doors, stopping in front of Cameron to be seated. It was as though they could feel my eyes on


    them. The two of them looked up at the same time, meeting my eyes instantaneously. They didn¡¯t even


    have to search around the room. They were like one person with their movements. Their eyes flickered


    from me to Garrett, and finally back to me. It took all of the willpower I had in my body to peel my eyes


    away from theirs, only to meet another familiar pair.


    Grace was walking through the front doors, Autumn on one side and the dark haired girl on the other.


    She too met my eyes instantaneously. A cruel, s**t eating grin spread on her face as she waited behind


    Alec and Kade. Her eyes were glistening with knowledge, with superiority. It seems she hadn¡¯t noticed


    my healed face, but that didn¡¯t surprise me. She probably only noticed my fear, and how I practically


    reeked of it.


    Cameron sat Alec and Kade at a table, but Alec shook his head. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying,


    but I quickly figured it out when Cameron sat them at the booth across from us. I had a clear view of


    Alec and Kade, and boy was it hard to keep my eyes off of them. The two of them continued looking at


    me, having their own hushed conversation inbetween nces. Cameron gave me an apologetic smile


    as she walked away, and I nodded once in her direction.


    Grace, Autumn and the other girl were seated at their own booth, not much farther from Garrett and I.


    The restaurant was feeling much too small. My own personal h**l would beplete if Melissa and


    Frank walked through the doors. With how this afternoon was going, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised by


    anything.


    Tori came out with our food, setting it down in front of us gingerly. I looked at the white alfredo sauce


    and tried not to breathe too deeply. My stomach was in knots, making me feel nauseous and somewhat


    sick.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Tori murmured down to me, her eyes flickering from Alec¡¯s table to Grace¡¯s.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I breathed out, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    Tori didn¡¯t look convinced. She could see through my b******t from a mile away¨Cyet she didn¡¯t question


    me. I was beginning to appreciate her subtly more and more.


    ¡°Friends of yours?¡± Garrett asked, his head tilting over to where Alec and Kade sat.


    I shoved some food in my mouth, taking my time to chew and s*****w before answering.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Not friends.¡±


    ¡°Boyfriends?¡± Garrett raised his eyebrow, looking much more ufortable.


    The word ¡®boyfriend¡¯ got Alec and Kade¡¯s attention, but it also got Grace¡¯s as well. It felt like every d**n


    person in the restaurant was looking my way, waiting for my answer. I had never felt so much silent


    pressure in one room before.


    I looked at Alec and Kade from the corner of my eye. Both were staring at me, the same expectant look


    on their face. They looked like they were ready to leap from the table ande to my side, all I had to


    do was say the word.


    Grace on the other hand looked livid, while Autumn looked kind of sick.


    ¡°No.¡± My voice was quiet, ¡°Not boyfriends.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    My voicecked conviction, and was unconvincing.


    ¡°I just go to school with them.¡± I struggled to keep my voice even, keeping my eyes far away from


    Grace.


    ¡°I see.¡± Garrett nodded, unconvinced but satisfied by my answer.


    I hurried with my dinner, scarfing down what I could as though I hadn¡¯t eaten in months. I sighed with


    relief once Tori brought the check. Garrett refused my offer of money and paid himself, leaving Tori a


    hefty tip.


    Garrett headed towards the front of the building, while Tori pulled me aside.


    ¡°Cameron said that¡¯s your Dad?¡± Tori¡¯s jaw was slowly dropping, her eyes locked on Garrett.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I huffed, not surprised that Cameron told her. ¡°His name¡¯s Garrett.¡±


    ¡°I expect a detailed phone call tonight.¡± Tori grimaced, pulling me in for a hug. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how


    you¡¯re feeling right now.¡±


    I nearly wanted to burst into tears right then and there. I never had someone say those words to me


    before. All physical affection I¡¯ve received in my life hade from my Grandma. I never had someone


    besides her simply pull me into a hug or console me. The simple action made me want to bawl and


    confess the horrible week I¡¯ve been having. For my own sake, I remained strong. Now wasn¡¯t the ce


    to break down. I could break down all I wanted once I was alone in my bedroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡± I replied hoarsely, blinking the tears away from my eyes.


    Tori gave me onest squeeze and let me go, rushing to the back to grab the rest of her table¡¯s food.


    Just as I turned to walk away, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. The sensation that crawled over


    my skin waspletely unexpected. It felt like tiny pleasurable pin-pricks, or little moving sparks


    running down my skin. Kade looked up at me in shock, his hand still lingering on my wrist. Alec noticed


    the look of rm on his brother¡¯s face and reached towards me slowly. His hand connected with my


    forearm, trailing lightly down to my hand. The same unmistakable feeling ran through me. It felt like


    when I was a kid and decided to put a piece of cutlery in a wall outlet¨Conly less painful and more


    pleasurable.


    Something was burning holes into my skin and I turned to meet Grace¡¯s furious eyes. The spell was


    broken, my attention was no longer on theforting sensations grazing my skin.


    ¡°Talk to us, doll.¡± Alec frowned, his eyes widening with concern as I struggled to pull myself from their


    grasps.


    My eyes were glued on Grace, and the sheer m****r that seemed to be rolling off her in waves. Fear


    pulsed through me, remembering the night she had me drugged. Her rage filled eyes locked me in


    ce, making it hard to hear what Alec and Kade were saying.


    ¡°I need to go.¡± I scrambled, yanking my wrist from their grasp with more strength than I thought I


    possessed.


    Kade¡¯s grip on me was released with little struggle. Neither of them had been holding me tight enough


    to prevent me from escaping.


    As I scrambled from the restaurant, I allowed myself onest nce at Alec and Kade. I told myself this


    was my goodbye. I couldn¡¯t tell them out loud, but onest look wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    When I turned and looked at the two of them, their eyes were locked on Grace. An innocent look


    adorned her face, while the two of them looked downright murderous.


    ¡®Nothing happened, nothing happened.¡¯ I murmured to myself, ¡®They don¡¯t know anything. Grace will


    make up some excuse. It¡¯ll all be fine.¡¯


    From the look on Garrett¡¯s face, he saw what happened back in the restaurant. I was eternally grateful


    that he kept silent the entire car ride home. I didn¡¯t want to talk about what happened, and I didn¡¯t want


    him to ask. I was tired of all of these people pretending they cared about me. First Melissa, and now


    Frank. As far as I was concerned, the only person allowed to care about me was Tori. I wasn¡¯t even


    going to bother thinking of Alec and Kade.


    The more I argued with myself internally, the more the annoying voice in my head decided to speak up.


    ¡®Between the two of us, you¡¯re definitely more annoying.¡¯ The voicemented, letting out a chuckle.


    ¡®Great.¡¯ I mumbled to myself, ¡®Now the voice in my head is making fun of me. Taking self deprecating


    humor to a new level.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not you, Aurora.¡¯ The voice huffed, rolling it¡¯s eyes.


    The more the voice called out in my head, the easier it was to picture what it looked like. It was a girl,


    just like me. Her eyes were mirror images of my own, and yet she didn¡¯t look like me. Her hair was


    extremely dark, almost ck. It was short and straight while my hair was long and wavy.


    ¡®Then who the h**l are you?¡¯ I grumbled, regretting entertaining the voice.


    ¡®I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡¯ The voice huffed, ¡®You can call me Thalia.¡¯

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    ¡®I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡¯ The voice huffed, ¡®You can call me Thalia.¡¯


    ¡®The voice in my head has a name.¡¯ I nodded. ¡®This is great.¡¯


    ¡®Look at it this way, we¡¯re improving.¡¯ The voice sounded happy.


    ¡®Improving?¡¯ I scoffed, ¡®More like descending into madness.¡¯


    ¡®Hey, I¡¯ll be along for the ride.¡¯ The person in my head grinned, ¡®It¡¯ll be fun.¡¯


    ¡®Y¡¯know, I didn¡¯t expect the voice inside my head to be so d**n optimistic.¡¯ I rolled my eyes.


    ¡®Get used to it, Aurora.¡¯ The voice chided me, ¡®I¡¯m here for the long run.¡¯


    ¡®Great.¡¯ I sounded unenthusiastic.


    Garrett looked over at me from the corner of his eye, concern evident in his gaze.


    ¡°Feeling alright, Aurora?¡± He questioned, more concern flooding through his tone.


    ¡°Yup.¡± I popped the ¡®p¡¯ on my lips, ¡°Just talking to the voices in my head.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what made me say that, but I didn¡¯t really care. This week has been one for the books. I


    was nearly one hundred percent positive I had the worst week in history. Assaulted, frightened,


    abandoned, used. And it would only get worse from here. I¡¯d be forced to live with Garrett, thankfully


    only until Friday. I could handle that, I told myself. A week of avoiding school and Garrett like the


    gue, should be fun.


    Garrett looked taken back, but a small grin formed on his face.


    ¡°And what are the voices saying?¡± Garrett asked, making me raise my eyebrow.


    ¡°You¡¯re not concerned I¡¯m hearing voices?¡± I scoffed. I couldn¡¯t begin to understand this man. He


    appears into my life out of nowhere and tries to take on the fatherly role, only topletely throw me


    off. The look in his eyes was almost humorous, not that I gave a c**p about his sense of humor.


    Garrett shrugged, ¡°We all hear voices sometimes. It¡¯s important to pay attention to what they say.¡±


    ¡°The voice in my head says I don¡¯t pay attention.¡± I rolled my eyes, ¡°She thinks she knows everything


    and refuses to be quiet. And now I sound absolutely insane.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you sound insane.¡± Garrett shrugged, his tone rxed.


    ¡°Like I¡¯d trust your judgement.¡± I grumbled under my breath.


    The first thing I needed to do once I was settled somewhere else, was find myself a d**n Therapist.


    And possibly some strong m********n.


    Garrett dropped me off at home, reminding me to be readye morning time.


    Packing my belongings was easy, it only took an hour of my time. All of my toiletries fit into a little bag I


    had, and my clothes fit nicely in my small suitcase. The rest was just little bits and ends, all fitting nicely


    in my book bag. I almost wished it took longer to pack, to give my mind a break from having to think


    about anything.


    Thalia absolutely refused to be quiet, insisting she had been quiet for long enough. I refused to listen to


    her, scrambling to find a way to put that brick wall back up. It was nearing impossible. The brick wall


    was in shambles, and nothing I did even began to repair it. By the time I gave up, it waste into the


    night and I had a horrific migraine.


    ¡®Now, if you listened to me your head wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡¯ Thalia shrugged.


    ¡®It¡¯s your fault my head hurts.¡¯ I grimaced.


    ¡®Oh no, you¡¯re not pinning this on me.¡¯ Thalia shook her head. ¡®If you¡¯d just listen to me, you wouldn¡¯t


    have a headache in the first ce.¡¯


    ¡®Why would I listen to you?¡¯ I snapped, ¡®Your a voice in my head. How sound is your advice?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m confident in my abilities.¡¯ Thalia shrugged, ¡®First thing you need to do is stop avoiding Alec and


    Kade.¡¯


    ¡®Not going to happen.¡¯ I shook my head, ¡®In a week they won¡¯t matter anymore.¡¯


    ¡®See, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡¯ Thalia shrugged, ¡®Grace isn¡¯t gonna hurt you again, not if you stick


    with them.¡¯


    ¡®Grace hurt me because I was with them.¡¯ I frowned, ¡®I¡¯m not risking it again. I was almost raped. Next


    time I won¡¯t be so lucky.¡¯


    ¡®Next time, Grace won¡¯t be so lucky.¡¯ Thalia growled like a wild animal. ¡®You didn¡¯t have me the first time


    around, not fully anyway.¡¯


    ¡®Problem solved, there won¡¯t be a next time.¡¯ I snapped, ¡®I don¡¯t want to k**l anyone, and I don¡¯t want


    anything to do with Alec and Kade.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re lying..¡¯ Thalia¡¯s voice was a silent whisper as my eyelids fluttered and I was drawn into a deep


    sleep.


    As usual these days, the morning came much too soon. The sunlight streamed into my bedroom,


    making my tired eyes ache miserably. A soft knock sounded on my door, and I waited for Melissa to


    come in. As strange as it sounded, I could smell her. She smelled of faded perfume and body wash.


    Both were strong in my nose, but not overwhelming.


    ¡°Your¨CGarrett¡¯s going to be here in a few minutes.¡± Melissa called out, not bothering to step inside my


    room.


    Thalia became angry within the confines of my head, and the urge tosh out at Melissa appeared out


    of nowhere. Something she did or said pissed Thalia off. Goodness, I sounded crazier than ever.


    Melissa made the voice inside my head mad, call an ambnce and get me some strong m********n.


    ¡°So is that it?¡± I snapped, ¡°The caring mother routine done and over with?¡±


    My voice didn¡¯t sound like my own, it sounded rougher and much more angry than I could ever


    manage. I felt like I was handing over the reigns, giving them to Thalia for just a moment.


    Melissa¡¯s washed out blue eyes narrowed at me, and she stepped into my bedroom with an air of


    superiority. Thalia wanted tough, this woman was superior to no one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re insinuating.¡± Melissa snapped, her words dripping with venom. ¡°None of this


    would¡¯ve happened if you hadn¡¯t called the f*****g Social Worker.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m insinuating you¡¯re a s**t mother who only cares when it benefits her.¡± Thalia growled lowly, and I


    watched as Melissa¡¯s washed out eyes widened. My voice sounded hostile, more hostile than I could


    ever manage on my own. If looks could k**l, Melissa would be on the floor already.


    Melissa¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She was far out of her element. I had never


    spoken against her this way before, never antagonized a reaction from her. She knew I had her


    cornered. She couldn¡¯t deny what I had said, because we both knew it was true. Melissa wasn¡¯t a


    narcissist incapable of admitting fault, she was simply a s****y person who made even shittier


    decisions. I stood from the bed, Thalia in control of my movements. It was like stepping into the


    passenger seat of a car, the car being my body. Thalia approached Melissa, and she backed away in


    response. Thalia kept going until Melissa was standing just outside our bedroom.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Thaliaughed, augh full of repressed malice. ¡°Have fun with your husband,


    Melissa. The two of you deserve eachother.¡±


    Thalia mmed the bedroom door shut with incredible force, and I was amazed the door hadn¡¯t been


    destroyed in the process. I knew Melissa was just an inch away from being hit by the door, she


    probably felt the gust of windsh at her face. Thalia relinquished control over me, and I finally realized


    I had been trembling in rage.


    ¡®Rx.¡¯ Thalia sounded like she was talking to herself, ¡®Not yet. Now¡¯s not the time.¡¯


    ¡®Anger issues?¡¯ I raised my eyebrow at her.


    ¡®You¡¯d have anger issues too if you were stuck with a human girl who never spoke her mind.¡¯ Thalia


    snapped in my head.


    ¡®Touche¡¯ I nodded, grabbing my bags in my hands.


    I hobbled down the stairs, thankful Melissa was far from my line of sight. I made it out the front door


    without seeing her once. Seemed she didn¡¯t like her little chat with Thalia. Garrett came up the porch


    steps, and I didn¡¯t argue when he took my bags and suitcase from my arms, throwing them into the


    back of his sedan.


    The drive was quiet for the most part. I watched out the window, noting how far we were from town.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have your own room.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°You can pick which one you want, they alle with


    their own bathrooms.¡±


    ¡°How big is this house you have?¡± I frowned, pursing my lips.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Six bedrooms, six baths.¡± Garrett responded. ¡°Only three bedrooms are taken, so you have three to


    choose from.¡±


    ¡°One for you and your wife, another for your daughter.¡± I stated with a nod.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Garrett nodded, his small smile looking strained. ¡°The third is my office.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I nodded, and resumed my defiant silence.


    I wanted to ask what he did for a living, but thest thing I needed was to know him. I already knew he


    had a wife and daughter, and that was all I needed to know. Anything else, any form of attachment


    would only make it harder to leave. He had his family, and I wanted a chance to find my own.


    We drove into the woods for a bit, but quickly made a left hand turn down a road I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    The house appeared on our left, nestledfortably into the woods but sitting off the side of one of the


    main roads. The house was absolutely massive, sitting at the end of a private culdesac.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t built any other houses nearby yet.¡± Garrett murmured, pulling the sedan into the


    driveway.


    This was the house you saw in the movies, the one with the happy family and their golden retriever. It


    was even set with a white picket fence. Maybe in another life, this could¡¯ve been my home. A life where


    Garrett embraced me instead of pushing me away, a life where he had raised me himself. I noticed the


    house was a couple minutes out of town, but not as far as the little area Tori lived in. We walked inside


    the massive house, and I noticed how our footsteps echoed in the foyer. Garrett set my suitcase


    against the wall and piled my bags on top.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Garrett turned to ask, ¡°We have Lucy with us, she takes care of things while I¡¯m


    gone. She¡¯s also an amazing cook.¡±


    ¡°You have your own personal chef?¡± I scoffed.


    An older woman with fading blonde hair stepped around the corner. She was a little plump, her body


    forming a gentle hourss shape. She was dressed nice yet casual. An apron was thrown on and tied


    around her waist, something white and powder like clung to the apron.


    ¡°He wishes I was his personal chef.¡± The plump woman gave Garrett a stern look.


    ¡°Speaking of Lucy.¡± Garrett chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°Hello there darlin, let me look at you.¡± Lucy had a slight southern ent. She stepped forward and


    eyed me up and down, not once making me feel ufortable. She smelled of biscuit¡¯s and coffee, a


    combination I found extremely pleasing.


    ¡°Well, you certainly got your Daddy¡¯s eyes.¡± Lucy nodded, a grin breaking out on her face. ¡°You know


    how to cook?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± I shook my head, ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t mind learning.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re gonna get along great.¡± Lucy gave me a sly grin, one I couldn¡¯t help but return.


    Lucy reminded me of my Grandma. Grandma was much thinner before she died, but she had the same


    faded blonde hair and spunk.


    Delicate footfalls came down the stairs, and I nearly whipped around at the echoing sound. Everything


    seemed much louder in this house, I med it on theck of furniture. An older woman came down the


    stairs, her teenage copy following closely behind.


    I assumed this was Garrett¡¯s wife and daughter¨Cmy half sister.


    My half-sister was taller than I, even though she¡¯s two years younger. Long legs and high cheekbones,


    just like her mother. Their hair was the color of honey, blindingly beautiful. It was a color I hadn¡¯t seen


    on a person before, just cheap imitations. They both had deep chocte colored eyes. I couldn¡¯t help


    but notice Garrett¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t have the same eye condition as her Father and I. Garrett and I were


    the only ones to have two different colored eyes, the simrity made me feel ufortable. I wanted


    something that distanced me from Garrett, not brought us together.


    I almost expected this entire afternoon to go smoothly, but the sneer on the teenage girl¡¯s face ruined


    those thoughts. I med Thalia for my burst of optimism.


    The teenage girl¡¯s Mother had the same disdainful sneer on her smooth face, looking at me with


    something simr to disgust.


    ¡°Aurora, this is my wife and daughter¨Cyour half sister.¡± Garrett smiled, looking truly at ease as he gazed


    at his wife. ¡°My wife, Veronica and my daughter Kady.¡±


    ¡°So you actually brought her here.¡± Kady scoffed looking me up and down.


    ¡°Kady.¡± Garrett¡¯s tone was one of warning, the smile on his face dropping at his daughter¡¯s attitude.


    That familiar sense of power and superiority swirled around Garrett. Kady seemed affected by it, her


    face turning down in offense as she took a few steps backwards. Even Veronica looked ufortable,


    shifting under her husbands powerful presence.


    ¡°She¡¯s nothing.¡± Kady sneered, ¡°Weak and ignorant. I should¡¯ve been your first born- I should¡¯ve been


    the one to rule¨C¡°


    ¡°Enough, Kady.¡± Garrett bellowed his hostile voice bouncing off of every smooth surface. Kady flinched


    at her Father¡¯s harsh voice, her lip quivering before she stormed up the stairs. Veronica shot me one


    last disdainful re before she rushed after her daughter.


    ¡°I will leave you to it.¡± Garrett cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this has been an adjustment for all of us.¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, my mind was still working through what Kady had said. Of course, it didn¡¯t make any


    sense to me but I was beginning to expect that by now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her, darlin.¡± Lucy shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s too used to getting what she wants. Girl


    needs to learn some manners before she goes spewin¡¯ that nonsense.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help the hysterical giggle that left my lips. Everything was now dawning on me. This was


    where I¡¯d be living. If I thought living with Frank and Melissa was bad, I had a feeling this would be


    worse. At least Melissa and Frank simply ignored me at all costs, Veronica and Kady were much more


    confrontational.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go tellin¡¯ your Daddy I said that.¡± Lucy chuckled, patting me on the shoulder. ¡°Lets go get you


    somethin¡¯ to eat.¡±


    ¡°I actually have to be at work in a few hours.¡± I frowned, realizing I hadn¡¯t told Garrett before hand.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d want to know, or if he simply expected me toe and go as I pleased.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let your Daddy know.¡± Lucy nodded, ¡°Just leave him a note and I¡¯ll make sure he gets it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Lucy.¡± I nodded, thinking she was the one bright spot out of this entire situation.


    Lucy led me into the kitchen, fixing me up a te of delectable looking food while I sat at the counter


    writing Garrett a short note.


    Garrett,


    I have work today at the restaurant we went to. I¡¯m working a double so I won¡¯t be home until 10


    tonight.


    -Aurora

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Kade


    It wasn¡¯t our intention to find Aurora in the forest, but once we caught her scent it was nearing


    impossible to stop.


    Alec and I locked eyes, our wolves inhaling the creamy scent of their mate. She was sitting by herself,


    her back against arge tree. The sunlight peered through the trees hitting her in the perfect spot. Her


    chocte hair was glowing under the sunlight, looking like freshly spun silk. The sun brightened her


    unique eyes, making them radiate with color.


    ¡°Are you going to eat me or not?¡± She huffed, her face impassive as she looked at my brother and I.


    There was no fear in her eyes; just the eptance that her life could possibly end today. That fact send


    a sharp ringing pain throughout my body, sending the memory of the night we ran into her rushing to


    the front of my mind.


    She was stumbling down the sidewalk; Alec and I noticed her before she saw us. She looked out of her


    mind with fear, the kind of fear that makes people do dangerous things. Her face was swollen; Our


    mate was hurt.


    Something had changed about Aurora in that short time. She smelled different; stronger than normal.


    Her scent was swirling around us, amplified by some unseen force.


    It was clear something happened inside the house, something Aurora couldn¡¯t b**e to talk about. She


    stumbled away from us, begging us to leave her alone.


    ¡°What the f**k happened to her?¡± Alec snarled through the mind-link. His eyes were wracking up and


    down her body, trying to assess the damage done to her.


    ¡°Someone hurt her.¡± I growled lowly, ¡°And they will d*e for what they¡¯ve done.¡±


    From what we could tell, only her face had been harmed. I let my gaze travel lower, noticing her jeans


    were unbuttoned and the zipper was down.


    I could feel my body tremble, fighting against the urge to shift. Alec followed my line of sight and began


    his own battle. Fighting the urge to shed our skin and hunt down the person who harmed our mate.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora¡¯s fear helped us maintain control. She needed us right now; whether she knew it or not.


    ¡°Aurora-¡± Alec was the first to speak, and I watched pain wrack my brother as Aurora stumbled away


    from him.


    ¡°Leave- Leave me alone.¡± She hissed, much like a frightened kitten. ¡°P-Please just leave me alone.¡±


    Aurora took off running, bounding into the woods. Her speed was impressive considering her booted


    foot and swollen eye, just another thing that didn¡¯t quite add up.


    ¡°Follow her.¡± I turned to Alec, ¡°Remain hidden, don¡¯t approach her. Just make sure she gets home


    safely.¡±


    Determination mixed with the pain in Alec¡¯s eyes, and he bounded into the woods after our terrified


    mate. Every cell in my body wanted to follow, to be the one that made sure Aurora made it home safely


    but I couldn¡¯t.


    I needed to figure out what happened, figure out who hurt Aurora. Her terror filled face would haunt my


    dreams from now on, that I was sure of. Unique eyes that should¡¯ve been filled with love and light were


    filled with terror and pain.


    I spent over an hour walking around the house, trying to get a grasp of what happened to our mate.


    Only one person was able to give me anything helpful. A girl with girly hair and dark espresso skin


    informed me Aurora came to the party with a friend of hers, Autumn.


    I searched the house for Autumn,ing up short. If she hade to the party with Aurora, she


    wasn¡¯t here now. A light hand ran over my shoulder, and I knew who it was without looking. The smell


    of perfume and hairspray wafted into my nose, making me grimace.


    Alec had given me h**l for letting Aurora think I was still with Grace. Thinking back on it, I couldn¡¯t see


    why I was ever with her to begin with. H**l, I couldn¡¯t see why I was with anyone other than Aurora.


    Everyone else was simply a cheap imitation of her, and I craved the real thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you could make it.¡± Grace purred, cing both hands on my shoulders as she lifted on her


    toes.


    ¡°Not now.¡± I snapped, anger filling me. I removed her hands from my shoulders, even the thought of


    touching her skin disgusted me.


    ¡°You seem stressed.¡± She purred, in a way I¡¯m sure she thought was very seductive. At one point, I


    might¡¯ve been fooled. Grace had always been an easy f**k, nothing more. I made no false promises to


    Grace, and never told her anything more than the truth. Love was not a factor in our rtionship, and


    neither were emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an empty room around here somewhere.¡± She giggled, her


    voice raising four octaves.


    She wrapped her manicured w around my wrist and tried pulling me towards one of the bedrooms.


    Something in her eyes made me stop. They looked wide, and she was exuding just a little too much


    desperation. As though her life depended on what she was doing.


    Before she could even blink, I had her mmed against the dry wall. My eyes never left hers, even as


    a long crack formed in the wall. Her eyes were bulging from her head, my hand wrapped securely


    around her skinny throat.


    ¡°Grace.¡± Her name was a snarl rolling off my lips, dripping with disgust and fury. ¡°I will only ask once.


    Did you touch Aurora?¡±


    Grace sputtered for a few moments, her face turning a deep shade of purple. I loosened my grip,


    realizing I had nearly k****d her in my blinding anger.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± Grace spat, it wasn¡¯t a secret Grace disliked Aurora. ¡°Why the f**k would I touch her?¡± Her


    eyes were bright and defensive. I had to give it to Grace, she pulled herself together skillfully after


    almost being choked to d***h.


    ¡°Have you seen her tonight?¡± I forced my voice to remain calm, but let my eyes b**n with my true


    emotions. I was looking for blood tonight.


    ¡°She¡¯s here?¡± Grace spat, ¡°F*****g great.¡±


    I turned away from Grace without another word, there were still more people to talk to. I nned on


    speaking to each and everyone, determined to know who had eyes on Aurora.


    ¡°You came all this way.¡± Grace whined, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just hang out with me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯te for you.¡± I kept my eyes forward as I walked away, refusing to spare Grace another


    nce.


    ¡°She¡¯s home safe.¡± Alec¡¯s voice flooded through my mind. A thick sense of relief washed through me.


    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded, ¡°All I¡¯ve learned is that Aurora came here with a girl named Autumn.¡±


    ¡°No one else saw her there?¡± Alec grunted, his voice thick with irritation.


    ¡°So far, no luck.¡± I grimaced, feeling the same. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until I speak with everyone here.


    Someone saw her, I know it.¡±


    I found myself in the kitchen, attempting to speak with a girl who had far too much to drink.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± She slurred, ¡°No I¡¯m Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen Aurora?¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply in a poor attempt to remain


    patient.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is.¡± The girl slurred, giving me a shrug before stumbling to the side. ¡°You can call


    me Aurora if you want though.¡±


    ¡°Long brown hair.¡± I closed my eyes, seeing her in my head. ¡°She was wearing a long sleeve shirt and


    jeans. I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve noticed that.¡±


    Every girl at this party was dressed to impress, wearing short form-fitting dresses and heels. Aurora


    was the only one dressed down, dressed forfort.


    ¡°Oh that chick.¡± The girl huped, but my attention was captured.


    ¡°Where did you see her?¡± The words left my lips in a rush as I towered over the drunk girl intimidatingly.


    ¡°Mm, Carson picked her up from the floor.¡± The girl shrugged, ¡°Chick was wasted real good.¡±


    A grimace formed on my face. Aurora wasn¡¯t drunk, that much was clear when we ran into her. Alec


    and I would¡¯ve been able to smell it rolling off her lips. She wasn¡¯t drunk, and yet she was on the floor?


    The name Carson registered in my mind, sending possessive jealousy through me. It was no


    coincidence another man held her in his arms, and she runs from the house with her pants unbuttoned.


    My vision began turning red, and I stormed through the house in an attempt to find Carson.


    I recognized his name immediately. A member of our pack, two years older than Alec and I but still a


    lowly Omega. Constantly begging for some decibel of power was what Carson was known for.


    ¡°Have you seen Carson?¡± My voice was a rough growl as I asked person after person.


    Finally, someone pointed me in the right direction. I stormed up the stairs, opening door after door until


    I found the person I was looking for.


    Carson sat in one of the bathrooms, looking into the mirror as he touched his head gingerly. Blood


    coated the tips of his fingers. If only he knew, he was going to bleed a lot more before the night was


    through.


    Carson locked eyes with me for just a split second before bolting towards the window. I was much


    faster, my senses heightened by experience and blood. I held Carson against the wall, my ws


    piercing his abdomen painfully. Blood pooled, seeping into his shirt.


    ¡°What did you do to Aurora?¡± My voice was calm, rxed. I was past the point of blinding fury. This pup


    would d*e at my hands for the crime hemitted.


    ¡°I¨CAlpha, I didn¡¯t.¡± Carson stammered, but it¡¯s hard to lie with a set of ws piercing your skin.


    I shoved them in a little deeper, hearing the squelch of his flesh tearing.


    ¡°Okay, okay, okay.¡± Carson pleaded, his face already slick with sweat. His body was shaking, no doubt


    from the adrenaline coursing through his body. His body knew it was going to d*e, even before he did.


    ¡°What did you do.¡± I repeated myself, moving my fingers slightly to bring just another ounce of pain.


    ¡°I just did what I was told, man.¡± Carson whimpered, his lips trembling. His eyes were wide and


    searching, and I wondered if he truly thought he¡¯d make it out of this alive.


    ¡°Did you rape her?¡± I got close, my chest vibrating as I waited for his answer.


    ¡°No.¡± Carson stammered. ¡°She hit me¨Cgot away¨Cso sorry.¡±


    Carson dissolved into a quivering, sobbing mess. It was such a shame when men couldn¡¯t retain the


    smallest shred of dignity in the face of d***h. So many people quiver in fear, soiling their pants as they


    beg for their lives. I refuse to d*e that way, stubborn and insolent until the end.


    ¡°As your Alpha I sentence you to d***h for the crimes against Aurora, your Luna.¡± The words were


    calm, but my eyes were bright with everything I truly felt.


    For just a split second, Carson¡¯s eyes lit up with realization. That didn¡¯tst long as I sunk my ws into


    his chest, severing his heart.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Alec¡¯s voice rang through my head. ¡°I¡¯m came back to the party.¡±


    ¡°Second floor, fifth door on the left.¡± I replied.


    One minuteter the bathroom door was being opened. Alec¡¯s eyes widened as he took in Carson¡¯s


    lifeless corpse. I walked to the sink, scrubbing his blood from my hands.


    ¡°D**n.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°He was one of ours, right?¡±


    I nodded, letting my ws retract into my hands.


    ¡°What¡¯d he do?¡± Alec grimaced.


    ¡°He tried to rape, Aurora.¡± I stated as calmly as I could. The words alone sent my wolf into a blood


    thirsty rage. Aurora was ours as much as we were hers. ¡°Said someone put him up to it. I¡¯m afraid my


    anger got the best of me before I could ask who put him up to it.¡±


    Alec looked frustrated, but sighed in understanding.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I would¡¯nt have done the same in your shoes.¡± Alec grimaced, ¡°But I would¡¯ve been much


    cleaner about it.¡±


    Alec and I were nearly identical in every way. The only thing that was different, was our personalities.


    Both of us enjoyed k*****g, fighting, and defending what was ours. The only difference was I was more


    blood thirsty than my brother, more feral in how I k****d. Alec was more strategic. He could take anyone


    and anything down by simply looking them over for a moment. He preferred the smartest k**l, while I


    simply sunk my teeth and ws into whatever bit of flesh I could manage.


    ¡°We will find out who put him up to it, brother.¡± I growled under my breath.


    ¡°Until then, we keep an eye on Aurora.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°If she goes anywhere, we follow.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Aurora


    I left the note, changed my clothes in one of the many bathrooms and left for work.


    Today was a school day, but that didn¡¯t bother me. My boss was so desperate to find someone to cover


    an extra shift, he didn¡¯t even ask about school.


    I sent Tori a quick text, letting her know I didn¡¯t need a ride to work. She was in school, which forced me


    to walk. I never minded walking, it gave me time to think and clear my head. Unfortunately, I had too


    much to think about at the moment.


    I was sure Garrett would give me a ride to work, but I truthfully didn¡¯t want to ask. I felt smothered in his


    huge house, surrounded by people who didn¡¯t want me there (Lucy excluded).


    By the time I made it to the restaurant, my booted foot was aching. The pain wasn¡¯t as bad, but it was


    still annoying to walk on.


    ¡®One miracle is good enough.¡¯ I told myself, thinking about my magically healing face.


    The next few hours, work was effortless. There were no kids from school in the restaurant, no one I


    knew sitting down for a meal. It was peaceful, and was the least stressed I felt this entire week. I could


    simply get lost in my thoughts and focus on not spilling any more drinks.


    Once three o¡¯clock came around, new faces began showing up. Tori walked through the front door, her


    ming hair a mess from the wind. She clocked in and gave me a sympathetic smile. I took a deep


    breath, knowing she¡¯d want an exnation on why Garrett was here.


    And that was how the next few hours went. I exined my strange situation, and Tori did what she


    could tofort me. She didn¡¯t give me any s**t for missing school, iming I had enough to deal with


    at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m still nning our shopping trip, Aurora.¡± Tori cocked her eyebrow. ¡°Rich Father or not, were getting


    you some new clothes.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°New clothes are not at the top of my list right now.¡±


    ¡°Clothes should always be at the top of every list.¡± Tori shook her head, and mumbled to herself.


    ¡®She¡¯s right y¡¯know.¡¯ Thalia chimed in, giving me a shrug.


    ¡®You can¡¯t even wear clothes.¡¯ I hissed, ¡®You¡¯re a disembodied voice in my head.¡¯


    ¡®Rude.¡¯ Thalia scoffed, ¡®Bet I still have better style than you.¡¯


    With Thalia¡¯s well ced retort, she faded to the back of my mind.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t the voice in my head be nice?¡± I mumbled to myself, ¡°No, instead I get a mean voice that


    just hurts my feelings and confuses me.¡±


    ¡°Tough love, b***h.¡± Thalia growled before disappearing again.


    ¡°I¡¯m losing my mind.¡± I nodded to myself, grabbing the drinks for another table.


    eptance was my best-friend right now. After all, what could be done? The stress was clearly getting


    to me, muddling my thoughts and making me create this false persona. I wasn¡¯t very skilled in


    Psychology, but I still knew when something was wrong with me.


    Kade and Alec came to the restaurant, but that didn¡¯t surprise me. It seemed they went out of their way


    to find me, to approach me. I hid like a coward in the kitchens, onlying out at the threat of losing


    my job. I rushed a tray of drinks out into the dining room, scanning for my customer¡¯s table frantically.


    A strong hand wrapped around my wrist, causing a surprised yelp to leave my lips. The sparks bursting


    through my cells stunned me, sending a pleasurable wave of calmness into my body. I knew without


    looking who had touched me. I spun around much too fast, the tray of drinks toppling over onto my


    chest.


    ¡°C**p.¡± I muttered brushing the ice from my work-shirt. This was the only work-shirt I had left, forcing


    me to spend the remainder of my shift in a sticky shirt.


    ¡°Sorry, doll.¡± Alec frowned, leaning down to grab the fallen tray while Kade grabbed the cups from the


    floor.


    The two of them stared at me in awe, and I cringed under their full attention. The way they looked at


    me set my teeth on edge, like a man seeing the sun for the first time. They stared at me in wonder, as if


    I were more than a in girl covered in sugary soda.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I muttered, averting my eyes from their own.


    Looking into their dark eyes did things to my mind, ced images that I no longer wanted to see. My


    mind was trying to move on from them, my body just hasn¡¯t gotten the memo yet.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been in school.¡± Kade grimaced, the expression made my heart ache.


    Their dark eyes were gued with worry as they roamed my face.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, ¡°Things have been kind of busytely.¡±


    ¡°Who was that man you were here with?¡± Kade frowned, his voice sounding just a touch possessive. I


    could easily sense a double meaning to his question, but didn¡¯t have the strength to push further.


    ¡®Their ours, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia murmured in my head, ¡®And were theirs.¡¯


    I ignored Mated to the Alpha Twins by Jane Doe Chapter 29her and frowned at the twins.


    ¡®We don¡¯t mean to pry, doll.¡± Alec shot Kade a hard look.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I shook my head, ¡°That was Garrett, my¡ªmy Father.¡±


    The two of them visibly stiffened, Alec¡¯s eyes widened in just the slightest. Kade¡¯s jaw clenched, the


    muscles moving temptingly.


    ¡°Your Father?¡± Alec stated, his voice a mix of confusion and denial.


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± I mumbled, ¡°Couldn¡¯t leave well enough alone, had toe barging into my life.¡±


    ¡°Excuse us¨CWe will catch up with youter, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured gently, his eyes roaming over


    my face. ¡°At school preferably.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I gave a weak nod, fighting the temptation to follow them out the front doors.


    I had no intentions on going to school, no matter how badly I wanted to see the twins. My gut twisted as


    my eyes followed the twin¡¯s out the door, catching Grace¡¯s murderous stare in the process. I wasn¡¯t


    sure how much she had seen, but from the intensity of her re I assumed it was enough. Autumn and


    the other girl was with them. I purposefully ignored Autumn¡¯s stare, refusing to look into her eyes. What


    Grace did was reprehensible, but what Autumn did was just as bad. I trusted her, and she led me into a


    trap. She had me drugged, beaten and nearly raped. And for what?


    Tori insisted on taking Grace¡¯s table, something I would be forever grateful for. Iid extremely low until


    Grace had left, finishing the rest of my shift in a confused and slightly tormented haze.


    ¡®Friday.¡¯ Repeated in my head like a life saving mantra. Everything would be fine after Friday. No more


    Grace, Garrett, Autumn, Carson, or the drama and pain that followed.


    Tori drove me home at the end of our shift, the conversation light as she sped down dark road after


    road. After some slightly confusing directions, Tori dropped me off at Garrett¡¯s house.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tori cooed, looking up at the house. ¡°I wondered when they¡¯d finish building this house. Your¡ª


    Garrett must¡¯ve been waiting months for this ce.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow at Tori, confused by her remark.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I frowned, ¡°Garrett just came to town a day ago.¡±


    Tori gave me an uneasy look, ¡°My Mom furnished and decorated the inside of this ce, said some rich


    guy requested the house to be built months ago.¡±


    My mind was racing at what Tori had said. Either her Mom was talking about another rich guy, or


    Garrett had this house nned out months ago. Why would he choose here of all ces? Did he know


    I was going to be here?


    I hopped out of the car and gave Tori a hasty goodbye wave. I was going to get some answers from


    Garrett, whether he liked it or not.


    It turns out, I didn¡¯t have to look very far. Garrett sat in the darkened living room, a ss of dark colored


    liquid in his hands. My nose wrinkled as I watched him take a drink of what looked like alcohol. While


    Garrett looked nothing like Frank, the image was all too simr.


    ¡°Aurora.¡± Garrett cleared his throat, setting his ss on the table. ¡°I waited up for you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± I mumbled incoherently, setting my shoes in the closet near the front door.


    ¡°There¡¯s some things we should probably talk about.¡± Garrett sighed, looking very much like an


    unwilling participant.


    I grimaced, ¡°Can¡¯t they wait until the morning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Garrett gave me a sympathetic smile, an expression I was beginning to loathe. ¡°I¡¯ve


    kept it from you for seventeen years, I¡¯d prefer not to wait another day.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I nodded, my lips pressed together tightly. ¡°But I have a question of my own.¡±


    ¡°I believe what I¡¯m about to tell you will answer some of your questions.¡± Garrett murmured, ¡°But, you


    may proceed.¡±


    I grimaced at his strange choice of words, spoken like a true business-man I guess.


    ¡°This house.¡± I nodded, looking around us. ¡°My friend¡¯s Mom designed the inside, said it was requested


    months ago. It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Garrett never responded, but his eyes held much to decipher. He was avoiding my question for a


    reason; I was right.


    ¡°My side of the family is¡ªunique.¡± Garrett began, brushing off my questionpletely. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure


    you would inherit this particr¡ªtrait, but it appears you have.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± I rolled my eyes, ¡°Heterochromia Iridium isn¡¯t that umon.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, our eyes.¡± Garrett paused, clearly taken aback. ¡°That is not the trait I¡¯m referring to.¡±


    I stood silent, I couldn¡¯t think of what else he might be talking about.


    ¡°You see¨CMy side of the family are a different species from average Human¡¯s.¡± Garrett opened his


    mouth, and I struggled toprehend the nonsense that flowed from his lips. ¡°My side of the family are


    werewolves. Now¨CHalf-blood¡¯s don¡¯t always develop that wolf side, but sometimes they do. Which


    brings me back to you, Aurora.¡±


    Garrett went silent for a minute, no doubt giving me time to process what he had just said.


    Werewolves. Fuzzy winter dogs that roamed the woods and ate animals.


    ¡®Not dogs.¡¯ Thalia rolled her eyes, ¡®You were petting two werewolves the other day.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re really buying into this?¡¯ I rolled my eyes at her, ¡®They were wolves. Freakishly mutated and calm


    wolves, but that¡¯s all they were.¡¯


    My mind was beyond trying to understand any of this.


    So being the slightly unhinged person that I am, I convulsed intoughter.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Theughter fell from my lips in waves, and I realized I hadn¡¯t trulyughed in so long.


    Garrett sat in his seat, a perplexed look forming on his face as he watched me. It wasforting to


    know the mental decline ran in the family, but didn¡¯t give me much hope for the future.


    My erraticughter died down, and I was left taking a few deep breaths.


    ¡°Look, Garrett.¡± I snickered, cing my hand against my mouth to stifle another wave ofughter. ¡°I


    think you need to get some help, which means I definitely need to get some help.¡±


    ¡°Aurora¨C¡± Confusion formed on Garrett¡¯s face. Did he really think I was going to believe that?


    Werewolves?


    He rips me from my life and confesses there¡¯s a world of magical creatures? This isn¡¯t a book; Life isn¡¯t


    full of fantasy. You work, get fucked over by people, try to survive and then d*e.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¨C¡± I shook my head, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t even have to entertain this.¡±


    I turned on my heel and stormed up to my bedroom. I got halfway down the hall when I realized I had


    no idea where my bedroom was. I remember Garrett telling me I could pick, but I simply didn¡¯t care


    enough to try.


    ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± I frowned, walking down the hall to one of the cleaningdies.


    She looked fairly young, and smiled up at me softly.


    ¡°Yes miss?¡± The woman smiled as she folded a pile of towels onto a thick metal cart.


    ¡°Do you know where my bedroom is?¡± I pursed my lips, feeling antsy being so out in the open. It would


    be too easy for Veronica or Kady to find me.


    ¡°Yes miss.¡± The woman nodded, gesturing for me to follow. ¡°Mr. Garrett chose a room for you. He


    hopes it is up to par.¡±


    She turned down the hall and opened the second door on the left, revealing what looked like a hotel


    suite. I scoffed as I looked at the size of the bedroom. This wasn¡¯t a bedroom¨Cit was a d**n apartment.


    All I needed was a kitchen and I¡¯d nevere outside.


    I locked the door behind me, checking a couple times to make sure it stayed put. My legs were


    groaning from the long shift I just worked through, but my paycheck would be well worth it.


    I refused to even entertain the idea of what Garrett told me. Thalia was grumbling angrilly in my head,


    but I tuned her out. I made a long ylist of music in my mind, and went through each song one by


    one. By the time I was finished, I had taken a long shower and got ready for bed.


    I slept well into the morning, not even bothering to answer as a knock sounded on my bedroom door.


    The phone Tori had gotten me was set on my bedside table, her picture shing on my screen.


    That was how I spent the next few days. I read books I¡¯ve read a thousand times, talked to Tori, and


    kept to myself.


    Of course Garrett tried to talk to me, to ask why I wasn¡¯t going to school but I ignored his knocks and


    question¡¯s each time.


    Every few hours Lucy would bring me up a tray off food, but I wouldn¡¯t open the door until she left. I felt


    guilty, ignoring Lucy but I knew Garrett would use her to get to me. A couple times she tried to convince


    me to leave the bedroom, toe and talk to her. While I was tempted, there was nothing to talk


    about. Garrett was clearly gued with Mental Illness, and was trying to force his crazy thoughts on


    me. It must¡¯ve been working to some extent, as Thalia continued to mutter snidements at me.


    I mmed down one of the books I¡¯d been reading. The words were floating around my head


    annoyingly, and I could practically recite each Mated to the Alpha twins novel by Jane Doe Chapter


    from heart. I was getting tired of reading the same books over and over, ncing at my phone


    whenever Tori texted.


    She texted a lot; which didn¡¯t surprise me. She wanted to know when I wasing back to school,


    something I¡¯m sure the twins were wondering as well. I tried to cate her as much as I could, telling


    her I¡¯d be back Monday.


    She reminded me very clearly that I promised to exin what happened to my face this Friday.


    I looked down at my phone, the calendar read Thursday 6:32p.m.


    I could avoid Tori long enough, keeping what happened to myself. Or if I was feeling particrly rueful,


    I could tell her the truth. It wouldn¡¯t matter what happened, I¡¯d be gone shortly after. It¡¯d be nice


    imagining all sorts of things happening to Grace once Tori found out the truth. I¡¯m sure Grace would


    look beautiful in a j**l cell.


    Lucy knocked on my door fifteen minutester, letting me know a tray of food was ced outside my


    door. She tried to reason with me for the next ten minutes, but eventually I could hear her soft foot falls


    retreat down the hallway.


    I sighed and opened my bedroom door, ready to pull the tray inside when I was met with an angry face.


    I hadn¡¯t run into Veronica or Kady all week, refusing to leave my bedroom for anything. It was pleasant,


    not having to deal with their res and sneers.


    Kady behind my food tray, leaning against the wall. She was gorgeous, with her golden hair and dark


    eyes but the sneer on her face ruined her features. She was well dressed, but her Mother was the


    same. The two of them dressed like they were about to step on the runway at any minute.


    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like, living in the shadow of someone you¡¯ve never met.¡± Kady snapped, her


    brown eyes narrowing at she red at me.


    My lips parted in confusion. I knew she wasn¡¯t talking about me. Garrett ignored me for seventeen


    years, I didn¡¯t have a shadow for her to live in.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I stared at her, deadpan. It wasn¡¯t my fault she had daddy


    issues, nor was it my problem. I sympathized with her because her life shifted as well, but that didn¡¯t


    mean I¡¯d let her walk all over me.


    ¡°You¡¯re the first born.¡± Kady snapped, and I visibly rolled my eyes.


    ¡°What is with you people?¡± I grunted, ¡°First born? It doesn¡¯t even matter! Who gives a f**k!¡±


    My chest was heaving by the time I finished, but Kady looked angrier than ever. Her brown eyes were


    now ck with rage, and her lip was pulled back in a feral sneer.


    ¡°He tried to tell you and you wouldn¡¯t even listen.¡± Kady scoffed, ¡°Some s**t Luna you¡¯d make. You


    shouldn¡¯t even exist. Pathetic f*****g half-breed.¡±


    Kady¡¯s words were confusing, and yet also felt like a p in the face. Thalia was enraged, spewing


    obsinities in my mind. I could feel her pushing at the edges of my mind, almost like she was in a cage.


    ¡°You¡¯re all insane.¡± I snapped, ¡°You, your Dad and your stuck-up Mother. You¡¯re not dragging me into


    this s**t, I never wanted to be here in the first ce.¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I mmed the door in her face, the food a forgotten thought in my mind. My stomach rumbled in


    protest, but I could hardly feel it. My mind was spinning with what Garrett had said. I spent thest few


    days pretending it never happened, but he even pulled his daughter into this mess.


    A few hours passed, and the sun finally set behind the forest line. The moon was quick to rise, casting


    it¡¯s white light on everything. A knock sounded at my door, but I¡¯d be attuned to ignoring it at this


    point. I didn¡¯t even look up as the knocking continued.


    I sat on a wide window seat, a forgotten book in myp. My cheek pressed against the cool ss


    window as I looked out into the forest. I tried to imagine what Garrett had told me, imagine wolf people


    running around in the woods. I¡¯d only seen a werewolf once in a movie, a grotesque and human-like


    creature who had ws and way too much body hair.


    ¡®That¡¯s not what we look like.¡¯ Thalia grumbled, rolling her eyes.


    ¡®It worries me that were already calling ourselves one of them.¡¯ I sighed, rubbing my temples.


    ¡®I get it, you¡¯ve been through some s**t.¡¯ Thalia huffed, ¡®But you can¡¯t keep locking people out.¡¯


    ¡®Sure, I can.¡¯ I frowned, ¡®Last time I even thought about letting someone in, I was assaulted and nearly


    raped.¡¯


    Thalia went quiet as the sound of a door opening filled my bedroom. My head whipped over to the


    source. Garrett stood behind my open door, a silver key in his hand.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I grimaced, my eyes narrowing into a re.


    Garrett stepped into my bedroom, that same regal air around him. The swirling aura that surrounded


    him gave him this feeling of authority, while his suits gave him the apperance.


    ¡°You¡¯ve locked yourself away all week.¡± Garrett cocked his eyebrow at me, ¡°What did you expect me to


    do?¡±


    ¡°Take a d**n hint.¡± I scoffed, ¡°Leave me alone, let me go back to Melissa, disappear from my life again.


    Take your pick.¡±


    Garrett seemed unphased by my miniature temper tantrum. I was well aware that locking myself away


    all week was childish, but I didn¡¯t care. I had been an adult for so long, taking care of myself for so long.


    I deserved a moment of immature selfishness.


    ¡°Aurora, whether you choose to believe me or not is your decision.¡± Garrett closed the door behind him


    and paused. ¡°But sooner orter, you¡¯ll be forced to face the truth.¡±


    ¡°Sure, totally.¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll turn into some hairy creature and howl at the moon.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t howl at the moon.¡± Garrett rolled his eyes, the expression making him look a decade


    younger.


    I could see what Melissa saw in him all those years ago. Garrett was relitively handsome, with a thick


    head of hair and a sharp jaw line.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need details.¡± I shook my head, ¡°It¡¯s bad enough you¡¯re spouting this s**t, but you have your


    daughter doing it too.¡±


    ¡°Kady?¡± Garrett paused, his lips turning down in a frown.


    ¡°Unless you have yet another daughter.¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose, ¡°Then that would be the one.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s unhappy¨C¡°


    ¡°Understatement.¡± I rolled my eyes at him.


    I could feel his temper re as the aura of power around him became much more hostile. I could feel


    the hairs on my arms stand, but I didn¡¯t feel afraid. I should¡¯ve, Garrett looked frightening. And yet I


    didn¡¯t. Thalia sat uninterested as Garrett stood threateningly over us.


    Garrett didn¡¯t seem surprised that we weren¡¯t cowering back in fear. His eyes were burning with


    eptance, even if his posture radiated anger.


    ¡°She will deal with it.¡± Garrett snapped, his deep voice booming throughout the room. ¡°And you will deal


    with it. You are returning to school tomorrow, Aurora. I allowed you some time to yourself, but you will


    leave this bedroom.¡±


    I felt my lips pop open. Grandma had never been forced to yell at me before, as I wasn¡¯t a bad child.


    Melissa never tried to parent me, sparing me from that catastrophe. Garrett was clearly ying the part


    of the concerned Father, the thought made me cringe.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the bedroom.¡± I shook my head, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go back to that school.¡±


    ¡°You can either go to school, or I will drag you and the rest of my family back to my pack.¡± Garrett


    growled, his thick arms crossing over his chest.


    Pack. I ignored that word, knowing it definitely had to do with wolves. Did he call his home-town a


    pack?


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± I scoffed, ¡°Melissa has custody and I¡¯ll be eighteen next year.¡±


    ¡°Melissa no longer has custody.¡± Garrett shook his head, his face remained hard. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy this


    week, while you hid away from the world.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯d leave the day I turned eighteen.¡±


    ¡°A year in my pack, you wouldn¡¯t want to leave.¡± Garrett scoffed, ¡°You¡¯d be the next Luna.¡±


    ¡°Luna?¡± I pursed my lips, ¡°Kady mentioned something about a Luna.¡±


    Garrett stiffened and muttered something about Kady.


    ¡°A Luna is the female leader of a pack.¡± Garrett nodded, and I pretended not to be interested.


    ¡°She said I should¡¯nt have existed.¡± I nced at him before returning my gaze to the window. ¡°Care to


    exin that?¡±


    Garrett was silent for a moment, the aura of anger that swirled around him diminished.


    ¡°Melissa wasn¡¯t my mate.¡± Garrett¡¯s voice sounded hard, yet truthful. ¡°I had gotten her pregnant right


    before I met Veronica.¡±


    ¡°Mate.¡± I repeated, the word sounding strange on my tongue. ¡°And Veronica is your mate?¡±


    ¡°She is.¡± His voice was one tone, but I could hear the love and adoration in his words. I thought


    Veronica was bitchy, but Garrett¡¯s words held such love for the woman.


    ¡°She¡¯s right then.¡± I shrugged. The fact pained me a little, but this was all pain I had felt before. It made


    sense, why I never truly fit anywhere. Why Melissa never wanted me and Garrett stayed far away.


    ¡°Fate has a way of changing things.¡± Garrett paused, ¡°Fate isn¡¯t kind, nor does it give us what we


    want.¡±


    One day, I could handle one day. I¡¯d survive school, grab my paycheck from the restaurant and n my


    escape that night.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to school.¡± I nodded, my eyes glued on the forest outside the window. ¡°I want nothing to do with


    your pack, or your life.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Despite the gut feeling brewing within me, I swallowed down my bile and got ready for school.


    School was thest ce I wanted to be, but somehow I knew I¡¯d never escape if Garrett whisked me


    away to his ¡®pack¡¯.


    It was only one day. One day and I could run to work to grab my check, leaving this town behind only a


    few hours after.


    I texted Tori that night, letting her know to pick me up for school. She was practically ecstatic that I was


    coming back, making me feel even more guilty.


    Thalia questioned my every move, using every moment she could to nt doubt in my mind.


    ¡®What if Garret¡¯s telling the truth?¡¯ She huffed, frustrated after spending an hour arguing with me to no


    avail.


    ¡®He¡¯s not.¡¯ I shook my head, ¡®I¡¯m not buying it¨CIt¡¯s just not real.¡¯


    ¡®You know deep down, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia sighed, ¡®You¡¯ve always known there¡¯s been a piece of you


    missing. This is that piece. This is why you¡¯re so strong. You were born to rule.¡¯


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t even supposed to be born.¡¯ I rolled my eyes, ignoring Thalia¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t like how sincere


    she sounded.


    Part of me wanted to believe I was destined for something great, but that would mean living with the


    people who had never wanted me in the first ce. Was it worth living with Garrett, Kady, Veronica,


    Grace, Autumn, Melissa and even Frank? I don¡¯t think so.


    I gathered mypleted homework, stuffing them in my backpack in frustration. I had no idea why I


    even bothered with the homework. By the end of the day I¡¯d be a drop out, running away from my own


    family¡ªif you could call them that.


    I spent the night refining my n, working through the smaller details.


    I¡¯d head to school in a noticeable outfit, changing before I left during the night. I¡¯d keep my face from


    any camera¡¯s and catch a bus to the next airport.


    I had been smart enough to remove most of my money from my debit card, keeping it tightly locked in a


    box under my new bed.


    I¡¯d leave both cellphones behind and catch a flight as far away as possible. All I had to do was get


    through myst day of school.


    The morning rolled around much too fast.


    I should¡¯ve been worried about Grace, worried about the twin¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t exin why, but I wasn¡¯t. The


    prospect that this was myst day with any of them really put things into perspective.


    I slipped on the only other dress I owned, something I had only worn in public once or twice. It was


    simply too shy for my taste.


    A heart shaped neckline highlighted my full chest, the dress ending in waves against my thighs. The


    dress was a light shade of blue with short sleeves. I had always loved this dress, but hated the


    attention it brought. It made my light blue eye stand out bold against my brown one.


    I slipped on my usual white sneakers and flung my book bag over my shoulder. I had waited untilst


    minute to leave my room, somehow finding my way downstairs with ease.


    I slipped into the kitchen, thankful Lucy was nowhere in sight. I rifled through one of the many cabs,


    wrapping my hand around a in bagel. I stuffed a piece into my mouth and bounded out the door.


    The drive to school was peaceful, and I had forgotten what today truly meant to me. If I pretended hard


    enough, today was like any other day. I was heading to school with Tori, another day of trying to figure


    out the confusing twins. Thalia¡¯s voice ripped me from that fantasy, reminding me of my insane n.


    ¡°My mom wants to know when you¡¯ll being over again.¡± Tori chuckled, tucking a fire colored lock


    behind her ear. ¡°She¡¯s been hounding me about you non-stop.¡±


    My heart nearly stopped, guilt flooding through my veins. What kind of friend was I?


    With a shake of my head, I set myself straight. I couldn¡¯t think that way. I couldn¡¯t force myself to stay to


    save the feelings of one person. I had dealt with the abuse for long enough. I deserved a way out¡ªI


    owed that to myself.


    ¡°Sometime.¡± I nodded absentmindedly, ¡°Just gotta get situated with Garrett and all of that.¡±


    ¡°You know you can talk to me right?¡± She smiled softly, the sight sending another sharp pain into me. ¡°I


    can¡¯t even imagine what that¡¯s like for you, but I can try.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I forced a smile in return, ¡°I just need some time. It¡¯s all confusing, and I¡¯m not really sure what


    I want. He¡¯s trying to act like my Dad¡ªbut he¡¯s not. He never has been.¡±


    Tori did what she said she would, she tried to understand. She didn¡¯t tell me to give him a chance, to


    forget the past. She simply told me to do what felt right. I hoped she would forgive me one day, not that


    I would be around to witness it.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    We pulled into the school and the first two sses of the day went as nned. None of the other


    students seemed to notice I was gone.


    My third ss was another story entirely. I had almost forgotten I sat with both the twins in this ss.


    The moment I walked through the door, both of their eyes were on me. Their gazes burned into my


    skin, the guilt bubbling within me nearly made me nauseous.


    I walked slowly, my eyes guarded as I looked into their own.


    It seems the two of them had seen better days. Their eyes looked darker, almost ck. Deep rings


    lined their eyes, making it look as though they needed a good nights sleep.


    Kade was as gorgeous as ever. His hair tousled on the top and short on the sides. His long sleeve shirt


    clung to every dip and arch of his body.


    Alec looked stunning with his longer and tousled hair. His typical leather jacket was in ce.


    They were sitting next to eachother for a change, giving me a chance to spend the ss without being


    touched.


    I needed to resist the pull I felt towards them, but now it felt stronger than ever. Something had


    definitely changed. The urge to be near them was not purely mental torture, it was now physical.


    My body ached, shivering at the longing I felt. I wasn¡¯t sure how I¡¯d get past this ss, but I was


    determined to try.


    ¡°Well hello, doll.¡± Alec¡¯s dark eyebrow lifted, his obsidian colored eyes roaming the dress I had chosen.


    My cheeks red under their attention, but I chose to ignore hisment.


    ¡°We heard you had quite the week.¡± Kade spoke smoothly, his eyes running over my face.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± I nodded, keeping the conversation as nd as possible.


    ¡°You moved in with Garrett?¡± Alec quipped, and my heart fluttered.


    It made my insides warm when Alec called him Garrett. Everyone else had almost slipped up and


    called him my ¡®Dad¡¯.


    ¡®They know how you feel.¡¯ Thalia murmured, ¡®If you¡¯d open up to them, you could feel their emotions


    too.¡¯


    ¡®People don¡¯t feel each others emotions.¡¯ I rolled my eyes, ¡®If they did Melissa and Frank would¡¯ve


    never treated me how they did.¡¯


    Thalia sighed and retreated to the back of my mind, clearly tired of arguing with me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had a choice.¡± I frowned, my eyebrows furrowing together in a grimace.


    ¡°That must be quite the..adjustment.¡± Kade frowned, looking troubled.


    ¡°How are you holding up, doll?¡± Alec¡¯s frown matched his brothers, and I felt myself stiffen in my seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­limating.¡± I nodded.


    They both sounded so sincere, so conflicted with what I was going through. Something shuddered


    within me, something that linked me to these two brothers.


    I nearly gave into that feeling, but I reminded myself why I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t see myself building a life


    here, one where Melissa and Frank were close by.


    I bottled my feelings, shoving them deep down. I could deal with them once I was out of this state all


    together.


    I struggled to get through the ss, struggled to keep my eyes from flickering to the twins.


    They made littlements, asked me little questions. I answered the best I could, keeping a tight hold


    on my emotions.


    The ss ticked by slowly, their eyes leaving tracks along my body. I was out of my seat before the bell


    rang, scrambling to get to my next ss.


    I was thankful Tori was in this ss, keeping me safe from Grace.


    Alec approached the front of my desk the moment I sat down, a frown still yed on his face.


    ¡°You can talk to us, doll.¡± Alec frowned, his dark eyes glinting sadly. ¡°In case you ever need someone to


    talk to.¡±


    I mumbled my thanks, ignoring the heated re from Grace.


    I wouldn¡¯t let her res hurt me any longer. I was safe here in school, surrounded by people. As long


    as I remained with other students, Grace couldn¡¯t hurt me.


    My fourth ss passed, and I squirmed in my seat every time Alec nced my way.


    Tori and I talked about nothing and everything. She didn¡¯t push me to talk about what was going on in


    my life, letting the topic of conversation change freely.


    I managed to get to gym early, heading into the locker room before everyone else. I changed quickly,


    my eyes peeled to each student that flocked into the locker room.


    I was just about to exit the locker room and head into the gym when a familiar face approached me. My


    stomach twisted in fear, but Thalia somehow stifled the emotion.


    A strange surge of strength washed through me. The strength wasn¡¯t physical, but mental. Just enough


    to get me through this without turning into a quivering mess.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Aurora, I need to talk to you.¡± Autumn spoke in a hushed tone, the words spewing from her mouth


    quickly.


    ¡°You need to talk?¡± I scoffed, storming past her before another word could leave her lips.


    Her soft hand wrapped around my wrist. Her grip wasn¡¯t tight, more pleading than anything.


    ¡°Please Aurora, I¡ª¡± She began, but I whipped around to face her.


    ¡°You what?¡± I snapped, letting Thalia egg me on. Her anger mixed with my own, heightening my


    emotions to newfound levels. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to lure me into a party? You didn¡¯t mean to let Grace


    beat me? You didn¡¯t mean to almost let me get raped?¡±


    Autumn¡¯s mouth flopped open, and she fought for the words to say.


    I was drunk on my anger, ignoring the startled gazes from some of the other girls.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to know you didn¡¯t mean any of it.¡± I snickered, ripping my wrist from her hand. ¡°That


    completely excuses everything you did.¡±


    Before she could say anything else, I stormed from the locker room.


    My blood was boiling the entire ss, making my vision fill with a red tint. I couldn¡¯t get the disgusting


    metallic taste out of my mouth, only adding to my anger.


    We were ying volleyball yet again, only this time I didn¡¯t struggle. I wasn¡¯t hiding from the ball,


    waiting for the moment it hit my skin. I was seeking the ball out, smashing it over the with ease. My


    movements weren¡¯t hesitant, my body knew what it was doing.


    Thalia was quitepetitive, screaming expletives in my head the entire game.


    We had won, and I had sessfully ignored the gazes of Alec and Kade all day. Autumn didn¡¯t try and


    approach me again, it seemed she finally learned to think for herself.


    Grace was in ss, as angry as ever. Her murderous re was on me the entire time, but somehow I


    ignored it. I knew I was safe with all these students around. I knew without a doubt, if we were alone


    she would most definitely end my life. The flicker of madness in her eyes attested to that.


    At the sound of the bell, we filtered back into the locker room. I slipped on my clothes and headed


    through the doors, walking down the hall to meet Tori at her locker.


    For just that split second, I had let my guard down. I was surrounded by students, unworried about who


    might approach me.


    A strong grip wrapped around my wrist, pulling me into an empty ssroom.


    This situation was entirely too familiar as I stared into the eyes of Alec and Kade.


    Alec released my wrist, taking a step back before he closed the ssroom door. A few students looked


    at us warily, their eyes flickering at the closed door. I wondered if any of them would grab a teacher, a


    small part of me hoped they wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Doll, you¡¯ve been avoiding us.¡± Alec tsked, stalking forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding anything.¡± I shook my head, trying my best to make my voice sound convincing. My


    voice cracked at the end, proving the facy of my words.


    ¡°Sure you aren¡¯t, sweetheart.¡± Kade shook his head, his eyes flickering to his brother before he too


    began approaching me.


    ¡°We know what you¡¯re feeling doll.¡± Alec smirked, something dangerous glinting in his eyes.


    ¡®Stop fighting them.¡¯ Thalia urged, but I couldn¡¯t focus on her at the moment.


    ¡®Stop fighting us.¡¯ Kade murmured, hisrge hands grasping my hips lightly.


    The contact sent a lightning shock through my skin, searing my insides wonderfully. I hadn¡¯t realized


    how badly my body craved the contact, as if it had been going through withdrawal this entire time.


    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± The words were on the tip of my tongue, ready to flow from my lips. The words refused to


    be spoken, refused to drift out into the air.


    Kade¡¯s grip on my waist tightened as he pulled me towards him. He stepped back until he was able to


    sitfortably in one of the many chairs scattered about.


    My body didn¡¯t hesitate, even as he pulled me onto hisp. My legs were open, straddling his lower


    body. I could feel my short dress ride up, but the only thing on my mind was Kade¡¯s touch.


    His hands gripped my waist tightly, as if he were afraid I¡¯d slip away. My core was pressed against the


    lengthening member inbetween his legs. The sensation sent shocks down my thighs, pleasuring yet


    rxing.


    Alec came up behind me, pulling up his own seat as he stroked my long hair, brushing it to the side. His


    fingers trailed the length of my neck. A breathless sigh left my lips under his touch, the sparks acted


    like a sedative. My body had spent so long craving their touch that I couldn¡¯t force myself away.


    All of the inner screaming, all of the turmoil couldn¡¯t save me now. I had deprived myself for too long.


    Thalia wanted the twins, wanted me to give into their touches.


    ¡®Let this be our goodbye.¡¯ I murmured in my mind, letting my face drift closer to Kade¡¯s.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    My lips hit Kade¡¯s with a hunger I didn¡¯t know I had. For just a second, the tight control I kept on myself


    slipped. I could truly see how much my body had been craving their touch.


    They were right¡ªI belonged to them, but I didn¡¯t know if that was enough. I needed normalcy, a normal


    life with normal people. Not a delusional dad, a murderous ex, abusive parents, and a backstabbing girl


    who pretended to be my friend. The only bright spots in this were Tori, Kade and Alec. But would they


    be enough?


    When Kade¡¯s tongue ran across my lips, I didn¡¯t fight. My tongue ran against his own, savoring the


    taste of him andmitting it to memory. Alec¡¯s lips ran the length of my neck, leaving his marks on


    my skin.


    The hard spot in Kade¡¯s pants pressed against me, my panties our only barrier. He ground himself into


    me with a low growl, hitting against my covered c**t.


    A moan slipped from my parted lips, never once leaving Kade¡¯s. Kade¡¯srge hands gripped my waist


    tightly, rubbing himself against core. His grip on my waist was tight, almost painful but it added to the


    delicious sensations I was feeling.


    Alec¡¯s hands traveled under my dress, grazing the soft skin just beneath my bra.


    It was far too easy to give into their touches. The two of them kept their attention on me, their hands


    grazing over every inch of skin they could manage.


    Kade rocked my hips against his, grinding himself against my core at an agonizing pace. I had never


    thought a simple action would send the pressure in my p***y building. I had seen people rub against


    each other while dancing, but I had never thought of this.


    Kade and Alec were both experienced, taking their time exploring my body.


    Kade gripped my waist tighter, making me pick up pace. Alec¡¯s hand lifted my bra, his fingers trailing


    lightly over my n*****s. Alec¡¯s hand cupped my breast, molding it gently as he growled into my neck.


    ¡°So perfect.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I heard him correctly, my attention on the building pressure in my p***y.


    The strange sparks assaulted my body but only added to the pleasure. Kade¡¯s lips were tangled with


    my own as he rubbed himself against me. My dress had fully risen now, showing my thighs and my


    purple underwear.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, sweetheart.¡± Alec murmured against my neck, ¡°Come for us.¡±


    I felt myself be undone as Alec squeezed my nipple in his fingers. Kade let my lips go as my head


    fell back, the pleasure rolling in waves. His hands still gripped my waist, prolonging the bliss.


    Giving in to their touch didn¡¯t ease the embarrassment I felt when it was over, or the blush that formed


    on my face. I wasn¡¯t embarrassed about what we had done, but how I had wanted them to do more. I


    was far too willing to go all the way, giving up thest piece of me I had.


    Each of them gave me a lingering kiss, one sweeter than I had ever anticipated. Their lips were soft


    against my own, moving slowly and with purpose.


    I had to physically tear myself from their side to leave the room. I was sure Tori would already suspect


    what happened, but she was also out there waiting for me.


    I walked quickly down the hallway, heading towards her locker. The halls were practically empty now,


    only a student or two lingering. I frowned when I turned the corner and spotted Tori¡¯s locker. She was


    nowhere in sight.


    A knot formed in my stomach. The closer I got to Tori¡¯s locker, the bigger the knot in my stomach grew.


    Just when I was five feet away, a hand mped over my mouth. They were dragging me into an empty


    ssroom. Their body felt small, and yet they were freakishly strong.


    My back met the wall, banging against a rack of whiteboard markers. Grace red at me menacingly.


    ¡®The girls losing it.¡¯ Thalia shook her head. ¡®She¡¯s got crazy in her eyes.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s not helpful.¡¯ I shook my head, ¡®Know how to fight?¡¯


    ¡®I thought I was just some voice in your head.¡¯ Thalia rolled her eyes.


    ¡®You are, but you talk constantly.¡¯ I pointed out, ¡®So talk now and help me.¡¯


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we already have a conversation?¡± Grace narrowed her light eyes. They scanned my b**e neck,


    igniting in anger as she noticed the deep purple marks from Alec¡¯s lips. ¡°And yet I see you f*****g


    around with them in one of the ssrooms.¡±


    My mouth opened a bit, apparently unable to form words. Embarrassment washed through me. Had


    she seen everything that happened? What was I going to say? I couldn¡¯t deny it.


    Grace seemed a lot more unhinged than normal. She red daggers at me while murmuring to herself.


    ¡°Kade wouldn¡¯t even touch me after I slept with Dean. I don¡¯t see how he can stand to be near you after


    Carson had you.¡± She mumbled, keeping me locked against the ckboard.


    Some part of me hoped Tori would show up after realizing I hadn¡¯t met her after school. I wondered


    how long it would take until she dide if she did.


    ¡®You¡¯re not ready for me toe out yet.¡¯ Thalia grunted, ¡®But I¡¯ll help you with what I can¡¯


    I resisted the urge to make ament, appreciating the support right now. Even if it dide from a


    voice in my head.


    ¡°And yet the two of them seem obsessed with you.¡± Grace grimaced, ¡°Overprotective and definitely


    overbearing.¡±


    Something seemed to click in Grace¡¯s head. I could practically hear it as the link formed in her head.


    ¡°Of all people.¡± Grace scoffed, ¡°It had to be you. And both of them? How could someone like you get a


    break like that?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I snapped, not feeling as scared as I didst time.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t, do you?¡± Grace snickered but didn¡¯t stalk forward.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m leaving, you can have them.¡±


    Thalia growled in my mind. Telling Grace could¡¯ve ruined my ns, but I doubted that. She¡¯s been


    wanting me to leave this entire time.


    ¡°Leaving?¡± Grace grinned, and for just a split second she was looking at me like her best-friend. She


    looked like a good person when she smiled, you could never tell what was hidden underneath it all.


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡± I nodded, fear churning in my gut.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been nning this for some time haven¡¯t you.¡± Grace giggled, ¡°You should have just said so,


    silly. I would¡¯ve never had to sick Carson on you.¡±


    Bile churned in my gut, making me feel nauseous. Grace hadpletely changed from her murderous


    self. She acted as though it had never happened, talking about what she did as though it were some


    game.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t on my mind at the time.¡± I choked out. How could I think about anything when I was being


    sexually assaulted?


    ¡°It happens.¡± Grace waved it away, as though it happened every day. ¡°This is great!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone.¡± I shook my head, ¡°My¡ªGarrett would try and stop me.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d never do that.¡± Grace shook her head, that crazy glint was gone from her eyes. ¡°Need some


    money?¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s insane.¡¯ Thalia shook her head.


    ¡®Now do you see why I want to leave?¡± I frowned.


    ¡®No.¡¯ Thalia shook her head, ¡®Unless you want to take Alec and Kade with you.¡¯


    ¡®Not happening.¡¯ I promised.


    There wasn¡¯t a chance in h**l I nned on taking money from Grace. The thought of taking money


    from her put a sour taste in my mouth. I wanted no part of her when I left.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯ve been saving for a while.¡±


    ¡°Good, good.¡± Grace grinned, ¡°Go somewhere far.¡±


    Grace took a few steps closer, her face inches from my own.


    ¡°Oh, and Aurora.¡± Grace¡¯s voice was like honey and silk, hiding the wasps beneath. ¡°Don¡¯te back,


    ever. I will take my anger out on Tori, and then I will move onto you. And I always keep my word.¡±


    Threatening me was one thing, but threatening Tori was uncalled for. Tori hadn¡¯t posed any sort of


    threat to Grace. She was simply using her to get back at me.


    I knew Tori could handle herself, but what if Grace had backup like she did with me? Could Tori fight


    against three people? I didn¡¯t think she could. Alec and Kade were just wealthy teenagers, but they


    couldn¡¯t stop Grace. It seemed she was just as wealthy as they were.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I promised, my stomach sinking at my own words.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Grace had let me leave the ssroom without any hassle. Her murderous and slightly unhinged


    demeanor faded as soon as I told her the truth. She even had the audacity to chat with me, asking


    about my ns once I had left.


    What frightened me more than her bold threat against Tori was the way she changed with the flip of a


    switch. I gave rushed, one worded answer in a hurry to leave the ssroom.


    I had just enough time to mask the fear and disgust on my face before Tori found me in the halls. She


    had already grabbed what she needed from her locker, wandering around in search of me. Her face


    contorted in confusion as she saw the heat fill my cheeks. Understanding shed in her eyes as they


    traveled down my neck. Without a doubt, she was thinking of Alec and Kade.


    I sat quietly as Tori drove the two of us to the restaurant. We both ran in, grabbing our checks from the


    manager on duty.


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for that exnation y¡¯know.¡± Tori¡¯s orange eyebrow lifted as she shot me a stern look.


    My stomach flipped and a chill spread over my skin. I had promised Tori exnations for a lot of things,


    exnations I couldn¡¯t give.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I had nned to leave a note for her when I left, one exining what Grace had done to me. Grace¡¯s


    threat against Tori made me question whether that was the right decision or not. While Tori could


    handle herself, Grace was incapable of thinking clearly. It was just another thing I would need to think


    on.


    While I wanted nothing to happen to Tori, it was eating me alive that Grace would get away with this.


    She had sessfully chased me out of town, not that I hadn¡¯t been nning it regardless.


    I couldn¡¯t see what telling Tori would hurt. I would exin everything to her, giving her ample warning


    what Grace was capable of. I could only hope she kept the information to herself, keeping her safe


    from Grace.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± I coughed ufortably, ¡°I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d be able to tell Tori what happened over the phone. My voice cracked and weakened


    any time I tried to speak about it. Bile would rise in my throat when I thought about my swollen and


    busted face.


    ¡°I¡¯m holding you to that.¡± Tori¡¯s lips were pressed together tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll call you around eight, Mom¡¯s


    having a dinner party with our neighbors.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡ªfun.¡± I forced a lopsided grin to my face, ignoring the pinpricks of guilt that settled under


    my skin.


    ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to join.¡± Tori chuckled, giving me a yful eyeroll. ¡°It¡¯ll be more eventful


    than what you¡¯re doing tonight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± Iughed hollowly.


    ¡®You¡¯re going to hurt people when you leave, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia murmured in my mind, ¡®Tori¡¯s one of those


    people.¡¯


    ¡®People have done nothing but hurt me.¡¯ I grimaced, ¡®I deserve more than this¡ªthan living in fear with


    people I hardly know.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯lle back to them, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia murmured, her voice growing silent. ¡®I know you will.¡¯


    I knew exactly who ¡®them¡¯ were. Alec and Kade¡¯s faces shed into mind, the feel of them still lingered


    on my skin.


    Tori and I stopped by one of the banks in town. The two of us cashed our checks. I ced my wad of


    money deep in my bookbag, eager to add it to what I had saved up. Taking money from Grace had


    been an offer I hadn¡¯t anticipated, but had no qualms refusing. Taking any form of help from Grace filled


    me with a sick sense of disgust.


    Tori dropped me off at Garrett¡¯s house before heading to her own. She shot me onest stern nce,


    concern flickering in her eyes. I mustered up my strength and gave her a bright smile. Tori hadn¡¯t asked


    about our shift at work tomorrow, and I hadn¡¯t mentioned whether I¡¯d be there. Come tomorrow,


    everyone important would know the news.


    Garrett was there the minute I stepped into the house. His crisp suit irritated me, as did his dark slicked


    back hair. His aura of poise and superiority grated away at my nerves. If only everyone knew the


    insanity that was hidden beneath his morized fa?ade.


    ¡°I would like for you to attend dinner with us.¡± Garrett cleared his throat, his mismatched eyes staring


    down at me.


    For a moment, I wondered if people thought the same thing when looking into my eyes. My eyes were


    an exact replica of Garrett¡¯s. One eye was a light blue, lighter than the sea or sky. The other eye was a


    rich brown, hints of honey and gold thrown into the mix. The sight was hypnotizing, both eyes bright


    and unique in their own way.


    ¡°Dinner.¡± I wasn¡¯t asking a question, yet the word fell from my lips regardless. Thest thing I wanted to


    do was eat dinner with his family. His wife and daughter clearly hated me.


    As if reading the contempt in my eyes, Garrett shifted to the other foot. ¡°They will learn to ept you,


    Aurora but you must make an effort.¡±


    ¡°I need to make an effort?¡± I scoffed. I hadn¡¯t tried due to the clear distaste his wife and daughter had


    for me. How could I make an effort when the two of them refused?


    ¡°I understand they can be¡ªdifficult, but this is as new to them as it is to you.¡± Garrett frowned,


    compassion filling his eyes as he spoke of his wife. ¡°After dinner, there is something I would like to


    show you.¡±


    I frowned, hoping it wouldn¡¯t be another fairytale. Garrett clearly noticed the reluctance on my face but


    chose not toment. I had no choice but to indulge him. Come the end of the night, I would be gone.


    Garrett told me toe down to the dining room in an hour, and that dinner would be ready soon after.


    I thundered up to the bedroom, wasting no time as I closed the door behind me.


    I grabbed a medium sized duffle bag from the closet and began packing some clothes. I rolled my


    clothes up tightly, saving as much room as possible. Apart from clothes, a picture or two and all my


    money, there was nothing left to pack. I wanted to bring toiletries but decided they would take up too


    much room. I stuffed a couple gran bars and water bottles into the bag. It had been ast-minute


    decision to raid part of therge kitchen to find some snacks to bring. I wasn¡¯t sure when I¡¯d be eating


    next.


    I had thought of nearly everything when it came to my escape. I would change into something I hardly


    wore, making it harder to be identified on cameras. I¡¯d keep my hat and hood pulled up, blocking what


    parts of my face I could manage. The phone Tori had gotten me would have to be left behind, but I


    could manage without a phone. I emptied out my bank ount, nning to use cash for everything I


    needed.


    I didn¡¯t bother changing for dinner. If anyone reported me missing, they would remember the dress I


    had worn today. I walked down the stairs quickly, wanting to get this entire afternoon done with.


    Garrett had already taken his ce at the table, Veronica by his side. Katy sat beside her Mom, a


    permanent sneer on her slender face.


    All eyes were on me as I walked into the dining room. My face heated under the stairs. I couldn¡¯t help


    but feel I had interrupted something. Garrett¡¯s face held anger as he looked at his wife. It was clear


    they were having a heated conversation about something. I could only guess what that something was


    ¡ªme.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you joined us, Aurora.¡± Garrett smiled. While the emotion looked genuine, I couldn¡¯t get past


    the irritated staresing from Kady and Veronica.


    I felt like I was interrupting their family dinner, barging in on something I had no business with.


    Garrett controlled the conversation, including me at every chance. He asked about my childhood,


    sses, and interests. I gave answers where I needed, never once looking into Kady or Veronica¡¯s


    sharpened eyes. Garrett seemed genuinely interested in my past, something I wasn¡¯t keen on sharing.


    His eyes filled with guilt as I talked about my Grandma, the woman who had raised me. He could hear


    the love and gratitude dripping from my voice as I talked about her, along with the contempt I held as I


    talked about Melissa.


    I finished my dinner in a rush, ready to retreat upstairs. My stomach dropped when Garrett stood from


    the table and motioned for me to follow. Lucy shot me a wide smile as she began gathering the empty


    tes. I had forgotten Garrett wanted to show me something, only wasting what little time I had.


    I followed Garrett silently as he led me out the backdoor. The garden in their backyard was beautiful,


    overflowing with brightly colored flowers. As we stepped into the yard, I could smell their sweet


    aroma¡¯s.


    ¡°Kady did all of this.¡± Garrett smiled proudly at the flowers. His entire demeanor seemed to change


    when he spoke of his family. The thought sent a small wave of pain washing over me, one I pushed to


    the side and ignored.


    ¡°Really?¡± I scoffed in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t imagine prim and proper Kady getting on her knee¡¯s to garden.


    The image didn¡¯t sit right in my mind. Wouldn¡¯t she be afraid of chipping a nail?


    Garrett did something unexpected, heughed. His entire face lit up as his chest rumbled.


    ¡°She really doesn¡¯t look like the type, does she?¡± Garrett chuckled, one of his hands smoothing the


    material of his suit.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± I shook my head, unsure what to make of this entire situation. ¡°Why are we out here? It


    can¡¯t be to talk about gardening.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s smile fell, a serious expression on his face. I regretted the words as soon as they came from


    my lips.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Garrett shook his head, ¡°I understand I may have chosen the wrong moment to exin your


    heritage. Instead of telling you, I should have shown you.¡±


    The thought of entertaining this had anger bubbling in my veins. Garrett could see the reluctant


    frustration forming on my face and jumped into action. Before I could turn my back on him, a sharp


    snapping sound rang out through the backyard.


    My eyes were wide, my mouth gaping as I stared at Garrett. It sounded as though he snapped his own


    spine in half. His eyes were wide as he looked on at me, a splotch of hair began forming on his neck.


    ¡®Watch him, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia murmured, urging me to keep my eyes on Garrett.


    I wasn¡¯t sure I could pull them away if I tried. The entire process was quick, but my body had long ago


    gone into shock.


    I could only stand and stare as my¡ªGarrett turned into arge, silver wolf. The wolf was bigger than


    any wolf I had ever seen, easily the size of a full-grown bear. The animal¡¯s eyes were just like Garrets,


    just like my own. One a bright and startling blue, the other a deep golden brown.


    Anger, frustration, disbelief, h****r, and fear were bouncing through me like an aggressive mosh pit. My


    dinner sat heavily in my stomach, my blood turning cold at the sight.


    Garrett¡ªthe wolf stalked forward slowly, sitting on its haunches when it was only a few feet away. I


    wasn¡¯t sure how long we stood like that for. It could have been hours for all I knew. My eyes were


    locked on him the entire time, those six conflicting emotions swirling within me. Something else began


    to form inside of me, eptance. Some part of me, no matter how small knew Garrett was telling the


    truth. It was as though I had been missing a piece of myself, and now I was finally whole.


    The thought should have filled me with joy, right? Wrong. I was terrified. Terrified of Garrett, terrified of


    myself.


    The truth rattled in my head, understanding formed in my mind. I refused to address those thoughts,


    knowing what they meant.


    Thalia wasn¡¯t just a voice inside my head, she had been there all along.


    There was something else that bubbled in my mind, something I had tried to forget.


    I had met two wolves¡¯ before, both eerily simr to Garrett. Two wolfs, identical in color and size.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    As much as I wanted to deny the truth, it was sitting right in front of me. I couldn¡¯t help but do a mental


    check over my own body. I didn¡¯t feel different. Apart from Thalia¡¯s intrusive voice, I felt nearly the same


    as I always had. It would exin why my face had healed so quickly.


    You would think I¡¯d be excited, but I wasn¡¯t. Turning into one of these creatures was thest thing I


    wanted. I wanted¡ªneeded normalcy. Sure, some small part of my mind wondered if I could use this


    against Grace. As much as I wanted to feel guilty over that, I couldn¡¯t.


    I was yanked from my thoughts by the ringing of a cellphone. The cellphone in my hand was buzzing, a


    picture of Tori lighting up the screen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you back in ten.¡± I answered, ending the phone call without another word. My eyes were still


    locked on the giant wolf¡ªon Garrett.


    Garrett walked over to a cluster of trees nestled in their backyard. I watched on in silence as Garrett


    returned to his human form. A pair of sweatpants hung on the lower portion of his body. His suit had


    been torn to shreds during his¡­ transformation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this.¡± Those were the first words that left my lips, followed by. ¡°You don¡¯t even know if I can


    ¡ªcan turn into a wolf. I¡¯ve never turned into one before.¡±


    Instead of Garrett¡¯s face contorting in anger like I suspected, his eyes held sympathy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to watch you shift to know what you are, Aurora.¡± Garrett murmured, leading the two of us


    back inside. My body was on autopilot. Half of me wanted to run, to get away from Garrett and his


    strange family as soon as possible. The other side of me was smart, knowing if I ran now, he would


    only catch me.


    ¡°I can feel your wolf.¡± Garrett sighed, ¡°She¡¯s inside of you, she will help you shift when it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡®I tried to tell you, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia frowned, ¡®We can¡¯t shift yet, but when we do, we¡¯re going to need Alec


    and Kade.¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s so important about Alec and Kade?¡¯ I grimaced, my heart thundering at the mention of their


    names.


    ¡®They¡¯re our mates, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia rushed the words out in an exasperated huff.


    ¡°What is a mate?¡± I spoke before thinking, gaining Garrett¡¯s full attention.


    ¡°What makes you ask?¡± Garrett¡¯s lips pressed together tightly; his eyes intense as he looked at me.


    ¡°My¡ªwolf mentioned the term.¡± I shifted ufortably. The truth coupled with Garrett¡¯s interrogating


    stare made me want to flee.


    ¡°Their like soulmates.¡± Garrett spoke slowly, his own eyes zing over as he thought of his wife.


    ¡°And¡ªVeronica, is she your mate?¡± I paused, difort and fear swirling in my gut.


    ¡°She is.¡± Garrett nodded, clearly reading the difort in my eyes. Garrett had a child with another


    woman, one who wasn¡¯t his mate. Thalia recoiled at the thought, showing her clear disgust.


    ¡°I see.¡± My voice sounded weak, my head churning with the overwhelming amount of information I was


    being forced to process.


    ¡°That changes nothing, Aurora.¡± Garrett grimaced, ¡°You are my first born, which mean¡¯s my pack will


    someday belong to you.¡±


    I wanted to scream, to shout at Garrett until I turned blue in the face. I didn¡¯t want a pack, a wolf,


    mates, or anything else that came. I wanted a normal life with people who wouldn¡¯t hurt me, threaten


    me, or leave me in a perpetual state of fear and anxiety.


    Some people spend their entire lives waiting for something like this to happen. Some kind of strange,


    magical calling that takes them out of their boring world. I wasn¡¯t one of those people. I wanted a


    normal life and all that it entailed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± I paused. What would denying everything do? Garrett would continue to push, forcing me to


    ept some nned out future he had.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I need some time.¡± I gulped, my eyes darting to the staircase.


    ¡°I understand, Aurora.¡± Garrett frowned, his eyes softening in the slightest. ¡°I was raised knowing what


    we are, you weren¡¯t. I¡¯ll give you the time you need, but please think on what I¡¯ve said.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I nodded, telling the lie effortlessly.


    I retreated to my bedroom on shaky legs, fumbling to close the door behind me. I slipped out of the


    clothes I had worm to school. I threw on a long sleeve shirt, followed by my heaviest jacket and a dark


    pair of jeans. Melissa and Frank wouldn¡¯t be able to identify me by the clothes I wore. Melissa never


    paid enough attention and Frank was always too wasted to notice.


    I swung my backpack over my shoulder and ced the phone to my ear. It rang a total of two times


    before Tori picked up the other end.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Tori frowned, ¡°You sounded kind of flustered.¡±


    ¡°Nothing important.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Garrett wanted to talk to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Tori frowned, understanding clear in her voice. She knew how I felt about Garrett. It was


    one of the only things I could openly tell her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I cleared my throat. My heart was hammering in my chest, anxiety wracked my entire body. I


    was bing antsy, wanting to leave as soon as I could. I¡¯d have to wait another hour, until I was sure


    Garrett had left the lower part of the house. I hoped he didn¡¯t have some kind of super hearing, but it


    was toote to change my n.


    ¡°Now¡ªabout that exnation.¡± Tori paused, clearly dealing with her own unease. ¡°What the h**l


    happened to your face?¡±


    For a moment, I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Did I really want to do this? I couldn¡¯t see how it would hurt,


    as I¡¯d be gone before morning. Whatever happened to Grace after I left wasn¡¯t my fault, but didn¡¯t Tori


    deserve warning against Grace¡¯s threat?


    ¡°Grace happened.¡± I cleared my throat, fighting back the tears of frustration that formed behind my


    eyes. ¡°She didn¡¯t like that I was talking to Alec and Kade, so she had Autumn and her other friend


    help.¡±


    ¡°Oh my g*d, Aurora.¡± Tori¡¯s voice was a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, disbelief, shock, sympathy, and


    hate. ¡°I knew someone hurt you¡ªI never thought Grace would go that far. I need to tell- ¡°


    ¡°Tori, do me a favor.¡± I mped my eyes shut, pinching the bridge of my nose. I knew she would react


    this way. All I had to do was dy her for just a few hours. She could tell whoever she wanted in the


    morning.


    ¡°What?¡± I could hear the frown on Tori¡¯s face. ¡°You better not ask me to keep this a secret. She


    seriously hurt you, Aurora. She can¡¯t just get away with it.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªI know.¡± I choked out, wishing I could tell her the rest. I wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back the tears


    if I told her more. They would overtake me, turning me into a pile of mush. ¡°Just wait until morning to


    tell anyone, for me please.¡±


    Tori let out a long sigh, and I could almost see the look of frustration on her face. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait until


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I breathed, remembering I had something else to say. ¡°There is something else¡ªshe


    threatened you. Said she woulde after you if I told anyone.¡±


    ¡°She threatened me?¡± Tori scoffed, her voice filling with heat.


    ¡°I just wanted to give you a heads up.¡± I frowned, ¡°Just be careful around her¡ªI think she¡¯s kind of


    losing it.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, Grace lost it a long time ago.¡± Tori chuckled dryly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aurora. Grace won¡¯t get


    her ws on me.¡±


    After ending the phone call with Tori, I was left with an hour to mull everything over. It was an hour I


    didn¡¯t want to wait but had no other choice. It gave me time to think about everything. I didn¡¯t want to


    think over what Garrett had said. I wanted to shove it all deep down and never let it see the light of day.


    What Thalia had said about mate¡¯s struck a chord within me. Alec and Kade were our mates.


    ¡®Typically, wolves only have one mate.¡± Thalia¡¯s voice was soft, ¡®We have two.¡¯


    ¡®I never wanted one to begin with.¡¯ I fought against the stabbing pain in my chest.


    An hour passed and I stood at my bedroom door in silence. My hand was only inches away from the


    handle. Once I opened this door, I wouldn¡¯t turn back. I¡¯d change my own life, finally live it the way I


    chose.


    My bedroom door swung open, and I stepped into the hallway. My heart dropped to the floor as I met


    Kady¡¯s light eyes. Her eyes narrowed, eyeing me suspiciously. Whatever she was going to say caught


    in her throat. Her eyes widened as she took in the bag over my shoulder and the clothes I was wearing.


    Her eyes flickered down the hall, and back to me.


    ¡°He¡¯s in his office.¡± Kady murmured, ¡°You have fifteen minutes before my Mom goes back downstairs.¡±


    Without saying anything more, Kady retreated into her bedroom. I stood there gaping at her bedroom


    door, reying the words she had said to me.


    She was helping me. Of course, it was for her own selfish reasons, but I appreciated it, nheless.


    Her tone had been soft, kind even. I wanted tough dryly at the number of people who wanted me


    gone. It seemed like the number continued to grow.


    I crept downstairs and out of the house easily. I nned on calling a cab with my old flip phone, the one


    Melissa had gotten me. I nned on walking to the little corner store, the one I had visited when we


    first moved here. I would call a cab to pick me up at the store, taking me to the nearest bus stop.


    Fear does things to a person¡¯s mind. It dulls all thoughts of reason, dulls anything good and supportive.


    Fear consumes and burns until there¡¯s nothing left. Fear had formed in me the night Grace attacked


    and had been boiling and festering ever since.


    Fear put you in a constant state of fight or flight, pushing everything else to the back of your mind. I


    wasn¡¯t thinking of Tori, Alec, Kade, or anyone else. I was thinking of myself, of running from the fear


    that scorched my insides.


    Even as I stepped out of the cab, and walked through the doors to the bus terminal, I was only thinking


    of myself.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Thalia had been silent up until we reached the bus terminal. I found myself staring at the brightly lit


    board, times and dates shing through my mind. I walked over to the clerk; I pulled a couple bills from


    my bag. I couldn¡¯t help my wandering gaze, my eyes flickering towards the multitude of camera¡¯s in the


    bus terminal.


    It was a silly thought, one driven by paranoia and fear. What if they managed to find me? Melissa and


    Frank were useless and would spare no effort searching for me, it was Garrett I worried about. From


    the look of his crisp suit and hisrge house, it was obvious he was wealthy. Would Garrett put forth the


    effort and money into finding me? I wasn¡¯t sure.


    I had to pay extra for the soonest bus to Anta, Ga. It would take three hours to get to Anta,


    thankfully there were no stops involved. Anxiety and paranoia clung to me along with the crisp


    nighttime air. My foot tapped relentlessly; my eyes locked on the clock ticking away in the terminal. I


    had discarded my old flip phone at the corner store before stepping into the cab, another precaution I


    decided to take.


    Thalia had been quiet the entire time, only speaking up as the bus pulled into the terminal.


    ¡®Don¡¯t do this, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia pleaded, her voice as stressed and nervous as my own. ¡®I know why you


    want to leave; I understand. I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s the wrong choice.¡¯


    ¡®I want to find that out for myself.¡¯ I grimaced, ¡®I never had a choice, not with anything. If this is a


    mistake, I¡¯ll find out on my own.¡¯


    ¡®I won¡¯t help you do this, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia¡¯s voice sounded tired and sad, almost making me regret my


    decision. ¡®You¡¯ll be on your own.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ve always been on my own.¡¯ I murmured, walking over to the coach bus. The smell of cleaner and air


    freshener filled my nose. ¡®It¡¯s time I make my own decisions.¡¯


    Thalia went silent, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel as though I had lost a part of myself. The silence was


    deafening. It was then I realized how much I had gotten used to her voice, even in the short days I had


    known her.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing.¡± I murmured to myself, stepping onto the near empty bus. ¡°I¡¯ll learn from


    my mistakes like anyone else. At least I finally had the freedom to choose.¡±


    My stomach was doing flips as I walked down the narrow aisles of the bus. Only a few people lingered,


    clearly impatient for departure. I sat down in one of the empty seats, cing my duffle bag at my feet.


    My fingers twitched impatiently, the hairs on my arms raising. Fear and anxiety had be my closest


    companions this past week. They followed me around, their silky voices hissing in my ears.


    I could feel the handle of the seat crunch beneath my d***h grip. I only released my grip as the bus


    pulled out of the terminal, and headed towards the highway. I purposefully averted my eyes, ignoring


    therge crack I had caused on the handle.


    Three hours, three hours of nothing but silence. Dull music yed through the speakers of the bus. My


    cheek pressed against the cool window of the bus, a poor attempt at stilling my nerves. Just as my


    eyes began to close and sleep began to take me, a noise close by startled me.


    Walking down the narrow isle was a young-looking guy, one whose dark eyes were locked on my own.


    His hands brushed against the scratchy material of each seat until he reached the one I currently


    upied.


    A slew of thoughts ran through my mind, all driven by paranoia. Did Garrett send this guy? Did he know


    I had left? Did Kady tell what she saw?


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I thought to myself dryly, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been an hour. They probably think I¡¯m asleep.¡±


    The guy stopped once he reached my seat, his dark eyes looking down on me. The guy was good


    looking in a rugged sort of way. His hair was a light shade of brown, wavy and just barely grazing his


    broad shoulders. Normally a guy like this would send a rush of butterflies swarming through me, but I


    felt nothing. Only two faces popped into mind. Identical features, full lips, longshes, sharp jawlines.


    This guy had nothing on Alec and Kade. With great force, I willed the two of them from my mind and


    ignored the sharp pain that ran through my chest. Thinking of them would only cause me unneeded


    pain.


    ¡°Mind if I sit here?¡± The guy grinned softly, showing just a hint of his blinding smile.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I mumbled, unsure if he was able to hear me.


    The guy sat in the seat beside me, cramming his bookbag between his legs. Whatever kind of cologne


    he was wearing swirled around me, filling my nose. It was a pleasant smell, woodsy with a hint of


    something sweet. Another sharp pain rattled me, reminding me I had smelled better.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on this bus for four hours now.¡± The guy chuckled, giving a tired shake of his head. I watched


    from the corner of my eye as his wavy hair shook and tickled against his shoulders. ¡°You seem like you


    could use somepany.¡±


    ¡°Where are youing from?¡± I found myself asking, purely to get my mind off of everything else. My


    voice was stronger than I expected it to be. While I felt weak inside, my voice conveyed not an ounce of


    fear or worry.


    ¡°Florida.¡± The guy chuckled. It was then I noticed his tanned skin, gold and kissed by the sun. ¡°It¡¯s been


    a long ride. H**l, I still got more to go. Where are you headed to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± I chuckled dryly, ¡°I¡¯m still figuring that bit out.¡±


    ¡°You look a little young to be riding the bus by yourself.¡± The guy smirked; his chocte eyes yful.


    ¡°I¡¯m neen if that makes you feel better.¡± I shrugged, the lie leaving my lips effortlessly. Lying had


    be something I was good at.


    Liar, liar, liar.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The word rang out in my head, filling my stomach with guilt.


    ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you, but I do feel a little better.¡± The guy chuckled, shing me a million-watt


    smile. A smile like that would¡¯ve sent blush rushing to my face, instead it had no effect.


    ¡°What brings you all the way from Florida?¡± I found myself asking. Part of me felt guilty for talking to this


    guy. I could¡¯ve cared less who he was, or what brought him here. All I wanted was a distraction,


    something to keep me from drowning in my own anxiety.


    ¡°Visiting my Mom. My Dad¡¯s sick and she needed my help.¡± The guy shrugged, his lips twitching into a


    frown. ¡°I¡¯m taking the year off from college anyway, so I don¡¯t mind lending a hand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I nearly cringed at how insincere I sounded, my wordsing out clipped and


    hard. ¡°Do you like Florida?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I love it. The heat, the sun, the ocean. The storms are a downer, but you can¡¯t have everything.¡±


    The guy shrugged, giving a chuckle. It seems he hadn¡¯t noticed my insincerity, or he hadn¡¯t cared to


    point it out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the ocean before.¡± I murmured thoughtfully, wondering if I could catch a flight


    somewhere near the ocean. Even living in California for most of my life, I had never stepped foot on a


    beach. When I lived with my Grandma, we were too far from the ocean to make the long drive. I had


    never thought about it until now.


    ¡°Never been to the ocean?¡± The guy scoffed, his hand over his heart as though I had personally


    offended him. ¡°Have you lived in Georgia your entire life? There¡¯s beaches in Georgia.¡±


    ¡°I used to live in California, never had the chance to go to the beach.¡± I chuckled dryly.


    ¡°Have you thought about heading back to California?¡± The guy asked, his brown eyes pooling with


    curiosity and sincerity.


    ¡°I actually haven¡¯t.¡± I shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s a long trip, and there¡¯s too many memories there.¡±


    What I didn¡¯t mention was that if anyone looked for me, California would be the first ce they would


    look. Melissa wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tell Garrett I used to live in California. California was too obvious. I


    wanted to live somewhere no one knew my name. California is a huge state, but it wasn¡¯t what I was


    looking for.


    ¡°I understand that.¡± The guy nodded, and I believed him. His eyes held a shadow within them, one that


    felt oddly familiar. ¡°My name¡¯s Justin by the way.¡±


    ¡°Amber.¡± I nodded; more lies.


    Liar, liar, liar.


    Another surge of guilt rushing through me, Tori¡¯s face popping into my mind. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder


    how long it would take for the overwhelming emotions to fade. When would my own guilt fade? When


    would the cruel voice in the back of my mind silence?


    ¡°Well Amber, I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for.¡± Justin smiled, one that held a simr pain. Some


    small part of me wondered what ghosts haunted him, what the cruel voice in his own mind might


    whisper.


    ¡°I do too.¡± I murmured, forcing my mind to part from the past and think towards the future.


    Justin apanied me all the way to Anta, GA. I did most of the listening as Justin talked, telling me


    about his life. He was heading to North Virginia, to his Mom¡¯s small ranch house. He had traveled to


    Florida for college, the waves calling his name. He had even participated in a couple surfing


    competitions, earning second ce in one of them. I had learned much about Justin, yet refused to


    give much on myself.


    Justin had asked me what hobbies I might have, making me stumble and fall into ufortable


    silence. What hobbies did I have? School, homework, working, saving money. These things were not


    hobbies, they were not enjoyable. The realization was like a punch in my stomach. I had no hobbies,


    no passions. There was nothing I truly enjoyed doing. I never had the time or security to explore the


    things I cared for. Such a simple question caused such turmoil within me.


    Once we reached the terminal and hopped off the cramped bus, I asked Justin to call a cab for me.


    After wiping away the confusion on his face, he pulled a phone from his pocket. I had lied again,


    iming my phone battery had died and my charger was left at home.


    Justin gave me a reassuring smile and a wave as I hopped into the cab. I returned his wave, but I


    couldn¡¯t force a smile to form on my face. Part of me wondered if I would ever smile again.


    ¡°Of course, I will.¡± I scoffed to myself, the silence in the cab was deafening. ¡°I need to feel secure and


    safe first, happiness willeter.¡±


    I told myself that lie up until I arrived at the Anta, GA airport.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    While the bus ride had been somewhat ufortable, Justin¡¯s presence was a weed distraction.


    Anything to keep my mind from what I was leaving behind soothed my frayed nerves.


    At this time of night, there were little options on flights. My options were New York, Texas and Missouri.


    While New York was an intriguing option, my money would b**n much faster there. The flight to Texas


    wasn¡¯t until the early hours of the morning. Waiting until the sun crested the forest line and hung above


    the clouds wasn¡¯t an option. The wait alone would unravel me, my nerves turning me into a mess of


    anxiety.


    Missouri it was.


    I knew little about the state, but assumed the weather would be simr to Georgia. Humidity tempered


    with the brilliant sun, warm but not nearly as zing as Texas or California.


    I had little issue getting a ne ticket, my duffle bag serving as a carry-on item. Every dor I spent


    weighed on my mind. Instead of counting each individual purchase, I pushed the number from my


    thoughts.


    Thalia had been silent since ourst conversation, buried deep in the depths of my wandering mind. I


    had a feeling we wouldn¡¯t talk for quite some time.


    My stomach had been a mess of knots and fear up until I boarded the ne. Once the ne left the


    ground, I released a breath I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been holding.


    Saving money where I could, I declined the offer of first ss and smushed myself as close to the


    window as possible. The ne wasn¡¯t crowded, but nearly every seat was full.


    An older woman sat beside me, her child on the far end. I leaned my head against the window, peering


    out into the darkness of the sky. I might have enjoyed this flight during the day. The thick clouds


    hanging in the sky, resemblingrge tufts of cotton. At night it was hard to make out the shapes of the


    clouds, only dim stars speckled the sky.


    A war between my self-control and eyelids ensued as they begun to close on their own ord.


    Exhaustion had been unknowingly creeping up on me since first hopping into the Taxi. The adrenaline


    from sneaking out of the house had long wore off. With my duffle bag tucked on the floor against the


    wall of the ne, I sumbed to the creeping darkness.


    Perfume. That was the scent that filled my nose, followed by the light scent ofundry detergent. Floral


    notes mixed with the crisp scent of soap. Somehow, I found thisforting. Something soft pressed


    against my cheek, pressed lightly against my shoulder.


    ¡°Sweetheart, the ne¡¯snded.¡± A soft voice called out, followed by another touch to my shoulder.


    All at once the events of thest few hours battered my mind. I lurched away from the older woman, the


    one I had been using as a pillow. With sandy blonde hair tucked neatly in a bun, small lines formed


    around her eyes and lips. Her deep brown eyes watched me calmly, a motherly smile on her face. The


    child in the seat beside her was also stirring, wiping the sleep from his small eyes.


    ¡°You seemed exhausted; I didn¡¯t have the heart to wake you.¡± The blonde woman spoke, a slight


    southern ent to her words. Her ent was light, weaving between her words in a way that brought


    me a shred offort.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I cleared my throat ufortably, blood undoubtedly rushing to my face. I had used this


    woman as a pillow for thest few hours, and she had allowed it graciously.


    I mustered up the courage to ask her for the time, stifling a yawn as she told me it was past three in the


    morning. I was grateful to stand from the ne, to exit into the warm Missouri air. Even at night the


    breeze was thick with warmth.


    Even at three in the morning, Taxi¡¯s and other drivers lingered outside of the airport. Most of them


    leaning against their car¡¯s smoking or chatting.


    While in the airport, I heard two older women chatting about a town called Higgins. I hadn¡¯t heard


    much, apart from how lovely of a town it was but I had already made my decision.


    I found it liberating and refreshing to choose where I wanted to live on a whim, as I had never held that


    kind of control before. Higgins was half an hour drive from the airport. The drive was filled with silence


    and the dull static filled pulsing of the Taxi driver¡¯s radio.


    I had asked him to drop me off at the nearest motel, one located in the center of town. The neon blue


    light flickered warily, ivy and vines working their way up most of the building. A rusted blue railing


    spanned most of the building, serving as a balcony to the guests staying.


    The hotel office smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap air freshener, but this ce was only a means to


    an end. All I needed was a few hours¡¯ sleep before I set off in search of a job, and hopefully


    somewhere to live.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    After paying a little under a hundred dors for three nights, I sulked up to the second floor. The


    withered key the employee had given me rattled against my pants as I trudged up the cement stairs.


    The doors to each motel room were the same deep shade of blue as the railing. Some doors looked


    fresh, as though they had recently been painted over.


    The motel room smelled much like the hotel office, a fact I forced from my mind. While the bed smelled


    like someone¡¯s dust filled attic, I curled up on it blissfully. Even with the withered springs poking my


    back, I felt safer than I had in a long time.


    For just a moment, my heart leaped in my chest. No more Frank with his drunken rants and wandering


    hands. No more Melissa with her maniptions and psychological torment. No more absent Father¡¯s,


    talk of my future, or psychopathic ex-girlfriends.


    For just a split second, before two irresistibly handsome faces popped into my mind, I was truly happy.


    I had slept well into the morning, waking up to a brick of lead weighing down my stomach. I was almost


    positive someone had noticed my absence already. The old rm clock on the table read 1:23p.m. I


    had slept well into the afternoon.


    There was always a chance no one had noticed my absence. It was Saturday, and I didn¡¯t have a shift


    at the restaurant until muchter in the day.


    I wondered if I would see my face stered on television, big bold letters saying ¡®Missing¡¯. Would I


    be one of those h****r stories they tell on television? The one where they talk of serial killers,


    missing women, and acts of violence.


    Using the tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner, I hopped into the rather filthy motel shower. After


    downing a bottle of water and two gran bars, I changed my clothes and left the motel room.


    The two women at the airport had been right about this town, it was rather beautiful. New, crisp


    buildings lined the street, some painted bright colors. Plenty of small shops open, along with a bakery


    down at the corner. The smell of buttered rolls and frosting filled the air.


    The air was thick and humid, the sun dazzling in the sky but it only added to the beauty. Lush trees and


    bushes danced throughout the town, clustered on streets and behind buildings. The center of town had


    that antique feel, a multitude of colorful shops lining the streets.


    For once, hope filled my lungs and mixed with the lingering oxygen. Out of all these stores, one had to


    be willing to hire me. I wanted to use my real name as little as possible, working under the table was a


    preference not a necessity.


    I walked down the street, breathing in the thick and humid air. I had changed my pants and dark


    sweatshirt into something more appropriate for the weather. A pair of shorts sat on my hips, followed


    with a white colored blouse. My only pair of fairly worn sandles sat on my feet.


    Two hours passed and I had stopped in most of the shops, buying myself a coffee in the process. I had


    spent time speaking with someone in each shop, asking if they were looking for new employees. Many


    said no, while others asked for a phone number to reach me at. Many of their faces fell when I informed


    them, I didn¡¯t have a phone, a weary look crossing their face as though they get many brief travelers


    looking for money.


    While my heart dropped with each refusal, I took my time looking through each store. A sliver of pain


    ran through me, Tori¡¯s face shing to mind. She had wanted to take me shopping more than anything,


    insisting on buying me whatever I wanted. Part of me wished Tori were here, that she were roaming the


    shops by my side. With a painful sigh, I pushed those thoughts out of mind.


    I had a couple shops left, but the rumbling of my stomach stopped me in my tracks. The thick scent


    wafting from the bakery was practically calling my name, begging for a small fraction of the money I


    had brought along.


    The inside of the shop matched the heavenly smell. White and a light shade of pink lined the bakery,


    striped padded seats at each of the booths inside. Large round cakes and small pastries sat under a


    thick dome of ss, some of them still steaming. Notes of frosting, cinnamon, and vani filled the


    store. The scent wafted down the street, beckoning the walking crowds.


    A guy and an identical looking girl stood behind the counter, each looking determined and a little


    frazzled. Even from my spot beside the door, I could see the small beads of sweat that clung to their


    foreheads. Sandy blonde hair was stered to their foreheads, but they continued to move as though


    they hadn¡¯t noticed. The sidewalks were crowded with people. I couldn¡¯t tell if everyone lived here, or if


    most were touristsing from the city. A small crowd had formed in the bakery, a long line spanning


    the store.


    Taking deep breaths of the sugary scent, I basked in the small blissful moments where I truly felt happy


    and continued to ignore the growing hole in my heart.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Resisting the intense urge to purchase one of everything, I ordered myself a blueberry muffin and


    something called a bear w.


    I sat down at one of the shiny looking booths, the striped pink and white seats gleamed merrily.


    Everything in the bakery looked brand new, from the shimmering booths to therge ovens peaking


    over the counter.


    I couldn¡¯t help but watch the duo running the counter in silence. It was clear they were rted, most


    likely brother and sister. Each had the same shade of sandy blonde hair, the same full yet pouty lips.


    The girl was slim with curves in the right ces, looking out of ce in the bakery. I would¡¯ve expected


    to see the girl on the cover of a magazine, not at some bakery. The two of them rushed from counter to


    oven, to prepping tray, to cash register. Each a whirlwind of energy and determination, as I continued


    watching in silence.


    I had long ago finished my muffin and bear w, wiping the sugary goodness from my fingers with a


    napkin. The heavy crowd eventually died down, people leaving the bakery inrge clusters. Once the


    two siblings were no longer overwhelmed with customers, I approached the register.


    ¡°What did you need, sweetheart?¡± The guy turned, his eyes a startling shade of blue. For just a second,


    my heart leaped in my chest. The word ¡®sweetheart¡¯ bounced around in my head, only a different voice


    was speaking.


    ¡°I¨C¡± I stammered, losing my train of thought as the image of two handsome face¡¯s popped into memory.


    ¡°Are the owners of this ce hiring?¡±


    ¡°We are the owners girl.¡± The blonde girl emerged from the back, a smear of flour coating her shirt. Her


    cheeks were flushed from running around the bakery, yet none of her hair fell out of ce.


    A blush creeped along my cheeks, staining my skin as I looked at the girl. They looked around my age,


    most likely a few years older than myself. They both seemed pretty young to own a bakery in town.


    ¡°Our parents own a few shops down the street. My sister wanted to open a bakery. At the time she


    couldn¡¯t make cookies without burning them.¡± The guy snickered, giving his sister an amused look.


    ¡°Last I checked, you couldn¡¯t either.¡± The girl poked her tongue out, shing her brother a hard look.


    ¡°Nearly burned the shop downst time you tried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m better with the register.¡± The guy grinned at me, shrugging indifferently.


    ¡°I could use another baker.¡± The girl huffed, frowning at her brother. ¡°You know how to bake?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± I shook my head, my face burning brighter than ever. The thought of actually baking hadn¡¯t


    crossed my mind. I had been lulled and seduced by the scent of sweet pastries, thinking little of what


    my job there would actually entail.


    The girl frowned, ¡°Give me your phone number, I¡¯ll call you if we need another employee.¡±


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t have a phone.¡± I chuckled ruefully. The conversation was going poorly, as many of my


    attempts have today. ¡°I¡¯m staying at the motel on the corner. I¡¯ll be there for the next two days.¡±


    ¡°The motel?¡± The girl frowned, wiping some of the flour from her cheek. Something shed across her


    light-colored eyes, something simr to concern. ¡°What are you doing two days from now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I shrugged; my lips pressed into a tight line. ¡°Probably stay another night if I can¡¯t find a


    job.¡±


    The girl¡¯s full lips tugged down in a frown. Her and her brother locked eyes, having a silent


    conversation between the two of them.


    ¡°You already know my answer.¡± The guy shrugged, grabbing a rag and a bottle of spray from under the


    register. ¡°If it keeps me out of that kitchen, I¡¯m all for it.¡±


    ¡°Can you be here tomorrow?¡± The girl turned to me, her eyes wandering the nes of my face. ¡°An


    hour before opening?¡±


    ¡°I can be here whenever you need me.¡± I nodded enthusiastically. The knot that had been forming in


    my stomach turned to butterflies, anticipation flooding through my veins.


    ¡°Be here at six. You can help me open, and I¡¯ll have a little time to teach you the basics.¡± The girl


    nodded, a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. ¡°I¡¯m Beth and this is my annoying brother Jake.¡±


    For a moment, I debated on what name to give them. Lying continued to eat a hole in my stomach,


    bringing me difort at every waking moment. Yet I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say my actual name.


    The thought of being dragged back my Garrett picked at my mind.


    ¡°Amber.¡± I forced a smile as I looked between the two siblings.


    ¡°Well Amber, I¡¯m not half as annoying as Beth makes me out to be.¡± Jake grinned, shing a gleaming


    set of teeth. A smile like that would have once sent butterflies swarming in my stomach. Instead of


    butterflies, a strange hollow feeling had built in my chest. A cold gust of wind swirled within me,


    whizzing through the hole in my chest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope you got some skill, Amber.¡± Beth shot a calm smile my way, ¡°I don¡¯t need another cashier.


    Jake¡¯s already filled that position. If you can work hard and bake something edible, you¡¯ll have yourself


    a job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± I promised, a hopeful grin spreading on my face.


    I enjoyed the rest of my afternoon, wandering the remaining shops in town. While a little lunch caf¨¦ was


    calling my name, I resisted the pull. I had enough money to support myself for a few weeks, but


    couldn¡¯t risk draining my pool of money. I made a silent promise with myself as the smell of rich soup


    and melted grilled cheeses filled my nose. If I managed to secure this job at the bakery, I would take


    myself to the caf¨¦ and order whatever I wanted.


    Once the sun had begun to set, I meandered back to the shady motel. The lopsided spring mattress


    was calling my name, the thin quilt beckoning me to curl up inside. While I had slept peacefully, two


    distraught faces swirled in my dreams.


    It had taken me half an hour to set an rm on the crappy rm clock the hotel provided. I had lurched


    from bed at 5:30 a.m. the faces of Alec and Kade still fresh in my mind. If they hadn¡¯t noticed my


    absence, they would today.


    I had a shift at the restaurantter today, one I would undoubtedly miss.


    I yanked myself from the motel bed, stumbling to my feet with an eager smile on my face. I hadn¡¯t the


    first clue about baking, but Beth was willing to let me try. I threw on a pair of jeans and a faded t-shirt,


    hoping she would give me a uniform to borrow. I stuffed a gran bar into my mouth, the smell of fresh


    pastry still lingering in my mind.


    I had shown up to the bakery fifteen minutes early, lingering out front as I fought against the crispN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    morning chill. The sun was beginning to rise, casting buttery light across stores and down the sidewalk.


    The sky was lit in hues of blue, orange and yellow.


    Five minutes before six, a shiny silver car pulled up the side of the road. Beth was already in uniform,


    hopping from her car with purse in hand.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. I wrapped the long sleeves of my t-shirt around my


    fists, warming my hands.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here once we open.¡± Beth snorted, ¡°Getting him out of bed early is miserable. We live in


    separate apartments and I hate having to drag him out.¡±


    Even as she closed her car door, the smell of pastries wafted from inside. I wondered if the smell


    followed her wherever she went, making her smell like a freshly baked muffin at all hours of the day. I


    could think of worse things to smell, and wouldn¡¯t mind carrying around the scent of thick frosting and


    brown sugar.


    Beth unlocked the front door and flipped on the lights, the pink and white booths shining merrily.


    ¡°Jake cleaned the storest night, so we can focus on getting everything ready for the morning rush.¡±


    Beth called out over her shoulder, motioning for me to follow.


    My eyes ran over every surface of the kitchen. Every shiny metal contraption fell under my gaze. The


    huge ovens followed by therge cooler and freezer. An assortment of piping bags sat out on the metal


    prep-table in the center of the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk as we go. Follow what I do as best you can.¡± Beth huffed, pulling arge contained of


    what looked like dough from one of the many fridges. ¡°Try your best to keep up, and if you have any


    questions feel free to ask.¡±


    Pushing away the lingering faces of Alec and Kade, I followed Beth closely. The scents and sights of


    the bakery helped distract me, helped turn my attention from the ck hole in my chest.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Kade¡¯s P.o.v


    I should have listened to that sinking feeling in my gut when I first locked eyes with Alpha Garrett.


    I should have realized why Aurora¡¯s unique eyes were so familiar.


    It was because I knew her father, Alpha Garrett exceedingly well. It was known he had a daughter, born


    from his mate but there had been no rumors of another child.


    In the werewolfmunity, illegitimate children hold the same standing. An Alpha¡¯s first born is in line


    for the position, regardless of the woman who carried the child.


    It didn¡¯t take long to figure out. The day Alec and I had gone to Aurora¡¯s house, only to find Garrett


    standing in the doorway, arose some suspicions. The two of us knew for sure when we saw Aurora and


    Garrett out at the restaurant. His eyes were copied onto her face, his nose and cheekbones identical.


    Aurora had in fact taken after her father.


    The moment we found out the truth, a sinking feeling formed in my gut. Garrett had never liked our


    family, always coveting what he couldn¡¯t have. He was jealous our territory spanned farther than his,


    including a few major cities in our reach.


    What worried me most was Aurora. Garrett was a bloodhound when he wanted something, and I knew


    Aurora wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. She had been close to breaking down the day at the restaurant,


    for reasons still unknown.


    The night we found her beaten reyed in my dreams, reliving the fury of finding her broken and alone.


    Alec had dreams of that night as well, only dare mentioning it when the two of us were alone.


    Aurora had been a weakness neither of us sawing, and yet we couldn¡¯t seem to let her go. Her


    secrets drove the two of us mad. When she moved in with Garrett, we were forced to stay away.


    We hadn¡¯t a clue if Alpha Garrett was aware of our connection to Aurora, and wondered what the


    repercussions of that might be. It was against ourw to keep mates away from each other. Garrett was


    bound byw to hand Aurora over to us.


    Alpha Garretts house waspletely unguarded, meant as a taunt to my brother and I. He knew heThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    was safe in our pack, allowed to be on our territory for his daughter.


    The day everything went to s**t, Alec and I got a phone call from Tori.


    Aurora had been in school that day, something that surprised Alec and I. She had let us touch her so


    willingly, giving into the mate-bond she tried to resist. It had taken all of our collective willpower not to


    take Aurora in that empty ssroom,pleting the mating bond before she knew the truth.


    As much as we wanted that, we couldn¡¯t bring ourselves to do it. We hadn¡¯t revealed the truth to Aurora


    to protect her. Her fragility was obvious, and thest thing we wanted was to scare her off.


    Tori had called us Saturday morning, frustrationcing her tone the moment I picked up. Alec and I


    weren¡¯t close with Tori and had our own friend group we stuck with, but Tori was Aurora¡¯s friend which


    made her important. Tori would tell us of her conversations with Aurora, and how she was doing that


    day. Aurora didn¡¯t confide much in Tori, a fact that pissed her off to no end.


    ¡°Aurora told me what happened to her face.¡± Tori scoffed, her tone abrupt and angry.


    Without taking a breath, Tori continued her train of thought.


    ¡°Grace saw her hanging around you two and tried to scare her off. She wouldn¡¯t give me much detail


    but she seemed shaken up. Apparently, Grace threatened to hurt me if she told anyone. The human


    girl Autumn was in on it too, they set Aurora up.¡±


    Tori¡¯s word vomit took a moment to sink in. Alec had long ago paused his video game, his dark eyes


    locked on my own. A ripple passed between the two of us, our facial expressions mirrored as


    murderous rage flowed through our body.


    Grace had never been more than a toy to me, one who had long pressed her boundaries. Regardless


    of the countless times I had told her the truth, Grace refused to ept it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with Grace. Did she n to do anything about this? Or was she content remaining afraid


    and quiet?¡± I murmured, fighting to keep my voice even as my eyes remained on my brother. My anger


    shined through in my words, and I wondered why Aurora wouldn¡¯t tell the two of us. Regardless of her


    thoughts towards us, she knew she could trust Alec and I, the mate-bond told her that much.


    ¡°You know how she is.¡± Tori grumbled irritably, ¡°Always trying to deal with things herself. It was hard


    enough getting her to admit what happened, and even then, I didn¡¯t get many details.¡±


    Alec was dressed and ready to leave before I hung up the phone. His dark eyes held the same


    murderous tint as my own. Within five minutes we were leaving the house, the ns we had for today


    pushed back.


    Alec and I were supposed to be meeting Alpha Julian, a man who had earned his title purely by


    coincidence. Julian was the leader of a group of rogues, quickly growing in size throughout the years.


    Alpha Julian had earned his title a month ago, and made good use of his time.


    His imed territory ovepped with our own. His meeting was to discuss a potential treaty, and a


    possible reshaping of our ownnd.


    Alec¡¯s the nicer twin between us two, quick toe to an understanding. I tend to be rash, living in the


    moment with little care for consequence. The only thing simr about the two of us are our looks and


    outrageous temper.


    While our parents stepped back and let us take the reins, they monitored every decision we made


    closely. Alec and I had never let them stop us; we had willingly stepped up to take the role. While they


    advised our decisions, they stepped back and let us take control. It had been hard for Dad at first, but


    he had never been one to enjoy relinquishing control.


    We had yet to tell them about finding our mate. Neither of us looked forward to the conversation,


    unsure of the oue. Twin¡¯s sharing the same mate had never happened before, then again there


    have never been twin Alpha¡¯s before either. Aurora belonged to Alec as much as she belonged to me.


    Neither of us worried what others would think, as we wouldn¡¯t change a thing about meeting Aurora.


    They were both in the kitchen,ughing as my Dad made breakfast. Dad was cruel at times during his


    reign as Alpha, but always had a soft spot for Mom. They were the picture-perfect image of what mates


    should be.


    ¡°About time you two woke up.¡± Our Mom chuckled; her eyes bright as she looked at our Dad.


    Alec and I looked identical to our Dad. The three of us had the same dark chestnut hair, deep brown


    eyes and nearly the same facial features. Our Mom stood out next to the three of us. Light blonde hair


    fanned her slim face, the barest trace of lines around her eyes and mouth. Bright eyes the color of


    seafoam, nothing like the dark eyes that belonged to her husband and sons.


    ¡°Were pushing back the meet time with Alpha Julian.¡± I got straight to the point, wanting to waste as


    little time as possible.


    ¡°Anything you guys need to talk about?¡± Mom looked between the two of us, her seafoam eyes


    scanning the angry features of our face.


    ¡°No.¡± Alec shook his head, his eyes hardening.


    ¡°Do what you think is right.¡± Dad could see the anger in our eyes, as well as our impatience.


    Alec and I left the house, peeling down the road towards Grace¡¯s house.


    When we had first took the position of Alpha, we decided to choose two Beta¡¯s. Having been raised by


    their side, we chose our two best friends. Jason and Zane are two of the best warriors in the pack, and


    both took the position as Beta¡¯s. The downside of that decision was the constant barrage of voices in


    our head. There was rarely a moment of silence with Jason and Zane around.


    ¡®Push back the meeting with Alpha Julian.¡¯ Alec was first to speak through the mind-link, directing his


    words to Jason and Zane.


    ¡®How far back?¡¯ Zane¡¯s voice ovepped Jason¡¯s in the mind-link.


    ¡°Three hours?¡± Alec turned and asked me, his eyes hard as we sped down the road.


    ¡°We can get information from her in two.¡± I turned my eyes from the road, a grim smirk on my lips.


    ¡®Push it back two hours.¡¯ Alec responded, cutting the mind-link short before they said anything further.


    The two of us were silent as we pulled into Grace¡¯s driveway. Her parents had been k****d when she


    was young, hardly old enough to remember them. Her Aunt had raised her, but from a distance. Money


    whenever she needed it, maids to cater to her needs, but her Aunt never provided affection or


    restrictions. Grace had let her life turn her bitter, intent on ruining anything good.


    I knocked on her front door, my sight turning a sickly shade of red. My wolf wed at the edges of my


    mind, telling me to break down the d**n door.


    Grace had failed miserably to hide the sh of fear in her eyes as she opened the door. A coy smile


    yed on her lips as she nced between the two of us, but I could still see that tiny trace of fear


    lingering in her eyes. She had asked countess times if Alec and I would share her. My patience ran thin


    as I continued to refuse her suggestion.


    ¡°Kade¨C¡± My name left Grace¡¯s lips, my self-control wavering as I shoved her inside the house. I


    stopped as her back mmed into the wall. Fear bled into her eyes as she realized that we knew.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You won¡¯t see her again.¡± Grace chuckled; her face flushed from my grip on her


    throat.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Alec¡¯s P.o.v


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. You won¡¯t see her again.¡¯


    Grace¡¯s reptilian voice echoed throughout my head, sending waves of pain running down my chest.


    From the look on Kade¡¯s face, he felt the same.


    Grace might¡¯ve been cruel and slightly insane, but she wouldn¡¯t lie. She was smart enough to tell the


    truth.


    I could see Kade¡¯s self-control slipping, his eyes darkening murderously. Kade had always struggled


    with self-control, rarely thinking things through. I liked to believe that was why we worked together so


    well. Kade was brutal and animalistic, while I was cunning and calcted. Two sides of the same coin,


    the same person split into two.


    Before Grace could open her mouth and speak any further, a deafening crack sounded in the house.


    Grace slumped to the floor, her head bouncing against the hardwood.


    For a second, I had thought Kade k****d her. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head, her eyelids


    fluttering shut. The side of her face was red, already beginning to swell. Kade had knocked her out


    without little thought.


    Hitting women never sat right with the two of us, but this was different. Grace had hurt Aurora, had


    scared her into silence. As far as I was concerned, Grace was a traitor.


    I watched as Kade¡¯s form shook with fury, his fists clenched into tight knots at his side. His control was


    slipping, and I knew if I didn¡¯t intervene, he would surely k**l Grace.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I told my brother, my hand firm on his shoulder. ¡°She still has useful information.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to save her life?¡± Kade snarled, his back facing me.


    I knew Kade was speaking thoughtlessly. He knew I had no qualms with k*****g Grace, but time and


    ce were crucial.


    ¡°Grace deserves to feel everything we put her through, don¡¯t you think brother?¡± I murmured, my eyes


    flickering down to Grace¡¯s unconscious form. ¡°She still has information about Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± Kade¡¯s voice was a rough growl. He was slipping, but managed to hold


    on tight enough to hear my words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop her off at Jason¡¯s. Him and Zane can leave her in the dungeons. We need to talk with


    Garrett, see if Aurora really left.¡± I told him, silently thanking the heavens when his form stopped


    shaking. Once Kade fully lost control, nothing would stop him. That was what made him so useful in


    battle. His rage and brutality overwhelmed him, pushing his humanity to the side in order to k**l.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk to her Mom first.¡± Kade grunted, ¡°If she left, she might¡¯ve stopped there first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure she would.¡± I frowned, remembering her strange aversion to her Mom and Step-dad. ¡°But


    we can still go there first.¡±


    Kade grunted in approval, then turned to leave the house. I scooped Grace up like a sack of flour,


    cringing at the overwhelming scent of her perfume. I tossed Grace in the trunk, mming it shut without


    looking back.


    ¡®Are you with Zane?¡¯ I asked, forming a mind-link between the four of us.


    ¡®Sure am.¡¯ Justin called out, the sound of video games in the background. ¡®Hanging out at my ce.


    You twoing over?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re bringing a prisoner. We¡¯re going to need you to put her in the dungeons until wee back.¡¯


    Kade growled, gaining some control over his voice.


    Justin and Zane went silent for a moment, undoubtedly picking up on Kade¡¯s anger. Justin and Zane


    were the only two who knew about Aurora. They had seen her a couple times in school, but always


    maintained a distance.


    ¡®Come outside.¡¯ I called through the mind-link, severing it once I finished.


    Justin and Zane were outside in under a minute, both their faces stern. Kade remained in the car,


    fighting with what little self-control he had left.


    I opened the trunk and watched as surprise crossed Justin and Zane¡¯s face. It was no secret Kade and


    Grace had screwed around a lot, as Kade was never one for secrets. He had always made it


    abundantly clear that there were no strings attached, it was Grace who refused to listen.


    ¡°Woah, what happened?¡± Justin gaped, his blue eyes wide with surprise.


    ¡°She p**s Kade off or somethin¡¯?¡± Zane chuckled lightly, his smile fading as he noticed the expression


    on my face.


    ¡°This has somethin¡¯ to do with Aurora, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Justin frowned, always quick to catch on.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, anger shing in my eyes as I looked down at Grace¡¯s form. ¡°Put her in her own cell.


    Keep her weak, but alive. I mean it, don¡¯t let her d*e.¡±


    Zane visibly gulped, looking down at Grace with a mix of anger and pity. They knew we would not show


    her mercy, that Kade was slowly losing his grip. Another perk of being friends with Justin and Zane


    were their loyalty. They already held respect for Aurora, knowing she would be their future Luna.


    Kade and I headed to Aurora¡¯s house, the one she had lived in before Garrett came along. It was hard


    to imagine anyone living here, with the cracked and withered boards, and peeling paint. The house


    looked near abandoned, yet Aurora had lived here for weeks.


    Keeping in front of Kade, I knocked on the front door. With each passing minute Kade¡¯s patience


    waned. Stepping in front of me, he threw his fist forward. The crappy wooden door splintered and


    snapped from the hinges. Neither Kade nor I blinked as the door ttered to the floor.


    ¡°What the f**k!¡± A gruff man slurred from the recliner in the living room. ¡°Get the f**k outta my house!¡±


    ¡°Kade, don¡¯t.¡± I shook my head, hand tight on his trembling shoulder. I turned my attention to Aurora¡¯s


    Step-Dad, noting the scent of stale beer and liquor thundering around the house. ¡°Have you seen or


    heard from Aurora?¡±


    ¡°Why the f**k would I hear from that b***h?¡± Her Step-Dad half snarled half slurred. He stood from the


    recliner and stumbled towards us.


    A defeated sigh left my lips as her step-dad edged closer to Kade. From Kade¡¯s shaking hands, I knew


    it was no use.


    Before her step-dad could take another step, Kade had lurched forward. Her step-dad was on the floor


    in under three seconds, his thick neck under Kade¡¯s hand. His ws were lengthening, pressing into


    the drunk man¡¯s flesh.


    ¡°He¡¯s useless.¡± I scoffed, watching as Aurora¡¯s step-dad¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Too drunk to know


    anything.¡±


    ¡°Then it will not matter if he dies.¡± Kade snarled, his eyes locked on Aurora¡¯s step-dad. His grip


    tightened around his neck, thick beads of blood sprouting from where Kade¡¯s ws pressed into his


    neck.


    ¡°I think we should let Aurora decide what to do with him.¡± I mused, wondering what our kind-hearted


    mate might do.


    After all but prying Kade¡¯s hands away from the man¡¯s neck, we left his house. Her Mom had not been


    there, presumably at work.


    We pulled into Garrett¡¯s driveway, Kade jumped from the car before I could put it in park. My heart


    thundered in my chest, a feeling I wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    She¡¯s here, she hasn¡¯t left. She¡¯s here, she hasn¡¯t left.


    I swore Kade¡¯s frantic thoughts matched my own. Duty and respect had left long ago, leaving the frantic


    need to find Aurora.


    If we were to do this by the book, showing up at another Alpha¡¯s house without notice is disrespectful,


    regardless of whose territory they are on.


    We had not called Garrett ahead of time, nor did we knock on his front door.


    A plump blonde woman came out of the kitchen, her eyes wide as she noticed Kade and I standing in


    the foyer.


    ¡°Where is Alpha Garrett?¡± I asked, ignoring Kade as he strolled into the house. Kade didn¡¯t wait for her


    answer, but headed to the stairs.


    ¡°His office¡ªsecond floor, third door on the right.¡± The woman stammered, clearly startled by our abrupt


    behavior.


    Kade was up the stairs before the woman uttered herst word. The door to Garrett¡¯s office was open


    by the time I ran up the stairs and down the hall. Kade stood in the open doorway, his hands balled into


    tight fists.


    ¡°Where is Aurora?¡± Kade growled lowly, still trying to keep some semnce of control over himself.


    ¡°She¡¯s here, clearly.¡± Alpha Garrett scoffed, standing to adjust the crisp suit he wore.


    ¡°We were told otherwise.¡± I added in, my face hardening as I noticed the simrities between Alpha


    Garrett and his daughter. No matter how simr they looked, Aurora was nothing like Alpha Garrett.


    ¡°And who gave you that information?¡± Alpha Garrett scoffed, shaking his head as though he were


    talking to two delusional children.


    The look on his face tested my own patience, anger shing through my eyes as I looked at the man.


    Kade and I had stepped up into the position of Alpha as soon as we were able. We trained and studied


    for countless years. We were not children, nor would we be treated like one.


    ¡°Show us to her room or you can get the f**k off our territory.¡± Kade snapped, visibly shaking as he


    stared down Alpha Garrett.


    ¡°If you force me to leave, I will take her with me.¡± Alpha Garrett¡¯s tone was quiet, calm. I wanted to


    laugh, to chuckle right in his face. If only he knew, he had no im on Aurora, not while we were her


    mates.


    I knew what my brother was going to say before he opened his mouth. Alpha Garrett clearly had an


    inted sense of self-importance, and it was past time to knock him down a notch.


    ¡°You will take our mate nowhere.¡± Kade snapped, savoring the surprised look on Alpha Garrett¡¯s face.


    ¡°You have no im on her, and now you never will.¡±


    ¡°Mates?¡± Alpha Garrett scoffed; his eyes wide as he looked between the two of us. ¡°Both of you?¡±


    ¡°Both of us.¡± I nodded grimly, impaling him with my eyes.


    Alpha Garrett reluctantlyplied, taking us down the hall to where Aurora¡¯s room sat. I could


    practically hear the gears turning in his head, could see him scrambling toe up with some kind of


    n. His high and mighty position was crumbling. Whatever his ns had been were clearly failing.


    ¡°She¡¯s right in here.¡± Alpha Garrett gestured to one of the many doors in the hallway. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t


    think she¡¯s interested inpany.¡±


    ¡°She will be once she sees us.¡± I snapped, eyes narrowing at Alpha Garrett.


    Kade had regained enough control to knock on Aurora¡¯s bedroom door, but that was as far as his


    patience stretched. As ten seconds passed, Kade gripped the doorknob and shoved. With a sickening


    crack, the door swung open. Kade shot Alpha Garrett a murderous re, daring him to speak. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I was quick to enter her bedroom, wrenching open the bathroom door to check inside. Unless she had


    taken up a liking for hide-and-seek, Aurora was nowhere in this room.


    Her bed was still messy, as though she had just slept in it hours ago. Upon looking in her closet, most


    of her clothes were gone. All that was left was an old t-shirt and a used pair of shoes.


    I gripped herforter in my hand, bringing it to my nose and inhaling deeply. If she had just left, her


    scent on theforter would still be strong. As I inhaled her scent on theforter, a gut-wrenching


    pain ran through me. Her scent was dull, nearly gone from the fibers of the nket. Wherever she was,


    she hadn¡¯t slept in her bedst night.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± My voice was low, but came out in a snarl.


    Anger shed in my veins, but who was at fault? Heart stopping fear ran through me at the thought of


    Aurora on her own. She understood the ugliest parts of the world, but didn¡¯t know how to defend


    herself.


    ¡°I should have known.¡± Garrett sighed, gaining the full attention of Kade and I.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I spat each word as though it were a weapon able to pierce his skin.


    I could now see how Kade felt when he was losing control. My skin felt ufortable and itchy as fur


    threatened to sprout. My human teeth felt disgustingly ufortable, my canines itching to break


    through my gums. My body was like a cellphone on vibrate, shaking as I refrained from shifting.


    ¡°I showed her the truth.¡± Garrett spoke inly, as if he had done nothing wrong. ¡°She needs to know


    what she is, and what her future holds. I do not have the patience for coddling.¡±


    ¡°Coddling?¡± Kade scoffed, but the sound was simr to a snarl.


    ¡°You were absent from her entire life, steal her away from two people who clearly don¡¯t want her, and


    then tell her she isn¡¯t human? And you¡¯re surprised she reacted this way?¡± Despite the anger that


    blistered through me, I wanted tough. Alpha Garrett had the nerve to look at us like we were children,


    and yet he had chased his own daughter away.


    ¡°I did what I thought was best.¡± Alpha Garrett snapped, his eyes hardening as he red at my brother


    and I.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to find her, Garrett.¡± Kade sneered his name, purposefully forgetting to use his title. ¡°And


    when we do, you¡¯ll never see her again.¡±


    ¡°She is my daughter and heir.¡± Alpha Garrett snapped, ¡°I have a right to see her. She knows nothing of


    running a pack.¡±


    So that¡¯s why he finally came back for Aurora. I wondered if Kade had gleaned the hidden meaning to


    his words.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know how to run a pack.¡± I lied, letting my lips turn up in a cruel sneer. ¡°She¡¯s our


    mate, which mean¡¯s your pack will soon be our own.¡±


    Alpha Garretts face contorted in fury, and I knew I had assumed right.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Aurora¡¯s P.o.v


    I wiped the napkin across my damp forehead, grimacing at the ridiculous amount of flour I had


    managed to get on my clothes.


    The uniform looked much like the inside of the bakery; pink and white. Even Jake had to wear one,


    sporting a pink and white apron as though it were the next fashion statement. Of all the things Jake


    comined about, the uniform wasn¡¯t one of them.


    A white shirt with the words ¡®Beth¡¯s Bakery¡¯ stitched into it with golden thread, followed by a pair of


    jeans and a pink and white apron. As I walked small puffs of flour filled the air, originating from my


    messy uniform.


    Within the first three hours I was coated in a thinyer of sweat. The hot ovens and constant running


    about did nothing to help. Despite the sweat, I was having the time of my life.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I didn¡¯t have to trudge home to Melissa and Frank, nor did I have to endure the presence of Garrett. For


    those few hours I worked, I had almost forgotten what I was¨Ca werewolf.


    My limbs cried out with exhaustion as I shadowed Beth from station to station. Chocte eirs, bear


    ws, extravagant cupcakes, and cannoli sat on silver prep trays.


    Beth had taught me the basics, and somehow, I managed to retain the information. She showed me


    how to make the dough for most pastries, how to make custards, creams, and chocte ganache. I


    was sure after one day the scent of pastries would cling to me like an aromatic perfume, but I had no


    comints.


    Jake manned the register, a task he refused to give up. While most of the day was quite hectic with


    heavy flows of customers filing in and out, I had fun the entire time.


    Jake seemed to enjoy watching every mistake I made,ughing with gusto each time. Hisughter


    managed to coax a couple smiles from a stressed-out Beth. For once, I was thankful for my werewolf


    genes. It seemed there weren¡¯t any clumsy werewolves walking around as the enhanced reflexes


    made it near impossible to be clumsy.


    It was amusing how often Beth and Jake would bicker. If they weren¡¯t siblings, and nearly identical in


    every way, I would have assumed they were a couple.


    By closing time, my heart was a jackhammer in my chest. Beth told me she would let me know if I had


    the jobe closing time. Despite my mistakes, I thought I did a decent job for someone who had


    never baked a day in their life.


    ¡°Amber?¡±


    My head snapped up; my attention sucked from my task. I had been wiping down the tables and booths


    when Beth started speaking. I hadn¡¯t recognized she was talking to me, but quickly remembered what


    name I had given her.


    ¡°Yeah, Beth?¡± My eyes snapped up to meet her own.


    Somehow Beth managed to look gorgeous even covered in flour and dried bits of dough. Her sandy-


    blonde hair held a hint of gold, sun kissed by the bright Missouri rays. Her eyes resembled the color of


    a midwinter sky, light and bemused as they fell on my startled face. Jake was nearly identical to Beth in


    the looks department. They both looked as though they belonged on a runway in Hollywood, not in a


    small bakery in Missouri.


    ¡°So¨Cabout that position.¡± Beth breathed; her simple gaze locked on my face.


    Her words prompted me to stop what I was doing. Anxiety knotted itself in my gut as I clenched the


    d***y rag between my palms.


    ¡°You did good today.¡± Beth nodded, her seafoam eyes conveying true approval. ¡°But I expect better


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± My eyes widened, my jaw going ck as I registered the amusement in her words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bete either.¡± Beth shook her head, casting Jake a sideways re. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough one of us


    can nevere on time.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not a morning person. We could¡¯ve just opened a nightclub; I¡¯de to work early every


    day. This astonishingly boring town could use a little night-time excitement.¡± Jake shouted, his attention


    on the money in the register. Beth scoffed and left Jake to count the till, stacking the chairs on top of


    the pink tables.


    I shuddered against the cool breeze as Beth locked the bakery doors behind us. The streets were


    empty apart from the asional drifter wandering down the wide sidewalks. This entire town had such


    a different feel when the sun went down. During the day it was bright and vorful, the aromas of


    different foods wafting in every direction. At night the town was vacant, houses darkened, front porch


    lights flickered off.


    ¡°Need a ride, Amber?¡± Beth asked, her eyes bemused yet thoughtful.


    I pulled my jacket tighter around my torso, giving a half-hearted shrug. ¡°Not really, the motel is on the


    corner.¡±


    ¡°Oh¨Cwell, goodnight Amber!¡± Beth called out, her voice gentle as it was lifted and carried by the wind. I


    gave her a kind smile and began walking to the motel.


    ¡°Hey, Amber!¡± Beth called out, and I turned in response. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay the night at my ce?¡±


    While I was ted that she asked me to spend the night, the kindness had caught me off guard. I


    wasn¡¯t used to people going out of their way to help me. Why would she want me to stay the night? We


    weren¡¯t friends, and I wasn¡¯t sure we would ever be.


    From looks alone, Beth was the type of girl to have arge friend group. From her athletic and toned


    body to her golden hair and blue eyes, Beth had never been an outcast before.


    ¡°Are¨Care you sure?¡± I asked, nearly flinching at how tired my voice had sounded. It wasn¡¯t a physical


    sense of exhaustion, but a mental one.


    ¡°Well duh.¡± Beth chuckled; her eyes eager yet sleepy. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have asked if I didn¡¯t want you to!¡±


    Jake gave the two of us a sluggish wave and got into his car. Beth was nice enough to stop by the


    motel so I could grab a couple things.


    I after one night without toiletries, I had given in and spent the thirty dors to get what I needed. Beth¡¯s


    face contorted in distain as she looked at my crappy motel room. Torn c******s with a hideous seventies


    pattern, followed by the stained carpet that had a couple bald patches, and that summed up my


    extravagant quarters.


    ¡°This is where you¡¯re staying?¡± Beth grimaced her eyes trailing over the lumpy mattress I had been


    sleeping on.


    Blood rushed to my face, followed by the swift entrance of embarrassment. Theforter I had been


    covering up with was littered with holes and a red stain that looked suspiciously like blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s forty bucks a night.¡± I shrugged, turning my face so she couldn¡¯t see the embarrassment burning in


    my eyes.


    I gathered some of my toiletries and something to wear the next day. Within three minutes I was


    finished and looked at Beth questioningly. Her seafoam eyes were uncertain yet thoughtful as she


    looked around the room.


    With a long sigh, her eyes hardened.


    ¡°Grab the rest of your stuff.¡± Beth huffed; her lips pursed as she red at the poor state of my motel


    room.


    ¡°What?¡± My mind went nk, and for a second I thought she was ying some cruel practical joke.


    ¡°Grab your stuff, you¡¯re not staying in this shithole.¡± Beth let out another sigh, one that made me feel


    guilty.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have let me stay with you.¡± I shook my head. Thest thing I wanted was to be a burden, I


    had been that enough in my short lifetime. ¡°I¡¯m just grateful I got the job. Seriously, don¡¯t worry about


    it.¡±


    Beth didn¡¯t reply, and instead the room copsed into silence. After a few moments I shifted


    ufortably, my eyes anywhere other than Beth.


    ¡°What¡¯s your real name?¡±


    Before I couldpose myself, shock bled through my features. Beth¡¯s lips turned up in a sardonic


    smile. She knew she had me caught.


    ¡°Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Aurora?¡± Beth scoffed, shaking out her sand-colored hair. ¡°Strange name, but I believe you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I think.¡± I murmured, unable to do much else.


    I could feel the little safe haven I discovered copse around me. Why would Beth want to hire


    someone who lied? I couldn¡¯t even tell her my name, let alone the reason for me being here. What kind


    of person would want an employee like that? Who would want a friend like that?


    ¡°Why¡¯d you lie?¡± Beth¡¯s features were a mask of indifference, but she couldn¡¯t hide the curiosity burning


    in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± I gulped, the motel room feeling much too crowded at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear it sometime.¡± Beth nodded; her eyes surpassingly calm. ¡°Are youing or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here.¡± I shook my head, my stomach heavy as though it were weighed down with lead. ¡°I don¡¯t


    want to be a burden.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t offer again, so if you need a ce to stay, I¡¯d suggest you let me know.¡± Beth frowned, her eyes


    distastefully roaming the motel room.


    Burden¡­.


    The word echoed in my mind, bouncing around my head as though it were made of stic. That¡¯s what


    I was, wasn¡¯t I? I was a burden to Melissa, to Frank, to Grace. I was even a burden to Garrett; one he


    had abandoned for over ten years.


    ¡°Thank you¨Cfor the offer.¡± I nodded, forcing a kind smile to my face. ¡°I won¡¯t bete tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you then.¡± Beth grunted, heading for the door. Just as she crossed the threshold, she called out


    over her shoulder. ¡°By the way, the next time someone asks for your name, don¡¯t spend the next


    minute thinking it over.¡±


    ¡°Wait¨Cif you knew, why¡¯d you hire me?¡± I sputtered, looking on at the sporty blonde girl before me.


    ¡°Jake can¡¯t bake for s**t and¨Cwell, I really needed the help.¡± Beth shrugged, ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Kade¡¯s P.o.v


    One Week Later


    With each passing day, my patience seemed to thin. We could find no witnesses who spotted Aurora


    that night. Our first step was heading to the nearest bus terminals, speaking with security to ess the


    camera¡¯s. After an agonizing three days, two of four bus terminals had searched through their footage.


    Two had not gotten back to Alec or I. It was reasonable to assume Aurora had taken a bus to Anta


    airport and then flew from there. When my patience had run too thin, Alec contacted the Anta Airport


    on my behalf. Our territory covered Anta, meaning we had the authority to demand this of our


    people.


    Alpha Garrett was determined to help us locate Aurora, though his reasons differed from our own. He


    was still unhappy with his daughter¡¯s mates, but I could¡¯ve cared less. I couldn¡¯t risk hurting Aurora or


    Alpha Garrett would have been rotting in the dungeons by now. I knew without asking that Alec felt the


    same.


    We went as far as to track her banking statements, but the most recent purchases were here in town, a


    week before she had left. The cellphone Tori had given her sat untouched on the bed, missed calls and


    texts shing across the screen.


    It seems Aurora had been quite the little mastermind, going as far as ditching her cellphones and


    withdrawing the money from her bank ount. If she weren¡¯t gone, I might have been amused at the


    lengths she went to.


    Naturally, Tori was distraught when she heard what Aurora had done. She had been in denial for days,


    iming she must¡¯ve been kidnapped. While kidnapping wasn¡¯t out of question, it was highly unlikely.


    As much as it pained me to be away from my mate, I understood why she would choose to leave.


    And as her mate, I couldn¡¯t let her get away. If she rejected us for bringing her back, then so be it but


    we had to try.


    A country-wide search for Aurora was our next step should the bus terminals and airport prove to be


    useless. We wanted to keep her identity private, sparing her from being hunted by every werewolf in


    the country.


    Most days, I spent my time with Grace. Despite the numerous times we had slept together, I had never


    known the true depths of her obsession. With the putrid scent of the dungeon ledged behind my frontal


    lobe, I made myself familiar with her screams and ragged sobs.


    Torturing Grace had been pointless, expending energy for information she did not have. Grace cracked


    within the first hour, much as Alec and I predicted. Her face resembled Aurora¡¯s when she had hurt her.


    Eyes swollen shut, the skin dark and purple. Her jaw might have been broken, but I hadn¡¯t cared


    enough to stop.


    ¡®She¡¯s been nning to leave this entire time.¡¯ Grace spat, her eyes bright and wild despite the sob that


    left her b****y lips. ¡®She couldn¡¯t wait to get away from the two of you.¡¯


    I reigned in the fury that made me want to take Grace¡¯s life, and refused to entertain the thought.


    Instead of taking her life, I left her to rot. Her d***h would be agonizingly slow, for every moment Aurora


    had been afraid of her.


    ¡®Guys, we got a problem.¡¯ Justin growled through the mind-link, interrupting Alec and I¡¯s time with


    Grace.


    A ragged breath left her lips, one of relief as Alec and I were called away. She¡¯d be given enough food


    to kept alive, but that was the extent of our generosity.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Alec¡¯s panic mirrored my own.


    ¡®Alpha Julian and his men are here.¡¯ Zane grunted; his usual care-free tone was reced with one of


    distaste. ¡®Stopped at the borders, but insist on being let through.¡¯


    ¡®Says you keep canceling a meeting with him.¡¯ Justin continued, ¡®He¡¯s insisting to be seen.¡¯


    ¡®Tell him, if he wishes for an audience he will have to wait.¡¯ I snapped, tired of Alpha Julian¡¯s inted


    sense of importance. ¡®Bring him to our office, keep an eye on him and his men the entire time.¡¯


    ¡®Got it, Alpha.¡¯ Justin called out, ending the mind-link.


    ¡°He waits for us.¡± Alec nodded approvingly, ¡°We take our time, show him he cannote onto ournd


    and demand our attention.¡±


    Alec and I spent some time visiting the bus terminals, watching over the footage ourselves for any


    sighting of Aurora. Unsessful and extremely irritable, we headed back to town.


    Justin and Zane had been helpful, bringing Alpha Julian to our office outside of the packhouse. Our


    office inside the packhouse was personal, reserved for those we trusted. We wouldn¡¯t allow just anyone


    to enter the home we resided in. Alpha Julian was brought to another building on the other side of


    town. The building itself was meant to fool the eyes. Large and imposing, an office building in the


    center of a quaint town. The building was located in the busiest part of town, citizen¡¯s walking the


    streets along shops and restaurants. Gardeners tended the flowers that formed inrge clumps along


    the sidewalks, while others trimmed the grass. This was where we held meetings with other Alpha¡¯s,


    showing our position and the size of our pack.


    A good three hourster, we arrived at our office. This particr office was meant to fit many, and


    sported a round table with multiple chairs. A fully stocked bar ran the length of the wall. The bar


    tempted others to getfortable, but they were quickly reminded whose territory they resided on.


    Alpha Julian sat in one of the empty chairs, his face etched with irritation at being kept waiting. Julian¡¯s


    men lined the wall, their silent eyes watching their Alpha. Justin and Zane were nowhere to be seen, a


    smart move on their part. Alpha Julian would know how unimportant he was, as he couldn¡¯t get an


    audience with either Alpha or either Beta.


    Justin and Zane met us outside, both shooting irritable res at the office inside. Justin and Zane both


    had the same towering build, a perk of being two of our best warriors. Justin¡¯s hair was the color of


    sand, reaching down to his shoulders in gentle waves. Zane¡¯s hair was the color of gingerbread, parted


    to the side of his head.


    ¡°Want us to join, Alpha?¡± Justin asked, to which I nodded.


    The four of us entered the building, heading down the hall and to the left. A set of double doors led into


    therge office space.


    Alpha Julian stood as we entered the room, the irritation fading from his face. Alpha Julian stood a little


    taller than Alec and I, but his build was much smaller of the two. With thick dark hair that reached his


    shoulders, Alpha Julian looked nothing like a rogue despite the nature in which he received his title. His


    suit was dark, but the blue in his eyes stood out rmingly.


    ¡°Alpha Alec and Alpha Kade, a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± Alpha Julian approached the two of us,


    extending a hand. I ignored his rueful tone and the way he had spoken the word ¡®finally¡¯, epting his


    hand. ¡°Beta Zane and Beta Justin, pleasure.¡±


    ¡°We had other matters to attend to.¡± Alec informed him, strolling over to the bar to pour himself a drink.


    I watched the irritation sh in Alpha Julian¡¯s eyes as he looked at my brother. Alec moved as though


    he had all the time in the world, taking time to choose and pour his drink.


    ¡°Anything I could help with?¡± Alpha Julian questioned, his eyes flitting over to me.


    I took a seat at the table, farthest away from Julian. Leaning back in the seat, I surveyed the man in


    front of me. Once a rogue, now an Alpha. Julian had built a pack of his own from rogues, using force


    and charisma to secure his ce. Word has it his pack is fairly loyal and civilized, nothing like the


    rogues you see today. Alpha Julian had been insisting on renegotiating our territory, a meeting Alec


    and I were not looking forward to.


    ¡°Unnecessary.¡± I shrugged, my eyes bored and tone t. Once Alec was finished, he took the seat


    beside me. Justin and Zane leaned against the wall, joining the men they had sent to watch over Alpha


    Julian.


    A knock sounded on the door, and I signaled one of our men to open it. Alpha Garrett stood in the door


    way, sending a new wave of murderous anger into our blood.


    ¡°One of my men told me of Alpha Julian¡¯s arrival.¡± Alpha Garrett nodded once at Julian, then turned his


    attention to Alec and I. ¡°I feel as though I should be here, considering my territory is nearby.¡±


    Thest thing I wanted was to deal with another infuriating Alpha, but he was right. Alpha Garrett came


    inside, taking a seat at the table.


    ¡°Now¨Clet¡¯s get down to business.¡± Alpha Julian gave Alec and I a serpent-like smile, looking much like


    the rogue he used to be. ¡°My numbers grow as more rogue¡¯se to join my pack. As we all know,


    there is a vast amount of unimednd just south of your pack.¡±


    ¡°And what would you ask of us?¡± Alec spoke first, his eyebrow raised as he gave Julian a look of


    amusement. ¡°Should we let you and your entire pack cross through ournds for this territory? ThatThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    would be quite the risk.¡±


    ¡°I would never ask such things, not unless it is ast resort.¡± Alpha Julian kept his tone polite, but his


    eyes were hard and determined.


    ¡°Speak inly then.¡± I let my impatience shine through. I hadn¡¯t the time for carefully crafted words, as


    locating Aurora was more important than a disgruntled Alpha.


    ¡°We ask that¨C¡°


    The high-pitched chime of a phone went off, and my head snapped down as I felt my pocket vibrate.


    Dismissing Alpha Julian¡¯s words entirely, I ced the phone against my ear. Anta Airport security


    was on the other line, their words taking my attention from the other Alpha¡¯s in the room.


    ¡°The girl you¡¯re looking for¨CI think we¡¯ve found her.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Aurora¡¯s P.o.v


    One Week Later


    I had somehow managed to survive the week. Not only was I baking things on my own, Beth let me


    create some new desserts myself. I experimented with puff pastry, sugar icing, and fresh fruit. Some


    things turned out better than others, but Beth had a knack for selling. Jake was supportive as always


    with his sarcasticmentary, but the moment he had tasted the chocte croissants I made, he was


    hooked.


    While Beth had known my actual name for an entire week, she never pushed me to give anything


    more. Jake had taken my abrupt name change with little more than a shrug, shing his lop-sided grin


    as he told me he liked the name Aurora more than Amber. While at first, I had listened to the two of


    them joke and bicker, I was now joining in. Each night I left the store, I smelled like roasted cinnamon


    and freshly baked puff pastry. I couldn¡¯t imagine a better smell¨Cwell, I could name one but I refused to


    think about my life before this little town.


    Countless nights I had dreamed of the twin¡¯s, the two of them searching frantically for me. Each


    morning I¡¯d wake with a new pain in my chest, and just another thing to spend the day ignoring.


    Good on her promise, I hadn¡¯t heard from Thalia since the day I left. Not that I¡¯d ever admit this to her,


    but I was beginning to miss the annoying voice in my head. She felt like an extension of myself. Some


    days when I was feeling particrly down, I¡¯d try and reach out to her. I¡¯d let my fingers fumble through


    the dark recesses of my mind, searching for any trace of Thalia. It felt as though she were just out of


    reach, avoiding my outstretched hand as I searched for her.


    On myst day in the Motel, Beth had managed to find me a little house to rent. She was familiar with


    the owner, a big burly guy by the name of Bret. The house was practically falling apart, but I couldn¡¯t


    argue with the price of rent. Three hundred dors a month for a house on itsst legs, fit with withered


    boards, cobwebs in every corner of the house, and a kitchen big enough for one person. The house


    had minimal furniture, a bed and a couch older than my Grandma, but it was mine to do with what I


    pleased. Even with the horrible state of the house, I loved that I coulde and go as I pleased


    without fear. I didn¡¯t have to worry about drunk step-dad¡¯s or insane ex-girlfriends.


    The bakery was open Monday through Friday, as Beth and Jake were both in college. Beth had just


    turned neen, while Jake had turned twenty-one a couple months ago. Their parents owned many


    stores in town and got Beth her own bakery as a birthday present. While their parents were often busy,


    they treated Jake and Beth kindly. I hadn¡¯t met them, but Beth had told me enough.


    ¡°C**p, Aurora I need a huge favor.¡± Beth sighed, tossing down the bag of cannoli filling onto the prep


    table. Her phone was pressed against her ear, her white apron covered in a healthy spattering of


    cinnamon and nutmeg.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I called out, pulling a tray of miniature cherry pies from the oven and cing them on


    a table to cool.


    ¡°I just got ast-minute order from Sherry at the nursing home.¡± Beth groaned, pulling her apron off and


    tossing it on an empty prep table. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make it back for close. If you need any help Jake


    can walk you through what to do.¡±


    Sherry managed the small but fancy nursing home in town, and I had learned of her three days into


    working at the bakery. She¡¯d often cerge orders for the employee¡¯s and elderly in the nursing


    home. She was often forgetful and cedst minute orders, ones Beth and I had to scramble to


    complete.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± I shrugged, giving her a genuine smile. ¡°I¡¯ve helped you close enough times to


    remember.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t turn the freezer off.¡± Beth sighed, patting the flour off her dark jeans. ¡°Thest time Jake


    closed, we had toe in at two in the morning to rece all of the melted cakes.¡±


    ¡°It was one time, Beth!¡± Jake yelled from the register, ¡°One time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and I learned my lesson.¡± Beth snapped, then mumbled to herself. ¡°Can¡¯t trust him with anything


    important.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I chuckled, grabbing the piping back from the table to continue filling the cannoli shells.


    ¡°Everything will be just fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Beth sighed, giving me a reassuring smile. I continued where Beth had left of as she piled


    assorted pastries into arge cake box. When she finally finished, she called out to Jake before leaving


    the shop with a wave.


    ¡°Take Aurora home tonight, Jake!¡± Beth called out, the door jingling as it closed.


    Jake and I spent the next hour dealing with the dwindling crowd. As soon as the sun began to set, the


    crowd walking the streets would thin out. After cing many trays of tarts, cookies, and little cakes into


    the refrigerator, I tossed my apron onto an empty prep table. While Jake counted the till, I wiped down


    the tables and booths.


    Just ten minutes before Jake and I prepared to leave, a girl walked through the door. Jake had long


    ago flipped the open sign to closed, but he seemed to recognize the girl. Long chocte hair and deep


    honey highlights, the girl looked around his and Beth¡¯s age. The smile on her face was light and


    contagious, her hazel eyes ringed with a deep green.


    ¡°Jake!¡± The girl grinned wildly as she caught Jake¡¯s eye. ¡°Already forget about me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I did.¡± Jake chuckled, ¡°Let me finish counting the till really quick. Taylor meet Aurora, Beth¡¯s


    new pastry minion.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at Jake and gave Taylor a small smile. Once Jake finished counting the till, he slipped


    his jacket over his shoulders and walked over to Taylor and I.


    ¡°You forgot about our date, didn¡¯t you?¡± Taylor raised her eyebrow at Jake, but seemed unsurprised at


    his forgetfulness.


    ¡°I did.¡± Jake grinned sheepishly, making Taylor chuckle. ¡°I just got to take Aurora home first.¡±


    ¡°Our movie starts in ten minutes.¡± Taylor frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I shook my head and gave the two of them a reassuring smile, ¡°It¡¯s a ten-minute


    walk at best, nothing I haven¡¯t done before.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, Rory?¡± Jake frowned, using the stupid nickname he called me by.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± I chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Beth.¡± Jake called out, a pleading grin on his face. ¡°She¡¯ll k**l me if she finds out I let youThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    walk.¡±


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me.¡± I smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to lock the door.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just as bad as she is!¡±


    I left the bakery with a smile on my face, wondering how Beth managed to be younger yet more mature


    than Jake. I had always found Jake attractive, with his sun-kissed hair and dimples that appeared


    whenever he smiled. There had been plenty of customers that caught my eye, but none seemed to


    evoke a response within me. My hands would no longer sweat and my stomach would no longer erupt


    in butterflies.


    The street was nearly deserted as I walked past the darkened shops. A few stragglers lingered on the


    streets, most likely walking back to one of the Motel¡¯s down the block. This town seemed quite the


    tourist attraction during the day, butcked any kind of nightlife. The air was crisp and thick with


    humidity, making little beads of sweat form at the back of my neck.


    I walked past the darkened shops; the bright colors washed out from the darkness. I hadn¡¯t noticed the


    heavy footsteps behind me until I turned the corner and walked a couple more feet. Not wanting to fully


    turn around, I tilted my head and nced out the corner of my eye.


    Two figures- much toorge to be women, were walking behind me. I told myself not to be worried, that


    there were still a few stragglers walking down the road and that they could be headed anywhere. There


    were a couple Motel¡¯s and gas stations by the little shack I lived in, they could be heading there.


    My stomach dropped as another dark figure turned the corner farther ahead of me, walking in my


    direction. Normally this wouldn¡¯t have phased me, but all three were dressed exactly the same. Each


    wore dark colored jeans and thick boots. A dark sweatshirt covered their torso¡¯s, the hood pulled up


    around their heads. Each of them walked with purpose, unlike the tourists that meandered from shop to


    shop. Not only were they dressed the same, their scents were nearly identical.


    Male muskbined with something¡­different.


    ¡®S**t, Aurora run!¡¯ Thalia¡¯s voice echoed in my head for the first time since I had left.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Thalia¡¯s frantic voice spurred something within me, and I took off in a desperate sprint. My feet pped


    against the sidewalk, the sound bouncing off buildings and echoing down the barren street.


    ¡®They¡¯re werewolves.¡¯ Thalia hissed, ¡®You need to run faster.¡¯


    I veered across the street and down the sidewalk, my breaths emerging in short pants. My legs were


    already beginning to b**n, and I thanked the heaven¡¯s I removed the boot from my foot days ago. My


    foot had beenpletely healed, a perk of being half-werewolf, I suppose. My lungs screamed in my


    chest, making me want to scream. While my speed and strength were heightened, my werewolf side


    did not affect my horrible stamina.


    ¡®Don¡¯t look behind you.¡¯ Thalia hissed as I started to turn my head.


    A ragged scream tore through my throat as a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. A hand mped


    over my mouth, muffling the scream before it had the chance to ricochet off the buildings. The shops


    lining the street were absent of light, the signs on the doors flipped to ¡®closed¡¯.


    There was no one out here to help me.


    ¡®Come on, Aurora! Fight back!¡¯ Thalia hissed, ¡®Kick them, bite them! Do something!¡¯


    I used all of the energy I had to thrash my legs, as Thalia goaded me on. A sick sense of satisfaction


    ran through me as my leg connected with something hard, following the grunt of a male. One of the


    men stood in front of me, and I could make out some of the features on his face. A wide mouth with


    chipped teeth, shaggy hair that grazed his eyebrows, and a look of zing anger in his eyes.


    The man holding me tightened his grip, his hand slipping as I continued trying to squirm from his grasp.


    I mped my teeth down on the meaty part of his hand, biting down until the disgusting taste of blood


    filled my mouth.


    A breathless groan left my lips as the man holding me finally let go. My head hit the concrete with a


    sickening crack, and stars danced in my eyes. With fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I


    scrambled into a sitting position.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have money, but you can take my wallet.¡± I stammered, the words spewing from my mouth like


    vomit.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want your money, darling.¡± The man with the wide mouth and shaggy hair cooed, as though I


    were a startled cat. ¡°Our boss sent us to find you.¡±


    ¡®Alec and Kade wouldn¡¯t send someone to get us.¡¯ Thalia murmured, ¡®They¡¯de and get us


    themselves. Someone else sent these men.¡¯


    ¡®Garrett?¡¯ I asked, my eyes flitting between the three looming figures.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Thalia paused, ¡®These wolves, they smell¨Cwrong.¡¯


    I scrambled backwards as one of the men reached for me, grimacing as small rocks and shards of


    ss dug into my skin.


    ¡®Do you feel that?¡¯ Thalia hissed.


    ¡®I¡¯m not feeling anything other than terror right now.¡¯ I snapped, thrashing as one of the men lifted me to


    my feet.


    ¡°Are you going to behave?¡± One of the men asked, his voice was soft considering the situation we were


    in. ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt you, but we will if you force our hand.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡®Alec and Kade, their close.¡¯ Thalia whispered.


    I ignored the sudden rush of excitement that coursed through me, ming it on Thalia when I knew she


    wasn¡¯t the source. Every hair on my body seemed to stand as I heard their name echo in my mind. The


    bliss I felt was short-lived, followed by the most horrendous pain.


    ¡®We need to shift, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia whispered; sympathyced in her harsh tone. ¡®This is going to hurt,


    but you¡¯ll survive.¡¯


    ¡®I thought we needed Alec and Kade to shift?¡¯ I stammered.


    ¡®Their close enough for you not to d*e during the process.¡¯ Thalia responded, ¡®Brace yourself.¡¯


    I hadn¡¯t a clue what she meant, or how to brace myself for what wasing. Nearly a secondter, a


    searing pain shot up my spine. Liquid fire coursed through my veins, seeping into my muscles and


    bones. A sickening crack echoed throughout the street, followed by a wail of pure agony. Everything


    seemed to detach as my body was consumed in mes. I no longer knew where we were, or what we


    were doing here in the first ce. The three men faded from mind, their voices a slurred jumble in my


    ears.


    ¡®S**t, s**t!¡¯


    ¡®He said she couldn¡¯t shift yet.¡¯


    ¡®Not without the two Alphas.¡¯


    ¡®S**t, they have to be close by. Her wolf wouldn¡¯t let her shift without them.¡¯


    ¡°Inject her with the wolfsbane.¡¯


    ¡®It won¡¯t work¨Cnot when she¡¯s just shifted.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯ll work in a couple hours. Just do it!¡¯


    My lungs were numb, expelling oxygen as though it were poison. Crack after sickening crack sounded,


    followed by something soft brushing against my skin. I felt my legs give out from under me, vaguely


    hearing Thalia¡¯s soft voice filling my head.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ She hissed gently, ¡®It¡¯s almost done. Stay conscious, Aurora. You need to stay


    awake.¡¯


    I could feel myself sliding into the dark, hands grasping for something¨Canything, to keep me from


    falling. My hands grasped something firm as the image of Alec and Kade came to mind. The pain in my


    bones dulled, and when I opened my eyes, everything had changed.


    I was on the ground, staring up into the faces of my captors. It seems little time had passed, as they


    were approaching me slowly, cautiously. Their hands were raised, their eyes bulging from their heads


    as they looked at me.


    A snarl rang out in the night, and I whimpered as I realized the sound hade from me. I ran my


    tongue over my teeth, noting how strange everything felt. My mouth felt wider¨Clonger, my teeth sharp


    and jagged.


    I stood from the ground, nearly toppling over as I caught a glimpse of fur.


    ¡®You did it.¡¯ Thalia breathed, beaming with pride. ¡®We shifted Aurora. Look at us.¡¯


    Thalia was right, we had shifted. Fur the color of pure snow coated my body, reflecting the moonlight


    beautifully. I gazed down at my paws, noting howrge they looked. I wished I had hands, to run my


    fingers through the soft fur on my body.


    ¡°She¡¯s¨Cshe¡¯s white.¡± One of the men scoffed, ncing at the other with an incredulous expression.


    ¡®Why¡¯d he say it like that?¡¯ I grimaced, ¡®Is something wrong with me?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll exinter.¡¯ Thalia responded, ¡®For now, we need to get the h**l out of here.¡¯


    ¡®What about Alec and Kade?¡¯ I found myself asking, wincing at the intensity of the pull I felt towards


    them.


    ¡®Now that we¡¯ve shifted¨Cthey¡¯ll find us.¡¯ Thalia reassured me. ¡®Now, let me take the reins. I¡¯ll get us


    away from these idiots.¡¯


    ¡®Are you sure?¡¯


    ¡®Trust me, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia replied, her tone soft. ¡®I¡¯ve known you your entire life. You can trust me above


    anyone else. Well, beside Alec and Kade.¡¯


    Letting Thalia take control was easier than I expected. It felt like pulling a car over and stepping into the


    passenger seat. I watched through Thalia¡¯s eyes as she barreled through the three men, snapping at


    their limbs as she plowed through the narrow space between buildings.


    We leaped over a chain-link fence, barreling through bushes and shrubs as Thalia led us into the


    woods. My eyes were wide as I looked at our surroundings. We maneuvered past trees and over rocks,


    kicking up dirt behind us.


    ¡®Will they follow us?¡¯ I asked, marveling at the strength of my new legs.


    ¡®They¡¯ll try.¡¯ Thalia nodded, ¡®They won¡¯t get far. We¡¯re fast.¡¯


    ¡®We are?¡¯ I asked, as I hadn¡¯t seen the speed a normal wolf runs at.


    ¡®We are.¡¯ Thalia replied, chuckling at the awe in my voice.


    Everything felt different out here, alone with Thalia in the forest. I could feel her instincts merge into my


    own, as we finally worked as one.


    Her speed became my own, and soon I was aiding her,ughing breathlessly as the wind brushed


    through our fur. The feeling waspletely liberating, and soon I had forgotten why we were running in


    the first ce.


    We barreled through a small stream, and I couldn¡¯t hold back my joyousugh as water sprayed all


    around us. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I felt this open and free, relishing in the little things I often


    overlooked.


    ¡®That¡¯ll help disperse our scent.¡¯ Thalia nodded, ¡®Sooner orter, they¡¯ll pick up on it again.¡¯


    Minutes faded into hours, and exhaustion began setting in our bones. I could tell Thalia was tiring, as


    we began slowing down. Trees no longer whizzed by in blurs of color and smell. I now had time to


    appreciate each tree, the pattern of its leaves and the rich bark that protected it.


    Far ahead smoke scattered into the sky, dispersing through the air and mixing with the clouds. A dull


    ache began to set in our bones, and I winced as the feeling became stronger.


    ¡®Oh, h**l.¡¯ Thalia groaned, picking up her pace.


    ¡®What?¡¯ I asked, my voice cracking as the pain began to grow. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯


    ¡®They injected us with wolfsbane.¡¯ Thalia hissed, a groan of paining from our lips. ¡®This was your


    first shift, so it takes longer to kick in. I won¡¯tst much longer like this¨Cneither will you.¡¯


    ¡®Get to the smoke.¡¯ I hissed, biting back the scream that pushed itself towards my lips. ¡®There could be


    a house.¡¯


    I gave Thalia all of the strength I had left, propelling us forward with a garbled scream. Branches


    whipped across our fur, mud sttering in every direction as we stumbled forward.


    A cry of pure relief left my lips as we emerged from the forest line at the top of a steep hill. At the


    bottom of the hill sat a farmhouse, the windows lit and the chimney spewing heavy smoke.


    ck spots danced across my vision as our limbs felt like lead. The ground tilted and rolled, our eyes


    shutting as pain epassed our body.


    I forced my eyes open, groaning at how heavy they felt. The green of the earth bled into the ckspots


    in my vision, but through the haze I could make out something. My fingers ached as they twitched, and


    I noticed the fur had left my body. A warm breeze caressed my b**e skin, but I hadn¡¯t the strength to


    care.


    Thalia and I had made it to the bottom of the hill, tumbling down as we faded in and out of


    consciousness. Mud coated my b**e skin, drying in itchy patches.


    Hovering an inch away from my eyes, was the face of an old woman. The sight jolted me, and I


    struggled to move away from her. Before I slipped into the darkness, I noticed the gentle smile on her


    soft face.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    For a moment, I convinced myself I was at home with my Grandma. The smell of soup filled the air,


    thick with garlic, thyme and oregano. The tomato mixture invaded my senses and left me with the


    feeling offort and security. My Grandma¡¯s humming floated through the kitchen into the living room


    where Iid on the couch. The heat lingering in the California air warmed my skin, soothing my aching


    muscles.


    It was when I found the strength to open my eyes that I realized how wrong I was. I wasn¡¯t in California,


    and my Grandma was d**d. The peaceful humming wasing from an old woman, whose hair was


    white as snow. She stood in the kitchen, stirring something in arge iron pot. The heat that danced


    along my skin was from the crackling fire, just a few feet in front of me.


    H****r flooded through me as I realized I had been naked when I was found, and that I now wore a long


    nightgown. A thick quilt was ced over my body, smelling ofvender and other herbs. I watched in


    stunned silence as the old womandled the soup into arge bowl, her delicate humming filling the


    house.


    I felt my body stiffen as the woman looked my way, a smile forming on her face as she approached me


    with the soup. Her eyes held the same kindness my Grandma¡¯s used to have, but that was the only


    simrity between the two. Grandma had been old and frail, her limbs thin and weak. This woman was


    old, but she was strong. She walked effortlessly; her posture straight yet rxed. Her hair hung down


    her back in snow-colored waves.


    ¡°Eat this, dear. It¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± The woman murmured, setting the steaming bowl of soup in


    front of me. She sat herself in an arm chair, watching me with expectant eyes.


    ¡®Thalia?¡¯ I called out, but was greeted by darkness.


    ¡°Your wolf will be back, child.¡± The woman nodded serenely, ¡°Wolfsbane, nasty business. Try the soup,


    it¡¯s minestrone.¡±


    As much as I wanted to resist, the kindness in her eyes and the growling of my stomach overwhelmed


    me. Tentatively, I spooned at the soup. Carrots, celery and onion floated around in the bowl. As IN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    brought the spoon to my lips, the old woman grinned happily.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± She asked with bright eyes, ¡°My son always says it¡¯s too salty. What¡¯s a good soup without


    a little salt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± I nodded, surprised at how strong my voice sounded. ¡°It¡¯s not salty at all.¡±


    ¡°Well thank you, dear.¡± She grinned, turning her head towards the dark hallway and calling out. ¡°See!


    She doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s too salty.¡±


    ¡°Trusting her already?¡± A deep voice scoffed.


    An older gentleman stepped into the light, around thirty years old. His hair was dark, but had streaks of


    light grey. His eyes narrowed on me suspiciously, and I resisted the urge to sink into the plush sofa. His


    build wasrge, but tention rippled from him in waves.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go frightening the girl, Miles.¡± The old woman spat, waving at the man with a deep sigh. ¡°Ignore


    my son, he¡¯s spent too many years battling his own paranoia. You can call me Sage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Aurora.¡± I replied, giving Miles onest nce before eating another spoonful of soup.


    ¡°Beautiful name.¡± Sage murmured appreciatively, ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell us about your first shift. The


    first is always the worst.¡±


    ¡°My first shift?¡± I gulped, my eyes widening as I looked between the mother and son. Understanding


    crossed Sage¡¯s eyes as she read the panic on my face.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Sage nodded, casting a frown at her son who loomed in the hallway. ¡°You haven¡¯t known


    about your heritage for long, have you? If you did, you would¡¯ve sniffed us out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both werewolves?¡± I asked, surpriseced in my tone. ¡°I haven¡¯t known for long. It came as a¡­


    surprise.¡±


    ¡°An unwee one at that, I assume.¡± Sage frowned, sympathy burning in her eyes. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have


    been easy. Living your life as a human only to find out you¡¯re the daughter of an Alpha, and a white


    wolf at that.¡±


    ¡°A white wolf?¡± I frowned, ¡°What does the color of my wolf have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s absolutely clueless.¡± Miles scoffed, shaking his head. ¡°I give her a week.¡±


    ¡°Quiet, you¡¯ll frighten the poor girl.¡± Sage snapped, then turned her attention to me. ¡°White wolves are


    exceedingly rare, child. That¡¯s how you found me. I¡¯m thest white wolf in over five hundred years.¡±


    ¡°I found you because you¡¯re a white wolf?¡±


    ¡°Like calls to like, Aurora.¡± Sage nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve been in hiding for quite some time. White wolves are


    coveted for their abilities. White wolves appear when the world is in need of them. There is no telling


    when or where they will show up.¡±


    ¡°Abilities?¡± I sighed, exhaustion weighing my limbs down. ¡°I thought I had enough to worry about. I


    never wanted to be a werewolf, let alone one with abilities.¡±


    ¡°Power is often given to those who do not want it. It¡¯s best you learn what you¡¯re capable of.¡± Sage


    replied, her face quickly turning serious. ¡°Just because you reject your heritage, does not mean those


    who covet you will simply stop. ept the life you¡¯ve been given, Aurora. Learn to defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start.¡± I scoffed, ¡°I ran to get away from all of this. Now I¡¯m back where I started.¡±


    ¡°I disagree.¡± Sage mused, ¡°I think you¡¯ve made an improvement. You enjoyed shifting, yes? It was


    liberating, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It was incredible.¡± I confessed, feeling Thalia stir in my mind. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so free, so strong.¡±


    ¡°You have more strength than you think, Aurora.¡± Sage smiled, standing from the arm chair. ¡°Follow


    me.¡±


    With onest wary nce towards Miles, I followed Sage out the back door. I cringed against the harsh


    sunlight, wondering how long I had been unconscious. As my eyes adjusted, I looked on in wonder at


    Sage¡¯s backyard. I had thought the forest at night was beautiful, but it was nothingpared to this.


    Her back yard consisted of rolling hills, plush trees with drooping canopies, and rows upon rows of


    wildflowers. Rose bushes grew in clusters, unlike anything I had ever seen. Sunflowers, daisies,


    gardenias, and flowers I had never seen before were sprawled out along the earth. The grass was a


    brilliant shade of emerald. A small stream cut through the earth, it¡¯s water clear and bright.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I breathed, my eyes looking on in wonder.


    My eyes grazed every vibrant petal, every crisp leaf, and every de of grass. This small patch of


    earth was like a personal heaven, a private de for Sage and her brooding son.


    ¡°This, Aurora, is my ability.¡± Sage beamed at the small slice of heaven, pride shining in her eyes.


    ¡°Flowers are your ability?¡± I asked, unable to tear my eyes away.


    ¡°Not flowers.¡± Sage chuckled, motioning for me to follow her.


    We hopped over the thin stream and continued through the plush grass. Sage held back some of the


    flowers for me, treading carefully through them. We approached a bushel of tulips, and I frowned as I


    realized they had not yet bloomed. Everything else in this de was thriving, but the tulips seemed to


    be far behind.


    ¡°Watch.¡± Sage murmured, cupping the tulips with her withered hands.


    The air around Sage turned warm, a gentle breeze ruffling the night gown I wore. I watched in silent


    amazement as the tulips bloomed, the fragile petals opening for her.


    ¡°My ability is nature itself.¡± Sage smiled proudly, looking on at the nts and tree¡¯s as though they were


    her children. ¡°Tell me, child. Do your mates know you¡¯re a white wolf?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± I asked, flinching as I wondered what Alec and Kade might think of my


    whereabouts.


    Thalia had said they were close. Were they still looking for me? Would they simply grow tired of this


    game of cat and mouse?


    ¡®They will never stop looking for us, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia murmured, ¡®They¡¯ll search the ends of the earth until


    they find us.¡¯


    ¡°I see your wolf is awake.¡± Sage chuckled, ¡°And to answer your question, white wolves have sharper


    instincts than your average werewolf. Sometimes we can tell who someone¡¯s mate is before they turn


    of age. Other times we simply get small bits of information.¡±


    ¡°No, they don¡¯t know.¡± I frowned, ¡°I ran away before they could find out.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else know?¡± Sage asked, turning her full attention on me. I resisted the urge to squirm


    under her gaze, but I couldn¡¯t wipe the nervous frown that appeared on my lips.


    ¡°Yes, these men tried to kidnap me. I think they were wolves, but they smelled¡­different.¡± I shook my


    head, unable to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. ¡°They watched me shift, they know what I am.¡±


    ¡°Then you must proceed very carefully.¡± Sage murmured, ¡°You are lucky, you have two mates to protect


    you. My mate died when I was very young, as did my parents. I was left to fend for myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I replied, and I truly was. I wasn¡¯t sure I loved Alec and Kade, but the thought of them


    d***g twisted my insides painfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight your mates, Aurora.¡± Sage smiled softly, gently patting her hand against my cheek. ¡°They


    will choose you over anything¨Cover anyone. That kind of bond is important, it could save your life


    someday.¡±


    My heart ached under her touch; under the motherly touch I had been denied for so long. I couldn¡¯t


    help but wish my Mom was more like Sage, that she had loved me and cared for me when I needed it


    most. Instead, she left me alone, she left me to fend for myself and discover the world for what it truly


    was, cruel and cold.


    ¡°How could they ever forgive me?¡± I chuckled, though myugh quickly turned into a dry sob. ¡°I ran


    away from them. They should hate me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you had your reasons for leaving, no matter what they might be.¡± Sage replied, ¡°Tell them


    your reasons, Aurora. They will forgive you; I promise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± I breathed, finally beginning to understand that I couldn¡¯t run from this. I couldn¡¯t run from who¨C


    what I was.


    ¡°Speaking of your mates, I suspect they will be arriving shortly.¡± Sage murmured, her eyes roaming the


    forest along her house. ¡°I sent Miles to cover up your scent, though I believe your mates have quickly


    figured out how to track you through the bond. Highly unusual you know, having twins as mates.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± I chuckled dryly, wrapping my arms around my torso as my heartrate skyrocketed.


    Excitement danced along my skin, raising goosebumps and igniting a fire in my stomach. I hadn¡¯t let


    myself ept how much I truly missed the twins, and I still refused to think of Tori.


    ¡°I am sympathetic, men are difficult to deal with.¡± Sage grinned, looking half her age. ¡°Though it means


    more protection for you.¡±


    ¡°You coulde with us¡­¡± I offered, desperately hoping she would say yes. My stomach dropped as


    her eyes softened. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone else, not really anyway. Melissa-my Mom stopped caring a


    long time ago, and my Father only wants me so that I can take over his pack.¡±


    ¡°Visit me as often as you can, child.¡± Sage smiled, but the expression didn¡¯t meet her eyes. ¡°But


    please, tell no one of this ce or what I am. I have remained in hiding for so long, I¡¯m afraid I have no


    ce in this world anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always have a ce in my pack, Sage.¡± I murmured, speaking the words as Thalia whispered


    them in my mind. While the words felt foreign on my tongue, they also felt right.


    ¡°Thank you for that, Luna Aurora.¡± Sage beamed, and I couldn¡¯t help but return the gesture.


    The two of us headed inside where I finished off the remainder of my soup. I couldn¡¯t remember a time


    where I felt this happy, this at ease with what and who I was. That feeling onlysted so long as I


    realized I wouldn¡¯t be showing up at the bakery today. I wondered what Beth might think, and hoped


    Alec and Kade would let me visit her onest time.


    I grew more and more nervous as the minutes ticked by. As a hard knock sounded on the front door, I


    was on my feet in an instant. Their scents hit my nose within seconds, nearly sending me to my knees.


    ¡®They¡¯re here.¡¯ Thalia murmured joyously, ¡®They¡¯re actually here.¡¯


    ¡°She¡¯s here, Alpha¡¯s.¡± Sage responded with a kind tone. ¡°You maye inside.¡±


    Their footsteps echoed through the house, and for a moment, I wondered if the soup I ate would make


    an appearance. Just as I contemted fleeing through the backdoor, Alec and Kade stepped into the


    room.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Only when Kade and Alec stepped into the room, did I realize the horrible mistake I had made.


    I had kept an image of them in my mind,mitting it to memory so that I might never forget them.


    They looked different from that image, their eyes dark and haunted. I could see the toll my leaving had


    taken on them, and felt horrifically guilty. Part of me wanted to run into their arms, the other part of me


    wanted to cower and beg for their forgiveness.


    Kade¡¯s hair remained the same, short on the sides and long on the top. Alec¡¯s hair had grown, almost


    grazing his shoulders. Apart from the pain in their eyes, they had remained the same. Their scent


    filtered into the house, rxing some of my nerves as it registered with my senses.


    Sage stood behind them, nodding at me encouragingly, but I couldn¡¯t force myself to move. I felt


    absolutely ridiculous standing here, a floor length nightgown draped over my body. If the twin¡¯s noticed


    my attire, it didn¡¯t show. Neither one of us moved, simply taking in the fact that they¨Cwe were here,


    together.


    ¡°Oh, go on!¡± Sage chuckled, and the light sound helped pull me from my stupor.


    Thalia propelled me forward, making me stumble horribly as I practically leaped at Alec and Kade.


    Neither one seemed to be expecting it, as they remained stiff and unmoving when I barreled into them.


    I mmed into the two of them roughly, my hands grasping at their shirts as I held them close.


    Happiness so strong I wanted to sob coursed through me as I clung to the twin¡¯s¨Cto my mate¡¯s. A surge


    of relief barreled through me, and I knew the emotion hadn¡¯te from myself. I could taste the twin¡¯s


    fear on my tongue. I could taste Alec¡¯s gut-wrenching relief coupled with Kade¡¯s suppressed fear. Their


    emotions were a storm within me, and I savored each one as it crossed my senses.


    ¡®I can feel their emotions.¡¯ I murmured to Thalia, unsure what was happening.


    ¡®You epted them.¡¯ Thalia sang, ¡®You epted our mates.¡¯


    A sob escaped my lips as Alec and Kade wrapped their arms around me, tightening as they heard the


    sound leave my lips. The coil that had been wound within me the day I moved in with Melissa had


    finallye undone. Even as we said nothing, their touch was the only thing I needed. The warmth


    radiated from their body, and I hadn¡¯t realized I had been so, so cold. Their heavy breaths felt likeThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    music to my ears, and for the moment, I had forgotten why I ever left.


    ¡°I hate to intrude dear, but we have some things to talk about.¡± Sage¡¯s gentle voice filled the room,


    reminding me we were in someone else¡¯s house. For the moment, I had forgotten everything other than


    Alec and Kade.


    I could feel Kade¡¯s irritation at having to pull away from me, as well as Alec¡¯s reluctance to let go.


    Giving the two of them a watery smile, I pulled away and faced Sage. Her eyes were soft, but proud. I


    was sure she knew I had epted them, had finally epted what I was. Running was no longer an


    option, as I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull myself away from Alec or Kade a second time.


    ¡°Sit with me?¡± I asked, leading the two of them over to the couch Miles had once ced me on. The


    two of them let me lead them, tugging at their hands so they¡¯d follow.


    The urge to be near them was overwhelming, and I knew the feeling was mutual. I wondered how long


    it would take them until they let me out of their sight, if they ever would. I sat smushed between Alec


    and Kade¡¯s huge builds, but I hadn¡¯t felt this happy and rxed in¨Cwell, nearly my entire life.


    While I was still horribly inexperienced with guys, and incredibly nervous around the twins, the close


    proximity between us felt right. I slipped my left hand into Alec¡¯s and my right into Kade¡¯s, enjoying the


    feel of their calloused skin against my own.


    Their surprised ran through me, reminding me of little iridescent bubbles. They hadn¡¯t expected me to


    truly miss them, to be happy that they came for me. They also hadn¡¯t expected me to ept them, to


    allow them to touch me so freely. I knew without prying, that they med themselves for my leaving,


    and would for quite some time. That fact made guilt spiral within me and pain pierce my insides.


    I could feel my face heat as both of them had their eyes glued on me, but I refused to balk under the


    pressure. I knew if I met their eyes, I would crumble so instead, I let my head fall against Kade¡¯s


    shoulder and smiled as his chest rumbled in approval.


    Sage watched the three of us with clouded eyes as she took a seat in the arm chair. Miles emerged


    from the darkened hallway and stood beside his Mom, looming over her as though Alec and Kade were


    threats. Neither Alec nor Kade noticed Miles presence, as they were both focused on me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with what brought you to my house, child.¡± Sage smiled softly, catching my eye. ¡°Your


    mate¡¯s need to know.¡±


    I ignored the stiffening postures of Alec and Kade, but returned Sages smile with one of my own. Even


    though I had just met the woman, I knew I could trust her. She had kept her own existence a secret for


    years, and I knew she¡¯d extend the same curtesy to me.


    ¡°A couple men tried to kidnap me. They were werewolves. When I shifted, I managed to get away.


    They injected me with wolfsbane, but I managed to make it here before I passed out.¡± I frowned,


    remembering the disabling pain of the wolfsbane as it coursed through my body. I nced at the


    worried faces of Alec and Kade. As their anger flowed through me, I could taste it on the tip of my


    tongue. Cinnamon and clove, yet it singed my flesh as the emotion swirled within me. ¡°When I shifted,


    they saw what color I was¨Cthey saw that my wolf was white.¡±


    As I finished, Alec and Kade¡¯s bodies stiffened, bing hard as stone. Their emotions battered me


    senseless, giving me the start of a headache. Surprise, shock, anger, hate, eptance. Each one had


    a unique taste, though it was hard to focus on one.


    ¡°You¡¯re a white wolf?¡± Alec was the first to break the silence, his dark eyes burned into my own with


    fierce possessiveness. His voice echoed in my mind, deep and alluring. It had only been a week since I


    heard their voices, but it had felt like years.


    ¡°As am I.¡± Sage countered, meeting the twin¡¯s eyes with a certain kind of authority. ¡°I sensed something


    coming, so I stayed upte. If only I had known it was another white wolf, I might have been more


    prepared to counteract the wolfsbane.¡±


    ¡°You were the little girl from the Bright Moon Pack.¡± Kade pointed out, surpriseced in his tone. His


    voice was a little deeper than his brothers, but just as alluring and addictive.


    This time the surprise rushing through me was my own. There was no way Alec and Kade knew Sage


    personally, as she was double their age, and yet Sage smiled softly, her eyes misting over as she


    remembered a time before hiding.


    ¡°Yes, I was the little girl from the Bright Moon Pack.¡± Sage murmured. Miles ced his hand on her


    shoulder, squeezing lightly. His face was hard as his eyes flitted between the three of us.


    ¡°You saved our Dad¡¯s life.¡± Alec scoffed, his eyes widening as he looked at Sage. ¡°Alpha Dixon from


    the Dark Moon Pack.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a name I haven¡¯t heard in quite some time.¡± Sage chuckled, a gentle smile on her face. Her


    eyes moved over the twins before settling on me, ¡°Would you like to hear the story, child? It is not a


    happy one, though my action ensured the birth of your mate¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I would like to hear it.¡± I nodded; my voice soft.


    I remembered how Sage told me of the d***h of her family, and the d***h of her mate. I knew Alpha


    Dixon¡¯s story tied in with that of her family and mate. For a moment, I nearly refused. I could see the


    lingering pain in Sage¡¯s eyes, but I could also see the zing strength.


    ¡°I was sixteen years old. My family had lived in the Bright Moon Pack for many generations. It was a


    small pack, but we were fiercely loyal to one another. The Bright Moon Pack was one of the oldest


    packs known to our kind. When I first shifted, I told my parents, who in turn told the Alpha. The entire


    pack kept my secret until their final breaths.¡± Sage began, the fire beside her crackling and spewing


    embers. ¡°Alpha Raymond¡¯s territory was vast, but he craved more. As you have seen, my abilities stem


    from the earth itself. Ournd was thriving, and Alpha Raymond grew jealous. He sent spies onto our


    land whilst gathering his army. I was young back then. I hadn¡¯t known how coveted white wolves were.


    One of his spies saw me, watched me as I shifted with my mate. Little did he know, I too had seen the


    spy. I told our Alpha just in time, and he called on every ally he could manage. One of those allies were


    Alpha Dixon.¡±


    ¡°He told us the story, but never quite like this.¡± Alec murmured, entranced by the tale Sage was telling.


    ¡°He had always said it was his duty to help your pack.¡±


    ¡°Even back then, Alpha Dixon was a good man. He was a young, untested Alpha. He raged onto the


    battle feild with his army, tearing down enemy after enemy. Our pack worked in sync with his, we saved


    each other that day. My Mother and Father told me to stay in the house, but my mate was on the battle


    feild as well. I left the house, but I hadn¡¯te in time.¡± Sage¡¯s voice turned low, and my heart ached


    as I felt the pain within her words. ¡°My Mother and Father had already been k****d, my mate too. Alpha


    Dixon was fighting against another wolf, but Alpha Raymond wasn¡¯t one to fight fair. He crept up behind


    Alpha Dixon, ready tond a k*****g blow. I felt something break within me that day. The earth opened,


    hearing the pain in my voice as I screamed and wept for my family. I directed that anger at Alpha


    Raymond, and watched as the earth swallowed him whole.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t realized tears leaked from my eyes until Alec turned and wiped them from my face. His eyes


    were soft, as were his hands as they grazed my skin. Those gentle sparks caressed my face,


    reminding me that my fate would be different from Sage¡¯s.


    ¡°It was a beautiful tragedy.¡± Sage murmured, ¡°Many lives were lost and gained that day. Alpha Dixon


    was spared, able to find his mate and produce children. Unbeknownst to my parents and mate, I found


    out I was pregnant shortly after the battle. Miles is thest piece I have of Anton, and I cherish every


    day with him.¡±


    As I looked into Miles eyes, I tried to imagine a boy around the age of sixteen. His eyes were soft as he


    looked down at his Mom, at the woman who had given and lost so much, and yet somehow managed


    to remain kind.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep your secret, Sage.¡± I smiled softly, meeting the eyes of the woman who spared my mate¡¯s


    father. Without her, Alec and Kade wouldn¡¯t exist. ¡°No one will know about you, or this ce. You have


    our word.¡±


    I spoke for Alec and Kade, but I knew I had their agreement. Sage had suffered more than most, and


    deserved whatever slice of heaven she could manage. If she wished to remain in hiding, then we would


    do everything possible to help. Should the timee where she wanted to step from the shadows,


    she¡¯d always have a home in their¨Cour pack.


    ¡°Thank you, Aurora. You are nicer than most. It seems us white wolves have painful lives; I do hope


    yours turns out differently.¡± Sage murmured; her eyes soft as she looked at the three of us. ¡°You¡¯re


    wee to stay here for the night. I¡¯ll have dinner ready within a few hours, and there¡¯s a spare


    bedroom upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Sage.¡± Kade murmured, giving her a nod. ¡°We will leave in the


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Go on and get yourselves settled in. I¡¯ll start dinner.¡± Sage smiled, some of the light and joy returning


    to her eyes. Miles seemed to rx a little bit. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was beginning to trust us, but it felt


    better than having him glower all the time.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    My heart sputtered in my chest as I realized Sage had meant for the three of us to share a room. Even


    after epting Alec and Kade as my mates, the thought of sharing a bed with them made me horribly


    nervous. It took a couple deep breaths for me to realize, I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to sleep alone. I could


    feel the twin¡¯s relief as they came to the same realization as I had, and knew they felt the same. My


    week away from the twins had felt like years for all three of us, though they seemed to have suffered


    worse than I. I wondered if I¡¯d ever forgive myself for leaving them, even if they managed to forgive me


    first.


    The room was filled with an ufortable silence as Alec and Kade¡¯s dark eyes settled on my face.


    The air was full of tension as they looked at me, thick with longing and jagged with pain. I opened my


    mouth and then closed it, realizing nothing I said would excuse my actions.


    Arge bed sat against the wall; a maroon quilt draped over the top. I was thankful for the size of the


    bed, as sleeping with tworge males would have proved difficult for anyone. A firece was built into


    the wall, though it looked unused. The room itself wasrge, but had little furniture. The walls matched


    the shade of the quilt, and the carpet felt soft beneath my feet. Two armchairs and a coffee table sat at


    the other end of the room, followed by a bookshelf.


    I had forced Alec and Kade from my mind, as if was the only way I could bring myself to leave. I had


    spent my life not trusting a soul, only to be given two soulmates. It took the wise words of Sage to


    finally realize that I could trust Alec and Kade above anyone else.


    ¡®Besides me.¡¯ Thalia chimed in, ¡®You can always trust me. Even if you were mean in the beginning.¡¯


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡®Can you me me?¡¯ I chuckled dryly, ¡°I spent my life thinking I was a human, only to find out the voice


    in my head is a wolf.¡ä


    ¡®I don¡¯t me you.¡¯ Thalia shrugged, ¡®Though, you could have made it easier on all of us.¡¯


    Sensing the panic rising in my gut, Thalia sent a wave offort and courage through me. She helped


    soothe the turmoil in my stomach, helped me find the words to say to Alec and Kade. When I was


    finally able to form my thoughts into words, I opened my mouth to speak.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you two can ever forgive me, but I had my reasons for leaving.¡± I grimaced, hating the


    sound of my fragile voice.


    Alec nced at his brother, and I could feel the tension within them. The two of them were riding on my


    words more than I knew. It seemed they both worried I would change my mind, demand that they return


    me to my life without them.


    ¡°We know, doll.¡± Alec spoke softly, despite the roughness of his voice. Both sets of dark eyes were soft


    as they looked down at me, filled to the brim with understanding and pain. ¡°We know why you left, we


    just¨Cwe just wish you would have trusted us.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trust anyone.¡± I confessed, feeling the knot within my stomach slowly unravel at the


    confession. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this life, this responsibility. Pushing you two away meant I didn¡¯t have to deal


    with it all. I had nned to leave once I graduated, but¨Cthings changed.¡±


    My voice spiraled to a halt as I remembered the person who was directly responsible for the hastiness


    of my ns. Grace had been a huge motivating factor that caused me to flee town, she had even


    offered money to help. As I felt pure, unadulterated rage course through the twins, I knew Tori had told


    them after all.


    ¡°We know, Tori told us.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was lower than Alec¡¯s, and was hard with fury. I resisted the urge


    to shudder, and felt a shred of short-lived sympathy for Grace. ¡°She has been taken care of; she won¡¯t


    hurt you again. No one will.¡±


    I wanted to push, to ask what had be of Grace, but the murderous look on Kade¡¯s face stopped


    me in my tracks. I knew without asking that no punishment would be enough to satiate his fury towards


    Grace, that neither of them would be satisfied until she was wiped from the earth.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you came for me.¡± I spoke softly, searching both pairs of their eyes. A brown so dark it


    appeared ck, beautiful and full of depth. ¡°I know I can trust you both, and¨Cand I don¡¯t want to leave


    anymore.¡±


    I stepped towards Kade, wrapping my arms around his stiff form. His anger burned the tip of my


    tongue, yet I savored the taste. His body radiated warmth, and there was no hesitation as his arms


    wrapped around my torso.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave us again, sweetheart.¡± He murmured; his lips pressed against my head. I could hear him


    inhale deeply,mitting my scent to memory as though I might slip away in the night.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I promised, marveling at how easy the words had left my lips. I had been made for both Alec


    and Kade, just as they had been made for me. My instincts told me to remain with them, to cherish and


    grow with them. Leaving had been an act of sheer effort and will, but staying¨Cthat was all too easy.


    I stepped from Kade¡¯s arms when his anger had all but dissipated, seeking Alec¡¯s embrace with equal


    fervor. Alec did the same as his brother, nting a kiss at the top of my head. The sparks licked my


    skin, and I devoured every caress.


    ¡°I know we came off strong in the beginning, but we just couldn¡¯t resist. We tried¨Cbut that onlysted so


    long.¡± Alec mumbled against my hair.


    I could feel the peacefulness my touch had brought them, and wondered if they could feel the


    emotions, they ignited within me. I was not yet in love with the twins, as I never experienced that


    particr emotion before, but I knew how easy it would be to fall for them. After all, I had been destined


    to love them.


    At the time, I had thought they were pushy, and yet my body responded to every touch, to every bite,


    lick, and caress. Somehow, my body knew what they were to me, even if I refused to ept it myself.


    ¡°You set the pace.¡± Alec continued, a wry smile on his face. ¡°We will try to contain ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, brother.¡± Kade scoffed, a dark eyebrow raised at Alec. ¡±Self-control is not my


    strong suit.¡±


    Things were far from over, and I knew underlying tension was still there from my leaving. The wounds


    that had formed within Alec and Kade wouldn¡¯t heal instantly, but I was determined to be the balm that


    soothed their souls. I knew little about the twin¡¯s and yet I felt like I had known them my entire life.


    Kade was more serious than his brother, his anger greater and more uncontroble. Alec was the more


    practical brother, thinking things through instead of acting on blind emotion. The two of them were


    opposite sides of a coin, and they both belonged to me.


    The three of us headed downstairs for dinner, the smell of roasted chicken, carrots, and mashed


    potatoes filled the air. Dinner at Sage¡¯s house was anything but formal. Sage sat in her usual armchair;


    a te of food perched on herp as she smiled at the three of us. Miles sat at a small dining table in


    the kitchen, his eyes on the three of us as we descended the narrow staircase.


    Alec and Kade headed into the kitchen before me, leaving me alone with Sage. A gentle smile had


    formed on her face as she looked at me. How one woman could withstand so much pain and manage


    to smile was beyond me, but I appreciated every moment I had spent with her. I knew how lucky Miles


    was to have her, and knew she had given him every ounce of love she contained. I had long been


    jealous of that, of missing that with my own family. I now knew that what my familycked, Alec and


    Kade would give me. They would give me a home,fort, safety, and perhaps someday, a family of


    my own. In that quiet moment, with the fire crackling and heat rolling in gentle waves, I promised myself


    that I would stay with Alec and Kade, that we would brave the uing storm together.


    Kade handed me a te of food as Alec followed him from the kitchen. My eyes widened at the heap of


    chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes on the te. The food on my te was enough to feed a


    family of four, but my stomach rumbled merrily at the sight.


    Noticing the surprise on my face, Kade smirked. The butterflies that fluttered in my stomach brought


    blood rushing to my face. My blush deepened as I watched the muscles in his arm move as he handed


    me the te.


    ¡°You need to eat more, now that you¡¯ve shifted.¡± Kade¡¯s voice held amusement, but also a gentle


    fondness that made my toes curl.


    With a look of natural skepticism on my face, I plopped down on the couch and dug into my food. Alec


    and Kade sat on either side of me, taking up most of the couch with their towering build. Even with the


    limited space, I enjoyed the close proximity. Much to my surprise, I had finished nearly the entire te,


    and watched with interest as Alec and Kade went for seconds.


    We stayed downstairs with Sage for the next hour or so, and I listened intently as Alec and Kade talked


    about their Dad, the man Sage had saved. They told her how good of a Dad he was, and the good he


    had done for his pack. Sage seemed to enjoy every word, proud that she had saved the man who


    fathered my mates.


    With my head against Alec¡¯s shoulder, my eyes continued to grow heavy. My stomach was full, and my


    body warm. The safety and security I felt lulled me to sleep. I was vaguely aware of the feel of a hard


    chest against my cheek, and the delicious scent of Alec filling my nose. His thumb moved in idle circles


    as he carried me up the stairs, and over Alec¡¯s shoulder, I caught Kade¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Sleepyhead.¡± Kade purred, the corner of his lips turning up with the hint of a smirk.


    I poked my tongue out at him and nuzzled deeper into Alec¡¯s shoulder, feeling awe rush through me


    like a gentle caress.


    When my eyes fluttered open, I wasying in the middle of the bed, the covers bunched around me. I


    watched with renewed interest as Kade slipped his shirt off, tossing it onto one of the armchairs. Alec


    slid in the bed behind me, making me jump from the sudden touch.


    ¡°See something interesting, doll?¡± Alec asked, making Kade turn to meet my eyes. A vicious heat


    returned to my cheeks, but I couldn¡¯t peel my eyes away from Kade. A few scars lingered on Kade¡¯s


    chest, but it only added to his feral beauty. Creamy skin and rippling muscles caught my eye, and I


    wondered how I had be so lucky. I had been gifted two mates instead of one, both identical yet


    completely unique.


    As Alec settled into the bed, his arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his body. The heat


    that radiated from him prated the thin nightgown I wore. Even with myck of experience, it took


    little effort to dissolve under his touch. Kade slid in bed shortly after, turning to face me. His eyes were


    dark, yielding no emotion and yet I could feel thefort radiating from them both. This was the best


    either of them had felt in a week, and neither wanted it to end.


    ¡°By the way, nice nightgown sweetheart.¡± Kade smirked, plucking at a piece of the sheer white fabric.


    The nightgown was old-fashioned, reaching down to my ankles, but I was grateful for the set of clothes.


    I grimaced at Kade¡¯s obvious amusement, choosing to bury my face into the crook of his neck. A sigh


    left his lips, one he had been holding since I left.


    His arms wrapped around me, both of them holding me close as we all fought sleep. None of us


    wanted this to end, to go back into a world of danger and deceit. They could feel the peace Sage


    brought, and none of us wanted to part with it. Slowly, as their breathing evened and I leaned into their


    embrace, the cold that epassed their hearts began to thaw.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    ¡°Time to wake up, doll.¡± Alec murmured; a gentle hand pressed against my shoulder.


    ¡°No.¡± I groaned, grasping at the warmth that remained in bed.


    My source of heat wasing from the other man in my bed, the one who curled his arms around my


    waist, nuzzling his face into my hair with a content groan. The heat seemed to radiate from the twins in


    waves, and I noticed the thin sheen of sweat that coated my body. Kade smelled of citrus and wood, a


    crackling bonfire,fort and safety. His scent lulled me into sleep, only for Alec¡¯s voice to tug me into


    awareness.


    ¡°We have a long day ahead of us, doll.¡± Alec chuckled lowly, another gentle shove to my shoulder.


    I mustered up the strength to open my eyes, giving Alec a half-hearted re. Kade snored softly, his


    darkshes fanned out against his cheeks. All signs of stress and anger had been wiped from his face,


    making him look peaceful and angelic. Kade groaned at the sound of his brother¡¯s voice, and I watched


    in awed silence as his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, disbelief coursed through him at the sight of


    me, sleeping in his arms. The next emotion to gue him was irritation at his brother, the one forcing


    us from thisfortable bed.


    ¡°Ten more minutes.¡± Kade huffed, his voice deeper in the early hours of morning. He wrapped his arms


    tighter around me, his face buried in the crook of my neck.


    ¡°Thirty minutes.¡± I chimed in, pushing my face into the soft pillow.


    ¡°It seems I have another person to fight in the morning.¡± Alec smirked; his eyebrow cocked. I watched


    as his eyes softened, and I could feel his resolve snap like a weak thread. With a defeated sigh, Alec


    slipped into bed behind me, entangling our limbs once again.


    Alec let us sleep in for another thirty minutes, refusing to leave Kade or I alone until we were up and


    moving. The top of Kade¡¯s hair stood at a funny angle as he wiped the sleep from his eyes, shooting


    his brother a d***y look.


    The scent of food wafted from the first floor, and I found myself surprised that I could pick out each


    individual note. Maple, garlic, pepper, freshly cooked eggs, sausage, toasted bread and jam. Each


    scent swirled through my nose, unique yet blending together perfectly. My stomach howled in


    response, the perfect motivator to pull me from bed.


    ¡°It seems food is enough to get you both up and running.¡± Alec snorted, an incredulous grin on his face


    as he watched my movements increase in speed. His eyes felt like weights as they grazed over me,


    running my body slowly as if to make up lost time.


    ¡°Food is a valid reason to leave bed.¡± I shrugged, giving him a soft smile.


    As Kade sat on the bed to put his shoes on, I walked over and stood in front of him. I savored the taste


    of Kade¡¯s tangy surprise as it coated my tongue, running my fingers through his unruly hair. Kade¡¯s


    large hands wrapped around my wrists, his eyes darting up to meet my own.


    ¡°What are you doing, sweetheart?¡± He asked, that morning growl still lingering in his words.


    ¡°You had bed head.¡± I pointed out, nibbling on my bottom lip as a light blush stained my face.


    Kade released my wrists, cing one of my hands back onto his head. I smiled softly to myself,


    running my fingers through the strands of his hair until they remained in one ce. Kade¡¯s satisfaction


    from my touch rumbled in his chest, and I needn¡¯t feel his emotions to know what he was thinking.


    ¡°Keep doing that, and you¡¯ll have him wrapped around your finger.¡± Alec whispered in my ear as we


    walked downstairs.


    I turned to meet Alec¡¯s eyes, reading the softness that hid within his gaze, reserved for only me.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± I asked sweetly, my voice thick like honey.


    Alec¡¯s eyebrow lifted, his lips twitching into a smirk. ¡°You¡¯ve already got me wrapped around your


    finger, doll.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Sage had made us a mountain of breakfast to say goodbye, and I found it hard to part with the shred of


    comfort I found in her home. With Alec and Kade here, I couldn¡¯t imagine a ce more perfect. I


    wanted to stay¨CI wanted to let Sage help me discover my abilities, to hone my senses and figure out


    the details of my destiny.


    ¡®We have responsibilities¨CAlec and Kade have responsibilities.¡± Thalia murmured softly, ¡°We won¡¯t be


    alone, not anymore.¡±


    I fought against the tears that made my eyes ache, fought against the pain in my heart as we turned


    from Sage¡¯s door. Miles walked out behind us, covering our scent as we walked down the road. Miles


    thought it might be smarter to stray from the forest, as the wolves who had attacked me might still be


    sniffing around.


    Alec and Kade had a car nearby, only an hour walks from Sage¡¯s house. They had stopped in town,


    searching for my scent, letting the mate-bond guide them. It took them an hour away from Sage¡¯s


    house, to the forest I had ran through. From there the mate-bond was stronger, much easier to pinpoint


    my location.


    ¡°I need to stop by the bakery in town. I worked there while I was here. Beth¨Cthe girl who owns the


    bakery is probably worried sick right now.¡± I frowned, pleading silently with the two of them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop by.¡± Alec nodded, ncing from the road over to my face. ¡°Kade and I wanted to look


    around, see if we recognize any scents. The wolves who tried to take you won¡¯t be stopping anytime


    soon. Especially now that they know you¡¯re a white wolf.¡±


    The bakery had been easy to find, as it was located in the heart of town. Everything looked so much


    different during the day, the colors lively and the streets bustling. The familiar smell of Beth¡¯s pastries


    filled the air, and I smiled at the line milling outside the store. I felt horribly guilty for leaving Beth


    hanging like that¨Cjust as I had left Tori.


    I hopped from the car as they pulled against the curb, surprised as both of them followed me to the


    bakery. I looked between the two of them, noting the serious look on their faces. Their gruff


    expressions and thergeness of their build made them look like two very intimidating body guards.


    I passed the line of customers with a sheepish grin, anxiety boiling in my stomach. As I walked into the


    shop, I could make out Beth¡¯s irritable yell. She snapped at Jake, who in turn yelled something back.


    Jake¡¯s eyestched onto my face the minute we walked into the bakery. While I couldn¡¯t feel Jake¡¯s


    emotions, I could see them openly sh across his eyes. Surprise, shock, relief, happiness. Each


    emotionsting longer than the previous.


    ¡°Beth! Beth! Aurora¡¯s here!¡± Jake shouted into the back, and I watched as Beth¡¯s head popped from


    around the corner, her eyes wide with surprise.


    ¡°Where in the h**l have you been, girl!¡± Beth shouted, and I instinctively flinched at the tone she had


    used.


    I wasn¡¯t worried that Beth would hurt me, but I had heard her use that tone with Jake countless times.


    Even Jake was afraid when her voice took on that raspy demanding quality, as it was usually a sign of


    Beth¡¯s patienceing to an end. I found myself surprised as her body mmed into my own, her


    arms wrapped around me in a friendly hug. When she pulled away, a re full of malice was directed


    towards Jake.


    The customers in the store stared on in silence, confused at the scene unraveling before them. Beth let


    loose a long sigh as she looked me over, her eyes burning with concern.


    ¡°G*d, when Jake told me he hadn¡¯t taken you home¨Cand then, you didn¡¯t show up for work.¡± Beth¡¯s


    words were rushed, forced from her lips along with the remaining oxygen in her lungs. ¡°I thought


    something bad happened.¡±


    ¡°Something bad did happen.¡± I pointed out with a weakugh. ¡°You don¡¯t think I would just ke out,


    right?¡±


    Beth¡¯s eyes widened as she noticed the tworge males that nked me, each staring unwaveringly at


    Jake. I jabbed my elbow into Kade¡¯s side, who continued looking at Jake as though he were fresh


    meat. Alec peeled his eyes away from Jake, giving Beth a polite but tense smile.


    ¡°Aurora, can I talk to you for a minute?¡± Beth asked quietly, her voice a raspy whisper. I knew Alec and


    Kade could hear her anyway, but I nodded as though they were oblivious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I told the two of them, giving them both a small smile.


    I followed Beth into the back, the smell of pastries filling my nose. A rack of croissants was out too cool,


    the crust a ky golden brown. Even after myrge breakfast, my stomach rumbled at the sight of her


    pastries. As a whole, I wouldn¡¯t miss this town. I would miss working at Beth¡¯s bakery, the scent of icing


    sugar in the air, the sound of Beth and Jake taunting and tormenting each other. This and Sage¡¯s


    house had truly been bright spots in an otherwise dull situation.


    I could feel Alec and Kade¡¯s worry swirl around me in an angry storm,shing at my insides without


    mercy. They were both terrified I would leave, that I would find some way to escape and thatst night


    meant nothing. Two men who had probably rarely felt fear in their lives were terrified at the thought of


    losing me.


    ¡°Those two¨Cthey¡¯re not the ones you were running away from, are they?¡± Beth whispered, her wide


    eyes darting out to where Alec and Kade stood. When I gave her a look of denial, she continued


    speaking. ¡°Obviously you ran away from home, I¡¯m not that stupid. I just want to make sure they¡¯re not


    here to drag you back.¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡± I chuckled, shaking my head. I knew Alec and Kade wanted me back more than


    anything, but I also knew neither would force me if I truly wanted to stay. I wasn¡¯t sure I would


    physically be able to stomach the pain that would cross their eyes if I had refused to leave, refused to


    be with them. ¡°I left for a lot of reasons, Alec and Kade weren¡¯t part of it. They came to talk some sense


    into me.¡±


    ¡°And did they?¡± Beth frowned, looking somewhat disheartened. ¡°Are you going back home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really am.¡± I frowned, hoping I hadn¡¯t lost the first friend I made in this town. ¡°They were


    right, I shouldn¡¯t have left.¡±


    ¡°You care about them, both of them.¡± Beth noted, an eyebrow raised as the word ¡®both¡¯ left her lips.


    ¡°I do.¡± I nodded, swallowing my obvious nerves.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Beth asked, ¡°You won¡¯t be going back to whoever made you leave, right?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± I shook my head, reminding myself to talk to Alec and Kade about that. ¡°They¡¯ll take


    care of me. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll still worry. Jake¡¯s my brother, worrying is something I¡¯ve done for years.¡± Beth snorted,


    ¡°Speaking of, feel free to chew him out for not taking you home.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I have a feeling you¡¯ve already chewed him out pretty good.¡± I snickered, ncing over at


    Jake who seemed somewhat disturbed at the re Kade was throwing his way.


    ¡°I deny nothing.¡± Beth grimaced, ¡°What exactly happened to you? I know you wouldn¡¯t miss work like


    that. I called the police, but they wouldn¡¯t do anything until 48 hours were up.¡±


    ¡°I basically almost got kidnapped.¡± I shuddered, ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I got away.¡±


    ¡°Here, take my phone number.¡± Beth shouted, darting over to one of the silver prep tables. She pulled a


    pen from a little wicker basket and grabbed a sheet of paper from the printer in the back. ¡°I¡¯d like an


    exnation someday, if you don¡¯t mind. Maybe Jake and I can visit! Is there a bakery in your town?¡±


    ¡°Maybe someday.¡± I giggled, ¡°Unfortunately, there isn¡¯t a bakery. The town could definitely use one.¡±


    ¡°Why not open one yourself?¡± Beth smirked, her eyes darting over to Alec and Kade. ¡°See if your


    boyfriends are willing to fork over the money. I¡¯m an amazing business partner.¡±


    Even though I already had enough responsibilities on my te, an image formed in my mind. A life with


    Alec and Kade¨Chelping them take care of their pack, my downtime spent running a bakery that I


    owned. Something I could put my heart and soul into, something Melissa, Frank, or Garrett couldn¡¯t


    touch¨Ccouldn¡¯t ruin. It wasn¡¯t a picture-perfect scenario, but it was my life¨Cmy family.


    ¡°That¡¯s not such a bad idea.¡± I smiled softly, pulling Beth in for onest hug. ¡°Thank you, for everything.


    You¡¯ve helped me more than you know.¡±


    Beth gave Jake a break from the register, taking over so I could talk with him. Guilt was evident on his


    face, but I hadn¡¯t an ounce of me to ce on his shoulders. The werewolves had found me in this


    town, and sooner orter they would have made their move. Nothing would have changed if Jake had


    taken me home.


    ¡°Your friends are intimidating the customers.¡± Jake pointed out, casting a brief nce at Alec and Kade.


    Both of my protective mates had their eyes on me, Kade¡¯s lips twitched into a frown. Judging from their


    influx of emotions, neither knew what to make of Jake. A friend, co-worker, boyfriend, something¡­


    more? They hadn¡¯t a clue what I was up to the week I stayed in this town. The strange glimpse I had


    into their emotions helped me understand their actions, understand that they weren¡¯t being intentionally


    overbearing and protective. They were both still hurt from my leaving, and those wounds wouldn¡¯t heal


    overnight.


    ¡°I think my friends are just intimidating you.¡± I snorted, my eyes narrowing as a group of giggling girls


    passed Alec and Kade, their eyes roaming over every inch of skin. ¡°The customers seem to love them¨C


    well, some of them do.¡±


    ¡°Jealous?¡± Jake chuckled, ¡°Now I see why you¡¯ve turned down every guy whose asked you out. Two


    guys, really Rory? That¡¯s kind of weird.¡±


    ¡°It is, but I wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡± I shrugged, a crimson blush staining my face as Alec and Kade


    picked up on my words. Their eyes snapped over to where I stood, Jake long forgotten. I pped


    Jake¡¯s shoulder, a flimsy re on my face. ¡°And I told you to stop calling me Rory.¡±


    ¡°And I stopped listening when you told me to stop calling you Rory.¡± Jake shrugged, a lopsided grin on


    his face. The grin onlysted a couple seconds before it fell entirely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the other night. I


    should have¨CI should have taken you home.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, really. This would have happened either way, it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± I reassured


    him, a friendly smile on my face. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around sometime. Do me a favor, try not to p**s Beth off


    too much while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have asked for something more realistic?¡± Jake grumbled, pulling me in for a somewhat


    awkward good-bye hug.


    I left the bakery feeling as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, even though I was


    returning to a town where most of the poption disliked me. Alec and Kade provided me with a sense


    of safety I had never felt before, only solidifying the guilt that had been looming over my head.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made friends here in such a short amount of time.¡± Alec spoke softly, his voice out of ce with


    his muscr build. ¡°Are you sure you want to leave?¡±


    Alec and Kade were experiencing guilt of their own, among other emotions. Alec felt as though they


    were tearing me away from happiness, when in reality, they were my happiness. Now that I had


    epted them as my mates, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find happiness in this town without them. I wanted to


    be with them¨Cto go wherever they went.


    ¡°I made the mistake of leaving the first time.¡± I admitted, the guilt in my stomach coiling and uncoiling


    as I looked between my two mates. I could see the hurt deep within their eyes, the hurt they both tried


    to cover. ¡°I won¡¯t make that mistake again. Wherever you go, I go.¡±


    Some of that hidden emotion leaked through their eyes, and for once I wished we weren¡¯t outside on a


    crowded street. I wished we were alone, just the three of us. I wished I could wipe the hurt from their


    eyes, the guilt from their veins until there was nothing left, until I was the only thing left.


    I slipped a hand through each of their own, squeezing gently as I pulled the two of them to the car.


    Something across the street caught my eye, a familiar face. The guy who had apanied me on the


    bus was standing just across the street, a cellphone ced to his ear. Even from this angle I could


    make out his face, the features that kept mepany for that long bus ride.


    ¡°Justin?¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    ¡°Justin?¡±


    ¡°Another friend from town?¡± Alec asked, his eyes glued to Justin who hadn¡¯t yet noticed us.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, my voice filled with unease. ¡°I met him on the bus leaving town. He said he was


    coming from Florida, and that he was heading to Virginia. I wonder what he¡¯s doing here.¡±


    ¡°This is a long way from Virginia.¡± Alec grunted, his eyes narrowing.


    Just then, the wind shifted. A thick breeze wafted across the street, and I watched as Justin¡¯s short hair


    ruffled under the current. His scent hit me like a ton of bricks, and I wondered how I hadn¡¯t noticed it


    before.


    ¡°Justin¨Che was one of the guys who tried to kidnap me.¡±


    My words set many things in motion. Justin¡¯s head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine, filled with what


    looked like surprise. Kade was across the street before I could blink, moving faster than I thought


    possible. Justin turned on his heel, his cellphone ttering to the ground as he took of through a crowd


    of tourists. Kade barreled through the humans, sending them scattering into the grass and onto the


    road.


    My heart jumped in my chest as the two of them vanished in a thick crowd of people, heading towards


    the dense forest that surrounded this town.


    ¡°His phone, he dropped his phone.¡± I scoffed, grabbing Alec¡¯s hand and darting across the road.


    The cellphone was somewhat beat up from its fall, but remained in full working order. I swiped the


    screen with my thumb and grimaced as it asked for a four-digit password.


    ¡°C**p.¡± I sighed, ¡°It needs a password.¡±


    ¡°Let me see it.¡± Alec replied, ¡°We have a friend back at the pack who¡¯s good with electronics. He might


    be able to get into it.¡±


    I handed the phone to Alec and turned my eyes to the remaining crowd of people. They had all long


    forgotten that Justin and Kade practically bulldozered through them and resumed meandering through


    town.


    My shoulders were tense with worry, my eyebrows creased at the thought of what might happen. Even


    though I epted Alec and Kade as my mates, I knew little about them as people. I hadn¡¯t a clue if


    Alec or Kade could defend themselves, though I hoped their huge builds weren¡¯t just for show. Would I


    know if something happened to Kade? Would I feel it like I feel their emotions?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aurora.¡± Alec faced me; his voice incredibly soft though his eyes burned with rage. ¡°Kade


    will get him. You¡¯re sure he was one of the men that attacked you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive.¡± I nodded, meeting Alec¡¯s hardened eyes. ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed on the bus, but when the men


    attacked me, they smelled¨Cdifferent.¡±


    I stepped into his arms, pressing myself against his side for support. Anger rippled through him,


    burning the tip of my tongue as his emotion wafted over me. I could feel his rage ebb and flow under


    my touch, my presence taking the edge off the razor-sharp emotion.


    Alec turned his head to where Justin had once stood, inhaling deeply, a grimace etched onto his face.


    Justin¡¯s scent still lingered, as the wind had not yet chased it away. At first smell, it was the normal


    scent of a male. Musky, and somewhat earthy. As I focused on the thickyers of Justin¡¯s scent, I could


    pick out something¨Codd about his smell, like he needed a really good bath. It wasn¡¯t quite body odor,


    more like the smell of a d***y animal.


    ¡°He¡¯s a rogue.¡± Alec grimaced, his eyes shing murderously. ¡°What would a group of rogues want with


    you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I admitted, ¡°They said their boss wanted them to pick me up.¡±


    ¡°That could be anyone.¡± Alec sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Alpha¡¯s¨Creally any werewolf who


    needs something done can employ rogues. They¡¯ll take b**e minimum payment for whatever you need


    done.¡±


    ¡°So, it could have been anyone who hired them.¡± I sighed.


    ¡°And worse, they know you¡¯re a white wolf.¡± Alec¡¯s words came out in a low growl, ¡°They¡¯ll never stop


    now that they know what you are. You¡¯re worth too much.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but tense up at what Alec had said. I had made my decision, and knew running would


    solve nothing, but it was somewhat daunting to realize what my life had be. I would be hunted for


    the rest of my life, just like Sage, for something I had no control over.


    As though he could feel my stress, Alec turned and held me close. His intoxicating scent filled my nose,


    manly and rich as it calmed my frayed nerves. Butterflies danced in my stomach at the close proximity


    between us, along with the rush of gentle calm that flowed from Alec.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, doll.¡± Alec murmured, his lips against my forehead. The sparks that danced across


    my skin, paired with Alec¡¯s soft voice, soothed me further. ¡°We¡¯ll keep you safe. They won¡¯t get their


    hands on you.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, both of you.¡± I sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just¨CI used to be normal, well as normal as I could be. I¡¯m not


    comining anymore, but it¡¯s still a lot to get used to.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Alec¡¯s hand cupped my face, lifting it so my eyes met his. Dark and endless, he stared at me


    with an intensity that made my toes curl. ¡°Kade and I will be with you through it all. We¡¯re not going


    anywhere, Aurora. You don¡¯t have to go through any of this alone.¡±


    Alec had a certain kind of gravity around him, one that pulled me in and imed me as his own. I found


    myself wanting to be closer to him, to seekfort from him in any way I could. Maybe it was the


    mate-bond pulling us closer, I wasn¡¯t sure, but I wanted more of him.


    They both hade all this way for me, yet neither had forced me to return home. They respected my


    decision, and despite the hurt that lingered within them, they understood why I had left. That was more


    than anyone had ever given me, and somehow, I knew they weren¡¯t done giving. They both would give


    me everyst piece of themselves until they had nothing left, and what scared me the most was I was


    willing to do the same.


    I stood on my toes, raising myself closer to his towering height. Alec¡¯s surprise danced across my skin


    as I grazed my lips against his. Alec and Kade had been my first kiss. At the time I had been


    completely overwhelmed by their attention, but now I craved it, all of it.


    The sparks tickled my lips as I brushed them against Alec¡¯s, and I smiled as his arms wrapped around


    me protectively. Alec made no move to further our kiss, letting me explore his lips with my light


    inexperience. When I pulled away, a breathtaking smirk had formed on his face. A light happiness


    danced in his eyes, and as the sun hit his dark hair, I realized how startlingly beautiful he looked. Like


    he was chiseled from stone, created just for me.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make Kade jealous, doll.¡± Alec murmured softly, tracing his thumb along my bottom lip.


    ¡°An Alpha¡¯s jealousy is much worse than your average werewolf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to owe him one.¡± I said somewhat breathlessly.


    ¡°Believe me, he will hold you to that.¡± Alec smiled, a genuine smile. It was like a light shined within him,


    breathtakingly beautiful.


    The high-pitched chime of a phone went off, and the two of us stiffened, the care-free moment between


    us vanished with the cool caress of the wind. Justin¡¯s phone was ringing, a restricted number popped


    onto the screen.


    Alec answered the call, pressing the speaker phone button as the two of us listened in anticipation.


    ¡°Did you find her?¡±


    The voice was that of a male, rough and deep but also raspy. The voice wasn¡¯t as deep as Alec or


    Kade¡¯s, but it was clear the voice came from an older male. I nced at Alec; whose face darkened. I


    saw no recognition in his eyes, no indication that he knew who was speaking on the other end of the


    phone.


    ¡°No, and you never will.¡± Alec snarled, ¡°But we will find you, and you will have wished you never


    touched what was ours.¡±


    The mystery guy ended the call, and the two of us fell into silence. Alec held his rage within him, a


    murderous sort of calm falling over his features.


    Once again, a phone rang, this time belonging to Alec. He answered the call and ced the phone


    against his ear. I could hear Kade¡¯s rough voice on the other end. Their conversationsted a total of


    thirty seconds before Alec hung up.


    ¡°He caught him; he¡¯s got Justin.¡± Alec smiled, though it was one of murderous anticipation. ¡°He¡¯s going


    to head back to the pack without us. There¡¯s no way were letting Justin within sniffing distance of you.¡±


    ¡°What will happen once Kade brings him back to the pack?¡± I frowned.


    I knew little of this new world, but some things were blindingly clear. Alec and Kade had a sort of feralThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    dominance that radiated from them in waves. Werewolves took care of their own, and seemed to live


    by their own set ofws. The title of Alpha wasn¡¯t just for show, which meant Alec and Kade¡¯s word was


    practicallyw. They wouldn¡¯t be lenient on Justin, and there certainly wouldn¡¯t be a trial. They would


    exact their own form of justice on Justin, and anyone who dared try to hurt me.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be questioned, and if he¡¯s smart, he¡¯ll talk.¡± Alec grunted, cing his hand on the small of my


    back as we crossed the road and headed to the car.


    ¡°Will he be tortured?¡± I asked, already knowing the answer.


    Alec paused, and though his eyes were hard, they softened as they caught my uneasy gaze.


    ¡°Yes, he will be tortured.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°This might make you ufortable, but we¡¯re different than


    humans¨Cwe run things differently.¡±


    Alec held the passenger door open for me, letting me climb inside before shutting it. I sat in silence for


    the entire drive to the airport, mulling over what he had said. What I hadn¡¯t told him is that the thought


    of Justin being tortured hadn¡¯t made me ufortable. I found it somewhat sickening, and wanted to


    be far away when it happened, but arge part of me expected it¨Cand worse, epted it. Somewhere


    deep within me, I knew werewolves weren¡¯t lenient, that they didn¡¯t believe in simply imprisoning


    someone for the rest of their lives. Punishment meant d***h.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Alec and I drove the hour to the airport infortable silence. It gave me plenty of time to stew in my


    anxiety. Not only had I ran away from Alec and Kade, but I had left Tori. Part of me desperately hoped


    she would forgive me, but I wouldn¡¯t me her if she couldn¡¯t. After all, she had done nothing but


    support me, and I had still left.


    Alec and Kade seemed to understand my reasons for leaving, though the pain still echoed in the back


    of their minds. I hoped Tori would understand as well. It was a reunion I was both anticipating and


    dreading. I hadn¡¯t given much thought to Garrett and how he would feel about my leaving, nor did I


    care.


    He had gone about everythingpletely wrong. From using me for my future position, to breaking the


    news that I wasn¡¯t human. From the very beginning, he had never been a father figure in my life. He


    had never wanted to see me, just me as I am. He wanted the werewolf version of me, the version


    where I stepped up and took control of his pack. I couldn¡¯t¨CI wouldn¡¯t go back to that, to being


    controlled and used.


    ¡°I have one condition if I¡¯m to return.¡± I cleared my throat.


    Alec¡¯s head snapped over, his eyes searching my own. I had his full undivided attention, which I would


    have appreciated if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was driving down the interstate. The intense look in his


    eyes made my stomach flutter. I had never captured someone¡¯s full attention before, rendering


    everything else useless.


    ¡°Name it.¡± Alec nodded, his eyes flickering back to the road for just a second.


    I could feel a slight twinge of worry that bounced around in his head. He was worried he couldn¡¯t fulfill


    my condition, that I would make him turn around and bring me back to Beth and Jake. He would, I


    knew that much. If I asked, he would turn right around and take me back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not living with Garrett.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Or Melissa and Frank. I¡¯m not going to be used by


    anyone ever again.¡±


    ¡°We never nned on bringing you back to them.¡± Alec shook his head, the corner of his lip turning up


    in a smile.


    A single dimple appeared on his left side, and I basked in the sight. His eyes had a sly glint in them,


    one that made me curious. I could feel his relief at what I said. It swirled around his mind and soothed


    the jagged edges of the worry he had been feeling.


    ¡°I assume Garrett won¡¯t like that.¡± I snorted, ¡°Melissa and Frank won¡¯t care. They probably haven¡¯t even


    noticed I left.¡±


    ¡°Melissa noticed.¡± Alec replied in a tight voice, the muscles in his jaw working. His irritation scratched at


    the back of my throat, and I wondered what had happened while I was gone. ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if Frank


    noticed much of anything. Garrett will not be happy, but his happiness is irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°She noticed? That¡¯s a surprise.¡± I chuckled dryly. ¡°I do have some things at Garrett¡¯s house that I¡¯ll


    need to get back.¡±


    ¡°Kade and I wille with you.¡± Alec nodded, his eyes softening. ¡°We won¡¯t let you go there alone.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way I could¨CI don¡¯t know, refuse taking over his pack?¡± I frowned, ¡°He has another


    daughter, she can have the pack.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, you can¡¯t.¡± Alec frowned, ¡°As strange as it sounds, you¡¯re bound to his pack through


    blood. You¡¯re bound to our pack through the mate-bond.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rule a pack.¡± I sighed, ¡°I never wanted to.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t rule alone, Aurora.¡± Alec smiled softly, ¡°Kade and I will be there every step of the way. We¡¯ll


    help you with it all. That¡¯s what mates are for. I think you¡¯ll surprise yourself. Ruling is in your blood; it


    woulde naturally to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll both help me?¡± I asked. Somehow the prospect of ruling an entire pack sounded more


    reasonable with Alec and Kade. I wouldn¡¯t be expected to do everything alone, to learn everything on


    my own whilst being a pawn to Garrett. Alec and Kade had experience, had parents who had once


    done the same. If anyone could help me without using me as a pawn, it was Alec and Kade.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Alec smiled; a genuine smile that made the dimple on his left cheek appear. ¡°Our parents


    ruled the pack long before Kade and I were born. We grew up learning how to handle it all.¡±


    The words unspoken drifted between Alec and I, bouncing around my head. Any children we might


    have, they would also be raised learning how to run a pack. The thought made my stomach twist,


    though it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling.


    ¡°If you want, we couldbine the two packs.¡± Alec continued, ¡°It would bepletely up to you.


    Instead of watching over two separate packs, they would be one. Our territory would mix with his,


    his people would be our people.¡±


    I thought over what he said for a few moments. Out of all the people in my life who tried to manipte


    and control me, I had never gotten that feeling from Alec or Kade. My instincts were telling me to trust


    them, to rely on them for whatever I needed. Even in the midst of all the confusion in my head, that one


    thing was clear. I could trust Alec and Kade with absolutely anything.


    ¡°I would like that.¡± I nodded, giving him a genuine smile.


    ¡°Usually the female would be Luna, while the male bes Alpha. You¡¯re the sole heir to your


    father¡¯s pack, which makes your future mate the Alpha.¡± Alec exined, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t take total control


    of the pack, it would be the three of us making decisions.¡±


    ¡°I trust you both.¡± I nodded, and no words had ever felt more right.


    Relief washed through Alec like a cool tidal wave, and I smiled to myself as his hand found my own.


    His hand was warm as it grasped my own, and I could feel thefort the touch brought to both of us.


    We arrived at the airport within the hour, and Alec booked us the earliest flight back home. Back home¨C


    it had never been a home before, but that had changed without my knowledge. I was sure Alec and


    Kade could take me to Antarctica and that would quickly be home. Anywhere with Alec and Kade


    was home, regardless of who else waited.


    ¡°So, you know about my family. Tell me about yours.¡± I questioned, settling into thefortable seat of


    the ne.


    Where I had just enough money to book a flight out of town, Alec had paid extra for better seats. I didn¡¯t


    want to know how much first-ss tickets were, and I hadn¡¯t asked. I wondered how being an Alpha of


    a pack made you wealthy, and I added it to the long list of questions I already had.


    A television was bolted into the far wall, ying some soundless talk show. There weren¡¯t many people


    in this wing of the ne, just a few lounging back in their own seats. A woman pushing a cart had


    stopped at our seats, and I happily took a bottle of soda from her hands. Alec took one for himself,


    shing me a smile that made my toes curl.


    ¡°We have no other siblings, but we do have quite a few cousins on my Mom¡¯s side.¡± Alec shrugged,


    ¡°Mom and Dad ruled the pack until Kade and I stepped up. Usually, you wait until eighteen to take over,


    but Kade and I were ambitious. We took over around a year ago. For the longest time, our parents


    didn¡¯t know what to do. Twins are highly unusual for werewolves, even more so for an Alpha and Luna.


    They weren¡¯t sure who was going to take over.¡±


    ¡°Werewolves don¡¯t usually have twins?¡± I asked. It wasn¡¯t amon urrence for human¡¯s, but


    sometimes it happened.


    ¡°No, never.¡± Alec chuckled, ¡°Kade and I are the first set of twins born from a Luna and Alpha. Kade¡¯s


    older by a minute, so they assumed he would take over as Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he?¡± I asked, my tone curious.


    ¡°Kade and I have always been inseparable. We¡¯ve never fought, and always shared everything¨Cexcept


    for women. ¡± Alec grinned, ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin, but we were both meant to take over the pack. The fact


    that you¡¯re both of our mate¡¯s proves that even further.¡±


    ¡°Do your parents know?¡± I cleared my throat ufortably, ¡°Do they know about me?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet.¡± Alec shook his head, a gentle smile ying at his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll have to tell them once we


    arrive home. Kade and I will not hide you from anyone. You¡¯re their Luna, they will love you regardless.¡±


    Anxiety churned in my gut as I had yet another reason to worry abouting home. Tori would


    inevitably be angry with me, Garrett would continue trying to control me, and I had to meet Alec and


    Kade¡¯s parents. Would they react the same way? It was unheard of for two men to share a mate, and


    here I was.


    ¡°They will love you, Aurora.¡± Alec smiled softly, his rough hand grasping my chin as he brought my


    gaze to his own. ¡°You¡¯re family now. Melissa, Frank, and Garrett can¡¯t reach you anymore.¡±


    Family. That word reverberated in my mind, warming my insides and soothing my fear. Family had


    been something I always wanted. My Grandma was family, though my time with her was brief. MelissaCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    and Frank were the farthest thing from family. Even Sage, in a way, felt like family. I held a connection


    with her that went far beyond blood ties or friendship. Sage and I were the same, and my soul


    recognized that as much as it recognized Alec and Kade.


    I could feel the truth of Alec¡¯s words circling my heart, and felt a sense of relief I hadn¡¯t experienced in


    many years. I was no longer stuck in a miserable, inescapable situation. I didn¡¯t have to run or hide


    myself from anyone.


    High on the sense of freedom I never had before, I leaned over and ced my lips against Alec¡¯s. His


    surprise was tart like a lemon, followed by happiness so sweet, I pressed myself closer. This time Alec


    took control, his lips moving against my own with such tenderness. His hands cupped my face, drawing


    me closer. I smiled as his teeth nipped at my lip, gasping when his tongue followed suit. We pulled


    away when our lungs burned, begging for oxygen.


    Alec¡¯s eyes were blown wide, awe bleeding through his gaze as he looked at my flushed cheeks and


    swollen lips. His hands remained on my face, tracing gentle circles along my cheeks and jaw.


    ¡°Now you owe Kade two.¡± Alec chuckled, earning a genuine smile in return.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Once we got back into town, Alec picked up a rental car to drive the rest of the way. After a half an


    hour, the buildings began to look familiar. Anxiety churned in my gut as we drew closer to town. I rolled


    my lip between my teeth, something I often did when I was stressed out.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Alec reassured me, shing me one of his dimpled grins before


    turning his attention back on the road. ¡°Garrett won¡¯t get his hands on you, and Grace is out of the


    picture. You won¡¯t be anywhere near Melissa and Frank either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not them I¡¯m worried about.¡± I sighed, ¡°When I ran away, it wasn¡¯t just you and Kade I left behind.¡±


    ¡°Tori.¡± Alec nodded, his eyes on the road. I could feel the echo of pain deep within him, suppressed yet


    present. Leaving had hurt Alec and Kade more than I could¡¯ve ever understood. ¡°She was more


    worried than anything, but I can¡¯t speak for her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t me her.¡± I shook my head, ¡°For being upset, I mean. It was my fault.¡±


    ¡°You did what you thought was right at the time.¡± Alec grimaced, and I nearly flinched as his underlying


    pain seeped to the surface. ¡°None of us can me you for that.¡±


    ¡°I just¨CI didn¡¯t know you guys could help.¡± I admitted, ending my sentence with a little snort. ¡°Although,


    now I understand why you and Kade are so massivelyrge for high school seniors.¡±


    ¡°Massive?¡± Alec mused, shing me a sly grin. ¡°If you want to see massive¨C¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t finish that.¡± I shook my head, face ming.


    ¡°Not to worry, once we get home, I¡¯m sure Kade would love to hear about how massive you think we


    are.¡± Alec¡¯s smirk widened, his dark eyes shing yfully.


    I sunk lower in my seat, avoiding the heated yet yful gaze of Alec as my body reacted to his words.


    It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t been intimate with the twins, yet each time had been so overwhelming, even


    before I was aware of the mate bond. Their touch was all consuming, chasing away the most


    troublesome thoughts from my mind. When they touched me, all I could think about was more¨Cwas


    wanting more of them.


    After what felt like seconds, we pulled into town. The town was nestled in the middle of the dense


    woods, far from prying eyes. I now understood why someone would build a town so far out in the forest.


    The thick woods gave the perfect coverage to shift without anyone seeing you. The town itself was


    quite beautiful, much nicer than the town the humans lived in. The buildings were all shiny and new,


    clearly well taken care of. Within minutes, we were driving down the street where Alec and Kade¡¯s


    house sat. Their house was thergest in town, with a long wrap around porch just out front. It was as


    nice as Garrett¡¯s newly built house, though Alec and Kade¡¯s home felt more¡ªlived in. Garrett¡¯s house


    reminded me of a show home, beautifully decorated, but cold on the inside.


    My stomach dropped as we pulled into the driveway of Alec and Kade¡¯s house. My eyes were glued to


    Tori¡¯s house, which was just a few houses down the block. Her driveway was empty, she must have not


    been home. Swallowing the nausea, I felt, I let Alec open the door for me and followed him into his


    house.


    The foyer wasrge, an intricate crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The house wasn¡¯t cold and


    extravagant like Garretts. This house was luxurious, but actually felt lived in. My eyes scanned the


    pictures on the wall, instantly seeking out a young Alec and Kade. Both were chubby toddlers, with


    dark tufts of hair on their head. Each picture seemed to show them a couple years older, up until what


    looked to be this year.


    My head snapped towards the open kitchen as I heard voices filtering through the house. Alec gave me


    a light smile and tugged me forward. My legs threatened to lock up, yet somehow, I managed to follow


    after him.


    The kitchen wasrge, big enough for a family of ten. It had two stoves, and a refrigerator with arge


    screen. I hadn¡¯t been to a house quite this nice, and found it hard to believe I¡¯d actually be living here.


    Kade was the only person I noticed, looking much like he had when we left Beth¡¯s bakery. His hair was


    tousled, and he had changed his clothes. A blush spanned my cheeks as I wondered if he too ended


    up naked after shifting, if it was amon urrence among werewolves.


    Kade turned and met my eyes as though I were a ma walking into the room. A genuine smile


    formed on his face, one that nearly took my breath away. I heard Alec chuckling lowly behind me as I


    wrapped my arms around Kade¡¯s waist. The shock they felt whenever I willingly touched them was


    always mixed with just a hint of awe. Kade¡¯s arms snaked around my waist, and I felt his lips press


    against my hair.


    ¡°Miss me already, sweetheart?¡± Kade asked, one of his dark eyebrows raised.


    A light voice cleared their throat and I stiffened as I realized we weren¡¯t the only people in the kitchen.


    A woman with wheat colored hair and crystal blue eyes, her figure was slim as was her face. The man


    sitting next to her was the spitting image of Alec and Kade. Dark hair, dark eyes, broad shoulders, and


    arge build. Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom was watching the three of us, her eyes curious but not judgmental.


    ¡°Are you going to introduce us?¡± Their Mom scoffed, though a smile yed at the edges of her full lips.


    ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t raise you boys without manners.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Dad, this is Aurora.¡± Kade chuckled lowly. ¡°Our mate.¡±


    ¡°Our?¡± Their Dad asked, his eyebrow raised in an expression that was nearly identical to his sons. The


    sight made me want tough, as I now understood where the two of them had gotten their serious yet


    yful looks from.


    ¡°Our.¡± Alec nodded, the hint of a smile on his ace.


    ¡°And is this what you needed to talk aboutst week?¡± Their Mom asked softly, her eyes remaining on


    me.


    ¡°Partially.¡± Kade shrugged, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before wandering through the kitchen to


    where threerge tters of food sat.


    Through my anxiety, I hadn¡¯t smelled the thick scent of food wafting through the kitchen. My stomach


    rumbled angrily, making Kade smirk in my direction. Kade lifted the lid to one of the tters, grabbing


    at a piece of steaming food.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Their Mom snapped, waving her hands at Kade as she chased him off.


    The sight was one of the most amusing things I had seen. Kade towered over his Mom by at least a


    foot and a half, yet he trotted away at the wave of her hand. Her lips were set in a tight line, though her


    eyes twinkled with amusement.


    This is what a family is supposed to be like, I thought to myself. It was clear from the gentle touches


    and quiet words, that their parents loved each other greatly. I assumed they were also mating, though I


    wasn¡¯t entirely sure. It seemed in the werewolf world that one always ended up with their mates.


    ¡°You boys are sure she¡¯s both of your mates?¡± Their Dad asked, his intense eyes on me.


    ¡°We¡¯re sure.¡± Alec nodded, one of his arms snaked around my waist, tracing little circles on the small of


    my back.


    Their Dad¡¯s eyes narrowed into little slits as he stared me in the face, making my heartrate skyrocket. I


    couldn¡¯t feel any emotion bubbling from him like I could with Alec and Kade. For once, I felt somewhat


    blind. I couldn¡¯t tell what was churning behind his dark eyes.


    ¡°Your eyes look familiar.¡± Their Dad grunted, his face losing that crippling intensity after a few short


    moments.


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason for that.¡± Alec cleared his throat, shooting a quick nce over to Kade, who


    happened to be creeping closer and closer to the food. ¡°She¡¯s Garrett¡¯s daughter.¡±


    If I had thought their Dad was intense before, I hadn¡¯t seen anything yet. Their Dad¡¯s eyes widened; his


    lips set in a grim line as he looked me over. Even their Mom looked stunned, and somewhat worried.


    She ced a hand on her husband¡¯s arm, giving him a gentle nod.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Garrett had a kid.¡± Their Dad grunted.


    ¡°Yeah, me either.¡± I blurted the words out without thinking. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice to know I wasn¡¯t


    human seventeen years ago.¡±


    Alec and Kade¡¯s Dad snorted, before letting out a low chuckle. I could feel the approval radiating from


    Alec and Kade, along with pride and another intoxicatingly sweet emotion that I couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    ¡°Well, we sure have a lot to talk about.¡± Their Mom chuckled lightly, the tension leaving the room. ¡°Care


    to stay for dinner, Aurora?¡±


    I sent Alec a brief look, wondering if they knew I was hoping to live here. Alec gave me an encouraging


    nod, his eyes telling me we¡¯d talk about itter. I turned to their parents, two people who held nothing


    but genuine concern for their sons. I realized then that I wanted them to ept me, I wanted it more


    than anything. I couldn¡¯t leave Alec and Kade a second time, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could handle more


    people fighting against me. Instead of sumbing to the nerves boiling under my skin, I mustered up a


    kind smile and nodded my head.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to stay.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    I followed Alec and Kade into the dining room, noting how different it looked from Garrett¡¯s. Alec and


    Kade¡¯s house were just asrge and extravagant, but it felt more like a home. The twins had spent their


    entire lives in this house, and it showed in every floorboard and piece of furniture.


    The dining room wasrge enough for arge group of people, but felt bright and cheerful. I followed


    the twin¡¯s over to the end of the table, blushing as Kade pulled out a chair for me to sit. I was wedged in


    between them, with little room, though I didn¡¯t mind. Their Dad sat across the table from Alec, while


    their Mom pulled out the many tters that had been sitting on the kitchen counter.


    As she uncovered the tters, my stomach roared at the sight of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes,


    an array of vegetables, and steaming rolls. It was more than enough food to feed five people, but I


    remembered what Alec and Kade had said about werewolves eating more than a human. Regardless,


    someone Alec and Kade¡¯s size would need to eat a significant amount of food, whether they were


    human or not.


    Kade was the first to reach forward, snagging a buttery roll from one of the tters. His Mom caught


    the action and snorted, rolling her eyes at her son. Alec lifted my te from the table and began piling


    food on top, shing me an innocent grin once he was finished.


    ¡°You¡¯d think I never feed them.¡± Their Mom chuckled; her eyebrow raised as she watched Kade inhale


    the steaming roll. ¡°I was so excited when I heard I was pregnant with twins. If only I knew how much


    food I¡¯d be making.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not that bad.¡± Alec smirked, piling food onto his own te.


    ¡°You say that, but there¡¯s a reason you made Aurora¡¯s te before your own.¡± Their Mom chuckled,


    giving their Dad a hard look as he too was piling food onto his te.


    ¡°They¡¯re still growing.¡± Their Dad shrugged, taking an extra roll from the center of the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s your excuse?¡± Their Mom snickered, eyeing her husband¡¯s te with amusement.


    ¡°Werewolves don¡¯t stop growing until their at least fifty-four.¡± Their Dad nodded confidently, though a


    smile twitched at the corners of his lips.


    This is what family is supposed to be like, I thought to myself. Alec and Kade continued bickering at


    their Mom, who in turn bickered back. The lighthearted teasing was amusing, and soon their Dad


    jumped in. Their Mom did an incredible job at handling three fully grown werewolves, especially three


    males. It was obvious how close knit this family was, and it was strange how easy it felt to be around


    them all.


    ¡®This will be our family too.¡¯ Thalia nodded, ¡®Someday, they¡¯ll be our children¡¯s grandparents.¡¯


    ¡®Alright, too personal.¡¯ I shook my head, ¡®My rtionship with Alec and Kade isn¡¯t anywhere near this


    stage.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯ll happen regardless.¡¯ Thalia scoffed, ¡®They were made for us.¡¯


    ¡®They were, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to talk about my future children with you.¡¯ I shook my head.


    Alec sent me a curious nce, most likely noticing the blush that had formed on my cheeks. I pushed


    the thoughts of any future children aside, and gave him a reassuring smile. Gentle sparks slithered up


    my leg as Kade¡¯s hand grazed my knee. Their Mom and Dad seemed to catch everything, every silent


    look or interaction that happened between me and the twins.


    Their Dad leaned forward; his eyes curious. ¡°So, you¡¯re Garrett¡¯s kid. You got his eyes, though I¡¯m sure


    you¡¯re aware of that already. Are you older than Kady?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I nodded, swallowing my nerves. ¡°He¡¯s been hellbent on getting me to take over his pack.¡±


    ¡°And how do you feel about that?¡± Their Dad asked, ¡°Taking over a pack, that is. Especially when


    you¡¯ve spent your life as a human.¡±


    Their Mom ced a gentle smack against her husband¡¯s shoulder, who gave her a gentle shrug and an


    apologetic grin. The more I watched the two of them interact, the more I knew they were mates. Their


    brief nces at one another held a familiarity and passion that I knew little of. They had spent years


    together, had children together. That kind of bond couldn¡¯t be replicated, and I wondered if mine would


    grow over time. If someday I would look at Alec and Kade as though they were a part of me, an


    extension of myself.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even introduced ourselves, Theo.¡± Their Mom scoffed, turning her gentle eyes to me. ¡°You


    can call me Callie.¡±


    ¡°Now were introduced.¡± Theo grunted, giving his wife a yful grin. He turned his attention back on me,


    and it took me a few moments to realize he expected an answer.


    ¡°Well, I wanted nothing to do with it at first.¡± I grimaced, ¡°Things have changed, though I still don¡¯t


    appreciate being manipted by him. If I do take over his pack, it¡¯ll be on my terms. I won¡¯t be a


    puppet, especially to the likes of Garrett.¡±


    ¡°Spoken like a true Luna.¡± Theo nodded, some of the tension leaving his eyes. ¡°And you do understand


    that someday your future pack will mix with our own?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I nodded, feeling pride radiate through Alec, while surprise wafted from Kade. I met


    Kade¡¯s surprised stare, nearly losing myself in the intensity of his dark eyes.


    Theo¡¯s mouth opened to say something more, but a knock sounded on the front door. Theo patted his


    wife¡¯s shoulder and walked out of the dining room. The increased capabilities of my senses continued


    to surprise me as I heard the front door open and a low, familiar voice speak. Garrett stood at the front


    door, insisting on being let in.


    ¡°I know she¡¯s here, Theodore. I know they brought her back.¡±


    Alec and Kade¡¯s Dad spoke lowly, and I could hear the underlying wave of anger in his words. For


    whatever reason, Alec and Kade¡¯s Dad did not like Garrett. I silently prayed to whatever G*d listening


    that their Dad would m the door in his face. My stomach dropped as two sets of heavy feet walked


    through the house, towards the dining room.


    Garrett stood in the doorway to the dining room, wearing a te grey suit and dark, shiny shoes. His


    chestnut hair wasbed back, his eyes bright with surprise. His eyes were identical to my own, one a


    brilliant shade of blue, the other a rich brown. He stepped into the dining room, meeting my eyes with


    repressed intensity. I could see the words bubbling on his lips, and I grimaced as I waited to hear what


    he¡¯d finally say.


    ¡°You left.¡± Garrett noted, his eyebrows furrowed.


    For just a moment, I wanted tough in his face. The surprise burning in his eyes was funny in a


    horrifically sad way. He had left me as an infant, barged into my life seventeen yearster just to tell meText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I wasn¡¯t a human, that everything I knew and thought were lies. He expected me to willingly lead his


    pack, with him pulling the strings. He hadn¡¯t expected me to leave, to slip away in the night. He truly


    thought I would do exactly as he nned, all because he had a crucial part in making me.


    ¡°You noticed.¡± I replied, unable to hide the snort in my words. ¡°I guess we¡¯re both full of surprises,


    Garrett.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s eyes hardened, and I braced myself for whatever entitled remark that might spew from his


    mouth, ¡°You had me and your mother worried.¡±


    ¡°Melissa?¡± I scoffed, my jaw dropping. ¡°Since when has Melissa ever been worried about anyone other


    than herself?¡±


    Some of the anger faded from Garrett¡¯s eyes as a tired sigh left his lips, ¡°Your Mother cares in her own


    way.¡±


    ¡°Melissa¡¯s never cared, not once. Nor has she ever tried to prove otherwise.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish this conversation at home.¡± Garrett sighed, almost looking like a concerned father.


    The stress in his eyes invoked little guilt within me. Garrett had never cared about what upset me when


    he shifted in front of my eyes and demanded I take over his pack, why should I feel guilty for leaving?


    The only people who deserved an exnation were Alec, Kade, and Tori.


    Home¨Cas Garrett so eloquently put it. His luxurious house that felt withered and d**d inside. No


    laughter, no familiarity orfort. Even after spending an hour in Alec and Kade¡¯s house, I could feel


    the warmth radiating from every picture on the wall, from every stain or chip on their furniture. Garrett¡¯s


    house was a tomb¨Ca p****n cell.


    ¡°I¡¯m not living with you, Garrett.¡± I shook my head, catching Alec¡¯s reassuring gaze. ¡°One of my


    conditions oning back here, was deciding where I wanted to live.¡±


    ¡°You let her have conditions?¡± Garrett grimaced at Alec and Kade, his blue eye darkening to a deep


    shade of navy blue.


    ¡°What did you expect them to do?¡± I snapped, ¡°Knock me out, stuff me in the back of a car and drag me


    back, kicking and screaming? Unlike you, they respect my choices.¡±


    ¡°Where will you live, Aurora?¡± Garrett asked darkly, his voice unnervingly calm. ¡°With Melissa and


    Frank? Or will you hope your mate¡¯s parents will allow you to live here?¡±


    Under the table Kade gave my leg a gentle squeeze, while Alec looked towards their parents. Callie¡¯s


    eyes were not on her sons, but on me. Concern and interest filled her eyes, and through her gaze, I


    could see howpassionate the woman truly was. She turned her eyes to Garrett, and I watched


    them harden before she opened her mouth to speak.


    ¡°Aurora is wee to live with us.¡± Callie replied in a polite, yet clipped tone. It seemed Theo had no


    disagreements with his wife¡¯s words, and gave Garrett a brief nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be over tomorrow to get the rest of my things from your house.¡± I nodded at Garrett.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk then.¡± Garrett replied, turning to Theo. ¡°Thank you for letting me inside your home.¡±


    A rush of air left my lungs as soon as the front door closed. A weight I hadn¡¯t noticed was lifted from my


    shoulders. I hadn¡¯t been able to feel it dragging me down before, but now that it was gone, I felt like I


    could finally breathe again. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect when I had finally seen Garrett again, and


    though our conversation was far from over, I felt like things were slowly looking up.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Once Garrett left, the tense aura that filled the dining room slowly dissipated. Callie let out a long sigh,


    followed by a brief head shake, as though she were trying to wipe the memory from mind. Theo


    grimaced at the dining room entrance, as though he could still see Garrett standing there.


    ¡°I meant what I said, Aurora.¡± Callie smiled softly, ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to live here. It sounds like


    you don¡¯t have anywhere else to go.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I have Melissa and Frank, but¨Cthey¡¯re not an option.¡±


    ¡°Well, while we have two guest rooms¨CI have a feeling you¡¯ll want to stay with one of my sons. I don¡¯t


    see why the two of you couldn¡¯t move into one room with Aurora.¡± Callie mused, and I nearly choked on


    the piece of chicken I was eating.


    Kade chuckled lowly, making my face flush the color of a tomato. Even Alec had a yful light burning


    in his eyes. I wasn¡¯t expecting Callie and Theo to be so¨Cunderstanding? Most parents would never feel


    comfortable with what she was suggesting, but Callie seemed unphased by the potential events that


    could ur in that particr bedroom. I was sure she could tell exactly where my mind had gone, as a


    yful light simr to her son¡¯s had crossed her gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for mates to sleep in the same room.¡± Callie pointed out, ¡°So long as your using protect¨C¡°


    ¡°Mom, we understand.¡± Alec snickered, waggling his eyebrows at me.


    ¡°Just making sure.¡± Callie put her hands up in defeat, ¡°The guest room down the hall has a bigger bed,


    the three of you might want to make that your permanent bedroom. I can¡¯t help you with the closet


    space though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be just fine.¡± Alec nodded.


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Kade murmured, his dark eyes shing yfully, ¡°Aurora is quite the bed hog.¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡± I sputtered, giving Kade an incredulous nce.


    ¡°She really is, isn¡¯t she?¡± Alec mused, ¡°Why would such a little thing need so much space.¡±


    ¡°Her kicks hurt though.¡± Kade nodded, ¡°Bruised my knee the other night.¡±


    ¡°The two of you are nearly triple my size.¡± I red at the two of them, ¡°If anyone hogs the bed, it¡¯s one


    of you.¡±


    Even with the yful bickering between us, a nervous flutter sounded low in my stomach. I would be


    sharing a bed with Alec and Kade for the second time. While nothing sexual happened at Sage¡¯s


    house, I wasn¡¯t sure I could say the same for their own home. I hoped werewolf hearing wasn¡¯t that


    good, as I didn¡¯t want their Mom and Dad to hear everything that went on down the hall. The thought


    sent an intense blush to my face, running down the length of my neck and shoulders.


    ¡°You might want to get your thoughts under control, doll.¡± Alec murmured in my ear, his warm breath


    sending a chill down my body. ¡°Werewolves can smell the arousal of a female.¡±


    This time I did choke on the food in my mouth, a sputtering cough leaving my lips as I grasped for my


    ss of water. Kade lifted it before I could, cing it in my hands with a wicked grin, one that definitely


    made me question the events of tonight.


    Kade had once said, his self-control wasn¡¯t all that strong. The thought of being intimate with Alec and


    Kade had never been one I frowned upon. I had been attracted to them the moment I met them. What


    worried me most was, I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready to go all the way yet. What was even more worrisome,


    I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d stop them if things did get that far. Thankfully, Alec and Kade¡¯s parents were


    engrossed in a conversation of their own, undoubtedly giving the three of us some time to ourselves.


    After finishing dinner, I helped Callie clean the table and kitchen, all while thanking her a million times


    for letting me stay. The three of us headed up to one of the guest rooms, and I marveled at the size of


    the bed. The room itself was huge, more like a suite than a simple bedroom. The room had its own


    bathroom, set with arge tub and walk-in shower. I eyed the bathtub hungrily. I couldn¡¯t remember the


    last time I had an actual bath, one in a clean tub.


    Alec and Kade went to grab a set of clothes for themselves, returning with something for me to wear as


    well. Kade headed into the bathroom, and I listened as he turned on the faucet. A few minutester, he


    returned to the bedroom, taking my hand as he pulled me from the bed.


    ¡°I saw you staring at the bathtub.¡± Kade smirked, but his eyes remained soft. ¡°I figured you might want


    a bath.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring.¡± I grimaced, though a soft fluttering sensation erupted in my chest.


    Kade had ran the bath for me, and from the small bubbles dancing along the water, he had put soap in


    the water as well. The action made me realize how little I truly knew them, but I was more than excited


    to learn everything I could. I wanted to learn everything I could about my mates¨Cmy fiercely protective


    and honorably kind mates.


    Alec and Kade left me alone in the bathroom, something I was grateful for. I wasn¡¯t quite sure if I had


    the confidence to strip fully naked in front of the two. The door shut softly behind me, and I stripped out


    of the clothes Sage had let me wear. A t-shirt and a pair of shorts sat on the small bench in the corner


    of the bathroom. From the size of the clothes, they were definitely Alec or Kade¡¯s.


    I slipped into the steaming water with a gentle sigh, letting it sooth my tense muscles. I stood from the


    tub once the water had gotten too cold, drying off with a towel, and slipping on the clothes they had


    given me. The t-shirt went down to my knees, and the shorts were no better. The shorts fell to a pile at


    my feet, a pool of ck mesh. There was no way they¡¯d stay on my waist. Feeling somewhat bold, I


    tossed the shorts on the bench and left them forgotten.


    When I left the bathroom, Alec and Kade were nowhere in sight. I took the opportunity and slipped


    under the plush nket that sat on top of the bed. I tugged the hem of the t-shirt down as far as I could,


    covering my bottom easily. After a few minutes, Alec and Kade entered the room.


    ¡°Sorry, Dad needed to talk to us.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°He¡¯s going to want to talk with you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°With me?¡± I squeaked; eyes wide. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it.¡± Kade shrugged, ¡°Garrett¡¯s a p***k, so Dad¡¯s wary that his daughter happens to be our


    mate.¡±


    ¡°Garrett¡¯s clearly pissed.¡± Alec snorted.


    I watched in stunned silence as Alec pulled his t-shirt off, rippling muscles danced along his stomach.


    His biceps flexed as he tossed the t-shirt to the floor. Kade did the same, and I was equally enamored


    at the perfection of their bodies. Kade had a few knicks and small scars along his torso, but it only


    added to his alluring perfection. Alec caught me staring and shed me a grin, letting his jeans fall to


    the floor.


    I turned my eyes at the perfect moment, not willing to give him the satisfaction of catching me looking


    that far down. Kade took a shower first, letting Alec take one shortly after. Steam poured out from the


    crack at the bottom of the door, spewing their musky scent into the room. Deep and rich, woodsy with


    just a hint of spice. I inhaled deeply, noting how their scent was no recement for their physical touch.


    Kade slipped into bed as Alec hopped in the shower, I felt his eyes on me and turned to face him. I


    watched as the corner of his lip twitched, raising in a smile. My eyes trailed along his sharp jawline, on


    the shaved sides of his head, and up to the long patch of hair that dangled down his forehead.


    I remembered what Alec said earlier, how I owed Kade. My stomach fluttered at the thought, and I did


    what I could to shove my nerves down. They were my mates, after all. I was positive neither would


    mind me touching them, and yet every time I looked at them, I couldn¡¯t imagine how these two men


    belonged to me.


    Much like Alec had, Kade stiffened as I leaned forward, my breath fanning across his lips. His surprise


    was sweet on my tongue, and I let my lips graze along his own. Plush and soft against my lips, he let


    me explore the curve of his cupids bow. After a few seconds, I could feel his self-control snap like a


    weak tether. Kade¡¯s rough hands gripped my face softly, pulling my lips against his. He left me


    breathless, panting for more as he ran his teeth along my lower lip.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Kade asked, eyes hooded as he looked down at me. His b**e chest was rising


    and falling at the same speed as my own.


    ¡°I owed you.¡± I smiled, my eyes darting to the bathroom door as Alec stepped out.


    ¡°I miss all the fun.¡± Kade chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Alec, who smiled innocently.


    Alec slipped into bed behind me, his chest against my back. I let the warmth from the two of them seep


    into my skin, and I couldn¡¯t name a single moment where I had felt this rxed. Alec nted a single


    kiss to my shoulder before resting his head on the pillow and turning out the light. I listened quietly, my


    mind racing as their breathing evened.


    All of the stress was wiped from Kade¡¯s face as I watched him sleep. His lips were slightly parted, his


    breath falling in swift pants. His dark eyshes fanned out, grazing his cheeks. I wanted to turn, to look


    at Alec while he slept, but I didn¡¯t want to wake them.


    Sleep refused to im me, and Thalia was no help. She insisted onpleting the mating process, but


    refused to tell me exactly what it entailed. From the images she was putting in my head, I knew the


    mating process had to do with s*x. Thalia was relentless, nearly begging me to wake the twins,


    insisting they would give me anything I asked.


    I found myself sucked into my own thoughts, remembering how it felt to have their hands on my body,


    their rough fingers gliding across my cool skin. I remembered how it felt as I hade undone on


    Alec¡¯s fingers, the husky words they murmured in my ear. The sensitive spot between my legs throbbed


    painfully, making me clench my thighs to alleviate some of the pressure. I wanted more¨CI wanted to


    feel them, to explore their bodies myself, to learn what they enjoyed and wanted.


    Alec¡¯s arm was draped over my waist, but as he shifted in his sleep, his arm drew lower until it grazed


    against my b**e t***h. I couldn¡¯t suppress the shiver that racked through me as I felt his calloused


    hands graze my soft skin, nor could I stop the devious thoughts that came to mind. I stiffened as Alec¡¯s


    hand grazed my b**e bottom, remembering I had left the basketball shorts in the bathroom. The t-shirt


    they had given me was plenty long enough to cover my important bits, but had risen as we all got into


    bed. Realization blossomed in my eyes as I felt something hard press against my backside, twitching


    as Alec continued tracing along my b**e hip.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing any pants, doll?¡± Alec¡¯s breath fanned my ear, his fingers dancing along my


    b**e hip, threatening to travel lower with each deep breath.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing any pants, doll?¡± Alec¡¯s breath fanned my ear, his fingers dancing along my


    b**e hip, threatening to travel lower with each breath.


    Words caught in my throat, my face heating though I couldn¡¯t bring myself to pull away from his touch.


    His breath hitched as I shifted, pressing my bottom against his hard length. His desire coupled with my


    own, sweet to the taste and incredibly overwhelming. His desire battered me senseless, heating my


    skin as though it were a crackling fire hidden within him. I could taste his need¨Chis need to touch me, to


    im every part of my body, to taste my skin and feel me shake beneath him.


    I couldn¡¯t think through it all, through both of our emotions running through me. All I could think about


    were his hands trailing along my hip, and his length pulsing against my backside. The pressure


    between my legs grew, and a tremor ran through me as Alec groaned into my neck.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Alec tugged at my shoulder, turning me so that Iid t on my back. I clenched my legs together,


    fighting against the building pressure that continued to grow with eachzy s****e Alec made against


    my t***h.


    Kade shifted on the bed, his darkshes fluttering before he opened his eyes. I could feel the scent of


    my arousal register in his mind, and had no time to brace myself as crippling hunger and lust roared to


    life. I knew that if we were standing, the onught of emotion would have my legs go weak. Kade¡¯s


    eyes roamed my flushed face, trailing along my parted lips and down to where Alec¡¯s fingers trailed


    along my hip.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep, sweetheart?¡± Kade smiled, but the action did nothing to hide the burning in his eyes. I


    whimpered under the intensity, and felt Alec¡¯s grip on my hip tighten.


    ¡°She¡¯s got herself all worked up.¡± Alec grinned slyly against my neck, and I was sure my face had


    flushed an even brighter shade of red.


    ¡°I have not.¡± I sputtered, though I couldn¡¯t deny my body¡¯s natural response to the twins. ¡°I¡¯m not


    worked up, and it was Alec¡¯s fault.¡±


    Kade shot his brother an amused nce, then trailed his finger down one of my ming cheeks. His


    eyes trailed the blush, that even in the dark, Kade could see. I suppressed the urge to shiver as his


    fingers danced along my arm, running down the scratchy fabric of the t-shirt to where my legs were.


    Amusementced with his burning desire as his fingers met my b**e hip, right where the shorts would


    have been.


    ¡°No pants?¡± Kade quipped, his eyebrow raised.


    I could tell through their whirlwind of emotions, neither one was upset over myck of pants.


    ¡°I know.¡± Alec chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s trying to torture us.¡±


    Alec ced a light kiss to my neck, nipping the skin hard enough to make me gasp. The pleasureful


    sparks danced along my body as Kade pushed theforter around my thighs. Cold air ran up the t-


    shirt, grazing against my b**e skin. His hand traveled up my t***h, settling over the heat between my


    legs. His attention went to the slickness between my legs, a low growl of approval sounding from his


    throat.


    ¡°We can help you sleep, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, his eyes dark and pupil¡¯s blown with desire.


    My entire body stiffened as Kade lifted himself from the bed, situating himself between my clenched


    legs. Even in the dark, I could see his eyes roaming my face, devouring my surprise and sheer


    inexperience. Kade¡¯s hands were rough against the softness of my thighs, and I couldn¡¯t fight as he


    spread my legs apart, pushing the t-shirt up until it sat just above my belly button.


    ¡°So beautiful.¡± Alec murmured against my ear, his fingers dancing along my exposed stomach.


    ¡°Will you let me taste you, mate?¡± Kade asked, his calm voice did nothing to suppress the wave of


    hunger that emanated from him.


    My voice refused toe; my lips unable to form words under the overwhelming attention of the twins.


    Their gentle touches ignited a fire low in my stomach, spreading along my skin in searing waves. My


    legs parted on their own, and I shivered as Kade¡¯s hungry eyes roamed my most sensitive area. Kade


    gripped my hips with his rough hands, holding me still as his tongue darted out and grazed against my


    c**t. The sensation that danced along my exposed nerves made me arch, my breathless gasp filling the


    silent room.


    ¡°How does she taste, Kade?¡± Alec asked, pushing the t-shirt up until my b*****s were exposed, the


    sensitive skin tightening at the rush of cool air.


    ¡°Sweet, like honeydew.¡± Kade replied, his voice low and raspy.


    Alec trailed light kisses down my jawline, yfully nipping the skin until he reached my b*****s. Kade¡¯s


    tonguepped against me just as Alec ced his lips around one of my n*****s, coaxing a blissful


    moan from my lips.


    I couldn¡¯t tell where my emotion began and theirs ended. I couldn¡¯t separate theyers of desire,


    longing and lust as they bombarded my brain, fraying my nerves, and sending my entire body into


    overdrive. All of our emotions merged into one, into one ming pit of desire, one I knew would easily


    consume me. Being the focus of theirplete attention was overwhelming, but my body ate up every


    lick and caress from the twins. I wanted them¡ªneeded them, needed everything they could give me. I


    wasn¡¯t sure how long I could hold out, as each touch made it more and more clear that I belonged to


    them¡ªjust as they belonged to me.


    Pleasure arched between my legs, curling up my spine and around my sensitive b*****s as the twins


    ravaged my body, savoring the taste of my soft flesh. With Kade¡¯s tonguepping against my p***y, and


    Alec¡¯s teeth grazing my sensitive n*****s, it didn¡¯t take long for the pressure in between my legs to


    build. Alec pulled away in time to see the star-struck bliss on my face as my o****m rolled through me,


    curling my toes and eliciting all sorts of noises from my lips.


    ¡°Look how pretty she is when shees undone.¡± Alec murmured, running his fingers over my nipple


    as he watched the bliss fade from my eyes.


    Kade crawled up the bed, lying down beside me as Alec watched my chest rise and fall. Guilt formed


    within me as I felt the twin¡¯s desire rise. I wanted to help them, to touch them the way they touched me,


    but I wasn¡¯t sure where to begin. I had never initiated something like this, and if I were being honest,


    the twins still made me feel nervous and inexperienced. I met Kade¡¯s eyes as I ran my fingers down his


    abs, marveling at the dips and grooves in his stomach. I could feel him tense under my touch, a low


    growl escaping as I ran my finger along the waistband of his shorts. My eyes snapped up to meet


    Kade¡¯s as his hand closed around my wrist, stopping me from wandering any further.


    ¡°Tonight was about you, sweetheart.¡± Kade smirked, his voice turning into a low, husky whisper. ¡°When


    I let you touch me there, I might not be able to stop.¡±


    Alec chuckled against my neck as I pouted, but my eyes were already beginning to flutter closed. I felt


    Alec¡¯s gentle hand guiding me as I turned to my side, and drifted down to pull the t-shirt over my


    bottom.


    ¡°Go to sleep, doll.¡± Alec whispered against my ear, nting light kisses along my neck.


    With my head against Kade¡¯s warm chest, and my back pressed against Alec, my eyes fluttered shut


    before I could think of anything else. With their arms wrapped around me, I fell into the most peaceful


    sleep I¡¯ve had in years, nothing else but the thought of my mates on my mind.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Alec and Kade both apanied me to Garrett¡¯s house the next day. When one had to leave, the


    other would keep an eye on me. Neither wanted me out of their sight with everything that was going on.


    There were still two more rogues who knew what I was, that I was a white wolf. I had all morning to


    brace myself for what I might face at Garrett¡¯s house, and the inevitable conversation I would endure.


    ¡°How would you feel about meeting our Beta¡¯s after we grab your stuff?¡± Alec asked from the backseat,


    leaning forward to sh me a dazzling smile.


    ¡°Beta¡¯s?¡± I asked. I knew enough about wolves and their ranking to know that a Beta was second in


    command, though I was surprised they had two.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Two Alpha¡¯s, two Beta¡¯s.¡± Kade shrugged, giving my hand a gentle squeeze as he drove down the


    road.


    Though the strange bond that let me taste Alec and Kade¡¯s emotions, I could tell Alec was excited


    about the prospect of me meeting their Beta¡¯s. Perhaps it was because that meant I was one step


    closer to bing their Luna, or because I was finally willing to step into their world.


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± I nodded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be your second inmand someday too.¡± Alec smiled, a strand of his dark hair falling down


    his forehead.


    ¡°When would that be?¡± I asked, ¡°I mean¡ªI ept you two as my mates, but when would I actually


    be Luna?¡±


    ¡°There will be a ceremony. Nothing too crazy, but Mom and Dad will definitely make a big deal out of it.¡±


    Alec chuckled; his raspyugh sent a chill down my spine. ¡°You¡¯ll cut your palm, and Kade and I will do


    the same. Once our blood mixes, you¡¯ll officially be brought into the pack¡ªand will know the


    insufferable joy of the mind-link.¡±


    ¡°Mind-link?¡± I asked, my eyes flickering between the two of them as I registered the irritation in his


    voice.


    ¡°Everyone in our pack has a direct line to our thoughts.¡± Kade exined, ¡°It¡¯s like having a cell-phone in


    your head, one you can never silence or shut off.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I trailed off, my stomach twisting at the thought of an entire pack relying on me. ¡°That sounds¡ª


    interesting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it sounds.¡± Alec chuckled, ¡°It can be rather annoying, but it¡¯s a quick way to get in


    contact with us. Especially useful in emergencies. As our mate, you¡¯d have a direct line to the two of


    us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I nodded, ¡°Kind of like how I can feel your emotions.¡±


    The two of them went radio silent, and I grimaced as unease and surprise ran through the two of them.


    Judging from their emotions, this wasn¡¯t a normality between mated werewolves. I wanted tough at


    the two of them. So, having a direct link between each other¡¯s thoughts was normal, but not sensing


    each other¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°You can feel our emotions?¡± Alec asked, ¡°How long has this been happening?¡±


    ¡°I think it started when I epted the two of you as my mates.¡± I frowned, ¡°Is that not normal?¡±


    ¡°Not for normal wolves, no.¡± Kade shook his head.


    ¡°It could be a factor of her being a white wolf.¡± Alec shrugged, shing me a wicked grin that filled my


    head with all sorts of thoughts. His smile was one of promise, one of carnal desire so strong my toes


    curled. ¡°So, you can feel all of our emotions?¡±


    The wave of desire that hit me was strong enough to make me flinch. My legs clenched together on


    their own, and I huffed as Alec let out a deepugh.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I cleared my throat, turning my head as the heat rushed to my cheeks. ¡°I can feel them all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be so much easier to get you all worked up.¡± Kade chuckled.


    ¡°She¡¯s always been easy to get worked up.¡± Alec smirked, ¡°Even before she could feel our emotions.¡±


    ¡°Such a responsive mate.¡± Kade winked, and I groaned under the collective desire that radiated from


    the two of them.


    ¡°If the two of you get me all worked up, I¡¯m not going to Garretts.¡± I grumbled, giving them both a half-


    hearted grimace.


    ¡°Not to worry, Doll.¡± Alec grinned, ¡°We have all day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to not like this whole white wolf thing.¡± I sighed.


    Their desire quickly turned to concern, with just a sprinkling of worry. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint if they were


    worried about me, or if they were worried, I¡¯d decide this was too much and leave again. Either way, I


    shed the two of them a reassuring smile.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to reassure you, this is only the beginning.¡± Kade shook his head, ¡°We don¡¯t know


    much about white wolves, but what we do know is that every time one appears, something big is


    happening. They¡¯re also all extremely powerful.¡±


    ¡°The keepers of magic.¡± Alec chuckled dryly, continuing when I shed him a confused look. ¡°That¡¯s


    what our Grandpa used to say, that white wolves were the keepers of magic.¡±


    I wanted to whine, to im how I never wanted to be a keeper of magic, but I had changed since I left.


    Comining would do nothing to change my situation. Just as many people were born human, I was


    born a werewolf. There was no changing what and who I was. After epting my mates and my ce


    in this new world, I could feel how much I was born for this role¨Cto be their Luna, their moon and stars.


    If keeping Alec and Kade meant epting this huge destiny, then I would ept with a smile on my


    face.


    ¡°Do you think you two could dig up some more information on white wolves?¡± I asked, fighting to keep


    the excitement from my voice.


    ¡°We can definitely try.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll have to be careful. Thest thing we need is drawing any


    attention.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do until then?¡± I frowned, ¡°Thalia¡¯s been itching for another run.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out.¡± Kade replied, ¡°We¡¯ll take you somewhere safe to shift, and one of us will be there


    at all times.¡±


    Feeling content with the oue of our conversation, I watched the tree¡¯s as they passed us by. A


    familiar ache settled in my stomach as we pulled into Garrett¡¯s driveway. I looked up at the house that


    had briefly been my home, noting how empty and solemn it felt. Garrett¡¯s house felt nothing like Alec


    and Kade¡¯s. It was devoid of all warmth and familiarity. People lived inside the house, but they were not


    a family.


    Kade knocked on the front door whilst Alec¡¯s hand intertwined in my own. Garrett answered the door,


    surprise shing in his eyes before he red at Alec and Kade.


    ¡°Come inside.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°Hello, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Garrett.¡± I mumbled, giving him a curt nod.


    I stood in the living room somewhat awkwardly, watching as the three of them red daggers at one


    another. The hostility and dislike radiating from Alec and Kade was etched deep, and I wondered what


    had happened between the three of them. Their hatred for Garrett spanned much farther than him


    being my father. He had slighted them in some way, and I promised myself I would soon ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I ced a gentle hand on Kade¡¯s stiff shoulder, smiling as his posture rxed. He


    shed me a small smile, one that twitched at the corners of his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have much stuff. Give me


    ten minutes.¡±


    I trotted upstairs, feeling three sets of eyes burning into my back. I found my old bedroom, noting how


    everything had pretty much remained in ce since I had left. The bed was a wreck, as though


    someone had torn the nkets off in a blind rage, but everything else was in ce. I noted how the


    phone Tori had given me was no longer in the bedroom, and wondered if Alec or Kade had picked it up.


    I slipped some of the clothes I left behind in a duffel bag the twins had given me, gathering the little


    odds and ends I left behind. I had brought along all of my most important things when I left, but there


    were some things I had left behind.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± A soft voice called out, making me jump. Kady stood in the doorway to the bedroom, her


    eyes flickering down the hall before running over my face. ¡°Could we talk for a minute?¡±


    I shifted uMated to the Alpha Twins by Jane Doe Chapter 55fortably, but nodded. Kady closed the


    door behind her, and I swallowed as it shut with an audible ¡®click¡¯. Kady had been essential to my


    leaving undetected, and had been quick to help me once she realized my ns. Her eyes were soft,


    her blonde hair pulled back in a bun. She was nothing like when I first met her. Her eyescked their


    usual burning fire, just as her posture lost its tenseness.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked awkwardly, clearing my throat as I zipped up the duffel bag.


    ¡°You came back, for Alec and Kade, right?¡± Kady asked, her voice unusually soft.


    ¡°I did.¡± I nodded slowly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. ¡°I made a mistake leaving them.¡±


    ¡°Just as I made a mistake helping you leave.¡± Kady gave me a small smile. ¡°I know I was horrible to


    you from the beginning, but you have to understand where I wasing from. I had been groomed my


    entire life to take over the pack, just to have Dad rip it out from under me once he found you.¡±


    While it didn¡¯t excuse the way she treated me, somehow, I understood where she wasing from.


    Just like me, she had been raised to believe one thing, only to have it taken from her. I knew deep in


    my heart, that there was no recement for an Alpha or Luna. You could only be born into the position,


    not trained or raised to be one.


    ¡°I do understand.¡± I nodded, pouring strength into my words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t excuse how you or your Mom


    acted, but I do understand.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, my Mom¡¯s just a raging b***h.¡± Kadyughed, though the pain burning in her eyes was


    oddly familiar. I had felt the same every time I looked at Melissa, every time she used my desire for a


    Mom against me. ¡°Garrett isn¡¯t too bad, but I still wouldn¡¯t trust him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust either of them.¡± I admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t like being used, and so far, Garrett has done nothing


    but use me.¡±


    ¡°Dad likes control,plete control.¡± Kady shifted uneasily, her voice dropping low. ¡°I know you don¡¯t


    know much about this world, but no one can overthrow an Alpha or Luna. The only way they forfeit the


    position is by d***g. If you died, the pack would go to your mates, and then their children.¡±


    ¡°Garrett can try, but I won¡¯t let him control me.¡± I shook my head, slinging the duffel bag over my


    shoulder.


    ¡°Onest thing.¡± Kady called out as I turned to leave the room. Her eyes burned with unshed emotion,


    and for once, I wished I could feel the emotions more than just Alec and Kade.


    I turned at the sound of her voice, noting how it lowered to a hushed whisper.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me, but when you be Luna, I don¡¯t n on being on your bad side. Use this


    bit of information wisely. There¡¯s a reason you moved.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    My mind was reeling with the information Kady had given me. She hadn¡¯t said it out right, but there was


    no need. Somehow, Garrett had nned for Melissa, Frank and I, to move here. Anger rushed through


    me, and I wanted to storm downstairs and demand answers. I stopped myself in time, knowing it would


    only ce the me on Kady. I needed to be smart about this. If I confronted Garrett all angry, he


    would certainly turn me down.


    I grimaced as I walked downstairs, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder. If I could get a read on


    Garrett¡¯s emotions, I might know if he was lying or not. As it stood, the only people¡¯s emotions I could


    sense, were Alec and Kade.


    Both the twins halted their ring at Garrett to meet my eyes as I walked downstairs. My stomach


    fluttered as I met their dark, captivating eyes. I couldn¡¯t remember why I had left them in the first ce,


    and knew I would never make that mistake again.


    As I walked into the foyer, someone new stood next to Garrett. He had Garrett¡¯s stature and body type,


    but that was the only simrity between the two. Where Garrett and I had chestnut hair, the man had


    shaggy hair the color of wheat. His eyes were a deep shade of green, mixed with dark hues of brown


    and gold. They stood close enough together that I knew they were familiar with one another. I met the


    man¡¯s eyes and watched as he smiled at me, shing a set of straight teeth.


    ¡°I apologize for strolling in unannounced.¡± The guy chuckled, ignoring Garrett¡¯s irritated look. He walked


    over to me and held out arge, calloused hand. ¡°Alpha Julian, I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about you,


    Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Have you, now?¡± I asked warily, gripping Alpha Julian¡¯s hand in my own. The man had a strange


    scent. I could tell he was a werewolf, but his scent also had a sharp edge to it.


    ¡°You gave these men quite the chase.¡± Alpha Julian chuckled, and for a moment, his face was lit like


    the sun. ¡°Good to see you back in one piece.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well, I learned my lesson.¡± I internally cringed, shing Alec and Kade an apologetic look.


    ¡°Good thing too.¡± Alpha Julian nodded understandingly, ¡°Horrible thing, to lose your mate. Wouldn¡¯tN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    wish it on anyone. It was nice meeting you, Aurora, but it looks as though your mates are ready to head


    out. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again!¡±


    ¡°Ready to go, doll?¡± Alec asked, ignoring the sour look on Garrett¡¯s face. Kade had a simr look of


    irritation as he nced from Garrett to Alpha Julian.


    ¡°Actually, not yet.¡± I shook my head. I knew I was going to regret this, but I had to take a chance.


    Reading Alec and Kade¡¯s emotions had to be the start of my abilities, and I needed to try and use them


    for answers. I turned to Garrett, seeing the surprise sh in his eyes as I talked to him in an even tone.


    ¡°There¡¯s still some things I¡¯d like to ask you. We got off on the wrong foot, and I¡¯m still far from trusting


    you, but you still have a ce in my life. Could wee for dinner sometime this week?¡±


    Alec and Kade¡¯s surprise felt like barbed wire, stinging my skin as itshed me. Neither one was happy


    with my words, yet neither one spoke up. I had the sneaking suspicion they were trusting me, and


    showing me respect by not questioning me in public. I made sure to mention ¡®we¡¯ would being to


    dinner, as I knew Alec and Kade wouldn¡¯t let me step foot in this house alone. Garrett¡¯s mouth opened,


    then closed before he finally found the words to say.


    ¡°I would like that very much, Aurora.¡± Garrett nodded, ¡°Does tomorrow afternoon sound eptable?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± I nodded, turning to Julian. ¡°It was nice meeting you as well, and you¡¯re wee


    to join us for dinner. If Garrett doesn¡¯t mind, that is.¡±


    While I kept my face nk, I noticed the deeply etched look of irritation on Garrett¡¯s face as I invited


    Alpha Julian to dinner. I wasn¡¯t sure how the four of them knew each other, but I was bound to find out


    if Julian agreed toe to dinner. Garrett, Alec, and Kade¡¯s identical expressions confirmed my


    thoughts, none of them liked one another. This dinner might be a s**t-show, but I was determined to get


    some answers.


    ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to stop by, Julian.¡± Garrett gave him a tight nod, one Julian noticed.


    ¡°Awesome! I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Aurora.¡± Julian smirked at Garrett and shed me a quick wink before


    walking further into the house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I called out, giving Garrett a short nod before walking out of the house with a


    very stiff Alec and Kade.


    ¡°Sweetheart, what the h**l was that?¡± Kade asked the second we hopped in the car. I could feel the


    anger bubbling within him, but his words held no irritation.


    ¡°Trust me, having dinner with Garrett is thest thing I want.¡± I replied. ¡°Kady told me something


    interesting when I went to grab my stuff. She said Garrett likes control, and that Melissa and I moved


    here for a reason. I thought that reason was a new job offer, but Kady made it pretty clear that a new


    job offer wasn¡¯t the reason for our move.¡±


    ¡°You think Garrett brought you here?¡± Alec asked incredulously, shaking his head as he red daggers


    at the house.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think, but I¡¯m not putting anything past him.¡± I admitted. ¡°If I can read both of your


    emotions, why couldn¡¯t that extend to someone else? Wouldn¡¯t it make sense that my abilities stem


    from one specific thing?¡±


    ¡°You would think so.¡± Alec nodded slowly, ¡°Is that why you invited yourself to dinner? To try and read


    Garrett¡¯s emotions?¡±


    ¡°Sure is.¡± I smiled sheepishly, ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee it¡¯ll work, but I have to try.¡±


    ¡°You should practice before hand.¡± Kade frowned, brushing his dark hair from his face. ¡°Tomorrow


    doesn¡¯t give you much time to practice, better start today.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n to me.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to Garrett¡¯s for dinner tomorrow.¡± Alec groaned, sitting back in his seat. Alec


    shed me an amused look, ¡°You do know wereing with you, right?¡±


    ¡°I figured as much.¡± I grinned at the two of them.


    ¡°How¡¯d you figure that out, doll?¡± Alec snickered, leaning his chest against the back of my seat.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d bothe, because I¡¯d do the same for both of you.¡± Iughed.


    The soft looks I received from Alec and Kade told me all of their emotions without the need of my


    strange ability. The three of us figured the best ce to practice would be in town. Kade took us to the


    park in the center of town, a ce I had only ever admired from the short drive it took to reach their


    house. The park consisted of arge feild, with a few benches, flower bushes, andmp posts. Children


    ran in the feildughing, some with bubble wands in their hands. Alec, Kade and I sat on one of the


    empty benches facing towards the street. I ran my eyes over the countless shops and noted there


    wasn¡¯t a bakery.


    ¡°This town could use a bakery.¡± I smiled, watching a small group of people wandering from store to


    store.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Alec chuckled.


    ¡°Like the one you worked at?¡± Kade asked, a dark eyebrow raised in my direction.


    ¡°Exactly like that one.¡± I nodded, thinking for a minute before adding, ¡°With less pink. I still don¡¯t


    understand how Beth could stand that much pink.¡±


    ¡°Say the word, and we¡¯ll have a bakery ced in town.¡± Kade nodded, turning his eyes to the strip of


    stores that lined the main street through town.


    My heart fluttered in my chest at the thought of running my own bakery, and at how quick Alec and


    Kade had offered to make my new dreame true. I had never had someone care about what I


    wanted, let alone listen to my personal desires. Every minute I spent with the twins did nothing to


    prepare me for what my future would be. I still couldn¡¯t understand how I came about being mated


    to these two thoughtful, protective men. The conversation shifted from the potential bakery, to how I


    might use my budding abilities. Neither had any clue where to begin, as I haven¡¯t left them with enough


    time to properly research white wolves. Thinking back on it, I probably should have scheduled the


    dinner forter in the week.


    ¡°Is there something specific you do to pick up on Alec and I¡¯s emotions?¡± Kade asked.


    ¡°No, it kind of just happens.¡± I shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s almost instantaneous. If you¡¯re feeling pissed, I feel it the


    moment the emotion forms.¡±


    ¡°It might be easier for you to connect to us, seeing as we¡¯re your mates.¡± Alec nodded thoughtfully, his


    unruly hair ruffling in the gentle breeze. ¡°You might have to force it to read someone else.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re the default setting.¡± Kade snickered, and Alec rolled his eyes.


    Ignoring the twin¡¯s bickering in the background, I pinpointed a specific person walking from shop to


    shop. A man around Garrett¡¯s age, wearing a dark t-shirt and grease-stained pants. From the looks of


    it, the guy was a mechanic. I tried to reach out with my senses, to try and will the emotions from him. I


    was met with nothing. The results were the same each time. No matter how hard I tried to force it, the


    only emotions I was picking up on, belonged to Alec and Kade. Frustration, lust, fondness, and more


    lust.


    ¡°Maybe we should take a break.¡± Alec suggested when I pinched the bridge of my nose for the tenth


    time.


    A headache was beginning to form, as though I were overexerting myself even though nothing had


    happened. I let out a long sigh, releasing the pent-up frustration I felt.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I huffed, ¡°I¡¯m going to try something else.¡±


    Instead of listening to what they had to say, I closed my eyes. Birds chirped, childrenughed, and I


    could even hear the faint whooshing of the wind rushing through the grass. Instead of forcing the


    emotions from other people, I opened myself up and let theme willingly. At first, nothing happened.


    Just as I was about to open my eyes, a rush of energy settled over me, followed by hair-raising anger.


    The anger washed through me like a tidal wave, and I sucked in a raspy breath. It felt like I had inhaled


    a spoonful of cayenne pepper. The emotion caught mepletely off guard as I tore myself from the


    bench and spun around, facing the source of the blinding emotion.


    A head of ming hair wasing in our direction. Tori¡¯s face was contorted in both surprise and anger


    as she stormed our way.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Tori¡¯s anger whipped around her like a tornado. Bits of ss scratched and sliced my skin. Just as I


    reached out and grasped the thrashing emotion, it slipped from my fingers. An invisible wall mmed


    down between Tori and I, cutting off my connection to her emotions. I took a staggering breath and tried


    to calm my own nerves before opening myself up again. Instead of forcing it, I let each sensation brush


    by me, letting each one go.


    The whirlwind that was Tori¡¯s anger resumed, swirling around strands of my hair and in between my


    fingers. I let the anger wash over me, delving deeper. Underneath the anger was the distinct, sharp


    sting that reminded me of hurt. I scolded myself for a minute. Of course, she was hurt, I had left without


    a word, leaving the phone she had gotten me on the bed. Tori had been my first friend in such a long


    time, and I repaid her by constantly refusing to trust her. Hidden even deeper was an emotion I hadn¡¯t


    anticipated; understanding. While her anger was like a blistering fire, the understanding she felt was


    like the ocean¨Ccool, crisp waves dashing the heat of the mes.


    She stopped a few feet in front of me, her chest heaving with emotion. I could see each one y out in


    her eyes, gritting my teeth against the wave of exhaustion that settled in my bones. I noticed how Alec


    and Kade took a few steps away from the two of us, neither one dared to interrupt what Tori was about


    to say. Her face was as red as her ming hair, her mouth opened and closed but words refused to


    form.


    ¡°You¨C¡± She sputtered, her incredulous eyes shing from me to Alec and Kade. Giving me onest


    emotion clouded look, she turned her eyes to the twins. ¡°You brought her back.¡±


    ¡°She chose toe back.¡± Alec murmured, and I couldn¡¯t help the grateful look that came across my


    face. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t ever force her.¡±


    ¡°So, you chose toe back?¡± Tori snorted, cing her hands on her hips in her typical fashion. I had


    seen this look on Tori¡¯s face when she scolded one of Grace¡¯s friends for bullying me. ¡°That¡¯s ironic


    considering you chose to leave in the first ce. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? None


    of us knew what had happened to you! I thought we were friends, Aurora. You could have trusted me.¡±


    The anger in Tori¡¯s voice quickly gave way to hurt, which hid that underlying tone of understanding.


    From those three emotions, I knew that Tori would forgive me. She would undoubtedly make me grovel


    and earn her forgiveness, but she understood why I had left. I could feel the twin¡¯s unease at the anger


    in Tori¡¯s tone, but neither stepped in. I appreciated them keeping their distance, knowing I needed to fix


    this myself. If I was supposed to have this great destiny, I couldn¡¯t let Alec and Kade jump in to fix all of


    my problems. I made this mess, and it was time I owned up to it. Tori, Alec and Kade, were the most


    important people in my life at the moment. I had hurt each one of them, and would willingly pay the


    price to fix that.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. I wasn¡¯t thinking about who I would hurt, I just needed to leave.¡± I sighed,


    feeling nothing but guilt as her emotions battered me. Even with the blinding anger she felt, she was


    still concerned for me. I knew that if I let myself dig deeper into her emotions, I would feel the tiniest


    shred of happiness. She was d I hade home, that I found my way and decided to stay with Alec


    and Kade. I had no idea what this meant for our friendship, but I wasn¡¯t willing to give up quite yet.


    ¡°Everything¨Ceverything wasing down on me. First Melissa and Frank, then Grace, and then


    Garrett showed up dropping the biggest bombshell of my life. I didn¡¯t believe him at first, when he told


    me what I was. I had no idea that you could actually help me, Tori.¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t, Aurora.¡± Tori sighed, letting out a sharp breath. ¡°I understand why you left¨Cgoddess,


    I do. Just because I understand, doesn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t hurt. Anything could have happened to you out


    there! You could have been caught by someone other than Alec and Kade. You might think you don¡¯t


    have people who care about you, but you do.¡±


    ¡°I was nearly caught.¡± I admitted, ignoring the wary nces I received from Alec and Kade. I wanted to


    trust Tori, to rebuild the bridge I had nearly destroyed. Trust wasn¡¯t something that came naturally to


    me, but it was something I was willing to work on. I didn¡¯t have any immediate family I could trust, but I


    knew the family I chose would be much stronger than that of shared blood. I trusted Alec and Kade


    without even noticing the shift in my emotions, and I wanted to do the same for Tori. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t shifted


    for the first time¨Cwell, I wouldn¡¯t be here now. Alec and Kade found me in time, but I learned my lesson.


    I let people scare me off instead of trusting the three of you. It¡¯s a mistake I won¡¯t make again.¡±


    The happiness radiating from the twins was enough to wipe the sting away that Tori¡¯s anger had left


    behind. I could taste Kade¡¯s surprise, as though he was still finding it hard to believe that I hade


    back. Alec felt the same, random rushes of awe coursed through him when he looked my way. I could


    feel Tori¡¯s anger diminishing, leaving behind a dull throb that spanned my forehead. Even though her


    anger was beginning to fade, I could still feel her caution. She wanted to trust me, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t


    come easy. I wasn¡¯t sure how the twins managed to trust me, but I had a feeling the mate-bond was


    coming into y. At the mention of my almost capture, Tori¡¯s face hardened. A fierce surge of curiosity


    and worry bubbled through her, mixing with the understanding and sliver of happiness she felt.


    ¡°You were almost captured?¡± She sputtered, whipping around to face Alec and Kade. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I told


    about this? Do you have any idea who did it or what they wanted?¡±


    ¡°We have one of them in a cell.¡± Kade raised his hands in surrender, ¡°We were nning on questioning


    him tomorrow, but if you want to take the reins¨C¡°


    ¡°Not helping.¡± I murmured to Kade, flushing at the sly grin that formed on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying. With that anger, you might get some answers out of the guy.¡± Kade chuckled, making


    Tori scoff and roll her eyes. Even though Kade managed to take some of the fire out of Tori¡¯s eyes, she


    refused to back down. How Tori managed to stand her ground to not one, but two Alpha¡¯s, was beyond


    me. Yet, she refused to even flinch as she stared into the eyes of Alec and Kade.


    ¡°Perhaps you should tell her, doll.¡± Alec shrugged, giving me a look that made my legs weak. His look


    was one of absolute trust, one that told me he and Kade would follow me to the ends of the Earth if I


    asked. ¡°Whatever you choose to do, we¡¯ll stand by it.¡±


    Alec¡¯s words left me enough room to pick and choose what I wanted to tell Tori. I could easily tell her a


    couple masked men had tried to kidnap me, but I had learned my lesson by not trusting her. I wanted to


    mend that bridge, to regain the friend I had nearly lost. Keeping more secrets from her would only


    prove I didn¡¯t trust her. If I was going to do this, I needed to be all in.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. One I¡¯d rather not tell in public, but if you¡¯re interested¨CI wouldn¡¯t mind exining


    everything.¡± I told her, hoping she could feel the sincerity of my words, and the weight of what I was


    willing to tell her. Tori seemed to grasp my understanding as a determined look crossed her face, the


    thick guard she kept around herself lowering.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Tori exhaled, and I could visibly see her shoulders rxing. ¡°Come to my house tomorrow,


    around noon. Dad and Mom are visiting my Aunt, so they won¡¯t be around to hover. If I don¡¯t see you


    tomorrow, I¡¯ll hunt you down, Aurora. Not even Alec and Kade will stop me. Also, this is still yours.¡±


    Tori ced something cold in my hands, and I looked down at the cellphone she had given me a


    couple months ago. The battery was full, and I wondered why she had kept it for me. I could see the


    reluctance in her eyes as she walked away, resuming what she had nned for the day. As Kade


    wrapped his arms around my waist, and Alec ced a lingering kiss to my forehead, I realized


    something. Alec, Kade, and Tori were the first people to care about me in such a long time, and I knew


    that if I allowed it, the three of them would be the family I never had.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    I found myself standing in front of Tori¡¯s house the next day, my stomach a bundle of nerves. Even


    though it seemed like she had forgiven me, I knew I caused a rift to form between us. I knew my


    reasons for leaving were justifiable, but I couldn¡¯t erase the pain I caused in my absence. Just as I had


    the right to leave, she had the right to be upset.


    Crawling into bed with Alec and Kadest night, they both promised to support me regardless of what I


    told Tori. After asking my permission, Alec and Kade entrusted the information to their Beta¡¯s, asking if


    they would dig up any information about white wolves. That¡¯s where Alec and Kade were today, helping


    their Beta¡¯s learn more about me and what I might be capable of. We all knew it was risky to tell Tori


    the full truth, but I wanted to trust her. I wanted to go that extra mile for her.


    As I waited for Tori toe to the door, each passing second made the knot in my stomach grow. I


    gritted my teeth together and remained in ce, resisting the cowardly urge to flee. I wouldn¡¯t run, not


    anymore. I reminded myself that this world wasn¡¯t new, it had been here the entire time, hidden right


    under my nose. Despite my cowardly feelings, I knew I belonged here. I could feel how my heart sang


    in this pack, howfortable I felt in this town and around these people. Someday, I reminded myself,


    these people would be my own.


    Tori opened the front door with a wry smile, surprise shining in her eyes. Instead of searching for her


    emotions, I let them wash over me. Surprise, suspicion, and a sweet note of happiness. It was


    bing easier for me, feeling the emotions of others, now that I learned not to force my ability.


    ¡°Come on in.¡± Tori murmured, holding the door open for me. ¡°Want something to drink? Mom made


    some sweet tea.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded, following her into the kitchen.


    I stood infortable silence as Tori padded over to the fridge, pulling out arge pitcher of tea. Her


    fire-kissed hair was tied up in a bun on her head, a few orange strands fanned out over her forehead.


    The two of us walked up to her bedroom, and I plopped down on the edge of her bed where I had once


    sat before.


    ¡°Alright, spill.¡± Tori pursed her lips. ¡°What happened when you left? You said you were almost taken.


    Who? Why?¡±


    I took a long gulp of the sweet tea she had given me, letting it wash down my throat as I thought of the


    words to say. Now that I was here, the words lodged themselves in my throat. Tori¡¯s wariness was like


    a knife shing at my insides. Burning guilt filled my veins, but I knew I deserved the reaction.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just start when I left. I made it to this small down, and actually got a job at a local bakery. I actually


    loved working there. One night, I was walking back to the house I rented, and three men attacked me.


    They smelled..different. Alec and Kade said they were werewolves¨Clike us. I think Thalia¨Cmy wolf,


    knew Alec and Kade were nearby. So, we shifted. Hurt like h**l too, not that I stuck around long enough


    for anyone to exin that part.¡± I grimaced, readying myself for Tori¡¯s inevitable reaction. ¡°I managed to


    get away from the men, and I ran, but not before they saw I was a white wolf. I ended up at this


    woman¡¯s house. She¨Cshe helped me realize a few things, that I was wrong for leaving. She was also a


    white wolf, thest one until I came along. Alec and Kade showed up a littleter. They followed my


    scent until they found me. They told the truth y¡¯know, about not forcing me toe back. They asked


    me what I wanted, and I decided to stay with them.¡±


    I shifted ufortably as Tori copsed into silence. I traced my fingers along the edges of the ss,


    feeling the condensation dampen my fingertips. Unable to stand the silence for much longer, I let Tori¡¯s


    emotions wash over me. The wariness had vanished, as had the initial anger at my leaving. Unfiltered


    surprise washed over me, tart and crisp like a lemon.


    ¡°You¨Cyou¡¯re a white wolf?¡± Tori nodded, though I felt she was saying the words to herself. ¡°Um, are you


    sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure.¡± I giggled, a hand over my mouth as I read the eptance in her eyes.


    ¡°And you¡¯re trusting me with this. I mean¡ªI¡¯m assuming Alec and Kade told you what a white wolf is,


    and you know what could happen if this got out to anyone else.¡± Tori murmured, fixing me with an


    intense stare.


    ¡°They told me, but I trust you.¡± I nodded, meeting her eyes unflinchingly. ¡°I think they trust you too.


    They told me to do what I thought was right, so I did.¡±


    ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t tell anyone, right?¡± Tori replied, and I couldn¡¯t help the smile that had formed on


    my face.


    The more time I spent in this pack, the more I realized the mistake I had made. While I couldn¡¯t change


    the past, I think running away gave me perspective on some things. I now trusted Alec and Kade,


    despite the rocky start we all had. I also trusted Tori, and knew we would be friends for a long time.


    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t.¡± I smiled softly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have told you if I thought otherwise.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re really back.¡± Tori exhaled; an ear-splitting grin had formed on her face. ¡°I was going to ask,


    but I think it¡¯s kind of obvious. You know Alec and Kade are your mates.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I already figured that part out.¡± I chuckled, hesitating as a small pang of emotion danced through


    me. I missed them, I realized. Even though they were with their Beta¡¯s at the moment, and would pick


    me upter, I missed the two of them. It seemed no matter how much time I spent with them; it was


    never enough. Each minute in their presence only increased what I felt for them, emotions I had never


    felt for anyone.


    ¡°Did you let them mark you?¡± Tori spoke lowly, her wide eyes darting around my face and neck. ¡°I


    mean¨CI¡¯m not sure how it would work, having two mates and all. You might have two marks, who


    knows!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I frowned, ¡°Mark me?¡±


    ¡°They never mentioned it, did they?¡± Tori scoffed. A few fiery strands of hair slipped from her bun as


    she shook her head. ¡°They probably didn¡¯t want to force you into anything, especially after all that¡¯s


    happened.¡±


    ¡°Care to exin?¡± I quipped; an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I¡¯m only exining this to you cause the look on your face worries me.¡± Toriughed, ¡°I¡¯d hate for you


    to chew out Alec and Kade so quickly after epting them. On second thought, that might be fun to


    watch.¡±


    ¡°Tori!¡± I groaned, ¡°Tell me what it is!¡±


    ¡°Your wolf hasn¡¯t mentioned it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Thalia can be quite unhelpful when she wants to be.¡± I snickered.


    ¡®You came back to the pack, and epted them as our mates.¡¯ Thalia huffed, rolling her eyes at me.


    ¡®Thest thing I wanted to do was chase you off again. Goddess knows you don¡¯t listen.¡¯


    ¡°Well, basically Alec and Kade would bite you. Right here.¡± Tori pointed to the spot where my shoulder


    and neck meet. A strange sensation danced through me, sending little tingles down to the tips of my


    toes. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it would work with two mates, but that¡¯s the gist of it. Mom said it hurts a lot, but


    it¡¯s worth it in the end. The wound heals and leaves a really pretty mark, totally unique to the couple. It


    basically tells unmated wolves to back the h**l off.¡±


    ¡°Would I have to mark them?¡± I asked, sounding unsure. ¡°How would I do that? I¡¯m not sure how I


    shifted in the first ce, and I can¡¯t imagine biting Alec and Kade in my wolf form, my mouth would fit


    over their entire neck.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in wolf form to do it.¡± Tori shook her head.


    I watched in silence as Tori grinned at me. My jaw dropped when her teeth elongated, her canines


    growing into that of a wolf. It looked funny, thoserge teeth in her small mouth. Her lengthened


    canines shrunk back into ce, her teeth returning to normal.


    ¡°How do I do that?¡± I asked, somewhat excitedly.


    While I knew nothing about werewolf customs, I could tell the whole marking thing was a big deal.


    While Thalia certainly encouraged me to mark Alec and Kade, I found myself hesitating. It was another


    step in our strange rtionship. I couldn¡¯t deny how appealing it sounded, to have everyone know that


    Alec and Kade were mine, and vice versa. Still, I wanted to be sure before I jumped into anything. I


    wasn¡¯t even sure if we were in an official rtionship, though I had a feeling being mates surpassed a


    normal boyfriend girlfriend agreement.


    ¡°Thenes the fun part.¡± Tori snickered, ¡°Usually after marking one another, youplete the mating


    process. That part should be interesting for you, having two mates and all.¡±


    ¡°Completing the mating process?¡± I frowned; suspicious as thick amusement washed through Tori. ¡°I


    have a strange feeling it¡¯s not going to be pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Not going to be pleasant, ha!¡± Tori snorted, ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll be pleasant alright.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not understanding.¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Have you never? Oh, I understand now.¡± Tori nodded to herself, smirking as an irritated look fell on my


    face. ¡°Completing the mating process solidifies the bond between mates. First you mark each other,


    then you sleep together.¡±


    ¡°Sleep together.¡± I repeated, swallowing roughly as I realized what she meant.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    I wasn¡¯t sure why I was surprised. I had done things with Alec and Kade before, things that set my skin


    ame and sent my blood racing through my veins. Tori was right, it was more than pleasant being with


    Alec and Kade. I knew the next step woulde eventually, but I never let myself think on it too much.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how that would work¨Chow I might be with the two of them.


    ¡°I can practically see the gears turning in your head.¡± Tori cackled, ¡°It¡¯s not rocket science, Aurora.


    There¡¯s never been a she-wolf with two mates before, but I¡¯d say take them at the same time!¡±


    ¡°At the same time?¡± I sputtered, choking on the oxygen that rippled and swirled in my lungs.


    I trusted Alec and Kade, and knew they¡¯d never push me into anything, but I couldn¡¯t imagine having


    them both at the same time. I knew how it worked, but also knew stuff like that came with quite a bit of


    difort.


    ¡°You have more than one hole.¡± Tori smirked, and I felt my skin heat unbearably.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough of that.¡± I shook my head, gulping down the rest of my tea. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about¨C


    er, my holes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Aurora.¡± Toriughed, ¡°You have much to learn.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve had s*x before?¡± I asked warily, somewhat flustered and embarrassed.


    ¡°I have. I dated a human guy for a few years, but he moved away.¡± Tori shrugged as though it were


    nothing new. ¡°Werewolves can mate with humans sometimes. Not often, but it happens. He wasn¡¯t my


    mate, but that didn¡¯t stop me from sleeping with him. Saving yourself for your mates is an outdated


    notion anyway. Do you see the male werewolves saving themselves? No, you don¡¯t! So why should I?¡±


    I let Tori finish her mini-rant, but found myself agreeing with her. It was another unspoken custom I was


    completely unfamiliar with, but I found myself enjoying Tori¡¯s strong-willed personality. I couldn¡¯t help


    but wonder who her mate was, and hoped he had a boat load of patience.


    I spent the next few hours with Tori, only leaving when I had no other choice. Our dinner with Garrett


    was in a few hours, and I needed time to shower and change before making my appearance. I knew it


    would be a stressful afternoon, especially if Garrett¡¯s wife was close by. I hadn¡¯t a clue what Julian¡¯s


    purpose for being there was, but I figured I¡¯d ask Alec and Kade soon enough.


    As Tori and I sat on her front porch waiting for Alec and Kade, I found myself thinking over what we had


    talked about. I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready to sleep with Alec and Kade, but I continued thinking about the


    mark that would one day sit on my skin. Would it be two marks? Would they be the same? I couldn¡¯t


    help but wonder how much it would hurt. Tori¡¯s Mom said it hurt a lot, so I could only imagine what


    receiving two marks would feel like. I wasn¡¯t sure I was looking forward to the pain, but if it meant


    keeping Alec and Kade by my side, I would endure it for them. I had just worked up the courage to ask


    them about it when their car pulled into the driveway. My courage fizzled like a damp match, sputtering


    out as I locked eyes with Kade.


    Their emotions mmed into me like a battering ram, making me dizzy as I tore myself from the swing


    on Tori¡¯s porch. I could tell they both had missed me; I could feel it in every blistering emotion that


    exuded from theirrge forms. It took all the willpower I could muster not to rush into their arms. Instead


    of barreling down the steps, I settled for a brisk jog.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As my arms wrapped around Kades waist, I could feel his surprise and awe at my touch. Once I got my


    fill of Kades thick and delectable scent, I moved on to Alec. Their muscr arms wrapped around my


    torso, holding me against them as they each nted a kiss to the top of my head.


    ¡°Missed us, sweetheart?¡± Kade smirked, brushing a hand through his already messy hair.


    ¡°I did.¡± I admitted with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t bother lying. I can tell you both missed me just as much.¡±


    ¡°It seems we can¡¯t hide anything from you.¡± Alec chuckled, a sly grin on his handsome face.


    Alec hopped back into the car, driving the extremely short distance to their house and pulled into the


    drive way. Tori lived only a house away from Alec and Kade, making our friendship even more


    convenient. I walked along side Kade, unable to resist slipping my hand in his own. Hisrge hand


    engulfed mine, but somehow, they both fit perfectly.


    ¡°We have just enough time to shower and change.¡± Kade looked down on me, his eyes softening as


    they met my own.


    ¡°Though, we could save more time if we showered together.¡± Alec smirked, hopping out of the car.


    Kade¡¯s face mirrored Alec¡¯s, their devious expressions caused a blush to form on my cheeks. My mind


    instantly went back to my conversation with Tori, only making my blush deepen.


    ¡°Looks like our mate is having some interesting thoughts.¡± Kade murmured, brushing a knuckle across


    my heated skin.


    ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t think that would save time.¡± I cleared my throat. I added extra sweetness to my voice


    as I cooed at the two of them, ¡°You two could shower together, that would save us plenty of time. Plus,


    I wouldn¡¯t mind the show.¡±


    Alec and Kade shared a nk look before turning back to me. Judging from their gentle emotions, they


    weren¡¯tpletely against my suggestion. If anything, the thought of me watching them shower, it was


    somewhat appealing. My inexperience with all things sexual made me somewhat timid, but the twins


    brought out a new side of me. Despite the nervousness I felt around them, I also feltfortable


    enough to be myself.


    ¡°She¡¯s so cruel, brother.¡± Alec sighed, shaking his head. He met his brothers¡¯ eyes, and a sly grin


    formed on his full lips. ¡°I suppose we could give her a free show, just this once.¡±


    ¡°Next time, it¡¯ll be your turn.¡± Kade leaned down, murmuring in my ear with his rough voice. I couldn¡¯t


    hold back the shiver that worked its way down my spine, nor the blush that reappeared at the sound of


    Kades sultryugh.


    That was how I found myself just a few short minutester. I sat on one of those plush stools in their


    large bathroom, and I was sure my blush had permanently embedded itself onto my face. I hadn¡¯t


    thought the two of them were serious about giving me a show, but it seemed they were both


    determined to prove me wrong.


    The shower in the bathroom was huge, set with multiple shower heads that protruded from the walls.


    The ceiling itself was one big showerhead, raining water down onto the tiled floor. I couldn¡¯t help but


    notice the shower had no doors. There were two marble steps that led into the shower, to where the


    water could easily drain without flooding the bathroom. The shower was easilyrge enough for the


    three of us, but I couldn¡¯t work up the courage to join them.


    ¡°Enjoy the show, doll.¡± Alec murmured, his hand grazing underneath my chin. An amused smile


    twitched onto his lips, making him look even more deviously handsome.


    Even though my face held its blush, I couldn¡¯t force myself to turn away. Alec stripped the long sleeve


    shirt from his torso, his movements slow and confident. I watched in silence, practically drooling, as his


    muscles rippled with the movement. Kade followed after, his build a littlerger than his brothers, but


    equally drool worthy.


    I couldn¡¯t begin to fathom how I found myself here, watching my two mates strip b**e in front of my very


    eyes. Normally, a girl was lucky to have one male in her romantic life that looked like this, yet I had two.


    I swallowed thickly as Kade¡¯s pants fell to the ground, tossed in the hamper that sat across the


    bathroom. Warm steam filled the bathroom from the shower, warming my body even more. Even if I


    wanted to, I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away as the two of them stood b**e in front of me.


    While Alec and Kade were identical twins, there were some parts of them that were different from one


    another. Kade¡¯s build was a littlerger than his brothers, his shoulders just a little broader. Alec¡¯s abs


    were more defined than his brothers, his muscles ending in harsh lines and angles. A few scars were


    etched onto their torso and backs, but they only added to the allure that clung to the two of them.


    They both stood in silence, eyes dark and blown wide with lust as my gaze traveled even lower. I


    sucked in a harsh breath as I caught sight of the length between their legs. They were both hard, the


    steel between their legs hung proudly. Kade was thicker than his brother, but Alec¡¯s was just an inch or


    two longer. I shifted on the stool; my thighs pressed tightly together as I forced my eyes to travel even


    lower. Large, muscr thighs led down to chiseled calf muscles. The two of them were works of art,


    identical yet different in every way. Porcin skin chiseled from stone, mine to taste, to devour and


    savor.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to join us, sweetheart?¡± Kade murmured, his eyes practically burning into


    my skin, as though he could see past theyer of clothes that clung to my body.


    ¡°We would miss dinner.¡± I managed to choke out, my gaze slowly trailing up their bodies. ¡°We would


    definitely miss dinner.¡±


    Their lust and desire washed over me like a boiling wave. Heat flooded my veins, sizzling as it hit my


    skin. They both wanted me, wanted me more than I could express in words. Even with the


    overwhelming need they were feeling, they both remained rooted in ce. They¡¯d go at my pace; Alec


    had once told me.


    My willpower would crumble, would break and b**n until there was nothing left. I would give them


    everything, anything they wanted if they continued to look at me like that, like there was nothing in this


    world more potent than me. My breaths came out in short pants, and with all the willpower in my body, I


    forced my eyes to return to their faces.


    ¡°We would miss dinner, but you wouldn¡¯t regret it.¡± Alec smirked, but the expression didn¡¯t reach his


    consuming gaze.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I would regret it.¡± I managed to reply, ¡°I¡¯ll get in once you two are finished.¡±


    Alec and Kade heeded my words, and both stepped into the shower after shing me another heated


    look. While they were facing away from me, I watched as the water beaded and ran down the muscles


    spanning their backs. The water twisted and turned, caught by the grooves of their muscles. I knew


    they could feel my eyes on them, running down their shoulders and lingering on their firm bottoms.


    They even had nice assess, I thought to myself. I expected some w, some imperfection. No person,


    human or werewolf, could be this¨Cthis perfect. Even their physical ws added to the allure, to the


    intense attractiveness that radiated from every pore, every rippling muscle and spattering of hair.


    I let out a long sigh as the two of them finished and left the bathroom, giving me privacy as I showered.


    The two of them remained hard nearly the entire shower. At least thirty times I had contemted


    skipping the dinner altogether, marking and mating just as Tori and I talked about. I reminded myself


    over and over again, that we needed to be at this dinner. I needed the information, needed to see if


    Garrett was telling the truth.


    The water rained down on me, soothing my tense muscles. It wasn¡¯t a show they had given me; it was


    utter torture. I didn¡¯t think it would be this hard not to touch them, not to give into my instincts and


    urges. As the water poured down on me, my soaked hair clinging to my shoulders and back, I slipped a


    hand between my legs and let out a quiet sigh.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    No matter how I muffled the sighs that left my lips, release refused toe. It was like my body knew


    what it wanted, just as my mind and heart did. It refused to function for anyone else, refused to react


    unless it was under the gentle touches of the twins. Understanding my efforts were hopeless, I finished


    my shower and dried off.


    I had brought a change of clothes into the bathroom, and slipped on a t***h-length dress. The sleeves


    were long but thin, enough tobat the gentle chill that started up this afternoon. I blow-dried my hair


    while the twins waited outside, undoubtedly getting ready themselves.


    As I stepped out into the bedroom, I was bombarded by the thick scent of Alec and Kade. As I turned to


    grab a pair of shoes, Alec stood in my way. We were only inches apart, but I could feel the heat


    radiating from his skin. His musky scent swirled with the slight tang of tea-tree from his body wash. The


    scent was entirely new, but equally to d*e for. My breathing hitched as Alec trailed a finger down my


    reddened face, lingering around my cor bones.


    ¡°Were you able to finish?¡± Alec murmured, toying with the hem of my dress. His warm fingers danced


    along my b**e t***h, coaxing a thick shiver that ran down my spine.


    ¡°No.¡± I swallowed, my voiceing out a few octaves higher.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Alec continued toying with the hem of my dress, letting his fingertips dance closer and closer to the


    softness between my legs. Just as the pad of his finger grazed over my underwear, he pulled away. His


    eyes were dark, and the fabric of his pants was tight around the middle. He gripped my face with one of


    hisrge hands, tilting my head up so that I looked him in the eye.


    ¡°Poor little mate. Even now, your body craves us.¡± Alec murmured; his breath fanned across my ear.


    ¡°Kade and I will help youter.¡±


    His lips trailed along my jaw, igniting that aching fire low in my gut. I pressed my thighs tightly together,


    ignoring the scent of my arousal as it flooded the room.


    ¡°Where is Kade?¡± I asked, my eyes darting around the room as I fumbled for a reason to change the


    subject.


    Alec and Kade separate were a constant temptation, a constant chip in my willpower. Together¨C


    together they were irresistible. Having that much male attention focused solely on yourself¨Ca girl could


    get used to that. The way they seem to devour my reactions, inhaling the blissful noises that leave my


    lips under their touch. Being with them¨Cfully, it would be all consuming.


    ¡°Your little whimpers got him too worked up.¡± Alec chuckled lowly in my ear, ¡°He needed a few minutes


    to himself. You¡¯re wee to lend him a hand, though I might get jealous.¡±


    It took me a handful of minutes to calm myself down, and another ten minutes to still the intimate


    thoughts fumbling through my head. When Kade finally returned, he shed me a wide smirk as my


    face heated and my eyes darted downward. When we finally managed to leave the house, Alec and


    Kade gave me a rundown of who Julian was.


    He had been the leader of a small band of rogues, but quickly grew in power as his pack number


    increased. Eventually, he became a full-blown Alpha. It was rare to create your own pack, as


    werewolves would always fight for power but Julian had managed to do just that. As Julians numbers


    continued to grow, he sought out a home for him and his pack. He imed a small sliver of territory


    above Garrett¡¯s pack. As Julian¡¯s pack grew, he began to need more territory to fit his people. Alec and


    Kade¡¯s territory were vast, and epassed both Julian and Garretts territory. Alpha Julian had asked


    multiple times that Alec and Kade relinquish some of their territory to Julian and his growing pack, that


    they seek out more territory to the North to rece what they had lost. Alec and Kade refused, as


    thousands of people would then need to leave their homes and move hundreds of miles away. While I


    couldn¡¯t me Alec and Kade for doing what was best for their people, I knew there had to be some


    solution to the problem.


    The sun was beginning to set as we pulled into Garretts drive way. The sky was bright with color. Navy


    blue, indigo, orange and pink shed across the sky. The moon was slightly visible, a thin sliver in the


    distance. Yellow light shined from inside Garretts house, and I braced myself for the inevitable meeting


    with his wife.


    Kady answered the door as we knocked, giving me a nervous smile as we stepped inside. I was wary


    when she locked eyes with Alec and Kade. She looked at them the way most people did. Her eyes


    grew wide at their build, and shock undoubtedly shed over her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m apologizing ahead of time for anything my Mom says.¡± Kady grimaced, ¡°Not that it makes a


    difference.¡±


    I could feel her sincerity fill the room, washing over me like a cold wave. Kady wasn¡¯t a bad person, I


    knew that now. She had said some rude words out of jealousy and spite, but that didn¡¯t define her as a


    person.


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡± I told her honestly.


    ¡°Are you going to tell Dad what I told you?¡± Kady frowned, lowering her voice. She gave Alec and Kade


    a nervous nce, but otherwise turned her attention towards me. ¡°I mean¨CI can¡¯t me you if you did,


    but Dad won¡¯t be happy.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell him you said anything.¡± I assured her.


    I could feel her gratefulness, sweet like candy but tinged with something bitter. Guilt flooded her veins,


    bitter and somewhat chilling. She was hiding something from me. It was like a whisper in my head,


    warning me she wasn¡¯t beingpletely truthful. Why would she feel guilty if she had told me


    everything she knew? I pushed the feeling aside and followed Kady into therge dining room.


    The smaller table had been reced with arger one. Seated at the head was Garrett, off to his left


    was his wife and on his right was Julian. Garrett wore a crisp suit as he often did, this one a dark shade


    of te grey. Veronica looked impable as always. If it weren¡¯t for the deeply etched sneer on her


    face, she would¡¯ve been runway beautiful. Her golden hair was the same shade as Kady¡¯s, and fell to


    her back in glossy waves. Her cherry lipstick was bright yet tasteful, and matched the sleek dress she


    wore. She didn¡¯t look a day over twenty-five, but the sneer added a few years onto that. While Veronica


    shed me a weighted look, she said nothing.


    Veronica didn¡¯t need to use her words to get her point across. Overwhelming distain and something


    close to hatred spewed from her pores, wafting over me like a poisonous fog. I nearly flinched at the


    impact. I had never felt negative emotions before through my newly acquired gift. I had felt Tori¡¯s anger,


    but it was a far cry from the hate that Veronica was throwing my way.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡± Garrett gave me one of those charming business smiles and sat down.


    While his smile was one he shed to many, making him look charismatic andid back, I could tell he


    was being sincere. He was truly happy that we hade for dinner.


    Now that I could feel the emotions of others, I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about Garrett. He wasn¡¯t perfect,


    and he was far from ever bing a parental figure in my life, but his emotions spoke louder than his


    actions and words. For instance, I could feel his nervousness. For whatever reason, he was worried


    about tonight. The brief tang of guilt radiated through him, simr to Kady¡¯s though I couldn¡¯t determine


    the source.


    ¡°Thanks for having us.¡± I managed to say through gritted teeth.


    I sat at the far end of the table, directly across from Garrett. Alec and Kade sat on opposite sides of me.


    Their positive emotions fought against Veronica¡¯s. Their affection, happiness, and awe battled the hate


    that washed over me in waves.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t awkward or anything.¡± Julian coughed, covering hisugh with a long swig of alcohol.


    Kady hid her smile behind her ss of wine, while Veronica threw one of her signature res at Julian.


    It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one Veronica hated. The only people she seemed to truly care about was


    her daughter and mate.


    Lucy and a handful of men brought out our dinner. Pristine china covered by a silver dome. It was


    unbearably fancy, and something I wasn¡¯t used to. Lucy hadn¡¯t changed in the time I had been gone.


    The lines etched into her face made her look friendly and approachable. As she spotted me at the


    table, a kind smile formed on her face. She was d to see me, I could tell from the subtle emotions


    radiating from her. Her wheat-colored hair was pulled into a bun as she padded over to me.


    ¡°Steak or sd?¡± She asked, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Steak.¡± I replied, rolling my eyes at Alec and Kade¡¯s identical grins.


    They both looked deviously handsome tonight. Both wore ck button-down shirts and ck cks.


    The only difference between them was their hair. Alec¡¯s hair was all one length, grazing his ears


    messily. Kade¡¯s hair was shorter around the base, but longer on top. Each time they turned their eyes


    away from me, which wasn¡¯t often, I couldn¡¯t help but gawk at the muscles protruding from their


    clothes.


    A quiet snort sounded from across the table as I eyed the steak on my te hungrily. I caught


    Veronica¡¯s cold eyes, and grimaced as she shook her head disdainfully. Her mouth opened and for a


    second, I thought she was actually going to say something. She caught Alec¡¯s eye and seemed to think


    better of what she wanted to say. Her mouth clicked shut, and her disdainful gaze turned to Julian.


    ¡°So, what made youe back?¡± Julian blurted out, giving Garrett a shrug when he scolded him.


    ¡°What? I hardly know her. Consider me curious.¡±


    ¡°I made a mistake leaving. When Garrett told me what I was, I kind of freaked out.¡± I frowned. Some of


    the tension left my body as I felt Alec¡¯s finger tips graze my kneecap from under the table. ¡°He picked


    the worst way to break the news though.¡±


    ¡°I take full responsibility for that.¡± Garrett grunted, and I swore I could make out the lightest shade of


    pink tinging his cheeks. I could feel his embarrassment and sheepishness at his mistake. ¡°In all


    honesty, I assumed Melissa would have told you something.¡±


    ¡°I lived with my Grandma for a while. I never really saw Melissa until she died.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Your Grandma was a fine woman.¡± Garrett nodded, and I could tell he was speaking the truth.


    ¡°Miserable to be around once you pissed her off though.¡±


    ¡°That she was.¡± I nodded in full agreement.


    ¡°You lived with your Grandma for a while then?¡± Julian chimed in, his voice casual and almost bored.


    While Julians voice sounded bored, his emotions were anything but. He was interested, and his


    curiosity was almost overwhelming. I wasn¡¯t sure why he was so interested in my life, but I figured it


    couldn¡¯t hurt. My Grandma had died a long time ago, there was nothing to be used against me by


    telling them this.


    ¡°Since I was born.¡± I shrugged, ¡°When she died, I moved in with Melissa.¡±


    ¡°How did that go for you? Living with your Mother.¡± Julian asked, and I couldn¡¯t ignore the way Garrett


    grimaced.


    More guilt swirled around him. I was beginning to question my gift. Since I met Garrett, I thought the


    only thing he cared about was my future role in the pack. Judging from his strange emotions, he felt


    some semnce of responsibility for me. He felt guilty for leaving, guilty because I lived ignorant and


    miserable with Melissa. I shoved the conflicting feelings deep down and turned to face Julian.


    ¡°Melissa isn¡¯t my Mother, never was. I stayed out of their way and lived my life.¡± I replied, ¡°I took care of


    myself.¡±


    Veronica scoffed for the third time, but it seemed she couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut.


    ¡°A child who shows no respect for her parents has no right ruling an entire pack.¡± Veronica snapped;


    her voice cold. ¡°How can you show respect to those you rule, to those willing toy down their lives for


    you if you can¡¯t even respect your own family?¡±


    ¡°Veronica.¡± Garrett¡¯s voice was full of hostility, though I could tell he was restraining himself.


    Like it or not, Veronica was his mate. No matter how bitchy and rude she was, he¡¯d always have a soft


    spot for her. While I was having a hard time epting that fact, I was d to have Alec and Kade by


    my side. Alec and Kade had no qualms about defending me. In fact, Alec let out a low growl in her


    direction. Both Alec and Kade were ring daggers at Veronica.


    ¡°Enough. It¡¯s fine.¡± I told Alec and Kade, giving them a grateful smile. I turned my attention to Veronica,


    and absolutely refused to balk under her intense re. ¡°My family is Alec and Kade. I respect them just


    as they respect me. Melissa and Frank were never my family. Respect isn¡¯t blindly given, Veronica. It¡¯s


    fought for and earned. Which is why you will never, ever have my respect.¡±


    Julian let out a low whistle, snickering as Veronica¡¯s face turned an unttering shade of red. Kady


    seemed shocked, her eyes flickering between me and her mother. Even Kade chuckled lowly, taking a


    long drink before sharing a smirk with his brother.


    ¡°She¡¯s definitely part of the family.¡± Julian chuckled.


    If it weren¡¯t for my strange ability to feel emotions, I would have never noticed the meaning in what


    Julian had said. As Julian finished speaking, a barrage of emotions flooded the room. Garrett was


    feeling panic and shock, fear and anger. Julian was feeling amusement and irritation. Even Veronica


    felt panicked, her eyes burning into Julian unflinchingly. Kady¨Cthat familiar sting of bitter guilt came


    back. Alec and Kade seemed not to notice the meaning, but I did.


    ¡°Part of the family.¡± I repeated slowly, savoring the emotions that flooded through each of them.


    My eyes flickered from Garrett to Julian, noting the differences and simrities. Garrett and Julian


    seemed to be having a silent argument, one that Garrett was currently losing. As their quiet battle


    finished, Julian fixed me with a heavy stare.


    ¡°Yes, Aurora. Part of the family.¡± Julian nodded, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. ¡°It¡¯s nice to


    finally meet my niece.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    ¡°Neice?¡± Alec scoffed. ¡°We¡¯ve been dealing with you for weeks now. You didn¡¯t think we needed to


    know this kind of information?¡±


    ¡°At the time? No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Julian shrugged, ignoring the identical looks of rage on the twins faces.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Kade snapped, his eyes narrowing on Garrett. ¡°You didn¡¯t think your daughter had a


    right to know?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not me my half-brother.¡± Julian smirked at Garrett, who scowled in response. ¡°We¡¯ve been


    estranged for quite some time. The poor man can hardly stand to be in the same room as me.


    Regardless, we¡¯ve had amon goal for quite some time.¡±


    Garretts scowl turned outright deadly. He bared his teeth at Julian and spoke in a low voice, ¡°She


    doesn¡¯t need to know right now. She already has enough on her te without you adding to it.¡±


    Before I developed my gift, I would¡¯ve assumed Garrett was being his typical selfish conniving self.


    While I didn¡¯t appreciate the lies, I could feel the emotions behind Garretts words. He was genuinely


    concerned for me. There was still no way in h**l I¡¯d trust the man, but feeling his emotions showed me


    a side of him I hadn¡¯t know existed.


    ¡°She¡¯s epted what she is. The sooner she knows, the faster she can prepare.¡± Julian snapped at


    Garrett, who then rolled his eyes.


    It seemed the topic of conversation wasn¡¯t anything new for the two of them. Judging by the impatience


    in Julian¡¯s tone, they had talked about this countless times. I knew Julian had won when Garrett


    clenched his jaw shut, the muscle in his cheek ticking angrily.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how familiar you are with our customs, but there¡¯s a few things we need to go over. As


    you know, you will be taking over Garrett¡¯s pack. Your mates will take the position of Alpha, while you


    take over as Luna. The two packs will merge into onerger pack.¡± Julian grunted, and I could feel his


    distaste.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    For whatever reason, he didn¡¯t want Garrett¡¯s pack to merge with Alec and Kades. Judging from the


    simr emotion radiating from Garrett, he felt the same. I couldn¡¯t entirely me them. Garrett¡¯s pack


    would essentially be ran by Alec and Kade, and there was no love lost between the three of them.


    Julian cleared his throat and continued, ¡°Our customs are ancient, and they are always followed. As I


    am unable to have children, custom states my pack will go to my closest descendent. Not only will you


    be responsible for Garrett¡¯s pack, but you will also inherit my own.¡±


    The room copsed into silence, and all eyes settled on my face. Alec and Kade stared at me with


    equal looks of surprise, their plush lips parted as they gazed in my direction. Their emotions were what


    kept me centered. They were the buffer between me and Veronica¡¯s crippling anger. Their awe and


    affection steadied me, gave me room to think about what Julian had said.


    The rage that spewed from Veronica was like a thick, hot nket. Her face turned the same cherry red


    as her lips. Her red manicured nails reminded me of blood, and I found myself inching away as her


    slender fingers curled into a fist.


    ¡°Not only will the b*****d child inherit your pack, but two others.¡± Veronica hissed, practically spewing


    acid with every syble that left her lips. She turned her venomous attention to Garrett, who winced


    under her gaze. ¡°Because of your stupidity, your daughter will inherit nothing. She will be nothing. Our


    only hope for her is that her mate is an Alpha with a pack of his own. I hope you¡¯re happy with what


    you¡¯ve done, Garrett.¡±


    Kady seemed to shrink down in her seat. While I felt her disappointment, there was no animosity


    towards me. Her embarrassment was the strongest emotion, and I knew it was directed at her irate


    Mother.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Kade snapped, his rough voice echoed throughout the dining room.


    His eyes were lit with an onyx me as he stared at Veronica with a clenched jaw. I could see the slight


    tremble in his form, and winced under the onught of his anger. Veronica¡¯s anger was like a sharp


    whip,shing out at anyone nearby. Kade¡¯s anger was like ice, pinpointed solely on Veronica. Her


    anger was that of petty jealousy, Kade¡¯s was that of cold-blooded m****r.


    ¡°This might be your home, but this is our pack.¡± Kade snarled, mming his fists down on the table.


    The silverware and tes jumped, settling back on the table with a rattle. ¡°Speak negatively of our


    mate again, and you will not leave this pack alive.¡±


    Veronica¡¯s head whipped around to Kade, her face paling as she took in his rigid stance. Her eyes


    darted over to Alec, who watched her with the same emotionless stare.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking around for help, you¡¯ll find none.¡± Alec snapped.


    I could feel both of their anger, simr yetpletely different. Kade was like an ice storm, while Alec


    reminded me of a crackling fire. Both intense and crippling, butpletely at odds with one another.


    Behind the anger, I could feel the fierce protectiveness they felt for me. The emotion was like an


    adrenaline rush. From the moment they arrived at Sage¡¯s house, I knew the two of them wanted and


    epted me. They had never forced me toe home, or forced me to ept what I was. They


    always gave me a choice, no matter how it might hurt them. Up until now, I hadn¡¯t truly known what I


    meant to the twins. I had grown on them, just as they had grown on me. We¡¯d never beplete


    without one another, I realized. Not after this. The realization changed something inside of me. That


    small, whispering voice of doubt faded. They¡¯d never leave me; they¡¯d never fail me. They¡¯d always put


    me first, and I¡¯d do the same for them. I wanted this, I wanted to tie myself to them in every way


    possible.


    Rather than saying something she¡¯d regret, she bowed her head and left the room. Her anger followed


    her like a thick cloud, though the ufortable sensation still remained in the dining room. Kady stood


    from the table, giving her Dad a weak smile before turning her eyes on me. ¡®Sorry¡¯, she mouthed. I


    gave her a gentle nod and watched as she left the room, trailing after her distraught Mother.


    I still wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about Kady. I knew it was impossible for someone to suddenly change


    overnight. Judging from the emotions I picked up, it seemed like beneath it all Kady wasn¡¯t a horrible


    person. I honestly couldn¡¯t me her for turning out the way she did. If I had a Mom like that, who


    knows how I would¡¯ve turned out.


    ¡°I believe we should continue this conversation another time.¡± Julian shifted in his seat, casting a wry


    nce towards Garrett. ¡°Give Veronica time to deal with this. She might nevere around, but she¡¯ll


    learn to live with what is.¡±


    ¡°I am not looking to you for advice.¡± Garrett snapped, but his face was gued with exhaustion.


    I could feel the guilt and pain that echoed within him, and tried not to let it wound me. It hurt him to hurt


    his mate. I knew the feeling and knew I¡¯d react simrly if I had ever hurt Alec and Kade the way he


    hurt Veronica. Garrett and I might never have a normal rtionship, but he was making an effort. He


    had abandoned me, and I¡¯d never forget it but no person was purely good or evil. Regardless,


    forgiveness was a long way away.


    Garrett stood from the table, ttening out his suit jacket before clearing his throat, ¡°Thank you for


    coming tonight. It was¡­nice having you here, Aurora. We¡¯ll speak again soon.¡±


    The three of us left shortly after, the food sitting heavily in my stomach. I had a feeling I was missing


    something important, that Alec and Kade had connected the dots where I hadn¡¯t. The car ride home


    was coated in thick silence. Just as we pulled into the driveway, I couldn¡¯t handle it anymore.


    ¡°Are they serious?¡± I exhaled, ¡°I¡¯m¨Cwe¡¯re going to be in charge of two other packs?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure about this¨Csure about us, the packs will merge into our own. We¡¯ll absorb the territory


    and people.¡± Alec frowned, ncing at his brother.


    They both radiated shock, but also nervousness. It was the harsh anxiety that set my teeth on edge.


    ¡°Why are you both so worried?¡± I asked, my eyes darting between the two of them.


    ¡°Once you turn eighteen, the packs will officially be transferred over to you.¡± Kade grimaced, ¡°There¡¯s a


    sort of hierarchy with the packs in the United States. Our seniority is ranked by howrge our pack is,


    and how much territory we own. Larger packs be targets. If Alec and I were to be k****d by


    another Alpha, they have every right to im our pack.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± I asked, wincing against the sickening feeling in my stomach.


    ¡°Once our pack merges with Garrett and Julians, we¡¯ll be thergest pack in the country.¡± Alec replied,


    his eyes burning with worry. ¡°It¡¯ll be like painting a target on our backs. Keeping your wolf a secret will


    now be harder than ever.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    As we pulled into the drive way, I realized something startling. I was no longer afraid of what the future


    might hold. I knew there would always be danger, that people would try and use me as a weapon but


    none of it seemed to matter. All this time, I had thought Alec and Kade were too good to be true. There


    was no chance in h**l that I had been given not one, but two soul-mates to forever cherish and support


    me. Some small part of me thought that whatever was blossoming between us wouldn¡¯tst. While I


    wasn¡¯t quite ready to go throwing around the L word yet, there was something else I wanted.


    Alec and Kade¡¯s parents were already asleep as we entered the house. I was relieved Alec and Kade


    couldn¡¯t feel my emotions the way I could feel theirs. They would sense the turmoil and anxiety from a


    mile away. I tried to keep my fingers from fidgeting, but I couldn¡¯t help the slight tremble that worked its


    way through my hands. While I stillcked details, Tori had told me about the werewolves mating


    process. It was funny in a way. Everything sexual I had done was with Alec and Kade, yet they still


    made me horrendously nervous in new and exciting ways. As we walked down the quiet halls, towards


    the bedroom we shared, I realized simply having s*x would never be enough. I wanted to tie myself to


    them in every way possible, to leave a mark on their soul that couldn¡¯t be mistaken as anything other


    than my own.


    I wanted every gentle touch, every smoldering soul-shattering look. It all seemed too good to be true, to


    have a destined mate born to love you. Perhaps it was a small repayment for the d***h and destruction


    that seemed to que a werewolf¡¯s life. That in the midst of the chaos, a small sliver of happiness


    would surface. So that no matter how long one had to live, they could do so with happiness in their


    hearts. I was slowly learning to face things head on, and this was another obstacle for me to face. I


    wouldn¡¯t let my fear keep me from being with them, from fully epting them as my own.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can you unzip me?¡± I asked Kade, blushing as Alec¡¯s lingering stare followed me into the bedroom.


    ¡°Of course, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, his eyes softening as I brushed my hair to the side and


    turned.


    His rough fingers trailed along my shoulders, pressing harder as a shiver worked its way down my


    spine. The zipper was cold against my b**e back, making a quiet noise as he unzipped pulled it down


    to my bottom. Kade¡¯s fingers dipped inside the back of the dress, grazing my ribcage and stomach. I


    could hear his heavy breaths behind me, and could feel the hammering of his heart. It wasn¡¯t lust I was


    feeling from him, but a gentle sort of awe. Each brush over my soft skin left him feeling weightless and


    happy. Even with the carefree emotions, I knew he wanted more. Alec and Kade¡¯s desire were like an


    endless pit, the darkness constantly looming, ready to take over and devour me at first chance.


    Instead of giving in to the overwhelming anxiety that tried to surround me, I leaned back into Kade¡¯s


    touch. I let his emotions wash over me, wiping away the lingering trepidation I felt. I was safe here,


    safer than I had ever been before. These two, giant werewolves would defend me until theirst breath.


    It was a freeing feeling; one I had been waiting my entire life to experience. It felt like my soul was


    soaring, only to be met by Alec and Kade¡¯s.


    One of Kade¡¯s hands drifted higher, toying with the band of my thin bra. His other hand grazed lower,


    tracingzy circles along my hip bones. My legs clenched together on their own ord, my body giving


    into the overwhelming sensation of Kade¡¯s rough fingers on my soft skin. A deep, huskyugher


    caressed my ear and traveled down the length of my neck. I could hear Kade inhale deeply, his nose


    buried in my hair.


    ¡°After your little performance earlier, tell me why I shouldn¡¯t just take you now?¡± His voice dropped a


    couple octaves, hitting me in every ce his fingers wouldn¡¯t.


    A building pressure formed low in my stomach, and a budding moisture between my legs. Kade¡¯s


    fingers tickled the edge of my underwear, never once straying lower. The slow circles were pure


    torment, but agony mixed with the sultry pleasure thatpped at my skin.


    I spoke the words before I fully registered what came out of my mouth. I was lulled by the sparks


    dancing along my skin, reassured by the overwhelming desire that pulsed from Kade.


    ¡°Do it, Kade.¡± I murmured huskily. ¡°Take me.¡±


    Before I could blink, I was tossed backwards onto the bed. My legs were spread apart, with Kade


    situated in between. My wrists were locked together, raised over my head. Kade¡¯s grip on my wrists


    was iron d, bringing on just the slightest amount of sweet pain. His eyes were full of onyx fire as he


    stared down at me, his plush lips parted as his hot breath pressed against my cheek. Even if I couldn¡¯t


    feel his emotions, I could feel the evidence of his arousal pressed against my leg. I shivered at the


    length of it, at how hard it felt against my soft skin.


    My face heated and all thought other than Kade left my head. I went to turn my head, self-conscious as


    I gained Kade¡¯s full searing attention. His free hand snapped up to my face, gripping my chin until I had


    no choice but to look at him. The way he touched me sent an instant reaction down between my legs.


    His rough possessiveness heated my skin. It was like he was staking his im on all of me; body and


    soul.


    ¡°Are you teasing me, sweetheart?¡± Kade growled, his face pressing into the crook of my neck. ¡°Tell me


    what you want, Aurora. Tell me or I might take it all.¡±


    ¡°I want¡ªall of you.¡± I rasped, savoring the way his entire form stiffened against my own.


    His self-control was like a tether. As it snapped, a loud tearing sound echoed through the room. Scraps


    of dark fabric fluttered down around us, lying in little pools on the bed. The cool air rushed against my


    exposed skin, making me s**k in a sharp breath. He had torn the dress from my body, had left it in


    shambles in his desperate need to take me¨Cto im me. All that was left was my bra and underwear, a


    dark andcy ensemble that was both cute and modest. If I had known I would¡¯ve initiated this, I


    would¡¯ve worn something better¨Csomething sexier and more mature.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Kade rasped, his voice gravely as his eyes roamed my body. Those dark eyes flickered up to


    meet my own, endless pools of his own desire focused on me. Each word that left his lips was like a


    curse and a praise, all wrapped into one dark package. ¡°You¡¯re perfect¨Cso f*****g perfect.¡±


    Kade¡¯s teeth grazed down my neck, lingering with predatory focus on the soft skin between my throat


    and shoulder. As his tongue snaked out to lick the soft patch of skin, my back arched and a sea of


    overwhelming sensation filled me. Pure, undiluted pleasure radiated down my body. It washed over


    every cell, nerve and vein as it traveled down to my toes. My mouth was open in a silent gasp as Kade


    continued toying with the small section of skin. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered Tori


    saying something about a mark, but I couldn¡¯t piece the words together in my scrambled mind. All


    thoughts were useless, the only thing that mattered was right in front of me.


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Aurora?¡± He murmured quietly, his hooded eyes lifting to meet mine for just a


    brief second.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡ªI¡¯ve never done this before, but I¡¯m sure.¡± I whimpered, nodding my head a little to


    enthusiastically.


    Kade stilled against me, ¡°We¡¯ve been the first to taste you? To kiss you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, my voice soft and heart thundering.


    I was horribly inexperienced, unused to the attention and touch of men. For a moment, I regretted it all.


    The inexperience left me feeling self-conscious and somewhat silly. I hadn¡¯t a clue what I was doing.


    ¡°Good.¡± Kade¡¯s deep voice thundered, his eyes burning with pure satisfaction.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Another tearing sound filled the room and I had only time to gasp as my torn bra was tossed to the


    ground. Kade ravaged me with his lips, tongue and teeth. He licked and nipped at my skin, groaning to


    himself as he traveled lower. Every touch filled me with an inescapable heat. It was torture, absolute


    torture. The soft flesh between my legs throbbed painfully, my wetness coated my inner thighs. He was


    taking too long, devouring my body with a slowness that was driving me insane.


    ¡°We should have saved ourselves for you. I can¡¯t take it back, but I can promise you something.¡± Kade


    grunted, looking up at me. Something in his eyes softened as they darted over my parted lips and


    flushed face. ¡°No one else wille after you. No one else will everpare.¡±


    Our lips met in a rough sh, and I willingly let his tongue slide into my mouth. My fingers twitched at


    the urge to touch him, to pull him closer. I would never get enough of this. I would never tire of the twins


    and their burning touches.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyes darkened as they took in my exposed b*****s, my n*****s hardened from the cool air in the


    room. His lips sped over one of my n*****s, the pad of his tongue roughly raking across the sensitive


    flesh. Just as his teeth scraped against it, a sound of impatient fury tore through my lips.


    Despite the murderous agony on my face, Kade chuckled. He moved back up my body until his lips


    were inches from my own. Slowly, he removed the hand that restrained my arms. I flexed my fingers,


    ready to thread them through his hair when he stopped me.


    ¡°Keep them up there, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, his lips turning up in a purely male smirk. ¡°I¡¯m


    going to take my time with you, and you¡¯re going to deal with it. I¡¯ll have Alec hold you down if I must.¡±


    Kade¡¯s head tipped towards the other side of the room, but his eyes remained on me. My head


    snapped over in that direction, my face blistering with heat as I locked eyes with Alec. He was sitting on


    one of the armchairs in the room, nestled against the wall. He watched us with dark eyes, and I was


    hyperaware of the tent pitched in his sweatpants. He leaned back in the chair; his lips twisted into an


    amused grin. He had been watching us the entire time, I realized. I wasn¡¯t sure which turned me on


    more, Kade¡¯s hot mouth traveling my body or the fact that his twin brother was so clearly aroused from


    watching us.


    ¡°Please, Alec.¡± I whimpered, unable to keep the whine from my voice.


    My breaths were growing heavy, just as the pressure in between my legs grew. Kade knew how much I


    needed this¨Chow much I needed them both. He was toying with me, tugging at the mate-bond to bring


    me unimaginable pleasure. The fact that the pleasure was coupled with the slightest of pain only made


    it that much more alluring. If it weren¡¯t for Kade¡¯s heavy body on top of my own, I would¡¯ve already


    moved to flip us over. All of my self-consciousness flew out the window, reced by blissful


    desperation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beg my brother, he won¡¯t help you.¡± Kade murmured, his fingers trailing down to my silky


    underwear. ¡°He¡¯s going to sit there and watch as I make you scream, Aurora. Only after I taste you, will


    he get a turn.¡±


    Even as I prepared myself for the inevitable shredding of my panties, I shivered against the cold air that


    lapped at my wet skin. Both Kade and Alec¡¯s eyes were drawn to the slickness between my legs, their


    gazes turned downright feral as they devoured me with their eyes. Kade¡¯s hand drifted lower cupping


    my soft flesh. A deep growl echoed through his chest as my wetness glistened on his palm.


    ¡°Look how ready she is for us, brother.¡± Kade all but snarled, grazing his fingers along my slit.


    Kade pushed my legs open even farther, giving Alec and unobstructed view of my glistening p***y. Alec


    let out a low growl of satisfaction, his eyestched onto the sweet spot between my thighs. As Kade


    trailed farther down my body, he gave me onest firm look.


    ¡°Remember, keep your hands to yourself.¡± He murmured, his eyes glinting with a predatory light. ¡°Let


    us hear your pretty little screams.¡±


    As Kade¡¯s breath fanned out over my p***y, I clenched my fists together to keep them in ce. His


    tongue darted out, slipping between my slick folds. The initial pleasure coaxed a thick gasp from my


    lips, which Kade and Alec devoured immediately. Kade devoured my p***y, heavy groans vibrated


    across my skin. My back arched as hepped at me, sucking my small bundle of nerves between his


    teeth. There was nothing slow or sensual about the way Kade devoured my p***y. His licks and nips


    were frantic, soaked with impatient desire that demanded an outlet.


    ¡°How does she taste, brother?¡± Alec murmured from across the room. He had leaned forward in his


    seat, his hand grazing the hard shaft in his sweatpants.


    ¡°Sweet, like honeydew.¡± Kade pulled away long enough to answer, and let his tongue slip back into my


    folds.


    ¡°Oh¨Cdon¡¯t stop!¡± The words left my mouth in desperation, the incredible pressure had reached its limit.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t stop!¡±


    My entire body went taught; my hands curled themselves in Kade¡¯s thick hair. He pried my fingers off


    easily, looking up at me with a satisfied smirk. My juices glistened around his lips, and I watched in


    stunned silence as Kade¡¯s tongue darted out to taste myself on his skin.


    ¡°Naughty mate.¡± Kade tsked, shaking his head at me. ¡°I thought I told you to keep your hands to


    yourself.¡±


    ¡°I want¡ªI want to feel you.¡± I whimpered, my fingers flexing under his tight grip.


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel me alright, sweetheart. But you won¡¯te until I say.¡± Kade murmured, moving his way up


    my body.


    He slipped his clothes off in a matter of seconds, and my body burned and ached for his touch. His lips


    shed against mine, his tongue delving in my mouth with unforgiving thrusts. His musky taste was


    mixed with my own, creating something deliciously new. One of hisrge fingers toyed at my entrance


    before sinking deep inside of me. I moaned against his lips, my hips writhing as his finger continued


    darting in my p***y.


    My fingers wed at every inch of b**e skin, my nails raking over Kade¡¯s muscles eagerly. I couldn¡¯t


    get enough of him, enough of his touch, scent, and taste. The only thing that could make this better


    was Alec. I needed him too, then it would all beplete. In the midst of my pleasure filled haze, I


    turned my eyes to Alec. He was breathing heavily as he sat in the armchair, watching me with hooded


    eyes. His hand was pressing against the lump in his pants, stroking it softly as he watched his brother


    devour my body.


    Before I knew what happened, Kade removed his finger and pressed the thick head of his c**k against


    my entrance. In the back of my mind, I knew this would hurt. I looked down at his length and shuddered


    at the girth of it. Even the prospect of pain couldn¡¯t wipe the tant need from my eyes. I would endure


    it all if it meant having his hands on my body, his lips against my neck, and his c**k deep inside of me.


    The pain was a mere afterthought.


    ¡°Alec.¡± I whimpered, extending a hand towards him.


    I needed them both, in any way I could get them. Alec¡¯s eyes darkened, and he lifted himself from the


    chair with practiced restraint. As he slid onto the bed, he propped himself beside me. His face was


    close to my own, mere inches away from where his brother nipped at my neck.


    ¡°Let me distract you, doll.¡± Alec smirked, his thumb running over my lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt when


    you take Kade¡¯s c**k, but it¡¯ll be worth it in the end. Then, it¡¯ll be my turn to feel you squirm around me.¡±


    As Kade slid the head of his c**k inside of me, a gasp tore itself from my throat. Alec¡¯s lips muffled the


    sound, devouring the pleasure and pain that echoed through me. His fingers roamed down my body,


    settling on the bundle of nerves between my legs. The rough pad of his finger circled it, alternating in


    pressure and speed. I moaned deep in his mouth and bucked my hips against his fingers, hissing as


    Kade¡¯s c**k slid in further.


    ¡°F**k, sweetheart.¡± Kade groaned, the sound sent vibrations down my neck. Some of his words were


    incoherent, spurred on by pleasure so intense it blocked out everything else. ¡°So f*****g tight.¡±


    He lifted his head and looked down between my legs, watching as his brother continued teasing my


    c**t. Having four hands on me was something I never thought I¡¯d experience. Not a single part of my


    body went untouched, not a single inch of skin hadn¡¯t been tasted or nipped. My body was drowning in


    the sensations, unable to make sense of it all. I was drunk on the pleasure of their touches, and the


    husky sounds that left their lips. Their emotions mixed in with my own, until I couldn¡¯t tell what belonged


    to who.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    The pain was sharper as Kade slid all the way in, his fingers clutching roughly at my waist. I could feel


    his restraint and how much he was holding back. Every instinct in his body told him to take me, to leave


    me screaming, gasping, crying under his touch. The muscles along his arms and chest rippled at the


    restraint. Even as he rocked his hips gently, his eyes were burning with need. Alec muffled every hiss


    and whimper as Kade thrusted into me. His movements were slow and calcted, trying to ease the


    pain that apanied the pleasure. Soon enough, my whimpers turned to moans and my fingernails


    pressed tighter against his skin. Kade¡¯s sweat stained my body, but I couldn¡¯t get enough of their husky


    scents. Anything that brought me closer, anything that gave me more. The p of Kade¡¯s hips against


    my own spurred me on further. He was stretching me in the best way possible, nearing the brink of


    pain. As my fingernails left tracks along his shoulders and back, I had enough.


    ¡°Stop holding back.¡± I whimpered, feeling Alec¡¯s teeth graze my nipple. ¡°I won¡¯t break, Kade. Please¨C¡±.


    I¡¯d never forget the sound that came from Kade, and would remember how it sent such a potent rush of


    heat through me, that my toes curled and my eyes rolled. The blissful fullness I had felt dissipated as


    Kade slid out of me, his hands gripping my hips to turn me over. My hands and knees sunk into the


    bed, and I flushed a deep shade of red at the position I was in. My b*****s hung, my n*****s grazing


    against the silkyforter. I could feel both sets of their eyes on me, and shivered under their


    attention.


    Their emotions never changed, never strayed from the desperate desire that coursed through them. At


    the sight of me bent over, exposed to both of them, the emotion seemed to strengthen even further.


    Kade lifted my bottom in the air, running his finger along the length of me. My mouth opened in a silent


    gasp as Kade slid his length inside of me. The miniscule of pain enhanced the pleasure at feeling full


    again. When I had told him to stop holding back, thest of his restraint had snapped. I knew neither


    wanted to hurt me, but now that the pain had vanished, only pleasure was left in its wake. Kade¡¯s hips


    mmed against my bottom roughly, coaxing a long moan from my lips. His pace increased until I was


    a whimpering mess, pressed tightly against the bed.


    ¡°Look at you¡ªbent over for me.¡± Kade grunted, his words melting into one another as his pace grew


    rougher. ¡°Taking my c**k so good¨C¡±


    A firm hand grabbed my jaw, resting just under my chin. The hand pulled me up from the bed, and I


    locked eyes with Alec. I¡¯m sure mine were wide with shock, burning with inexperience but Alec hadn¡¯t


    seemed to mind. My eyes were drawn to the thick muscle that spanned his now shirtless body. I trailed


    my sight down to the thickly etched muscles in his hips, leading down to his exposed c**k. Alec didn¡¯t


    have the same girth as his brother, but made up for the deficit in length. The head of his c**k was


    smooth and swollen, most likely from watching his brother and I.


    ¡°Open your mouth, doll.¡± Alec grunted, his thumb running along my lower lip.


    ¡°And you say I¡¯m inpatient.¡± Kade snickered at Alec, who raised an eyebrow in his direction.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t havested five minutes if you were the one watching.¡± Alec smirked.


    As a bead of precum formed on Alec¡¯s c**k, he ran the tip along my lower lip. My tongue darted out on


    its own, tasking the husky liquid. Taking advantage of my parted lips, Alec slipped the head of his c**k


    in my mouth and groaned at the sensation. My mouth stretched to take him in, nearly choking as he


    prodded the back of my throat. For just a brief moment, Kade slipped out of me and grabbed a condom


    from one of the drawers. Before I couldin of the emptiness, his c**k parted my lips again.


    ¡°Rx, Aurora.¡± Alec murmured, grabbing the back of my head. ¡°Breathe through your nose.¡±


    I did as Alec had said, and was met with oxygen. Alec thrusted inside my mouth with a hiss, his head


    falling back. I waspletely at their mercy, filled on both sides until my entire body radiated sparks.


    Alec¡¯s pace was steady, holding himself back as he watched his brother take me from behind. One of


    Kade¡¯s hands reached around my hip, his fingers pressing into my c**t with force. My moans were


    muffled by Alec¡¯s c**k, and I found myself meeting Kade¡¯s desperate thrusts. The pressure in my p***y


    hit breaking point, and a desperate cry tore from my mouth as I shattered around Kade¡¯s c**k. My walls


    pulsed and stretched, wave after wave assaulted my body. With a husky roar, Kade mmed into me


    onest time. I whimpered as his c**k twitched, filling the condom inside of me.


    As Kade slid out of me, Alec followed suit. Alec gripped my chin and smiled down on me, his eyesThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    flickering with dark delight.


    ¡°Think you can take it again?¡± Alec smirked.


    Through my pleasure filled haze, I managed an enthusiastic nod. My p***y was already delightfully


    sore, but still begging for more. I had felt Kade¡¯s thickness stretch me to my limit, and now I wanted to


    feel Alec. The sounds Kade had made when he came still rang in my ears, and I wanted to coax the


    same from Alec. Alec slipped on a condom and ran his head along the length of my slit.


    Alec lined his c**k up against my entrance, letting me ease down as slowly as I needed. While Alec¡¯s


    c**k wasn¡¯t as thick as Kade¡¯s, it was longer. My head fell back as I engulfed his length, feeling it graze


    against the deepest parts of me. Alec sat back, his eyes roaming every inch of my body.


    ¡°Ride my c**k, Aurora.¡± Alec purred, ¡°I want to watch youe on me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¨CI¡¯m not sure how.¡± I whimpered, fumbling for the words that might save me from


    embarrassment. My face flushed, but Alec¡¯s eyes seemed to b**n brighter at the sight.


    He leaned in close and brushed his lips against my ear. ¡°Do what feels good, doll.¡±


    I rocked my hips back and forth somewhat awkwardly, moaning as his c**k brushed my insides. I


    ced my hands on his shoulders, my movements finally finding some rhythm. Alec palmed my b*****s


    before pinching a nipple between his fingers. His eyes never once strayed from me, flitting between my


    face, chest, and rolling hips. My p***y was on full disy to him, and he savored every second.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Alec groaned, ¡°F**k¨Cyou¡¯re so beautiful riding my c**k.¡±


    As my c**t grazed against his skin and his c**k pulsed inside of me, another o****m tore through me.


    Alec gripped my hips and ground me against him, thrusting inside of me with an unforgiving pace. Stars


    danced behind my eyes, and I savored every incoherent word that left Alec¡¯s lips.


    ¡°So f*****g tight¡ªmade for us.¡± Alec grunted.


    His c**k twitched and his entire body tensed as his own o****m took over. I fell against his chest, coated


    in the sweat of two men and let out a shuddering sigh. Once he stopped shaking, Alec lifted me from


    hisp and settled me against his side. Every inch of me shook with the remnants of pleasure, but I felt


    completely sated for the time being.


    I locked eyes with Kade across the room, blushing as I realized he had watched Alec and I. I didn¡¯t


    regret my decision, not in the slightest. As I yawned, I noticed their eyes soften. I would never get tired


    of this¡ªof them.


    ¡°We¡¯vepletely worn her out.¡± Kade chuckled, watching me with barely concealed amusement.


    ¡°I think she¡¯ll get used to us.¡± Alec smirked, brushing back some of the damp strands from my hair. His


    lips grazed against my temple, turning up as he spoke. ¡°How about that shower?¡±


    Alec lifted me from the bed, cing me on my feet as Kade turned on the shower. Within seconds,


    steam billowed to every corner of the bathroom. The three of us stepped into the shower together, and I


    let their fingers and emotions wash over me. They were incredibly gentle as they washed me, taking


    care of the soreness between my legs. Awe, happiness and something even stronger twisted in their


    emotions. The emotion wasn¡¯t fully developed, but there were sweet hints of it here and there. It was


    the start of an emotion I hadn¡¯t experienced before, one that filled me with unspeakable joy.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    I woke up that morning feeling the best I had in a long time. The weight that had been firmly pressed


    against my chest for years now, had all but vanished. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of total security,


    eptance, and awe as I slept in the arms of the twins. I marveled at their beautiful faces, how strong


    their jaws were and how every little scar seemed to enhance their feral beauty. I found myself in


    constant awe around the two of them. Two men, sorge and dominant but had treated me with a


    gentleness I never knew. Their touches were feather light, their kisses even lighter. The only time they


    mixed pleasure and pain was when I begged for it.


    That morning I found myself sandwiched between the two of them, wondering how life could ever get


    better than this. Melissa had often spoke of s*x as a damning act. ¡°The first time is the best it¡¯s going to


    get. It all goes downhill from there.¡± The few times Melissa drank alcohol, she went off on one of her


    tangents. How wrong she had been. Every kiss, every touch¨Cit set my body ame. It took us an hour


    longer to get out of bed that morning, but every second had been worth it.


    As I walked with Alec and Kade to the car, every little movement made the sensitive spot between my


    legs ache. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever get used to having the two of them, and savored the soreness that


    reminded me ofst night. I had meant to ask about markingst night, but found myself swept away in


    Kade¡¯s touches. Tori told me it would hurt, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel the act was much more


    significant than I was willing to understand. Tying myself indefinitely to Alec and Kade no longer felt like


    a huge decision to make. I knew what I wanted, and a life without the twins wasn¡¯t a life at all. There


    was no longer a decision to be made. I was all in, no matter what came our way.


    Alec and Kade had talked to me that morning regarding my safety in this pack. The two of them thought


    it best that their Beta¡¯s knew what I was. They had both asked for my opinion beforehand, not daring to


    say anything without my permission. The choice caught me off guard. I wasn¡¯t used to anyone asking


    my opinion, asking what I wanted.


    They both knew I¡¯d have to shift eventually, and I was beginning to agree with them. Shifting into a wolf


    wasn¡¯t something I had been excited for. Now, it was the oxygen I breathed. I couldn¡¯t imagine anything


    more freeing than shedding my human skin. The dull thud of the earth beneath my paws, the way the


    scents and sights of the forest all seemed to change and heighten. It was thrilling and intoxicating.


    Despite my initial fear over what I was, Thalia had be a close part of me. Her frustration and


    anxiety became my own. Alec and Kade insisted that their Beta¡¯s would be able to apany me on


    runs when they couldn¡¯t. Even though I had never met the two Beta¡¯s, I could see how much Alec and


    Kade trusted them. I decided to do the same.


    Jason and Zane were not what I had expected. While Kadees off broodier and more silent, even


    Alec could be a man of few words. Jason and Zane were a whirlwind of excitement, charisma and


    perfect teeth. Sharp jawlines, lopsided grin¡¯s, and lush hair all wrapped in a six-foot four package.


    Neither one was mated, as they hadined multiple times about how lucky Alec and Kade were.


    ¡°Your eyes look badass.¡± Jason grinned, brushing back a couple strands of his chestnut hair, which had


    fallen in his face. His hazel eyes darted back and forth between my own. ¡°I bet you¡¯re one tough little


    wolf. One blue eye, one brown.¡±


    I nced over at Alec, who snorted at Jason¡¯sment. Kade cleared his throat and the two Beta¡¯s


    quickly copsed in silence. I had to give it to Jason and Zane. They could be immature and somewhat


    rambunctious, but neither one dared disrespect Alec or Kade. It was a strange friendship, one based


    on trust and loyalty. Simr to the friendship I had with Tori, though she¡¯s proved time and time again


    that she isn¡¯t afraid of putting me in my ce.


    ¡°Speaking of her wolf, there¡¯s something you should know.¡± Alec grimaced before clearing his throat.


    ¡°You¡¯ll repeat this to no one. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Both Jason and Zane nodded, their humor snuffed out by the severity of Alec¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Aurora is a white wolf. No one else can know, at least not right now.¡± Kade chimed in, crossing his


    arms over his chest. ¡°During instances where Alec and I might be busy, we expect you to apany


    Aurora when she wants to shift. You¡¯ll have theplete schedule of all parole shifts, and know what


    areas to avoid.¡±


    Jason and Zane were quiet for a few moments, and both sets of surprised eyes were on me. Just when


    I thought Alec or Kade might say something, Jason chimed in with a heartyugh.


    ¡°Told ya.¡± Jason snickered.


    ¡°Good guess.¡± Zane mumbled, begrudgingly handing over a fifty-dor bill to Jason.


    ¡°You guessed that Aurora was a white wolf, and proceeded to bet each other on it?¡± Alec asked, his


    face hard though his eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement.


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± Zane shook his head and shed me a lopsided grin. ¡°I didn¡¯t guess she was a white wolf,


    just guessed she was special.¡±


    ¡°What made you think I was special?¡± I asked, resisting the urge to snort.


    While I had epted Alec and Kade, this entire world was still so new to me. I still found it incredible


    that I could change my form into a wolf. I couldn¡¯t understand how the people in this pack were so used


    to shifting forms. The feeling in itself was incredible, despite the pain.


    ¡°You have two mates. That¡¯s never happened before.¡± Zane shrugged, and shed a smirk at Alec and


    Kade. ¡°Besides, usually mates are pretty evenly matched. But you¡¯re a white wolf, which makes you


    stronger than Alec and Kade.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep her secret, Alpha.¡± Jason nodded to Alec and Kade, looking just a hint more serious than


    Zane did. ¡°No one will know until you¡¯re already.¡±


    ¡°Good, appreciated.¡± Kade nodded, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.


    ¡°Are you both prepared for what¡¯ll happen after the pack knows?¡± Jason frowned, giving me a brief look


    of concern.


    I had a vague idea on what would happen once the entire pack knew. Alec, Kade and Sage, all told me


    how coveted white wolves were and how they had always been in short supply. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised


    if the pack experienced a heightened number of attacks after my reveal. The thought filled me with


    overwhelming guilt, but I had no other option but to trust Alec and Kade. Both were so sure their pack


    would ept me, but I couldn¡¯t help holding some doubts. None of these people knew me, and Alec


    and Kade just expected them to ept me as their ruler? A ruler who brings nothing but danger.


    Regardless, all I could do was stay and try to minimize the damage. Running was no longer an option,


    and I was determined to face this future mess head on. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯re prepared.¡± Alec nodded, the muscles in his chest and arms coiled.


    I could feel the fierce protectiveness radiating from both Alec and Kade, as well as Jason and Zane¡¯s


    concern. Perhaps Alec and Kade were right, maybe the people of this pack would ept me. Jason


    and Zane both had taken to me right away, bowing with big flourishes as they called me ¡®Luna¡¯ every


    two seconds.


    ¡°Good. Because once word gets out, everyone¡¯s going to want a piece of your mate.¡± Zane frowned,


    the worry lines on his face grew deeper as Alec¡¯s quiet snarl rang out into the air.


    I stayed behind with Jason and Zane as the twin¡¯s went and visited Garrett and Julian. I wasn¡¯t too


    keen on seeing them again, especially after the bombshell Julian dropped. Alec and Kade¡¯s reassuring


    presence were the only thing holding me together at the moment. The two of them were so strong, so


    selflessly brave that it made me want to step up to the te. The thought of running the biggest pack in


    the United States sent my heart hammering and my pulse sky rocketing, but I trusted Alec and Kade to


    see me through it all. After getting over the initial shock, Alec and Kade¡¯s parents were both supportive.


    I had an entire support system, one not rted by blood but chosen. It was the only family I¡¯ve ever


    had, and the only one I might ever need.


    Eventually, Tori stopped by. Jason and Zane had given me a brief rundown of what my duties as Luna


    would entail. The quick exnation of the twin¡¯s duties had my head throbbing. The two of them


    oversaw so much in this pack. They looked after the townspeople, made treaties with other packs,


    trained warriors, defended the perimeters from the asional rogue attacks, and made sure money


    went to all the right ces. What made me the happiest, was the fact that there were no specific duties


    as Luna. I could help Alec and Kade with just about anything. My gender gave me no restrictions on


    ruling, and I held the samemand and respect as the twins. It solidified my loyalty to the twins and


    this pack even more.


    Tori seemed to be the only person, other than Alec and Kade, able to calm both Jason and Zane down.


    The two of them were hyperactive bundles of caffeine and adrenaline. With a few sharp words, she had


    Jason and Zane quiet and obedient. They grumbled under their breath quite a bit, but I was beginning


    to realize there was no one in this town who didn¡¯t like Tori. Jason and Zane were not the exception.


    Alec and Kade returned home once the sun sank into the sky and the moon arrived at full force. I had


    draped myself across ourrge bed after putting all of my clothes away. Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom had


    gone shopping for me, picking me out a few outfits of my own. Her style was a little more formal than


    mine, but all of the outfits she had chosen were wonderful andfortable. Even the t***h-high


    dresses were soft and fit perfectly.


    Alecunched himself forward as he caught me lying on the bed. My giggle turned into a little wheeze


    as Alec shifted on top of me. Once he fully supported his body weight, I returned the lopsided smile he


    shed my way.


    ¡°Hello, beautiful.¡± Alec murmured, nting at least a dozen kisses to my face and neck. He buried his


    nose in my hair and Iughed as his breath fanned out over my neck. ¡°You smell so good¨Cf**k, I


    missed you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few hours.¡± I teased, though I felt the same way.


    Even a few hours without the twins had been noticeable. They were my source of strength,ughter,


    joy, andpassion. They were everything I wanted to be, and my way of getting there. Even as I


    teased Alec, I couldn¡¯t help but wrap my arms around him and breathe in his delicious scent.


    The bed shifted beside me and I yelped as Kade jumped on the bed. For the second time today, I found


    myself sandwiched between the twins. This time around, we had clothes on. It wasn¡¯t an improvement


    in my mind, and I found myself toying with the hem of Alec¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°Patience, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled lowly. A heavy shiver worked its way through my body as


    Kade¡¯s tongue darted out and slid against the soft skin of my neck. His deep grumble of approval was


    the only response I received. ¡°As much as we¡¯d love to tear your clothes off and take you, we have


    something else nned.¡±


    ¡°Something else?¡± I asked, lifting my head to look between the two of them.


    Both smirked at the slight whine in my voice and pulled me from the bed. I was told to change into


    somethingfortable. After slipping on a t-shirt and a pair of cotton sweat pants, I followed Alec and


    Kade outside.


    Night was fully upon us, making the sky dark with shades of navy blue and indigo. The moon and the


    bright spattering of stars that danced in the sky were our only sources of light. I found myself taking


    deep breaths of the crisp air, enjoying the tang of humidity on my skin. I could feel Thalia stir and


    stretch within the confines of my mind. Anytime I was outside, I had the urge to shed my skin. I wanted


    to bound off into the forest, letting my instincts run wild while I stepped down. Giving yourself over


    completely was freeing in a way I could¡¯ve never imagined. I couldn¡¯t conceal my excitement as Alec


    and Kade lead us into the woods.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make this a little more interesting.¡± Kade murmured, spinning around to face me.


    I could make out very little from where we stood. We were deep in the woods, not on any discernable


    trail. Little leaves from nearby bushes and trees tickled my skin. Through the beams of moonlight


    prating the thick forest, I could make out Kade¡¯s face. In his hands were a little scrap of ck


    fabric. My eyes widened as I realized what Kade wanted to do, making his smirk deepen even more.


    ¡°Do you trust us, sweetheart?¡± Kade asked, circling around until he stood at my back.


    I shivered as his rough fingers danced along the back of my neck, brushing my long hair to one side.


    ¡°I trust you both.¡± I nodded, my wordsing out weak and breathless.


    ¡°Good.¡± Kade smirked. He tied the blindfold around my eyes, checking to make sure I couldn¡¯t see


    anything. His fingers dug into my hips, and I instinctively leaned back into his touch. My bottom grazed


    against the tightness in his jeans, and I had to physically pull my mind from the gutter. ¡°Let Alec lead


    you. I¡¯ll be behind you the entire time.¡±


    I followed behind Alec for what felt like an hour. As Alec stopped, I nearly mmed into his back.


    Kade¡¯s hands steadied me before I nearly toppled over.


    ¡°Can I take this off now?¡± I asked, already reaching for the scratchy blind fold.


    ¡°Not yet, doll.¡± Alec¡¯s voice was low and smooth.


    A hand wrapped around my wrist, and I instinctively knew it was Alec. He moved my hand back down


    to my side before scooping me into his arms. Despite how at ease I felt with the two of them, I couldn¡¯t


    help but be a little nervous. Alec¡¯s hand was tracing slow circles along my lower back, and I bit my lip


    as the sparks dug deep into my skin.


    ¡°Keep biting that pretty little lip, and I just might bite it for you.¡± Alec grunted, setting me down.


    I was ced on something incredibly soft. I would¡¯ve thought we were still inside the bedroom if it


    weren¡¯t for the symphony of crickets chirping in the background. My fingers ran over the thick fur of


    whatever I had been ced on, marveling at how soft it felt. As my hands drifted even further, I felt


    when the nket had ended. The grass was slightly damp under my fingertips, and I was instantly


    thankful for the nket the twins had provided.


    My heart leaped in my chest as a set of warm hands guided me down. Alec was pulling me down onto


    the nket. Just as my head reached the ground, something soft and plush was ced underneath.


    Two sets of hands roamed my body, brushing my hair back from my face and straightening my clothes.


    Just as I reached for the blindfold that obscured my vision, a hot puff of breath against my cheek stilled


    my movements.


    ¡°I think you should leave it on, sweetheart.¡± Kade purred, ¡°For now, at least.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    I could hear the light trickle of water all around us and smell the fresh scent of damp earth. On the cool


    breeze, I could make out the gentle and sweet aroma of wildflowers.


    My attention was quickly captured by the twins, who were both running their hands along my body. I


    could tell who was who from touch alone. Their scents covered me like a warm nket, mixing together


    to form a new and equally intoxicating smell. Warm and just a little spicy.


    Hands were soon reced with lips, and teeth nipped at my skin. My body was lit with sensation, and I


    struggled against my own impatience. The two of them would slowly drive me mad. If the caresses


    didn¡¯t do it first, the teasing bites would. When Alec¡¯s hands moved down to the waistband of my


    sweatpants, I nearly cried out in relief.


    ¡°Impatient little mate.¡± Kade scoffed, his voice mere inches from my ear.


    ¡°This is torture.¡± I mumbled under my breath.


    I squirmed in impatience as Alec slid the sweatpants from my body. His deep chuckle only infuriated


    me more. I could feel Kade toying with the neck of my shirt. A deafening sound filled the air, the sound


    of torn clothing. Cool airpped at my chest and stomach. My n*****s hardened beneath the soft cotton


    of my bra. It shouldn¡¯t havee as a surprise, but I hadn¡¯t been expecting Kade to rip my entire shirt


    off.


    ¡°Better get used to it, doll.¡± Alec snickered, ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing this for a very, very long time.¡±


    Alec¡¯s words helped ease some of my self-consciousness. It was only natural to be aware of one¡¯s


    ws, especially in the presence of two equally perfect men. I seemed to have to remind myself that


    they were both my mates¨Cthat this was permanent. They would never tire of me, never abandon me for


    something better. For them, there was nothing better than me. I felt the same about them, but still found


    it hard to ept their unmoving presence in my life. After being left to fend for myself for so long,


    having a support system of my own was entirely new. Regardless, I savored every gentle and


    consuming emotion that radiated from the twins.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare ruin this bra.¡± I warned him, sounding as stern as one could when she had a male¡¯s


    hand dipping down into her pants. ¡°Your Mom got it for me, and I¡¯d hate to tell her what happened to it.¡±


    ¡°We have money for more bras, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled in my ear.


    I stuck my lower lip out in a pout, ¡°I like this bra, Kade.¡±


    ¡°I like it as well.¡± Kade grunted, toying with one of the little satin bows above the swell of my breast.


    A set of teeth mped down on my pouty lower lip, and I let out a quiet whine. Alec¡¯s fingers were


    almost where I wanted them. They were grazing over the soft material of my underwear, adding a little


    pressure when he ran over my covered c**t. My back arched under his touch, and with a low growl, he


    cupped my heated flesh.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d bite it for you.¡± Alec snickered, running his tongue along my lower lip.


    Kade managed to undo the sp on my bra while my back was arched, and I shook as the cool air


    lapped at my exposed b*****s. I could feel my n*****s harden into points. Kade¡¯s rough fingers toyed


    with the rigid skin, letting out a low growl of approval. I shook and whimpered as he palmed my b*****s,


    and his brother slipped the sweatpants from my body. As Alec pulled my damp underwear off, I


    whimpered from the loss of his touch.


    ¡°Look how wet you are.¡± Alec murmured in appreciation.


    He ran the length of his finger down my slit, and I was sure I could hear the quiet sounds of him licking


    his fingers clean. Hisrge hands gripped my thighs and opened them; his hot breath fanned across


    my most sensitive spot.


    ¡°Hold her arms down, Kade.¡± Alec murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not stopping until she begs.¡±


    With my sight gone, all of my other senses were heightened. I could smell the mint gum on Kade¡¯s


    breath, just as I could feel the way Alec¡¯s light stubble tickled my thighs. I could smell the earth around


    us and knew we were in a clearing of some kind. Excitement bubbled in my gut along with just a hint of


    anxiety. I waspletely naked, sprawled out in the middle of a clearing, with Alec and Kade marveling


    at every part of my body. I felt horribly exposed, butpletely lost under their heated touches.


    Kade¡¯s hands gripped my wrists, pinning them up by my head. I could feel my b*****s squish together,


    and tried not to thrash as Alec¡¯s tongue darted out to taste me.


    ¡°Sweet, like honeydew.¡± Alec murmured against my p***y, making my very core clench painfully.


    While Kade pinned my wrists down, Alec held my thighs in an iron-d grip. I waspletely unable to


    move, unable to do anything but be consumed by the pleasure washing over me in waves. My legs


    shook and twitched as Alec sucked on the small bundle of nerves between my legs, washing me in


    sensation after sensation.


    ¡°You like my brother¡¯s tongue between your legs, sweetheart?¡± Kade growled low in my ear, and I


    couldn¡¯t stifle the echo of pure bliss that rolled over me.


    ¡°Yes!¡± I gasped, feeling the pressure between my legs grow with every lick, s**k, and nip. ¡°It feels so


    good!¡±


    ¡°Come for us, Aurora.¡± Alec murmured against my t***h, nting a light kiss on the smooth skin. ¡°Let us


    hear those pretty screams.¡±


    Alec had been a man of his word. He brought me to the edge countless times, only to back off before I


    could plummet. Soon, his fingers joined his tongue. Even Kade used his spare hand to toy with my


    b*****s, teasing my n*****s into painful points. My body was lit with pleasure under their hands. Not a


    single part of my body hadn¡¯t been touched, kissed, or licked.


    My p***y throbbed painfully with each prolonged lick from Alec, begging for something more¨Csomething


    filling. Tears burned in the corners of my eyes, and I found myself begging the two of them in silent,


    whimpered pleas.


    ¡°Please¨Cplease, I can¡¯t take anymore.¡± I whimpered, unable to stop the trembling of my legs. ¡°I need


    you inside of me, Alec.¡±


    Alec had more patience than his brother¨Cbut, not by much. After a few more blissful licks and nips, I felt


    Alec pull away. He chuckled and ran a finger over my trembling legs. The sound of his zippering


    undone was maddening, and my p***y throbbed with pent-up anticipation.


    ¡°Rx, and take my brothers c**k.¡± Kade murmured, flicking a thumb over my nipple.


    As the head of Alec¡¯s c**k grazed against my opening, my hips bucked on their own. He ran his length


    over my throbbing c**t more times than I could count. The pleasure that coursed through me was so


    severe, my head fell back and a soundless gasp left my lips. I swore I¡¯de undone if he kept up his


    actions, teasing me to near pain.


    A sh of stinging pain ran through me as Alec slid half of his length inside of me. The pain was short


    lived, reced by the satisfaction of feelingpletely full. I could feel how deep he was seated inside


    of me, and basked in the pleasure of it all. There was nothing better than this, I told myself. Nothing


    better than to be at theplete mercy of the twins, to let them take control of my body and pleasure. I


    had never been out of control before, but savored every second of it with the twins. They were the two


    people I trusted more than anything. The only people I trusted to takeplete control from my grasp.


    ¡°F**k¨Cso f*****g tight.¡± Alec groaned, his mouth devouring my heavy b*****s.


    I was lost in a sea of agonizing pleasure as Alec continued thrusting inside of me. His feral noises filled


    the night, and I found myself meeting his fervor and volume. I feltpletely dominated by these two


    men, and marveled at how much my body seemed to enjoy it. The twins could both be gentle, soft and


    loving. At their core, they were brute, animalistic men. The things they said to me lit my skin ame and


    brought me that much closer to release.


    ¡°Flip her over.¡± Kade grunted, running his finger along my lower lip. ¡°I want to feel her mouth around my


    c**k.¡±


    I whined at the feeling of emptiness between my legs, and yelped when Alec gripped my waist in his


    hands. I was spun around, ced on all fours in front of Alec. I shivered at how exposed I felt, at how I


    waspletely under the twin¡¯s control. Out here in the forest, who knows who could be watching.


    That fact only added to the perverse danger and thrill of it all.


    A hand swiped at my bottom, leaving a stinging pain radiating over my skin. I poked my bottom further


    in the air, whimpering at the mixture of pain and pleasure. I could hear the little wrapper unfurl as Alec


    slipped a condom onto his c**k.


    ¡°If I get too rough, tap on my leg three times.¡± Kade spoke close to my ear, ¡°Understood?¡±


    My reply was muffled by a long moan, courtesy of Alec sliding his c**k through my folds. My


    enthusiastic nod seemed to be an answer enough, and I felt the thick head of Kade¡¯s c**k brush my


    lips. His precum smeared over my lips, and my tongue darted out for a taste. Sweet, a little salty, and


    pure male.


    I managed to take half of Kade¡¯s c**k in my mouth with ease. Each moan that left my lips vibrated up


    his shaft. As Alec thrusted inside of me, I was pushed forward into Kade¡¯s c**k. Hisrge hand gripped


    my head, and I felt him gently thrust through my lips. The sound of flesh against flesh was maddening,


    and the pressure that had been building in my core grew to newfound heights.


    I tapped three times on Kade¡¯s t***h and licked my lips when he pulled out.


    ¡°Are you alright, sweetheart?¡± Kade asked, his hand roaming down my face to cup my jaw.


    ¡°Stop holding back.¡± I muttered breathlessly, ¡°Both of you¨Cstop holding back. I want it all, exactly how


    you are. I won¡¯t break, I promise.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    There was a long pause of silence followed by two groans. Awe and thick waves of increased desire


    flowed from the twins. They were impatient and hungry, ready to devour mepletely at first chance.


    I was beginning to understand the two of them. Both could be gentle lovers if opportunity called for it,


    but both loved the mixture of pain and pleasure¨Chaving mepletely undone around them.


    Screaming, whimpering, shaking. They wanted me melting under their hands, my bodypletely in


    tune to their whims and touches. As much as I loved the gentle side of them, I wanted the side that


    would devour mepletely. I wanted the feral dominance, the agony and pleasure of every rough


    thrust.


    ¡°Tap if were too rough, Aurora.¡± Kade murmured in warning, ¡°Don¡¯t suffer for our sake.¡±


    Before I could reply, Kade¡¯s c**k slipped through my lips with renewed force. I couldn¡¯t tell where they


    began and I ended. My entire body shook with pleasure and the force from which both of them


    thrusted. Alec¡¯s words became incoherent snarls, his flesh pping against my own. Even Kade was at


    a loss for words, thrusting himself through my lips without mercy. With each jolt of pleasure, my eyes


    rolled and my toes curled.


    ¡°F**k, she likes it rough.¡± Alec groaned, sending another stinging p to my bottom.


    ¡°She¡¯s f*****g perfect¨Cso perfect.¡± Kade grunted, filling my throatpletely before pulling out again.


    ¡°You hear that, doll?¡± Alec snarled, ¡°You¡¯re ours. Every inch of you belongs to us, right down to your


    little p***y.¡±


    I could feel the words unspoken through their emotions. Through the overwhelming awe, and the


    blossoming bud of love that bloomed between us. I was theirspletely, just as they were mine.


    The emotion was tiny, a little flower in bloom that spread its sweet scent across the world. I had never


    felt this emotion before, never experienced it for myself. It wasn¡¯t love¨Cnot yet, but it was the beginning


    of love. Thepassion and familiarity you felt when you saw someone you cared about. The


    overwhelming need to protect them, to keep them at your side for the rest of your days. The sweet yet


    strong emotion coursed through me on a tidal wave of its own. It brought on unbelievable pleasure and


    ¡°You are the most important thing to us, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured from behind me, his strong


    hands rubbing at my shoulders and back. ¡°More important than our family, our pack. You are the only


    thing that matters.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long Iid there, wrapped in their embraces and smothered by their overwhelming


    emotions. I had never felt so rxed¨Cso happy in my entire life. This, this was everything I¡¯d ever need.


    No matter what troubles lie ahead, I would face them all for another moment like this.


    An hour or so must¡¯ve passed before we all finally stirred. I hadn¡¯t even realized how b**e I was


    compared to the two of them. Completely naked and exposed as I let them hold and caress me. I could


    feel a heavy blush stain my cheeks, but couldn¡¯t bring myself to move.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to why we brought you here.¡± Alec chuckled, pulling me to my feet.


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t just bring me here to have s*x with me?¡± I teased, chuckling at the two of them.


    ¡°No, but if I have to see you naked for another minute¨CI¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to control myself.¡± Kade


    grunted, his eyes darting down my body before returning to my face.


    ¡°We brought you here to shift.¡± Alec chimed in, unable to help himself as his eyes trailed down my


    exposed body.


    At Alec¡¯s words, Thalia roared to life. She had been giving me time alone with the twins, to develop my


    own emotions and feelings towards the two of them. She had been growing antsy for some time now,


    and was trying not to beg me for a chance to run. At the first opportunity, herself imposed silence flew


    right out the window.


    ¡°Thalia would love that¨Cvery much.¡± I snorted, trying not to nod too enthusiastically.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only shifted that once, so it¡¯s still going to hurt.¡± Kade frowned, ¡°As your mates, we can ease


    the pain quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Well¨CI¡¯m not entirely sure how I shifted the first time.¡± I frowned, shifting my weight as I tried not to


    blush. The cool wind coursing through the clearing was grazing against my b**e skin, spreading the


    already heady scent of my arousal. I pushed the thoughts from my mind, determined to give Thalia


    some freedom before waltzing back into the twin¡¯s bed. ¡°I kind of just panicked and did it.¡±


    ¡°We can help you learn to shift.¡± Alec assured me.


    ¡°Close¨C¡°


    Just as the word left Kade¡¯s lips, both of the twins stiffened. Their eyes zed over, as I had seen


    many times in the past. Someone was mind-linking them. It had happened quite a bit in the past,


    mostly by Jason and Zane. The gentle emotions that radiated from them came to an abrupt halt. Rage,


    anger, worry, and fierce protectiveness throbbed through their very pores. I found myself flinching as


    the emotions washed over me. The depth of their anger was fathomless, like a bloodthirsty monster


    locked in a flimsy cage.


    ¡°S**t¨C¡± Kade hissed, his burning eyes meeting Alec¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait with Aurora.¡± Alec replied, his wordsing out fast and angry. ¡°Have Jason and Zane meet


    us here. I¡¯ll catch up once she¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Kade grunted, his eyes flickering over to me before returning to his brother. ¡°Make sure they


    know; anything happens to her¨Cand they¡¯re d**d.¡±


    ¡°They already know.¡± Alec snapped, ¡°Now go!¡±


    Before I could open my mouth to speak, Kade had me wrapped in his arms. I let out a quiet breath as


    his arms gripped me tightly. His lips pressed against mine in a heated kiss, one I hadn¡¯t experienced


    before. Desperation, fear, worry, rage, and protectiveness all wrapped into one mind-shattering kiss. I


    didn¡¯t like the feeling; I didn¡¯t like how the kiss felt all too simr to a goodbye.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked somewhat shrilly, watching Kade bound off into the forest.


    ¡°There¡¯s been an a****k¨Ca big one.¡± Alec grimaced, pulling me into his chest. His words were low and


    soothing, but did nothing to wipe the fear from every corner of my mind. ¡°Jason and Zane areing,


    they¡¯ll take you to one of our safehouses. We¡¯re getting you far from this fight, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°But you and Kade¨C¡°


    ¡°We¡¯ll survive, doll.¡± Alec murmured, brushing my hair back from my face. ¡°We¡¯ve trained for this since


    we could walk. Our Dad might not look like it now, but he¡¯s one of the best warriors to walk the earth.


    We can handle this, but we cannot have you anywhere close to the fighting.¡±


    He slipped the shirt he was wearing off and pulled it over my head. After helping me slip my


    sweatpants on, I was pulled back into his arms. I wanted to shout, to tear myself away from his grasp


    and plead. I could help, I know I could¨Cbut Alec was right. What if I found myself in danger? What ifText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    something happened to them because they were trying to protect me. I couldn¡¯t live with myself if


    something happened to either of them. It wasn¡¯t about having two mates. It was the fact that both of


    them held a piece of my soul. I needed them both¨Cnot one, but both.


    Alec pulled me in for the same mind-shattering kiss as Kade had. I savored the taste of him on my lips,


    unwilling to give voice to the raging storm of fear that churned in my gut. The night had been perfect¨Cso


    perfect, but ended in cataclysmic h****r. I wouldn¡¯t lose them, not tonight. I repeated this in my head like


    a mantra, but was unable to stifle the sheer anxiety I felt.


    Jason and Zane bounded into the clearing on all fours, tongues lolled out to the side in a heavy pant.


    ¡°If I shift, I can run faster.¡± I exhaled, running my eyes over the two wolves.


    Jason was the color of sand, with flecks of chocte fur. Zane was pure silver, much like his human


    eye color. They were both easily the size of bears, making me remember when I had first seen Alec


    and Kade in wolf form. It was still awe-inspiring, seeing these huge creatures with the soul of both wolf


    and human.


    ¡°Shifting would allow you to travel faster, but we can¡¯t risk it.¡± Alec shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re safer in


    human form. As much as I¡¯m going to hate this, I need you to climb on Jason¡¯s back.¡±


    Jason¡¯s wolf let out a low grumble which seemed to be a suitable response. Alec shed a grateful look


    towards Jason before grabbing my hips and lifting me up. Once I was settled on Jason¡¯s back, his thick


    fur between my fingers, Alec gave me onest heated look. The look held the emotions of both Alec


    and Kade. The lengths they were willing to go for me, and how truly motivated they were toe back


    to me.


    I watched with halted breath as Alec shifted and bounded off into the forest. Jason and Zane followed


    quickly after, heading in the opposite direction. My stomach was now a mess of nerves and unease.


    Every jolt, bump, or tremor that I felt made my stomach turn. Jason did what he could to avoid any


    stray branches hanging from the tree¡¯s, but I couldn¡¯t feel the sting against my skin anyway.


    Nearly half an hour passed before I felt it. A dull stinging in the back of my mind, radiating to my


    temples and down my chest. All of a sudden, the stinging increased in intensity, wracking my body with


    wave after wave of unfathomable pain.


    ¡°Somethings wrong!¡± My voice came out in a wheeze, ripping through the dull thud of paws hitting the


    earth. ¡°Alec! Kade!¡±


    Fear, fear so strong I couldn¡¯t stand it coursed through me. It was the kind of overwhelming fear that led


    to horrible acts of desperation. Anything¨CI would do anything to erase that fear from my chest. As soon


    as the fear wracked my body, I let go of Jason¡¯s fur. I twisted my body, flinging myself from his back


    without a single care. Rocks and jagged twists dug into my skin, some drawing blood. I could feel the


    sticky liquid trickle down my split lip.


    Just as Jason and Zane skidded to a halt, I was on my feet. The two of them were bounding after me,


    racing through the woods to help their fallen Luna.


    Fear and desperation had helped me shift once, and it would do so again.


    I closed my eyes and felt my human self-slipping away. I yanked Thalia to the front of my mind, and it


    took very little convincing for her to take control. The pain that exploded beneath my skin was nothing


    compared to the agony and fear I felt from all corners of my mind. The connection I had with Alec and


    Kade, even without the mark, was making itself known. I wasn¡¯t sure how I knew, but something had


    gone wrong.


    A sh of white settled behind my eyes and when I opened them, I was settled on four paws. Jason


    and Zane both hesitated for a moment, feeling surprise and awe at seeing a white wolf in the flesh.


    I used their surprise to my advantage, bounding off into the forest. I hadn¡¯t a single clue where I was


    going, but that didn¡¯t matter. I relied on my senses to carry me to the twins, letting their emotion guide


    me like a brightly lit thread. As I drew closer and closer, the pain and fear increased.


    As I tore myself from the forest line, I knew. One of them had been hurt.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t stop¡ªI chanted this in my head like a mantra, using it to chase away the


    overwhelming terror I felt. As I tore through the forest, I could hear the snarls and snaps of nearby


    wolves. There was also a thick copper scent in the air, and I didn¡¯t need to ask to know what it was.


    I was petrified, terrified enough to bolt far from this town and never return. It was Alec and Kade who


    kept me here, who kept me running towards the danger instead of away.


    Pain radiated through my torso, so strong I would¡¯ve thought I had been wounded. The pain coupled


    with the thought of one of the twins hurt kept me running. It kept me charging forward, unable to feel


    the aching, gnawing pain in my limbs and muscles.


    That brief feeling of total freedom when shifting had passed, suppressed by the terror and desperation I


    felt.


    It was in this moment that I realized a mate-bond was as much of a weakness as it was a strength.


    There was nothing¡ªnothing I wouldn¡¯t do to end this, to have both of the twins safe with me. It was a


    horrifying, disgusting thought. I was willing to risk innocent lives, people I had be friends with just


    to keep two people safe. I would set fire to the world if it meant keeping the twins safe and alive, and


    that thought absolutely horrified me.


    I could hear snapping and snarling from a few feet behind me, and knew Jason and Zane were


    catching up. Alec and Kade had briefly gone over some ceremony the pack would be holding for me. It


    would connect my mind with everyone else¡¯s, allowing me to speak to anyone in the pack at any time.


    They had put off the ceremony in order to give me more time to adjust, and I was beginning to regret


    that decision.


    I couldn¡¯t call out to them, couldn¡¯t hear their voices. I needed to hear them, I needed it more than I


    could fathom. One word, one sign that they were safe and I would retreat and hide.


    As it stood, I wasn¡¯t thinking about the consequences of what I might do. All I was thinking about were


    Alec and Kade.


    I didn¡¯t care about being a white wolf, or having abilities. What good did it do if I couldn¡¯t protect the


    people who meant most to me?


    A dull pain radiated up my hind leg and I quickly turned my head to see Jason lunging at me. I could


    sense their emotions as if they were my own, and I knew they weren¡¯t trying to harm me. They were


    both terrified something would happen to me, their Luna. They were also fiercely protective, and I


    silently apologized for what I¡¯d do next.


    I gathered what strength I had, thankful that for once, Thalia waspletely on board with what I was


    thinking. She felt that same blood-curdling desperation as I, that horrifying willingness to do whatever it


    took to keep Alec and Kade safe.


    Iunched forward, using thebined strength of Thalia and I. Desperation and fear could do


    wonders. It can drive people tomit unspeakable acts, or even incredible ones.


    Just as Jason lunged at my hind leg a second time, I darted to the side and sent him careening into the


    nearest tree. Zane was next, picking up speed as he tried to run at my side. Just as Zane lunged at my


    side, I skidded to a near-stop. Zane rolled, nearly taking out an old telephone pole. It wasn¡¯t much, but


    it allowed me just enough time to get ahead.


    I wasn¡¯t far from the twin¡¯s house, just a few minutes down the main road. My eyes darted around


    hungrily as I charged down Main St. I passed the countless shops I had once wandered through, and


    noticed how the entire town seemed deserted. There wasn¡¯t a person in sight. Cars were abandoned in


    various locations; some were even stopped at the nearest red light.


    Soon the shops disappeared and gave way to residential buildings and houses. I could¡¯ve sworn I saw


    a few lights on in some of the houses, but I couldn¡¯t be sure. I knew Alec and Kade must¡¯ve had some


    kind of safety n in order, just in case something like this happened. They had once told me rogue


    attacks happened every so often, and I hoped this was one of those moments.


    Fear twisted itself in my gut like a knife as the sounds of battle grew louder. The only kinds of battles


    I¡¯ve seen were the ones in movies, the battles where you could tell who was the enemy and who was


    your ally. Those battles always seemed so cut and dry. A great hero would march in and tip the tides,


    scoring a win for their side.


    I darted towards the end of the road, making a sharp right into the less popted side of town. Most of


    thend on this side of town was in the midst of construction. Families in the pack were growing, and


    there had been a lot of transferstely. There was even a Pre-School being built on this side of town.


    As I veered right down the street, I managed to nce behind me and saw Jason and Zane a good bit


    away. Just as I turned, I could see the battle raging ahead.


    I stammered for a moment, nearly halting before instinct and desperation forced me forward.


    This was nothing like the movies, nothing like I had ever anticipated. There were wolves everywhere.


    Snapping, snarling, foaming at the mouth. Blood stter filled the air. Chunks of flesh and fur littered


    the ground with the d**d bodies of countless wolves. I couldn¡¯t tell who was a rogue, and who belonged


    to this pack.


    My eyes darted from wolf after wolf, never once finding what I was looking for. I knew what Alec and


    Kade looked like in wolf form, but there were simply too many wolves fighting.


    The few cars that lined the road were all but destroyed. Shards of glittering ss littered the ground,


    along with various metal parts. A work truck that had been parked at the corner was nearly ttened,


    and I watched in abject h****r as a sand-colored wolf was tossed onto the dented hood. The windshield


    cracked and groaned under the weight before giving in entirely.


    In between the snarls and howling, I could make out the warbled groaning of a car rm. Off to the


    side of the road was the shell of what would soon be a house. The beams had copsedpletely,


    sending a dust cloud whirling into the air. I could taste the dirt on my tongue just as I could smell the


    blood, filth, and saliva.


    A thick, sickly stench filled the air. Like arge number of people hadn¡¯t showered in years. It smelled


    like sweat, bodily fluids, rotting flesh, and old trash. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the smell as it seemed toe


    from every direction.


    Even as the desperation and fear threatened to rob me of breath, I never once stopped. I didn¡¯t hesitate


    as I charged into battle, only then remembering I hadn¡¯t a single clue how to defend myself.


    The emotions were nearly crippling. They attacked me even though none of the wolves turned my way.


    Anger, hatred, fear, desperation, agony, pain, longing, loss, love.


    So many emotions, all with their own distinct vor. They assaulted my mind, peeled back theyers of


    my flesh until there was nothing left but my soul.


    I had experienced plenty of physical pain in my life, and knew I had a decent pain tolerance. Physical


    pain was nothingpared to the soul-deep agony I was experiencing.


    It radiated through every bone, joint, muscle and cell until I was nothing but a pile of ash.


    My breaths came out in wheezing pants, and my gait faltered for just that split second.


    ¡®Control it, Aurora.¡¯ Thalia snapped. I had never heard her this way. Demanding and forceful, giving me


    no room for error or mistake. ¡®Get your s**t together. Do it for Alec and Kade. Figure out how to use


    their emotions to make you stronger.¡¯


    Easier said than done, I thought but managed to continue anyway. I let Thalia takeplete control,


    using every ounce of my focus to shove those horribly overwhelming emotions deep down. It gave me


    a few minutes of rity, but it was toote to realize the mistake I had made.


    ¡®Aurora, get back here.¡¯ Thalia¡¯s voice was low, and I knew something had gone wrong.


    As I slipped back into my senses, I realized what had happened.


    We had been noticed. Not just by a select few, but by everyone. Hundreds of eyes turned in our


    direction, and nearly all of the fighting hadpletely halted.


    Every single wolf was holding its breath, waiting for what woulde next. Some were waiting for me


    to act, to use whatever proimed powers I would have as a white wolf. If only they knew, Iughed


    bitterly. All I could do was sense emotions. Completely useless in battle, if anything it was a hindrance.


    Five long seconds passed before everyone realized there was nothing I could do. The fighting was


    back in full force, and the sudden sound of snapping and snarling sounded like war cannons in my


    ears.


    This was different though. The fighting had changed.


    I could now pinpoint a few of the rogues. Their eyes burned with a crazed light, and their fur looked


    d***y and unwashed. It was also longer and shaggier than the other wolves, who I assumed were in our


    pack.


    Many of those crazed eyes were on me, as they had never left.


    I had made myself a target. My white fur seemed to capture the rays of the moon, nearly glowing in the


    darkness. I was a beacon to the good and the bad, and everyone wanted a piece.


    I was no longer the one rescuing. I was the one in need of rescue.


    Everywhere I turned, a new rogue charged at me. None harmed me, but they were all h**l-bent on


    taking me down.


    I thanked whoever was listening for my above average speed and stealth as I maneuvered through


    wolf after wolf. I dipped and rolled, charged and retreated as I worked my way through the massive


    battle field.


    Just as I evaded a rogue with long auburn hair, something hard mmed into my side. A yelp left my


    muzzle and I thundered towards the ground. Dirt and grass flew into the air from the impact, and I


    somehow managed to turn on my belly as I looked straight into the mouth of one of the rogues.


    Saliva dribbled from its open mouth, and I stifled a gag as rancid breath fanned over my face. Its long


    tongue came out, swiping over its snout before stalking towards me.


    They didn¡¯t want to k**l me, I realized. They wanted to capture me.


    Not a single rogue had made an attempt to k**l me, only to knock me to the ground or render me


    unconscious. Were white wolves truly that rare that anyone might want one? Or was there a purpose to


    this battle? Was this because of me?


    My desperate prayers were answered when a rush of fierce protectiveness washed through me. It


    destroyed every barrier I erected around myself, and the emotions of every single wolf rushed forward


    at full force.


    I was consumed in the agony and pain of my surroundings, drowning in the fear and desperation. I was


    a rogue attacking the innocent, blood-thirsty and desperate for d***h. I was a warrior, terrified for my life


    and my families. I was a friend, a sister, brother, enemy, lover. I was on both sides, yet neither.


    Surrounded by carnage, and engulfed within it.


    It was the towering form of a midnight ck wolf that pulled me from my own confusion. Dark eyes


    stared down at me, burning with a raging fire that made unease settled beneath my skin.


    ¡®Oh, he¡¯s pissed.¡¯ Were Thalia¡¯s only words.


    I watched from my ce on the ground as Kade knocked the rogue off its feet. I felt my stomach sour


    and bile rise up in my throat as his long teeth sunk into the flesh of the rogue. Pain exploded across my


    neck and shoulder, and I swore I was d***g along with the putrid rogue. I could feel each spurt of blood


    as if it were my own, and knew the exact moment the rogue had departed thend of the living.


    Kade gripped my scruff gently, pulling me to my feet. I wobbled for a few moments, but quickly


    regained my awareness.


    Kade had saved me, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    We were losing this battle. There were so many d**d along the field, so many lives lost. A painful ache


    settled across my chest as I hoped this fight wasn¡¯t because of me. How could I live with myself


    knowing this was my fault? I tried to push the feelings away, chocking it up to an inted sense of self-


    importance, but the pain refused to budge.


    The rogues were closing in on us now, circling around Kade and I with hungry eyes. Countless wolves


    put themselves in between Kade and the rogues, protecting him with their life.


    Just as a golden wolf with blood matted fur leaped towards me, a second midnight wolf came into view.


    Relief, pure and sweet, burst through my chest.


    Where Alec should¡¯ve been able to take down the rogue with ease, it had taken him a few moments to


    gain the upper hand. I realized why as soon as I trailed my eyes over his wolf¡¯s body.


    Blood matted in the fur along his hip and t***h. I could make out the jagged punctures in his thick skin,


    and winced as I saw the fresh blood still oozing from the wound.


    It hadn¡¯t surprised me that Alec would refuse to retreat. They were both horrifically stubborn, both loyal


    and honorable to a fault. There wasn¡¯t a chance in h**l they would leave their pack to fend for


    themselves. They would fight to the bitter end for these people, and I was beginning to realize that I¡¯d


    do the same.


    I could feel the twin¡¯s pain with every life lost, but never once did I sense fear from them. They were not


    afraid of the violence, just as they weren¡¯t afraid of d***h.


    It was the twins who gave me courage to face the ugly, disgusting emotions that ate away at my soul.


    I gathered every thought, every emotion in my mind. All of my fear, desperation, anxiety, h****r, hatred,


    anger, love. I took it all and let it fester within me. The burst of energy that coursed through me was so


    intense, I let out an earth-shattering howl.


    My howl filled the night, echoed along the trees and delved deep into the forest. Every inch of my body


    filled with this unfathomable feeling. It felt like I had touched a live-wire, like I was being e**********d.


    All of those ugly emotions exploded from within me, washing over the blood-soaked battle field.


    Everything seemed to happen all at once.


    Nearly every single rogue dropped to the ground. Howls, whimpers, and yelps of absolute terror filled


    the air. It sounded like an entire battle field of d***g animals, all screaming out into the night, voicing


    their unending agony.


    The feeling was intoxicating,pletely consuming. The emotions poured from me,ing from a


    deep well that knew no end. Ished out at every single one of them, infusing my own pain and fear


    into the mix. I let them taste it all. I let them feel the pain and terror of the warriors they k****d, the


    mourning their families would go through and the heart-break their mates would experience.


    Many of the rogues writhed on the ground, while others retreated into the forestpletely. Some were


    lashing out at themselves, doing anything and everything they could to end their own lives.


    I was caught in this power-fueled haze when the sound of hundreds of wolves howling filled the air. It


    was different from how the rogues had sound. These wolves sounded united, full of life and purpose.


    ¡°Sweetheart, can you hear us?¡±


    ¡°We need you to stop, doll. Stop what you¡¯re doing ande back to us.¡±


    It was the voices of Alec and Kade that pulled me from the well of emotions I had submerged myself in.


    It was like a wall had been erected within me, ced there for so long that I hadn¡¯t even noticed its


    presence. That wall was obliterated now,pletely dismantled into the smallest shreds of rubble. On


    the other side of that wall was power, pure and unfiltered. It was neither good nor evil, but held the


    potential for incredible greatness. A power that could end wars and conquer countless civilizations.


    As Alec and Kade pulled me away from the sea of power that held me firmly in its grasp, I felt


    overwhelming fatigue settle in my bones. The well of emotions within me had run dry, leaving me dazed


    and confused. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint my own emotions, much less anyone else¡¯s.


    The world around me pitched and swayed, the blood-soaked earth loomed ufortably close. The


    last thing I felt before the moon vanished and darkness consumed me, was theforting sparks that


    danced along my body.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    ¡°You two were supposed to protect her!¡± Garrett¡¯s voice sharp with rage, jostled me awake.


    ¡°What did you expect us to do?¡± Alec snarled, ¡°You might¡¯ve tied her up and locked her away, but we¡¯d


    never. We protected her with everything we had, which is more than you¡¯ve ever done.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would¡¯ve locked her away, boy.¡± Garrett all but shouted. The anger in his voice ebbed and


    flowed, and I found myself listening intently when his voice cracked. ¡°My own daughter, a white wolf.


    Can you possibly understand the danger this will put her in? You both are nothing more than children.


    Children ying at being an Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Do not overstep your authority here, Garrett.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was cold, colder than I had ever heard it


    before. It sent a trickle of fear down my spine, and I found myself worried for Garrett. I could feel


    Kade¡¯s anger like it was my own, and tasted that metallic tinge on my tongue. ¡°While you may be her


    father, we are her mates. You are in our pack, and you will treat us with respect. Children or not, we


    can demolish your pack.¡±


    ¡°All of us understand the danger she is in, Garrett. She is your daughter. Show somepassion. We


    can¡¯t just lock her away and hope the world forgets.¡± I recognized the voice of Alec and Kade¡¯s Father.


    ¡°Now that the world knows, word will spread. All we can do is work together to keep her safe. Do you


    think you could put aside your differences and do that for Aurora?¡±


    ¡°I will never agree with the position your children hold in my daughter¡¯s life¡ªbut, yes. For Aurora, I will.¡±


    Garrett paused for a moment, then replied. He sounded resigned, but also worried.


    Garrett was not the father figure I had pictured for myself, but I was beginning to understand him better.


    Feeling his emotions, it gave me more insight than I had ever had before. Where I once resented him¡ª


    hated him, even; I now understood.


    Garrett cared in his own way. Yes, it might be superficial and based on my position in his pack, but he


    cared nheless. He was worried, terrified even that this would be used against me. While fear,


    worry, and anxiety rolled through him in waves, I could feel his pride. He was proud a white wolf had


    come from him, that one lived within his family.


    ¡°You do not seem surprised about this revtion, Julian.¡± Alec pointed out.


    Alec¡¯s words had me focusing on Julian. As his emotions washed over me, my entire body stiffened


    and my eyes snapped open. A wave of shock rolled through me, strong enough to force my hand.


    Light flooded my vision and I cringed against the pain behind my eyes. I wasying on a couch, the


    smooth fabric felt like silk against my skin. I nced down at my body and flushed red. Someone had


    put clothes on me. Alec or Kade, I had hoped. Standing a few feet away were Garrett, Julian, Alec,


    Kade, and their parents. My mouth moved on its own, and though my words were raspy, I was


    understood perfectly.


    ¡°It¡¯s because he already knows. Don¡¯t you, Uncle?¡± I spoke.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    All eyes snapped over to me, and I let Julian¡¯s guilt wash over me in waves. He had known and said


    nothing. From the looks of surprise, he had even kept the truth from his own brother.


    The pieces clicked together easily, and I now understood how Julian had known. I had only ever shifted


    one other time, back when I had run. If I hadn¡¯t been able to sense emotions, I would¡¯ve felt enraged.


    Julian had betrayed his family, had tried to have his own niece captured. As it stood, I felt absolutely no


    malice or ill intentions from Julian, only intense guilt.


    Alec and Kade surged forward, mming Julien into the wall with enough force to shatter the pictures


    that hung. Kade¡¯s voice was low, contorted in what was now a guttural snarl.


    ¡°Give me one reason, one reason I shouldn¡¯t f*****g k**l you.¡±


    I pulled myself from the couch and stood on wobbly legs. I still felt weak, but managed to hobble over


    to where Alec and Kade stood. I ced a hand on each shoulder and fought against the rage that


    nearly consumed me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t k**l him.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Let him go, please.¡±


    ¡°Let him go?¡± Kade growled, turning his head to meet my eyes. Some of his rage faded, but the brunt


    of it remained. ¡°We can put the pieces together ourselves too. You shifted once before this, the time


    when you were nearly captured. Seems Julian¡¯s been busy trying to f**k over his family.¡±


    ¡°He did try to capture me, but not for the reasons you think.¡± I pleaded, ¡°Guys, you know I can feel what


    he feels. I don¡¯t know why he did it, but he didn¡¯t do it to hurt me. That much I can tell.¡±


    ¡°You can feel emotions?¡± Garrett scoffed, running a hand down his face. ¡°Well, that exins what you


    did on the battle field.¡±


    ¡°Please, let him go.¡± I repeated, ignoring Garrett for the time being. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear an exnation.¡±


    Alec and Kade reluctantly released Garrett, but remained close at my side. They stood on either side of


    me, my towering and slightly overprotective body guards. I didn¡¯t mind their protective side. If anything,


    it was the only thing that made me feel truly safe.


    ¡°Thanks for that, kid.¡± Julian grunted, smoothing out his shirt.


    ¡°Exin.¡± Alec barked, ¡°You¡¯ll find were not nearly as kind or patient as Aurora is. You have ten


    seconds before we make Aurora the official leader of your pack.¡±


    ¡°When I was your age, I didn¡¯t know what I was either. Garrett and I are half-brothers. Our father was a


    p***k of a man. Didn¡¯t want a half-breed b*****d son sullying the name of his family, so he tossed me


    aside as a child. Unlike you, I was not my father¡¯s first born. Half-breeds have a thirty percent chance


    at being able to shift. As the son of an Alpha, the odds were a little higher. Once I turned eighteen and


    finally shifted, he deemed me useful.¡± Julian sneered, clearly harboring no kind feelings for his father.


    ¡°Like you, I ran. The difference between us is that no one came looking for me. I shifted alone, and


    remained alone. It was by pure luck that I became the Alpha of a band of rogues. I nearly died at least


    a dozen times. I wanted to spare you from that. You did not know me, so you would not listen. While


    my methods were a bit unsavory, I couldn¡¯t allow you to make the mistake I made.¡±


    Alec and Kade looked to me and I nodded, ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡±


    I wanted to remain angry at Julian, but it¡¯s harder than you think when you can feel the emotions of


    others. I felt nothing but concern and sincerity from Julian. While I¡¯d never consider the man my family,


    he did what he thought best at the time. Now that I had Alec and Kade by my side, no one would


    attempt such a thing ever again.


    ¡°You know that what you did was wrong, don¡¯t you?¡± I cocked an eyebrow at Julian, who shifted under


    my gaze.


    ¡°No need to scold me like a child, kid.¡± He grunted, brushing back the long strands of his hair. ¡°I get it. I


    fucked up. Didn¡¯t count on you having two Alpha¡¯s for mates. That would¡¯ve been nice to know,


    Garrett.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t concern you at the time.¡± Garrett red at his half-brother before turning his attention to me.


    ¡°Well, now that Julian¡¯s life isn¡¯t dangling by a thread¡ªwe need to discuss the repercussions of your


    actions, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to pull that s**t, Garrett.¡± I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him. While I could feel the


    emotions of others, I wasn¡¯t going to suddenly be a pushover. Garrett had no right to me me


    for what happened. Alec and Kade were in trouble, and I knew without a doubt that he would¡¯ve done


    the same for his mate. ¡°I could feel Alec¡¯s pain. I didn¡¯t know what happened to them and given the


    choice, I¡¯d do it all again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not just some regr white wolf, Aurora.¡± Garrett snapped, ¡°You¡¯re a white wolf who is heir to


    not one, but two packs. Not only that, you are the mate of two Alpha¡¯s. You might not understand your


    ce within our world, but let me enlighten you. Once you inherit all three packs, you will be the


    most powerful werewolf in thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°I get it, I¡¯ll be the Luna of thergest pack in the country.¡± I replied, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Alec and


    Kade already told me this, Garrett.¡±


    ¡°Really? Did they tell you about the High Table?¡± Garrett scoffed, his eyes darting over to Alec and


    Kade.


    ¡°The High Table?¡± I asked, frowning at the three of them.


    ¡°What does the High Table have to do with anything?¡± Alec frowned, looking towards his Dad.


    ¡°I hoped that they might overlook Aurora, but now that she¡¯s a white wolf¡ªI¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no


    avoiding it, is there?¡± Alec and Kade¡¯s Dad sighed.


    ¡°No, there will be no avoiding it.¡± Garrett snapped, ¡°They¡¯ll want to meet her. They¡¯ll want to analyze her


    and see what she can do. Then when the timees, there will be a seat open at the table.¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    ¡°Can someone exin what the High Table is?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°The High Table isposed of the most powerful Alpha¡¯s of our time. The Alpha¡¯s of the fivergest


    packs. They are our government. They hold sway over every Alpha in this country.¡± Garrett replied.


    I ced the pieces together and frowned, ¡°When I be Luna of all three pack¡¯s, I¡¯ll officially have


    thergest pack in the country. They¡¯ll want me to take a seat at the High Table.¡±


    ¡°You? Never.¡± Julian scoffed, his expression souring. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you could k**l them all, they¡¯d


    never let a woman sit at the High Table. They¡¯ll insist on your mate¡¯s taking that honor.¡±


    ¡°That seat belongs to Aurora.¡± Alec spoke first, looking to Kade who nodded in approval. They both met


    my eyes, and the emotion radiating from them had my heart clenching. ¡°She could help protect all


    future white wolves. She could change things.¡±


    ¡°That she could. Which makes her all the more dangerous.¡± Garrett spoke darkly, turning his eyes on


    me. ¡°Whichever Alpha you boot from the High Table will be furious, and they¡¯ll set their eyes directly on


    you.¡±


    ¡°They can try, but we¡¯ll keep her safe.¡± Kade snapped, ¡°The members of our pack will protect her with


    their lives.¡±


    ¡°Good. It seems we agree on something, for once.¡± Garrett retorted, ¡°You have my pack¡¯s full support


    but I will not fall under your rule, boy. If we do this, we do it as equals.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Alec nodded, and Kade followed suit.


    ¡°You have the support of my pack as well.¡± Julian nodded.


    ¡°They won¡¯te for her. They¡¯ll expect her toe to them. I¡¯d say you have a week, maybe two


    before they call a meeting.¡± Garrett grimaced, running his hand through his hair. ¡°You¡¯ll have no choice


    but to attend. To decline is to dere war.¡±


    ¡°Then we wait.¡± Alec replied, his eyes softening when they met my own. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready when they call


    on us.¡±


    ¡°I want to train.¡± I blurted the words through my own fear-soaked gaze.


    This was bing so much more than I had intended. I had epted Alec and Kade. I had epted


    what I was and what I could do, but this¡ªthis was a lot. First, I had to deal with the fact that I wasn¡¯t


    human. Then, I had to ept that I was a coveted white wolf; and now, now I had five of the most


    powerful Alpha¡¯s gunning for me. What frightened me the most was that I wasn¡¯t sure if they wanted me


    d**d or captured.


    ¡°Aurora, there¡¯s no need¡ª¡± Alec began, but surprisingly Garrett cut him off.


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Garrett replied, giving Alec a hard look. ¡°White wolf or no, I will not


    have my daughter defenseless.¡±


    ¡°Kade and I won¡¯t be able to train her.¡± Alec frowned, and I flinched against the pain that epassed


    him. Both Alec and Kade looked at me, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt you, doll. Someone else will have


    to train you.¡±


    ¡°I have just the person in mind.¡± Garrett nodded to himself.


    I took the moment of silence to speak, ¡°I think while we¡¯re waiting, we should figure out what it is I can


    do. The better we understand my abilities, the better I can use them. If I know how to control what I do,


    there isn¡¯t a werewolf alive immune to my abilities.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many records on white wolves, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, ¡°When Alec and I


    searched, we found next to nothing.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, you weren¡¯t searching in the right ces.¡± Julian mused, his eyes lighting up. ¡°I think I might


    be able to help with that.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s settled. Alec, Garrett and I will gather all three of our packs. We¡¯ll go over protection


    detail to make sure an a****k like this doesn¡¯t happen again. Julian, dig up as much information as


    possible on what Aurora can do. Garrett, have your trainer meet us at the gym in town.¡± Kade grunted,


    his dark eyes simmering with suppressed rage. ¡°We will not have Aurora training alone, no matter how


    much you trust your trainer. Tori will attend training with her from here on out.¡±


    ¡°What about the a****k? Who¡¯s going to find out why it happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It was a rogue a****k, doll. They happen, unfortunately.¡± Alec frowned.


    ¡°Are you sure? That was awfully big for just a rogue a****k.¡± I questioned, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make


    something out of nothing but when you told me about rogue attacks before, they always seemed so


    much smaller.¡±


    ¡°Aurora might have a point.¡± Alec and Kade¡¯s Dad chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ll look into the rogue a****k, see if I can


    make anything of it. I¡¯ve lived through too many attacks to miss something like this. If there¡¯s anything


    more to it, I¡¯ll find out.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯re settled.¡± Alec nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll begin everything tomorrow. As of right now, my brother


    and I need some time with our mate.¡±


    The house cleared out pretty quickly after that, but the thick tension in the air had yet to diminish. I


    wasn¡¯t sure it ever would. Not only was my secret out, but the deadliest men in the country had their


    eyes turned on me.


    As soon as we were alone, I was pulled into the strong arms of Alec and Kade. Both had me squished


    between them, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to mind. I let their scents envelop me, and cherished the brief


    reprieve from today¡¯s events. Unfortunately, the second they pulled away; reality came crashing down.


    ¡°How bad was it?¡± I asked, my voice small. ¡°How many died?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªNot right now, doll.¡± Alec murmured, nting a long kiss on my forehead. ¡°We don¡¯t want to


    talk of d***h right now.¡±


    ¡°Let us appreciate you.¡± Kade spoke next, his rough voice unusually soft. ¡°When I saw you out there¡ªI


    couldn¡¯t get to you. I¡ªwe didn¡¯t know what would happen.¡±


    Their lips reced the words they spoke, and I basked in every lingering touch and kiss. I let their lips


    and fingers chase away the d***h that hung over our heads. I wasn¡¯t sure how long we spent in each


    other¡¯s arms, still covered in the filth and grime of the fight. None of that mattered. They were safe and


    alive. Alec wasn¡¯t even wounded anymore. All that remained of his wound was a jagged, pink scar on


    his leg.


    After spending the better half of an hour in each other¡¯s arms, the twin¡¯s joined me for a much-needed


    shower. I didn¡¯t have the energy to argue as they washed every inch of my skin, showering me in their


    soft yet heated touches.


    Each kiss¡ªeach lingering touch replenished the strength I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d exerted. We showered


    until the steaming water ran cold, and until the sensitive spot between my legs grew sore from touch.


    Wiped clean from the blood and grime that once stained my body, I felt much better. I was far from


    being at full strength but with Alec and Kade at my side, it wouldn¡¯t take long.


    While Alec held me close, whispering sweet words in my ear, Kade brought me something to eat. With


    my stomach full and my heart light, I curled into the arms of my two incredible mates.


    I snuggled under the thickforter, embracing the twin¡¯s thick body heat and iming it as my own.


    My eyelids grew heavy, and I fought to keep them open. I wanted to prolong this moment, to draw it out


    as long as possible.


    ¡°We nearly lost our minds, Aurora.¡± Alec whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t ever do something like that again.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t ask that of me¡ªyou can¡¯t.¡± I shook my head, cutting the two of them off with a hard look.


    ¡°Tell me you wouldn¡¯t do the same for me. Tell me you wouldn¡¯t drop everything ande running if


    you thought I was in danger.¡±


    When both of the twins remained silent, I nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± I mumbled against Kade¡¯s chest. When I finally spoke, my voice sounded different.


    Gone was the frightened, shell-shocked girl. I had only ever met two Luna¡¯s; Garrett¡¯s wife and the


    Twin¡¯s Mom. If I had to guess, this voice was that of a Luna. Strong, proud, and devastatingly protective


    of her mates. ¡°After this, I¡¯ll be prepared. I¡¯ll train hard, and if something like this ever happens again¡ª


    nothing, not a single werewolf will stop me from being at your side. I¡¯ll k**l them all, everyst one.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    After a long but much needed night with the twins, I woke to an empty bed. Well¡ªit wasn¡¯tpletely


    empty. A head of ming hair was the first thing I saw as I opened my eyes, followed by Tori¡¯s smirking


    face. She was perched on the edge of the bed, her chin resting on her hands.


    ¡°Um, how long have you been here?¡± I grunted; my voice thick with sleep. As I rubbed the cobwebs


    from her eyes, she straightened and shed me a cheeky smile.


    ¡°Oh, a half an hour or so.¡± She shrugged, brushing some strands of hair from her forehead.


    As my senses sharpened and the thick haze of post-sleep faded, I noticed she was wearing an


    emerald sports bra and ck leggings. Her thick curls were pulled back from her face, and her round


    eyes held a flicker of impatient excitement.


    ¡°Do you always watch your friends sleep?¡± I snickered, sitting up against the wooden headboard.


    ¡°I most certainly do not, that is an honor bestowed only to my Luna.¡± She smirked, which quickly turned


    into a humorous grin. ¡°I must say, Luna Aurora, you have horrible bed-head in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± I hissed, tossing one of the plush pillows at her face.


    ¡°Oh, testy.¡± She tsked, jumping from the bed before the pillow managed to hit her square in the face.


    ¡°Alec and Kade must love morning Aurora. So feisty, so fierce. Keep that mindset for training today,


    you¡¯re going to be one grumpy Luna once were finished.¡±


    I grumbled incoherently as I stood from the bed and meandered over to the walk-in closet across the


    room. I had learned pretty quickly that Tori was one of those infuriating people who could wake up at


    five in the morning, chipper as can be. It took me a little longer to wake up, and even longer to shake


    the initial grumpiness that followed. Caffeine helped, but I had always hated waking before the sun


    crested in the sky.


    ¡°Chipper as always, I see.¡± I snorted, rummaging through the clothes hanging in the closet.


    Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom had taken it upon herself to purchase me an entirely new wardrobe. Her style


    was very different from my own, but I was beginning to like the clothes she had chosen for me. What


    made me most ufortable were the frilly sets of bras and underwear; that I would probably never


    get used to.


    While I was used to the thought of Alec and Kade as my mates, the epting nature of their family was


    taking a bit longer to get used to. They opened up their home to me without issue, and even let the


    three of us share a bedroom. Alec and Kade had briefly told me that werewolves weren¡¯t worried about


    mate¡¯s being intimate with one another. It was a natural urrence, they said.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not going to want to wear that.¡± Tori shook her head, leaning against the door frame.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, raising my eyebrow at her.


    I stuffed the ck t-shirt I had clutched in my hands back into the drawer it hade from. The shirt


    belonged to Alec, just as the sweat pants I had picked out belonged to Kade. Their clothes were more


    comfortable to roam the house in, and had the added bonus of smelling like my mates. They never


    minded when a few articles of their clothing went missing, only to reappear dayster on my body. If


    anything, they had the pleasure of removing said clothes at the end of the day.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be miserable wearing that.¡± She shrugged, and chuckled boisterously. ¡°All sweaty and


    what not. Opt for a sports bra and leggings. You¡¯ll show a bit of skin, but think of how much Alec and


    Kade will enjoy thatter on.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I scoffed, rummaging through the drawers of the dresser that sat in the walk-in closet. ¡°Only


    because you put it that way.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s it like having two mates?¡± She giggled, ending her words with a devious smile. ¡°At this


    point, I¡¯ll take one!¡±


    A horrid blush stained my face, and I could practically her thoughts about what everyone knew went


    down between the three of us. The day after first sleeping with Alec and Kade, I had noticed a change


    in my own scent. I seemed to carry a piece of Alec and Kade wherever I went, and couldn¡¯t ignore the


    knowing looks I received from quite a few people. They had sheepishly told me that when first mating,


    our scents would merge. Not only did I carry a piece of them with me, but they carried some of my


    scent as well. As much as I wanted to be angry with them, I couldn¡¯t¡ªnot when I could feel their


    emotions and see the happiness on their faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun, more fun than I initially thought.¡± I smirked, offering up no further details. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find


    your mate eventually.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on!¡± Tori groaned, a hand against her heart. ¡°Give me some juicy details! Judging from the


    blush on your face, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of nice tidbits you can tell me.¡±


    ¡°I should probably get dressed now, before we¡¯rete for training.¡± I smirked, stepping into the


    bathroom with my clothes clutched in hand.


    I could hear Tori¡¯s groan from inside the bathroom and chuckled at her expense. I tugged down the


    thick hem of the sports bra I wore, scowling at how my entire mid-section was exposed. It¡¯s not that I


    typically dressed modestly, but I had never worn something quite as revealing as this. If what Tori had


    said was true, I¡¯d take an exposed stomach over being hot and miserable any day.


    Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom had set out an entire breakfast for us, one I was d***g to dig into. It was my turn


    to groan when Tori handed me a foul looking smoothie and a couple protein bars before dragging me


    out of the house.


    ¡°It smells like feet.¡± Imented, wincing as I took arge gulp of the fruity concoction.


    ¡°Plug your nose.¡± She teased, ¡°It¡¯s a protein shake, Aurora. They¡¯re not meant to taste fabulous.¡±


    ¡°Are there vegetables in this?¡± I grimaced, ncing down at the dark green shade of the shake.


    ¡°..Among other things.¡± Was all she said, snorting at the look of h****r on my face.


    When we pulled into the parking lot of the local gym, a look of confusion had formed on my face. The


    gym in our pack was nice, much nicer than the one that sat by the High School I went to. What


    confused me was why we were here to begin with.


    ¡°Here, you¡¯re going to need this. Layer up, Luna!¡± Tori chuckled, tossing a small stick of deodorant at


    me.


    I did as she said andyered the deodorant on my underarms, shrugging as a strong floral scent


    wafted into my nose.


    ¡°Better than stinking like sweat.¡± I murmured appreciatively.


    ¡°You gotta train in your human form first.¡± Torimented, rummaging through the trunk of her car for


    arge, pink duffel bag. ¡°The stronger you are in your human form, the stronger your wolf is.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be lifting weights?¡± I grunted, a slight sour tone to my voice.


    It was no secret that I had the coordination of a toddler, but I had yet to see what finally shifting had


    done for me. Back when I absolutely failed at sports, I had thought I was merely human. My senses


    were sharper now, my eyesight crisp in a way it hadn¡¯t been before. Above all, I desperately hoped I


    could be useful to this pack¡ªbesides my strange white-wolf abilities. I wanted Alec and Kade to know


    that I could take care of myself instead of relying on a power I had no idea how to control.


    ¡°We¡¯ll both be lifting weights.¡± Tori quipped with a cheeky grin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll firm up that perky


    behind in no time!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my behind I¡¯m worried about.¡± I huffed, following her to the front door of the building. ¡°And my


    behind is already perky!¡±


    The gym in town was arge modern building with a parking lot that could easily amodate


    everyone in town. Arge window gave me a clear view inside the gym, where I could see a multitude


    of men and women wandering from machine to machine.


    We stepped inside and was greeted by the scent of disinfectant and something simr to leather. Upon


    entering, I found myself surprised. Whenever I thought of a gym, I had a pretty clear image in my head.


    A bunch of muscr, sweat-stained men grunting as they flexed and lifted weights in front of a mirror. It


    was just another thing I had been wrong about.


    Sure, there were plenty of muscr men in this gym but there were also just as many women. The


    scent of sweat was so diminished, it was easily ignorable. If anything, the most noticeable scent was


    that of cleaner and deodorant.


    The bottom half of the gym was huge. Apart from a long desk that sat a few feet from the entrance, the


    rest of the room was filled with machines of all types. Half of the wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling


    mirrors, and there was a plethora of those water bottle refill stations everywhere.


    The woman at the front desk was casually dressed and was merrily chatting with some of the current


    gym-goers. Her golden hair was pulled up in a high pony, and she wore simr athletic clothes to what


    Tori and I wore. When she caught my eye, her spine seemed to straighten a bit, and just a tad of that


    easy-go humor left her eyes.


    ¡°Luna Aurora, it¡¯s an honor to have you here!¡± She grinned,ing around the counter to approach us.


    She gripped my hand firmly and gave it a shake before shing Tori an equally polite smile. ¡°Everything


    here is at your disposal. Your trainer is upstairs in one of our private rooms. Feel free to use any of our


    faculties. On the second floor you¡¯ll also find a smoothie bar, and on the third floor are the locker


    rooms. We have showers, and even a sauna, if you¡¯re into that sort of thing.¡±


    I managed to stammer a suitable thank you and followed Tori through the maze of weight machines.


    The quiet sound of weights clicking could be heard, along with the ever-so silent murmur that came


    from many of the people working out. While many eyes darted over to meet my own, none strayed any


    lower than my face. Men and women of all ages greeted me with a slight nod before turning back to


    their workouts.


    Alec and Kade had exined the pack dynamics to me a few days ago. They hadn¡¯t nned on


    introducing me so soon, but my appearance during the rogue battle spurred attention. Men and women


    of all ages would show me nothing but respect, as my word was alsow.


    ¡°While I love and respect you, my benevolent Luna; I will never hesitate to call you out on your s**t.¡±


    Tori grinned, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as she steered me towards the stairs.


    ¡°Honestly, I appreciate that.¡± I chuckled along with her, ¡°I¡¯ve been treated like vermin my entire life, and


    now I¡¯m suddenly royalty. It¡¯s really strange, and kind of unnerving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been surrounded by worthless a******s your entire life, what did you expect?¡± She grunted, but


    quickly wiped away the grimace that formed on her face. ¡°Think of it this way, now you¡¯re surrounded


    by people who know how awesome you are.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t all go to my head.¡± Iughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s also in my job description.¡± She winked, ¡°As the Luna¡¯s best-friend, it is my job to make sure


    you don¡¯t be all snooty and full of yourself.¡±


    ¡°I hope you know I¡¯m not paying you for this.¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°To be in your glorious presence is payment enough, Luna Aurora.¡± She cooed, poking he tongue out at


    me.


    ¡°If you keep talking to me like that, I¡¯m definitely going to get a big head.¡± I replied, giving her a genuine


    smile.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    The stairs wrapped around a couple times before ending at the second floor. There was a wide, brightly


    lit hallway that led to a multitude of rooms. Through therge windows on either side of the wall, I could


    see multiple fitness rooms with foam flooring.


    We made our way to the only unupied room¡ªwell, it was mostly unupied. Standing in therge


    room was a man I had never seen before. He was up there in age, around sixty or so, but he was in


    impable shape. The t-shirt he wore couldn¡¯t hide the muscles beneath, or the bulkiness of his form.


    His short-cropped hair was grey, with just a small spattering of white.


    ¡°Wee, girls.¡± His raspy voice boomed throughout the empty room, nearly making me jump.


    He turned to greet the two of us, and my breath halted in my throat. His face was angr in a way that


    looked familiar, and while both of his eyes were the same color¡ªI had seen that color before. They


    were so blue that they almost looked white¡ªjust like one of mine and Garrett¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Are we¡ªare we rted?¡± I frowned, looking at a somewhat altered copy of Garrett¡¯s face.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re quick on the draw.¡± Heughed, a booming sound that was nothing like the Garrett I had


    come to know. ¡°Sure are. I¡¯m your Grand-father¡¯s brother.¡±


    ¡°My Grand-father?¡± I nodded, temporarily at a loss for words. It seemed surprise took away my filter,


    and I found myself speaking without thinking. ¡°Julian says he was a p***k.¡±


    He paused for a moment, looking me in the eyes before answering.


    ¡°Mm, yeah he was a p***k.¡± He nodded, cracking a wide smile. ¡°The humor in our family seems to skip


    a generation or two.¡±


    ¡°It skipped Garrett, didn¡¯t it?¡± I asked dryly, unable to keep a straight face when the man erupted in


    laughter.


    ¡°Oh, I wish I would¡¯ve met you sooner. The name¡¯s Rick.¡± He smiled, hisughter d***g down. ¡°So, I


    hear you need some training. Thought you white wolves were supposed to be all powerful?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say all powerful.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Besides, learning to fight never hurt anyone.¡±


    ¡°Right you are.¡± He nodded, walking over to the front of the room. ¡°Alright, get to stretching and we¡¯ll


    start in ten.¡±


    ¡°I take it back. Learning to fight has hurt people¡ªmostly me.¡± I groaned, lying t on the foam floor.


    The sports bra and leggings I wore were damp with sweat, and I swore there was a puddle around my


    shaking body. Toriid beside me; her head propped up on her hand.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take you for a quitter, Luna.¡± She cooed, shing me a grin.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not quitting.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Comin? Very much so.¡±


    ¡°I admit, you¡¯ve got it bad.¡± She nodded, ¡°Werewolves start training at a super young age. Your human


    life has made you totally out of shape.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± I groaned, refusing to move from myfortable spot on the mat.


    The muscles in my legs throbbed and ached, as did the rest of my body. We had trained for nearly


    three hours, then Rick sent us downstairs to lift some weights. We met back up on the second floor to


    talk over the n for tomorrow.


    The only constion of today¡¯s training was that myck of coordination seemed to bepletely


    remedied. I no longer stumbled over my own feet, and could block a punch fairly well after a few failed


    attempts. I had to give it to Tori, she had a mean punch.


    ¡°Oh, hello Alpha.¡± Tori¡¯s voice was full of suppressedughter.


    ¡°I see training went well.¡± Alec¡¯sugh had me jumping to my feet, and smoothing down my messy hair.


    Alec wore a in ck t-shirt that clung to every delicious dip and groove that graced his body. The


    sight made my mouth water, and for that brief moment¡ªI had all sorts of unsavory thoughts.


    My tongue ran across my lower lip as I wondered if he might let me trace the muscles on his body with


    something other than my fingers. Judging from the sparkle in his eye, he¡¯d be more than happy to let


    me do as I pleased.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you twodies tomorrow. Bright and early.¡± Rick chuckled, giving me a pat on the back. ¡°It


    was nice finally meetin¡¯ you, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°It was nice meeting you too, Rick.¡± I smiled back at him, feeling that familiar clench in my heart as his


    emotions registered within me.


    Rick was genuinely happy to meet me, and I could already feel the fondness he held for me. I


    continued to find it incredible that the moment I left my human life behind, I had finally found my family.


    Alec, Kade, Tori, even the twin¡¯s parents¡ªthey were my family.


    Rick left with a final wave, and I looked towards my mate¡¯s dazzling smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to say, I like this look.¡± Alec purred, pulling me into his arms. He buried his face in the crook of


    my sweaty neck and inhaled. ¡°Mm, you smell good.¡±


    ¡°I smell like sweat.¡± I snorted, looking up at him with an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I think you smell delicious.¡± He smirked, rolling his plush lower lip in between his teeth. He inched in


    even closer and my heart sped up in response. ¡°I wonder if you taste as good as you smell.¡±


    A heavy shudder rolled through me as Alec¡¯s tongue darted out and flicked against my earlobe. The


    moment his tongue came in contact with my skin, his emotions burst forth; broken free from the dam


    that had held them at bay.


    ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s my cue to leave.¡± Tori cleared her throat. Somehow, she managed to keep a straight


    face, but she couldn¡¯t hide the devious glint in her eyes. Just as she opened the door to leave, she


    called out behind her. ¡°Oh, just in case you were wondering; that door over there leads to a veryrge


    and spacious lounge. See ya tomorrow, Aurora!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not one for subtlety, is she?¡± Alec snorted, but the dark and heavy emotions that radiated from


    him had not ceased in the slightest.


    They were tendrils of thick desire that curled around my legs and caressed my thighs. They threatened


    to drag me deep into their depths, and I found myself losing the motivation to fight them. The soreness


    in my limbs was all but forgotten as I stood wrapped in Alec¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Maybe¡ªmaybe we should go back to the house.¡± I suggested breathlessly, swallowing thickly when


    Alec¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk.


    ¡°I thought you were sore, doll?¡± He cooed, giving me a devious grin that made my insides flutter. ¡°You


    looked a little worse for wear back there on the floor.¡±


    My legs clenched on their own ord, along with a searing warmth that spread down to my core. I


    looked up at Alec through hooded eyes, keeping my voice low and alluring.


    ¡°I can handle whatever you throw at me, Alec.¡± I purred, letting my fingers toy with the edges of his


    shirt.


    My words and touches had their intended effect, as my back thudded against the mirrored wall. His hot


    breath fanned across my face, and my head fell back as his lips trailed along my jawline. Dazzling


    sparks danced along my skin, making my core clench painfully.


    Alec¡¯s intense desire mixed with my own until I couldn¡¯t separate our emotions. All I knew was that I


    wanted him, every glorious inch of him until not only were our emotions merged, but we were as well.


    The ache I felt started in my core, but only grew as his lips trailed lower and his kisses grew more


    heated.


    ¡°By the time I¡¯m done with you, I¡¯ll have to carry you from the building, doll.¡± He chuckled low in my ear,


    his fingers dancing along my exposed stomach. ¡°I¡¯ve got to say, this outfit makes me think all sorts of


    things.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡± I gasped as his fingers grazed against my groin, adding the slightest amount of pressure.


    ¡°Mm, f**k the house. I don¡¯t have the patience to wait that long, I¡¯d end up taking you in the car. I say


    we check out that lounge.¡± He growled deeply, undoubtedly smelling the wetness that began to pool


    between my legs.


    Hisrge hands wrapped around my waist and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his


    broad waist and toyed with the short edges of his hair.


    ¡°The lounge?¡± I squeaked; my eyes wide with surprise.


    We were going to do it here? In this gym full of people? Would they be able to hear what was going on;


    or worse, smell it?


    ¡°You worry too much, doll.¡± He chuckled against my neck. ¡°Kade and I are their Alpha. Even if they did


    know what was going on, none would dare stop us.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t they¡ªwon¡¯t they hear it?¡± I swallowed, unable to mention the other option. There was no way I


    wanted to think about a gym full of people scenting my arousal, no matter what they called Alec and


    Kade.


    ¡°Depends, how loud do you n to be?¡± Alec smirked, his eyes flickering dangerously. N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Tori had been right, there was a door in the training room that lead to a lounge. It was a decent sized


    room with a couple of couches and a small kitchen. There were a couple tall coolers that held an


    abundance of drinks, smoothies and protein shakes.


    Alec kicked the door shut behind him and flicked the lock on the door. He brought us both over to the


    couch and sat down. As I straddled hisp, I could feel the rough outline of the hardness in his pants


    and whimpered at the feel of it against me.


    Not even a momentter, Alec tore the sports bra from my body and tossed it at the other end of the


    couch. A low moan left my lips as he buried his face in my chest, and took one of my hardened n*****s


    into his mouth. Each flick of his tongue and scrape of his teeth had my breathing grow heavier.


    I grabbed at the hem of his shirt, watching with heated interest as he pulled it from his body. Hard ab¡¯s


    and smooth skin met my eyes, only working to arouse me further.


    ¡°F**k, Aurora.¡± He groaned against my soft skin, his fingers digging into my hips. ¡°You taste so good.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what spurred on this desperate need, but I knew what I wanted next. I ced my hands


    against his shoulders and shoved him back against the couch.


    ¡°I want to taste you.¡± I told him, running my tongue along the hollow of his neck.


    His skin tasted of male musk, mixed with his rich scent. Both taste and smell flooded my senses, more


    addicting than anything I had ever experienced before.


    Lower and lower I trailed, savoring every raspy sound that emerged from Alec¡¯s parted lips. I ran my


    tongue over the hard muscles of his stomach, stopping at the waistband of his pants.


    My mouth watered when his rigid c**k sprung free. Alec kicked his pants to the side and fixed me with a


    dark, consuming look. His hands clenched the couch tightly, as though it took all of his willpower to let


    me have this moment; to not simply devour me entirely.


    I eyed his swollen head and thick veins with arousal and awe, wanting desperately to taste the


    glistening bead of pre-c*m that had sprouted. My tongue darted out to taste the liquid, and my groan


    apanied Alec¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re k*****g me, Aurora.¡± He groaned, his eyes never leaving my own. ¡°You look so f*****g¡ª¡±


    His words were cut off as I took his length into my mouth. A hiss of pleasure left his lips as I struggled


    to take his entire length. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had been on my knees, but mourned the manly taste


    of his length when he pulled me to my feet. My leggings hit the floor in a heap of dark cloth. Alec pulled


    me back onto hisp and lined his c**k up with my entrance. I could feel the restraint in his touch, and


    how he wanted nothing more than to plunge himself inside of me. Instead, he let me take control. I slid


    myself down his length slowly, whimpering as I stretched to amodate him.


    There was nothing like this feeling¡ªnothing thatpared. Even the delicious sparks themselves


    couldn¡¯tpare to the feeling of being utterly full, consumed by my mate¡¯s and their blistering


    emotions.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Ride my c**k, make it yours.¡± He grunted, giving my hips a hard squeeze.


    Though I felt my movements were still somewhat awkward, Alec didn¡¯t seem to mind in the slightest. If


    anything, he spurred me on with his roaming fingers and heated kisses. His lips devoured every inch of


    skin within his reach. With each rotation of my hips, my own o****m began to build. I could feel Alec


    growing even harder inside of me, and gasped when he hooked his arms beneath my legs. I ced my


    hands on the couch for support, and nearly let loose a blissful scream when he mmed himself inside


    of me.


    ¡°F**k me, Alec.¡± I whimpered, my voice growing higher with each rough thrust.


    ¡°You f*****g love it hard, don¡¯t you, little doll?¡± Alec grunted, thrusting his hips up and down in rapid


    session.


    His eyes darted between my reddened face, to my bouncing b*****s and glistening core, as though he


    couldn¡¯t decide what he wanted to see more. The sound of flesh against flesh filled the room, and I no


    longer cared who heard. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else, nothing besides the man that stretched me to


    my absolute limit¡ªthe man that brought both pleasure and pain, making my o****m ratchet even


    higher.


    ¡°Yes!¡± I moaned, my head falling back. ¡°It feels so good, Alec!¡±


    ¡°Look at me.¡± He snarled, capturing my gaze as he repeatedly mmed inside my tight flesh. ¡°I want to


    watch your face when your tight little p***y spasms around me.¡±


    His words alone had a scream tearing through my throat, and earth-shattering pleasure coursing down


    my legs and through my body. Even my vision blurred as my o****m barreled through me in tall waves.


    I could feel my own juices running down his c**k, and watched as his dark eyes traveled down to my


    core.


    ¡°Oh, f**k.¡± He snarled, watching the effects of my o****m leak down his c**k.


    In one fast movement, he pulled himself from my p***y. Thick streams ofe spurted from his c**k


    and onto my stomach. I whimpered against the heat of it and watched as his eyes rolled back and


    limbs stiffened. Both Alec and Kade were so incredibly beautiful, but there was something different


    about watching them o****m. To see their guard down as absolute pleasure rolled through them, it was


    not only something I¡¯d never grow tired of, but something I craved without relief.


    ¡°F**k.¡± He hissed, taking my head in his hands. His chest moved up and down rapidly, and his breath


    came out in heavy pants. ¡°I love you, doll. I love you so much.¡±


    If I had thought the powerful o****m I just experienced was incredible, I had experienced nothing yet.


    Hearing those wordse from Alec¡¯s mouth, knowing he had been the one to say them first¡ªit


    confirmed everything for me. I could feel it now, that emotion I had no name for¡ªthe emotion I had


    never once experienced for myself.


    It was love.


    Love was warm, but not blisteringly hot like desire or lust. It was warmth andfort wrapped into one,


    coupled with protectiveness and rolled in absolute awe. Love was an emotion that had no beginning or


    ending, no limits to how much a person could feel. It was an endless chasm that brought nothing but


    peace and happiness to those lucky enough to fall into it. Now that I had finally felt that emotion for


    myself, I couldn¡¯tprehend how I had gone so long without its warm embrace. I had been denying


    myself, unable to admit how I truly felt about Alec and Kade, but that was long over.


    ¡°I love you too, Alec. More than anything in this world.¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    ¡°I can do that myself.¡± I told Alec, sitting up from the pale couch in the gym¡¯s lounge.


    After some much-needed time together, I was a little more than ready to head home and take a long


    shower. Not only had the sweat began to dry to my skin, but I now had afortable soreness


    between my legs. Alec had scrounged up a wash cloth and was currently running it under the cold


    water of the sink. Every so often his eyes would dart over to where Iid;pletely undressed and


    surprisingly unabashed on the couch.


    ¡°You sure about that, doll?¡± He shed me a grin that made my insides melt.


    It was hard not to smile when the Twin¡¯s looked at me this way. I would¡¯ve once called myself clinically


    insane for iming to love a man I had only known for a month or so. While in this case I had two men,


    things were different with them. I felt like I knew them in a way I didn¡¯t with others, that there was no


    other alternative for me to love them as deeply as they loved me. Over time, love changes and grows,


    but I knew ours wouldn¡¯t ever lessen.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can handle a wash cloth.¡± I smirked.


    My smirk quickly turned to a pout when Alec batted my hands away, and began dabbing at his release,


    which just so happened to be sitting on my stomach. Neither one of us had been prepared, but I


    suppose it was better than the alternative. While I wasn¡¯tpletely opposed to the thought of having


    children with Alec and Kade, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to rush into anything.


    While the wash cloth was made of a horribly scratchy material, each brush of his hand was incredibly


    gentle. They were both so rough¡ªso dominate during s*x, but this was different. Each time I had slept


    with them, they always insisted on taking care of me afterwards. The few times I had thought about


    being intimate with a guy, this wasn¡¯t something I thought would happen afterwards.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m fairly sure you almost passed out at some point back there.¡± Alec¡¯s chuckle was a deep


    rumble that I could feel in the pit of my stomach. His amused and humorous smile told me he was only


    halfway joking.


    ¡°Oh, I did not!¡± I scoffed, unable to keep a grin from forming on my own face.


    I smacked his hands away and watched as he walked over to the sink. Alec grabbed a second wash


    cloth and ran it under the cold water before settling back onto the couch. His calloused hands were


    incredibly gentle as he ran his fingers up the smooth skin of my t***h.


    ¡°If we were home, I¡¯d use something much softer.¡± He frowned, using the softer side of the wash cloth


    to clean the inside of my thighs.


    ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re perfect.¡± I chuckled a bit breathlessly, feeling the effects of his touch far too strongly. I


    was sure my body would never stop reacting to their touches, and I looked forward to every heated and


    gentle moment between us. ¡°You and Kade both are.¡±


    A quick sh of disbelief rolled through him. It was nearly too fast for me to detect, but I could taste a


    slight bitter edge to the emotion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Kade that.¡± He chuckled, giving no sign that he had even felt that quick sh of emotion. ¡°I


    like to think his ego is a bit bigger than mine.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I think the two of you are evenly matched.¡± I teased, noticing that the humor didn¡¯t reach Alec¡¯s


    eyes. My lips twitched into a frown as I met his eyes, feeling that same bitter emotion roll through me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alec? Don¡¯t try to fool me, you know I can feel your emotions.¡±


    ¡°No point in hiding it, is there?¡± He shed me a devastatingly soft smile, one that filled me with both


    warmth and icy cold.


    He picked my sports bra off the floor and untangled the stretchy fabric. I let him take his time gathering


    his thoughts, and smiled as he helped me into it. Next came my underwear and leggings, both of which


    smelled as though they needed a good wash. I couldn¡¯t believe how much I had truly sweat today,


    more than I ever had in my life, I was sure.


    Only when the two of us were fully dressed, did I plop down on Alec¡¯sp. This was different than


    earlier. There was nothing sexual behind my actions, and my only goal was to wipe those negative


    emotions from him before they could linger and fester.


    I was happy, happier than I had ever been in my life and I needed to know what was troubling him so


    much. I settled onto hisp, and sighed as his muscr arms wound around my body. I grazed my


    nose over the rough stubble on his chin before giving him a light kiss. I had never feltfort and


    safety like this, nor had I ever been held by anybody¡ªbut, I couldn¡¯t understand how I had gone so


    long without it. Our surroundings melted away until I no longer cared nor remembered that we were in a


    small lounge at the local gym. The where never mattered, only who.


    ¡°It¡¯s no secret Kade and I¡ªslept around.¡± Alec sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Kade was


    worse than I was, but I¡¯m beginning to think I wasn¡¯t any better. While we never physically hurt them,


    but we never treated them as anything more than a temporary fix. Most didn¡¯t care and would take


    whatever they could, but some¡ªsome genuinely wanted something more. Neither one of us cared.


    Before you came along, well we didn¡¯t exactly want a mate at all. I think the thought of being tied down


    scared Kade more than it did me, but what we did was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Who you were back then, it¡¯s not how I see you now.¡± I frowned, letting my fingers roam over the


    coarse ins of his face. ¡°I probably sound like a horrible person for saying this, but everyone makes


    mistakes. No one is purely good or bad, we¡¯re all a mix of both.¡±


    His skin was velvety smooth, only to turn rough as I met the dark stubble along his cheek and jaw. I


    could feel him rx under my roaming fingers, and the razor-sharp edge of his emotions began to dull.


    It was nice to know I had the same effect on them as they had on me. A single touch could evoke a


    whirlpool of emotions within me, all different depending on the intention.


    ¡°You¡¯re the least horrible person I¡¯ve ever met, doll.¡± Heughed lightly, cing his lips against my


    forehead. ¡°Believe me, Kade and I have met a lot of awful people, but never anyone like you. You¡¯re so


    much more than what we deserve. All we can do is try to be worthy of you.¡±


    ¡°Think of it this way, you¡¯re both my mates for a reason.¡± I smiled up at him, my heart heavy and full all


    at once. My smile morphed into something yful, ¡°Maybe some of my infinite goodness will rub off on


    you.¡±


    ¡°Infinite goodness, huh?¡± His stoic fa?ade cracked, giving way to a yful smile of his own. His face


    moved in closer to my own, and his lips hovered just a few inches away. When he spoke, his voice was


    deliciously low and raspy. ¡°Or, maybe some we¡¯ll just end up corrupting you.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡± I replied, just a tad bit breathless as I lost myself within the dark pools of


    his burning eyes.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to stay here, alone with you; I¡¯m afraid Kade is going to be wondering where we


    are.¡± He smirked, his lips finally lowering to meet my own. As his teeth grazed my lower lip, bringing on


    the tiniest amount of pain, a moan left my lips from the pure taste of him. ¡°If you keep making those


    sounds, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to stay for even longer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who had to kiss me like that.¡± I exhaled, my words ending on a littleugh.


    ¡°So sensitive.¡± He chuckled, standing from the couch with me in his arms. His deep eyes glittered


    mischievously as he looked down on me, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re able to walk, or should I carry you out of


    the gym?¡±


    ¡°There is no way in h**l you¡¯re carrying me out of here, no matter how sore I am.¡± I snorted, pushing


    gently against his chest until I was back on my feet. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough half the people in this gym


    probably heard what we were doing, I don¡¯t need to give them any further proof.¡±


    I walked out of the gym with my head held high. I wasn¡¯t receiving any more stares than usual, so I


    assumed none had any clue what happened mere minutes earlier.


    Alec took me back to the house, but had to leave shortly after. Kade had apanied Garrett to his


    pack, following a lead they had on white wolves. Thest Alec had spoken to Kade, they had found


    some sort of information. After what I had done during the rogue battle, I wasn¡¯t sure if I felt relieved or


    frightened.


    I had turned every foul emotion back on the rogues, and it frightened me at how good it truly felt. I had


    cleansed myself of every disgusting thing I ever felt; every ounce of contempt, anger, or loathing I had


    ever felt left me in that moment. It was then that I realized how much those emotions drag you down.


    They poison every good thought, every positive experience and taint them. The only way to truly keep


    them from harming you, was to let them go.


    Sinceing back home with Alec and Kade, I hadn¡¯t spared Melissa a single thought. If anything, I


    had purposefully erased her from my mind.


    Sitting in the kitchen of Alec and Kade¡¯s house, I began to think of her. I had never been the type ofN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    person to hate someone, but there had been a few times in my life where I truly hated Melissa and


    Frank. Hate was the most poisonous emotion of all, and I never once thought about how it might¡¯ve


    affected me. Since letting go of all those ugly emotions, I had realized something. I no longer hated her,


    I felt sorry for her. Her and Frank could no longer hurt me, and they never would again. It was them


    who were stuck in the same vicious cycle, building a wall around them with those corruptive emotions.


    Letting them go, I had never felt freer.


    As soon as Alec dropped me off, I sped upstairs to shower and change. My stomach rumbled so hard I


    jumped, and opted out of the shower for now. Instead, I changed into afortable t-shirt and jeans,


    wandering down to the kitchen in search of anything to eat.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re deep in thought.¡± The twin¡¯s Mom chuckled as she swept into the kitchen.


    Her blonde hair was pulled up in a messy pony tail, a shade that was somewhat simr to Melissa¡¯s.


    Where Melissa was vindictive, maniptive, and emotionally abusive¡ªAlec and Kade¡¯s Mom was the


    complete opposite. She was everything a mother should be and more. She had raised two incredible


    sons who not only epted their mistakes, but strived to be better. She was supportive when she


    needed, and stern when it was called for. Even as adults, Alec and Kade would never go against their


    Mom. In the short time I lived here, she had be a friend to me. She was just one of those people


    where caring and nurturing seemed to be second nature.


    ¡°You hungry?¡± She asked, rummaging through the fridge.


    The sides of her eyes crinkled when my stomach rumbled on cue, and she let out a light, musical


    laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± She chuckled, cing a few random ingredients onto the counters.


    ¡°Tori had me drink this foul protein shake before training this morning.¡± I scrunched my nose,


    remembering the bitter taste of kale. ¡°At this point, I¡¯ll take a handful of nuts.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I can whip up something better than a handful of nuts.¡± She replied, a kind smile on her


    face. ¡°How¡¯s pizza and some chocte chip cookies sound?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that defeat the point of working out?¡± I asked, though I couldn¡¯t deny my mouth watered at the


    mere words.


    ¡°Best thing about being a werewolf, we were born to be strong and athletic.¡± She chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve got


    to eat more, especially now that you¡¯re training.¡±


    ¡°Cookies and pizza, it is.¡± I grinned, rubbing my hands together in anticipation.


    ¡°Grab an apron! With as much as Kade and Alec eat, I need all the help I can get.¡± She snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t


    even get me started on their father.¡±


    Living with Melissa and Frank, I had never actually learned to cook. My diet consisted of gas station


    food, packets of instant noodles, and those salty burrito¡¯s you pop in the microwave.


    Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom was one of those women who just seemed to be good at everything. Not only


    was she fierce and protective, but she made nearly everything from scratch.


    I helped her make the dough for the pizza as best I could, and poked at it while she pushed it aside to


    rise. I had a thick coating of flour in my hair, and was thankful I hadn¡¯t yet gotten a shower. Once the


    dough had grown nearly triple in size, the Twin¡¯s Mom divided it between the two of us.


    ¡°Make sure you get it even, like this.¡± She murmured, and I watched as she skillfully cut and rolled the


    dough into a perfect circr shape. ¡°As long as the dough is even, it doesn¡¯t matter what shape it is!¡±


    ¡°So, I can make any shape?¡± I asked, a somewhat cheesy idea forming in my mind.


    I silentlyughed at the horrible pun I had made and got to work shaping and ttening the dough. I


    had intended for the pizza to be shaped like a heart, but it was a lot harder than it looked. Instead of an


    attractive looking heart, I had one that was not only lumpy, but lopsided.


    ¡°Aurora, what is that?¡± Alec and Kade¡¯s Mom frowned, fighting hard to keep theughter from her


    voice.


    The innocent look on her face couldn¡¯t fool me; I could feel her emotions. I felt that familiar sweetness


    of motherly affection along with a bright trickle of amusement and humor.


    ¡°It¡¯s a heart.¡± I paused, biting my lip as I stared down at my work.


    ¡°Oh, oh I see it!¡± She smiled encouragingly. ¡°It looks great, dear!¡±


    ¡°You know I can feel your emotions, right?¡± I frowned, but the expression quickly gave way to hearty


    laughter.


    The sharp pain that once pierced my heart at the thought of not having a Mom vanished. I wasn¡¯t sure


    how long it had been gone, but I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I had felt it. Perhaps finding my own


    family had erased the pain, or maybe I did that myself. Either way, as ourughter rang loudly


    throughout the house, I couldn¡¯t think of anywhere I¡¯d rather be.


    Two hourster, Kade walked into the kitchen.


    ¡°Kade!¡± I grinned, the scalding pizza tray I had in my oven-mitted hands ttered onto the counter.


    I bounced over to him and leapt into his arms, letting myself be engulfed in his broad chest. The


    long strands of his hair tickled my forehead as he hugged me back, and I could distinctly hear him


    inhaling my scent deeply.


    Alec and Kade were identical in nearly every way, but I had long ago noticed the subtle differences


    between the two. Kade was a bit bulkier than Alec, and Alec¡¯s muscles were just a tiny bit more


    defined. While both had a temper, Alec¡¯s seemed to be more controlled. Kade had something dark


    about him, and he usually spoke less than Alec.


    ¡°Sweetheart, you got flour all over me.¡± He grunted, looking down at his ck t-shirt that had now been


    turned grey.


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± I grinned sheepishly, turning a bit red in the face.


    The severity in his eyes cracked and faded until the real Kade came out to y, the side of him only


    Alec and I could see. His arms remained snaked around my waist, and I stiffened as his tongue darted


    out to lick my cheek.


    ¡°You taste like pizza.¡± He smirked, grasping my chin with one of hisrge hands before iming my lips


    with his own.


    ¡°Aurora made one special for you and your brother.¡± Their Mom chimed in, leaning against the counter


    with what looked to be a soft grin on her face.


    ¡°You did?¡± He asked, an eyebrow raised. His full lips turned up in one of his rare but genuine smiles.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡±


    I practically bounced over to the counter to show him what I had made. Their Mom helped with the


    toppings, as I wasn¡¯t sure which ones they liked the most. Both of them seemed to favorpletely


    different toppings. Half of the pizza was for Kade, and the other half for Alec.


    ¡°What¡ªwhat shape is that?¡± Kade frowned, looking down at monstrosity of a pizza I had made.


    Working at Beth¡¯s had helped me make sure the dough was in an evenyer, and that it was baked


    through entirely; but it did not help me make a perfect heart-shape. Often, Beth took care of those


    extraneous details.


    ¡°It¡¯s a heart.¡± I frowned, pointing at the two misshapen arches of the heart. ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. His mouth remained open for a few minutes,


    like he couldn¡¯t figure out the correct words to say. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s horribly ugly, but it¡¯ll taste good.¡± I grinned, holding back theughter that bubbled up my lips.


    In the time I had known the Twin¡¯s, Kade was hardly ever rendered ufortable or speechless. In


    just a few minutes, I had brought on both. He was also not one for sweet words, but I seemed to bring


    out that hidden soft side of him. The lightest colored blush stained his cheeks, and I savored the image


    of a blushing Kade.


    ¡°It¡¯s not ugly.¡± He shook his head, pulling me into the protective warmth of his arms. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, like my


    mate.¡±


    ¡°Does everyone forget that I can feel emotions?¡± I snorted, a wide grin stretching across my face.


    Kade chuckled deeply before nodding, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a little ugly.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to bring some food to your Father.¡± Kade¡¯s Mom chimed in, giving us both an indulgent


    grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the mess, Aurora. I¡¯ll clean up in a few.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°Positive. Now go, enjoy some time with Kade.¡± She smiled, leaving the room with two tes of food in


    hand.


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to give us some privacy.¡± Kade murmured, his hands traveling down to my hips.


    ¡°I figured as much.¡± I replied with a dazed nod.


    ¡°So, I heard you spent some time with my brother today.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was thick and low. I could hear


    the hidden meaning in his words, and felt the surge of delicious emotion as it bubbled to the surface.


    My back hit the counter, but Kade made no move to retreat. Instead, he leaned in even closer, his lips


    just beside my ear. ¡°I can smell him on you, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I squeaked, my throat closing up as his nose trailed down my neck. ¡°I¡ªI meant to shower.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I wouldn¡¯t mind taking you like this.¡± He purred his tongue darting out to run up the length of my


    neck. ¡°You taste good.¡±


    ¡°Funny, Alec said the same thing.¡± I managed to mumble in between quiet gasps.


    ¡°I wonder how you taste down there.¡± His voice sent a jolt of longing through me, and I savored the


    soreness between my legs that hade from his brother just mere hours ago. ¡°The pizza is


    incredible, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m hungry for. I want you syed out like my own personal feast,


    sweetheart.¡±


    With just a few words, Kade had turned me into a stammering mess. His fingers dug into my hips with


    just the right amount of pressure, sending those delicious sparks trickling between my legs.


    ¡°I think, I could go for a shower as well.¡± He chuckled in my ear, scooping me into his arms and striding


    towards the stairs.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    ¡°I thought we were getting a shower?¡± I asked, an eyebrow lifted in interest as Kade turned on the


    faucet to the bath.


    I had long admired the bathtub in their bathroom, but hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to use it. The jets


    etched into the side of the bathtub, the built-in seat meant to recline in, and the curved design that


    could easily fit a small family; it all called my name. After nearly a lifetime of living in cruddy apartments


    and decrepit houses, this ce seemed like a mansion. I was used to small shower bathtub


    combinations, most of the time stained an unappealing shade of yellow. More times than not, mold


    dotted the ceiling in ck and green splotches. The times I had used their obnoxiouslyrge shower, I


    took all the time in the world to enjoy the constant stream of hot water and the glistening surfaces that


    made me wonder how often this house was cleaned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been eying this bathtub since moving in. I thought you might finally want to use it.¡± Kade


    remarked, perched on the edge of the bathtub with a look of interest on his face.


    Both of the twins were always so intense, and always had a predatory-like focus on me. Those first run-


    ins with them, it had been far too intense for me toprehend. When they set their sights on


    something, they put everything they had into it; every thought, emotion, and action dedicated to that


    one thing. Where it had once overwhelmed me, it now heated me in a way


    ¡°I¡¯ve been eying it, because who has a bathtub like this?¡± Iughed, gesturing to the miniature


    swimming pool before me. ¡°Five normal sized people could fit in here easily.¡±


    ¡°Are Alec and I not what you would call ¡®normal-sized?¡¯¡± Kade snorted, one of his dark eyebrows lifting.


    Where Alec¡¯s touch reminded me of crashing waves, Kade¡¯s was the touch of me. I d*****d in the


    ocean that was Alec, ripped down into the cold depths of the ocean, battered by the thrashing waves


    that held me down. I was burned in the billowing mes that made up Kade, and could feel the heat


    crackle up my spine, filling every crevice with delicious warmth. They were two halves of a whole, both


    of which fit mepletely.


    I smirked at the intrigued expression on his face and pulled the sports bra from my body, letting it fall to


    the floor in a clump of ck fabric. ¡°You and I both know, there¡¯s nothing normal about the size of you


    two. Last time I checked, most eighteen-year-olds aren¡¯t built like line-backers.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about our bodies, or something else?¡± He teased, a tone that was amusing considering


    the deepness of Kade¡¯s voice.


    A dark me flickered behind those eyes, and his gaze seemed to narrow to my exposed chest. The


    cold air in the bathroom made my n*****s harden into stiff peaks, a sight Kade devoured withvish


    interest. Despite the blush that stained my cheeks, I managed a weak smirk in his direction.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your body.¡± I scoffed, ¡°As for your other part, I don¡¯t have anyone else topare


    with, other than Alec.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Kade all but snarled, standing from the edge of the bathtub.


    He stood just inches away after taking two big strides, and looked down at me through the dark strands


    of his unruly hair. He smelled of cinnamon and heat, of male musk that I prayed would be firmly


    embedded in my brain. It was a mouthwatering scent, only made better by mixing with Alec¡¯s.


    His weighted gaze traveled down my face, lingering on my full lips before grazing over the arches of my


    b*****s. Despite howfortable I felt around the twins, I couldn¡¯t shake the bouts of self-


    consciousness that would pass over me. They were the first of any man to see mepletely


    exposed, yet they saw none of the ws I did. My fingers twitched as I resisted the urge to cover


    myself, an action Kade noticed entirely.


    His eyes narrowed, and darted up to my own before his calloused hand gripped my chin. His grip


    wasn¡¯t hard enough to hurt me, but firm enough to capture my undivided attention. He tilted my head to


    the side before leaning in close, his lips grazing the soft skin of my earlobe.


    ¡°Shy little Aurora. Some day you will see how delectable you truly are.¡± His chuckle was low and raspy,


    a sound that made my knee¡¯s wobble. It was a sound full of dark promise, one that would bring both


    pleasure and pain.


    ¡°Delectable?¡± I breathed heavily, my eyes fluttering up to his own. ¡°Someday I¡¯m going to have a huge


    ego, and it¡¯ll all be because of you and Alec.¡±


    ¡°As you should.¡± He murmured, the corners of his lips twitching into a deviously handsome smirk. ¡°I


    went easy on you the first few times, sweetheart. But I like to y and I¡¯m eager to see how much youText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    can handle.¡±


    ¡°How much I can handle?¡± I squeaked, eyes going wide as I saw an entirely new side of Kade.


    I had always known he was a bit darker than his brother, prone to anger that made the world tremble,


    but I hadn¡¯t quite expected this. Myck of experience with the opposite gender left me not quite


    knowing what I enjoyed, but I trusted Alec and Kade enough to show me; to teach me new things. I


    wanted the darkness that lingered within Kade, wanted it to im me as its own. Every part of them,


    light or dark, belonged to me; just as my own demons belonged to them.


    The three of us were imperfect, but shared those imperfections and embraced them fully. It was a


    feeling ofplete security; one I had never known before. There was no wondering, no worrying that


    they might find someone new. Full eptance was something beautiful and rare, something very little


    were able to experience.


    ¡°With your permission, of course.¡± He grinned, a purely indulgent, male smile that promised nothing yet


    everything.


    ¡°Oh¡ªof course.¡± I stammered, nodding my head a little too enthusiastically.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He chuckled, and the sound of his voice was like liquid me shooting straight between my


    legs. My body awoken at the raspy praise, and I twitched as the urge to consume himpletely took


    over. Kade noticed every reaction my body elicited and seemed to devour them all. A wide, snake-like


    grin formed on his face; the smile of a predator,zy and confident. ¡°Patience, sweetheart. We haven¡¯t


    even started yet.¡±


    Kade turned the k**b on the faucet and the water spewing into the bathtub sputtered to a stop. Steam


    rippled and billowed off the water, coating the mirror against the far wall in a thin coating of steam. In an


    agonizingly slow movement, he pulled the shirt from his body and discarded his pants on the floor. Like


    Alec, Kade was deliciously formed with rippling muscles and dark hair along his arms and legs. His


    chest was smooth apart from the scars that marred his skin. Every carving into his creamy skin only


    added to the excitement, the attraction I felt towards him.


    ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± He smirked, catching me ogling his naked body.


    Hismand snapped me out of my stupor, and while I was blushing furiously, I did not apologize.


    Only a fool wouldn¡¯t stare. My eyes had traced the thick muscles that ran along his thighs, down to the


    heavy member that hung between his legs.


    Much less gracefully than Kade had, I shed the rest of my clothes. A squeal left my lips when Kade


    scooped me up and stepped into the bath. The water was hot against my skin, but only stung for a


    moment before I became used to the heat. My aching muscles weed the hot water, and I let out a


    low groan. Kade gripped my hips and spun me around so that I now faced the mirror along the far wall.


    The hardness between his legs was pressed tightly against my bottom, and I could feel every hard


    ridge along his shaft. His fingers skimmed up and down my sides, slowly grazing hips before plunging


    even lower. He took his time caressing me, and with each passing second, the ache between my legs


    had grown.


    I should¡¯ve been tired;pletely worn out. Not only had I trained most of the day, but I had also been


    taken by his brother, and was left a trembling mess when we had finished. Yet, my body craved more. It


    was as though it knew it had felt the heated touches of only one mate, and it craved to feel the wicked


    touches of the other. My body came alive as Kade¡¯s fingers danced down my thighs.


    ¡°Spread your legs for me, sweetheart.¡± He purred, and I locked eyes with him through the mirror


    against the wall. Who had decided to ce a mirror that reflected directly into the bathtub was beyond


    me, but for the moment, I was thankful for the strange design choice. ¡°Let me see your pretty little


    p***y. I want you to watch everything I do to you, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± I gasped, just as his fingers grazed my damp folds, sending blissful tingles down through my


    legs.


    ¡°Onest thing.¡± He spoke softly in my ear, his lips traveling down the length of my neck. ¡°Youe


    when I say so.¡±


    I swallowed thickly, just a tinge of fear surfacing in my gut. The pleasure I experienced at the hands of


    the twin¡¯s wasn¡¯t something I could hold back. It was a torrent of me, an unwavering tsunami; a force


    of nature thatpletely obliterated any sense of awareness I had. It wasn¡¯t something I held back; it


    was something that overtook mepletely. I wasn¡¯t sure how I could hold something like that back,


    but I would try. I would try for Kade.


    His fingers grazed over the bundle of nerves between my legs, and I jerked in response. Quick shes


    of pleasure pelted me like burning embers, making me go taut and loose all at once. Every rough pass


    of his fingers had me ratcheting higher, and my breaths began toe in little pants. When he slipped


    a finger inside of me, I nearly came undone right then and there.


    ¡°Watch what I¡¯m doing to you. See how beautiful you are? See how perfect you look when your cheeks


    are flushed, and those perfect lips are parted?¡± Kade rasped in my ear, his eyes locked on my own


    through the mirror. ¡°See how your p***y responds to me?¡±


    Without realizing, one of my hands drifted up to my exposed breast. The top of my body was


    completely exposed from the steaming water, and my n*****s had already hardened from the cold air. I


    palmed one of my own b*****s, rolling my nipple in between my fingers as a hiss escaped my lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, sweetheart.¡± Kade groaned, pushing his hard length further into my backside, ¡°Make yourself


    feel good.¡±


    I ground my teeth together, fighting that blistering pleasure and the mes that burned in its wake. My


    legs trembled, and my aching muscles groaned from the effort; yet, the pleasure never once ceased.


    Kade slipped another finger inside of me, using his thumb to s****e that little bundle of nerves like it


    was a finely tuned instrument. He worked my body to a crescendo, only to still and let the note fall t.


    Kade continued murmuring in my ear, and his d***y words only spurred on the looming o****m that


    threatened to take over. I was hyperaware of his length pressed against me, and writhed as my core


    ached for him.


    After holding back the consuming pleasure a third time, my strength was beginning to waver. I needed


    something, anything. I needed to feel him stretching my walls, pushing me to my limit as I came


    completely undone around him. I wanted to feel him pulse inside of me, spilling his liquid fire deep


    within my body. I could feel that my c**t had swollen, and every single touch was like blissful torture. A


    whimper escaped my lips as the pleasure reached newfound heights. Each time I had held it back, it


    returned with vengeance; determined to strip mepletely of my will and sanity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Aurora.¡± Kade snarled, ¡°I want to feel you wrapped around me when youe.¡±


    ¡°Please¡ª¡± I gasped, my legs quivering with each breath that left my lips. ¡°I need¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you need.¡± He growled, pushing against my c**t rough enough to make me yelp.


    ¡°I need to feel you inside of me.¡± I rasped, my voice husky andpletely unlike my usual tone. ¡°I want


    you to f**k me, so bad¡ªso bad.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to try something new, sweetheart. Think you can handle it?¡± He asked, and I could see his


    smirk through the mirror.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try anything at this point.¡± I answered honestly, my chest rising and falling in rapid session.


    ¡°If at any point you can¡¯t handle it, tell me.¡± He locked eyes with me, his face devoid of any yfulness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t suffer for my sake, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± I nodded exuberantly.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, grip the edge of the tub. I want you facing the mirror. Watch as I f**k you.¡± He purred,


    giving my hips onest squeeze before letting me go.


    I did as Kade had said and maneuvered onto my knees, gripping the porcin edge of the bathtub. I


    was a foot away from the steamy surface of the mirror, and could see Kade positioning himself behind


    me. I thought nothing of it when he rubbed the head of his c**k against my entrance, gathering my


    slickness.


    Surprise followed by a flicker of fear blossomed on my face as his length traveled higher, to the


    puckered hole above my p***y. He pushed against it gently, rolling his lower lip between his teeth,


    watching every emotion as it crossed my face.


    I had thought of the twins taking me in many ways, and I was embarrassed to say that this scenario


    had crossed my mind countless times. I knew that a**l was something many people did, but I never


    thought to count myself into the mix. It was something new and somewhat frightening, but I trusted Alec


    and Kade wholly. Despite the flicker of darkness that lived within Kade, I knew he would never harm


    me. It was this sense ofpletefort that encouraged me, that spurred me on as I crossed into


    uncharted territory.


    ¡°Rx, sweetheart.¡± He murmured; his eyes soft. ¡°I¡¯ll let you adjust once it¡¯s in.¡±


    I managed a strong nod and spread my legs a little further, hoping it would help once the thickness of


    him filled mepletely. I held my breath as the head of him parted that tight hole, and exhaled once


    he was fully sheathed within my body. It was¡ªdifferent. I felt full, entirely full and gorged on him. Kade


    waited with incredible patience, patience I wasn¡¯t sure I would¡¯ve had if I were in his position. He had


    not moved an inch, even as his length pulsed inside of me. Slowly, I shifted my own hips. I gasped as


    his c**k slid out a few inches, before sliding back in with ease. A different kind of pleasure rocked


    through me, but it was equally potent; equally addicting.


    For those brief moments, I wondered what it might feel like to have Alec beneath me, to feel him and


    his brother at the same time.


    ¡°What are you thinking, sweetheart?¡± Kade chuckled, watching me through the mirror. ¡°You¡¯re blushing


    even harder than usual.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªum.¡± I stammered, my grip on the tub tightening. ¡°I was wondering if¡ªif next time, you and Alec


    would f**k me¡­at the same time.¡±


    Just a flicker of dark surprise crossed Kade¡¯s face before a purely male expression of wicked


    amusement formed.


    ¡°You want both of our c***s inside of you? D***y little mate.¡± He cooed, pulling a few inches out of me,


    only to thrust home.


    The moan that left my lips was one I had never heard before, a sound I could¡¯ve have held back even if


    I tried.


    Just as Kade opened his mouth to speak again, the shrill sound of a cellphone rang throughout the


    bathroom. The two of us collectively groaned in frustration. Without removing himself from my body,


    Kade reached over and snatched his phone from where it sat on the edge of the tub. The frustration


    that had once lingered on his face vanished as he looked at the screen.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see how Alec feels about your little request.¡± He chuckled, turning the screen of his phone


    towards the mirror.


    In bright white font the name ¡°Alec¡± shed.


    ¡°Brother.¡± Kade drawled,zily. He ced the phone on speaker and set it on the edge of the bathtub,


    turning his smoldering attention back on me.


    ¡°We found something interesting about white wolves. Can you and Aurora meet us at Garrett¡¯s in an


    hour?¡± Alec¡¯s voice sounded from the phone, and I could hear the poorly subdued frustration in his


    words, most likely from dealing with Julian and Garrett.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Kade replied, short and crisp.


    As if on cue, Kade slid his length from my bottom before thrusting forward once more. Hisrge hand


    tangled itself in my hair and pulled my head back. My back arched and a gasp left my lips. My core


    throbbed and ached with every thrust Kade made, desperately begging for release. I felt myself clench


    around him, and savored the delicious groan that left his lips.


    ¡°Is that Aurora¡¯s little whimpers I hear?¡± Alec¡¯s tone held a hint of surprise, but ended on a note of pure


    desire.


    Kade chuckled, ¡°Say hello, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Alec.¡± I murmured, my voice low and husky.


    Kade chose that moment to thrust again, making me yelp as Alec¡¯s name left my lips.


    ¡°Well, I seemed to have called at a bad time.¡± He chuckled, but his voice had grown a few octaves


    lower.


    I could practically feel his desire through the phone, feel his love and longing.


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve called at the perfect time.¡± Kade chuckled, ¡°Our little mate has a request for us.¡±


    While one of Kade¡¯s hands was tangled in my hair, the other reached forward and brushed against my


    swollen c**t. I jerked against his c**k, whimpering pitifully. I was so horribly turned on, and the sound of


    Alec¡¯s heavy breaths only increased my arousal.


    ¡°What might that be?¡± Alec responded, his voice low and raspy.


    ¡°Aurora would like to know if we could both f**k her at the same time. As of right now, I have her tight


    little a*s wrapped around my c**k.¡± Kade growled, slipping a finger inside of my p***y. He curled his


    finger inside of me, hitting something that nearly brought on an earth-shattering o****m.


    Alec¡¯s snarl sounded at the same time as my near-screaming moan.


    The insides of my thighs were slick with my arousal, and I shook from the fire that raced through my


    veins. If I thought this felt incredible, I knew I would lose all sense if I had both Alec and Kade deep


    within me.


    The phone went silent for a few moments before Alec finally answered.


    ¡°F**k, I wish I was there.¡± Alec groaned, a sound of pure pain. ¡°Keep me on the phone, I want to hear


    when shees.


    ¡°Somehow, I thought you¡¯d feel that way.¡± Kade chuckled, but the sound was strained with the pleasure


    that rocked through him. He turned his attention back on me, and my body quivered under his dark


    gaze. ¡°Tell me how you want me to f**k you, sweetheart.¡±


    I needed it, I needed it so bad. I wanted the pain that apanied the pleasure; the pain that


    heightened everything. I wanted to be left a shaking mess, feeling his warmth leak from within me.


    ¡°F**k me hard¡ª¡° I gasped, my voice taking on a pathetic whine. ¡°Please, Kade. I need it, I need it so


    bad.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t a clue what I was getting myself into, not a single clue. I had limited experience with normal


    s*x, and this¡ªthis was an entirely new experience.


    Kade¡¯s snarl echoed throughout the bathroom, an animalistic sound that filled me with both


    nervousness and excitement. At my approval, Kade unleashed himself onto me. The sound of flesh


    against flesh filled the bathroom, paired with my shrill moans and whimpers. The sounds that came


    from me¡ªI had never heard anything like them. I had never thought myself capable of those sounds.


    Kade was even worse, snarling and grunting as he mmed his c**k inside of my a*s. His fingers


    worked against my c**t, snaking in my entrance and touching every part of me they could.


    I couldn¡¯t hear Alec on the phone, but I knew without a doubt he was listening intently; that he was


    memorizing and savoring every scream that left my lips.


    I could hear Kade mumbling incoherently in my ear,pletely taken over by the same pleasure that


    rattled through me.


    ¡°Come for me, sweetheart.¡± He hissed, pushing his thumb against my c**t. ¡°F**k, Aurora¡ªyou¡¯re so


    f*****g tight.¡±


    The deep rasp of his voice struck me as deep as his length, and within seconds the pleasure that


    quaked through me reached its tipping point. Kade¡¯s name tore through my lips on a scream, and I


    shook as my core clenched and unclenched. Kade felt like steel inside of me, and I whimpered when


    his hot seed filled me, savoring every pulse of his c**k.


    ¡°She can have whatever she wants.¡± Alec finally responded; his voice low. I could hear his heavy


    breaths on the other end, and wondered what he had been doing while listening in on us. ¡°She¡¯s got us


    wrapped around her little finger, Kade.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    We met up with Garrett, Julian and Alec just an hourter. Between Alec¡¯s heated nces and Kade¡¯s


    comforting touches, it was hard to take the situation seriously. I invited Tori to join, no longer keeping


    her at an arm¡¯s length.


    Tori acted as a body guard of sorts. Alec and Kade had assigned her to me shortly after the rogue


    incident, which I found somewhat surprising. Oddly sexist of me, but I didn¡¯t expect Tori to be such a


    skilled warrior. She had fought in the battle with the rogues, but I hadn¡¯t taken the time to notice. My


    eyes had been only for Alec and Kade that horrible day.


    Every time I thought about my life in this pack, I found myself astounded. I had gone from trusting no


    one to finally having a family of my own. I trusted Tori, Alec and Kade with my life. I only trusted Garrett


    and Julian due to their mutual agreement on keeping me alive. Both needed an heir to their pack¡¯s, and


    unfortunately, that was me.


    We met up in Alec and Kade¡¯s house, using one of the many rooms I hadn¡¯t yet ventured into. This one


    wasrge and open, and office of sorts. Arge table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by


    swiveling office chairs. A fewrge maps were pinned to the walls, highlighting our territory and the


    surrounding packs.


    I could now see what Garrett and Julian were talking about. Both of theirnd was pinned directly under


    Alec and Kade¡¯s, making it impossible for them to expand their territory.


    I hadn¡¯t talked it over with Alec and Kade yet, but I was beginning to think of a solution for that problem.


    Once we took over Julian and Garrett¡¯s packs, all of the territory would be lumped together. There


    would be more than enough room to disperse some of the citizens, and possibly expand our own


    territory North.


    Julian and Garrett were the first to arrive, both looking a little worse for wear. While Garrett and Alec


    were looking for more information on my abilities, Julian was looking into the rogue a****k. My gut was


    telling me there had been something more that caused the a****k. It was the first I had seen, and


    hopefully thest, but the scale of the a****k¡ªit had beenrger than I thought possible. I shuddered atThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    the thought, wondering what an all-out war between werewolves would look like.


    Garrett stood against the edge of the circr table, his palms t against the cold surface. His


    eyebrows were bunched together, and his lips were pressed in a thin line. Julian looked nearly the


    same, and even Alec had a frustrated expression on his face, which smoothed out a bit once I walked


    into the room.


    As much as I wanted to stand and feign strength, my muscles were aching bitterly. I plopped down in


    one of the chairs, thankful Kade sat in the one beside me. Alec didn¡¯t bother sitting, but leaned against


    the table to the right of me, looking like a male model with his shirt sleeves bunched at the elbows and


    his hair skillfully tousled. Even frustrated, he was incredibly alluring.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get on with it then.¡± Garrett grumbled, caring little about formalities once the Twin¡¯s parents


    made their way into the spare room. All eyes turned to Garrett¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve found next to nothing, but I


    haven¡¯t extinguished my resources yet. I have a few friends at the High Table who might be swayed to


    our side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you found a little more than nothing.¡± Alec grunted, shing Garrett a quick re.


    ¡°It means nothing.¡± Garrett snapped, much unlike his usual well-kept self.


    The heavy emotions in the room were beginning to give me a headache. Julian, Garrett, and Alec were


    all frustrated, but emotions weren¡¯t that simple. They were oftenyered, sometimes mixed with one


    another. While Garrett was frustrated, he was also anxious and worried. Alec¡¯s emotions mirrored


    Garrett¡¯s down to thest drop. Whatever they had learned, it was something to worry over.


    ¡°Garrett, tell us what you know.¡± Kade grunted, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Garrett¡¯s eyes


    snapped over to Kade, flickering with annoyance. It was still strange to see myself reflected in those


    eyes, to know that I had gotten that trait from Garrett. ¡°Any information helps.¡±


    ¡°White wolves were much more prominent a couple hundred years ago. It seems hunting them to near


    extinction has caused a¡ªdecline in white wolves. Who would have thought?¡± Garrett scoffed dryly,


    ¡°The abilities were paired into categories. Those who weren¡¯t a threat, were usually allowed to live¡ªso


    long as they didn¡¯t rustle the waters, so to speak.


    ¡°There¡¯s more information about the peaceful abilities. Speaking to animals, increased knowledge,


    controlling nature. All seemingly non-threatening abilities. The next tier had even less information.


    Levitation, telekinesis, weather control. Dangerous, but not the worst of the bunch. Those wolves were


    either controlled, or put to d***h.¡± Alec picked up where Garrett had left off, running a hand over the


    lower half of his face. ¡°The highest tier only had a few names, most of which made no sense¡ªexcept


    for one.


    ¡°We have no proof that Aurora is what they speak of.¡± Garrett grunted, wiping the emotion from his face


    as though he had forgotten my strange abilities.


    What I felting from him was fear, only solidifying the fact that Garrett cared for me in some strange


    way. Love wasn¡¯t perfect, nor was it always healthy and pure. Whatever Garrett felt for me, it wasn¡¯t


    only because I was his daughter. That kind of love was selfish, but did that make it meaningless? I


    wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we don¡¯t. Either way, we¡¯re not keeping this from her.¡± Alec snapped, not bothering to hide


    his anger and general dislike towards Garrett. Alec turned his eyes to me, and I felt that sh offort


    settles over my weary bones. ¡°There wasn¡¯t much, but the passage talked about fire-starters and


    something they liked to call an emotional leech.¡±


    ¡°An emotional leech?¡± I scoffed, somehow managing to feel offended at the term.


    Sure, my abilities had to do with emotions, but to call me a leech¡ªI wasn¡¯t sure I agreed with that.


    ¡®Well, what you did during the battle was kind of what a leech does.¡¯ Thalia chimed in, not at all caring


    about the crude term. ¡®You sucked all those terrible emotions from everyone and gave it back to them.


    Hence the term, emotional leech.¡¯


    ¡®Fine, you¡¯re right about that part, but that¡¯s the only time I feed off of emotions.¡¯ I grunted defensively,


    ¡®I¡¯m not feeding off their emotions right now, am I? If anything, they¡¯re all beginning to give me a


    headache.¡¯


    The amount of frustration and pent-up dislike reminded me of the skittering feeling that came when an


    insect crawled over your skin. I continued shifting in my seat as the boiling emotions rolled across my


    skin, setting my teeth on edge. The only thing that took the bitter bite off of the emotions was Alec¡¯s


    gentle touch. His lips were tipped down, and concern radiated from his very pores.


    ¡°While the name is a bit crude, it somewhat fits.¡± Alec frowned, standing from the edge of the table as


    he sat in one of the office chairs and pulled me into hisp.


    The love that emanated from him felt like being wrapped in a thick nket, one that chased away the


    other harsh emotions battering my mind.


    ¡°Crude?¡± Tori snorted under her breath, ¡°More like ignorant. Of course, men would criticize something


    they know little about. Better to just k**l them all off then actually try and understand them.¡±


    ¡°Not all were needlessly k****d off, child. White wolves were brought into the world to help bring peace,


    but many were sucked into wars started by Alpha¡¯s.¡± Garrett grunted, fixing Tori with a sour look. He


    nced my way as he spoke these next words, bringing on a re of my own. ¡°Power corrupts.


    Absolute power corrupts absolutely.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Aurora¡¯s power will corrupt her?¡± Tori scoffed, shaking her head at Garrett. ¡°Forgive me,


    Alpha, but you¡¯re full of s**t. Even a blind person could tell she¡¯d make a great Luna. If anyone can


    handle that kind of power, she can. Besides, she has me¡ªand the twins, of course.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, many of the Alpha¡¯s at the High Table will want her d**d. Better safe than sorry, in their


    case.¡± Garrett snarled under his breath.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s your job to convince your friends to join our side.¡± Kade chimed in, his voice a deep baritone


    that echoed across the room.


    ¡°Alpha Grayson might not be on the High Table any more, but I still consider him a good friend.


    Perhaps he could help sway some of the others.¡± The Twin¡¯s Dad mused.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Alec nodded, turning his gaze to Julian, who had remained silent for this entire


    ordeal. ¡°What did you find out regarding the rogue a****k?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± Julian frowned, and the tension in the room seemed to ripple tenfold. Noticing the


    confused expression on my face, he turned his eyes my way and continued. ¡°Typically, after a rogue


    a****k, there will be talk amongst the packs. Rogue¡¯s rarely ever do anything quietly. I¡¯ve spoken with


    every surrounding pack, and none have seen a single rogue.¡±


    ¡°They were all concentrated on our pack.¡± Kade muttered darkly, his eyes flickering over to where I sat


    on his brother¡¯sp. ¡°This was orchestrated by someone. Have you heard word of any of the other


    Alpha¡¯s nning something like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard nothing, not a single whisper.¡± Julian sighed, ¡°Many of my pack members have family within


    the roguemunities. They have suffered many losses.¡±


    ¡°They remain loyal to your pack?¡± Kade asked without caution, and Julian¡¯s face soured at the


    question.


    ¡°Of course. Where the rogues live without rules, they alsock discipline and protection. I offer them


    that protection, give them a safe life¡ªone where they can find their mates and have families. None


    would ever betray me, that I am certain of.¡± Julian responded icily. ¡°Speaking of which, I would


    appreciate my pack member back¡ªthe one I sent to retrieve Aurora. I hear he¡¯s been sitting away in


    your dungeons.¡±


    ¡°I think Justin¡¯s release should be Aurora¡¯s decision, don¡¯t you?¡± Kade remarked, the corners of his lips


    twitching.


    As much as I wanted to hold a grudge against Julian¡¯s poor decision, feeling the emotions of others


    gave rity to many situations. For example, all I could feel from Julian was concern. He was worried


    about Justin, worried about the family that missed him. That alone was enough to force my hand, to


    reassure myself that I was making the right decision.


    ¡°Let him go.¡± I nodded, not once breaking eye contact from Julian.


    ¡°Thank you, Aurora.¡± Julian nodded, his voice steady and genuine.


    ¡°Do something like that again, and it¡¯ll be you sitting in the dungeons.¡± I warned, speaking with more


    false bravado than anything else.


    Kade let out a boomingugh, one that nearly made me jump. Tori¡¯s quiet chuckle was next. Even


    Julian¡¯s lips had twitched into a smile. The only one who remained solemn was Garrett.


    I was horribly tired, and the emotions flitting around the room were only making it worse. As our


    meeting came to an end, I was more than excited for a little one on one time with both of the twins.


    They were the brief break from the emotional barrage that pounded my mind, like the calm within the


    storm.


    Tori, it seemed, had other ns in mind. She wanted a few more hours of training, insisting I learn a


    few more basicbat moves. More than anything, I was thankful she didn¡¯t drag me back out to the


    gym. The twins had a small gym of their own in the house, one that would suit our needs just fine.


    As Alec and Kade sauntered into the basement gym, I found myself feeling horribly self-conscious. It


    wasn¡¯t a secret that I had little to no knowledge of defending myself. You¡¯d think dealing with Frank


    would make me want to learn to defend myself, but I never had the resources to try that route.


    My self-consciousness went out the window the moment Alec and Kade added their own advice into


    the mix. The three of them showed me how to disarm an enemy, whether they held a gun or knife.


    Kade showed me a few moves I could use should anyone sneak up behind me. It was much easier


    training with Tori, if I were being honest. Every time the twin¡¯s pressed up against me, their strong


    hands on my waist or arms, well¡ªit made it hard to focus on what they were saying.


    An hour turned into three, and I was practically swaying on my feet by the time we finished. The sun


    had set in the sky, and night now reined. I watched from the living room window as Tori jogged down


    the street and over to her house. Before I could get a word in, I was scooped into a familiar set of arms.


    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s had a long day.¡± Alec chuckled, letting out a low growl as I nuzzled my face into


    the crook of his neck. A heavy shudder seemed to work its way up his spine, and his fingers tightened


    around my waist.


    ¡°Think we should mention it to her now?¡± Kade¡¯s voice sounded distant. I tried my hardest to listen, but


    my eyelids were so, so heavy. My entire body felt made of lead, and I cherished the weightless bliss of


    being held in Alec¡¯s arms. ¡°They¡¯ll expect us to be marked when we arrive.¡±


    ¡°Not right now. Something tells me she¡¯s not listening anyway.¡± Alec chuckled, brushing some sweat-


    coated hair from my forehead. ¡°It¡¯s going to be harder for her, having two mates. One Alpha¡¯s mark is


    bad enough.¡±


    ¡°If anyone can handle it, Aurora can.¡± Kade grumbled sincerely.


    While I picked up every word, my sleep infested brain thought them useless and chucked them aside. I


    didn¡¯t feel the plush bed beneath my back as I was set down, nor did I feel them pulling my socks and


    shoes off. I did, however, feelfort wash over my every aching muscle when the two of them slipped


    into bed beside me.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    The following week was a painful orchestra of sore muscles, lingering headaches, loads of sweat, and


    those horrible protein shake¡¯s Tori insisted on making. If I had to taste another one of those disgusting


    shakes, I might very well explode. Tori had been right though; they were good for my body; no matter


    how much my taste buds revolted.


    A week of strenuous training hadn¡¯t turned me into a cold-blooded warrior, but I could at least


    somewhat defend myself. I would most likely balk when it came to fighting another werewolf, but I was


    confident I could handle a regr human with ease. Shifting had sped up my body¡¯s natural processes,


    giving me faster results than a human would normally see. While I wasn¡¯t coated in thick bands of


    muscle, my thin frame had filled out more. My stomach had hardened, giving the hint of muscles


    beneath my pasty skin. My legs, which had once been feather thin, were now firm.


    Alec and Kade seemed enamored with the changes on the lower half of my body, meaning my legs and


    bottom. Both took every spare moment they could to appreciate the changes, and while I feigned


    annoyance at the constant smacks and pinches, I secretly held them dear.


    The only constion was those precious moments I managed to snag with the Twins. Those were the


    reprieve in between the strenuous training, and constant aching muscles.


    Garrett had gotten word from his friends at the High Table, most of which were most interested in


    meeting me. I wouldn¡¯t fool myself into thinking anything of it. If anything, I felt like some kind of


    spectacle; like a wild animal that must be deem fit to coexist in society, or else it would be put down.


    The thought infuriated both Thalia and I, who insisted she was less wild animal and more graceful


    beast.


    Garrett hadn¡¯t found anything further on the whole ¡®emotional leech¡¯ topic. His friends at the High Table,


    which I was beginning to believe weren¡¯t friends at all, wanted to meet me before searching their


    archives for the information. If my abilities were truly as deadly as they seemed, I had a strong inkling


    many of the Alpha¡¯s would vote against my life. It was almost funny, in a sad and sadistic way. A group


    of middle-aged men would gather to vote on my life. My life?


    Even as that twinge of anxiety continued to grow in my gut, I trusted Alec and Kade implicitly. They


    insisted k*****g an Alpha¡¯s mate was forbidden, but both doubted that would hold the High Table


    Alpha¡¯s back. Regardless, we had three pack¡¯s fighting for me. That afforded me a great deal of


    comfort, when I wasn¡¯t worrying over the lives lost in my name.


    As the weekend drew near, that twinge in my gut continued to grow. I had thisst weekend; these two


    days would be thest of the life I had grown ustomed to. Come Monday, everything would change.


    Either I would somehow manage to earn my life, or there would be war.


    It was a far cry from where I had been months ago, living under the thumb of Melissa and Frank. I


    wanted nothing more than to escape, to forge my own connections and build a life of my own. I had


    everything I ever wanted¨Cand then some.


    We were all set to leave Monday. Where? I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask. Garrett, Julian, Alec, Kade, the


    Twin¡¯s parents, and even Tori wereing. I knew we were bringing along a number of warriors, and


    wondered how we¡¯d transport everyone. I couldn¡¯t imagine all of us boarding a flight like normal people.


    While I was nervous about Monday rolling around, it wasn¡¯t the only thing I had on my te. This


    Sunday, the Twins were holding a ceremony. The ceremony would officially name me Luna of their


    pack. I was frightful of the responsibility, but their words of encouragement helped still that fear. I wasn¡¯t


    sure if I were Luna material. Regardless, I would face my fear this time. I was proud to say that running


    was no longer an option in my mind, only a cowardly escape.


    As I slipped on my workout outfit Friday morning, Alec and Kade stepped into the bedroom. They had


    been leaving early in the morning, getting everything set for us to leave Monday. I had expected to see


    Tori, who insisted on arriving at the crack of dawn. The two of them looked incredible, wearing clothes


    that somewhat matched but also held little differences that showcased their own personalities.


    Kade wore a dark leather jacket, a white t-shirt and a pair of torn jeans. He frequently wore a pair of


    thickbat books, looking exactly like some kind of jacked motorcyclist. Alec dressed a bit more


    professional, wearing a button-down shirt that he kept rolled up to his elbows. Both had gotten their hair


    trimmed a week ago, in a near identical style. Shaved short on the sides and longer on the top. Kade¡¯s


    hair seemed to grow like a weed, and those long strands now tickled just above his eyebrow.


    ¡°Are you two joining me for training today?¡± I asked, quirking an eyebrow at the two of them. I crossed


    my arms over my chest, ignoring how my b*****s lifted in the sports bra. I was feeling particrly catty


    this morning, and smirked at the two jaw-dropping twins that stood in the bedroom. ¡°I could show you


    what I¡¯ve learned. If I beat you both, does that mean I get the title of Alpha?¡±


    My bait worked, though not as intended. Alec and Kade locked eyes for the briefest of moments. Kade


    snickered and shed me a sinful grin, while Alec tutted and shook his head.


    My reflexes had gotten faster since training with Tori, and I managed to react as Alec lunged for me. I


    darted to the side, clipping into the dresser as he tumbled onto the bed. I let out an embarrassing


    cackle as he rolled across the bed and onto the floor, taking a few pillows with him.


    Myugh turned into a throaty yelp as Kade wrapped his arms around my torso and flipped me over his


    shoulder. I was thrown onto the bed like a sack of flour. Before I could even think of my next move, Alec


    leaped on top of me. His knees were on either side of my hips, and he pinned my hands above my


    head with an amused grin.


    I thrashed in his grip when he leaned forward, letting the longer strands of his hair tickle my nose. My


    heart thundered and the sparks that danced along my skin felt very simr to an adrenaline rush.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s feisty this morning.¡± Alec cooed, his head tilting to the side, ¡°Perhaps our little mate


    doesn¡¯t deserve her gift. What do you think, brother?¡±


    ¡°Mm, speak for yourself. I like them feisty.¡± Kade murmured, his arms crossed over his broad chest.


    Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as he gave me a quick wink, running his lower lip in between his


    teeth.


    ¡°I think Alec likes them feisty too.¡± I cooed back, moving my hips in a way that grazed against the


    hardness between his legs.


    ¡°That is because of you, doll.¡± Alec smirked, leaning close. I could smell the remnants of toothpaste on


    his breath, cold and minty. It had my mouth watering without cause. My tongue darted over my dry lips,


    and Alec tracked the movement with darkened eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop that, you certainly won¡¯t get your


    gift.¡±


    ¡°Does my gift include the two of you?¡± I asked boldly, even though my face flushed an irritating shade


    of red.


    Kade¡¯s deep chuckle danced down my spine in a sea of tingles, spreading to my legs and far between.


    I had noints about skipping my workout with Tori and having a different sort of workout with the


    twin¡¯s.


    ¡°So insatiable.¡± Alec purred, looking towards his brother, whose heavy gaze was set on the rapid rise


    and fall of my chest.


    ¡°Been eager to get the two of us alone, sweetheart?¡± Kade remarked, his eyes shing with what I


    hoped was dark excitement. ¡°Are you sure you can handle us both?¡±


    All of the air rushed from my lungs when one of Alec¡¯s hands drifted lower, delving in the waistband of


    my leggings. My legs trembled as his knuckle drifted over the thin pair of underwear I wore before


    brushing them aside. His finger grazed over my core before slipping from my pants entirely. I was left


    with a painful throb between my legs and the bitter tinge of temptation and disappointment.


    ¡°She¡¯s more than excited to try.¡± Alec mused, eyeing the wetness on his fingers before popping one in


    his mouth. His eyes closed and a low growl sounded from his lips as he licked the wetness from his


    fingers. The reaction my body had was instant, and I swore I had never seen anything hotter than that.


    Alec leaned forward; his lips inched from my own before smirking softly. ¡°As much as we¡¯d love to


    spend the day ravaging you, if we don¡¯t leave now, we won¡¯t make it untilte tonight.¡±


    That certainly grabbed my attention, taking some of the burning lust from my eyes and recing it with


    confusion.


    ¡°What? Are we going somewhere?¡± I asked, my eyes darting between Alec and Kade.


    I had to give it to the two of them, neither gave anything away. Both looked at me nkly, though their


    lips twitched into identical smiles that made my heart throb.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think your gift was here, did you?¡± Alec chuckled, releasing his hold on me and standing


    from the bed.


    I took his out stretched hand and sighed blissfully as I was swept into his embrace. His lips found mine


    feverishly, his tongue delving in to s****e my own. He tasted of mint and fresh water, his scent purely


    male and equally intoxicating. My head swam as his teeth grazed over the plumpness of my lower lip. I


    was still somewhat dazed when Kade took his turn, wrapping those thick arms around my body tightly. I


    was enveloped in his warmth and devoured by those plush lips. Where Alec met my nibbles and licks,


    Kade tookplete control. He battled my tongue for dominance and won every time. Kissing them


    was like drowning, though I had never been this happy to d***n in my life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll have plenty of time to devour you once we get there.¡± Kade hummed against my lips,


    giving my waist a rough squeeze.


    I was still in a partially lust induced haze when I followed Alec and Kade to one of the many cars sitting


    in their driveway. I smiled softly as Alec held open the passenger door for me, and swatted my hands


    away as he buckled my seatbelt. I was beginning to notice little things about the twins, how they


    enjoyed doing the simplest tasks for me. They would bring me dinner before themselves, draw baths


    for me, and even gather my d***y clothes for the wash. They noticed the small things themselves, like


    how I loved the feeling of fresh sheets beneath my skin. There hadn¡¯t been a single night where the


    sheets weren¡¯t freshly cleaned. Even if it were their house keepers doing the washing, it was at the


    request of Alec and Kade.


    I thought about the two of them the entire drive, and lost count of how long we had been on the road.


    We stopped a few times for bathroom breaks, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh when Alec came out of the


    gas station with a few bags full of random snacks.


    I was near shaking with excitement when Alec whipped out a blindfold and tied it behind my head. They


    had promised we were nearly there, but neither wanted to ruin the surprise.


    I could hear the heavy crunch of loose gravel beneath the tires of the sedan, and nearly toppled over


    as I leaped from the car.


    ¡°Slow down, doll.¡± Alecughed, steadying me with his rough hands.


    The sound was intoxicating, echoing around us. It was augh free of the weight we had all been


    experiencing this past week.


    As my sight was blocked by the scratchy fabric of the blindfold, my other senses worked in overtime. I


    could smell damp earth and fresh water, could smell the sweet sap that came from many of the trees inCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    town. Birds chattering rang out through the air, and I knew we were in a forest of sorts.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I gasped as Kade pulled the blindfold from my head.


    We stood out front of a huge cabin. The wood on the outside was somewhat red in color, andrge


    floor-to-ceiling windows gave me a glimpse at the luxurious inside of the cabin. Arge wrap around


    porch clung to the outside of the house, overlooking a long dock, and a crystal-clearke. Trees


    surrounded us and the cabin, filling the air with the sweet scent of sap and pine.


    My eyes devoured the sights, taking in every single detail around me. The twin¡¯s remained silent the


    entire time, letting me absorb everything. When I turned to face the twins, their cheeks were stained


    pink and their face¡¯s held identical looks of nervousness and hope.


    ¡°It¡¯s only until Monday, but we figured you could use a break.¡± Alec broke the silence, his hand toying


    with the hair on the back of his neck. The sheepish expression on his face made my heart clench.


    I ruthlessly charged at the twin¡¯s and threw myself into their arms, smiling so hard that my face ached.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect, I absolutely love it.¡± Iughed, and both looked relieved and ted at my joy. The smile on


    my face faltered for just a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes with me though.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, sweetheart.¡± Kade grinned, an expression I knew meant trouble.


    ¡°We took the liberty of packing your clothes for you.¡± Alec chimed in, his eyes darting over to Kade¡¯s as


    a smirk formed on his face.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    The inside of the cabin matched the outside. It looked as though it had been plucked from one of those


    home improvement TV shows Tori loved to watch. Judging from the kitchen with its stacked oven¡¯s,


    touch-screen refrigerator, and mini bar area, it was most certainly a luxury cabin.


    The interior held earthy tones, mostly browns and a few different shades of red. The sectional in the


    center of the cabin was big enough for an entire family, and the t-screen mountain to the far wall was


    the biggest I had ever seen. Plush pillows sat on the sectional, and I resisted the urge to throw myself


    onto them, happy to sink into the soft material. I ogled at the brick firece and the hand carved mantle


    that sat above it, grinning when I spotted a few framed pictures of the twin¡¯s and their parents.


    They looked like the picture-perfect family, and for once, there was no twinge of pain in my chest. I was


    happy the twins had this incredible life, that they were surrounded with people who loved and


    respected them. Just because I had a crappy upbringing, doesn¡¯t mean I wished it on anyone else.


    Alec and Kade stood in front of their parents, s**t-eating grins on their faces which made me wonder


    what they had previously gotten into before taking the photographs. Their parents shared a look in one


    photo, a look that told me they knew exactly what Alec and Kade had gotten into. It was silly and kind


    of cheesy, but cheesy in a way that makes it more sentimental.


    Alec cleared his throat, and when I turned around, the two of them were just a few feet away. Both


    were frowning as they caught me looking at their family photos. ¡°We can never understand what you


    went through, living with Melissa and Frank, but you¡¯ll never have to experience that again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never have to want for anything, and you¡¯ll never have to live in a shithole like that again.


    Whatever you need, you¡¯ll have it.¡± Kade continued, a look of equal sincerity on his rugged face. It was


    incredibly alluring, to have two strong men with a soft spot for me. Only I got to see them like this,


    vulnerable and intimate.


    In their emotions, I could taste the sharp tang of guilt and knew they both punished themselves for the


    way I was treated. I couldn¡¯t ce a single ounce of me on their shoulders. I had kept my treatment


    a secret, thinking there was no one to help, no one that cared. I even kept the whole Grace ordeal a


    secret. I hadn¡¯t a clue what secret world lived beneath my own, and if anything¡ªI regretted not


    speaking up sooner.


    Their whirlpool of emotions had tears springing to my eyes, which I furiously blinked back. I had never


    been a fan of crying in front of others, no matter howfortable I was with said person. Crying¡ªit


    made you vulnerable in a way that made me ufortable.


    Mistaking my sudden rush of tears, the twin¡¯s shifted on their feet. I let out a garbled chuckle. The two


    of them, they didn¡¯t know how to handle a crying female, it made them anxious. Two towering warriors,


    brought to their knees over their emotional mate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t cry, sweetheart.¡± Kade grumbled, his dark brows knitted tightly together. I stepped into


    their arms, a hidden smile on my face as I stole their warmth and scents.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± Alec chimed in, his rough hand brushing the stray hairs back from my


    face.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t upset me.¡± I giggled, quickly swiping at the stray tear that managed to escape my eye. Once


    I was sure all traces of tears were gone from my gaze, I looked up at the two of my beautiful mates.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªreally lucky to have you both. I don¡¯t want you ming yourselves. None of it is your fault. I


    kept it a secret because I didn¡¯t think anyone could help.¡±


    ¡°We could¡¯ve told you the truth, doll.¡± Alec shook his head, his lips set in determination that only made


    me pull him closer. ¡°We could¡¯ve told you the truth and put a stop to it all.¡±


    ¡°If you had told me the truth, I still would¡¯ve run. Especially if you pressured me into going with you


    both.¡± I told the two of them honestly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready for the truth. I think¡ªI think Garrett did me a favor


    by telling me. I needed to decide what I wanted for myself, and the two of you let me do that. You gave


    me a choice. That¡¯s more than anyone else has ever done for me.¡±


    I stayed locked in their arms until the bitter edge of their guilt faded. It would neverpletely vanish,


    that much I was certain of. A part of them, no matter how small, would always me themselves for


    how I was treated. All that mattered is that I reminded them of the truth. They had no hand in my


    treatment, but they had a hand in my saving. The human life I had lived was wrought with danger,


    constantly tip-toeing around Melissa and Frank, waiting for the day Frank got the upper hand. This life,


    while it is just as dangerous, is beautiful. No life is perfect, but it¡¯s the ws of the people you love who


    make it more authentic¡ªwho make it worth living.


    ¡°While I¡¯m not opposed to keeping you in our arms all day, I think you should check out the bedroom.¡±


    Alec murmured, his chuckle tickling my ear and making me shudder. ¡°The second part of your gift is in


    there.¡±


    As I looked into his eyes, I couldn¡¯t mistake the sh of hunger that lingered in those dark orbs. That


    same sh was mirrored in Kade¡¯s eyes, but I knew they were being patient.


    ¡°Upstairs, down the hall. It¡¯s the first door on your left.¡± Kade chimed in, giving me a gentle push. ¡°We¡¯ll


    have dinner ready by the time youe down.¡±


    ¡°Do you two have any ws?¡± I snorted, stopping halfway up the stairs. Both cocked a dark eyebrow in


    my direction, and my insides fluttered at the identical smirks that formed on their faces. ¡°Cooking and


    cleaning? I¡¯m one lucky Luna.¡±


    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re ordering pizza.¡± Alec chuckled, shing me a smile that was all teeth. ¡°We¡¯ll save the


    cooking for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to thank your mom sometime.¡± I snickered, poking my tongue out at the two of them.


    ¡°She raised the two of you right.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t.¡± Alec groaned. The twin¡¯s shared an incredulous look with one another before turning


    back to me. ¡°She¡¯ll never let us hear the end of it.¡±


    ¡°You might want to get up there, sweetheart. Your gift won¡¯t appreciate waiting so long.¡± Kade called


    out, waltzing into the kitchen.


    As heavy confusion settled over my face, I was given no exnation other than an innocent grin, which


    looked quite humorous on Kade¡¯s face.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I wandered down therge hallways until I found the room I was looking for. As I slipped inside the


    bedroom, I was met with the thick smell of cinnamon and leaves.


    ¡°Oh wow.¡± I cooed, murmuring to Thalia and myself. ¡°Think we can convince them to move here?¡±


    ¡®You have my vote.¡¯ Thalia shrugged, ¡®Huge Forest surrounding the cabin, great for running.¡¯


    The master bedroom was a huge rectangr room with maroon walls and dark hardwood floors. The


    four-poster bed sat on a raised tform with a few stairs leading up the side. ck silken sheets and


    pillow cases along with a furryforter. I knew that once I curled up in that bed, I¡¯d be out within


    moments. Thankfully, the bed wasrger than most, and I knew the three of us would fit just fine.


    Underneath the bed was a plush, shag carpet. Against the far wall was a fully stocked bar, countless


    decanters sat with crystal tops. An identical firece jutted out of the other wall, this one free of family


    photos and knickknacks.


    Along the left-hand wall were a set of double doors, which I learned led to an equally immacte


    bathroom. I wandered over to thest door in the bedroom, pulling it open to stare into a walk-in closet.


    The closet was bigger than my bedroom at Melissa and Frank¡¯s, fully stocked with both men¡¯s and


    women¡¯s clothing.


    As I trailed my fingers along the hangers that spanned the closet, I stiffened when something rustled


    behind me.


    Despite training for an entire week, I had yet to actually use what I had learned. I¡¯m embarrassed to


    say, I failed this test.


    A pair of hands grabbed at my shoulders from behind, and I whirled with an open mouth, to face Tori.


    The h****r-movie scream that left my mouth was one that I¡¯d always remember, one that would bring a


    horrible blush to my face.


    It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t know how to defend myself, but I¡¯m not some trained warrior. I don¡¯t have finely


    tuned instincts that tell me to a****k first and ask questionster. Besides, who really expects to get


    attacked in a walk-in closet? Not me, for sure.


    My hand flew up to my chest as my stomach tickled with surprise. I had always hated the feeling you


    get when someone jumps out at you. Too many run-ins with Frank to find the feeling amusing, but I


    didn¡¯t me Tori for that.


    ¡°What the h**l, Aurora!¡± Tori shouted; her hands raised in exasperation. Her face was a bit pink, and


    her fiery hair was falling out of the ponytail she had it in. Her green and brown-flecked eyes were wide


    as my ear-splitting scream came to a warbled halt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t what the h**l me!¡± I snapped back, still heaving from the scare. ¡°You¡¯re the one who jumped out


    at me! What did you expect?¡±


    ¡°I expected you to use your training! You never know when someone might try to a****k you.¡± Tori


    groaned, a hand against her forehead. The severity of her expression quickly morphed into amusement


    as she threw her head back and cackled like a wench. ¡°I guess you can just scream at them! H**l, that


    would make any warrior hesitate for a moment. With that scream, you could star in a h****r movie. S**t,


    I¡¯d watch it.¡±


    ¡°Is this supposed to be my surprise?¡± I demanded when Alec and Kade sauntered into the room.


    Neither one looked surprised at my outburst, though their lips twitched as they fought back a smirk. I


    pinched the bridge of my nose as I looked at the three of them.


    While I appreciated them trying to hide their amusement, I could feel their emotions. Alec was near-


    bursting withughter, while Kade was a bit more skilled at hiding his emotions. Neither one felt any


    fear at my sudden scream, which led me to believe that Tori was my surprise after all.


    ¡°Apart from training, we¡¯ve hardly had any time to just hang out.¡± She shrugged, stepping out of the


    closet before I could think better and lock her in. She shed a narrow-eyed look at the twin¡¯s and


    crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would take you two so d**n long to send her up here. I


    got so bored; I was about to start trying on clothes. We¡¯re you having a three-some or something?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer that.¡± I snapped, just as Alec opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Are you angry with us, doll?¡± He asked instead, giving into the temptation and letting his lips morph


    into an amused grin.


    ¡°No.¡± I huffed, my eyes darting over to Tori. ¡°Did you really have to jump out at me?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to see how fast your reflexes were.¡± She shrugged, as though it were a usible response.


    ¡°It seems her reflexes are quite fast. At least, her voice is.¡± Kademented, and I swear, my eye


    began to twitch. ¡°With more training, her first reaction will not be to scream.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got a set of lungs on her, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Tori snickered, making Alec¡¯s grin widen.


    ¡°Alright, enough of that.¡± I grunted, ¡°Where¡¯s that food you two were talking about?¡±


    Half an hourter, the three of us were slumped on the sectional in the living room, eating our weight in


    pizza. Some reality television show yed quietly in the background, ignored by the four of us. The two


    ss doors that led to the pool out back were open, sending in a warm summer breeze that smelled of


    fresh water, earth, and sweet flowers.


    I still wasn¡¯t used to the endless abyss that was now my stomach. Five slices in and I was still eyeing


    the pizza hungrily. Alec and Kade each ordered two pizzas for themselves, loaded with toppings that


    both looked appealing and somewhat gross. Tori and I each had our own pizza, which was proving to


    be just the right amount.


    ¡°Bet you twenty bucks, they won¡¯t eat two whole pizzas.¡± I whispered to Tori, munching on a slice of my


    own.


    Tori paused for a moment, watching the two of them with calcting eyes.


    ¡°Mm, I think they¡¯ll eat two and then ask us for some of ours.¡± She snickered quietly, ¡°Male werewolves


    are insatiable when ites to food and s*x.¡±


    Alec and Kade¡¯s eyes darted over to me once Tori finished speaking, and I felt a heated blush settle on


    my face. Clearly, they heard the two of us. It was the mention of s*x that captured their male attention,


    typical.


    ¡°Such alpha-males.¡± I cooed, teasingly.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky we¡¯re giving you the day with Tori.¡± Kade grunted, sharing a look of begrudging approval


    with Alec. ¡°If not, we¡¯d keep you locked in that bedroom all day.¡±


    ¡°That sounds horrible.¡± Tori scolded, ring at the twins. While copious amounts of s*x with the twin¡¯s


    sounded incredible, I did want to explore theke and surrounding forest. Where I had thought Tori was


    on my side, when she opened her mouth to continue, my jaw went a little ck. ¡°Why would you only


    have s*x in the bedroom? There¡¯s a wholeke out there, and a pool out back. Plus, there¡¯s a huge


    forest around us. Give her some variety!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± I muttered, sinking into the soft cushions of the couch.


    Even with my feigned embarrassment, I couldn¡¯t deny the rush of warmth that blistered inside of me as


    I felt the twin¡¯s unrelenting desire. These two, they never seemed to tire of me. Every person in my life


    had been temporary, either because Melissa forced us to move or because I was always that friend


    stuck in the background.


    I used to hate that about myself, that I was so ordinary that no one found me special. Over the years, I


    simply epted it. I didn¡¯t need to be first in anyone¡¯s eyes, I was first in my own.


    Having Alec and Kade¡ªeven Tori, it was a feeling I had never experienced before. I wasn¡¯t shoved to


    the background, forgotten about untilst minute.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I, though?¡± She giggled, waggling her eyebrows at me.


    ¡°You seem pretty invested in my s*x life, Tori.¡± I remarked, lifting my eyebrow at her.


    A look of mock surprise fell on her face, and she pressed a hand against her chest.


    ¡°Oh, Aurora. You¡¯ve exposed me. Now we can all be mates.¡± She cooed, falling back into the cushions


    of the couch with a wicked grin. ¡°Hey, my s*x life is non-existent. You have two mates¡ªtwo! A girl¡¯s


    gotta live vicariously when she can.¡±


    Alec and Kade exchanged equal looks of confusion and something simr to surprise. The look said,


    ¡°are all girls like this?¡± Regardless, it was enough for Tori and I to copse into a fit ofughter. Two


    muscr Alpha¡¯s, both overwhelmed by a couple of girls.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Tori took a few deep breaths as her cackling ceased, she shed Alec and Kade a


    cheeky grin before continuing. ¡°We should go swimming after this! Lake or pool?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a hard decision. The sun was still shining, as it was only the middle of the day. There would be


    plenty of time tonight to swim in the temperature-controlled pool. Tori had been little more than excited


    over the color changing lights and man-made waterfall that poured into the ssy surface of the pool.


    ¡°Lake, definitely theke.¡± I nodded, and judging from Tori¡¯s widening grin, we were on the same page.


    ¡°Then the pool tonight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think werewolves wouldn¡¯t like to swim, but we actually love it.¡± Tori chuckled, pushing herself off


    the couch with a hand on her full stomach. ¡°Flying on the other hand, h**l no. There¡¯s something about


    being stuck in a metal box in the sky that gives me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of it that way.¡± I admitted, standing from the couch as well.


    I had spent nearly a quarter of my lifepletely unaware that I was a werewolf. I had never been on a


    ne before, but the thought of going on one wasn¡¯t frightening. Sure, it was a little strange, but


    practical. I knew without a doubt that we weren¡¯t flying to wherever the High Table was. Alec and Kade


    had beenpletely against the idea, convinced the ne would not make it safely to the ground if I


    were on it. It was hard to believe that the High Table would simply try to k**l me off without hearing me


    out, but I trusted the twins to keep me safe.


    ¡°Are you two ready?¡± Tori turned towards the twin¡¯s, her fists on her hips as she cocked an eyebrow at


    them.


    Alec was busy stuffing another slice of pizza in his mouth, while Kade was frowning at his empty box. I


    knew what they were going to ask before it even left their mouths, and I didn¡¯t even bother to stifle my


    laughter.


    ¡°Can we have the rest of your pizza?¡± It was Kade who asked, surprisingly.


    ¡°You owe me twenty bucks.¡± Tori snickered quietly, but the twins could easily hear this time. Both


    narrowed their eyes in our direction, but said nothing further.


    It was adorable, honestly. I loved how even though these two men were practically warriors, they were


    also very much human. They had their ws and shorings, but they weren¡¯t things to fix or look


    down on.


    My face was beginning to ache from smiling so much, but it was a pleasant pain. The twins couldn¡¯t


    feel my emotions, so I hoped that my smile conveyed how truly happy I felt.


    ¡°Have at it.¡± I chuckled, linking my arm in Tori¡¯s as we ventured upstairs in search of a bathing suit.


    The twins had left my fully packed suitcase on the bed. Tori pulled out a small duffel bag from her


    hidden spot in the closet and tore out an emerald green b****i. The top and bottoms had a small ruffle


    on them, which made them look more cute than s**y.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought red-heads looked amazing in green.¡± Iplimented, shing her a grin.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m jealous of the whole two eye color thing you have going on.¡± Tori sighed, plopping down


    on the bed beside me. ¡°You could wear any color and it¡¯d still look good.¡±


    ¡°Or it shes with the other eye entirely.¡± I countered with a smirk.


    I was never big into fashion, but there was nothing wrong with wanting to look your best. The twin¡¯s


    mom had picked out most of my clothing, and I found that I loved it all. I wasn¡¯t used to the dresses and


    skirts, but I was willing to give them a try.


    As I rifled through the suitcase, they had packed for me, my jaw went ck and my eyes narrowed.


    There wasn¡¯t a single pair of shorts in the entire suitcase, nor were there any shirts. I found a single


    b****i, light blue in color. The chest piece looked a bit small for my bust, and I frowned as Tori fell back


    on the bed and howled inughter.


    ¡°They packed your suitcase for you, didn¡¯t they?¡± She cackled, the spattering of cinnamon freckles on


    her cheeks rippled as sheughed. ¡°Oh, their good, so good.¡±


    I yanked the baby blue b****i from the suitcase and shoved everything else back inside. The only


    wearable pieces of clothing in the entire thing were a dress or two. However, there were plenty of


    skimpy bras andce underwear.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be so busy these next two days.¡± Tori smirked, toying with one of thece bra¡¯s before I


    tugged it out of her hand. She fell back onto the bed with a mock groan, ¡°Oh, the life of a Luna.¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    As I stood in the mirror analyzing the skimpy b****i the twins had packed for me, I decided that I in fact


    liked the bathing suit. It matched the color of my left eye perfectly, even if it was a bit too small.


    I had never been slim in physique, and working out with Tori had only added to that fact. My waist was


    somewhat narrow, and my stomach had ttened more since training, but my hips red out and my


    bust wasrger than the average woman. The little triangles of the top managed to contain my b*****s,


    just barely, though. The bottoms on the other hand¡ªthey were something else. Little bows sat on


    either side of my hips, and the bottoms covered perhaps a quarter of my full rear.


    Tori came up behind me and cocked her head to the side, her curly ponytail of fiery locks bounced from


    the movement. She pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose, those cinnamon freckles scrunching.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I fill out like that?¡± She scoffed, and I tried to contain my surprise.


    I wasn¡¯t used to this¡ªgirl talk, that is. Tori was one of those females who epted her body and


    embraced every curve, mark, and dip with incredible confidence. She embraced her sexuality fully,


    something I was trying to do as well.


    ¡°You fill out just fine.¡± I snorted, shaking my head at her. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m sure you can fit into a lot more


    clothes than I can.¡±


    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s not your fault though.¡± She retorted, cing her hands on her hips. ¡°We all know the fashion


    industry caters to the small, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°I never knew you cared so much.¡± I teased, chuckling as she rolled her mossy eyes.


    Tori was a bit shorter than I, and her form was a bit less curvy. Where my chest was practically spilling


    from the b****i top, hers were just small mounds. I¡¯m not shaming her or anything, all chest sizes


    matter. Only an idiot would let something as ridiculous as breast size determine the worth of a woman.


    Perhaps Tori was rubbing off on me, after all.


    I cocked my own head as I stared my reflection in the mirror, and decided once and for all that I did like


    this b****i on my body. As silly as it sounded, it was my first time wearing a b****i.


    When I was pretty young, living with my grandma, she had taken me to amunity pool a few times. I


    had worn a simple one-piece bathing suit, as most little girls did. Never have I felt so exposed¡ªor


    confident.


    ¡°Oh, I know that look.¡± Tori grinned widely, rubbing her hands together.


    ¡°Hey, they chose the bathing suit.¡± I shrugged, not bothering to fight the smirk that formed on my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s only fair that I make them regret it.¡±


    It was a strange feeling, smiling this much. My cheeks ached from all the grins andughter, but it


    wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. It was one of those pains that reminded you that you were alive, that life was


    beautiful and worth living, despite the bad parts.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be seeing lots of hard-on¡¯s today, aren¡¯t I?¡± Tori snickered, but her emotions said


    something a little different.


    I felt her amusement, and her happiness like sun-soaked petals and tanning lotion, but there was


    something else hidden beneath all of that. The emotion was so small that I was surprised I even felt it


    to begin with. Hiding beneath the amusement and happiness was just a hint of longing, and a dash of


    bitterness.


    Those two emotions were miniscule in quantity, but had me halting for just a moment. Why would I


    have been given this gift, if not to use it? If I could help Tori, even for a moment, then perhaps my gift


    wasn¡¯t so dangerous after all.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I frowned, nearly cringing at the worry in my voice. It was a tone I had never used,


    one that had also never been used on me. ¡°I mean¡ªI¡¯m not trying to pry, but you know I can¡¯t control


    the whole emotion sensing thing.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m fine.¡± She replied, seemingly shocked that I asked such a thing. ¡°Everything that¡¯s going on,


    it¡¯s stressful and everything, but I¡¯m not upset over it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I feel longinging from you, and just a tiny bit of bitterness.¡± I cringed as I forced the


    words from my mouth.


    After all, how bad did it sound telling someone what they felt? Part of me regretted even bringing it up,


    but I honestly just wanted to help. That guilt faded a bit when Tori¡¯s shoulders sagged.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing against you, but when I see you with your mates¡­I just wonder when it¡¯ll be my turn.¡± She


    sighed, brushing back a ringlet that had fallen from her ponytail. She gnawed on her lower lip as she


    met my gaze, and I could feel the guilt that bubbled in her gut. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been eighteen for months


    now. That¡¯s two years, two whole years without finding my mate. If he was in our pack, I would¡¯ve found


    out already.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible he¡¯s in a different pack? Like Garrett or Julian¡¯s?¡± I asked. I knew what mates were and


    knew what it felt like to find them, to be with them but I couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint what it felt like to finally


    find Alec and Kade. All I remember is that it was incredibly overwhelming, feeling that drawn to two


    people, it wasn¡¯t anything I had experienced before. ¡°Can you, like, sense them or anything?¡±


    ¡°If only.¡± She snorted, shifting on her feet. ¡°I assume he¡¯s in a different pack, but he could be in Ennd


    for all I know. I¡¯ve never even left this pack before. Maybe that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t found him yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯reing with us to the High Table meeting. That¡¯s a good a chance as any.¡± I tried my best


    to reassure her when an idea came to mind. I would be Luna, right? That meant I was allowed certain


    freedoms, given the power to make certain decisions. With that in mind, I squared my shoulders and


    gave Tori a determined look. No longer did guilt taint my voice, only a sure-fire resolve. ¡°When I take


    over as Luna, we¡¯ll scour Garrett and Julian¡¯s pack for your mate. If he isn¡¯t there, then I¡¯ll make sure


    you have whatever you need to go and find him.¡±


    My words settled over Tori, her eyes growing wide as she processed them with careful attention. It


    almost offended me, her surprise. She was the first friend I had made here, the first friend I had in a


    long time. If I had the power to help her, how could I not? I¡¯m not an expert on being a good friend, but


    I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d be a crappy friend if I didn¡¯t help her find her soul-mate.


    ¡°You¡¯d do that for me? Give me the money to go and look for my mate?¡± She squeaked, those emerald


    eyes growing watery.


    ¡°I¡¯ll even send a group of warriors with you. I don¡¯t know how often rogue attacks happen, but I¡¯m not


    leaving anything up to chance.¡± I pressed, not daring to risk my friend at the ws of those feral


    rogues.


    ¡°You think Alec and Kade would agree to that?¡± She replied, hope blossoming in her face and heart.


    Hope wasn¡¯t an emotion I had experienced yet, and I basked in its uniqueness. Feeling emotions¡ªthey


    reminded me of experiences, tastes, and smells. They were all unique, all different depending on the


    person. Tori¡¯s hope¡ªit felt like those time¡¯s I would climb onto the roof, basking in the silence of the


    night. I¡¯d stare up at the stars and think, dreaming of a life beyond the one I lived in, beyond the hateful


    words of Melissa and Frank.


    I didn¡¯t need to ponder whether or not the twins would agree with my bold decision. They would do


    what was best for Tori. If not because she was an amazing person and member of the pack, then


    because she was my friend, the first true one I had in a long time.


    ¡°Think we¡¯d agree to what?¡± Alec¡¯s voice sounded from the open bedroom door, his head sticking just a


    few inches into the bedroom. His onyx hair fell over the side of his head, and he brushed it back with a


    rough motion.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Tori chuckled, and I noticed her wiping the tears from her eyes, trying to be as covert as


    possible. ¡°At least, nothing you need to worry about yet.¡±


    ¡°Getting into trouble already, sweetheart?¡± Kade¡¯s voice filtered from down the hall.


    I snorted at his words and tried to will the blush from my face. Alec¡¯s eyes darted from Tori¡¯s glossy


    eyes and over to me, and it was tantly obvious when his attention was snagged on the bathing suit I


    wore. His eyes lingered on my chest for longer than necessary before drifting down my torso, andzily


    running the length of my legs. Everywhere his eyes touched, goosebumps lifted on my skin.


    ¡°I think you should¡¯ve chosen a different bathing suit for her, brother.¡± Alec cleared his throat, his eyes


    darting back towards my face. I distinctly noticed his hand drift lower, adjusting himself just out of Tori¡¯s


    sight.


    A few seconds passed and Kade appeared at the door, his eyes alluring and practically sucking all of


    my attention towards him and Alec. As bad as it sounds, Tori faded to the background and all I could


    see were the twins¡ªmy twins. My stomach heated under their collective gaze, that honey-like warmth


    dripping down between my thighs.


    Kade remained silent for nearly a minute, and I swore I could hear Tori snickering lightly under her


    breath.


    ¡°I regret nothing, though I do think she¡¯ll be the d***h of us.¡± He grunted, giving me onest endlessly


    hungry look before sauntering through the bedroom and into the adjoining bathroom.


    I¡¯m sure my face was ripe with confusion when the shower sounded. Alec, however, seemed to know


    exactly what his brother was up to.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be needing a cold shower as well.¡± Alec mumbled, a hand rubbing at the back of his neck.


    I didn¡¯t miss how his shirt had risen, exposing those delicious muscles that coated his stomach, nor the


    tent in his sweatpants when he followed Kade into the bathroom.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet you down at the pool in five minutes.¡± He called out, closing the bathroom door behind him


    with a cheeky grin.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re going to be hurtingter on.¡± Tori shook her head, making her curls bounce like tendrils of


    crackling me.


    Iughed in agreement, though I knew from experience that the kind of pain she was talking about was


    laced with more pleasure than I had ever experienced in my short life.


    ¡°Maybe I have three mates¡¯ out there.¡± She snickered as we walked down the curved staircase and


    towards the sliding ss doors that led out to the pool. ¡°Hm, or four. Can¡¯t stand odd numbers.¡±


    ¡°Four mates?¡± I sputtered, shaking my head in disbelief. Could you imagine it? Four insatiable men, all


    imed as yours while simultaneously iming you as theirs. No, thank you! I¡¯ll happily take my two


    mates and be on my way.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been a dream of mine, to have a harem of my own.¡± Tori cooed somewhat jokingly; her


    hands sped as she bounced out the backdoor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always dreamed of having a harem full of men?¡± I snorted, cocking an eyebrow at my strange


    friend.


    ¡°Not really, but I wouldn¡¯t argue if the Moon Goddess happened to pair me with four devastatingly


    handsome men.¡± She countered with a wave of her hand. ¡°At this point though, I¡¯m willing to take one


    withoutint.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find your mate, Tori. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help.¡± I reassured her with a smile.


    The pool behind the cabin was asrge as themunity pool my grandma had taken me to swim at.


    It was shaped like arge ¡®L¡¯, and had a diving board at the end. While themunity pool started at a


    whopping two feet deep, this pool started at nearly seven. I ced a few towels on the wicker sectional


    that sat on the deck and peered down at the crystal-clear water. It was incredibly humid outside, hot


    enough to make sweat trickle down the back of my neck. I dipped a toe in the water and nearly sighed


    at how cold it felt.


    ¡°Oh, Luna.¡± Tori cooed, and I didn¡¯t bother turning around as I snorted at her. She knew she didn¡¯t have


    to call me Luna, but I knew she wanted something whenever she used the word.


    ¡°Yes, my loyal subject?¡± I retorted, hearing her cackle behind me.


    That was thest thing I had time to say as I was tackled from behind. I knew it was Tori from scent


    alone. She smelled of sunscreen and granny smith apples, a strangebination but it reminded me


    of summer. My mouth was open as we tumbled into the pool, a mess of arms and legs that couldn¡¯t


    seem to untangle themselves.


    I knew she had intended to shove me in, but my faster-than-human reflexes aided me for once. I


    managed to sp my hand around her wrist and send her tumbling in alongside of me.


    As we both resurfaced, hair aplete mess with lopsided grins on our faces, I sshed a yful


    wave at her face. I couldn¡¯t help butugh as the wave brushed back the strands of red hair that clung


    to her cheeks and neck.


    As soon as ourughter ended, her mouth popped open and her eyes went wide. Her eyes darted


    downward for a moment before permanently stering themselves to my face, refusing to look any


    lower than my forehead.


    ¡°Um, Aurora¡ª¡± She sputtered, clearly fightingughter.


    ¡°Did you hit your head or something?¡± I asked, an eyebrow raised. ¡°I can¡¯t tell with all that red hair.¡±


    Something bobbed on the surface of the water nearly ten feet away. A thin scrap of sky-blue cloth. My


    jaw unhinged as Tori snorted, a hand flying up to cover her mouth.


    ¡°Seems like we came back just in time for the fun.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    ¡°Seems like we came back just in time for the fun.¡±


    It was Kade who spoke, his voice thick with both amusement and arousal. Alec stood there with a


    zed look to his eyes,pletely forgetting Tori was also in attendance.


    ¡°Men.¡± Tori cooed,ughing quietly when neither of the twin¡¯s seemed to register her teasing remark.


    She quickly dove under water and brushed the sopping wet locks from her forehead. Both Alec and


    Kade seemed to need a few minutes to regain themselves, the evidence of their interest was hidden


    within the strained fabric of their swimming trunks. So much for that cold shower, Iughed silently.


    The twin¡¯s made me feel mature and s**y, like I wasn¡¯t the inexperienced girl I often felt like. They loved


    me as I was, and that alone would bring an incredible amount of confidence to any clear-minded


    woman.


    I drifted through the pool, my eyes locked on theirs, as I reached for my abandoned b****i top.


    ¡°We¡¯re learning so much about you, sweetheart.¡± Kade teased. ¡°So quick to toss your clothing to the


    side. Remind us never to get you drunk.¡±


    Neither of the twin¡¯s stared at my b**e chest, they took in everything as a whole. It wasn¡¯t the simple


    sight of b*****s that aroused them, but the fact that those b*****s belonged to me. It gave my thoughts a


    possessive edge, and filled Thalia with smooth satisfaction.


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who picked out the b****i for me. It¡¯s not my fault the top was a bit small, and I do not


    just rip my clothes off, Kade.¡± I snorted, adding a little snark to my voice for good measure.


    That little attitude I showed seemed to only excite the twins more, something I found endlessly funny


    and alluring. Kade¡¯s eyes darkened and Alec shed a panty-wetting smirk that made my insides


    flutter.


    ¡°Mm, I feel like we should¡¯ve called her kitten. Little things got hidden ws in there.¡± Alec chuckled,


    cocking his head to the side as he watched me put on my b****i top.


    ¡°If your friend weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d say forgo the top and bottoms entirely.¡± Kade taunted back with that


    husky voice of his, brushing the long strands of hair from his face in a movement that made his


    muscles bunch and ripple.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with the s**y talk, Alpha¡¯s.¡± Tori called out from the end of the pool.


    She pulled herself over the lip of the pool and sat down. The look she gave the twins was nothing short


    of m****r, and I couldn¡¯t help but cackle at the sight. It wasn¡¯t a very attractiveugh, but it was one of


    freedom and unequivocal happiness. I hadn¡¯t felt this rxed in my life! Free of the constant worrying


    that gued me for years. I could act my age for once, and wanted to savor every moment before the


    mess that would soone.


    Tori looked like a fiery queen on her throne, perched on the edge of the pool as she stared down my


    two fierce Alpha¡¯s. Queen of the pool, Iughed quietly.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Alec smirked jokingly, cocking an eyebrow at Tori.


    He had that smoldering look most unbelievably attractive men have, and I found myself utterly dazzled


    by him. The way his dark eyes caught the sunlight, revealing shades of milk and dark chocte, it did


    something to my heart that left it a fluttering mess. If I didn¡¯t have more faith in my own self-control, I¡¯d


    say that a trickle of drool ran down my chin.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that look.¡± Tori snorted, not missing a beat. She fixed Alec with a long look before


    continuing, ¡°That might work on your love-struck mate, but not me. You¡¯re not kicking me out of this


    pool so you can get all d***y with Aurora. Your torment is your own faults.¡±


    ¡°Tell ¡®em, Tori. They¡¯re not getting anything from me!¡± Iughed, sticking a tongue out at both Alec and


    Kade. Kade quite literally gave me a look that made me clench my legs. So, for my own safety, I


    continued speaking. ¡°Well¡ªnot untilter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re just as bad as they are.¡± She groaned, leaning forward and flopping into the pool.


    I was far enough away not to receive full impact of her ssh, but instead felt a light spray misting my


    face. I turned back to Alec and Kade who gave me identical looks of interest and amusement.


    Eyebrows lifted, lips twitching, and those endless eyes locked every rise and fall of my chest.


    ¡°We¡¯re not getting anything from you?¡± Kade mused, then removed the shirt from his chest with a single


    hand.


    It was one fluid movement that had my eyes locked on the muscles adorning his stomach and chest.


    Alec followed suit, and standing near one another, they looked like twin fallen angels sent to steal me


    away.


    They had the bodies of warriors, bulky and muscr, adorned with the scars they received in battle.


    Alec had always been a tiny bit slimmer than Kade, who seemed to pack on muscle unlike any other


    person I¡¯ve seen. It was such a minute difference that most people wouldn¡¯t notice it. Yet, I did. I


    noticed everything about the twins.


    ¡°I said not yet?¡± I pleaded, but it came out as a weak question.


    They knew I wouldn¡¯t resist them. H**l, I couldn¡¯t even if I wanted to. The pull I felt towards them was


    too strong, too consuming. Feeling their emotions only added to that pull.


    It was hard to separate myself from the emotions around me. I could feel all of them as though they


    were my own, and often they did be my own. It was hard not to feel irritable when someone was


    in a bad mood, just as it was hard not to be furious when someone else was angry. I was slowly


    beginning to separate myself from the heavy emotions of others, but the twins were different. We were


    too closely connected, and it was proving far too hard to pull away from them magically. If I were being


    honest, I didn¡¯t mind it. I enjoyed knowing how they felt, and more often than not, we usually felt the


    same. Their happiness was my happiness, and vice versa.


    I wasn¡¯t able to say anything else because Kadeunched himself into the pool with a speed that


    surprised me. I had just enough time to squeal and recoil as I was sttered with the cold water of the


    pool. The light scent of chlorine rang in my nose, but was mixing with the wet scent of Kade. Masculine


    with just a hint of rich and musky cologne. It fit his hard and quiet persona perfectly.


    Thick arms wrapped around my waist as Kade was plunged under water. With my hair clinging to my


    forehead and cheeks, I squealed when I was lifted into his arms.


    The air around us was humid, the water crisp and cold, and Kade¡¯s chestfortably warm. He


    chased away the chill the water brought on, recing it with something dark and carnal. That


    something, was a promise.


    ¡°Attitude, sweetheart.¡± Kade scolded, chuckling low in my ear. I shivered as I was pressed into his


    chest, my heart thundering almost painfully. Kade felt the chill that passed me and smirked slow. When


    he spoke, just a hint of his canine showed, sharp and white. ¡°You talk a big game for someone who


    can¡¯t even stand my touch without wetting her bathing suit.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we won¡¯t get anything from you?¡± Alec murmured close to my ear, making me jump and


    nearly squeal. ¡°Did I scare you, doll?¡±


    He had moved so quietly I hadn¡¯t heard him. Well, I¡¯m sure I would¡¯ve if I wasn¡¯t sucked into the


    endless abyss that was Kade. Water hardly rippled around him,pletely undisturbed. It was


    something I hadn¡¯t actually noticed about Kade before. I had only seen him in battle once, and it wasn¡¯t


    an experience I cared to repeat. Had he always been this quiet, this stealthy?


    ¡°Have you always been this stealthy?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at his cocky face.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed yet?¡± Alec scoffed, a hand to his muscr chest. His lips turning into a head-


    spinning grin. His teeth were perfect, like his brothers, his sharp canines at the front of my attention. ¡°I¡¯ll


    have to try harder to be even more¡­stealthy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start sneaking up on me now.¡± I huffed, trying to diffuse the thick sexual tension that was clearly


    working its magic on the three of us. I


    I felt Tori¡¯s flicker of emotions from somewhere in therge pool, and was happy to feel they were all


    positive. I had hoped my earlier promise would chase some of those heavy emotions away. I didn¡¯t


    me her for those emotions, I never would. I understood why she felt the way she did, and knew


    there was nothing bad behind it. She simply wanted her other half, wanted it more than anything.


    It only made me cherish what I had with Alec and Kade even more. I knew that this bond couldn¡¯t be


    replicated, couldn¡¯t be fulfilled by anyone else. I just wasn¡¯t meant for one person; I was meant for two.


    Tori gave us a few more minutes before intervening, iming the three of us were seconds away from


    tearing off our clothes and giving what I¡¯m sure would be a very interesting performance. She was


    wrong, partially, but her words worked either way. I had a permanent blush etched onto my face, for


    what I¡¯m sure wouldst the rest of the night. Make no mistake, I might¡¯ve brushed up against Alec and


    Kade at least fifty times before I was satisfied with their dark eyed looks and poorly concealed growls.


    Eventually Alec and Kade ventured into the kitchen, making Tori and I salivate with the heady scent of


    cooked meat, marinara, and vegetables. We were bothying pool-side in one of those extremely


    comfortable padded sun chairs. Tori was covered in a fineyer of sunscreen, and I was pretending to


    work on a tan. I burned a lot, but eventually I¡¯d grow at least two shades darker.


    I was pondering effects of werewolf healing on sunburns when Alec and Kade brought out two tes of


    food.


    Not only did the two of them cooked, their food was incredible. Undoubtedly a gift from their mom, who


    learned most of her Italian recipes from her husband¡¯s mother.


    Tori audibly groaned when she bit into the thick slice of garlic bread, and made an exaggerated


    performance by cing her hand against her chest and asking for another. I couldn¡¯t me her; I could


    probably eat my weight in their food. Only when I was stuffed and happy did I shove my te away. I


    reminded myself to thank their momter and ask for some cooking lessons myself.


    We went back inside just as the sun began to dip behind the trees. The smell of chlorine wafted


    through the cabin, but I was beginning to like the scent. For the rest of my life, I would pair the


    memories of freedom and happiness with the gentle sting of chlorine.


    Settled on the couch, smushed between the twins with a bowl of popcorn on myp; I couldn¡¯t think of


    anywhere I¡¯d rather be. The nket that was draped over the three of us, it locked in the warmth and


    musky smell from the twins. Alec¡¯s scent had a spicier note that fit his personality perfectly.


    Tori had turned into a nket burrito, and was staring wide-eyed at the h****r movie ying out on the


    large screen. She had gone through a bag and a half of popcorn and was still going strong. I wasn¡¯t


    one to judge though, the twins and I were on our fourth¡ªwerewolf hunger and all.


    After three movies andughing until my face ached, Tori ventured upstairs for bed. She was leaving in


    the morning, as she waitedst minute to pack for the High Table meeting. I couldn¡¯t me her; I had


    hardly touched my suitcase or the closet full of clothing. I had a sickening feeling that this little cabin


    would be thest time I felt truly safe,pletely untouchable.


    The twins and I ventured out into the pool an hourter. The humidity had grown during the day, and


    just a few minutes outside had sweat glistening on my face. The water was warmer than it had been,


    sitting under the baking sun for hours. I slipped in and sighed as the cold waterpped at my skin. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The twins were next, Alec still as silent as before. For a while we swam separately, floating and basking


    at the stars that hung over our heads. We could never stay far from one another for long, constantly


    drawn back together. My back was flush against Kade¡¯s chest, and I currently held Alec¡¯s face in my


    hands.


    His lips were soft, somewhat salty from the popcorn but it tasted delicious on his tongue. His damp hair


    felt like silk under my fingers, and as I tugged at his hair, he growled under his breath.


    Kade¡¯s hands were moving up my arms, drifting towards my shoulders. I shivered when his lips


    pressed against the hollow of my throat. Alec pulled away from his lips, but didn¡¯t move away. The look


    he gave me was soft, and his emotions told me what his words couldn¡¯t.


    He loved me, no matter how long we had been together. It might only be a few months in a human¡¯s


    life, but this¡ªit was everything. The bond knew what we were to one another, and most humans never


    had the blessing of that experience.


    Kade¡¯s emotions mirrored his brother, and I hoped there would be a time that I could tell him I felt the


    same. They both knew, the twins. They knew that I loved them even though they couldn¡¯t feel the sweet


    taste of it as I did. They couldn¡¯t feel my emotions, but they knew nheless.


    ¡°There¡¯s something we¡¯ve been meaning to talk about, doll.¡± Kade murmured huskily as his lips


    continued their decent down my neck.


    I tried to listen to his words, but they were swimmingzily in my head as I fell back into his arms. He


    stopped just at the hollow of my throat, pressing his tongue against this one spot that had my legs


    giving out. He caught me easily, halting my slow decent into the cold waters of the pool. Those sparks I


    would get when I touched Alec and Kade, it ran the length of my body like bolts of lightning, all radiating


    from that one ce on my neck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she heard a word you said, brother.¡± Alec chuckled; his dark eyes framed by onyxshes.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she heard a word you said, brother.¡± Alec chuckled; his dark eyes framed by onyxshes.


    Kade halted his assault on my neck, and even chuckled at the frustrated groan that left my lips. If only


    we never had to leave this ce. I¡¯d dedicate my days learning everything I could about Alec and


    Kade; the things they love and fear, their mannerisms and private thoughts. Our nights would be spent


    by learning each other physically. Life, however, never stopped moving for anyone.


    ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡± I muttered, my toes grazing the smooth surface of the pool as I


    floated, trying to keep my head above the water. I wrapped my arms around Alec¡¯s neck, and felt Kade


    move up behind me. ¡°I think we should just go back to what we were doing. Now that, I¡¯m sure would


    end amazingly.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, we¡¯ll get back to that after our conversation.¡± Alec smirked down at me, tapping the tip of


    my nose with a damp finger. As fast as his smirk had appeared, it vanished even faster. I swallowed


    thickly, hating when the twins grew serious. It seemed there was far too much to be serious about


    lately. ¡°We¡¯ve waited quite a bit to have this conversation.¡±


    ¡°Thest thing we want to do is rush you, and this is not how we wanted it to happen, but there are


    certain things that must be done before going to the High Table meeting.¡± Kade murmured from behind


    me, his hands settling on my waist. His strong grip kept me from bobbing on my toes, and kept my


    head firmly nted above the watery surface. ¡°Believe us, we hate being forced into things. You


    deserve all of the time in the world to figure out what you want. This world is still so new to you, and


    you need to know the full extent of what is expected.¡±


    ¡°Having s*x is only the first part ofpleting the mate-bond. Our scents merge and basically let all


    unmated wolves know that we¡¯re taken.¡± Alec continued where his brother left off, just another tidbit of


    proof that they were often one person separated into two. ¡°Marking, that¡¯s the final piece. Typically,


    there¡¯s only two mates in question, so things will be a bit different this time.¡±


    ¡°Marking? Tori mentioned something about that.¡± I replied thoughtfully. ¡°What is it exactly?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t asked Tori to borate, and was beginning to regret it. The twins were clearly nervous about


    this topic of conversation, which only made me more determined to put their minds at ease. They knew


    I was all in, but myck of experience in this world frightened them.


    ¡°The two of us would bite you, typically on your neck. The wound would be non-f***l, and would heal


    into a mark unique to the individual. You would do the same to us, and leave a mark of your own.¡±


    Kade chimed in, running his fingers down the length of my neck. When he got to one spot in particr,


    my eyes nearly rolled in the back of my head. A rush of molten pleasure trickled down my spine,


    making my legs grow weak. When he spoke again, his voice was deliciously low and husky. ¡°This


    would be the spot I¡¯d mark you, where the entire world would see who you belong to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have to bite you two as well?¡± I asked. A part of me was a bit frightened, but my own curiosity


    outweighed my fear. I was a werewolf, like it or not. These customs were my own, and I was long past


    running from myself. ¡°The entire world would know that you¡¯re mine?¡±


    ¡°The world already knows were yours, doll.¡± Alec chuckled, brushing the hair back from my face with a


    gentle hand. ¡°But the answer to your question is yes, they would.¡±


    His eyes were unbearably soft, and the white moon-light brought out the cacophony of brown tones in


    his eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you were both so worried to tell me.¡± I spoke with a smallugh, ¡°I want to tie myself to


    both of you in every way possible.¡±


    ¡°We were worried because there¡¯s more to the marking that we¡¯ve mentioned. It solidifies the bond


    between us, sweetheart. If you were to leave us, or be k****d¡ªwell, the two of us wouldn¡¯t live for much


    longer.¡± Kade murmured softly, a sound that was unusual for him. Kade was the harder of the two, the


    one who kept his emotions and thoughts well hidden behind dark, endless eyes. Vulnerability wasn¡¯t in


    his skillset, but he managed for me. ¡°You would be able to mind-l**k us directly, and not only would you


    feel our emotions, but we would feel yours as well.¡±


    Now that, that was a little daunting. Then again, I knew without a doubt that my life would never be the


    same if the twins weren¡¯t in it. Even though I wouldn¡¯t physically d*e without them right now, a part of


    me would wither away if I left them.


    In a way, it made perfect sense. They both held a piece of my soul; one I had been missing for so long.


    Why would I want to continue a life where they weren¡¯t present, forever missing them with every inch of


    my fractured soul? It was a life I wasn¡¯t interested in living.


    ¡°So, the tides will have turned.¡± I mustered up a smirk, ¡°Now you¡¯ll be able to tell what I¡¯m feeling


    instead of the other way around, and read my thoughts, when I allow it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what¡¯s going on in that pretty little head of yours.¡± Alec grinned, running


    his thumb along my lower lip.


    My tongue darted out and grazed against his finger, and I relished the physical reaction it had on him.


    His eyes darkened and tracked the movement with a predatory focus, and his emotions changed like a


    switch had been flipped.


    ¡°I want to know what goes on in your head, both of you.¡± I countered with a smug grin, ¡°All your secret


    thoughts there for me to see.¡±


    ¡°Nothing will be kept secret from you, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled, his fingers dancing down my spine


    painfully slow. I could feel him stiffen against my backside, and my b*****s grew heavy from the rush of


    pleasure it provided. I pushed back against his length and shivered when he snarled in my ear. ¡°But


    can you handle sharing your secrets with us? All of those d***y thoughts of yours there for us to see.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡± I managed to stammer, my heart a frantic patter in my chest.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting off topic, brother.¡± Alec scolded Kade, though there was little animosity in the action.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, as usual.¡± Kade grumbled, but made no action to remove his hardened length from my


    backside.


    ¡°We want you to mark us, doll, but not without you knowing fully what you¡¯re getting into.¡± Alec


    continued, a small smile gracing his strong face. ¡°We will mark you tomorrow night, as there¡¯s a high


    chance you¡¯ll pass out. It won¡¯t hurt much, but the emotions can be¡ªoverwhelming, from what we hear.


    We assume that two marks will mean twice the sensation.¡±


    I once would¡¯ve been afraid of the pain, but that ship had long sailed. I¡¯ve experienced so much pain at


    the hands of Frank and Melissa, both physical and emotional. This kind of pain, for the twins, was well


    worth it. I would endure so much for them without ever losing the smile on my face.


    ¡°For you two, I can handle it.¡± I told them both softly, letting all my sincerity flow into my voice. ¡°I know


    what I¡¯m getting into, and I¡¯m already too far in to stop now. My life¡ªit would never be the same without


    the two of you. I¡¯d never be happy, eternally restless and miserable. I¡¯m tired of being unhappy. If being


    with you two means epting danger and responsibility, then I¡¯m here for it all.¡±


    The relief and happiness that blossomed within them was sweet to the taste, and echoed within my


    own heart.


    ¡°Call Thalia forward, sweetheart. She¡¯ll know what to do, and will help you with the rest.¡± Kade spoke


    softly in my ear, nudging me towards Alec.


    I did as he said and felt Thalia¡¯s immediate response. She was both relieved and absolutely thrilled. It


    was in her nature to mark and mate, to seal the bond and produce pup¡¯s. I wasn¡¯t quite ready for the


    pup¡¯s yet, but that coulde in time.


    ¡®You¡¯ll know where to bite.¡¯ Thalia told me, unable to conceal her own excitement from her voice. ¡®Just a


    little nip, nothing serious.¡¯


    Alec cocked his head to the side as I drifted forward. I ced my hands on his shoulders to keep from


    bobbing in the water. His neck tasted lightly of chlorine, but mostly of his own spicy scent.


    His hands gripped my arms tightly, and I could feel his adam¡¯s apple twitch within his throat. My lips


    trailed over his smooth skin, seeking out the spot where my mark would sit.


    Thalia had been right; I knew where to bite without much hassle. The junction where his neck and


    shoulder met, that was where I wanted my mark.


    There wasn¡¯t much of a reaction until my teeth finally broke through his skin, and warm blood rushed


    into my mouth. The taste of blood, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant taste. This was somewhat different though. It


    was Alec¡¯s blood I were tasting, and it felt as though I had touched a live-wire.


    Alec gasped and his arms tightened against my body, ttening me to his chest. I could feel it then, that


    final piece snapping into ce. That long missed piece of my soul finallying home.


    My ability to feel other¡¯s emotions felt like a one-way connection, like I was eavesdropping on


    something private. This¡ªit waspletely different. No longer was I some kind of voyeur, but it was


    now a willing connection. An open channel between Alec and I.


    I knew when enough was enough and pulled my elongated teeth from his neck, licking the droplets of


    blood from his pale skin. The wound was already beginning to heal, and I could see the start of what


    must¡¯ve been my mark on his skin.


    Alec was right about the experience being a bit overwhelming. I wasn¡¯t even marked yet and all I could


    think about were my mates. Touching them, tasting them, letting them fill and use me until my throat


    and private bits were sore.


    Love, lust, desire, longing, and familiarity. They all battled for dominance in my mind until the urge to


    touch the twins was near overwhelming. My fingers twitched and my core throbbed, sweat even trickled


    down my back.


    I was spun around so fast that my head spun, and met Kade¡¯s eager eyes. He was excited, and just a


    tad bit impatient. He wanted his turn, he wanted to be imed and marked by his mate.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how we make you feel.¡± Alec chuckled darkly, brushing the hair from my neck and scraping


    his teeth against my soft skin. His voice had changed, turning into something dark and carnal. ¡°We


    make you feel flustered and¡ªoverheated. How unbearable that must be.¡±


    ¡°Mark me, sweetheart. Let everyone know that we are yours.¡± Kade murmured as Alec tore the bathing


    suit bottoms from my body and shoved a finger into my drenched core.


    Alec and I, we were both drowning in the connection between us, and I wanted nothing more than to


    bring Kade into the mix.


    ¡°F**k, she¡¯s so tight.¡± Alec muttered to himself, his dark hair clinging to his neck and forehead. When he


    looked up at his brother, his eyes were dark and half-crazed with lust. ¡°Mark him, so that he can join


    us.¡±


    Easier said than done, I thought through the pleasure-filled haze that fell over my mind. Alec chucked


    my bathing suit bottoms out of the pool, and theynded with a wet plop on the cement. My entire body


    went stiff when his thumb grazed against the sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs, and I


    couldn¡¯t help but throw my head back and moan.


    Kade gripped my hips, keeping me upright in the water as his brother pressed the head of his length


    against my opening. There was no hesitation on either end when Alec slid the entirety of his lengthC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    inside of me, stretching me to the point where it nearly hurt. That twinge of pain was followed by the


    incredible feeling of being full, dominated by one of the two men I loved.


    Alec pushed the two of us against the wall of the pool, smushing me in between them both. It was Kade


    who kept me standing when Alec moaned in bliss and thrust against me.


    I wanted them both, both filling me until I couldn¡¯t tell where I began and they ended. I wanted to be


    close to them in the most carnal of ways. Humans were animals after all, and werewolves¡ªwell, we


    were more animalistic than the rest of them.


    My teeth elongated on their own, and I sought out that perfect spot on Kade¡¯s neck. Kade¡¯s initial


    reaction wasn¡¯t as physical as his brothers, but even the mighty Kade sumbed to the intense wash


    of emotions that flooded his system.


    No longer was I eavesdropping on their emotions, an unwee visitor forced to watch. Now we were


    all connected, closer than we had ever been.


    As my teeth pierced Kade¡¯s skin, his head fell back and his mouth opened. There was something


    beautiful about seeing two brutal menpletely unhinged and vulnerable beneath me.


    His emotions grew stronger within me, and I could feel him picking up on my own.


    ¡®I love you, Kade¡¯ I told him through my thoughts, through the l**k that bonded us all together. ¡®I love


    you, so much. Both of you.¡¯

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    A switch had flipped in Kade as I uttered those words, and his emotions barreled into me at full force. It


    was Alec¡¯s hands that kept me centered, and Kade¡¯s touch that calmed my mind. The bond wasn¡¯t


    complete yet, not without them marking me in return. Even with the half-way connection between us, I


    was feeling their lust and desire as though they were amplifications of my own.


    I was practically humming with energy, with the l**k that connected the three of us. I could feel it all


    around me, buzzing like a million electrified bees. With Alec sheathed inside of me, and Kade palming


    my b*****s, I couldn¡¯t think of anything more fulfilling than this. The threat of what woulde had


    vanished from my mind, unable to live another second when the twins were showering me with their


    attention.


    ¡°This is¡ªoverwhelming.¡± I gasped as Kade pinched my nipple and slid the throbbing length of him


    against my core. He brushed it against my swollen c**t, hard enough to make my back arch and my jaw


    go ck.


    ¡°This is how much we want you.¡± Kade whispered huskily in my ear, flicking his tongue against my lobe


    before smirking.


    ¡°You teased us today, doll.¡± Alec murmured from behind me, stroking his length against my backside in


    long motions. ¡°We might¡¯ve picked that b****i for you, but you used it against us.¡±


    ¡°And you would do it all again.¡± Kade chuckled.


    Having s*x in the pool provided little in the way of lubrication. While Alec remained seated inside of me,


    stretching me to that blissful cusp between pleasure and pain, Kade pulled himself up on the ledge of


    the pool. With a smooth swipe of his hand, he pulled his length free. His creamy skin was white under


    the porch lights of the cabin, his head swollen and glossy. My tongue grazed across my lips as I traced


    a thick vein down the length of him, ending at his smooth b***s.


    ¡°Come s**k my c**k while I watch my brother f**k you, sweetheart.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was a low growl, his


    eyes locked to every rise and fall of my b**e chest.


    Kade enjoyed being dominant nearly as much as I enjoyed pleasing the two of them. It was effortless,


    giving into Kade¡¯s demands like I was born to serve. Don¡¯t get me wrong, not a single person on this


    earth could ever boss me around, but the twins were different.


    They were the only ones I would bend for, the only ones I would yield to. Just as they would submit to


    me alone, I would return that favor.


    Some of Kade¡¯s cocky demeanor was wiped away when I ran my tongue down the length of him. His


    hands fisted themselves in my hair, and his head fell back with a husky groan.


    There was something so incredibly satisfying about taking a man into your mouth. Seeing him


    completely unhinged,pletely at your mercy while you stroked him into a toe-curling o****m. That


    ck jawed look was one I¡¯d never forget.


    Alec slid the length of him inside of me with a single, hard s****e. His fingers pressed against my


    swollen c**t roughly, my scream vibrating down Kade¡¯s shaft. I could hear Kade silently egging him on,


    telling him to make me shudder and scream with every thrust. It was all so incredibly e****c, and the


    sound of the twin¡¯s nearly made mee undone.


    Kade had spilled his seed into my mouth, telling me to s*****w every drop. I obliged just as Alec filled


    me and brought me to my second o****m.


    Two mind-blowing orgasmster, the three of us wound up on one of the pool side chairs. They were in


    a reclined position and padded, making them perfect for what the twins had in mind.


    I was seated on Kade¡¯sp, my back pressed against his chest. He held both of my legs in his hands,


    keeping them spread wide. My core clenched and ached as he slid his once again hardened c**k inside


    of me. Alec watched with dark eyes and a smirk on his devilishly handsome face. His own member


    twitched and stiffened as he watched his brother lower me onto him.


    ¡°Look at her blush.¡± Kade spoke darkly, pinching my reddened cheek.


    I waspletely on disy for the two of them, spread open in a way that left nothing to the


    imagination.


    ¡°Are you sure you can handle sharing us, doll?¡± Alec whispered with a feral grin, perching himself on


    the end of the chair, just a few inches away from my spread legs.


    ¡°She¡¯s more than ready for the both of us.¡± Kade cooed in my ear, freeing his length from me only to


    rub it against my backside.


    Alec tossed a small bottle of lube at Kade, who gave me a wicked grin when we locked eyes. My core


    throbbed painfully, but I was excited to share the two of them¡ªto feel them both at the same time, I


    wondered if I would ever feel anything better.


    I was sandwiched between the twin¡¯s, with Kade¡¯s arms lifting and spreading my legs. Alec kneeled in


    front of me, guiding his length into my heat with enamored eyes. Kade was next, coating his length in


    lube before prodding at my backside.


    They took their time, going incredibly slow so that I might be situated to the two of them. Just


    when I thought I couldn¡¯t take any more, that I¡¯d call it quits, the pain had ended. It took me several


    seconds of mind-numbing pain and pleasure before I could actually manage to move.


    ¡°F**k, I can feel your c**k inside of her.¡± Kade grunted, his length pulsing as he nestled it into my


    puckered hole.


    I could feel the two of them inside of me, separated by that thin barrier of skin. I could hardly move,


    every muscle in my body taught from the sheer feeling of being stretched to my absolute limits. After a


    few moments, the stinging pain lessened, reced by pleasure so strong my vision curled at the


    edges.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m alright now.¡± I gasped, feeling Kade¡¯s fingers dig into the soft flesh of my thighs.


    Both brothers began moving, thrusting into me so gently that I could feel the care andpassion


    behind every move. Neither wanted to bring me pain unless it was the kind that amplified pleasure.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Both were incredibly careful, listening when I told them to speed up or slow down. This was only my


    second time taking anything in my rear, and my first at taking them both. Even though I knew they


    wanted to abandon caution and f**k me into near unconsciousness, they refrained.


    Only when both brothers let out near identical groans of pleasure, did I finally slump against Alec. Their


    gravely sounds rang in my ears, along with the praises that left their lips.


    ¡°You did so good, doll.¡± Alec whispered, brushing the sweat coated hair from my forehead. ¡°


    ¡°It¡¯ll get easier with time.¡± Kade assured me, scooping me into his arms.


    Thatst o****m, it had been pain and pleasure wrapped into one, stronger and longersting than the


    rest. My limbs were loose, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could move even if I tried.


    With that painful throb between my legs, the twins carried me upstairs and into our bedroom. I was half


    awake when I felt a cold rag being ced against my p***y, stealing away the mess the twins had left


    there.


    ¡°Sleep, sweetheart. Let us take care of you.¡± Kade murmured, looking up from my naked form with dark


    eyes. ¡°We can have more fun in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Insatiable Alpha¡¯s.¡± I muttered somewhat drunkenly before falling fast asleep.


    I was having a dream about the High Table meeting. I sat around a huge table, suffering the dark res


    from the middle-aged Alpha¡¯s in the other seats. They were debating on whether or not I should live. So


    far, the majority wanted me d**d.


    As I sat at that round table, a rush of pleasure ran up my legs and settled against my groin. Something


    warm and damppped between my legs.


    I whimpered and thrashed as that molten pleasure danced against my c**t and entrance. The middle-


    aged, silver haired Alpha¡¯s around me noticed nothing, consumed in their own debate over my life.


    ¡°Oh, f**k.¡± I hissed in my dream, feeling the pressure gradually building between my legs. ¡°This isn¡¯t


    happening.¡±


    ¡°Wake up, little doll.¡± A husky voice chuckled, sending sweet vibrations across my swollen c**t and lips.


    ¡°You like having your p***y eaten, don¡¯t you?¡±


    My eyes snapped open, and light flooded my vision. I could still hear those insufferable Alpha¡¯s in the


    background, debating whether or not I deserved to live¡ªwhether or not I was a threat. All lingering


    thoughts of my dream were demolished when Alec looked up from between my legs.


    He knelt there, his hair a disheveled mess, his lips glistening from my juices. My eyes trailed lower, and


    I groaned deep in my throat when I saw him shirtless, his length stroked by a steady hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, baby.¡± He murmured, eyes flickering hungrily. ¡°Lay back and let me make you feel good.


    That¡¯s it, look over at Kade. Let him see that pretty face you make when youe.¡±


    Sure enough, Kade sat just a few feet away. He was in a maroon arm chair that sat beside the


    firece, though it was turned to face the bed Iid on. He wore a form fitting tank top, but was b**e


    beneath that. His c**k pulsed as he stroked it, those eyes locked on his brother and I.


    ¡°Good morning, sweetheart.¡± He spoke, nodding his head in a way that made my cheeks heat.


    ¡°Good¡ªgood morning, Kade.¡± I stammered, my back arching when Alectched onto my c**t with his


    frantic tongue.


    Where Kade had cold, refined skill¡ªAlec had absolute enthusiasm.


    ¡°Look at me.¡± Kade snarled when I turned my eyes back to Alec, fisting my hands in his dark hair.


    I looked over at Kade just in time, and saw stars when my o****m battered me senseless. Alec wrapped


    his arms around my legs,tching his mouth to my c**t and punishing me with long strokes.


    ¡°Oh, Alec.¡± I gasped, my body going taut as I was dominated by my pleasure.


    The heated, pleasure-filled look on Kade¡¯s face as he came prolonged my own o****m. I could feel


    Alec¡¯s seed ssh against my thighs. All at once, my body went ck and my back fell against the


    bed.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found my new favorite way to wake our mate up, brother.¡± Alec grinned, his chest rising and


    falling rapidly.


    ¡°She does look stunning post-o****m.¡± Kade answered sincerely, though he still had a yful light in his


    eyes.


    ¡°As much as we¡¯d love to stay in bed all day and believe me, we would, Tori is downstairs demanding


    breakfast.¡± Alec chuckled, nting a kiss on my lips that nearly made me beg for more.


    ¡°She¡¯s very petnt for a regr pack member.¡± Kade muttered to himself, making me snicker and bat


    at his arm.


    Promising myself a long day with my twin¡¯s, I changed clothes and trudged downstairs. Kade had


    helped me brush the knots from my hair, and was actually incredibly gentle. I couldn¡¯t help but snicker


    when he picked up the tiny hair brush with hisrge hands, and yelped when he whacked me on the


    butt with it.


    ¡°Looks like someone had a good morning.¡± Torimented as we walked down the stairs, a grin


    stered to her face. ¡°I¡¯ve always said, an o****m a day keeps the rage away.¡±


    ¡°When have you ever said that?¡± I countered, sticking my tongue out at her.


    ¡°Due to your previousck of inexperience, I never said it to you.¡± Tori retorted.


    Shortly after, the conversation gave way into silence. Alec and Kade shuffled at the stove, cracking


    eggs, searing bacon, and making deliciously fluffy pancakes. I was never one to care about the


    stereotypical ideal of what a man should be. Strong, murderous, silent and brooding¡ªcertainly not


    incredible at cooking, kind, and amazingly thoughtful. The twins were the perfect mix of everything I


    needed to grow and blossom.


    ¡°These are incredible.¡± I groaned, smothering the stack of pancakes in a dollop of thick fudge. ¡°When I


    open up a bakery someday, you two are going to be my first employee¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That actually sounds like a lot of fun.¡± Alec mused, shing a cheeky grin at Kade.


    It was Tori who sat in silence, her emerald eyes darting between the three of us. As I flitted through her


    emotions, there wasn¡¯t any anger or jealousy present. There was a good bit of embarrassment, interest


    and the tiniest hint of both arousal and disgust. The arousal and disgust were extremely minute, both


    battling one another for a foothold in her mind.


    ¡°Are¡ªare you okay?¡± I asked, sounding like aplete and total dumbass.


    ¡°Would you care to tell her, or shall I?¡± Kade drawled slowly, crunching on a bit of bacon.


    I was now hyper-tuned into their emotions, trying to figure out what the h**l happened. Kade was


    rxed, amused even as he sat there staring Tori down. Tori seemed undisturbed by the humor in


    Kade¡¯s eyes and gave him a pointed look.


    ¡°Fine, but it¡¯s not even a big deal.¡± Tori snorted, one of the only people who actually had the b***s to roll


    their eyes at Kade. She turned her face towards me and I noted the light blush staining her face. ¡°Last


    night I heard some noise, it woke me up. Sounded like an animal growling or some s**t. Anyway, I


    peeked out the window and well, I saw you guys.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Was all I managed to say, fighting to keep my jaw in ce.


    My face erupted in a horrible blush before I finally reminded myself that what we did waspletely


    natural. Even then, thest thing I wanted was for my friend to get a glimpse of what went downst


    night.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± She repeated, shaking her head at me. ¡°I only looked out for like three seconds.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen.¡± Kade countered, making Tori snarl in his direction.


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She shrugged, shoving a forkful of pancakes into her mouth. ¡°My bedroom window literally


    faced the pool. If you weren¡¯t out there snarling and growling for hours, I would¡¯ve never woken up.


    Regardless, I gotta say, I¡¯m kind of impressed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Alec chimed in, a warm grin on his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know how much you saw.¡± I muttered, forcing myself to make eye contact with my


    closest friend. ¡°We should¡¯ve taken better care not to wake you, so I apologize for that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so very precious when she¡¯s frazzled.¡± Kade smirked, taking a long drink of steaming coffee.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed, Aurora.¡± Tori snorted, ¡°You¡¯re not the first person I¡¯ve seen going at it, but you


    were definitely the most interesting.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough.¡± I hissed, cing a hand to my heated forehead. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough you saw us, I don¡¯t


    need a runningmentary on what went down.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± She sighed, waving her hand at me. ¡°When we¡¯re alone, I want details. Details.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I huffed, side-eyeing her. ¡°Y¡¯know, sometimes I think you¡¯d be better suited as Luna.¡±


    ¡°Eh, maybe I was Luna in a past life?¡± She replied, waving her fork. ¡°But a better Luna than you? Nah,


    you¡¯re already a good Luna, even if you¡¯re still in training.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated.¡± I smiled slowly, incredibly thankful for the subject change.


    Tori left shortly after breakfast, heading home to finish packing her belongings. We would all be staying


    in the city, ordering countless suits at a very specific hotel. We had no choice but to stay at a hotel


    owned by the High Table, which made Alec and Kade more h**l-bent on having me protected.


    Once Tori left, we picked up where we left off this morning. Once I was sweaty andpletely sated, I


    asked the twin¡¯s about when they would mark me.


    Their own marks were healing at an incredible rate, and I was a bit excited to see the finished product


    of my own mark. It seemed both of theirs were different, my mark was not the same on both twins.


    ¡°We will mark you tonight, doll.¡± Alec smiled softly, leading me to the steaming shower that awaited. ¡°It¡¯s


    often harder for the Luna¡¯s when getting marked. Taking in a part of an Alpha, it can be a bit


    disorienting.¡±


    ¡°Plus, I¡¯ll be getting two marks.¡± I nodded, stepping under the hot stream and letting out a groan. ¡°Do


    you think I¡¯ll pass out?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a chance you might.¡± Kade shrugged, stepping into the shower along with Alec and I. ¡°If you


    do, you will be well taken care of until you wake.¡±


    ¡°With how I woke up this morning, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll both take great care of me.¡± I smirked, shifting as that


    comforting soreness sounded from between my legs.


    Just as we were preparing to get out of the shower, a heavy knocking sound filled the house. With my


    human ears, I wouldn¡¯t have heard a thing. With my werewolf hearing, I managed to pinpoint the hard


    knock against thick wood. It parted through the sound of running water like smashing a hammer to nail.


    ¡°Were you expecting someone?¡± I asked, curiously.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Alec frowned, his eyes darting over to Kade. ¡°No one lives around us for at least ten miles.¡±


    The three of us hurried out of the shower and into the bedroom. I slipped on afortable t-shirt and a


    pair of leggings before shoving some fuzzy socks on my feet. I padded down the stairs behind the


    twin¡¯s, trying to peer over their shoulders as they opened the front door.


    I managed to squeeze in between them at thest moment, and met a pair of startlingly blue eyes.


    ¡°Miss Aurora, just the she-wolf I¡¯ve been looking for.¡± The man nodded.


    His eyes were a bright shade of blue, much lighter than my one. His eyes were narrow and hard. The


    color and shape reminded me of shards of ss, ready to pierce and cut the skin. His hair was a light


    shade of gold, more wheat-colored than anything. His build was muscr without being toorge, or


    toonky.


    He was dressed impably, nothing like what you would see at a cabin in the forest. His suit jacket


    was a deep shade of blue, nearly ck under the sun. He wore a buttoned-up shirt beneath, and a pair


    of dark cks. His hair was slicked to the side, his face shaved and smooth. Until he opened his mouth


    to speak, I had thought he was some kind of business man.


    ¡°Future Alpha of the Lunar Pack, son of Alpha Marcus Novak. Heir to the first seat on the High Table¡ª¡±


    He spoke in smooth English, each syble pronounced with sharp uracy.


    This man knew how to wield his words like weapons, sharpened and dripping with blood. My jaw went


    a littleck when Kade interrupted him, stepping forward with his towering form. The twins were built


    like absolute beasts, towering over the man with their hulking forms. Don¡¯t get me wrong, the other man


    looked like he could handle himself in a fight, but I was little more than biased.


    ¡°Zayne Novak.¡± Kade interrupted with that gravely, booming voice of his.


    Zayne¡¯s eyes narrowed, and I felt my own protectiveness bubble in my gut like acid. He was clearly


    annoyed. I knew both from the twitching of his lips, and from the battery acid emotions radiating from


    his body.


    ¡°Might I step inside?¡± He asked, though there was no question in his tone. He wasing in whether


    we liked it or not. Both the twin¡¯s stiffened at the obvious challenge in his tone. ¡°I have traveled a very


    long way to speak with Miss Aurora, and I would hate to leave without what I came for.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Feeling Kade¡¯s arctic rage and seeing his muscles bunch and tense, I leapt into action. Alec was much


    better at concealing his murderous appetite, fixing a disinterested look on his face.


    I pushed myself between the twins, stepping towards the open front door. Zayne¡¯s eyes tracked my


    movements like he expected me to bolt. I suppressed the look of irritation that threatened to form on


    my face and gave him a disinterested look of my own. Men like Zayne, they clearly had an inted


    sense of self-worth, much like Garrett.


    ¡°Come in, but make it quick.¡± I replied haughtily, my arms crossed over my chest.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t the most intimidating she-wolf, standing at least a foot and a half beneath Zayne. On


    the bright side, what Icked in appearance, I made up for in power.


    Zayne¡¯s face was hard, schooled in what I was sure was his threatening look. His emotions told the


    truth, and he couldn¡¯t even begin to hide them from me. He wasn¡¯t afraid; no, he was too arrogant for


    that. He was annoyed at the fact that he was here, irritated that the twins had stood up to him, and


    suspicious over myck of concern.


    I turned on my heel and walked through the living room, calling out to Zayne.


    I was done treating this world as though it were shiny and new. I wouldn¡¯t let these dominant males


    stomp me into the perfect submissive she-wolf. I dealt with Melissa and Frank of all people. If they


    taught me anything, it was not to take s**t from people. Thalia stirred within me happily, reminding me


    that I was a Luna, not some weak girl.


    ¡°You can also drop the tough guy act.¡± I shot a smirk in his direction, ¡°My mates aren¡¯t phased by it, and


    I¡¯m sure as f**k not either.¡±


    I strolled into the kitchen and picked at some of the leftover breakfast the twins had made. Alec, Kade,


    and Zayne entered the kitchen just a few secondster. The twins seemed content on acting


    bodyguard, standing in the most intimidating way possible on either side of my body.


    Zayne¡¯s eyes darted around the cabin, as if he had never stepped into a ce quite like this. It wasn¡¯t


    anything strange, just a cabin fitted in more luxury than I was used to. Perhaps Zayne was used to


    even more luxury than what this cabin had to offer.


    Zayne tilted his head, those bright eyes darting between the twins before settling on me. A sh of


    interest burned and fizzled so quickly within him that I nearly missed it. His angr nose wrinkled a bit,


    and his lips formed a thin line. ¡°Did you b**n something, Aurora?¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I¡¯m not surprised you assumed I cooked.¡± I snorted, refusing to let this cocky man bait me.


    The twin¡¯s seemed to be in agreement, though I wasn¡¯t sure how that much rage could fit inside Kade¡¯s


    form¡ªthough, I do suppose that¡¯s why his build is sorge. ¡°Also, have you even cooked a day in your


    life?¡±


    ¡°Why would I need to cook?¡± Zayne replied with a cool voice, one of his perfect eyebrows lifting at me.


    The way he talked to me reminded me of Garrett, like I was a child dancing through the world of adults,


    trying to make sense of things I knew nothing about. ¡°I am a future Alpha. Others have the job to cook


    for me, so that I might spend my time on more important things.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I see. So, one of those more important things was hunting me down, for what?¡± I pressed,


    grabbing a piece of bacon and wrapping it in a pancake before chomping down. ¡°I¡¯d think a big, strong


    Alpha has better things to do.¡±


    Zayne¡¯s irritation tasted like bitter apples and salt, but it gave me some insight I wouldn¡¯t have had


    otherwise. He didn¡¯t want to be here. Searching for some white wolf was beneath his status. Someone


    had forced him to be here, most likely his father.


    ¡°I get it now. You don¡¯t want to be here.¡± I nodded, letting a sure-fire smile twitch onto my face. ¡°Let me


    guess, you pissed Dad off and he sent you here, on an errand meant for foot soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that.¡± Zayne replied smoothly, his azure eyes darkening into a shade of navy. He knew what


    he was looking for, and I could almost feel his eyes hone into the smooth skin on my neck. ¡°You are


    unmarked, and have not been sworn into your pack as Luna.¡±


    ¡°Observant, but I will be marked tonight.¡± I countered, ¡°As you can see, my mate¡¯s already have my


    mark.¡±


    ¡°They do, but that does not change the upleted ceremony.¡± Zayne pointed out, ¡°You are not


    officially Luna of any pack. As your father and Uncle have not yet relinquished their rights to their own


    packs, you are essentially just a she-wolf with an attitude problem. You will not be permitted to speak


    during the High-Table meeting, not without a title or purpose.¡±


    ¡®You are Luna, Aurora. As your mates, we will not disrespect you by throwing this shithead out of the


    house. You¡¯ll have so many Alphas¡¯ challenging you, trying to knock you down a peg. It¡¯s not our job to


    step in on your behalf, no matter how much we want to. Unfortunately, we have about ten minutes


    before Kade goes feral on him.¡¯ Alec¡¯s soothing voice ran through my mind, sharp with the edge of


    rage.


    Alec was right, both about me and Kade. Kade looked downright murderous, his fists clenched and jaw


    set tightly. His anger nearly dragged me in, like whips of ice that wrapped around my ankles and wrists.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be permitted to speak? On a meeting that has to do with my life?¡± I chuckled dryly, feeling the


    pressure of those angry and bitter emotions swirling around me. My fingers twitched and I could nearly


    grab them, I could nearly fling them at Zayne as I had during the battle. ¡°A ceremony means nothing. If


    you think I was born anything other than a Luna, you are sorely mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Your disregard for our customs only shows me how in over your head you are.¡± Zayne replied, looking


    down on me like I was a child in need of scolding. ¡°Only Alpha¡¯s and their Luna¡¯s are permitted to


    speak at meetings, unless they are a guest called forth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not disregarding any customs. This meeting has to do with my right to live, as if something like that


    is really up for debate.¡± I snapped, unable to keep Kade¡¯s anger at bay. It whipped through me like an


    ice storm, frosting over my insides until they ached. Kade¡¯s anger was endless, a pure emotion based


    on loyalty and love. It acted like a nuclear b**b within me, filling me with so much energy that I was sure


    I might burst. ¡°I will speak at this meeting, and I will not request permission from a bunch of old-


    fashioned Alpha¡¯s. You¡¯ve gotten what you came for. Now, get the f**k out before my mates toss you on


    your pompous a*s.¡±


    That anger pulsed within me, andshed out at the nearest thing. Icy tendrils of mine and Kade¡¯s rage


    shot out towards Zayne, and I watched in silence as they leapt for his face.


    Those tendrils bounced against something clear and smooth, a bubble wrapped around Zayne, just a


    few inches from his skin. That bubble acted like a force field, making those tendrils of cold rage shatter.


    It shimmered once more before bing translucent again, but I couldn¡¯t mistake what I had seen.


    There was only one exnation, and it only troubled me further.


    ¡°You have a white wolf protecting you.¡± I stated, sure that I was correct. ¡°Howe I can still feel your


    emotions? Why doesn¡¯t your little force field protect you from that?¡±


    ¡°There are many variants of white wolf abilities, this is one of them.¡± Zayne shrugged, ¡°It protects from


    magical attacks, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°So, if I shatter your nose, it will not protect you?¡± Kade mused, his eyes locked on the azure eyes and


    golden hair of his prey.


    Zayne ignored Kade but did give him a scathing look.


    ¡°So as long as their powers can be used by your pack, they have the right to live?¡± I scoffed, finally


    getting a grasp at what these High Table men were like.


    It wasn¡¯t about whether or not I deserved to live, but whether I could be controlled and used by them.


    Couldn¡¯t let this incredible weapon get into the hands of their enemies, as if I weren¡¯t a living person.


    ¡°I came here to observe, and give you a piece of advice.¡± Zayne snapped; this time visibly irritated at


    what I had said. He didn¡¯t deny it, just as I knew he wouldn¡¯t. A pompous a*s he might be, but he hadn¡¯t


    lied to me thus far. ¡°I am trying to convince my father that you can be useful, that you aren¡¯t an


    uncontroble she-wolf with the power to level our pack and the High Table. If you act like one, I cannot


    help you.¡±


    ¡°If your help turns me into something to be used, something to be guarded and feared¡ªI don¡¯t want it.¡±


    I retorted, ¡°Did you or any of the other High Table members ever think that white wolves were created


    for a reason, and that reason was not to be controlled by those who fear us.¡±


    Zayne remained quiet for a few long moments; his eyes locked on my every move. When he finally


    spoke, I was even more confused.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to change things, Aurora. Try not to d*e along the way.¡± He grunted, the one unrefined


    expression I actually saw from his face.


    He stalked through the kitchen and towards the front door, the three of us tailing him the entire way.


    Zayne flung the door open and stepped outside, but seemed to hesitate for a moment.


    ¡°I know you haven¡¯t been able to find much on your abilities.¡± Zaynemented, not sparing a nce


    at the twins. ¡°Tell your people to search for ¡®Soul Eaters¡¯, and pray to the goddess you are not one of


    them.¡±


    As soon as Zayne left and the sound of tire¡¯s peeling down the pavement sounded, Alec was on the


    phone with Julian and Garrett.


    Soul Eater. That sounded even moreforting than an emotional leech. I wasn¡¯t sure what to make of


    Zayne Novak. He was self-assured, pompous, and clearly felt some sort of animosity towards his


    father. The little tip he gave us about Soul Eaters wasn¡¯t exactly for our benefit. What would happen if I


    was a soul eater? I¡¯m sure the chances of a bright future would dim under that revtion.


    ¡°Do you know Zayne or something? You seemed like you were about to explode the entire time.¡± I


    asked, stepping into his arms and smiling when his anger ebbed.


    ¡°Zayne Novak is a spineless, insufferable p***k whose had a silver spoon in his mouth the day he was


    born.¡± Kade grunted, and I noticed he absentmindedly brushed his hand against one of the thicker


    scars on his bicep. ¡°His Father, Marcus, is even worse. At least Zayne pretends to give a f**k about his


    pack, Marcus doesn¡¯t bother with such formalities.¡±


    ¡°And the fact that he came here¡ª¡± I began, but was cut off when Kade ran his thumb along my lower


    lip.


    His eyebrows were creased, but I felt only the smallest drop of worrying from him.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a good sign.¡± Kade replied, ¡°You were right about what you said earlier. Marcus sent Zayne


    here, though I¡¯m not sure why. He usually likes to keep his property at his side, especially his prodigal


    son. Zayne must¡¯ve done something to really p**s him off, or maybe he couldn¡¯t trust anyone else with


    this.¡±


    ¡°Julian and Garrett are pulling some of their sources, but it¡¯s going to be a bit difficult.¡± Alec frowned,


    setting his phone down on the coffee table. ¡°We need the information, but they can¡¯t stir the water too


    much. Thest thing we need is to tell the world we have a white wolf with rare and very dangerous


    abilities.¡±


    ¡°This whole soul eater thing¡ªit can¡¯t be true, right? I¡¯m not the nicest person ever, but to eat


    someone¡¯s soul? I couldn¡¯t do that.¡± I shook my head, trying to convince myself but countless


    possibilities ran through my mind. I did say I would be willing to do anything to keep Alec and Kade


    safe¡­but, did that include stealing someone¡¯s soul?


    The twins were quiet for a moment, as though they could sense my own internal debate. Once their


    mark sat on my skin, they¡¯d be able to sense how truly tormented I was by this.


    The twins shared a look that had me curious, and Alec turned to me with a gentle smile on his face.


    ¡°Power isn¡¯t something to be afraid of, it¡¯s something to respect and use when needed. That¡¯s the thing


    someone like Marcus Novak doesn¡¯t understand. He sees power and wants it, all of it. He doesn¡¯t


    respect it, and uses it to hurt others.¡± Alec sighed, cupping my face with a calloused hand.


    ¡°No matter how far your abilities progress, you should learn how to use them in their fullest.¡± Kade


    chimed in, standing on the opposite side of me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lord your power over others, but


    instead use it to protect your family and pack.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Ipletely forbade myself from thinking about Zayne Novak until tomorrow, just as we nned to


    leave for the High Table meeting. I¡¯d spend the rest of today and tonight with my twins, refusing to give


    Zayne another second of my time.


    Garrett and Julian were now set on the task of contacting their sources regarding what a ¡®Soul Eater¡¯


    might be, and how it connects to my abilities. We could only hope the information about what I was did


    not spread, as their sources might not be willing to give information if they believed a neighboring pack


    had a weapon primed and ready.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you two, but I¡¯m not letting this ruin my day.¡± Alec smirked as we trekked through


    the woods.


    From what I could tell, we were in the middle of absolute nowhere. We left out the back door and


    walked through the thickest part of the forest, leaving behind the sparklingke and its tantalizing


    waters.


    The hike wasn¡¯t that bad, if I were being honest. My stamina and endurance were much better as a


    werewolf. I wasn¡¯t even winded, and managed to keep up with the twins easily. They definitely helped


    pave the way, holding back branches and pointing out stray roots. My eyes were everywhere, and


    Thalia was practically sitting front row, begging me to shift and leap into the overgrown brush.


    ¡°Why would the threat of me being a ¡®Soul Eater¡¯ ruin your day?¡± I teased a bit dryly.


    Alec, who was leading our three-man group further into the forest, turned and cocked an eyebrow at


    me. His rough voice was apanied by birds singing, and the earth beneath our feet crunching.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t, because I know that you can handle it.¡± He said simply, giving me a smile that turned my


    insides to mush. ¡°Very few people are actually suited for power like that, you just happen to be one of


    them.¡±


    ¡°Confident, but how can you know?¡± I replied, huffing quietly when Kade stopped me from tripping over


    a thick root that was strung across our path.


    ¡°Hmm, let me think for a minute.¡± Alec mused, and I found myself growing antsy with each quiet second


    that passed. ¡°Well, if you were a Soul Eater¡ªor whatever, would you have used your ability on Grace?


    I mean, after what she did to you, it makes sense.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to think on what Alec was saying and snorted at him. I briefly locked eyes with Kade when


    he tugged me in front of him whilst holding a branch back. I could see the lingering anger in his eyes,


    just as I felt it settle over me.


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t.¡± I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the two of them. They were being dramatic. ¡°She¡¯s


    a disgusting excuse for a human being, but she doesn¡¯t deserve her d**n soul ripped out. People like


    that usually go to j**l. That doesn¡¯t make me special, a lot of other people would do the same in my


    shoes.¡±


    ¡°Not as many people as you¡¯re thinking.¡± Alec denied, ncing at me from over his shoulder. ¡°I sure as


    h**l wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯d devour her soul and not lose a night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    We approached a small ravine in the forest, dotted withrge stones that acted as our only way across.


    Alec¡¯s movements were smooth and graceful, even though the stones were coated in algae. I gritted


    my teeth and stepped on the top of one tentatively. My sandals had no grip, and I nearly slid forward


    right then and there.


    ¡°I second that.¡± Kade grunted as he hoisted me in his arms, holding me against his chest while he


    stepped over the tops of the stones. His eyes were dark when they met mine, and a sinful smirk was on


    his face. ¡°Your reflexes are much better, but you¡¯re still quite clumsy for a werewolf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not clumsy.¡± I snapped yfully, scowling up at him. ¡°You and Alec are just special.¡±


    ¡°You think we¡¯re special?¡± Kade asked, chuckling low in my ear. We had crossed the small ravine


    already, but Kade had yet to set me down. ¡°Sweetheart, you are the special one.¡±


    Kade shifted and moved until my legs were wrapped around his torso, and my arms were around his


    neck.


    ¡°How can you walk like this?¡± I scoffed, yelping when his hand pped against my bottom.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t very hard, I have motivation.¡± Heughed, a sound that was as thick and rich as the forest


    around us. I stifled an embarrassing moan when he pulled me tightly against him, his rippling muscles


    beneath my thighs.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going tost another half hour if all I smell is her arousal.¡± Alec called out from behind him,


    making Kade chuckle and I nch.


    ¡°Let me down.¡± I hissed quietly, tapping on Kade¡¯s shoulders. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯tst half an hour


    either.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡ªin that case, feel free to y with her a little while longer, brother.¡± Alec chuckled, shing a


    dark look my way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± I warned Kade, giving him a stern look.


    There was no way I¡¯d be doing anything out here, not until I was able to cool off. It was unbearably


    humid, and the sweat trickled down my back in thin rivulets.


    Kade let me down slowly, and I could feel the full length of him pressing against the seam of his pants.


    His apologetic smile was flimsy, and I could see past it in an instant.


    Once the fire burning in my gut stopped raging out of control, the rest of the walk was actually pleasant.


    A cool breeze continued to whoosh by as we neared closer to or destination, giving me a small reprieve


    from the heat.


    I could hear the water running before actually seeing it, and could smell its freshness from far away.


    We broke through the tree-line, and stood at the top of a small waterfall. Easily ten feet high, I could


    feel the spray of the water as it shed to the bottom. Jagged stones, shining with moisture dotted the


    cliff and surrounding area.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure no one will see us here?¡± I asked the two of them, feeling oddly exposed since my


    conversation with Zayne.


    ¡°Nah, we own the surrounding forest.¡± Alec reassured me, tossing his bag against the trunk of an oak


    tree.


    I trusted his word and took a deep breath. I wasfortable around the twins, but I was nearly positive


    that pang of nervousness in my gut would never go away. Their presences were just so consuming,


    and I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever learn how not to d***n in their eyes.


    I dropped my own bag to the ground, and stripped my t-shirt from my head. Alec stopped digging


    through his bag, his head cocked and eyes on me. Kade acted the same, his attention diverted andCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ced on me.


    How couldn¡¯t I feel confident? I could feel what they felt for me. I sat at the center of their world, and


    there would never be another woman who could dare get that close.


    My shorts fell to the ground next, leaving me d in acy bra and thong. It had been a pair the twins


    packed me, one that took fifteen minutes of debating to finally ce on my body. It waspletely see-


    through, revealing every inch of my body. Either way, that wasn¡¯t too different from what I had in mind.


    I sauntered up to Kade with as much confidence as I could muster. Once I stood a few inches away, I


    turned around and gazed up at him through myshes.


    ¡°Could you undo my bra, please?¡± I asked sweetly, my legs buckling when I felt a rush of need st


    through my senses.


    Ever since marking the twins, their emotions were on overdrive. It was like I could feel thempletely


    now, the emotion at its fullest.


    ¡°Sure thing, sweetheart.¡± He spoke after a few moments of silence; his voice was huskier than usual.


    I could feel every ce his fingers touched my skin. He chuckled at the goosebumps that ran down my


    arms and back. Once the sp on my bra was undone, I let it flutter to the ground with the rest of my


    clothing.


    ¡°Need help with anything else?¡± Kade asked from behind me, his fingers toying with thece underwear


    I wore.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± I said breathlessly, taking a few steps away and dropping my underwear on top of the


    pile of clothes.


    If Kade were to have helped me with my underwear, he¡¯d see the full extent of his impact on my body.


    That wasn¡¯t happening. There was only so much I could take, and I knew I wouldn¡¯t ever live it down.


    ¡°Are you two going to swim, or just stand here and stare at me?¡± I asked, cing my hands on my hips


    as I looked them both in the eye.


    I didn¡¯t know I had the confidence to stand there in front of them. Even though my fingers twitched with


    the urge to cover myself, I managed to stand my ground.


    ¡°Well¡ªwe were going to swim.¡± Alec reasoned with a sly smile and a shrug. ¡°I think we have something


    better in mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not happening.¡± I shook my head, taking a few steps back towards the edge of the small


    cliff. ¡°We came here to swim, and I¡¯m going to swim.¡±


    ¡°You really can¡¯t be persuaded, doll?¡± Alec asked, jutting his lower lip out in a pout that made my mouth


    water.


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± I squealed, leaping from the top of the cliff and into the water below.


    The sweat was washed from my body, and the heat had vanished under the weight of cool water.


    The twins followed after me shortly, making identical sshes in the water below. I hid behind the


    waterfall, but was startled by Kade before I had the chance to sneak up on either of them.


    We swam for what felt like hours, not even stopping to eat. The sun cooked the ground below, but the


    water from theke continued washing away the sweat. My limbs ached from the constant swimming


    and asional wrestling matches, but I savored every bit of it.


    Alec and Kade were evenly matched when it came to wrestling. My new favorite source of


    entertainment came from watching the twin¡¯s wrestle. Not only was there a plethora of rippling muscles


    to gaze at, they were actually quite funny. Kade would m Alec into the water, sshing me as I


    perched myself on a smooth stone. Alec would somehow manage to hold onto Kade, sending him


    tumbling into the water.


    There wasn¡¯t a clear winner at the end of their battle, but both were heaving and throwing side-ways


    res at the other.


    Much to Thalia¡¯s delight, we shifted and raced throughout the forest. Alec had won every time, but I had


    managed to beat Kade three times. He snarled in outrage. Alecughed in his face and called him a


    sore loser, making me snort and slowly erupt inughter.


    Shortly after that, the three of us were sprawled on a thick nket that Alec had tossed in the grass.


    The twin¡¯s took turns devouring me like a personal feast. By the time they had finished, I was sore to


    the touch and d***g for another dip in the cold water.


    We ventured home just as the sun began to set. The three of us made the hike back to the cabin, only


    to end up in bed an hourter. We couldn¡¯t keep our hands off of one another during our lengthy


    shower.


    Perhaps it was the threat of what mighte tomorrow. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t help but


    think of the worst. They could sentence me to d***h, and deem me unworthy of life. Alec and Kade


    would send their packs to war for me, just as Julian and Garrett would. It would be a bloodbath, and for


    what?


    ¡®It¡¯s not for nothing. White wolves have been hunted and kept as weapons; it needs to end. We¡¯re


    strong enough to fight against this.¡¯ Thalia reminded me, the voice of strength and duty that lived within


    my mind.


    The thought of what woulde made the three of us on edge, desperate to im and be imed. I


    knew what would being tonight, and let their kisses chase away any lingering nerves.


    ¡°Will it hurt?¡± I gasped, wedged between the twins with both sheathed inside of mepletely.


    Kade stood at my front, his hand roughly grasping my chin as he thrust inside of me. Alec was behind,


    his hands ying with my b*****s and his c**k easing inside my puckered hole.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, doll.¡± Alec murmured in my ear, but the sound turned into a deep groan when


    he closed thosest inches and filled mepletely. ¡°F**k, Aurora¡ª¡±


    They both took what they needed from me, and gave me twice in return. The twins quickly formed a


    rhythm with their thrusts, making my core grind against Kade and sendshes of pleasure down my


    legs.


    Alec tangled his hand in my hair, pulling my head back against his shoulder. I looked up at him and


    nearly came from the feral look in his eyes. His body was shining with sweat, his husky scent filling


    every corner of the room.


    ¡°Come for us, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, his lips finding my neck.


    Just as Kade grinded against my swollen c**t, Alec pinched my nipple and sent me spiraling over the


    edge. I pulsed around the two of them, my back arched and jaw ck from the o****m that had quaked


    through me.


    Both twins took that moment of bliss to sink their teeth into the hollow of my throat. Kade took the left


    side and Alec had taken the right. The second their teeth broke through my skin, a sh of pain danced


    behind my eyes, only to be fought and smothered by the pleasure my body felt.


    That pain lived for a brief moment, but then expanded into something I had felt before. When I had


    marked the twin¡¯s, I could feel that part of our connection form and grow. We weren¡¯tpleted, not


    until I had that same mark.


    I could feel the moment their teeth had hit their mark, and the symbol that would soon form on my skin


    bubbled beneath the surface. My neck was warm, incredibly warm despite the stinging pain.


    The twin¡¯spped away the blood that dotted my neck. Kade rested his forehead against my own,


    remaining sheathed inside of me. I could feel his heavy heartbeats against my chest, and Alec¡¯s at my


    back.


    ¡®You are incredible, sweetheart.¡¯ Kade¡¯s voice was an echo in my mind, ¡®You did so well.¡¯


    His voice blended into my own thoughts so well I had nearly overlooked thement.


    ¡®Can he hear me?¡¯ I thought, ¡®Is he in my mind, or am I in his?¡¯


    ¡®Think of it like were constantly on a 3-way call.¡¯ Alec chuckled, joining the conversation.


    ¡®Is there any way to mute our little 3-way call?¡¯ I giggled, trying not to blush.


    There were too many things I didn¡¯t need the twins over hearing, mostly how much I drool over them.


    Their egos are big enough without me adding to the mix.


    ¡®Yes, doll. I do think we¡¯ll need to teach her how to block some of her thoughts.¡¯ Alec snorted, directing


    hisment at Kade.


    ¡®Big egos?¡¯ Was Kade¡¯s grumbled response.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby.¡± I cooed at Kade, whose eyes darkened in retaliation.


    ¡°I can think of a much better use for that mouth than saying those hateful things, sweetheart.¡± Kade


    scolded me, giving me a kiss that stole my breath and made my core clench. His dark eyes flitted to his


    brother, ¡°I¡¯d like to make our little mate scream now, brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never pass up an opportunity like that.¡± Alec chuckled, his fingers rubbing slow circles on my sore


    b*****s. His lips trailed my neck, and sent little shivers of pain down my neck whenever he hit my


    wound.


    We took advantage of our time together, tangled in a mess of limbs and whispered words. My body


    ached and thrummed, exhausted yetpletely insatiable. My throat had grown a bit sore from the


    sounds I had made, the sounds the twin¡¯s devoured and lusted after.


    Only when the clock read early in the morning, did we curl up on the bed. I stayed up for a while after


    that, my head on Kade¡¯s chest and my legs tangled with Alec¡¯s. I listened to the thrum of their hearts


    and the peaceful whispers of their emotions until my eyes finally fluttered shut.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Our rxing weekend came to an abrupt halt just a few hourster. We were up at the crack of dawn,


    preparing for the trip. The twins had nned ahead, and already had a suitcase packed for each of us.


    Alec had this uncanny ability to pop right out of bed and head for the shower. Kade trudged down to the


    kitchen on my heels, following the scent of caffeine. Two cupster, I no longer felt so cold and bleary. I


    left Kade in the kitchen to finish his own, and joined Alec in the shower.


    ¡°You nervous, doll?¡± Alec asked me, kneading the shampoo into my scalp while I leaned helplessly


    against him.


    ¡°Mm, just a bit.¡± I replied, sighing when he stopped to let me rinse. My throat clenched momentarily, the


    words heavy. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone d***g for me.¡±


    Alec knew what I was talking about. They had also thought of the worst possible oues and what


    they might mean for us. War was a very strong possibility.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s more than that now. It¡¯s not only about keeping you safe. We could actually change things


    now.¡± Alec replied softly, massaging some conditioner into the ends of my hair. ¡°White wolves have


    been hunted and possibly enved for hundreds of years. There¡¯s never been a pack big enough to


    make a difference against the High Table. If war were toe, the deaths would not sit on your


    shoulders.¡±


    Alec was right, but that didn¡¯t change the loss¡ªthe lives that would be snuffed out. I had gone from


    worrying about my next meal to the threat of oing war.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, things do need to change.¡± I nodded, thinking of the white wolves that were kept alive. I


    had more questions than answers, but knew that a life in very is not a life at all. No matter how they


    were being treated, they deserved control over their lives. ¡°We¡¯ll do everything we can do avoid war


    though, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course we will.¡± Alec snorted, swatting my fingers away as I started scratching the healing mark on


    my neck. The two marks already had a thin film of skin on them, and a dark pattern beneath it¡¯s


    surface. They were sensitive to the touch, mostly the twin¡¯s touches, and were horribly itchy. Alec held


    my fingers in his grip and shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t scratch them, doll.¡±


    An hourter we were out the door, nestled in the sedan that had brought us to the cabin. I grumbled a


    bit over my in breakfast. A few protein bars and an apple. Two days of the twin¡¯s extravagant


    breakfasts had me hooked. They were making me spoiled and I didn¡¯t have the care to stop it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n again?¡± I asked for what was possibly the seventh time.


    I wanted to memorize every step, every dy from here to there. Maybe I wanted some semnce of


    control, especially now that my rights were quite literally in the process of being taken away.


    ¡°You¡¯re worrying.¡± Alec frowned, locking eyes with Kade through the rearview mirror.


    Before I had time to respond, Alec was unhooking my seatbelt and pulling me into the back. Inded on


    hisp with a squeal and blushed as his member stirred beneath me.


    Now that we were all marked, the twin¡¯s could feel my emotions. The marks weren¡¯t healed yet, but the


    connection seemed strong enough.


    The two of them had been incredibly attentive this morning, influenced by the pull of my emotions. If I


    were feeling frustrated or angry, one of the twin¡¯s seemed to materialize beside me. That hadn¡¯t


    changed in the few hours we¡¯d been driving. It was nice, having someone feel my emotions for a


    change.


    Alec wrapped his arms around my torso and held me close while Kade recounted the n with


    seemingly limitless patience.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking this car to the outskirts of Garrett¡¯s pack. Once we hit neutral territory, we¡¯ll meet up with


    Tori and the security detail. Our parents, Julian, and Garrett will be traveling with another security party


    an hour or two back.¡± Kade spoke, his eyes glued to the road. His next words were what I was really


    worried about. ¡°It is not ideal, but we¡¯ll be staying at a hotel in neutral territory. After a few hours rest,


    we¡¯ll be on the road again.¡±


    Neutral territory wasnd that belonged to the humans¡ªor better, fighting grounds for werewolves¡¯


    wars. No Alpha wanted to damage their ownnd in the middle of war, so why not use unupied


    land? Unupied as in there were no werewolves living there, only humans.


    ¡°Neutral territory can be incredibly dangerous. We have no choice but to rest there tonight. We¡¯ll keep it


    short and safe. We¡¯ve purchased an entire floor of the hotel, and there will be guards posted at every


    stairwell and elevator.¡± Alec continued from what his brother had been saying. ¡°There are rogues and


    the asional bounty hunter that reside within neutral territory.¡±


    ¡°Why would werewolves need bounty hunters?¡± I asked Alec, settling into the heat of his arms.


    Nothing could touch me when I was being held by one of my twins. The anxiety I had been feeling was


    washed away by all that was Alec.


    ¡°Not all werewolves like following the High Table. Sometimes important werewolves escape by moving


    into neutral territory. They can live undetected as a rogue.¡± Alec murmured, bing distracted as he


    traced the edges of my lips with his thumb.


    What I was going to say next fizzled in my mind when Alec brought his lips down on my own. The


    rough pads of his fingers pressed into my face as he held my jaw, leaving me defenseless as he


    grasped my lower lip in between his teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s so easy to work you up, doll.¡± Alec mumbled against my lips, pulling away from me with augh.


    The scent of my arousal had filled the sedan, light like dew-soaked petals. I swallowed thickly and


    pulled myself together. Locking eyes with Kade through the rear-view mirror, I grinned sheepishly.


    ¡°Sorry, Kade.¡±


    Kade looked back at Alec and nodded, ¡°You have three hours, then you¡¯re driving.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Alec grinned, making me roll my eyes.


    ¡°Not happening, not for either of you.¡± I snorted, sliding off Alec¡¯sp and into the set beside him.


    Ten minutes into my self-imposed bet, my willpower snapped and crumbled. I would¡¯ve thought having


    s*x in a car would be more awkward, more clumsy than normal. There was something arousing about


    teasing Kade, watching his knuckled turn white on the steering wheel, and the material of his pants


    strain.


    Three hourster, we stopped at a gas station so the twins could switch ces. Kade practically


    tackled me,ying me back on the seats of the sedan. The heavily tinted windows provided all of the


    privacy we needed, though Alec had a front row seat to the show.


    ¡°Well¡ªthat¡¯s one way to take my mind off of things.¡± Imented with a huff.


    Morning quickly turned into afternoon. The soreness in my legs and backside were a testament to how


    long we had been driving. The twin¡¯s seemed to have an endless dder, and groaned when I needed


    to pee after an hour and a half.


    ¡°Not all of us can just pull it out of our pants.¡± I snapped half-heartedly at the two of them.


    I knew the moment we entered onto neutral territory, because the twin¡¯s had grown utterly silent. It was


    almost dark now, and each shadow on the shoulder of the road spooked me. I saw assassins in the


    dark, peons of the High Table sent to rob me of my life.


    Alec called the head of our security team and remained on the phone with him until we arrived at the


    meet-up point.


    We all met in the parking lot of a closed down truck stop. Across the street was the new and improved


    version. Cars filled the regr lots, and semi-trucks filled the remaining spaces. The abandoned truck


    stop we parked at, there was no one in sight.


    Within an hour, there were five other cked out sedans in the parking lot. We all sat near one another,


    and I nearly jumped from the vehicle when I saw a sh of red curls.


    Tori was getting out of one of the sedan¡¯s, a security guard held the door as she emerged.


    ¡°She¡¯s riding with us.¡± Alec smiled through the rear-view. ¡°Figured you could use the extra support.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± I said sincerely, thankful for Tori¡¯s fearless presence.


    ¡°Can you believe how creepy this ce is?¡± Tori scoffed, climbing into the back seat of the sedan.


    Kade took a seat in the passenger, while Alec pulled out of the unused parking lot.


    We sandwiched ourselves in between two other sedans. I couldn¡¯t help but feel like the president, or


    some kind of royalty. We had our own protection detail tailing us on the road, standing at the doors to


    our bedrooms and watching out for threats.


    It was one in the morning now, and we had been traveling with the security team around us for two


    hours. My eyelids felt as though they were attached to weights. I couldn¡¯t understand why I was so tired


    when I had spent the day sitting down. Sitting in a car all day really drained your energy.


    Alec woke me from my nap as we pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. It was much more extravagant


    than what I was used to. I had stayed in motels with Melissa a few times, and didn¡¯t particrly care to


    drum up the memories.


    This hotel had a restaurant and a club inside, both on the bottom level. Valet drivers crowded the street


    outside. The soulful singing of a performer sounded from in the busy club. Kade booked the entire top


    floor for us and our security team. The team would take turns standing at the entrances and exits. I


    couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I actually needed this kind of protection¡ªI certainly hoped I wasn¡¯t in any


    imminent danger.


    I fell face first into one of the plushest beds ever made, and was nearly asleep right then and there.


    Alec had to lift me from the bed to get me to move, and I might¡¯ve fought him on that for a few seconds.


    Tori was staying in the room directly across from us. She was the only one who had an entire room to


    herself. Even Julian and Garrett had to share, a feat I still think is impossible for the two of them.


    I curled up between Alec and Kade, falling asleep as Kade¡¯s fingers traced patterns up my spine and


    Alec¡¯s cheek fell against my head.


    I, along with the twin¡¯s, snapped out of sleep when a rapid knock sounded on the door, followed by


    Tori¡¯s frightened voice.


    Jane Doe


    I hope you¡¯re all enjoying the Twin¡¯s! These next few chapters might be hectic for Aurora and the twin¡¯s,


    but I know you¡¯re all down for the ride!Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Tori sounded frantic, and if her rapid knocks were any indicator¡ªsomething had happened. The twin¡¯s


    and I were out of bed in an instant, shoving on any article of clothing we could. Perhaps there was a


    downside to sleeping naked.


    I wrenched the door open once the twins had at least put shorts on. Tori stormed in, her fiery locks an


    absolute mess and her eyes wild. I was still in the process of putting on my own shirt, forgoing a bra


    completely.


    ¡°What?¡± I stammered, grabbing onto Tori with gentle hands. I searched her eyes for answers but found


    only fear and questions. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Tori shook of the fear that warped her insides, much like I thought she would. She squared her


    shoulders, and let out a shaky breath beforeposing herself.


    ¡°I nned to go down a floor for some ice, figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt because all of the guards posted and


    what not.¡± Tori let the words out in a rush, and gave Kade a re when he scoffed at her. ¡°I had gotten


    some drinks at the store when we stopped, but they were warm. Sue me for wanting a cold drink.¡±


    ¡°What happened next?¡± I pressed, shing Kade a look that said ¡®not now¡¯.


    ¡°A guard followed me down, we couldn¡¯t have been gone for more than five minutes.¡± Tori continued,


    her nervous eyes back on me. ¡°When we came back up, the guards were gone. Every single one. The


    one that took me down to get ice escorted me back to my room and told me to stay there. Obviously, I


    didn¡¯t listen. Why would I when something this creepy was going on? I waited a minute and came back


    out. The guard that took me to my room was gone, as in¡ªnot even on this floor.¡±


    I swore I could hear something tter out in the hall. Like someone had dropped something. That


    tter was followed by a muffled bang, loud enough to grab the twin¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, don¡¯t you feel it?¡± Tori asked, her voice lowering into a hushed whisper.


    ¡°I certainly do now.¡± I nodded, locking eyes with the twins to see that they also felt the same.


    I walked over to the door, ready to wrench it open. Every ounce of fatigue had been wiped from me,


    reced with fear and a strange sense of foreboding. Something was definitely wrong; we just hadn¡¯t


    noticed it in time. Just as I opened it an inch, Alec¡¯s shoulder mmed into the door. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t open it.¡± Alec snarled; his nose tilted upwards as he took deep breaths of the air around us. His


    eyes darted over to Kade, narrowing in both determination and feral anger. ¡°You smell that?¡±


    Tori lifted her nose to the air as well and inhaled. I followed suit, but ended up confused. I smelled


    nothing other than the usual scents of a hotel. Lotion and soap in the bathroom, cleaner andundry


    detergent, and just a hint of the twin¡¯s cologne from before we left the cabin.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, unable to pinpoint what scent they were talking about.


    ¡°S**t, that¡¯s not good. Whoever¡¯s here came prepared.¡± Kade snapped, his eyes darting around the


    room.


    ¡°Short version, it¡¯s a gas designed for werewolves. Created by the High Table. It also has silver


    particles in it. The smell is subtle, but it¡¯s sweet and metallic.¡± Alec grunted, looking through the


    peephole while Kade scanned the room for something. ¡°Small dosages cause hallucinations,rge


    leave youpletely unconscious.¡±


    I took a deep breath again, peeling back theyers of various scents until I reached what they were


    talking about. A floral kind of sweetness, somewhat like perfume. It was to mask the horrendous


    metallic undertone, nearly strong enough to mimic the scent of fresh blood.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± I hissed, knowing a hotel door wouldn¡¯t keep the gas from us for long. All at once, my


    stomach dropped. ¡°Garrett and Julian are out there, and your parents!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t worried about us so much as everyone else. I trusted the twins, and I knew Tori could hold her


    own. Plus, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use my abilities if it meant getting us out of here. It was the twin¡¯s


    parents I worried for. Possibly even Julian and Garrett.


    ¡°We can¡¯t help them.¡± Kade replied, his voice and eyes hard. ¡°If the gas touches our skin, it¡¯ll b**n.


    Then the hallucinations will start, if we aren¡¯t knocked out from inhtion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s everyone for themselves.¡± Alec nodded; his eyebrows knitted tightly together.


    My gut clenched and instant tears sprung to my eyes as I felt the emotions of the twin¡¯s. Both of them,


    they were so strong. They were worried, terrified actually, but kept in control to help Tori and I. We were


    their priority at the moment, and I knew they¡¯d do everything possible to get us out.


    I took a few steadying breaths to keep myself frompletely falling apart. I¡¯d be no help if I were a


    sobbing, sniffling mess. I shoved the worry and agony deep down, hopefully letting survival mode take


    over.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Whoever threw that is going toe breaking down these doors.¡± Kade


    said, darting over to the window. He pressed himself against the wall, brushing the curtain away with a


    single finger. I realized what he was doing. He was trying to see if we were surrounded, if the windows


    were a viable option.


    Good news, we were not surrounded. The side of the building we were on faced a thick forest. The


    parking lot was on the other side of the building, so getting to the sedan wouldn¡¯t be an option.


    Bad news, we were on the fourth floor. While I doubted it would k**l us, we would certainly be worse for


    wear if we fell forty feet.


    As I dreaded but somewhat expected, the windows were our only way to go.


    Tori, Kade, and I wrenched the windows open. They wererge bay windows that overlooked the forest


    and very distant mountain range. It was a beautiful view, but now looked daunting and sinister in the


    dark.


    Alec had pushed one of the antique dressers in front of the door. It wouldn¡¯t do much, but any number


    of seconds could be precious in a situation like this.


    I could hear them now, the steady thud of feet hitting the floor. Alec stiffened at the peephole and I


    knew I was right. Whoever they were, they were here.


    ¡°We need to get her out, now.¡± Alec snarled, whipping around from the door.


    He made it three feet before a st originating from the door threw him forwards. My ears ached from


    the sound. I winced as splintered wood shot out in all directions, leaving a scratch and a few splinters


    against my cheek.


    Even as abject h****r flowed through me, I reacted instantly. I lunged for Alec¡¯s crumpled form. He


    wasn¡¯t d**d, not by a long shot. Stunned and covered in a few burns and cuts, Alec stirred on the floor.


    Kade¡¯s arms wrapped around my waist, and an ear-splitting scream spilled from my mouth. It was


    agony and fury wrapped into one animalistic sound, something that wasn¡¯t quite human.


    Men dressed in dark clothing filled the room. In those little pocket moments when time seems to slow, I


    had enough time to assess what they were wearing. If I wasn¡¯t a werewolf traveling with my two Alpha


    mate¡¯s, I would¡¯ve thought they were the swat team. There were no letters on their padded vests and


    dark helmets with face shields.


    I was furious that Kade would pull me away from Alec, that he wouldn¡¯t rush to help his brother. I


    understood a moment toote why Kade had ripped me away.


    When the men demolished our door, they let the wispy tendrils of gas fill the room. It was hazy, a little


    bit like cigarette smoke as it whooshed in the bedroom. Instead of slowly nketing the room¡ªit


    spread quickly, that perfume scent strong and pungent.


    The gas rushed over Alec¡¯s form, even as he pulled himself from the floor with supernatural speed. I


    could see it in his eyes, when the gas took hold. They seemed to ze over just a bit.


    One second, I was staring into Alec¡¯s eyes with both fear and courage. The next, I could taste that


    pungent scent on my tongue. I coughed and sputtered when my throat grew tight and raw, like I had a


    bad case of strep-throat.


    The gas was everywhere now, on every taste bud and nerve ending in my body. I could feel it rushing


    through my lungs, even with the tiny breaths I was taking. My lungs ached and head throbbed, and I


    knew we were running on little time.


    All of this happened so fast, much faster than it seems. It hadn¡¯t even been three minutes and


    everything had gone horribly wrong.


    As my vision blurred, Kade jumped into action. He had to be fighting the affects of the gas, but I


    couldn¡¯t tell from his emotions. Everything was jumbled, a mess of color and faces, odors that made my


    nose b**n and eyes water.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try and break our fall.¡± I heard the echo of Kade¡¯s voice by my ear. I could barely detect


    the pain within the voice, as the men who stormed the room began shooting.


    The next second, I was dropping through the air. My mouth was torn open, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to


    scream. The fall stopped so abruptly that I grunted, pain dancing up my torso.


    ¡°This is going to hurt.¡± Alec¡¯s voice called out seconds before we continued falling, only to hit the


    ground.


    Darkness and the deep green shade of the grass and forest shed before my eyes.


    The sound was a dull thud, but every ounce of oxygen was torn from my lungs in that moment. My


    muscles ached¡ªh**l, even my bones ached. I hadn¡¯t broken anything; at least, not that I could tell. If it


    weren¡¯t for my werewolf side, my body would¡¯ve been onerge mottled bruise.


    I couldn¡¯t tell the ck spots dancing in my eyes from the darkness of night. My body groaned,


    demanding a moment toy here in agony.


    ¡°Get up and run! We can¡¯t stay here!¡± Kade snarled, and a hand wrapped around my upper arm, pulling


    me to my feet.


    My legs felt like jelly, but I managed to stay upright when Kade pulled me forward. My torso was


    already aching and throbbing, but I couldn¡¯t tell if it were from the fall or our run.


    Everything raced by me in a blur, distorted from the gas I had inhaled. It was worse than being drunk.


    Not only did I have poor control over my own body, but the world around me was warped, and I was


    pretty sure I could see something huge darting through the forest up ahead. Hallucinations were bad


    enough, but I also felt like I had inhaled liquid fire. My throat felt raw, and it ached to take oxygen into


    my lungs.


    Run, run, run, run, run.


    The word was a song, a mantra I told myself over and over again. Until the pain was no more than a


    dull b**n.


    We ran into the forest, all without looking behind us. Branches whipped against my skin, leaving little


    kisses of stinging pain behind. It was a feat not to trip over everything, especially as we ran.


    ¡°We need to shift.¡± Tori¡¯s voice sounded from somewhere to my left. ¡°Our wolves can fight it off faster.¡±


    ¡°We need to shift now, sweetheart.¡± Kade murmured, ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt, but you need to give into the


    pain.¡±


    It was near-impossible to call Thalia¡¯s forward, and I reminded myself to ask why the gas affected her


    differently. She was still in my mind, in the same amount of pain as I.


    Kade was right, I thought as splinters of sharp pain danced up my back and shoulders. I could feel


    every shift of my bones, every tug and twist of my muscle as I turned human to wolf.


    Thalia did not have time to sit and fight the pain that epassed her. She stood to four legs and


    darted off into the forest. I could feel myself slipping, losing consciousness as Thalia propelled us


    through the forest. Thest thing I remember, was hearing Alec¡¯s smooth voice coax me into the


    darkness.


    I woke with a start, feeling as though I had the worst hangover known to man. My head was a


    symphony of ragged pain, and my mouth was horribly dry. I spat out something that looked


    suspiciously like dirt and tried not to gag.


    As I looked at my surroundings, I understood why I was naked and covered in dirt. We were still deep


    in the forest, but the tree¡¯s lookedpletely different here. They wererger and much shorter than


    the forest at the hotel.


    My naked body was coated in dirt, mud, and scrapes. It looked like Thalia had fell down a hill, and


    shifted mid fall. My body was tangled in Kade¡¯s, and part of me was resting on his chest. We were at


    the bottom of arge hill,ying partially in a ravine of some sort. The water was wonderfully cold


    against the sweat that coated my body.


    Kade came-to around the same time as I. I knelt by the ravine and drank deeply, wincing as my sore


    throat ached.


    ¡°Alec?¡± I called out. I wasn¡¯t yelling, but I did raise my voice just a bit. It ached, speaking that loud, but it


    was worth the twinge of pain. ¡°Tori?¡±


    ¡°Quiet, sweetheart.¡± Kade hushed me, standing from the stream to take me in his arms.


    His hands were gentle as they pulled twigs and leaves from my tangled hair, and brushed some dirt


    from my face. His eyes were heavy, and one peek at his emotions had my heart shriveling in my chest.


    He was frightened, worriedpletely frazzled and thrown off his feet. Kade was not one to feel


    those things. He¡¯s unwaveringly strong and horrifically stubborn. I knew where those emotions were


    stemming from, and my eyes darted around frantically, my heart on the verge of a panic a****k.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± I hissed, my voice raspy and broken.


    I had heard them with us, I know I had. They had been right beside me. I couldn¡¯t see them because of


    the gas, because everything had been distorted¡ªthere had to be a mistake. Their voices were real,


    they had to be.


    ¡°Neither one of us knew¡ªwe didn¡¯t know they never made it out.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was low but stern. He


    wasn¡¯t hardening himself, but letting the emotions wash over him, filling him with grim determination.


    His sorrow quickly turned to fury, and his fury alone chased away the tears that leaked from my eyes.


    ¡°We were all hit with the gas. It¡¯s likely we could¡¯ve hallucinated most of what happenedst night. We¡¯ll


    get them back, Aurora. We¡¯ll k**l each and every one of them.¡±

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    F*ck, we¡¯re five hours from the hotel and even farther from the High Table.¡± Kade hissed under his


    breath, quickly shoving a handful of waters into our small cart.


    If it weren¡¯t for the weight of everything looming down on me, this moment would¡¯ve been hrious.


    We had woken uppletely naked, as all werewolves do when they shift back into human form. We


    had trudged through the woods for an hour before finding an actual paved road¡ªwith actual street


    signs. Hiking through the forest,pletely naked¡ªit¡¯s not something I¡¯d do again given the option.


    Half an hourter, we found the only full-functioning store in this little town.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Apart from the faded lettering, ¡°Mini Mart¡± on the sign at the front of the parking lot, there was no other


    indicator of what this ce might be. I was expecting a gas station, but was surprised to see people


    emerging from the store with carts full of groceries and other items.


    The two of us hid behind a small dumpster area, trying to ignore the stomach curling stench of rotten


    fruits and spoiled meat. I wasn¡¯t sure what Kade was looking for, but gasped when he darted out from


    behind our hiding spot. I remained rooted in ce, unable to force myself to move.


    Call it cowardly, but I wasn¡¯t exactly ready to streak naked through a parking lot in mid-day. I had to


    give it to Kade, even with his bulky frame, he was pretty stealthy. No one had seen him; all were too


    preupied within their own little bubbles.


    Moms fussed over their small toddlers, others were on their cellphones or transfixed within their own


    little worlds.


    Kade hid behind a mini-van that was overflowing with motivational bumper stickers. The trunk was


    open, and a cart full of groceries sat unattended beside it. The woman had forgotten her wallet inside


    the store, and during her fuss, hadn¡¯t bothered closing her trunk. Kade dug through her bags quickly,


    snatching up two that seemed to fit his needs. He rummaged through the front of her vehicle, moving


    even faster than before.


    Part of me wanted tough, to cackle so loudly all attention was drawn our way. Here we were, missing


    a mate and brother, absolutely naked in the middle of nowhere, stealing from some poor woman¡¯s car.


    It was an impossible situation, one that broughtughter bubbling in my chest whenever I tried to make


    sense of it.


    ¡°Anyone see me?¡± Kade murmured roughly, making me jump. I hadn¡¯t seen him darting back over


    towards me, hiding behind cars until he was close enough to sprint.


    ¡°Mm, I think that ser mom back there saw you.¡± I teased half-heartedly, ¡°She practically swooned,


    nearly lost control of her cart.¡±


    ¡°A ser mom?¡± Kade snorted, a shimmer of yfulness in his eyes. I swallowed heavily when his


    words made my eyes drift lower. ¡°In that case, I probably did her a favor.¡±


    Kade handed me a t-shirt that was nearly five sizes toorge, but I wasn¡¯t about toin. It was


    better than standing naked in broad daylight. Kade slipped on an identical shirt and a pair of loose


    basketball shorts. We were both barefoot and coated in mud¡ªhopefully they didn¡¯t refuse us at the


    entrance.


    ¡°I feel bad about stealing from thatdy.¡± I grumbled, following behind Kade as the two of us darted to


    the front of the Mini Mart.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d say as much.¡± Kade replied, his lips twitching into a little smirk. ¡°I have her te


    number; I¡¯ll make sure we pay her back.¡±


    Fifteen minutester, we stood within the brightly lit Mini Mart.


    Kade looked like a bear pushing along a child¡¯s shopping cart as we putted down the aisles.


    The Mini Mart seemed like the main store in town, the ce you went when you needed just about


    anything. They had an entire grocery section, along with appliances, clothing, and even some little


    furniture pieces.


    Kade was currently stuffing the cart full of drinks and small snacks. As much as we wanted to run in our


    wolf forms, whoever hade after us would now be searching the forests. Even in human form, we


    had toy low.


    When we realized Mini Mart had a clothing section, we reced what we had stolen from thedy. We


    needed something with a hood, something that would help us blend andy low.


    Kade looked up at me through his darkshes and snarled quietly, ¡°Stop looking at me like that.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± I sniffed, trying to keep my eyes centered on his face.


    Mini Mart didn¡¯t exactly have a wide selection of clothing, and most of it was that touristy type c**p. I


    snickered and giggled when Kade was left with nothing but a tie-d*e sweat shirt two sizes too small. My


    giggles were reced with quick looks of surprise and hunger.


    Kade found a pair of cargo shorts that fit him well enough. The sweatshirt was big enough to fit over the


    large muscles that graced Kade¡¯s body, but they left absolutely nothing to the imagination. I could see


    every indentation of his abs through the cheap thing. The sweatshirt was light in color, made from


    shades of blue, purple, and pink. Kade actually looked really good in those soft colors, even with the


    harshness of his eyes and face.


    ¡°Like you want to devour me in this very store.¡± Kade retorted, swatting at my bottom as he passed.


    My choice of clothing hadn¡¯t been much better, but they were severely limited in the size department.


    The shorts I wore were a few sizes too small, and fit more like underwear than anything else. Luckily,


    the ck hoodie I wore was low enough to cover my bottom. Kade grumbled a bit when he realized the


    ck hoodie wasn¡¯t in his size. I¡¯m beginning to believe he has an aversion to color.


    We had been bantering back and forth since entering the Mini Mart. I think we were both trying to


    ignore the emotions we felt from one another. We were trying to push aside that crippling panic and


    fear, recing it with whatever we could. We used one another as a distraction, as an anchor.


    There was something neither one of us wanted to admit, something we both knew without fail.


    Alec wasn¡¯t d**d, we would know if he were. I could feel my connection to him like a fishing wire,


    endless in length and stronger than anything I had ever experienced. That l**k was not severed. The


    earth would shake if one of my twin¡¯s left me, I was sure of it. He was very much alive, but we could


    only hope the same for Tori.


    Kade paid for our things with a twenty he stole from the stranger¡¯s van. I couldn¡¯t help but feel the more


    we tried to blend in, the more boldly we stood out. An elderly couple let us use their cellphone to make


    a call. We figured they were the least likely option when it came to potential assassin¡¯s and High Table


    spies.


    I let out a shaky sigh when the twin¡¯s dad picked up the phone. Kade and I locked eyes, both of us


    acknowledging that relief that bolstered through us. We would feel the same when we got Alec and Tori


    back¡ªbecause, we would get them back.


    ¡°They¡¯re both alright, Garrett and Julian too.¡± Kade sighed, running his fingers through his hair. The


    action disrupted the hood on his head, making him grumble. ¡°Clearly, you were the target. They most


    likely took Alec and Tori when we slipped away.¡±


    My throat constricted at the thought, and all of those pesky, pent up emotions bubbled towards the


    surface. me, sharp and blunt like an old butcher¡¯s knife, raked across my skin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, sweetheart.¡± Kade grimaced, pulling me into his arms. He had never been one for


    lengthy, sweet words, but he always gave me what I needed. ¡°We would do anything for you, but I need


    you to be strong for Alec and Tori. Someone from the High Table is behind this, and we will make them


    pay.¡±


    I let myself be weak for a few moments, to d***n in the pain that hid beneath my skin. A few seconds,


    that¡¯s all I would allow myself. I would be useless to Alec if I let this break me. Kade gave me those


    seconds, holding me tightly. I didn¡¯t cry, I couldn¡¯t when Kade was giving me the strength of his


    emotions. Love so gentle from such a beast of a man, it was purer than anything I had ever felt before.


    We¡¯d arrive to the High Table meeting by the skin of our teeth, if we were lucky. Time had already been


    lost fleeing from the hotel, and we had yet to leave neutral territory. I wouldn¡¯t even allow myself to think


    too hard on that. Kade and I had enough to worry about without factoring bounty hunters and rogues


    into the mix.


    Kade and I needed to travel to the next to the next town over. It was almost an hour away, but Garrett


    had a friend there who would take us to the next hotel, seven hours away.


    I wasn¡¯t anywhere near trusting Garrett to that extent, but what other choice did we have? I was willing


    to do just about anything to get Tori and Alec back.


    We took a cab to the next town over, heading to an address given by Garrett¡¯s friend. We pulled into


    the parking lot of this little hardware store and waited. Garrett¡¯s friend, turned out to be the owner of the


    hardware store.


    Kade and I sat huddled in the back of his pick-up truck for seven hours, growing stiffer and more


    irritable as the sun crested and finally set. The truck smelled of tobo, which truly wasn¡¯t an


    unpleasant smell. The cigars Garrett¡¯s friend smoked smelled sweet like honey and bourbon.


    We traveled under the radar, which made me feel both free and exposed. Blending in was our best


    option for the time being, but I missed the security three sedan¡¯s full of guards provided.


    As Kade chatted with Garrett¡¯s friend in hushed tones, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift. I kept a


    firm hand around the tether that connected Alec and I, waiting¡ªwaiting for something, anything.


    Movement or a flutter down the bond that would let me know¡ªthat would chase away the poison


    pumping through my heart.


    I felt nothing down the bond, but I wouldn¡¯t let that discourage me. The bond was still there, still present


    and alive. I managed a pitiful nap filled with nightmares and whispered threats before finally giving up


    on the idea of sleep.


    Once night hadpletely taken over, Kade and I were squished together on a very lumpy motel


    mattress. The quality didn¡¯t matter, just as the cigarette smelling nket had no importance. This ce,


    it was just a stepping stone¡ªa waiting room till we were able to find Alec and Tori.


    We fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms that night, still wearing those cheap clothes from the Mini Mart.


    When I slept with the twin¡¯s, there was no room in my head and heart for nightmares. My soul seemed


    to know there was something missing. The nightmares weren¡¯t bold and vicious, but whispered on


    razor sharp des that stung my eyes and made my heart ache.


    That morning, we survived on stale bagels and some chips from our shopping trip yesterday. The


    coffee the motel offered was dark and a bit burnt, but it helped dull the fact that Kade and I both slept


    horrendously.


    Garrett, Julian, and the twin¡¯s parents arrived at the hotel the night before. A team of the twin¡¯s security


    patrol had turned aroundst night, and met us at the motel we stayed at. From the motel, we had a


    remaining four hours left to drive. Every time I nced at the GPS, I found myself more on edge. We¡¯d


    arrive with minutes to spare¡ªminutes! That was not enough time to prepare myself, to figure out the


    right words to say that would buy me my life.


    The Crestbrook was the nicest hotel in town, and glittered like the crowned jewel of the city. Shaped


    like a fin, it jutted from the earth as though it were breeching water. Shimmering windows were visible


    from the outside. There were a few statues outside the hotel, giving it a modern vibe.


    The moment the sedan pulled into the parking lot; our security team unleashed themselves onto us.


    Spewing from just about every corner of the hotel and surrounding lot, they gave Kade and I a small


    birth as they escorted us into the building.


    Kade and I were stuffed into the elevator, with six guards stationed around us. Like previously, we had


    the entire floor to ourselves.


    Garrett, Julian, and the twin¡¯s parents were in our suite when we arrived. My stomach twisted painfully,


    and I thought I might spew the gas station snacks from my stomach if I had to endure the gut-


    wrenching worry that the twin¡¯s parents felt.


    You could imagine my surprise when both their mom and dad pulled me in for a hug, telling me how


    d they were that I was safe. There was no me¡ªno usations. It was my fault Tori and Alec


    were taken, that wasn¡¯t up for argument. It was me they wanted.


    ¡°There will be time to catch up after this mess is sorted.¡± The twin¡¯s mom huffed, giving me a quick


    peck on the cheek. Her eyes softened when she saw the surprise on my face, ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe,


    Aurora.¡±


    My heart was hammering as I was passed from person to person, starting with the twin¡¯s mom. She led


    me into one of the bedrooms, fussing over my knotted hair and sleep-filled eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯ve postponed the meeting a few hours.¡± The twin¡¯s mom called out. Her voice echoed throughout


    the bathroom, meshing with the sound of water spilling from the showerhead.


    I was taking what might be the world¡¯s shortest shower, and was out before three minutes had passed.


    ¡°They¡¯ve postponed the meeting? Then why are we in such a rush.¡± I exhaled, raising my voice as I


    shouted above the loud whir of the hair dryer. The twin¡¯s mom wielded it expertly, using a round brush


    to dry my lengthy hair into soft waves.


    ¡°The date of this meeting was supposed to be confidential.¡± She replied, rolling her eyes. ¡°The


    information was leaked, along with what you are. There have been surges of old families arriving.


    There might only be five families within the High Table, but they allow witnesses. Useless witnesses,


    bought off by most of the families, but there are a few honorable ones left. All of the families in


    attendance are gathering before the meeting, you¡¯ll both be expected to attend.¡±


    ¡°This whole thing sounds rigged from the beginning.¡± I grunted when she brushed through a particrly


    thick patch of knots.


    ¡°Perhaps¡ªyou might get a lead on where Alec is, or who has taken him.¡± She spoke quietly, her voice


    steel hard and her eyes dark. A feral mother whose cub had been ripped away, she was nearly as


    vicious as I.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find him.¡± I promised her, my voice strong and resolute. I let my own fury sh in my eyes, crazed


    but calcted. I would not break, not for these people. I was relieved when she changed the subject,


    but it was difficult to let the tension flow from my shoulders.


    ¡°It was awfully convenient that a vote was cast to dy the meeting.¡± She murmured under her breath;


    our eyes locked through the mirror I sat in front of. ¡°Marcus Novak called it to vote, two other families


    agreed.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why did they dy the meeting? I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t for my sake.¡± Iughed dryly.


    ¡°Zayne Novak was runningte.¡± She told me, not bothering to conceal the double meaning to her


    words. ¡°It seems he was stuck in traffic.¡±


    Coincidences were elusive and rare, especially in this twisted world.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    I was seeing red in an instant, unable to hear anything past the blood rushing to my ears. My ability


    gave me insight into the strong emotions of our wolves. They felt things just like we did, though their


    reactions could vary tremendously. I had never felt my own wolfs anger in this way. Perhaps I had felt it


    during the battle, but there was too muchmotion for me to truly taste the emotion in its prime.


    I wasn¡¯t sure when I had stood up from my seat in front of the vanity in the room, but I was horribly hot


    and itchy, my skin ufortable and much too tight. When the towel fell from my body, it did nothing to


    cool me down.


    I could see the twin¡¯s mom back out of the room, shutting the door quickly behind her. I didn¡¯t have the


    time or need to care. I was too busy connecting the dots in my head, the dots that would lead Zayne


    Novak and his father to an early grave.


    Zayne had made it fairly clear his father keeps white wolves for their abilities; whether or not that


    arrangement was morally sound was beyond me. His father was one of the wolves who would want to


    use me, or destroy me¡ªwhichever would benefit him more. There were too many red gs pointing in


    his direction, and this was the one to top the proverbial cake.


    He had beentete when my mate and best friend had been taken. Now that I had something to go


    on, my wolf was whipped into a frenzy. If we weren¡¯t in human form, foam would be frothing from our


    mouths. I could feel my fingernails lengthen into ws, but I was consumed by the rage burning inside


    of me.


    I gave myself over to that rage, because it felt so, so good to give that anger and restlessness purpose.


    The Luna in me seemed toe out at random moments, especially when one of my twins were in


    danger.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    It felt like seconds had passed when Kade barreled into the room, hesitating for just a moment as he


    noticed my very naked form¡ªeither that or he noticed my lengthened nails and teeth, I wasn¡¯t sure.


    He could feel my rage, that frenzy of vengeance that bubbled beneath my skin. It nearly drowns him


    too, trying to coax him into its blistering depths. Burnt skin and whispered promises of revenge, simply


    abandon reason.


    I think it was the initial surprise of Kade tackling me that gave me a moment¡¯s rity to think. That


    moment of rity was snuffed when Kade pressed his lips to my own and hauled me halfway up the


    wall. His hands formed irond grips on my thighs, wrapping them around his waist. I struggled and


    thrashed under his grip, bloodthirsty and gunning for Zayne and Marcus Novak.


    I wed tracks down his back, hardly noticing my sharpened nails had returned to normal. That


    inability to hurt the twin¡¯s, it was instinctual. Neither Thalia or I could cause the twin¡¯s actual harm, and


    my retracting ws proved that. Where my ws would have shredded Kade¡¯s skin, my human nails


    left aching welts that made his c**k harden and his chest rumble.


    ¡°Give me your anger, sweetheart.¡± Kade snarled, yanking himself back to stare into my eyes, blown-out


    with rage. With my body in his grasp, he stepped back and shoved me back into the wall. The barely


    noticeable fracture of pain only served to anger me, and ce my full attention on Kade. ¡°You can¡¯t go


    out there like this, you¡¯ll k**l someone. And while I¡¯m not entirely opposed to that, I can¡¯t let anything


    happen to you.¡±


    Kade¡¯s words snapped through my fiery anger, like shards of frosty ice. I could hear him, and I


    understood what he was asking of me.


    He wanted my anger, every aching, blistering piece of it. I could feel it in the way he opened up to me,


    taking on my emotions as though they were his own. He let that fury wash over him, and began to


    soften and soothe theva into rock.


    My attention now shifted to his clothes, and how he was wearing far too many articles for my liking. I


    shredded them from his body, enjoying the snarl that came from his lips when his shirt hung in tatters.


    Kade wrapped his fingers in my hair and yanked my head backwards, sending a shower of fireworks


    dancing behind my rage-tinted eyes. The moment his pants fell to the ground, he pulled me from the


    wall and carried me towards the bed. Kade maneuvered the two of us until we sat at the center of the


    bed, and I could feel every thick inch of him rocking against me.


    He gripped my wrists in his hands and looked up at me as I straddled him. I was sure I looked a mess;


    face red from rage, hair halfway done, and eyes wide and frenzied. Kade looked at me as though I


    were the sun that brightened his day, that led him from the dark and coldness that clung to him like a


    seductive shroud.


    ¡°Take what you need from me, sweetheart.¡± He murmured. His eyes weren¡¯t hooded and thick with lust.


    They were zing with a feral interest I hadn¡¯t seen before, as though my frenzied state had appealed


    to a certain side of his wolf.


    His words sent a ripple effect through me, loosening that knot in my heart long enough for me to


    breath. It was a choked breath, one that bordered on a sob.


    They needed to pay, everyst one of them. I wanted to scour this hotel until I found Zayne, until I


    demanded he give me them back. Thalia and I were being torn apart, desperate to do something¡ª


    anything.


    I dug my nails into his chest and hissed as I sunk myself down on his length. My body struggled to


    stretch as fast as I moved, but I savored that raw edge of pain as I took Kade into my body.


    A low groan sounded in his throat as he filled me entirely, stretching me open for him to see. His


    breathing was heavy, and his fingers dug into my hips painfully.


    There was something so blissfully animalistic about it, as though we had abandoned those trivial things


    that made us human. We gave ourselves over to our emotions, and let them drive us into this frenzy.


    I rocked myself against him, brushing my c**t against him in a tantalizing game that made my core


    throb. I let my movements quicken, not caring if they were messy or frantic. I took every ounce of


    pleasure from him, loving the control of how fast and hard his length prated me. I held nothing


    back, whimpering and crying out as an o****m wracked my body. I stiffened and arched on top of Kade,


    whimpering when he continued to thrust inside of me.


    My anger was spent, fizzled out as I took all of it out on Kade. My legs still trembled, and stars still


    danced behind my eyes. My eyes widened on Kade, and I yelped as he flipped me onto my back. My


    core was still throbbing, sending little tingles of pleasure as my thighs rubbed together.


    He yanked my legs over his arms and settled beneath them, lowering himself close to my face. His


    eyes were blown wide and dark. His wolf wasing out to y, dominating its mate and enjoying


    every little scream and whimper she made.


    ¡°I love when you look at me like that. It¡¯s Fcking intoxicating.¡± Kade snarled softly, lowering his mouth to


    the mark on my neck. I gasped and tried to arch my back when his teeth glided over the sensitive skin,


    but his body held me in ce. I groaned low in my throat when his tongue glided up my neck, savoring


    my taste. ¡°I¡¯m going to Fck you until every bit of that anger is gone, sweetheart. And I won¡¯t be gentle.


    You¡¯re going to feel every ounce of pain when my c**k stretches that pretty little p***y.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t angry a good thing?¡± I gasped, my words stalling in my throat when he yfully nipped at my


    neck. F*ck¡ªthe things he said. They pulled my attention away from my anger and sent me tumbling


    down my own arousal. Pain sprouted where he bit, but it was an addicting pain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you angry. At least, not yet.¡± Kade murmured against my neck. ¡°I need you determined,


    focused. We need to be on the same page. When we have Alec¡ªthen, you can be angry. You can take


    every ounce of revenge you need, and I¡¯ll be right there to help you. Until then, I need you in control.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll bete¡ª¡± I stammered, thinking about the gathering before our appointment.


    ¡°F*ck the High Table.¡± Kade snarled, his voice lowering until he sounded much more animal than man.


    ¡°They¡¯ve taken enough from me; they will not take my time with my mate.¡±


    ¡°Then do it. Fck me¡ªFck me until I can control myself, because if I go out there right now¡­I¡¯ll tear


    everything apart until I find him.¡± I replied, trembling under the anticipation that danced through me.


    Something snapped within Kade, and suddenly I was being battered by his emotions. He felt guilty¡ª


    guilty that he only held half of our bond and couldn¡¯t do anything to remove the pain that hung over my


    head like a shroud. He hated the depth and depravity of his own emotions, because they only


    contained a fraction of my own.


    Kade pinned me to the bed with those strong arms and took that desperation out on my body. Marks


    freckled my skin from where Kade nipped and sucked at every inch of me, devouring my b*****s while


    his c**k thrust between my thighs. I came until my limbs went tight and loose, until spots danced behind


    my eyes and my mouth dried with thirst.


    Only when Kade stiffened inside of me and took my head into his hands, did I copse onto the bed.


    He followed suit, remaining on top of me as we both savored thefort of our embrace. We didn¡¯t use


    words to calm the storm that raged within both of us. Words could only do so much, and sometimes the


    situation calls for other things. Life is messy andplicated, and even werewolves seekfort in


    times that are chaotic and merciless. We used those stolen moments to seek that sce in one


    another, but our thoughts never strayed far from our missing friends¡ªand that anger, smothered for the


    time being.


    Jane Doe


    Thank you all so much for reading my books, it means the absolute world to me that I get to share the


    stories in my head with all of you! I wanted to let everyone know that I¡¯ll be unable to update Monday


    and Tuesday. I am moving those two days. If I have time, I will make sure to update for all of you!

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    The hour after my somewhat feral s*x with Kade had gone by in an instant. His mom was back ten


    minutester, fixing my hair and ignoring what had clearly gone on between me and her son. She put a


    light coating of make-up on my face, darkening myrge eyes and making the two different colors more


    pronounced.


    The meeting before the High Table meeting wasn¡¯t a formal event¡ªit was more like business than


    anything else. Assessing potential enemies, seeking out weaker Alpha¡¯s, and generally causing havoc


    for most of the lower ranked werewolves.


    Kade¡¯s mom helped me into a te grey dress, zipping up the low-neck back in a smooth motion. The


    dress reached my knees and was tight around my curves. It showed just enough cleavage to look


    ssy, and brought out the silver tones in my one blue eye.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    It was best everyone viewed me as a capable adult, and not an emotional teenager. They needed to


    believe I wouldn¡¯t use my abilities recklessly, or for my own vengeance. I found the whole thing to be


    somewhat absurd. Isn¡¯t it my choice how to use the abilities I was gifted with?


    She left my hair down hoping to remind everyone that while I was a cool and collected adult, I was still


    young and inexperienced to this world. I had to say¡ªshe did an incredible job. The dress made me


    seem mature and responsible, but my eyes lookedrger with the makeup she had put on me¡ªbrighter


    and more vibrant.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re ready.¡± She huffed, settling herself down after fussing over my hair for another half an


    hour. Her eyes went brittle and the faint lines around her mouth deepened, ¡°You¡¯re alreadyte, but that


    doesn¡¯t matter anymore¡ªthe news about Alec, it¡¯s already spread.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was being contained?¡± I scoffed, grinding my teeth against the thrashing beast that was


    now held on lock-down inside of me. Thalia couldn¡¯t be trusted not to hunt Zayne Novak down and use


    our power on him without warrant.


    ¡°It was.¡± Sheughed dryly, her eyes disbelieving. ¡°Why would they want to contain anything? Now


    everyone believes they know how to control you. The smart ones are keeping their distance, waiting for


    you to snap. When you use your abilities, they¡¯ll most likely put you to d***h.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you know a lot about the High Table.¡± Imented.


    ¡°We all do.¡± She grunted, ¡°They¡¯ve k****d more of us than any other species.¡±


    As Kade and I were escorted through the twisting and turning halls of the hotel, we were debriefed on


    the more important guests at today¡¯s meeting.


    Marcus Novak sat number one at the High Table, holding thergest pack and influence in the country.


    Cunning and brutish, he believes in moves and counter moves. Perfection is what he and his pack


    strive for.


    Second was Desmond Deville, known for being the oldest unmated male. His reputation was one


    earned through hardbor and copious amounts of¡ªpartners at his disposal. He doesn¡¯t run the


    secondrgest pack in the country for nothing, the man is built like a submarine.


    Third was Brayton Cliff, probably the most studious and logical of the five. He¡¯s less ruled by a dark


    need for more power than the others, and can turn the tides of any ruling.


    Fourth is Jaspar Fox, an enigma d in tight leather, silver piercings, and cerulean eyes that would


    bring any woman to her knee¡¯s. It¡¯s rumored that Jaspar Fox had a bad upbringing, and was sold to


    some rogues as a toddler. He has scars all over his body, but no one has the gall to ask what


    happened.


    Sebastian Sable isst, and is one of the slimiest of the bunch. It¡¯s rumored he works closely with


    Marcus Novak, though no one knows the exact details of the arrangement. Sebastian Sable is what


    most would ssify as a sociopath. He¡¯s much like Marcus, but without the cunning and subtly that


    makes for an incredible viin.


    The five Alpha¡¯s of the High Table were in this room, mingling with the smaller Alpha¡¯s of the country.


    Their votes were used in the process ofing to a decision, though the High Table had the final vote.


    Therge events room of the luxurious hotel was the perfect business-casual background for the


    meeting. Thick c******s hung from tall windows, and sleek ck tables sat around the back half of the


    room. There were employees dressed in ck, toting aroundrge tters and offering flutes of


    bubbling champagne.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to take in, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kade grunted low.


    Our eyes remained forward, but I hoped he could see the slight twitch to my lips. He was making this


    easier on me, even though he believed he couldn¡¯t. Having him by my side, it was all that kept me from


    going feral.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I scoffed quietly, ¡°The only thing I remember is what she said about the High


    Table, everything else was a blur.¡±


    ¡°You are so incredibly responsible in the face of danger, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled incredulously,


    linking his arm in my own.


    We were escorted inside and were nearly bombarded with packs that wanted to talk. Most of the


    Alpha¡¯s spoke with Kade¡ªthough their eyes would often stray and linger on me for far too long. They


    spoke of truces and alliances, potential partnerships that might benefit both packs. Kade noticed those


    hungry nces, yearning for power¡ªthose men were lucky Kade had some form of restraint. Not all


    were bad, though. There were two who seemed a little more than pissed an Alpha would be kidnapped


    to aid a feud between white wolves and other werewolves. Kade didn¡¯t get along with any of them, but


    he¡¯s always been more abrasive than Alec.


    ¡°That¡¯s Marcus Novak.¡± Kade murmured quietly, squeezing my hand lightly.


    We had stopped for something to drink, and I stopped myself as the urge to guzzle the dry tasting


    champagne fell over me. My mouth was horribly dry from speaking and smiling,ughing and chatting


    like an innocent, beautiful, girl would.


    At Kade¡¯s words, my head whipped around. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not the reaction he wanted me to have, but I


    couldn¡¯t help it. I had heard so many bad things about this man. I expected a shaved head and thick


    face scars, something that identified him as an immediate viin.


    There was none of that.


    Marcus Novak was a conventionally attractive man, much like his son. Their faces were perfectly


    angr and chiseled. Full lips, strong nose and cheekbones, and full eyebrows andshes. Very


    muscr but not overly bulky, and he even had a charming smile.


    I felt a bit robbed that someone so supposedly evil looked so normal. You think I¡¯d be used to monsters


    having human faces, but I don¡¯t think I am.


    ¡°You¡¯re disappointed?¡± Kade questioned, his head tilting to the side and his eyes burning with curiosity.


    ¡°That emotion doesn¡¯t make sense in this situation, Aurora.¡±


    I tried not tough at the confusion on his face, or the way his hair shifted from the movement and fell


    over his forehead.


    ¡°He looks¡­normal.¡± I borated with a frown, ¡°So yeah, I¡¯m disappointed. I expected this big bad


    Alpha, but he doesn¡¯t look like a bad guy.¡±


    ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t look like one.¡± Kade grunted, ¡°Marcus Novak is all charm and smiles. He lies so


    well that I think he truly believes them, eventually.¡±


    ¡°So, how do we beat a liar?¡± I mused, tapping my chin with a freshly painted fingernail. They were the


    only thing I had a choice on. The twin¡¯s mom wanted to paint them white, for purity and protection¡ªI


    scrapped that idea. I picked ruby red¡ªthe color of fresh blood.


    It was foreshadowing, you see. I knew that sooner orter I¡¯d have the blood of Alec and Tori¡¯s


    kidnappers on my hands, and I weed my fate.


    ¡°We lie better.¡± Kade replied, an eyebrow cocked in Marcus Novak¡¯s direction.


    Zayne Novak chose that moment to make his appearance, swooping into the room and heading


    straight for his father.


    I could feel my heartbeat halt when I locked eyes with Zayne Novak. I felt no guilt pouring from him,


    nothing that would indicate he had a hand in taking my mate and friend, but I knew what the twin¡¯s


    mom had said. He could¡¯ve simply felt justified in what he had done¡ªthat would exin theck of


    guilt.


    What he did feel was pissed, thoroughly irritated and even a little bit hurt. I wanted tough, someone


    had hurt his feelings and wounded his ego.


    Kade was the rock that got me through the storm, and effectively, kept me from ripping Zayne¡¯s


    strangely symmetrical face off.


    We made it through the entirety of the gathering without an issue. The entire debacle was easily three


    hours long.


    What I found most entertaining; I hadn¡¯t spoken to a single member of the High Table. Don¡¯t get me


    wrong, they all saw me, but none stepped forward to speak.


    Marcus Novak gave me a subtle nod, and a twitch of his lips. Desmond Deville winked at me and


    laughed at Kade¡¯s snarl. Brayden Cliff made no indication that he had noticed me, but I could feel his


    assessing eyes on me more than any of the others. I had taken one look into Jaspar Fox¡¯s eyes and


    knew that man had seen bloodshed and darkness. It was written into every puckered scar on his body.


    Sebastian Sable gave me an oily smile, one that promised many dark things toe.


    We had just a brief break to prepare ourselves for the High Table meeting, not nearly long enough to


    settle the swarm of poisonous wasps in my stomach.


    Kade and I, along with our baton of guards, headed back to the room for dinner. We hadn¡¯t eaten at the


    gathering, for fear of being p******d. Apparently, it had actually happened before.


    As we slipped into the dark hotel room, I smelled something that made me stiffen. Kade whipped


    around with a snarl, turning on the light in the room within seconds. My eyes ached just a hint as they


    adjusted, but the feeling was smothered by overwhelming relief and just a bit of fear.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed, unharmed and blushing furiously, was Tori.


    Jane Doe


    Hello everyone! I am currently moving into my new house, but I¡¯m taking every single spare moment I


    can to write for you all!  I¡¯m getting back into the groove of things and will hopefully be updating even


    more!

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    ¡°Exin that again.¡± I deadpanned, the tears that burned in my eyes turned to acid.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like.¡± Tori swallowed heavily, taking another chug from her second ss of


    water.


    Other than severe dehydration and low blood sugar, Tori was virtually unharmed. Her biggest injury


    was the bump on her forehead, and that was from her tumble when the gas had spewed into the room.


    She was incredibly lucky, especially considering the sudden influx of white wolf kidnappings over the


    last fifteen years. The High Table had been hiding it for quite some time, but it was surprising what


    Kade could find out when motivated by the kidnapping of his twin.


    While I was beyond ted that she was alive, there were a few things I was struggling toe to


    terms with.


    She had little to no information about where her and Alec had been taken. They had both passed out


    from the gas, and by the time Tori had awoken, Alec was gone.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    A wave of disappointment surged through me at that, so strong that the floor shifted beneath my feet. I


    tried and failed to cloak my emotions from Kade, and weed him when he came to stand behind


    me. His arms wound around my waist and anchored me here, keeping me from floating away to where


    Alec might be.


    She stayed in a room with rough walls and d***y floors, with the constant stench of mold and mildew in


    the air. Tori was able to narrow her location down to a basement, but that didn¡¯t help her much. The


    room had been fortified with silver, embedded in the walls and floor so that it might cause her the


    utmost pain. The only relief she had was from a shabby cot that sat a foot from the ground.


    Before she had a chance to learn anything new, Zayne Novak showed up to her rescue.


    ¡°Trust me, he didn¡¯t n to be there.¡± Tori scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. I could tell from


    the way she scrunched her nose that Zayne Novak was fairly low on her list. ¡°The stuck-up p***k made


    that very clear. He only let me go because he knew Alec would be enough to string you along.


    Speaking of which, he wants a meeting with the two of you.¡±


    ¡°A meeting with us?¡± I hissed, my eyes shing murderously at the thought of getting him in a room


    with Kade and I.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, he was specific about the requirements.¡± Tori grunted and rolled her eyes.


    She was still flushed red, but that had happened more than often when she faced someone she


    absolutely loathed, and it was not hard to loathe Zayne Novak. ¡°He made sure to let me know he had a


    few white wolves that were helping him, they¡¯d know if you told anyone else or came with back-up.¡±


    ¡°F*cking great.¡± Kade snarled under his breath. I could feel the tension in his jaw and shoulders as if it


    were my own, which some of it truly was. ¡°He most likely wants to demand terms for Alec. Those terms


    might include you, sweetheart. Which means, war might being sooner rather thanter.¡±


    His body was smooth stone when I ran my fingertips along the underside of his wrist. Itforted me


    that my touch made him soften, and made some of that fury seep from his bones.


    I was still afraid, but that fear reminded me of what I had to lose. I haven¡¯t had this strange family for


    long, but I had grown more attached than I ever thought possible and there was no way I would go


    down without a fight.


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m ready for whateveres.¡± I told him, letting him feel the sincerity behind my words


    and the ruthlessness that woulde when I faced our enemies.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to interrupt this moment or anything¡ªbut, there is something else.¡± Tori swallowed


    heavily, her eyes averted and glued to some speck of dust on the wall. After a few moments, she


    looked at the two of us. I couldn¡¯t make anything out though the haze of emotions she was feeling right


    now, none out of ce for what she had been through. ¡°I want to be at this meeting. The a*****e thinks


    he can¡¯t trust me because I¡¯m not close enough to you two. I want to prove him wrong.¡±


    Who was I to question Tori¡¯s hatred towards Zayne Novak when I was building up an unhealthy amount


    for his father. Nearly an hourter, the three of us were dressed and silently inching our way down the


    hall towards where we nned to meet Zayne Novak.


    It was incredibly risky, and could even be cataloged as a very stupid move. We were meeting in a


    foreign territory,pletely under his whim and terms. We were walking in absolutely blind. Kade was


    more than confident Zayne wouldn¡¯t try anything.


    ¡°His father isn¡¯t confrontational, at least¡ªnot around certain people.¡± Kade exined, ¡°He¡¯d be pissed if


    Zayne F*cked with either one of us, especially something this serious. Clearly, he doesn¡¯t want his


    father to know about this meeting, so he¡¯s going to want it to stay under the radar.¡±


    I had decided to remain in my te grey dress, despite the attendants request to help me change into


    another. Kade wore a pair of ck cks and a ck dress shirt. Under any other circumstances, I¡¯d


    bepletely enamored with his attire. He looked absolutely drool-worthy, with the sleeves of his shirt


    rolled up, exposing hardened arms with a spattering of onyx hair. Tori had showered and changed as


    well, and was looking a million times better.


    As the three of us walked down the hall, I kept her sandwiched between Kade and I. As much as I


    needed the reassurance of my mate, Tori needed it more. Her rescue had been mere chance, and she


    was lucky to be standing here right now. I briefly wondered if she had the chance to talk to her parents,


    but decided not to mention anything.


    Zayne had given Tori a specific floor, room, and time. It wasn¡¯t too difficult sneaking away from the


    guards that attended us. Most of the men were Alec and Kade¡¯s¡ªwhich meant, they wouldn¡¯t disobey


    an order from one of their Alpha¡¯s. Kade simply told them to give him some privacy for half an hour.


    Most would assume Kade and I wanted some alone time in between the stressful moments we


    endured, which was exactly what we wanted.


    Most of the heavy traffic in the hotel was on the first and second floors. The three of us saw little to no


    one on the upper floors of the hotel, which only served to make things more ominous. We turned


    corners and walked past end tables with blooming vases of flowers before finding the room we


    searched for.


    I could hear the individual breaths of each one of us as Kade knocked on the door. The sound was


    near silent, the sound of a heartbeat and yet someone on the other side must¡¯ve heard it. We all


    stepped back as the door opened and Zayne Novak appeared on the other end.


    ¡°Well? Once you¡¯re finished gawking, I¡¯d appreciate it if you came inside.¡± He said smoothly, his voice


    laced with just enough venom to suit his expensive clothes and perfect hairstyle.


    This made Tori snort and Kade bristle. Despite the desperate desire to tear his head off, I made it


    through the door with my sanity intact. The hotel room was simr to the others, though theyout was


    entirely different. The furniture was still plush and modern, but held someforting elements.


    Zayne glided across the room in his grey suit. The white tie he wore around his neck reminded me of


    his icy personality. He looked like a male-model in a suit, all pretty and smooth. The only thing off-


    putting was the sour look etched onto his face. It seemed vastly out of ce for someone with his


    looks.


    Tori bristled, and I anticipated the words that came from Zayne¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act surprised to see me here.¡± Tori snorted, waving him away with a hand. Even though she


    radiated pure malice towards Zayne, she refused to meet his eyes. If Kade noticed the same, he let


    nothing on. ¡°You¡¯re just a puppet for your cruel dad. Get on with what you needed to say and lets be


    done with it.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re under the impression you know everything, I¡¯m beginning to live for moments to prove


    you wrong.¡± Zayne sneered, looking both handsome and ignorant.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m under the impression I know everything?¡± Tori snarled, cing her hands on her hips as she


    stared down Zayne Novak.


    Zayne¡¯s crystal clear eyes darkened, and his handsome persona looked just a tad more murderous.


    Tori matched his anger, and judging from the growl building in his chest, she had won.


    ¡°You stubborn, insufferable¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough. You¡¯re wasting our time if this is why you¡¯ve called us here. My mate is missing and you


    yed a part in it.¡± I snapped, feeling thest of my collective patience fracture.


    Zayne¡¯s attention was pulled from Tori, and I was surprised to see some of that anger vanish. It was


    reced with unwavering suspicion. I wanted tough for a moment. He was acting as though we were


    the bad guys.


    ¡°I assume she fed you what I told her.¡± Zayne spoke quiet yet firm, content onpletely ignoring Tori


    all together. She seemed happy doing the same. ¡°I didn¡¯t trust her, so I fed her what I figured she¡¯d


    expect.¡±


    ¡°You lied?¡± Tori snorted, breaking their silent battle in record timing. Her voice turned sickly sweet,


    ¡°B******t, Novak. You told me you only let me go because I was useless. Alec was all they needed, why


    would they need a tag-along friend?¡±


    ¡°I lied, but not entirely.¡± He shrugged, not even turning to meet her eyes. That made her fume, her pale


    skin erupting in me. She was holding back, I could feel it in the way she attempted to reign her


    emotions in. ¡°It would¡¯ve drawn too much attention to let Alec go. You were the least noticeable option.¡±


    ¡°Least noticeable¡ª¡±


    ¡°What part did you y in Alec being taken?¡± Kade¡¯s serrated voice cut through Tori¡¯s soprano as


    though it were tissue paper.


    Zayne met Kade¡¯s eyes without flinching, but gave him an assessing stare that made me feel much too


    exposed.


    ¡°Not as big a part as some others.¡± Zayne replied smoothly, his face a passive mask as he said the


    words that would stun me for time toe. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter at this point, because you¡¯re going to help


    me. In return, I¡¯ll get you your mate back.¡±

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    I hadn¡¯t really known the twin¡¯s all that long, around six months if you wanted to be more urate. We


    bonded quickly, though it was much longer for werewolf standards. The bond helped us all feel familiar


    andfortable around one another, but there were still things I didn¡¯t know about my dashing mates.


    One of those things was how truly terrifying Kade was when in a murderous rage.


    I had seen him on the battlefield, though my attention was horribly divided between him and his injured


    brother. I had seen him move in wolf form, but there was something sickeningly attractive about


    watching Kade move in his human body.


    Kade raced forward, much faster than Tori or I could intercept and barreled into Zayne. Even in a suit,


    he was much faster than I would¡¯ve anticipated.


    Unfortunately, Kade was faster.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Kade, don¡¯t!¡±


    My mouth mped shut as Tori¡¯s heightened voice rang out, practically d*****d by the snarlinging


    from the two men. Her words surprised me, but her emotions¡ªthey left me near incapacitated.


    If she noticed I picked up on what she felt, she made no move to tell me. Her eyes were glued to Kade


    and Zayne, both seconds away from another rage-fueled frenzy.


    The two of them grappled and fought against one another for dominance, but Kade was blood thirsty


    and ready to exact his pound of flesh. His hand sped around Zayne¡¯s throat, nearly covering the


    entire thing. I could see the small ruby-like beads of blood that emerged from his neck. There was no


    reflection of pain or fear on Zayne¡¯s face. I could feel just a bit of fear in his emotions, but that only


    proved he wasn¡¯t aplete and utter fool.


    Tori¡¯s emotions seemed to jolt me from my shock, and I reached out to Kade with everything I had. I


    didn¡¯t just pull on our bond, I pulled it until all of my energy was expunged.


    Kade¡¯s body jerked, like he had been e**********d. I registered the pain in his emotions and cringed. I


    might¡¯ve put a little too much energy into getting his attention.


    ¡°Enough, you¡¯ve done enough.¡± I told him softly, cing my hand on the wrist that currently kept Zayne


    stered to the wall.


    My heart ached as I looked at Kade, his eyes ck with m****r and desperation. They couldn¡¯t feel his


    emotions like I could, they couldn¡¯t feel the storm that raged, but never once gave him a break from


    their torment.


    The dark strands of his hair fell forward into his face, and his chest heaved from heavy breaths. Zayne


    was a statue carved from the wall, making no move or sound that might set Kade off again. I shouldn¡¯t


    have been surprised that Zayne was utterly calm in the face of d***h, or that he was used to this kind of


    violence, but I was.


    I let out a breath of my own when Kade responded to my touch, releasing his hold on Zayne. I let him


    compose himself, and watched as he ced a poorly constructed mask on his face. My touch was


    enough to keep him from murdering Zayne, but it did nothing to chase away that burning urge to k**l


    something.


    As soon as Kade was a healthy distance away from Zayne, I turned on Tori. She couldn¡¯t ignore what


    she saw in my eyes, not when it shined so clearly. Her face was red from the brawl between Zayne and


    Kade, but paled considerably as she met my eyes. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound


    emerged. What could she say? She couldn¡¯t deny what her emotions knew true.


    ¡°Aurora, don¡¯t¡ª¡± She croaked when my eyes darted over towards Zayne.


    Zayne was still stoic against the wall, and the coloring wasing back into his face. He said nothing


    about the exchange that was going on between Tori and I, but he did meet my stare with one of his


    own. He faced me without rebuke, even though I knew the one thing that could put a kink in his slimy


    life.


    ¡°We can talk about thispletely pointless topic, or we can discuss how to return your mate to you.¡±


    Zayne said evenly, his voice cier cold.


    He didn¡¯t spare Tori a single nce, and I flinched at the pain that coursed through her. She was


    muffling it, burying it down deep, but I felt it. I felt it even when she wouldn¡¯t, and it F*cking hurt. Coal-


    hot ws tugging down my chest, slowly as they pressed deeper and deeper.


    Zayne¡¯s emotions were another mess all together. I could feel no remorse, no desire, no pain radiating


    from him. His emotions were so suppressed, so warped and twisted that I wondered if he had ever felt


    a genuine speck of happiness in his life.


    In that moment, one of thest shards of innocence within me chipped. My heart shattered for my


    friend. It shattered for Tori when Ished out with my abilities, and I felt that severed bond twisted


    around her soul; the bond Zayne Novak had rejected.


    I took one nce at Tori and knew she didn¡¯t want to talk about this, not here and not now. I gave


    Zayne a stiff nod, now feeling my own murderous urges bubble towards the surface. It was one thing to


    take my mate from me, but now he rejected my only friend? I wasn¡¯t sure who paired us mates up, but I


    wanted to curse at them for this particr match. Tori deserved better, and Zayne deserved someone


    as slimy and foul as himself.


    ¡°I have something I need done for me. If I could¡¯ve gone to anyone else, I would. As it stands, you¡¯re


    the most useful and thest person my father would expect to help.¡± Zayne continued in a frosty voice,


    ¡°Help me, and I¡¯ll help you. Alec might just find the door to his cell wide open one night.¡±


    Kade let out a snarl that Zayne somehow had the b***s to ignore. I figured I¡¯d do the talking for Kade, at


    least until he calmed down enough to say a coherant word.


    ¡°Answer my previous question and we might talk, and no more of that vague bull-s**t.¡± I replied.


    I forced my voice to remain steady and smooth, even though I wanted to shout until my throat bled. I


    matched his iciness with some of my own, and hoped he choked on the d**n shards.


    ¡°My father is responsible, obviously.¡± Zayne replied, rolling his eyes in a way that looked a tad


    immature for his heightened ego and future status. ¡°His one mistake is our only hope. Typically, my


    father doesn¡¯t care who knows about our¡ªother businesses. So long as what he keeps secret, remains


    secret.¡±


    ¡°What is this big secret?¡± Kade spat, finally suppressing his anger enough to speak.


    When Zayne remained silent, Kade smiled dangerously.


    ¡°You want to help, but you won¡¯t go against dear dad.¡± Kadeughed. It was an empty sound that


    rattled around the hollow parts of me Alec left behind. ¡°There¡¯s not a F*cking chance in h**l I¡¯m trusting


    you.¡±


    ¡°That sounds a shame, because I¡¯m willing to trust you a whole F*cking lot.¡± Zayne snapped back,


    taking on Kade¡¯s particr fondness of obscenities. ¡°I need someone who hates my father enough not


    to rat me out, because this could benefit us both. You want Alec back and to help some white wolves


    out? Done. Help me and we can do that.¡±


    ¡°Suddenly you care about white wolves?¡± Kade asked darkly, ¡°Is that whose helping you with this


    meeting? Why don¡¯t theye out then?¡±


    ¡°The people who help me have just as much to lose as I do if we are caught.¡± Zayne replied, his lips


    pressed into a tight line. This time he faced me, and his words sent a chill skittering down my spine.


    ¡°My father collects white wolves, that is his secret. He wants you, vehemently. You would be the


    crowning piece to his collection. You can run along and tell someone; chances are they¡¯ll be d**d


    before the morning. Or, you could listen to me. I¡¯m not stupid enough to trust you, and nor should you


    do the same. We both want something, and we can both help. It¡¯s an idiotic move not to take this


    chance. I¡¯ve risked enough just meeting with you, let alone telling you this.¡±


    His words confirmed what I had already known deep down. Bright side; the most powerful member of


    the High Table wanted me alive. To control, use and own, for his own slimy purposes.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be serious.¡± I scoffed for what might¡¯ve been the sixth time since returning to our current


    rooms.


    Tori sat on the bed, ring down at her hands. She had snuffed out that tendril of sadness that


    sprouted within her, and reced it with stubbornness and anger. Kade leaned against the wall, still


    looking incredible as ever in his business attire.


    ¡°He can¡¯t own someone.¡± I said, again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this magic, werewolf world works, but very


    is illegal. It was a huge mistake when it happened the first time. Haven¡¯t werewolves learned from


    that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always those who want to throw the world into darkness again.¡± Kade grunted, ¡°Werewolves


    don¡¯t include themselves in human history much. We have our own battles fought and won. There


    might¡¯ve been a few packs that fought in some human wars though, but we don¡¯t learn about them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± I muttered, mentally scolding myself.


    Some part of me had already known this would happen, possibly even back when I had first met Sage.


    I thought about the old woman often, and hoped her life was still beautiful and simple.


    What I needed now was to toughen up. There was no use inining. I squared my shoulders and


    swallowed my fear before turning to face Kade.


    ¡°The first thing I¡¯m going to do when I take my seat on the High Table, is set every enved white wolf


    free.¡± I said, sounding much more confident than I felt. ¡°I know it won¡¯t be as easy as it sounds, but I¡¯m


    willing to figure it out. What I cannot do is sit here afraid and practically walk into Marcus Novak¡¯s arms.


    I won¡¯t be controlled, especially by the likes of him.¡±


    Kade paused for a moment, looking me over as he leaned against the wall like a stone-carved adonis.


    After a few heavy seconds, he smirked and strolled over to me.


    Even with the abyss in my heart from Alec¡¯s absence, Kade¡¯s smirk made my heart do tap-dances in


    my chest.


    ¡°There¡¯s my girl.¡± He murmured, lifting my chin until his lips brushed against my own.


    The action was so soft and sweet that it left me a bit breathless, and as always, wanting more. Before I


    could have anything further, Kade nodded in Tori¡¯s direction and pulled away.


    ¡°It seems the two of you have things to talk about.¡± He noted in a low voice, intended for my ears alone.


    The next words he said wereced with intimacy and a fierce yet desperate protectiveness that


    spanned beyond normal means. It was an ¡®I love you¡¯ that reflected the strangeness in Kade. ¡°I won¡¯t


    be far, I promise.¡±


    The moment he left, I turned on Tori.


    I hesitated for a moment, gauging the situation. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how she would react. Tori was one


    of the strongest women I knew. She was someone who took everything life gave her head on, and


    battled it into submission with sheer will and determination. But this, this was different.


    She had told me about rejection, a short while after I finally epted Alec and Kade. I understood why


    the twins didn¡¯t mention it, especially after expiriencing Tori¡¯s emotions firsthand. Rejection¡ªit was a


    knife to the soul. So much different than a physical wound, and twice as deadly. It was a constant,


    never-ending pain which led to a shortened life. Tori deserved so, so much more than that.


    I realized she had stood from the bed, and stared in shock when she smiled at me. My eyes were


    watery, I realized. There were tears blossoming, brought on from the torment of her emotions and the


    realization that my best-friend had been rejected.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t. If I start crying, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to stop. And I¡¯ll m****r you if you make me miss


    this High Table meeting.¡± She scolded me, grabbing my hands in her own. I sniffled andughed


    miserably, pulling myself together in record breaking speed. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªI mean, h**l. I¡¯ve made a few mistakes myself, but I can¡¯t me you.¡± I admitted. I geared myself


    up to ask the one thing I was dreading. I needed to hear her say it, but I also hoped that my abilities


    were wrong on this one. ¡°So he¡ªhe actually did it, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Her shoulders slumped just a bit, but her smile never faltered.


    ¡°He did. The stupid p***k rejected me, not that I¡¯ve particrly lost much. Have you seen his


    personality? He¡¯s seriouslycking, and the daddy issues are through the roof.¡± She huffed, sounding


    much more like her usual self. It made me a bit relieved to see her ir was back, because how could


    she live a short life when she seemed so¡­alive? ¡°Can you believe it, Aurora? I¡¯m an Alpha¡¯s Luna. I


    guess my bossinesses from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve had the pleasure of seeing Zayne Novak for exactly what he is.¡± I rolled my eyes,


    earning a smirk from her. ¡°Obviously, I can believe it. I¡¯m beginning to think I have some kind of


    foresight going on because I called it back at the cabin.¡±


    ¡°With all the c**p that¡¯s going on, I don¡¯t think you need another ability.¡± She snickered, only half


    serious.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    ¡°Take a deep breath, sweetheart.¡± Kade chuckled in my ear, but I was not oblivious to the tension in his


    own emotions.


    We were being escorted down to the second floor, where the meeting would take ce. The entire floor


    was heavily guarded, and was much wider and more open than the other floors.


    ¡°Do not speak unless you¡¯re called on.¡± A tan-skinned woman in a pencil skirt warned Kade and I. She


    walked effortlessly in her heals, swaying her hips like a runway model. ¡°If they wish for you to speak,


    they¡¯ll call on you. That¡¯s your chance. You can also call as many witnesses as you please, so those


    you came with are free to speak on your behalf.¡±


    Kade and I had been debriefed as much as possible, but nothing could prepare us for what the


    oue might be. Other than Marcus Novak, we hadn¡¯t a clue what the other High Table members


    might want.


    I adjusted the dress I wore and grimaced as the rigid material rubbed against my b**e leg. The heels I


    wore sent little clicks and cks echoing through the hallway. They were miserable to walk in, and


    horribly loud. My feet already ached, and we hadn¡¯t even begun.


    ¡°These shoes are going to be the d***h of me, if the High Table doesn¡¯t k**l me first.¡± I huffed under my


    breath, ncing at the group of silent body guards that escorted us down the hall.


    Kade¡¯s arm was the only thing that kept me from tumbling forward. I had never worn heels before, and


    though my legs looked incredible, they were bing a nuisance to walk in.


    We entered through a set of wooden doors, which led into a huge room. It was much like what a court


    room would look like, only with a few alterations.


    The five High Table members sat at the head of the room, with guards cedfortably on either


    side. Scattered throughout the room were clusters of families, Alpha¡¯s to other notable packs. Their


    personal insignia were emzoned on a bronze que that hung on their respective sections. The


    witnesses¡ªI realized, there were so many. They openly talked with one another, and even spoke


    across the narrow walkways that lead to the center of the room.


    There was a box of my own at the center of the room, twenty feet away from the High Table members.


    As our scent flooded the room, and people began to notice us, everyone fell silent. Kade¡¯s hand


    ttened against my back when I sucked in a sharp breath. The emotions wereshing out at me,


    shing through my mind and body at a rate that was disorienting. My skin crawled from the multitude


    of emotions. There was a lot of fear and hatred, but there was also a lot of curiosity. Curiosity could be


    a good thing.


    Kade nced down at me, conveying what he could with his eyes. We couldn¡¯t speak freely here, and


    this wasn¡¯t the time for public disys of affection.


    I kept my face neutral, though I really wanted to scream. There were so many ugly emotions battering


    me, and I had to constantly shove them back in order to focus.


    ¡°Now entering, Alpha Kade Maddox and his mate, Aurora.¡± A man who stood beside the main doors


    spoke loudly to the room. If there had been anyone left talking, they were all silent now.


    Kade and I were escorted over to our own personal section, practically at the center of the room. I felt


    all eyes on me, a spectacle¡ªan animal in the midst of other animals.


    In our section sat Kade, his parents, Tori, Garrett and Julian. Each one met my eyes as Kade and I took


    our seats.


    Silence engulfed the room, and Marcus Novak stood from his seat at the very head of the room. His


    navy suit matched his stormy eyes perfectly, capturing the blue within their depths. He was beautiful in


    a smooth and shiny way, free of any blemish that might reveal him as human. His son was much the


    same way. In fact, sitting towards the left-hand side, in a space of his own, was Zayne Novak.


    Marcus did not acknowledge his son as he stood and took the room¡¯s attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s been hundreds of years since we¡¯ve had a gathering asrge as this. There has not been a need


    for discussion this urgent in so very long.¡± Marcus greeted the room, sweeping wide with his arm. ¡°As it


    stands, the longevity of our species has been the High Table¡¯s priority. Our kind has been flourishing for


    thest fifty years, in ways we haven¡¯t before. No matter the results of these meetings, we are here to


    protect our kind, and ensure its sess.


    His voice was rich and smooth, perfectly bnce as it stretched to all corners of the room. Even his


    emotions were calm and bnced, like perfectly smooth waters. There was nothing about this man that


    revealed a monster within.


    There were murmurs throughout the room, and I found myself tuned into every emotion that fluttered


    my way. To the right of me were a small group of people. In their own section, sat an Alpha and Luna.


    Both had a guard with them, but were watching the spectacle with a calm expression. Their hair was


    golden, and their eyes a rich shade of caramel. They were both tanned, letting me know they lived


    somewhere warm and bright.


    I could feel the underlying tension within their emotions, the distaste whenever Marcus Novak spoke. It


    was a realization on my part, that my abilities could be used in ways I had never anticipated. I made a


    note of them in my mind, perhaps they might be persuaded into changing sides.


    ¡°Let the meetingmence.¡± Marcusmended, taking a seat once more.


    ¡°I call Philip Heald to the stand.¡± Brayton Cliff was the first to speak, much to my surprised.


    He eyed me from where he sat, his grey eyes calcting and interested. I was sure he could read the


    surprise on my face. I hadn¡¯t a clue who Philip Heald was, much less what he had to do with me.


    Philip Heald was many werewolf men looked like. Muscr andrge, even with his greying hair and


    patchy beard. He emerged from a section across the room, and began walking towards the middle.


    This stranger I had never met before stood at the center of the room, addressing the High Table on a


    matter than involved my life. The pieces clicked together momentster when Brayton Cliff began


    speaking again.


    ¡°You were witness to the rogue a****k that had taken ce on April, 23rd. Correct?¡± He asked, leaning


    forward in his seat.


    ¡°Yes¡ªI was witness to that a****k, fought in it myself. Wouldn¡¯t be here if I weren¡¯t worried about my


    Alpha¡¯s. They¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re not like their father. This girl, she¡¯s bringing some pretty heavy stuff to my


    pack, stuff were not equipped for.¡± He grunted, clearing his throat.


    Kade stiffened from where he stood, and it took me a moment, but I recognized this man¡¯s face. He


    was someone I had seen in town a few times, usually emerging from the hardware store. He was


    always covered in grease, but I had never given him much thought.


    A sharp pain stung my chest at the thought of a pack member speaking against me, but I steeled


    myself. Kade was fuming, but I knew he could keep it together for this meeting.


    Feeling someone¡¯s emotions makes it hard to be angry, because I understand the reasoning behind


    those decisions. Philip was concerned, worried for the twin¡¯s he had watched grow up. No matter how


    much it hurt, he thought he was doing the right thing.


    ¡°Would you exin the details of that event? More specifically, when Ms. Aurora found herself in


    battle.¡± Brayton rified, all but ignoring what Philip had said.


    ¡°Yes¡ªthings were going to s**t, there were too many of em¡¯. Biggest battle I¡¯ve seen in my time, but


    that¡¯s not saying much. Alpha Alec was wounded, nothing serious. He would¡¯ve recovered if she hadn¡¯t


    trounced onto the battle field. The girl nearly got both our Alpha¡¯s k****d. They were too worried about


    her to concentrate on the rogues.¡± He grunted, ncing over towards Kade. He paled significantly, but


    still managed to turn and continue. ¡°She got overwhelmed, used that power of hers. She started


    howling, nearly split my ears. All them rogues started actin¡¯ strange, fell to the ground like they were in


    pain. They were writhin¡¯ and screamin¡¯. Didn¡¯t stop until she quit her howling and copsed.¡±


    ¡°Mm, yes.¡± Brayton nodded thoughtfully. ¡°That will be all, Mr. Heald. I would like Ms. Aurora toe to


    the stand.¡±


    My heart dropped into my stomach, and I instinctively tensed beside Kade. Every instinct I had was


    telling me not to stand at the center of the room, that it was much too close to Marcus Novak and his


    son. It was telling me that though they were the worst, there were other monsters in this room.


    Kade squeezed my hand, and I used his touch to force my limbs to move. I walked rather stiffly to the


    stand, trying not to shiver when all of those eyes were ced on my shoulders.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Marcus Novak regarded me with interest, an almost familiar smile on his face. Desmond Deville


    smirked, and looked me up and down like some kind of frat-boy. Brayton Cliff had that calcting look


    on his face, as though he were mentally dissecting me. Jaspar Fox had absolutely nothing on his face,


    no trace of interest or emotion. He was leaned back in his seat, d in leather pants and a vest. He


    was the most unconventional of the bunch. I could feel the hostility that radiated from Sebastian Sable.


    Pure disgust and fury whenever he sneered my way.


    ¡°Ms. Aurora, can you confirm Philip Heald¡¯s ounts of the rogue a****k on your mate¡¯s pack?¡±


    Brayton Cliff asked in his smooth voice, slicking back his wheat-colored hair. ¡°Did you use your abilities


    to harm those rogues?¡±


    ¡°Philip Heald¡¯s ount of the battle was correct, and yes, I did use my abilities on the rogues.¡± I


    nodded firmly, forcing my voice to remain steady. It was hard, speaking this loud without faltering, but I


    managed. I couldn¡¯t help but add thisst bit, forcing a bit of sweetness into my voice. ¡°I could feel my


    mate¡¯s pain, and I ran to defend. As I¡¯m sure you can tell, their pack is mine, just as much as my two


    are theirs.¡±


    I left out the part where I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, and that the power had exploded


    from me without any rhyme or reason. It had been pure luck and rage that directed my power onto the


    rogues.


    ¡°So, it seems she has some semnce of control over her abilities, no matter how slim.¡± Brayton


    mused.


    ¡°It proves she can be taught, but to what extent?¡± Desmond Deville asked, surprising me a bit. ¡°There


    is no one to teach the young wolf.¡±


    Desmond Deville was easily around thirty-five, and was currently the oldest unmated male. He was


    handsome in a woodsy, rugged way. There were some light lines on his face, but they only added to his


    looks. His hair was the color of rust, thick and full on his head. His smile was one of sweet poison,


    expectant and alluring.


    ¡°Many white wolvese into their abilities naturally. If she already has this shred of control, more will


    come in time.¡± Brayton shed Desmond a disapproving look and continued.


    ¡°Maybe it was a fluke.¡± Sebastian Sable cut in with an oily smile. If I could¡¯ve guessed what a


    psychopath felt like, it would¡¯ve been this particr High Table member. Sebastian and Marcus were


    two sides of the same coin. Marcus was charm and smile; Sebastian was blood and vengeance.


    ¡°Maybe she has no idea what she¡¯s doing. How can we trust her power won¡¯t just emerge again?¡±


    ¡°Despite the understandable concerns of Alpha Sebastian, I do believe in the preservation of life and


    extraordinary circumstances.¡± Marcus Novak chimed in, sounding as though he were actually on my


    side.


    If I didn¡¯t know how he was, I would¡¯ve fully believed him. He seemed so genuine and sincere as he


    smiled down on me. ¡°This ability has not been seen in thousands of years, should we not discover what


    Ms. Aurora¡¯s purpose is in this world? How might she better our species, and preserve our longevity?¡±


    ¡°You wish for her to work for the High Table?¡± Desmond Deville blinked in surprise, which soon


    morphed into a coy smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t particrly mind that. Her development would be under our


    supervision, as well as at our disposal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not some toy you can pass around. My power isn¡¯t at everyone¡¯s disposal.¡± I blurted without


    absolutely any regard.


    I could feel Kade¡¯s surprise, but was shocked at the perverse joy that hid beneath. He was enjoying


    how I defended myself, how I snarled at these self-absorbed men.


    I wouldn¡¯t make myself small and docile for them.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    The room was silent for a few long seconds before the room erupted in chaos. Witnesses were


    shouting on all sides, emotions flung like daggers at my neck and chest. Many were outraged that I


    dare disrespect the High Table. They hurled insults my way, ming my upbringing.


    Much to my surprise, there were someing to my defense. Though their voices weren¡¯t as loud,


    they shouted that I had a right to stake im on my life and abilities. They used the High Table of


    bing to powerful, a thought that made me shiver.


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice that the Alpha and Luna with the golden hair remained silent, their emotions


    conveying no animosity towards me.


    The chaossted a total of five seconds before Marcus Novak silenced the room with a wave of his


    hand.


    ¡°Enough, we cannot me the girl for her outbursts. She was not raised on our values and customs, so


    she can and will be excused.¡± Marcus told the room. The flimsypliment made me narrow my eyes.


    ¡°It is understandable that we might be eager to explore your abilities, Aurora. You are unique, incredibly


    so. Abilities such as these are gifted to the world for a reason. Think of this as an opportunity to


    discover that very reason. I very much believe that working with the High Table might provide you the


    answers you¡¯ve been looking for, whilst aiding us in our endeavor to better our species.¡±


    Marcus Novak was very good with his words, infecting the crowd with his subtle poison. There were


    murmurs of agreement and even those insisting I offer aid to smaller packs. I could feel my walls


    closing in on me, a million greedy hands tearing at my clothing, my hair and limbs. They all wanted


    something from me, each and every one. It took me a moment to realize that Marcus Novak wasn¡¯t


    asking, he was insisting.


    ¡°I see the concern on your face, Ms. Aurora. I can only imagine what you must feel in this room, from


    each and every one of us. How truly incredible.¡± Marcus smiled softly, his perfect mask locked in ce.


    ¡°I have no intention of forcing your hand, though it has long been custom between the packs of the


    United States to exchange bargain¡¯s and create deals. While I cannot speak for my fellow Alpha¡¯s, I am


    very much interested in working with you. Should any of my fellow colleges wish to work with you, they


    will provide their terms. Now, if you wish to refuse us, we might speak again on what your future shall


    look like, and any other concerns we might have.¡±


    It was this moment that I realized how dangerous Marcus Novak was. To the public he was this


    incredible figure of honor and prosperity, spouting his dreams about preserving our kind. In reality, he


    was a power-hungry sociopath with a knack for maniption and good looks.


    To many in the room, what Marcus said was generous. I should be ted that the regal High Table


    would want my services¡ªthat they would want to work with me. It was an incredible honor that I did not


    want. But to them, it was crime to simply want to live my life. All while Marcus offered me this incredible


    chance, my other mate was sitting ine cell. It made me want to scream, to throw everything I had


    at the five of them.


    I could feel my power surge through my body, and dug my fingers into the wooden podium that stood


    before me. Jaspar Fox cocked his head, making his shaggy hair shift. He leaned forward in his seat


    and squinted his eyes. It was the first sign of interest I had seen in him. Even his emotions were


    disinterested and even bored. Now¡ªnow, he was curious. The power that bubbled in me vanished at


    the surprise, and Jaspar¡¯s disinterest quickly returned.


    ¡°Let us adjourn for the time being, to think on these negotiations that will be the start of history for our


    kind.¡± Marcus Novak beamed at the room, ¡°We will resume tomorrow. For those of you who wish to


    remain in our stands, please await further instruction.¡±


    And just like that, my first meeting with the High Table was over. I desperately wished it were myst.


    This hotel was reserved solely for the High Table and its meetings, which meant we could stay here


    until a decision had been made. It was blindingly clear that the High Table would soone to a


    decision, and that I might not like the oue.


    We met with Julian, Garrett and the twin¡¯s parents after the meeting. I was bing edgy without


    Alec, and I was sure the others could see me unraveling. Both Julian and Garrett dispatched their own


    fighters. I noticed how neither hesitated, even though Garrett still looked a bit sour. I appreciated the


    gesture, but nothing would soothe that madness inside of me except for Alec. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Afterwards, the three of us returned to our rooms. I was feeling a bit ustrophobic with all these


    guards around, a constant wall between you and everyone else. It only reminded me of the danger


    here.


    A servant was granted entrance to the room to serve us dinner. Tori, Kade and I sat around a small


    table, eating silently.


    ¡°That went to s**t pretty quickly.¡± Tori rolled her eyes, ¡°So, you either work with them, or they say you¡¯re


    an uncontroble weapon?¡±


    ¡°At least I get to pick between the five of them.¡± Imented dryly, taking another bite of my burger. It


    tasted like ash after the meeting, but I needed something in my stomach.


    ¡°Does the food usuallye with a note?¡± Tori asked randomly, lifting my te to pick up a small note


    card.


    She flipped it in her hands and stared at the back. Her eyebrows grew closer with every second, until a


    scowl tore across her face. I could already tell from her emotions who the card was from, even though I


    hadn¡¯t a clue what it said.


    ¡°What does he want now?¡± I frowned, plucking the card from her fingers when she turned her head


    sourly.


    The note read;


    Room 412, 7:00pm.


    Do not bete, these meetings are hard enough as is.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯m beginning to loathe him, we need to get Alec back.¡± I sighed sharply, pinching the


    bridge of my nose when my head began to ache. I gave Tori an apologetic look, ¡°If you want to miss


    this meeting, I understand. If not, you¡¯re wee toe with us.¡± ¡°I know, Aurora. You don¡¯t have to


    exin yourself to me.¡± Tori¡¯s smile was small, but friendly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hide from the p***k. He¡¯s


    not important enough for that.¡± We stood outside of room 412 nearly two hourster. It had taken ages


    to divert the guards, but my abilities hade in handy when it came to detecting anyone nearby.


    Turns out, I could sense emotions up to a certain distance away. With some concentration I could feel


    how far and close those emotions were, they helped a lot when trying to identify the oing guards.


    We slipped inside the room, and my eyes tried to adjust as we stepped into low lighting. Only two small


    lamps were lit, the light dull and yellow. Zayne was leaning against the countertop, his arms crossed


    over his chest. His suit jacket was folded over the chair in the small dining room. ¡°You look ruffled.¡± Tori


    noted a bit indignantly, arching an eyebrow at him. ¡°This was the first meeting, and it¡¯s already going to


    s**t. Are you not also ruffled?¡± He sneered, pushing off the counter to approach Tori.


    ¡°Working with her is only the beginning. Once she steps foot on my father¡¯s territory¡ªshe is gone. Do


    you think there will be proof? Maybe you believe one of the other members will help her. If so, you¡¯re a


    fool. You¡¯ll waste your own resources trying to get her back, and destroy your pack in the process. It is


    absolutely, Fcking hopeless. The ship is sinking, and you can either jump the Fck off, or go down with


    it.¡±


    I paused with bated breath, stepping back from the tension that radiated off the two of them. That kind


    of hostility¡ªit woulde to a head, and soon. Whoever had made them mates, I wondered if they


    knew how explosive they would be.


    ¡°Nothing is hopeless, Novak. There will always be a way. You have to keep fighting to change things.¡±


    Tori scoffed, ¡°You might be jumping ship, but I n on staying behind to fix the d**n thing.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not prolonged this. I¡¯d like my brother back before the month is up.¡± Kade¡¯s snarl rippled through


    the room, cutting through their tension and dismantling it. ¡°Fight when this is through.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to hold up to your end of the bargain.¡± Zayne grimaced, the fire in his eyes fizzling out. I felt a


    sh of worry in his emotions, but he had smothered it rather than give it life. ¡°There are a few white


    wolves I know of that need safekeeping, and I need them to stay in your pack.¡±


    Kade was just as stunned as I. This wasn¡¯t what we expected, not by a long shot.


    ¡°You want us to hide some white wolves?¡± I reiterated a bit slowly, ¡°Why these specific white wolves?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t very powerful. If they were, they¡¯d be noticed.¡± Zaynemented gruffly, ¡°I owe a friend a


    favor, this is that favor.¡±


    Kade paused for a long moment and looked my way, ¡°We¡¯re going to need more details if we¡¯re to


    transport them to ournd.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to risk war if we¡¯re caught?¡± Zayne asked, his head tilted just a bit. It was a slight show of


    interest in his sour demeanor.


    This time, Kade¡¯s answer was immediate.


    ¡°This agreement will not change the war that¡¯s sure toe.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Marcus Novak considered himself a collector, but things became difficult when your possessions were


    living humans with thoughts, feelings, and a will of their own.


    His own son had slowly begun to turn against him, though not for the same reasons most would. For


    reasonspletely unknown to the three of us, Zayne Novak needed a group of ten white wolves


    transported from his father¡¯s territory.


    It was strictly a stealth mission; in and out. The white wolves would be deposited at the edge of


    Marcus¡¯s territory by an ally. Our job is to transfer those white wolves to our territory.


    Being caught would ensure a huge mess, one most of us might not escape from.


    Marcus Novak would have all rights to a****k us for taking something of his. If we were to be the ones


    venturing on his territory¨Cd***h sentence. So long as Marcus remained in the dark, all parties were


    safe.


    ¡°Naveah and Isaac, they¡¯re the most important. They have to get out at all costs. The others will stay


    behind and help them escape if need be.¡± Zayne told the three of us, a sour look on his face as we


    commited the details to memory.


    ¡°What makes the two of them important?¡± Kade asked, all business.


    I stuck close to Kade, using his towering form to give me some confidence. ¡°Any abilities we need to


    know about?¡±


    ¡°Isaac can help. He¡¯s good with emotions, in a different way than you, Aurora. Naveah, not so much.¡±


    Zayne replied curtly. I tried to suppress my surprise as he said my name for the first time. It wasn¡¯t


    progress, as much as I wished it were so for Tori¡¯s sake. What he said next sobered the three of us a


    bit. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, there¡¯s no telling what the kid might be. It¡¯s only a matter of time before my father


    grows impatient.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t speed a pregnancy along. Even Marcus Novak can¡¯t force nature.¡± I scoffed defensively.


    It was more a reflex than anything else, a need to put down the monster that reared its head. A


    monster with the face of Marcus Novak.


    ¡°He has no need for Naveah. He keeps her around because she¡¯s Isaac¡¯s mate. Her abilities are


    incredibly rare and unique, but they are passive. My father has no use for passive abilities.¡± Zayne


    replied darkly, ¡°If the kids powerful enough, he might not need Isaac either. The baby¡¯s been showing


    signstely, doing magic from inside the womb. Not only do they have limited options, but they¡¯re also


    running low on time.¡±


    We had twenty four hours toe up with some sort of n. Come tomorrow night, we would need to


    act.


    ¡°Alec¨Cwhen do we get Alec back?¡± I said a bit frantic.


    Zayne must¡¯ve seen something urgent and unpleasant in my eyes, as he felt the need to take a few


    steps back before replying. I could feel myself bristle at his words, even if I did understand his side of


    things.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help your mate when these wolves are safely transported.¡± He replied thickly, his eyes darting


    between Kade and I as though one of us might lunge for his throat. Again, I couldn¡¯t me him. ¡°If it


    isn¡¯t clear¨CI am trusting you with these wolves lives. Even after I help your mate, you¡¯ll still have them in


    your custody. All I have is your word that you will not harm them, and you haven¡¯t even given me that.¡±


    ¡°Somehow you don¡¯t strike me as the type of guy to honor someone¡¯s word.¡± Tori snorted in Zayne¡¯s


    direction, her words neat and venomous.


    ¡°There¡¯s very little you actually now about me.¡± He replied cold and t, but that didn¡¯t deter the inferno


    that was Tori.


    ¡°Mm, let¡¯s see. Self-centered, rich, spoiled, sadistic.¡± Tori nodded to herself, ticking each attribute off on


    her finger. As much as I wanted to stop her, she deserved this. Just as Zayne deserved to be reminded


    of his idiotic choices. ¡°You¡¯re like a diamond, Novak. All pretty and shiny to look at, but at the end of the


    day, it¡¯s just a rock.¡±


    I could feel the tension in the room snap, but even with the forewarning, my reaction wasn¡¯t fast


    enough.


    Zayne snarled and lunged at Tori. Instinctively, I darted to ce myself in between the two. Kade¡¯s arm


    created a cage around my midsection, pinning me against him.


    I remembered the vaguements about werewolves and dominance, something the twins had told


    me when I first returned to town.


    Proving yourself through trials and tribtion, that was a huge part of belonging to a pack.


    I¡¯m not sure what Zayne was trying to aplish. Whether it was the fractured mate-bond, or Zayne¡¯s


    own warped morals, he didn¡¯t seem to be trying to k**l Tori.


    Zayne¡¯s hands grasped the tops of Tori¡¯s arms, as he pushed her back towards the wall. He snapped at


    her neck with semi-elongated teeth, and it took me a moment to realize what he was doing.


    Tori dug into the thick carpet that covered the floor and pivoted. The movement was smooth and


    graceful, leaving Zayne against the wall.


    She mmed her weight into his gut, and I couldn¡¯t suppress my smile when he grunted.


    Tori stood on her toes until her eyes reached his, and snarled in his face with a voice that was full-


    blooded Luna.


    ¡°I will not submit to you, Zayne Novak.¡± She snarled, spitting the very mes that lived within her curly


    locks. ¡°I will only bend my knee to someone I can follow. You¨Cyou are a selfish, misguided, coward that


    has so much power, so more than he realizes. Power to change things, but you won¡¯t. The world is


    made of miserable men like you.¡±


    Zayne took every insult and spiteful word, pulling them into the snowstorm that constantly clung to him.


    His eyes were shards of ice as they burrowed into Tori¡¯s skin.


    What was even more interesting, his face was flushed. Rosy red across his cheeks and down his neck.


    The blinding rage he felt, it was the first emotion I had sensed from him. The first unbridled, human


    emotion. It wasn¡¯t encased in ice like the rest.


    Tori turned her back on her mate, who was both hero and viin, and left the suite with her head held


    high.


    The three of us called a meeting with Julian, Garrett, and the Twins parents. For the time being, we


    were shifting our focus from Alec to these white wolves. It made me sick thinking about it, but we only


    had twenty-four hours. I reminded myself that this would get us Alec back, but even that was making


    my ears ache.


    Both Tori and I were escorted back to our rooms one floor below. Kade decided to stay with Julian and


    Garrett for a few more hours, nning out what I was now calling, the great white wolf heist.


    Iy curled up on the sectional in the suite, bleary eyed and heavy hearted. I had tried tugging down


    Alec and I¡¯s bond, like I did with Kade. I could still feel the bond there, but something was blocking it.


    One hour and a massive headacheter, a knock sounded on the door. I tiptoed over and looked


    through the peephole, seeing nothing.


    What was even more worrisome was the fact that there were no posted guards at our room tonight. We


    had our own men watching over us, but there were none tonight.


    I chalked it up to some kind of scheduling error and cracked open the door.


    Sitting on the floor was a small and in note card. While it looked as though it were from Zayne, the


    handwriting was entirely different. Not nearly as neat as Zayne¡¯s handwriting, and a few lead smudges


    made me wonder if the author were left-handed.


    It wasn¡¯t the room or floor number that caught my attention, but the scribbled note at the bottom.


    ¡®If you want to stop Marcus Novak, meet me at eleven sharp.¡¯


    Kade was still with Garrett and Julian, and I knew heading off on my own was dangerous, so I stopped


    by Tori¡¯s room. After a few knocks and several minutes, I figured she¡¯d went to bed.


    I knew it wasn¡¯t a great idea, but if the note were true, we needed those kinds of allies. I was near-


    certain the note was from the golden haired Alpha and Luna, the ones who very clearly detested


    Marcus.


    I crept through the silent hotel hallways, smelling airfreshener and previously washedundry. My


    phone was snug in my back pocket, and I kept a hand on it incase this was all a huge mistake¨Cor


    worse, a trap.


    I slipped inside the darkened suite and jumped when the door slid shut. The lighting was poor, but I


    could clearly make out arge form over by the bookshelves.


    Reclining on a leather love seat with a scotch in hand was none other than Desmond Deville. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I wondered if you¡¯d show up.¡± Desmond mused in that musical voice of his. Both gravely and smooth,


    much like the scotch he was drinking. ¡°I find g******g enlightening. You can learn so much about a


    person based on what choices they¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really here for chit-chat.¡± I cleared my throat, shifting ufortably on my feet at his


    amusement.


    His gaze was thick and oily, and I knew it would take a few showers before I no longer felt his eyes on


    me.


    Desmond Deville wasn¡¯t wasn¡¯t unattractive man. For someone in his mid-thirties, he looked incredible.


    His rust colored hair made him even more unique, unxonventially beautiful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to know what I¡¯ve learned about you based on your decision to meet me?¡± He asked


    with a coy smile, one I¡¯m sure led him into the pants of many women.


    ¡°Tell me, what did you learn?¡± I asked dryly.


    This was already going badly. I was here without Kade, itching to grab my phone and call him to my


    rescue. I inched towards the door, a movement Desmond caught.


    His smile widened to nothing short of reptilian, ¡°I¡¯ve learned that you¡¯re rash, and incredibly niave.¡±


    A secondter, two men appeared at my sides. They seemed to emerge from the darkness itself, and


    wrapped their meaty hands around my arms.


    Adrenaline and panic surged through me as I thrashed and snarled against their holds.


    I gritted my teeth as one put significant pressure on my shoulder, making it bruise and ache. I noticed


    the sh of something as one of the men pulled a syringe from their pockets. I vaguely remembered


    when I had first gotten injected, and scrambled to keep that from happening again.


    ¡°Knock her out and we can snatch the red haired one.¡± Desmond mused, running a hand through his


    messily styled hair. ¡°She might not be a white wolf, but I¡¯ve always been partial to redheads.¡±


    I snarled at what Desmond had said, but the action only made himugh.


    ¡°Also, when were finished here, give Zayne Novak my regards. It was a cute alliance while itsted, but


    were more powerful than a spoiled child.¡± Desmond chuckled, ¡°As for her other mate, set him loose on


    Marcus. I¡¯m sure Marcus will snuff him out eventually. At longst, I¡¯ll have the upper hand.¡±


    Everything seemed to slow, and in the midst of my panic, I could feel my power bubbling beneath my


    skin.


    There was something radiating from the three men in the room: the two guards and Desmond Deville. It


    was like a light bulb beneath their skin, flickering with different colors and intensities.


    My power was attracted to those lights, like mas. Panic and power rushed through me, and I


    latched onto those individual sparks and pulled.


    I was met with a wave of power that was so strong, I fell to my knees. I expected the two men to fall


    with me, to pin me to the floor and inject me with their poison.


    The men fell to the floor, but not to subdue me. The two thuds were loud, but muffled from the plush


    carpet.


    A wheeze that was supposed to be a scream, left my lips. The two human-sized lumps on the floor


    were not moving, and they looked¨Coff.


    Their skin was grey and wrinkled, barely covering bruise-like veins that wrapped and crawled up the


    neck and arms. Their mouths were twisted open, and eyes were vacant and ssy.


    I wouldn¡¯t admit what I had done, even though I was vibrating with power. I had never in my life felt so


    strong¨Cso indestructible.


    I had no choice but to face what I had done as I turned and met the h****r-frozen face of Desmond


    Deville.


    I had absorbed the power of his soul as well, all without realizing it.


    ¡°Well, well¨Ck*****g High Table members, what will the illustrious Marcus Novak think of that?¡± Jaspar


    Fox scolded me, emerging d in leather pants and a biker vest, from his hiding ce in the kitchen.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Jaspar Fox held the fourth seat at the High Table, and was more of an enigma than anyone else I had


    met. He was quite literally covered in scars. They began on his face, a previous broken nose and some


    stitches to the cheek. All down his arms and back were scars, rumors said there were even more


    beneath his pant line. Those particr words had been whispered by blushing she-wolves, witnesses


    to this entire debacle. They were too afraid to attempt approaching him, but had no problem whispering


    from the sidelines.


    Jaspar was the only one who seemedpletely disinterested in the entire meeting. Even as Marcus


    and Desmond spoke of using my abilities for their own gain, he hadn¡¯t batted an eysh. His emotions


    reflected that rxed demeanor, one that made me wonder if he had ever truly cared about anything.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± I began, but stopped as I met the frozen eyes of Desmond Deville.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I k****d a High Table member, the second to be exact. Desmond Deville was ranked just under Marcus


    Novak, which meant he was wealthy and incredibly powerful.


    My stomach twisted painfully, and I had but a moment¡¯s notice before I was bent over, hurling up the


    contents of my dinner. My nose burned and my eyes watered, but I couldn¡¯t register the pain over my


    frantic thoughts.


    It wasn¡¯t like I hadn¡¯t k****d before. Many rogues died during the battle, especially when I used my


    ability to subdue them. This, however, was confirmation of what I was. A soul-eater. What good could


    come out of a gift so horrible? What was even worse was how euphoric it felt, how strong and bloated


    with power I was. Disgust poured from my mouth in the form of acidic vomit.


    Jaspar Fox waited patiently for me to finish. I stumbled into the connecting kitchen and rinsed my


    mouth with water, scowling when I noticed the nk look on his face.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t deny it again.¡± Jaspar said evenly, ncing down at the three bodies on the


    floor. He prodded at Desmond¡¯s corpse with his foot and nodded, ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see a soul-eater at


    work before. Really, though. Did you have to k**l Desmond Deville of all people?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had a choice, he attacked me.¡± I snarled back, finally finding my voice. ¡°I never meant to


    k**l them, but they backed me into a corner.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may, what do you n to do now?¡± He asked, cocking his head to the side. Jet ck hair


    fell over his forehead, grazing a scar on the side of his neck. ¡°Where will you hide the bodies? Or


    perhaps you¡¯ll confess and tell the truth, believing you¡¯ll be found innocent?¡±


    I opened my mouth and closed it again before realizing he was right. I could tell the truth all I wanted,


    but then the world would know what I could actually do. There was no way in h**l I¡¯d be allowed to live


    freely after that.


    ¡°Kade.¡± I whispered to myself, ncing up at Jaspar. ¡°My mate can help.¡±


    ¡°Can he? It seems he¡¯s already quite busy. Searching for your lost mate must be proving difficult.¡±


    Jaspar mused, tapping his chin with a finger. There was some subtle shift in his emotions, some


    decision had been made in his head. ¡°Run to your mate, Luna Aurora. I¡¯ll clean this mess for you, but


    take care not to tell others of what happened here.¡±


    Like any sane and rational werewolf, I scurried along. My heart raced with every twist and turn I made


    in the halls, convinced some of Desmond¡¯s men had found out the truth.


    I barreled into Kade in the hallway, colliding with a wall of muscle that made my bones groan. My hands


    were shaking as I shoved Kade inside the suite and buried my face in his chest.


    ¡°F*ck, sweetheart. I could feel you panicking from across the hotel.¡± He grunted, brushing back my hair


    until he found my paled face.


    Within seconds, I was scooped into his arms and surrounded by his rich, masculine scent. His arms


    formed a barrier around me, and made me feel protected despite everything. I could still feel the throb


    in my chest as I worried for Alec. As much as I wanted to curl up and stay in his embrace, I couldn¡¯t.


    There was no way in h**l I trusted Jaspar Fox, and needed to tell Kade exactly what had happened.


    His eyes darkened as I told him the events in thest hour, ending with Jaspar Fox¡¯s offer to help hide


    my mess. Kade pulled me to my feet and ced his lips against my forehead in a swift kiss before


    tugging me along. I jogged a bit to keep up with his fast pace, but I understood the need to hurry.


    As we opened the door to the suite I had been attacked in, my mouth clicked shut. This had to be the


    right room¡ªI still had the note crumpled in my hands. The entire room was spotless. Even my vomit


    was gone, the carpet clean and white.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, it¡¯s only been ten minutes.¡± I scoffed, unable to believe the scene before me.


    There was magic and then there was this. It brought an ufortable question to mind. If Marcus


    Novak kept white wolves as ves, did the other High Table members do the same?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good¡ªwe¡¯re indebted to him now, and he¡¯ll want repayment.¡± Kade grimaced, reaching out


    when a wave of guilt washed over me. I let him thread his fingers through my hair, and looked up as he


    tilted my head. His gruff voice was unusually soft, and it sent a little flutter through my chest. ¡°None of


    this was your fault, sweetheart. If he were still alive, I¡¯d hunt Desmond Deville down myself. When


    Jaspar Foxes knocking, we¡¯ll handle it. It means he¡¯ll hold up his end of the deal, which keeps the


    rest of the High Table from finding out what happened.¡±


    ¡°You can be quite the optimist when you want to be.¡± I pointed out with a small smile, just enough to get


    a gravelyugh from him.


    ¡°I have two roles to fill until we find Alec¡ªwhich we will.¡± He replied with a snort.


    Even though it physically hurt to be away from Alec for this long, I trusted Kade and knew that together


    we would bring him home.


    We had to wake early that morning, to meet with the others and n out how we would sessfully


    get the white wolves into our territory.


    Garrett looked impable as ever in his crisp suit, while Julian looked a bit bleary eyed. I couldn¡¯t


    me him, not even the incredible coffee machine in our suite could wipe the cobwebs from my eyes. I


    was on my second iced mocha of the day, and was already thinking about a third.


    ¡°Nothing I love more than early morning war ns.¡± Julian yawned loudly, stretching his arms wide over


    his head. Garrett cast him a sour look which he dutifully ignored. ¡°Especially with so much on the line.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re running on limited time.¡± Garrett snapped, his thick eyebrows furrowing. ¡°This war, as you so


    eloquently put it, cannot wait for your schedule to clear.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve worked through some of the details so far, now it¡¯s time to put things in motion.¡± Kade told me,


    cutting off any further bickering that mighte from Julian and Garrett. Despite Garrett¡¯s put together


    appearance, he certainly wasn¡¯t a morning person either. ¡°There¡¯s orchards below the southern border


    to Marcus¡¯s territory. We have some men nting supplies there in a few hours. They¡¯ll have to get


    themselves one mile away, to this abandoned railroad station in the woods. Marcus¡¯s men rarely leave


    the pack borders, but if they do, they always take the main road. They use vehicles for transportation


    and have always stayed on two legs. There are a few backroads going through the forest, they¡¯ll be


    used to get the white wolves farther away. The next town over is almost an hour¡¯s drive. Once they


    make it there, we¡¯ll have them in an armored vehicle to the nearest airport.¡±


    ¡°You were busyst night.¡± I noted, staring at Kade a little starry eyed. I was near positive Kade felt the


    sh of guilt that crossed my emotions, from the mess I had causedst night.


    ¡°You needed some time off.¡± He replied, his lips twitching. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve never been a strategist. That¡¯s


    always been Alec¡¯s skill. I¡¯m not nearly as good as he is, but it¡¯s nice to know I can handle my own.¡±


    The second part of my High Table meeting began a few hourster. The anxiety in my gut chased away


    any remaining exhaustion from my eyes.


    We were escorted to the same room as before, and gathered in our own group at the center of the


    room. I counted the seconds, hearing the dull tick from the clock across the room. Kade¡¯s fingers traced


    small circles on my back, but I could hardly feel his touch.


    I was hyper focused on the men entering the room, the four men with grave looking faces.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    ¡°Wee, everyone.¡± Marcus called out to the room, turning hushed whispers into silence. His suit


    was navy blue this time, which made his eyes seem brighter and more vibrant. This man was what


    most strived to be; attractive, charismatic, wealthy and powerful.


    That¡¯s what¡¯s dangerous about the soul. No matter how beautiful you are on the outside, no matter


    what favors your appearance gains you, the soul can rot from the inside out.


    Many of the murmurs were regarding Desmond Deville¡¯s sudden absence. I listened to each and every


    one, forcing myself to remain calm.


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you all have noticed, we are missing a certain table member.¡± Marcus lifted an eyebrow


    towards the room full of witnesses. He turned to face where I stood in particr, and though his eyes


    were not on me, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit paranoid. ¡°Desmond Deville was called back to his pack


    sometime early this morning. There is nothing to worry about, simply a pack misunderstanding turned


    into arger inconvenience. While he regrets leaving ahead of schedule, he does hope to return before


    the conclusion of our final meeting.¡±


    I tried not to let out my exhale of pure relief too loudly. As though my body couldn¡¯t help itself, my eyes


    darted over to where Jaspar Fox sat. He wore a thick leather jacket this time, and his raven hair was


    brushed back from his head. I noticed the faint white line of a scar running across his forehead, and


    wondered how I hadn¡¯t noticed it before. I instinctively stiffened when my eyes traveled down, and I


    realized he was staring back at me. His pale eyes were unnervingly calm as they burned into my own.


    And very slowly, so gentle that no one would notice, Jaspar Fox nodded his head at me.


    It was an expression that said, ¡°I¡¯ve held up my end, can you hold up yours?¡±


    ¡°With that being said; Nico Deville, eldest son of Desmond Deville, will take his father¡¯s ce for the


    time being. He will arrive within the hour, and will be fully debriefed on everything discussed thus far.


    On our final day, should Desmond Deville be unable to return, his son will make an educated vote that


    represents his father¡¯s authority and expectations.¡±


    There was some whispering that echoed through the crowd, and I turned my ears to each and every


    word that was uttered. I paused with baited breath, expecting someone to utter those words. There was


    nothing, no suspicion of foul y. I counted to ten and let out a shallow breath, then intertwined my


    fingers with Kade. Thest helped to rx me the most.


    ¡°Now that all announcements have ceased, let us begin today¡¯s meeting.¡± Brayton Cliff nodded towards


    the crowd, smoothing down the front of his tinum grey suit. He looked impable and professional,


    but there was a certain rigidity to his body that made him seem uptight and a bit unapproachable.


    ¡°Sebastian, you were rather quiet ourst meeting. Would you care to begin this one?¡± Brayton asked


    thoughtfully, casting a cool nce towards the lowest High Table member.


    Sebastian Sable had the most to lose out of any of these men. If I joined the High Table, Sebastian


    would be tossed to the side. He would be nothing more than your average Alpha. It was clear from his


    poisonous emotions that he was not joining my team in the foreseeable future.


    ¡°Yes, well, I needed more information before I jumped to any conclusions.¡± Sebastian smiled at the


    room, but it was apletely empty gesture. It was like watching something alien mimic human


    expression and emotion, hollow and transparent. ¡°While it is my seat on the line, I wish to be as


    unbiased as reasonably possible. I do believe it would be best if Marcus here continued. In the


    meantime, I¡¯d like to think over what we¡¯ve discussed so far.¡±


    The silent snort I let out under my breath waspletely involuntary. I stiffened immediately after,


    praying no one had heard. Conversation continued to flow evenly, and no one seemed to bat an


    eysh at my silent exmation.


    ¡°Ouch.¡± I hissed, my narrowed eyes darting up to Kade¡¯s face.


    I rubbed at the spot on my arm Kade had pinched and eyed him angrily. He nced towards Sebastian


    and back to me before smirking.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I mouthed sheepishly, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Per ourst meeting, we confirmed Ms. Aurora¡¯s abilities and discussed what potential she might have


    in our world.¡± Brayton continued without missing a beat, ¡°While she seems to have control over her


    abilities, it¡¯s within the interest of our kind that we monitor this progress and ensure she matures into


    her powers with full control.¡±


    ¡°That being said, she could be of use to our packs, ensuring our kind¡¯s sess and all of that.¡± Jaspar


    Fox chose his time to speak up, tossing me azy smile with eyes that had far too much to hide.


    ¡°How right you are.¡± Marcus agreed, a friendly smile on his face. This time his eyes turned to me, cold


    and calcting beneath his warm exterior. Kade¡¯s emotions turned brittle, but he managed to keep his


    rage contained while we stood in silence, unable to do anything but watch. ¡°Even though you know little


    about our world, you have an opportunity to make a difference. So rarely does something like this


    happen, and it is our hope that you might see this as an opportunity. While we each may have different


    terms and requests, you are in no way forced to choose. It is your right to ept or deny as you see


    fit.¡±


    I straightened my spine and approached the center of the room as instructed. Only I could hear the


    pattering of my heart, which mirrored the whispers being flung from all sides of the room.


    ¡°I make no promises, but I will listen to your offers.¡± I chose my words carefully, forcing myself to stare


    Marcus Novak in the eyes the entire time.


    He was not a stupid man. He knew I wasn¡¯t fooled, and I would no longer pretend to be. Any deal made


    with him would surely end in my d***h¨Cor, envement. How many other white wolves walked into his


    land willingly,pletely ignorant of what actually lie ahead?


    ¡°Though wemunicate and work as one, we are five individual packs withnd and customs of our


    own. As such, any agreements will reflect our singr pack.¡± Marcus continued with a thin smile.


    His words were surprising to some, and murmurs erupted throughout the room. I only caught bits and


    pieces, but the words I heard were troubling at best. Words like; takeover, always share, selfish, and


    plotting, came from the mouths of some witnesses. Others denied it, imed Marcus was doing what


    was best, and that he had more experience than any other High Table member. Many of these people


    trusted him, and for the life of me, I couldn¡¯t understand why.


    A flicker of surprise went through Jaspar, Brayton Cliff went still, and Sebastian practically ignited with


    rage. What Marcus had done was definitely unusual.


    ¡°As head of the High Table, I believe I¡¯ll begin with what my pack might offer you in return for your time


    and service.¡± Marcus gave little time in between for argument, and from the emotions picking at me,


    most were too terrified to interrupt him. I caught wind of the golden-haired Alpha and Luna again. They


    weren¡¯t afraid of Marcus¨Cand seemed to detest him more than anyone else. ¡°First, you would have my


    entire collection of knowledge at your disposal, including anything regarding white wolves. You also


    have ess to my outside sources, should you need more information. It is known that I have a few


    white wolves living on my territory. I would be willing to transfer any that wish to move, over to your


    domain. Most in my pack provide protection from rogues. Lastly, you must reside in my pack four


    months out of the year. There you will train and aid me in High Table matters. These months are up to


    your discretion, and your mates may attend as well. Should you ept my terms, I would wee you


    into your seat as head of the High Table, and provide as your mentor.¡±


    His terms were surprising, to say the least. I had almost missed hisst requirement, the one that


    promised my doom. Four months out of the year I¡¯d remain in his pack¨Clike I was an object being


    passed around. The crowed murmured and cooed at his generosity, while I wanted to snarl and shout.


    It wasn¡¯t a gift; it was a d***h sentence.


    What was even more surprising¨CMarcus Novak was cutting his long-time aplice, Sebastian Sable,


    out of the picture. He was essentially handing me my seat on a silver tter, and kicking Sebastian off


    to the side.


    Sebastian would be lowered in status after this, made nothing more than a basic Alpha. I was also fairly


    positive he¡¯d lose whatever agreement he had going on with Marcus Novak. What a way to end a


    partnership.


    My legs buckled with the rage that sted through him. Even from where I stood, I could hear the snap


    and creak of the wooden dais breaking under his fingers. His eyes conveyed h**l-fire within their


    depths, and it was all directed on me.


    I was no fool to what was going on. Clearly, Marcus Novak was the wealthiest of the Alpha¡¯s. He had


    the most assets and I¡¯m assuming the whitest wolves. The other High Table members only agreed to


    using me so long as it benefited them all. Marcus had flipped the script on them.


    ¡°Well, though it¡¯s pointless, I suppose I¡¯ll go next.¡± Brayton cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. I


    could feel his difort with the situation, along with an underlying tone of worry. He met my eyes and


    I could feel a shift in his emotions. Curiosity and something else, possibly hope? ¡°While my collection of


    knowledge is smaller than Marcus¡¯s, I assure you, you¡¯ll find things even he does not have within my


    walls. I offer you my knowledge and my pack should you ever need my aid. Rather than force you to


    my ownnd, I would pay you monthly visits to ensure your development and magical abilities


    remained stable.¡±


    There were a few murmurs as many caught the snidement Brayton ced carefully within his


    words. In truth, his proposal wasn¡¯t a horrible one. It was essentially an alliance, one with a bit more


    stiptions.


    I smoothed any emotion from my face, but nodded at Brayton Cliff. Next was Jaspar, who had reclined


    in his chair. He was currently cleaning underneath his nails with a serrated de, paying no mind to the


    conversation around him.


    Brayton nudged Jaspar, catching his attention. The knife was away in a sh, faster than my eyes


    could perceive.


    ¡°Ah, my turn, is it?¡± He grunted, stretching out in his seat. He brushed back the inky hair that fell across


    his forehead and gave me a long look. When he spoke, it was slow and drawn out. I wanted tough


    for a moment. The man had the audacity to be bored, during a meeting that discussed my right to live.


    ¡°I got no use for your abilities, kid. I can give you information, training, whatever you need. Wouldn¡¯t


    mind a powerful pack having my back¨Cand vice versa. You want an alliance? We can talk. I don¡¯t need


    a guard dog.¡±


    Some part of me desperately hoped Jaspar wasn¡¯t a s****y person, because he was the type of man I


    could see myself getting along with. He was strange for sure, but honest. This ce was built on lies,


    and having the truth was refreshing. His offer on the other hand, it had been the best one yet. It wasn¡¯t


    an offer of servitude, but one of an alliance.


    The only one who was silent was Sebastian Sable. It was horribly unfair how this entire thing was set


    up, and if he weren¡¯t a psychopath, I would¡¯ve felt sorry for the man.


    There was no point in Sebastian offering me anything. I would ept one of the others and kick himContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    from his ce at the High Table, that was an inevitability.


    ¡°Three very generous offers. All of which could benefit our species.¡± Marcus finally spoke, cutting a


    sharp look towards Jaspar. ¡°Should you choose one, contracts will be drawn afterwards. As well, these


    offers are on a trail period basis. We still do not know the full extent of your abilities, though we


    certainly know what you could be capable of should your powers hit full maturity. During this trial


    period, you will be closely monitored. Whomever you choose will ensure you haveplete control at


    all times.¡±


    It was a p****n sentence, basically. No matter what I chose, Marcus Novak would get what he wanted. I


    could easily choose Jaspar and decline Brayton and Marcus, but he would retaliate. No way in h**l


    would Marcus let me slip through his greedy fingers.


    ¡°What will happen should she decline all three offers? What will happen then to ensure she maintain


    control over her abilities?¡± Sebastian Sable asked, his voice oily and beady eyes narrowed. He stood


    from his seat and spoke directly to the crowd. ¡°You all are not thinking of the future. Yes, she might


    learn to control her abilities, but it is her who is able to use them. How can we dictate what she does


    with these gifts? What would happen if one morning, she wished to eradicate the High Table? It would


    take an army to stop her. What ensures us that this day will nevere? I am thinking of our future, of


    your grandchildren¡¯s children. What is truly best for us? This ability might¡¯ve been celebrated in a time


    of war. We are at peace, right now. Perhaps, we do not need her abilities at this given point in our


    history. Even worse, she is causing chaos that has long been purged from the High Table. I will not fall


    for the allure of power, no matter how the package might look. This she wolf wields d***h, and she is


    here to bring war.¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    The entire room erupted in chaos. People on all sides shouted angrily, screaming obscenities and


    threats. They called me a monster¨Ca beast that needed to be put down. Their words bounced off me,


    but their acid-stained emotions burned and shed at me. There were some who did not join in on the


    chaos, the golden-haired couple being two who remained quiet and stoic during this charade.


    While horrible things were said, and d***h threats were thrown like spit from their bared teeth. The


    guards that lingered around the room were on alert, emerging from their ces hidden amongst the


    crowd. They came out one by one, blending in with the people around them.


    I was genuinely surprised when each guard came to the center of the room. They stood around the


    High Table and the section containing my family. I knew the High Table would be first priority in a


    situation like this, but I hadn¡¯t expected my family and I to be included.


    During the chaos, Nico Deville chose his moment to arrive. The oak doors that served as the main


    entrance were flung open, but that did very little to calm the manic witnesses.


    Sitting above it all, staring down at the chaos like an unruly g*d, was Marcus Novak.


    He did not intervene, where he certainly could have. These people would listen to him, they would quiet


    for him. He remained sitting, poised and serene as he watched the unfolding chaos.


    It was Jaspar Fox who stood, mming his hands on the table in front of him so hard that the


    witnesses who had been pressing forward, flinched back.


    Even I took a step back as Jaspar¡¯s emotions registered with me. My skin erupted in me¨Csearing hot


    as though it were real. His irritation and anger washed over me, just as his eyes met my own. They


    were not pained, nor were they haunted. They were frustrated and pissed off.


    As his eyes met mine, I could feel him suppressing those emotions, purposefully trying to dampen


    them. Perhaps he knew the strength of his own emotions. I was beginning to think that Jaspar Fox


    must be much more than what he seems.


    ¡°Enough.¡± His voice was whisper silent, but each and every one of us could hear him. There was


    another whisper or two from across the room, so quiet I had nearly missed it, but Jaspar Fox did not.


    He lifted his head, and his eyes scanned the room. Thick chords of muscle moved beneath his leather


    jacket as he searched with his eyes. His lips twitched, and I knew he found the two poor individuals he


    was looking for. He speared them with his eyes, and both of the middle-aged males wentpletely


    still. ¡°I said enough.¡±


    The entire room was quiet now, hardly breathing as nearly all of us cowered. Kade, of all people,


    happened to be intrigued at Jaspar¡¯s outburst.


    I could hear several sighs of relief when Jaspar slowly lowered himself to his seat.


    I could still feel the remnants of his anger, like a harsh sunburn that I knew would peel. While I wanted


    to meet his eyes and thank him for quieting the room, my attention was caught on Nico Deville.


    Perhaps it was Desmond¡¯s genes, but Nico was a near replica of his father. The only singr


    difference was his eyes. Nico had the auburn hair and stocky build of his father, but his eyes were


    hazel in color. The green and golden tones seemed to show more, brought out by his tanned skin.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one with my attention on Nico Deville. I could feel much more than I wanted to, and


    questioned how desperate some of these women truly were.


    I knew the type of person Nico Deville was the moment his emotions registered in my mind. He was


    confident, satisfied, and utterly above it all. He sauntered into the room, basking in the attention while


    also managing to look cool and confident.


    Nico walked to the center of the room, but turned and met my eyes. It was only a second or two nce,


    but the damage had been done. Desmond¡¯s wrinkled body shed behind my eyes, along with the two


    others at his side. I swallowed my guilt, even though it felt like a golf ball traveling down my throat.


    Nico approached the raised tform the High Table sat at, and greeted each of the men. Marcus


    yed the part as respectful businessman, Brayton was polite and a bit robotic, Jaspar was


    uninterested and unimpressed, and Sebastion was still furious enough to spit h**l-fire from his nose.


    ¡°It seems things became quite heated.¡± Nico Devillemented with a haughty smirk. In no way,


    shape, or form did I miss the snarl that sounded from Sebastian¡¯s lips, nor the way his emotions turned


    dark and murderous. I wasn¡¯t sure whether or not Nico was speaking of Sebastion¡¯s furious expression,


    or the crowd that had once been shouting obscenities.


    ¡°Yes, well it¡¯s in our nature, is it not?¡± Marcus asked, his eyes narrowing just the smallest of amounts.


    Nico Deville was far too much like his father, without the brains to back himself up. Marcus stood, and


    the entirety of the crowd¡¯s attention moved from Nico to Marcus. Nico seemed to realize that, and had a


    few mixed emotions bubbling to the surface. ¡°Nico Deville, eldest son of Desmond, will now temporarily


    take seat at the High Table.¡±


    Once all five men were seated, Nico began to speak.


    ¡°My father feels the same as many of you.¡± He began, addressing the crowd before turning his eyes on


    me. His eyes were pretty, earthy like bark and moss. It was his attitude that made my eyebrows inch


    closer and closer together. ¡°This she-wolf, we know so little about her. Facts are easy toe by, but


    who is this girl? Can she handle a power that brings all men to their knees? My father has served as


    warrior and protector of his pack for a decade now, and will continue to protect us, even if those battles


    might take ce in the future.¡±


    With every emotion of his that passed through me, my stomach dropped a little further. Nico Deville


    was very much not on our side, and I highly doubted he would be changing his mind anytime soon.


    If I hadn¡¯t been stunned silent by Nico¡¯s greedy and power-hungry emotions, I would¡¯ve missed the


    man that swept through the crowd. He was dressed casually, in a ck button down and cks. His


    hair was dark and just a little curly on the sides where it protruded from a dark cap on his head. He was


    dressed near identical to the other security guards, but I was certain he wasn¡¯t a guard himself.


    There was nothing special about this man, and I had almost looked away¨Calmost.


    Just as I turned my eyes, I noticed him veering to the left, towards where the High Table members sat.


    The stranger, fast as lightning, approached Marcus Novak and dropped a notecard onto the table in


    front of him.


    The split-second Marcus¡¯s head was turned, was all it took for the man to slip back into the crowd. I


    tried to follow him with my eyes, but lost sight as a few seconds passed.


    Naturally, I was a bit curious. I watched as Marcus finished saying something to Nico, and happened to


    nce down at his hands.


    It could¡¯ve just been a note, or some kind of reminder, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the man


    wasn¡¯t a security guard. He had moved so fast; he did not want to be caught. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Marcus eyed the paper for just a second before slipping it into his hands. I had to give it to him, he was


    a natural. He smiled and nodded, replying to something Brayton had asked without skipping a beat. His


    eyes darted down for three seconds before flickering back to the crowded room.


    I could feel the moment those mystery words registered, because that perfectly carved stone that


    encased Marcus Novak¨Cit cracked. I could see it in the way his eyes red, and his fingers twitched


    idly. From his voice and demeanor alone, you¡¯d never be able to tell that this beast had nearly broken


    free from its cage. The note card was in his pocket before anyone could notice, and would soon be


    destroyed.


    Marcus stood and addressed the crowd, quieting any murmurs or whispers. His movements were slow,


    but I knew he was only trying to seem rxed. While he was an expert at keeping his emotions under


    wraps, that crack was giving me a nce inside of him. While I couldn¡¯t feel any of his other emotions, I


    could tell that he was impatient. Marcus Novak was in a hurry to leave.


    ¡°The duties of an Alpha are never ending, and often not nearly as entertaining as one might hope.¡±


    Marcus sighed to the crowd, who gave little chitters ofughter, like he had cracked a joke of some


    sort. I had to stifle my ownugh when Kade rolled his eyes. ¡°I have business calling me away at the


    moment. While it is urgent, it will not keep me from our final meeting tomorrow, where we hope to bring


    this issue to its end. Perhaps, Desmond Deville will return when I do. Until then, this meeting is


    adjourned.¡±


    ¡°What was on that notecard that made him scurry out of here so fast?¡± Kade whispered low in my ear


    as we followed his parents out of the council room.


    The council room let out into arge foyer. A crystal chandelier half the size of a car, hung from the


    ceiling. There were four elevators on both the left and right side of the room. Many of the witnesses


    here were Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s, which meant sharing an elevator with others you don¡¯t know, not always


    the safest move. Many of the witnesses were heading down to the restaurant within the hotel, while


    some others were nning a trip to the bar down the street.


    ¡°Why am I not surprised you saw that too.¡± I chuckled, cing my hands against the smooth material of


    his button down. Like all moments have since Alec was taken, we both quickly turned serious. ¡°I have


    no clue what it could¡¯ve said. Whatever it was, it caused a crack in his self-control. He¡¯s able to manage


    his emotions so well, I can¡¯t even detect them. This crack, it let me see just a little.¡±


    ¡°If it made him crack, then it had to be important.¡± Kade grunted, ¡°Information is never a bad thing, and


    it might be worth knowing what caused Marcus Novak to run so quickly.¡±


    ¡°I might be able to ask Jaspar, but there¡¯s no telling if he knows.¡± I replied with a shrug, but then


    thought of Zayne. ¡°Or we can ask¨Cyou know who, but I doubt he¡¯d be willing to help us.¡±


    Kade¡¯s response was lost to the wind, because something else caught my attention. The golden-haired


    Alpha and Luna were emerging from the council room, their four guards trailing alongside them.


    ¡°I want to talk to those people.¡± I mumbled to Kade, pushing past him as I scampered after the Alpha


    and Luna.


    Their emotions were so steady, like the sun that would inevitably break through the storm that


    darkened the world.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± I shouted, maneuvering past an older couple as I jogged a few more feet forward. I kept


    enough distance not to be perceived as a threat, but I don¡¯t believe the couple was actually expecting


    me to speak to them.


    The woman turned around first; her eyes narrowed into slits until she realized who I was. Her re


    turned into a look of surprise, then one of anticipation. It was strange to feel her go through these


    emotions. It felt like she already knew me, and knew where this conversation might lead.


    ¡°Come, Aurora. I will not speak in front of these people.¡± The golden-haired woman met my eyes, and


    spoke with a delicately ented voice. The tone of her words, they were warm, but held the potential


    to set the world on fire. She began walking forward with her mate again, but paused and turned back to


    Kade and I. ¡°You may bring your mate. Now,e.¡±


    ¡°You sure about this, sweetheart?¡± Kade asked low enough for only I to hear.


    We both watched as the couple continued walking, stopping to press the button on one of the


    elevators. I had only a few moments to decide before those doors opened, letting in the two people


    who actually seemed to see the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I know I need to talk to them.¡± I grinned a bit sheepishly and took off after the couple.


    ¡°You trust the High Table enough to step into their domain, but you cannot extend that courtesy to us?¡±


    The man remarked in a sour tone. His emotions pointed more towards offence than any malice, and his


    re towards the council room lead me to believe the same.


    ¡°She does not trust the High Table, Isaiah.¡± The woman frowned at her mate and patted his hand with


    her own. ¡°She is wise for trusting only those she brought at her side. Now, bottle your anger, and let us


    speak.¡±


    Isaiah was silent as the eight of us stepped into the elevator. He swiped his key against the pad, which


    allowed us to travel to their respective floor. These elevators wererger than your normal ones, and fit


    us easily. ssical music yed quietly through small speakers within the elevator, and the woman


    seemed to hum the tune under her breath.


    Their room was a suite that mirrored mine and Kade¡¯s. It made me feel a bit better to know that I wasn¡¯t


    receiving any special treatment while here. My room was the same as everyone else¡¯s, extravagant as


    all h**l. I was beginning to miss my room back at the twin¡¯s house.


    ¡°It is safe to speak in here.¡± The woman told Kade and I as she locked the door behind us. She


    wandered into the kitchen and pulled out two wine sses. Her seafoam eyes would asionally dart


    to where Kade and I stood as she talked, ¡°You both may call me Mera (Me-Rah). You are as safe here


    as in your own suite. We keep guards posted in our room, even if we are not here. We have everything


    checked for microphones and camera¡¯s daily.¡±


    ¡°You really believe that¡¯s necessary?¡± Kade asked her, to which Isaiah responded instantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± Isaiah snorted. The sound was somewhat amusing with his delicate ent, but I couldn¡¯t


    mistake the irritation bubbling away beneath his skin. ¡°The High Table are children, children who fight


    over every shiny toy theye across. They have destroyed packs, families, and lives in pursuit of the


    newest thing. Then they shove titudes of preserving our species in your gullet until you¡¯re so stuffed


    with their sh¨C.¡±


    ¡°Do not work yourself up again, dearest.¡± Mera sighed, running her fingers through Isaiah¡¯s close-


    cropped hair. Some of the tension faded from his shoulders, and I instinctively sought out that same


    comfort from Kade. ¡°You be too stressed as ofte.¡±


    ¡°When you were speaking about the High Table, were you speaking from personal experience?¡± I


    asked a bit boldly, but I had a feeling Isaiah and Mera might like that quality in a person.


    Both stilled, their questioning eyes on me. They were weighing what they should tell me¨Cwhat version


    of the truth I might be privy to.


    Deciding to take another route, I hardened my voice and hoped the two of them could read the


    determination in my eye, the desperate need for change that pulsed in my veins.


    ¡°I¡¯m here fighting for my right to live, proving that I deserve to live like everyone else.¡± I told them both,


    feeling my own anger swell in my chest. No one should have to prove their right to live, it was one thing


    we were all given freely. ¡°If anyone understands hating the High Table, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°What many of us feel¨Cit goes beyond hate. Once hate festers and grows, it bes a disease that


    traps you.¡± Isaiah growled under his breath. I could feel thest of his resistance chip away as he saw


    the same light burning in my eyes that also burned in his. ¡°The High Table was once just. It was a time


    we truly flourished. We did not overtake human cities, but lived amongst them.¡±


    ¡°Your kind was not hunted during that time.¡± Mera said in the same strong voice as her mate, ¡°There


    are still just as many of you now¨Cbut you know what happens to most of them.¡±


    ¡°Marcus.¡± I nodded, seeing the approval in her eyes. She was weighing how much I knew, while giving


    me some information of their own. It was a give and take, I realized. We were trusting one another,


    getting to know one another. Was this how alliances were made?


    ¡°Good, you are not ignorant like many of our kind.¡± Mera spat, looking truly angry for the first time. ¡°He


    hides behind his smiles and pretty words, but there is no beauty inside, only rot.¡±


    ¡°My wife has more reason than most to despise Marcus Novak.¡± Isaiah frowned, taking Mera¡¯s hand in


    his own and tugging her until she conceded and sat beside him on the couch.


    ¡°It was a long time ago; much has changed since then. Much has gotten worse since then.¡± Mera


    sighed, leveling her gaze on my own. ¡°You want to fight against Marcus Novak? Fine, then you should


    know what you¡¯re up against.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Mera?¡± Isaiah asked, his eyes flickering over to Kade and I. His voice went a


    little quieter as he talked, even though Kade and I could still hear every word he said. ¡°You do not need


    to reopen these wounds for them. I will not see you in pain. I will tell them what they need to know while


    you are away from the room.¡±


    ¡°Dearest, you¡¯ve always protected me.¡± Mera smiled fondly at her mate, cing her hands on either


    side of his face. Isaiah looked older now, no longer his early twenties as he stared at the woman who


    had be his entire world. ¡°There are times where I must be strong. I have not in the past, but I will


    learn from these mistakes, Isaiah. I will heed my sister¡¯s word.¡±


    Isaiah smiled sadly at his mate and ced his lips against her forehead, ¡°I protect you, because even


    now, I cannot stand to see you in pain. I will dly shoulder it all if it means you remain free.¡±


    ¡°I will never be free, Isaiah. Not until they are all free.¡± Mera said softly, and Isaiah nodded, as though


    he had agreed to this very thing many times before.


    ¡°Tell them your story, Mera.¡± Isaiah¡¯s smile was small, but it was one solely reserved for Mera, a smile


    created for her. ¡°Let Sabine live and breathe through your words.¡±


    ¡°When I was fourteen years old, Marcus Novak became the third member of the High Table. His father


    won this battle by the skin of his teeth, which meant thend was surrendered to the Novak family.


    Marcus¡¯s father ruled as the third High Table member for five years before he finally passed away, then


    Marcus took over. Two yearster, none other than Marcus Novak was visiting my pack.¡± Meraughed


    dryly, her narrowed eyes filling with tears she would not allow to fall. ¡°Our pack wasrge, and


    sometimes gained the attention of the High Table, but never had they visited before. My father was


    beta of our pack, his childhood best-friend had grown up to be the Alpha. You see, it was all very


    picturesque. Until, the day Marcus showed up. We didn¡¯t know it at the time, but there was something


    he had been looking for. He spent two years looking, searching endlessly while all of the other High


    Table members remained clueless. He was searching for white wolves.¡±


    ¡°Marcus has been head of the High Table for eight years. Those first two, he had upied the third


    seat.¡± Isaiah chimed in, crossing one leg over hisp as he reclined on the couch.


    ¡°So, he jumped from third ce, to the head.¡± I noted, unable to ignore the fishy feeling I got. ¡°How¡¯d he


    manages to jump spots? Shouldn¡¯t that be hard to aplish?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very hard. You have to make your own pack andndrger, which means picking off smaller


    packs. You have to be careful when doing that. A lot of those smaller packs have alliances with High


    Table members, and you don¡¯t want to s***w over a fellow member.¡± Isaiah shook his head.


    ¡°Marcus Novak jumped to the head shortly after leaving my pack with what he had been searching for.¡±


    Mera said darkly, her seafoam eyes turning navy in color. ¡°My little sister, Sabine. She had always been


    special, prone to fits at night. She¡¯d thrash and scream, but always quiet and fall back asleep. One


    night, she didn¡¯t. She started speaking, saying these strange things that made no sense. We hadn¡¯t


    realized she was an oracle, and that this was her white wolf ability manifesting itself. After a few years,


    she actually got the hang of it. Thest time I saw my sister was when she was thirteen, and Marcus


    Novak was escorting her away.¡±


    ¡°Your sister was an oracle?¡± I asked, marveling for a moment. The ability seemed like a taxing one, but


    it sounded nice to be called an ¡°oracle¡± and not a ¡°soul-eater¡±. Nothing says run in the other direction


    like being called a soul-eater. ¡°She could see the future? How did that work?¡±


    ¡°It was hard on her as a child, having that kind of responsibility. It can take some of the magic and fun


    away from a childhood. She handled it as well as a child could, some days were better than others.¡±


    Mera confessed with a look of longing on her face. Even after all this time, her grief was still so raw, so


    close to the surface. She carried her pain with her, and spent every waking moment remembering its


    name. ¡°There was one night that I remembered most, the only night she had told me what she saw.¡±


    ¡°You believe this is relevant, Mera? That Sabine meant her?¡± Isaiah questioned, his eyes brightening


    just a bit.


    ¡°I do believe this is who Sabine spoke of, and I will honor her request topletion.¡± Mera nodded, her


    voice stern and true as she stared down her mate.


    ¡°You know I would follow you anywhere, Mera.¡± Isaiah nodded, letting her take the lead.


    ¡°The day before Marcus Novak came into town, she woke me in the middle of the night screaming.


    Tears were pouring down her cheeks, and her heart was racing fast enough to frighten me. She was


    sobbing, speaking of some b****y battle. I grabbed her shoulders, and I screamed her name. I


    screamed and screamed until my voice went hoarse. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up from the


    bed in a start.¡± Mera shuddered, ¡°She told me, ¡®When you meet the girl with eyes of water and earth,


    help her. Give her what she needs, and the world will flourish.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Eyes of water and earth.¡± I scoffed, turning my face towards a golden mirror that sat on the far wall.


    I shook my head, unable to believe that some child years ago had seen anything to do with me. I really,


    really wanted to believe I wasn¡¯t the girl she had been talking about, but even I couldn¡¯t tell a lie that


    big.


    I had known all along that war coulde once the High Table knew about me. I epted that I would


    fight with my mates and pack, and survive or d*e alongside of them. This bit of information was only


    confirming what we all knew, but it was all I could take for the moment.


    ¡°Having a great destiny is not something one wishes for. They are difficult, painful, and often messy.


    And rarely do they end the way we hope.¡± Isaiah told me, his voice firm and resolute. He was not the


    type of man to run from his problems, but the type to embrace the pain and charge forward. ¡°There are


    always lives lost when changees to the world. It is horrible and b****y, a waste of life, but it is a fact


    of the world. One that will never be altered. Those who bring change will always be resisted. The


    question is, is this cause worth it to you, Aurora?¡±


    I didn¡¯t need time to think toe up with an answer. My answer had been there all along, something I


    knew but was unwilling to admit to myself.


    ¡°This¨Cthis cause is more important than what I want, than what we all want. It¡¯s worth giving our lives


    for. We¡¯ll save generations of children from being hunted, enved, and used for their abilities. White


    wolves will fill the world again, and we will allow them to live the way they see fit.¡± I told both Isaiah and


    Mera, mustering up much more confidence than I actually had. ¡°Those willing to change and adapt can


    keep their ce on the High Table, but those who want to plunge us even further into darkness¨Cthey


    won¡¯t survive in this new world, none of them will.¡±


    ¡°We have long been on the side of white wolves, even when we have to stomach the insanity of the


    High Table.¡± Isaiah growled, ¡°Our pack will fight with yours, Luna Aurora.¡±


    ¡°We know you do not wish for war, but we are less hopeful.¡± Mera smiled softly, ¡°Years spent under the


    High Table¡¯s thumb, watching Marcus be more and more powerful. He will never bow down, not


    unless forced.¡±


    Kade and I called down our own guards to escort us back to our suite. I was feeling a bit lighter, filled


    with just a little more hope. We had stayed for another half hour, talking with Isaiah and Mera. I told


    them of how I met the twins, and Mera exined how she had run into Isaiah when he was a young


    Alpha. We were still strangers by all ounts, but Mera was the kind of person you wanted to trust.


    She was wholeheartedly honest, brutal, andpletely savage when it came to those she cared about.


    Isaiah was a bit rough around the edges, but every ounce of pain his mate experienced at the High


    Table¡¯s hands had weighed on him as well.


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll be able to sleep after that, especially with everything that¡¯s going on tonight.¡± I sighed,


    leaning back against Kade¡¯s chest. ¡°Do you think Zayne will really let Alec free if his wolves get out


    safety?¡±


    ¡°He better, or he¡¯ll find himself gutted before the day is up.¡± Kade snarled softly, ¡°We¡¯ve never been


    separated for this long before. It¡¯s not how it is with normal siblings. We¡¯ve never fought before, and


    neither of us feel any need to spend time apart. We¡¯ve always been one person.¡±


    ¡°It feels the same for me too, you know.¡± I murmured, curled up against Kade¡¯s side. My throat ached,


    and my eyes burned with unshed tears, but I was tired of crying. I craved and missed Alec so badly my


    body ached, but I refused to sit here crying about it. That¡¯s not what a werewolf would do, and it¡¯s


    certainly not what a Luna would do. ¡°I feel like a part of myself is missing. I can feel it out there, but I


    just can¡¯t reach it.¡±


    A knock on the door draws us from the bedroom and into the living area. Kade opened the front door


    while I perched on the arm of the couch with a cup of coffee in hand.


    The two of us were staying up tonight. I had been plying myself with caffeine since dinner, but I knew I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep regardless. Tonight, we would find out if our n to transport Zayne¡¯s white


    wolf friends worked or not. The thought that I might have Alec back in just a few days¨Cit was too much


    to handle. I was wired with or without the coffee.


    Garrett stepped into the room, followed by Julian. Garrett seemed to blend in with these people. He


    was always impably dressed, and carried that same snooty air about him. While I didn¡¯tpletely


    despise Garrett anymore, we were a long way away from bing friends.


    ¡°Mind if¨C¡°


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get into this, will we?¡± Garrett sighed, pulling out a mani folder full of documents. He


    pinched the bridge of his nose briefly before continuing, ¡°These offer¡¯s you¡¯re getting from the High


    Table members, here are the official documents. They outline everything, including the fine print.¡±


    ¡°The question is, are you interested in any of them?¡± Julian asked, shooting Garrett a d***y look.


    Sometimes I forgot the two of them were in theirte forties. They so often acted like warring siblings


    around one another.


    ¡°If Marcus Novak wasn¡¯t the man I know him to be, his offer would¡¯ve been golden.¡± Garrett scoffed,


    shaking his head.


    ¡°Brayton¡¯s offer isn¡¯t bad as well, but the fine print is loaded with additional stiptions.¡± Julian said,


    pulling out a small stack of papers from the mani folder. He spread a few of them out in front of us,


    pointing at some highlighted bits on the page. ¡°You would essentially allow him to preform experiments,


    to monitor you, and to test your abilities in any way he sees fit.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d have a lot of power over me.¡± I noticed instantly, ¡°All of that could easily be used against me.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Garrett nodded, meeting my eyes. I cringed away from the protectiveness that seemed to


    hide within him, and was content on pretending I hadn¡¯t felt it at all. ¡°It¡¯s best not to consider his offer at


    all.¡±


    ¡°That leaves Jaspar Fox.¡± Julian said, again pulling out a few sheets of paper. He snorted as he


    handed me the page, and I understood why when I looked at the contract Jaspar had written up.


    Where the others had pages upon pages of stiptions and conditions, Jaspar¡¯s contract was roughly


    a paragraph long.


    ¡°He just wants to be allies?¡± I scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Specifically, it says under no conditions or circumstances would Luna Aurora be obligated to defend


    Alpha Jaspar Fox or his pack, using her White Wolf abilities.¡± Julian repeated, smirking as he finished.


    ¡°Straight forward man, not always a bad thing. Always better than tiptoeing around, using them fancy


    words.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not considered fancy if you have an education.¡± Garrett rolled his eyes, a very unrefined


    action.


    ¡°What do you think of Jaspar¡¯s offer?¡± Kade asked, pulling me closer across the couch we both sat on.


    Even though I was Luna, it still made my stomach flutter when he asked what I thought we should do. I


    wasn¡¯t used to having the power to make all of these decisions, but I was enjoying finally taking control


    of my life.


    ¡°I think¨CI think I want to know him more. Julian was right, he is straightforward, but that can¡¯t be all


    there is to him.¡± I told Kade truthfully, ¡°He seems like the type of Alpha we could actually have an


    alliance with, but we also hardly know the man. It isn¡¯t very smart to agree to an alliance with someone


    we hardly know.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡± Kade chuckled, ¡°Unfortunately, they¡¯ll be expecting an answer from you


    tomorrow. That gives us little to no time to figure out what kind of man Jaspar Fox is.¡±


    ¡°Also, there is no contract from Desmond Deville.¡± The use of Desmond¡¯s name cut through my


    attention, tearing it away from Kade. It was Julian who had spoken, ¡°It¡¯s pretty odd he wouldn¡¯t make an


    offer, considering the other members are. Usually, he jumps on whatever team Marcus vouges for.¡±


    I had never been the best liar, so I could only hope I managed to clear the shock and guilt from my


    face. Kade¡¯s hand at my back, and the fact that neither seemed to notice a thing, was what helped


    calm me down.


    Julian and Garrett left nearly an hourter, after going over the n for the white wolves a fifth time.


    Tori showed up shortly after, flustered and more than ready to stay up all night with us.


    The three of us did what we could to distract ourselves, but movies and video games could only get


    you so far. Eventually, there was nothing left to do but think and wait.


    ¡°Are you going to spill already?¡± I asked once Kade retreated into the bathroom to take a shower.


    Truthfully, he had gone to give the two of us some alone time, but I appreciated the gesture


    nheless.


    ¡°Spill?¡± Tori asked cluelessly, even though she knew exactly what I was talking about.


    ¡°Yup, spill.¡± I chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve been wanting to tell me something since you¡¯ve gotten here. Now, what


    is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh¨Cyeah, well.¡± Tori stammered, which waspletely unlike her. She wasn¡¯t someone who became


    flustered easily, which made me worried something bad had happened. ¡°I was just trying to pick the


    best moment to say something.¡±


    ¡°Well, now you¡¯ve got me worried.¡± Myugh fizzled out at the end, making Tori¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s nothing like that!¡± Sheughed breathlessly, but I could hear how forced it sounded. I


    waited until herughter trailed off, and she finally gave in. Within her emotions, there was a flicker of


    that soul-deep pain that constantly ate at her. ¡°Oh, alright. Something kind of happened¨Cwith Zayne. I


    mean, with him and I.¡±


    I paused for a few moments, confused. My mind had first jumped to the thought of them sleeping


    together, but wouldn¡¯t she be happier? Unless it wasn¡¯t very enjoyable, I supposed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even go there. I can practically see what you¡¯re thinking, and no. We did not. Don¡¯t even


    disrespect me by putting that into words.¡± She groaned, burying her face into the pillow that rested on


    my bed. I let her have a few moments. When she came up for air, she was only a little red in the face. ¡°I


    can¨Cfeel the pull of the bond, and I know he can feel it too. He think¡¯s treating me like s**t will make the


    bond face, but it¡¯s only making him lose his patience. Yesterday, I went outside to video call my


    parents, and on the way inside, I ran into him. Literally, I ran into him. He flipped out when he noticed it


    was me, and you know I¡¯m not taking any of that s**t, so I stood my ground. He pushed me against the


    wall again, and before I could kick his a*s, he looked down at my lips. I knew he wanted to kiss me¨CI


    knew because I could feel it too, and I just¨CI froze there, I couldn¡¯t even move.¡±


    It took me some time to figure out what I wanted to say. Thest thing I wanted to do was tear down


    any hope she might have of a mate. No matter how I felt about Zayne, that wasn¡¯t what Tori deserved.


    ¡°If he changed his mind, would the bond between you two be intact?¡± I asked, as there were still some


    holes in my knowledge. There wasn¡¯t much I could say, and even less I could do. So instead of making


    false promises, I did all that I could to remind her I was here. ¡°Is that something you would want? I


    know¨Cthe oue for rejected wolves, and I wouldn¡¯t ever want that happening to you. You know that


    no matter what, I support your choice, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I want, Aurora. The bond makes me want him, but how can I ever love someone


    who never wanted me to begin with? I wasn¡¯t good enough for him, so how can I ever be?¡± She asked,


    and I could feel my heart break along with hers. I had no clue how she managed to remain tearless. My


    eyes were already filling, which I fought with vicious blinks. A final testament to Tori¡¯s strength; her


    voice never once cracked as she poured her heart out to me. ¡°This is thest thing I wanted. When I


    pictured my mate, I saw my future. I saw my family, my children and my parents. What makes it even


    worse, Zayne looks exactly like how I always pictured my mate. Maybe someday he¡¯ll regret what he


    had done, but I won¡¯t beg him to want me. A short life where I¡¯m free is better than a long one, trapped


    by a man I¡¯m destined to love.¡±


    I let Tori say everything she needed, even when her face turned red with anger, and she spewed all


    sorts of colorful words towards Zayne. Her temper would often override everything else, but she was


    one to never, ever back down.


    The three of us stayed up until our eyes grew heavy and dry. The coffee I drank now tasted stale and


    bitter, even though the machine in our suite was easily a grand. No amount of caffeine in the world was


    keeping me awake, and when my eyes fluttered shut, I hadn¡¯t the strength to question it.


    A small, steady beeping sound dragged me kicking and screaming from my sleep. It wasn¡¯t the sound


    of a heart monitor, but something¨Csomething more annoying. The beeps were fast, high pitched and


    sting throughout the room.


    It took a few cycles of that beeping sound to finallye-to.


    ¡°The phone!¡± I gasped; my voice painfully hoarse.


    I flung myself from the bed at the same time Tori and Kade did. The three of us had fallen asleep


    across the king-sized bed, a mess of limbs and crumpled nkets.


    The three of us snatched for the phone, until Kade managed to grab it first. He pressed the answer


    button swiftly, and I eyed the tuft of hair on his head that somehow managed to stick straight up. I


    promised myself I¡¯dugh at itter if we had good news.


    Kade¡¯s emotions were impassive as he responded to the man on the phone. I was practically bouncing


    up and down on my feet, waiting for the words that would get us Alec back.


    I sucked in a sharp breath as grief rolled through Kade. I was sucked into my own mind, unable to feel


    the weight of my body. I was sure I could feel myself falling, but didn¡¯t fully snap back into reality until


    Kade¡¯s arms wrapped around my waist. He kept me from falling to the ground, but could do nothing to


    stop the tears that left tracks down my cheeks.


    ¡°They¡¯re in Garrett¡¯s territory, sweetheart. In just a few hours they¡¯ll be in our town. The men did it, the


    white wolves are safe.¡± Kade whispered against the top of my head, holding me close as I cried out my


    relief.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    ¡°They did it? They¡¯re safe?¡± I gasped, my hands covering my mouth as I gaped at Kade, my happiness


    was overrun with confusion. ¡°Why were you feeling grief?¡±


    ¡°We lost a few of our men out there.¡± He grimaced, ¡°Typically Alec and I would visit the family ourselves


    to break the news, but Alec¡¯s not here, and home is far away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but worry this entire time, and I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± I admitted with a sigh, ¡°Now


    that we¡¯ve held up our end, Zayne has no choice but to hold up his. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with


    k*****g him, not when he¡¯s Tori¡¯s mate. You can rough him up a bit and hand him over to her though,


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯d enjoy that.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to her, not unless she approved.¡± Kade promised with a small smile. I knew it went


    against his nature to leave a threat alive, but he couldn¡¯t go around picking off the High Table. I had


    already offed one member unintentionally, and I refused to let that number creep higher. ¡°We will¨C¡°


    A knock sounded at the bedroom door; feather soft. The two of us hesitated for a moment, and


    watched as a note card was slid beneath the door.


    Kade motioned for me to wait, and darted over to the door. Whoever had delivered the note were gone


    before he had the chance to slide the lock.


    ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± I asked eagerly, figuring it were from Zayne.


    ¡°Guards are distracted for fifteen minutes. Meet in room 213.¡± Kade repeated in his deep baritone,


    ¡°Seems Zayne¡¯s gotten the news.¡±


    ¡°How did he find out so fast?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I gave Zayne one of those disposable phones, and gave the men his number.¡± He shrugged, ¡°Figured


    it save me the trouble of sneaking the message.¡±


    ¡°That was nice of you.¡± I noted, unable to help it when my lips twitched.


    Kade¡¯s eyebrow¡¯s lifted, ¡°Nice of me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, to help Zayne like that.¡± I nodded, nearly choking on theugh that tickled my lips.


    ¡°You tease me when we¡¯re in a rush.¡± He sighed sharply, narrowing his dark eyes at me. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I felt a tingle of excitement between my legs as I thought of what might happen once, we had Alec back


    with us.


    We brought Tori along as we snuck down to room 213. The note had been right. The two guards were


    currently down in the lobby, confused to how they got there.


    We slipped in the room and found it already brightly lit. Zayne Novak sat in an arm chair, and held a


    ss of scotch in his hand. He looked too neat and pristine to be a drinker, but the half-empty bottle


    spoke for itself.


    ¡°You all look horrible.¡± Zaynemented.


    I absolutely refused to let this p***k sour my decently good mood. I bit back my response, but it seemed


    Tori was feeling extra feisty today. I had almost forgotten how snappy she gets when she¡¯s tired.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to F*cking sleep when the fate of your best-friend¡¯s mate rests on sneaking a group of white


    wolves out of a psychopath¡¯s territory.¡± She snarled, pointing a finger at Zayne¡¯s chest. I could tell the


    moment his eyes darkened ever so slightly, and something vicious and starving shed within his


    emotions.


    He said nothing to her, but nced down at the inch that kept her finger from touching his chest. He


    lifted a pale eyebrow and kept his seafoam eyes on hers.


    ¡°Also, there is another problem.¡± Zayne said to Kade and I, choosing to turn his attention away from


    Tori.


    I could feel her anger snap and fizzle out as she backed away from Zayne. While Zayne¡¯s emotions


    were strange like his father¡¯s, I could feel how he affected Tori. I also knew that Tori had some sort of


    effect on him as well.


    ¡°Is this about my brother?¡± Kade all but snarled, and found myself digging my nails into the soft fabric of


    his t-shirt.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s another matter altogether.¡± He sighed, waving his hand. His eyes turned from Kade to I.


    Ever since he showed up at the cabin, Zayne¡¯s gaze had a strange affect. Where most people would


    look away at some point, his focus was unwavering. It was sharpened and honed, a weapon in its own


    right. ¡°My father has found out about the missing white wolves. He has no proof who was truly involved,


    but we¡¯re going to deal with some bacsh if he even suspects we had anything to do with it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep our end; he won¡¯t suspect a thing from us.¡± Kade promised him, to which I also nodded.


    ¡°Very well. There¡¯s something else I might tell you, then.¡± Zayne cleared his throat, and actually looked


    a bit ufortable. ¡°Sebastian Sable has created a movement against you, and it¡¯s been gaining


    some traction. Some of the witnesses are actively turning against you. Sebastian will expect the High


    Table toe to a vote today, most likely regarding your ce in our world. It¡¯s also to my knowledge


    that Nico Deville will be siding with Sebastian on this argument. So long as my father doesn¡¯t know


    what we¡¯ve done, I can assume he would side with you.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t surprised about the news regarding Sebastian. I could feel how much he absolutely despised


    me. It was only fitting he¡¯d retaliate in some way, though I expected it to be much more violent. I was


    certainly disappointed in Nico Deville, but again, the news wasn¡¯t very astounding.


    That left Brayton Cliff and Jaspar Fox, and I had no clue how either would vote. Jaspar certainly seems


    like he¡¯s on my side, but that talk of an alliance could¡¯ve easily been false. Brayton seemed on the side


    of logic, which left me clueless. The man wanted to experiment on me for crying out loud, how was I


    supposed to know what he¡¯d choose?


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to deal with it then.¡± I sighed after a few moments of silence, squaring my shoulders.


    ¡°They can try, but my life isn¡¯t going to be dictated by a F*cking vote.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to hold up your end of the deal, Novak.¡± Kade grunted, stifling a snarl that threatened to tear


    from his throat.


    ¡°Getting your brother isn¡¯t going to be as simple as I made it out to be.¡± Zayne huffed, rolling his eyes


    when Kade stormed forward snarling.


    ¡°Enough.¡± I snapped, grabbing Kade¡¯s arm. I gave Zayne my best murderous re, which must¡¯ve


    been pretty good considering he had the wit to pale. ¡°Do you have a d***h wish? Quit F*cking with him,


    or I won¡¯t bother holding him back. As miserable as your life might be, we have more important things


    to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I said it wouldn¡¯t be simple, not that it¡¯s impossible.¡± Zayne snarled, smoothing down his suit. ¡°It took


    time to get the information I needed. I had to make sure nothing¨Cabsolutely nothing, made its way back


    to my father. There has to be no trace of our interference here today.¡±


    ¡°Our interference?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°Unless there¡¯s someone else you trust toe with me to rescue your mate.¡± Zayne said in a t


    voice, ¡°Turns out there¡¯s more security than I anticipated, and the friend I have helping us can only take


    out so many.¡±


    I gave Kade a long look, and I swore he knew what I was thinking. We were both clearly on the same


    page from the looks of it.


    ¡°We¡¯re in.¡± Kade nodded, ¡°Now, who¡¯s this friend you haveing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here already.¡± Zayne replied, gesturing to one of the bedrooms. ¡°My father doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s


    here, which has to remain that way. He¡¯ll be able to connect the dots if he finds her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a white wolf, isn¡¯t she?¡± I asked, unable to conceal my interest.


    ¡°She is.¡± Zayne said after a long moment in silence. Clearly, he favored a new subject, because he


    changed tactics rather quickly. ¡°Alec is being kept half an hour from here, in River Crest. River Crest


    was meant to be a bustling city, but things happened and money came up short. They turned it into


    half-assed houses that aren¡¯t worth what they¡¯re sold for. A lot of them are abandoned, and that¡¯s


    where your brother is being kept.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been this close the entire time?¡± I said weakly. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt anything through the bond.¡±


    ¡°Since seeing the mark on his neck, they would¡¯ve been keeping him sedated the entire time.¡± Zayne


    frowned, ¡°I¡¯m sure he hasn¡¯t been awake for much of anything since he was taken.¡±


    ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Kade snarled, as ready to get his brother back as I was.


    ¡°Now, if you n to sneak past your guardians.¡± Zayne shrugged, ¡°If you n to run it by them, I¡¯d say


    in an hour or so.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to k**l us.¡± I told Kade, leaning to whisper at him from the back seat of the sedan we


    arrived in. ¡°I am never ever going to hear the end of it from Garrett.¡±


    ¡°I will rip his tongue out if you wish, sweetheart.¡± Kade smirked from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Kade was currently driving the sedan, with Zayne sitting passenger. It was an awkward duo, especially


    had absolutely no clue he owned this house, let alone it even existed. I¡¯m second inmand and in


    line to take over, but now I¡¯m beginning to wonder if there might be more I don¡¯t know about him.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    ¡°Men like Marcus are always hiding something, always.¡± Kade said, his voice not cruel and demeaning,


    but factual. ¡°They have piles upon piles of skeletons in their closets. They might let you see a few, but


    they will never give their full hand.¡±


    Apart from the muffled heavy metal music sting from Ava¡¯s headphones, the inside of the sedan was


    silent. The purr of the engine as we coasted down the highway was the only thing to be heard.


    The emotions that sat within this small confined space, were beginning to give me a headache.


    Only Ava seemedpletely at ease, so utterly joyful that she was like a Tylenol to my aching head.


    Her teenage ignorance and excitement for danger felt good, like a reprieve from the weight of everyone


    else¡¯s emotions.


    Tori and Zayne were so aware of each other that every shift, every exhale or sound that came from one


    had the other reacting.


    Zayne still had an irond grip on his emotions, but Tori was practically an open book. While I still


    could only see through that small crack in Zayne¡¯s emotions, I was definitely beginning to pick up on his


    social cue¡¯s as well. Anytime Tori sighed or yawned, his fingers would twitch. Her phone vibrated


    against the leather seat of the sedan, and when she answered a call from her dad, Zayne¡¯s entire body


    went stiff.


    After a few moments, he turned his eyes to the passing forest and spoke.


    ¡°That reminds me of something my father would always say.¡± He mused, and though his voice was


    thoughtful, that cold edge still remained. ¡°Never reveal your full hand.¡±


    We stewed in his words for the next twenty-five minutes. Had we been fools to trust Zayne? Sure, he


    had willingly stepped into a vehicle with us¨Cbut here we were, driving to some unknown location with


    the hopes of getting Alec back. Was Zayne revealing his full hand? No, I highly doubted that.


    By the time we turned into a run-down neighborhood with more abandoned houses than livable ones, I


    had made my decision. I had told myself hundreds of times that the twins were worth risking everything


    for, and now I needed to back those words up.


    The houses had the structure and design to have looked really nice, nicer than anything I had ever


    lived in. It was clear funds dried up because some housescked small things like paint or a front


    porch, while others were missing windows, and doors.


    I would walk into thispletely blind, trusting someone who has every reason to put me in chains,


    because Alec and Kade are my only true weaknesses.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked Kade, who had passed the neighborhood altogether.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the next street over. There¡¯s a heavily wooded area in between the two, which we can


    use as cover to get into the house.¡± Zayne responded before Kade had the chance, which I suppose


    made sense. This was his n after all.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Marcus put wolves in the forest?¡± I asked a bit confused.


    ¡°As I said previously, I gathered as much information as I could on this ce.¡± Zayne said harshly,


    which made both Kade, Tori and I narrow our eyes. For just a moment, I wished Zayne could feel


    emotions, because he¡¯d see how close he just came to bing roadkill. While Zayne was aplete


    a*****e and snob, he was actually fairly intelligent and quickly tried to rectify his mistake. ¡°This ce


    isn¡¯t supposed to exist. He¡¯s ced men inside the house, and some in a neighboring one, nothing


    more. Anything else would draw attention. Too many different scents lingering around.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I feel as though I¡¯m qualified to give you advice, since I am on Aurora¡¯s good side.¡± Tori¡¯s tone


    was sickly sweet, and I knew that meant trouble. The tension between them was steadily growing,


    especially now, forced in such a small space together. I was practically drowning in Kade¡¯s scent, and


    knew that any inkling of desire from me would set off his own. Though I couldn¡¯t tell exactly what Zayne


    felt, I knew he had to be affected by her presence. Tori continued without missing a beat, smirking at


    him through the mirror. ¡°She¡¯s going to take your dad¡¯s ce on the High Table and knock your a*s


    down a peg. You might want to be just a bit more respectful.¡±


    Zayne¡¯s icy eyes turned hard as he red at Tori. With his golden hair and baby blue eyes, his


    expression shed with his looks. A guy like him wasn¡¯t meant to brood and grimace, it gave him a sort


    of rough edge to his beauty.


    Just as Zayne opened his mouth to start what I¡¯m sure would be a huge argument, Kade pulled into the


    pot hole ridden driveway of one of the abandoned houses. This driveway wrapped around the house,


    leading straight to the back. It would provide us cover for the sedan, which looked out of ce in a


    neighborhood this decrepit.


    The actual garage was nothing more than a hollow shell of rotted wooden nks and poorly done


    cement. Still, we pulled up to the lopsided structure and parked. Judging from the markers in the


    ground, there was supposed to be a fence surrounding the backyard. It was just another unfinished


    thing in this neighborhood.


    It was an easy ten-minute trek through the small forest that separated the neighborhoods backyards.


    We stopped a few feet from the forest line, peering at a row of abandoned houses.


    There was one at the center that seemed just a bit more put together than the others. There were


    sheets covering the windows, like make-shift c******s. Another positive note was that the house actually


    had a door. As my eyes scanned a few more houses down, I noticed nearly the same thing. Two


    houses that looked just a hint nicer than the others.


    ¡°There¡¯s two houses. One has Alec, the other is where the guards stay. It¡¯s inconspicuous, and keeps


    them from traveling back and forth.¡± Zayne pointed out the two houses, ¡°The one at the center has


    Alec. Ava and I are going to the house with the guards, we¡¯ll incapacitate them while the three of you


    scope out the house that has Alec. There will be guards, so you need to make sure you¡¯re not seen. Do


    not go inside the house, not until Ava and Ie back.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m supposed to trust you with my life?¡± Tori scoffed, her fiery curls shimmering in the morning


    light. ¡°Not a d**n chance, Novak.¡±


    ¡°There has to be someone there with Ava. Someone strong enough to protect her.¡± Zayne snarled


    back, his eyes narrowing on Tori¡¯s rigid frame.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Ava.¡± Kade spoke up surprising even me. He barely nced at Zayne as he said, ¡°You can


    go with Aurora and Tori.¡±


    ¡®You do know this could end horribly with those two paired together, right?¡¯ I told Kade, letting my


    thoughts mesh with his own. Both he and Alec were like a constant stream in my mind. I could tap into


    their thoughts at any point if I chose. Since he had been taken, I hadn¡¯t been able to feel Alec¡¯s stream


    of thoughts. It made sense¨CZayne had said they would¡¯ve kept Alec sedated.


    ¡®I have faith Zayne cares enough about his life to pull this off.¡¯ Kade¡¯s thoughts had an angry edge, but


    he managed to hold it together for Alec and I. ¡®He¡¯ll try to resist the mate-bond, and he will fail. It could


    still end badly, but there¡¯s no point in walking on eggshells around them.¡¯


    ¡®I suppose it would be nice to see her chew him out again.¡¯ I sighed, resigning to my fate.


    ¡°Ava, get those headphones out.¡± Zayne huffed, clearly trying to reign in his patience. Once her


    headphones were finally put away, and she was back in reality, Zayne went over the n. ¡°Kade and


    Ava will call when they¡¯re leaving the packhouse. We¡¯ll have about twenty minutes to get Alec and get


    out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and give us more time if I can, but I can¡¯t exert myself too hard.¡± Ava chirped, pulling a stick of


    gum from her pocket. She certainly looked older than a teenager, but still carried that air of not taking


    anything too seriously. She let out augh, ¡°Not going to be very helpful if I¡¯m atose myself!¡±


    ¡°Ava, focus.¡± Zaynemented under his breath, as though he had done this countless times before.


    His eyes darted up to Kade momentarily, ¡°Keep her on track. She gets distracted easily.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡± Kade nodded bluntly.


    ¡°Over dramatic, much?¡± Ava snorted, narrowing her heavily lined eyes. They were blended and smoky


    in a way that showed she had incredible talent. It was a far cry from the choppy blended look I had


    once tried when I was fourteen. ¡°I miss one guy and it¡¯s¨C¡°


    ¡°Like I said, keep her on track.¡± Zayne bit out through clenched teeth. He passed Kade one of those


    disposable phones and continued, ¡°Use this to keep in contact. We¡¯ll let you know of any guards we


    see.¡±


    ¡°And what about our faces?¡± Tori asked, her typically friendly voice was hard and callouses. ¡°Unless


    Ava can erase memories, we can¡¯t let them see our faces.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got that bit covered. Seem¡¯s like I¡¯m here to do most of the work.¡± She quipped, throwing her


    comment in Zayne¡¯s face. Ava rummaged through the bag at her hip and pulled out five pieces of ck


    cloth. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Really?¡± Tori chuckled, holding up the scrap of fabric. They were your typical burr¡¯s masks, with the


    eye and mouth holes.


    ¡°They do in a pinch, always keep one on me.¡± Ava winked, blowing a mint-green bubble before popping


    it with her teeth.


    The house that held Alec also had a driveway that wrapped around the house. There was a backyard,


    with an actual fence that reached about halfway before stopping altogether. There was also a concrete


    foundation for a porch out front, with crappy wooden stairs leading up to the base.


    I was anxious now, practically twitching and shaking as we neared closer and closer. My soul knew


    what my body and mind couldn¡¯t figure out. I could feel Alec nearby. Even though I couldn¡¯t feel that


    connection between us, I knew he was here. I was sure I could feel the thud of his heart even as we


    stalked silently across the dewy grass. Perhaps I was just hearing things, but I clung to the hope that I


    would see him again, that he wouldn¡¯t be torn from me before we could truly have a life with one


    another.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Tori whispered, cing a hand on my back. ¡°I know you¡¯re getting a bit antsy, but we¡¯re


    going to get him.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m beginning to regret leaving you.¡¯ Kade¡¯s sigh sounded in my head, ¡®Say the word and I¡¯ll turn right


    around.¡¯


    ¡®No, just finish what we came here to do. I can keep it together, I promise.¡¯ I assured him, sending a bit


    of warmth and courage his way.


    ¡°Judging from the extra zed look in your eye, I¡¯d say Kade just dropped in.¡± She giggled, the first real


    laugh I¡¯ve heard from her since she had met her mate.


    My head snapped up, towards said mate. Every muscle in his body seemed to lock in ce as our


    eyes met, and it was like we had a conversation through gaze alone.


    My eyes said, ¡®I know what you just felt. You can¡¯t deny it, and you can¡¯t write it off.¡¯


    His eyes were dark, and held the promise of a thousand meaningless threats that failed to instill even


    an ounce of fear within me. Not that Zayne Novak wasn¡¯t worth fearing, but I trusted my mates and


    their family implicitly.


    ¡°Extra zed?¡± I asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.


    I didn¡¯t change the subject for Zayne¡¯s sake, but for Alec¡¯s. The three of us needed to focus, and wait


    until Ava finishes whatever it is she does.


    We crept up to the front of the house, sticking low as we walked towards the backyard. Sitting in a


    partially finished garage was a rather new looking SUV. There was arge hole in the backyard, square


    in size, and what looked to be the start of an inground swimming pool.


    A sliding ss door sat out back, and we were all careful to avoid being seen by anyone lurking. We


    kept low, waiting and waiting until my insides twisted with anxiety.


    When the dull buzz of the phone vibrating sounded, I let out a little huff of relief.


    ¡°Ava¡¯s finished, they¡¯re on the way.¡± Zayne murmured to the two of us, his eyes scanning the house as


    we all crouched low.


    It was then I actually noticed what he was wearing. Every single time I had seen him, he wore a tailored


    suit. This was the first and only time I had ever seen him in a pair of pants and a simple long sleeve t-


    shirt. While I¡¯m sure his t-shirts are three times the price of my own, they looked ordinary. It was


    another jarring, strange thing inparison to his bitter personality.


    Ten minutester, we could hear as Ava and Kade approached.


    Ava¡¯s pale skin was a bit red, and her eyes looked somewhat dted. Her clothes were ruffled, and her


    hair a bit messy. Whatever her abilities were, they took a physical toll.


    ¡®What is her ability?¡¯ I asked Kade, just a tad curious considering she¡¯s the second white wolf I¡¯ve met.


    ¡®You¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡¯ Kade¡¯s response was instant, and full of amusement.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bathroom window low to the ground. That¡¯s the best way in.¡± Zayne said in a sharp voice,


    nodding towards the side of the house.


    We managed to creep past the sliding ss door, towards the other side of the house. Kade, Ava, and


    I had just walked out of sight, around the corner of the house, when the sliding ss door mmed


    open.


    A gasp threatened to leave my lips, but I managed to mp them shut in time. The three of us ttened


    ourselves against the house, our hearts pounding in sync. Even Ava¡¯s faux rxed demeanor


    shattered at the thought of truly getting caught¨Ceven she knew the risks.


    Tori¡¯s emotions were thest thing I expected to feel, but what was even stranger was that they weren¡¯t


    negative emotions. She felt surprised, and safe, even if she was still furious and hurt.


    I couldn¡¯t dissect her emotions even if I wanted to, because the moment the ss door opened, a gust


    of air emerged from the house. Stale cigarettes, mold, cheap beer, takeout food, and the stench of


    body odor. In the mix of that cluster of scents was one I recognized¨Cone that was partially my own.


    ¡°Alec.¡± I gasped, leaving my ce against the wall to follow his scent.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    ¡°You can¡¯t, not yet.¡± Kade hissed, wrapping his arm around my waist to fasten me against his torso.


    This was the first I had felt from him since he was taken, and now the bond between us was pulling me


    forward.


    I only stopped squirming when I noticed Tori¡¯s red face, and how she was currently backed up against


    Zayne Novak. The two of them were ttened against the house. I didn¡¯t miss how his arm was


    wrapped around his waist, his fingers just an inch above her shirt line. His other hand still rested over


    her mouth, an attempt to silence her when the guard hade out to investigate. Her heart sounded


    like a distant helicopter, mirroring the sound of Zayne¡¯s.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked her, when both Kade and Zayne finally let us go.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She huffed under her breath, which was a good enough answer for me at the moment.


    ¡°Guys, I got the window open.¡± Ava¡¯s sudden outburst made me jump, and instinctively ce a hand


    against my chest. Ava sauntered up to the four of us, seemingly clueless to what had just happened. ¡°I


    got it open while you guys were¨Cbusy.¡±


    Zayne went through the window first, before helping Tori and I through. Ava was next, and then Kade.


    I was surprised that Zayne could actually get his hands d***y, but that in no way changed my opinion


    about the man. His styled hair and tailored suits made him seem neat and untouchable. This was the


    side of Zayne that little got to see, I suspected. The side that got his hands d***y¨Cthe side that had


    helped to free countless white wolves. Zayne Novak wasn¡¯t ck or white, but various shades of grey.


    He helped the white wolves in his father¡¯s clutches, the ones that would go unnoticed. He even helped


    Naveah and Isaac escape with their child, something Marcus was bound to notice. Yet, even with those


    good deeds, he remains at his father¡¯s side. I¡¯ll always be a bit biased though, considering he rejected


    my best-friend.


    The bathroom we currently stood in was small. It fit the five of us, but just barely. The tile on the floor


    was cracked, and the toilet stained from years of dust and grime.


    ¡°There¡¯s three in the living room.¡± Zayne murmured to us, wedging the door open just a millimeter.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have one chance before they rush you, Ava.¡±


    ¡°I got this.¡± Ava nodded confidently, plucking the headphone from her ear to wrap the chord around her


    neck.


    Just as Ava maneuvered through the small bathroom to the door, Zayne leaned in close. It was


    impossible not to hear what he was telling her, though I knew the words weren¡¯t meant for our ears.


    ¡°Do not s***w up and leave me to tell your parents they lost another kid.¡± He said, his voice hard but not


    cruel.


    Ava gave him a long look before nodding. She then gripped the doorknob in her hand, her knuckles


    white around the tarnished metal. She inched the bathroom door open and slid outside. Melted into the


    hard nes of Kade¡¯s torso, I peered through the slim crack in the door.


    The three men in the living room were sitting at a cheap foldout table. A deck of cards was scattered


    amongst numerous bottles of beer. There were a few stic tes with half-eaten pizza on them, all of


    which looked at least a day old. A small television in the corner of the room yed an old football rerun.


    All three of the men had thatrge build of most werewolves, even if they weren¡¯t overtly muscr.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Ava stood just at the beginning of the hall, only feet away from where the men sat. The speaker


    chatting away on the tv was the only thing covering the sound of her beating heart.


    I could tell the moment the men registered her scent, and knew that someone had broken into the


    house. One by one, they all stiffened. They were trying to feign nonchnce, so Ava could continue


    believing she hadn¡¯t yet been caught.


    Ava anticipated that, and flung her arms out at her sides.


    One of the men was just about to stand from his chair, but froze mid-way. Three thuds sounded as the


    two slumped from their chairs, and the third tumbled to the floor.


    ¡°Did she k**l them?¡± I asked, wide-eyed.


    Even this far in the world of werewolves, violence still surprised me. I tried not to think of what I had


    done to Desmond, and instead forced myself to think about Alec.


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t k**l them.¡± Zayne said tly, opening the door even though he hadn¡¯t seen Ava


    I could see the challenge in Kade¡¯s eyes, and knew that soon Kade wouldn¡¯t hold back from getting his


    hands on Zayne. Zayne seemed to sense the same thing, but refused to back down. I¡¯ve been


    beginning to call it an Alpha¡¯s arrogance, but it seemed to be the one universal trait they all had in


    common.


    Zayne¡¯s seafoam eyes darkened to that of stormy skies, where Kade¡¯s hardened to onyx. Tori seemed


    to sense the same thing as I, even without the ability to feel emotions.


    ¡°You two can finish thister, because right now is probably the worst moment for this conversation.¡± I


    snapped at the two of them, not bothering to tell either one to let it go. They were both too stubborn to


    drop their absolute hatred of one another. I turned and locked eyes with a seething Kade, which would


    have been terrifying if I knew he wouldn¡¯t ever harm me. ¡°We need to find your brother, and no matter


    how satisfying this fight would be, it¡¯s not going to help us get Alec back.¡±


    Kade¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t easily extinguished. That fire simply retreated, still burning within the depths of


    him. For now, though, his focus was redirected.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kade grunted, cing a gentle hand at my back as we left Tori and Zayne, continuing down


    the hall.


    Kade shadowed Ava and I as we continued onward, still protecting her as Zayne would. We could hear


    the dull murmur of voices further down the hall and in one of the rooms. At one point, we had crouch


    low to avoid a gaping hole in the wall. Through there, I could make out at least four more men.


    We stopped just as the hallway ended in a right turn. At the end of that hallway was a door, with four


    men sitting around it. Another fold out stic table had been set up, with beer cans and fast-food


    wrappers scattered on top. These men were like the others, their guardpletely down.


    I could understand why they would believe we¡¯d never find this ce. It technically existed under the


    name of Desmond Deville, who was rotting wherever Jaspar Fox had put him. The thought still churned


    my stomach, a side effect I wasn¡¯t sure would ever fade. If it weren¡¯t for Zayne¡¯s information, would we


    ever have found this ce? Could Garrett, Julian, or the twin¡¯s resources have discovered this?


    ¡°Four?¡± Ava muttered under her breath, ¡°Man, he needs to take me out for practice more. I¡¯m never


    going to get stronger if I can¡¯t flex my abilities a little.¡±


    She stepped out from behind the corner at the veryst moment, her arms stretched out at her sides.


    The men never even had time to nce her way before their eyes rolled and their bodies slumped to


    the floor.


    Ava swayed for a moment, but caught herself against the wall. She frowned and waved Kade away as


    he came over to help.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just haven¡¯t used my abilities on that many people before.¡± She huffed, straightening


    herself and smoothing out her skirt. ¡°I¡¯m going to knock thatst guy out, then fetch Zayne and Tori.¡±


    Ava stalked off down the hall, and I turned my attention on the door that sat ahead.


    My heart was thundering now, not from the adrenaline, but from the dull scent that still lingered in the


    hallway. I took deep breaths of it, my chest aching as I remembered the night he had been taken. I


    could feel the tether connecting the three of us, and right now it was guiding me forward. To the door at


    the end of the hall, where Alec¡¯s scent was strongest.


    I would have stumbled forward if it weren¡¯t for Kade¡¯s reassuring arm around my waist, guiding me


    forward and over the unconscious guards.


    ¡®Can you feel him?¡¯ Kade asked, his voice unusually low.


    ¡®I can.¡¯ I nodded, without a single trace of doubt in my voice. ¡®He might be unconscious, but he¡¯s alive.¡¯


    ¡®I can feel him too.¡¯ Kade admitted, just a glimmer of hope in his eyes.


    As Kade gripped the doorknob with steady fingers, I sucked in a harsh breath. The hinges creaked and


    groaned, rusted from being unused. The bedroom was clearly meant to be the master, and was free of


    all furniture apart from a bed.


    On that bed, with an IV in his arm, was Alec.


    Rage burned within me at the sight of him. He had clearly lost weight, and was being fed through some


    kind of tube. There were dark circles under his eyes, his hair messy and greasy, but he was alive. I


    could hear the strong thud of his heart, and knew it would y in my ears for a long time toe.


    I stood there for a few seconds, tracing my eyes over every inch of him. My finger¡¯s twitched when I


    found the spot where his dimple was, a few inches from the corner of his lips. For once, I couldn¡¯t focus


    on the emotions of the people around me. All I could feel was my endless guilt, smothering me like a


    thick quilt.


    We would get him out of here, and he would never look like this again. I reminded myself of this over


    and over again, until the pain lessened enough for me to breathe.


    ¡°I can get these tubes out of him.¡± I could hear Tori¡¯s voice from far away, drifting closer with each beat


    of Alec¡¯s heart. Her nervous chuckle was close by, ¡°Dad taught me something useful after all.¡±


    ¡®Breathe, sweetheart.¡¯ Kade¡¯s thoughts trickled in with my own, pulling me from the abyss I had nearly


    fallen into. ¡®I know what you¡¯re thinking, and none of this is your fault. You couldn¡¯t hide yourself from


    the world¨Cit wouldn¡¯t havested, and it wasn¡¯t what was best for you. Eventually, Marcus would have


    found out about you. We were created for each other, because one mate isn¡¯t enough to protect you.


    What Alec just went through¨Cwe would both endure it if it kept you safe.¡¯

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    The only thing that kept me from erupting into a revenge fueled rage was the fact that we still needed to


    get Alec out of here.


    Once Tori removed all of the tubes, including the steady drip of sedatives that kept himatose, his


    eyshes had barely fluttered. I t would be some time before he actually came to, but all that mattered


    was that he was finally home.


    Both Zayne and Kade supported Alec, draping on of his arms over their shoulders.


    As we readied to get the h**l out of here, I couldn¡¯t help but stop and ce my hand against Alec¡¯s


    face. He had thick stubble coating his chin and jaw, the same onyx color as his hair. As I trailed my


    fingers down his face, I could feel that wall holding back my emotions quiver.


    Alright, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± I exhaled, pulling away from Alec with what I¡¯m sure was a pained


    expression on my face.


    If I stayed here any longer, seeing the physical effects of what they had done to him, I wasn¡¯t sure there


    would be a house standing. I turned my back on Alec, and crept from the room.


    We moved a bit slower with Alec in tow, but the slower pace helped us remain quiet. We drifted through


    the top part of the house, to the stairs that were aplete safety hazard. We avoided the massive


    hole in the dry wall that exposed us to the street in front of the house.


    We were walking through the living room, towards the back door, when something caused me to stop.


    Tori, who had been walking beside me, stopped as well. Ava was taking up the back, making sure all


    the guards were still passed out.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kade asked immediately, his eyes scanning the room.


    There were six of us, including me. I could feel all six of our emotions, though Alec¡¯s were dull and


    watery in his d**g induced state. What had caused me to stop was the seventh set of emotions I felt.


    I blinked a few times and eyed the unconscious bodies on the floor. The two men were still slumped on


    the floor.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t there three men on the¨C¡°


    Everything seemed to slow as the third man appeared from around the corner. I stood only inches from


    him, far too close to act so quickly. I first felt the roughness of his arm as he wrapped it around my


    shoulders. Then, I could feel the sharp pinpricks his lengthened nails left in my skin.


    My pulse thundered under his fingers, a frantic tune of mistakes, second chances, and whispered


    prayers. I knew that our one option at survival meant surrendering, but I couldn¡¯t force the words past


    my lips. Even if it meant surviving, I wouldn¡¯t choose to be someone¡¯s weapon.


    Kade wentpletely still, his eyes honed on the man that held my life in his hands. Zayne, with actual


    worry in his eyes, supported Alec¡¯s full weight so Kade could step forward. A low growl worked its way


    from his lips. The sound made my sweat turn cold, because I knew by the guard¡¯s emotions, that he


    saw Kade¡¯s reaction as a challenge.


    Just as I readied myself to tell Kade to lunge, a dreadful idea crossed my mind. It was oneced with


    temptation, but I was just desperate enough to try it.


    Before I had the chance to tryout my n, Ava began to fling her arms out.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The air was ripped from my lungs faster than I could blink. I was pressed against this nameless guard,


    the sick stench of his body odor assaulting my nose. His hand was wrapped around my throat now, and


    the tips of his nails were piercing my skin hard enough to drawblood. A small trickle ran down my neck,


    itching as it dried onto my skin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t f*****g think about it!¡± The guard snarled at Ava, grasping my throat even harder to prove his


    point.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it were the strangled croak that left my lips, or the guards demand, but Ava slowly


    lowered her arms and lowered her head. The guard eyed us frantically, his fear and hatred meshing


    into one big blob.


    Really, Ava¡¯s action hadn¡¯t beenpletely useless. The guard was holding me even tighter now. My


    back was pressed up against his chest, and his b**e fingers touched the hollow of my throat.


    I had initially promised myself never to use my soul devouring abilities again, but wolves were very


    different from humans. Thalia couldn¡¯t understand why I would amputate a part of myself, like willingly


    losing an arm or leg. Wolves were predator¡¯s, who embraced every dark aspect of themselves. While I


    was far from a ruthless, cold-blooded, k****r; ¡®Thalia was right, I couldn¡¯t cut off a part of myself.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could replicate what I had done to Desmond and his men. I had been running on pure


    adrenaline at the time¨Cnot abject fear, as I am now.


    Either way, I needed to be precise.


    If I took in a huge gust without k*****g him, I¡¯d lose my life. Whoever this guard was, his reflexes were


    fast. His thumb tapped against the side of my neck, following the beat of my thundering pulse.


    The physical contact made things easier. Through his emotions I could feel the shimmering heat of his


    soul. The power that throbbed and pulsed where mortal eyes couldn¡¯t see.


    My instincts told me to drink greedily, to take the power that¡¯s been given to me. I had to fight, fight


    myself to keep from going into a frenzy. I reached out and brushed against that power, sinking my


    metaphorical ws just a few millimeters into it.


    I tried not to let my pulse convey the relief I felt when a trickle of strength and power began to seep into


    my weary bones. The guard let out a grunt, which made my pulse thunder even higher at the thought of


    being caught.


    ¡°Stand down.¡± The guard snarled at Kade, who had been inching closer with every passing second.


    Kade¡¯s eyes were lit cruelly, filled to the brim with carnal anticipation. If this man k****d me¨CKade would


    eviscerate him. ¡°I¡¯ve already called back-up. Your b***h¡¯s magic didn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    My strength was building now, so I widened that hole which allowed his life source to flow into me. A


    heavy shudder wracked his entire body, jolting the ws that were currently in my neck.


    Kade leaned forward like he was going to lunge, but froze when he caught sight of my eyes.


    ¡®Don¡¯t move!¡± I threw my thoughts at him with all the force I had, begging him to stand down.


    Once the guard had stilled, he wobbled on his feet.


    ¡°What¨Cwhat the f**k are you doing to me?!¡± He rasped, and I tore open the barrier that kept me from


    devouring his strength.


    One rough pull of his soul¨Call that I could take with one inhale.


    I felt my body expand with the inhale, and the boundaries of my abilities stretch and groan.


    The moment all of that power settled within me, I let it loose in one st. A ring of pure energy left my


    body and sent the drained guard soaring across the room.


    I wobbled on my legs, finally free from the guard¡¯s tight grip around my throat. Now that his hand was


    gone¨CI should be able to breathe. My hands flew up to my throat, and were instantly coated in the thick


    warmth that was my lifeblood.


    Kade rushed forwards just as I began to fall, catching me before my head could hit the floor.


    Everything seemed to blur as I watched the scene unfold. Zayne and Ava hovered over me, both pale-


    faced and wide eyed. Kade was saying something to me, pressing on my neck wound while trying not


    to cut off my air.


    I only seemed to tune back in when Tori dropped to her knees in front of me and took my face in her


    hands. All of the sounds and smells¨Cthey hit me at once.


    Ava was muttering to herself, shaking her head. Kade was frantically trying to stop the bleeding, telling


    me over and over again that I would heal. He knew that I had expended all of my energy throwing the


    guard off of me. I had nothing left to give.


    ¡°Heal yourself!¡±¡® Tori shouted in my face; her shrill voice pierced my ears. I understood what she was


    saying, but I couldn¡¯t force myself to form a response. I couldn¡¯t feed from her¨CI wasn¡¯t even sure I¡¯d be


    able to stop. She muttered a curse and cocked back her hand before striking me in the face. I¡¯m sure


    she hadn¡¯t hit as hard as I made it out to be¨Cbut it caught my attention. I blinked a few times and stared


    at her, feeling numb and floaty. ¡°Feed off my soul and heal yourself, Aurora!¡±


    Kade¡¯s eyes darted over to Tori, desperate and wishing he could force me to feed himself. Somehow, I


    knew that my soul-eating abilities wouldn¡¯t work on Alec or Kade. We were all pieces of the same soul,


    so feeding on them was like feeding on myself. Kade knew this as well, which is why he hadn¡¯t offered


    himself up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you f*****g dare.¡± Zayne snarled, charging forwards.


    His eyes shed dangerously as they burned holes in the back of Tori¡¯s head, but she wasn¡¯t paying


    attention to him.


    ¡°Do it!¡± Tori shouted at me, her voice cracking as she gave me another shake.


    ¡°No.¡± Zayne snapped, his voice resolute. His eyes were on me this time, bright and furious. ¡± Take what


    you need from me, Aurora. I would, however, like to request that you leave me alive.¡±


    I had no control as my magicshed out and sunk its ws into Zayne Novak. It¡¯s like it had been


    waiting for him to offer, and took without abandon as adrenaline fueled our will to survive.


    Zayne stiffened first, and a look of difort settled on his face. His skin paled and his body swayed


    before copsing to his knees in front of me.


    Tori inched away from him, a conflicted look on her face. Her fingers trembled, and she brought them


    into her chest as though she were tempted to reach out and touch him. I noticed she made her decision


    when her eyes hardened, and she moved even further away from where Zayne crouched.


    Warmth flooded me, chasing away the cold and fogginess that crept at the edges of my vision. I could


    feel pressure and some pain as the wound in my neck finally began to heal. I felt each individual fiber


    of flesh knitting itself together, fueled by Zayne Novak¡¯s life force.


    I shed through my connection to Zayne the moment I was healed, even though all of my instincts


    were telling me to bleed him dry. I was healed, but far from being at my fullest strength.


    As I stopped feeding from Zayne, and we locked eyes, I realized I had just outed myself to the second


    most dangerous person in the werewolf world. Not only did Jaspar Fox know I was a soul-eater, but


    Marcus Novak¡¯s son now knew as well.


    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Zayne grumbled, forcing himself into a standing position. He wobbled for


    a moment, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice the way Tori¡¯s eyes darted over his shaking frame. ¡°If he¡¯s


    really called back-up, it won¡¯t take them long to get here.¡±


    Somehow, the six of us managed to escape the house and make the trek back through the small patch


    of forest and to the sedan we had parked earlier.


    Zayne sat in the passenger, while Alec was seated between Tori and I. Ava was in the very back,


    nodding her head to whatever song was sting through her headphones. I wanted to ask Zayne more


    about her, but none of us had been in a talking mood since leaving the house.


    I had been keeping a close eye on Zayne since feeding off of him. His skin had gone from sickly and


    translucent to a semi-healthy shade within half an hour after nearly draining him. He was still weak, that


    I could tell from the way he grimaced and rubbed at his temples. It seemed as long as I didn¡¯t drain


    someone entirely, they could survive after I¡¯ve fed from them.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet that there¡¯s the back-up that guard was talking about.¡± Kademented, nodding


    towards the other side of the highway, Six identical looking ck SUVs sped in a uniform line. I ced


    my head against Alec¡¯s shoulder and was grateful for the tint on our vehicle.


    In the midst of everything that¡¯s happened, I hadpletely forgotten we weren¡¯t supposed to have left


    the hotel¨Cjust as we weren¡¯t supposed to have rescued Alec from Marcus Novak¡¯s greedy clutches. We


    needed to keep our activities a secret, which also meant keeping Alec hidden away in the suite.


    With the help of his white wolfpanions, Zayne managed to get us back up to our suite without


    being detected. He was obviously reluctant giving up any of his secrets, but did let it slip that he has a


    few friends in ce as employee¡¯s here in the hotel, which exined our backdoor entrance.


    Kade had just helped Alec inside the suite when Zayne turned and gave me a long look, one that made


    me feel a bit dissected and exposed.


    He paid Tori no mind, but he couldn¡¯t erase what had happened here today. Their bond was stronger


    now, just from those simple interactions.


    ¡°My father already suspects that you might be a soul-eater, but once he knows for sure, he will stop at


    absolutely nothing to own you.¡± He grimaced, and turned as if to walk away. I could sense his


    hesitation, just like I could practically see the unsaid words hovering over his lips. He let out a small


    sigh, one so quiet most would have missed it. ¡°Should things go bad tomorrow, you¡¯ll need to have an


    escape n ready.¡±


    Torn between two worlds, born and bred in the shadows, Zayne Novak turned on his heel and vanished


    down the hall.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    ¡°How are we supposed toe up with an escape n an hour before our final meeting? ¡± I hissed


    once we were all within the confines of our suite.


    ¡°Sweetheart, my parents and I have been mulling over escape n¡¯s for at least a week now.¡± Kade


    chuckled, crossing his muscr arms over his chest. ¡°Ever since we found out the High Table wanted


    to meet you; we began nning. Garrett and Julian have been helping as well. I¡¯m sure they¡¯vee


    up with something by now.¡±


    Alec was draped across the sectional; the sporadic flutter of his eyshes was the only sign that the


    sedative was beginning to wear off. All eyes snapped over to Alec when a husky mumble came from


    his lips. Tori was at his side in seconds, checking him over in a way she had done three times now.


    When I had ran away, Tori began an apprenticeship under her dad. The time she didn¡¯t spend looking


    for me was dedicated to nightly shifts at the hospital.


    ¡°It¡¯s wearing off faster, he should be lucid within the hour.¡± Tori said, her words reassuring me.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    The first thing I nned on doing was getting some food in his system, then I¡¯d contemte hunting


    down Marcus Novak and removing him from his position at the High Table.


    ¡®If only your little fantasy were achievable.¡¯ Kade¡¯s thoughts melted into my own, and I flushed at the


    laughter in his voice. ¡°Though, I did enjoy the part where you mercilessly blew the head off of Marcus


    Novak.¡¯


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like my fantasy-¡± I began, but was interrupted as the door to our suite swung wide open.


    The twin¡¯s parents were first to storm inside, faces hewn and eyes worried. The door had been locked,


    but they had a key of their own to get inside. It made it safer to just have constant ess to one


    another, especially with what happened at thest hotel.


    Their mom¡¯s blonde hair was pulled up into a neat wrap, and though her sleek skirt and zer were


    professional, I could see how shaken up she was. Their father was much better at hiding his emotions,


    just like his sons. His onyx hair was swept to the side, and his navy suit made his eyes seem even


    darker. Their eyes roamed the room for half a second before settling on Alec. There was no surprise


    there, only aching, mind numbing relief.


    ¡°I knew it¨Cyou¡¯ve got him.¡± Their mom exhaled; her eyes wide as she looked at her unconscious son.


    The hand that was ced against her chest trembled, even though her eyes hardened considerably. It


    was her husband¡¯s hand on her shoulder that kept her from running forward, to embrace the son she


    thought she had lost. Surprisingly, when she turned to speak, it was me she spoke to. ¡°Do you know


    who took him?¡±


    ¡°Marcus Novak was responsible.¡± I answered without hesitation, trusting them well enough to know that


    my words would never leave this room.


    ¡°That man¨Cuses his money and power to breathe down our necks, to keep us under his foot.¡± She


    huffed, fury brimming in both her emotions and eyes. After a deep breath, she continued. Her


    movements were a bit rushed, which led me to wonder if something else had happened. ¡°Listen to me,


    I don¡¯t know how you rescued him or when, but the entire hotel is on silent alert. There are guards


    everywhere right now, posing as employee¡¯s and witnesses. I think¨CI think he knows you¡¯ve rescued


    my son.¡±


    ¡°No matter how thisst meeting goes, I won¡¯t rest until Marcus is permanently removed from the High


    Table, and stripped of his position as Alpha.¡± I promised her, in fusing all of the courage I could muster


    into my words.


    The door opened again, letting in Garrett and Julian. While I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Julian sh me a


    grin and a wink, I was surprised to feel a very distinctck of anger radiating from Garrett.


    ¡°What is that look for, Aurora?¡± Garrett drawled slowly once we locked eyes. His blue and brown eye


    mirrored my own, as did his chestnut hair and full eyebrows. The corners of his lips twitched just an


    increment as he continued, ¡°You are well aware I have a mate a s well, yes? I am very aware of the


    lengths one would go to for such a person.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say at that, but felt a bit ufortable as a strange feeling ran through me.


    Garrett would never be named father of the year, but he had left his mate and daughter toe and


    help me. Even if it were for selfish reasons, he¡¯s stuck with me thus far.


    ¡°Marcus Novak says there¡¯s been a breach in the hotel security, and that one or more intruders may be


    in the building. It¡¯s quite clearly a coverup, disguising the fact that his captive has now been rescued.¡±


    Garrett told Kade and I, his eyes flitting over to where Alecy. ¡°While I¡¯ll never be fond of my daughter


    being in danger, I realize she was not given these abilities to live out an ordinary life. I expect you to


    protect her at all costs, but I am¨Crelieved to see that your brother is alive.¡±


    I could feel how those words physically pained him, but once they were spoken, the smallest flicker of


    respect ignited in Kade¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Aurora.¡±


    It felt like months since I had heard his voice, and every muscle in my body reacted at the sound. I


    pivoted, turning so fast that I nearly stumbled into the coffee table. My knee¡¯s hit the plush carpet, and


    my hands came up to hold the sides of his face. His stubble brushed my palms, and his eyes fluttered


    as he mumbled my name again, and again.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be awake soon.¡± I told everyone in the room, not bothering to turn my eyes away from


    Alec. His brows were furrowed, but rxed as I trailed my fingers through his hair. ¡°We can¡¯t leave¨Cnot


    yet.¡±


    ¡°The final meeting¡¯s been moved up, Aurora.¡± Julian said, frowning when I whipped my head around to


    stare at him. ¡°We¡¯ve got only twenty minutes to arrive before we¡¯re counted aste.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s getting everyone together, possibly trying to flush us out.¡± Kade grimaced, giving his unconscious


    brother a long look. His voice was hard and t, ¡°It¡¯s not safe to leave him here. Not when Marcus can


    send a squad of men toe and take him back.¡±


    There was another knock at the door that captured everyone¡¯s attention. Whoever was at the other end


    knocked once, then twice, then continued in a rapid session of taps that sounded almost like a


    song.


    ¡°Expecting someone?¡± Garrett asked, narrowing his eyes at the source of annoyance on the other end


    of the door. He walked over to the peephole and nced out before turning to Kade and I with a look of


    confusion on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a girl, her hair is¨Cis purple?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Ava! Let her in.¡± I snorted at Garrett¡¯sment turned question.


    As soon as Garrett unlocked the door, Ava came storming in. Her tangled headphones skidded across


    the carpet as she practically ran inside. After brushing several purple strands of hair from her forehead,


    she cocked an eyebrow at all of us.


    ¡°Um, hello. Were you trying to get me caught? ¡± Ava scoffed, cing her ck painted nails against her


    chest. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m the one doing you a favor. I¡¯m not the one who wants to y baby sitter to a


    kidnapped Alpha with a narcotics addiction. Consider that next time you keep me waiting in the hall for


    eons.¡±


    ¡°There is so much to unpack with that.¡± Tori sighed, sitting down on the couch beside Alec¡¯s slumbering


    form.


    ¡°You know this wolf?¡± Garrett asked a bit snidely, giving Ava a look that she returned in triple.


    ¡°Duh, she knows me. She wouldn¡¯t have let me in if she didn¡¯t.¡± Ava sighed, rolling her eyes before


    ncing down at Alec. ¡°So¨Cis he gonna be atose all day, or am I gonna have someone to talk


    to?¡±


    ¡°What¨Cwhat are you talking about, Ava?¡± I asked, utterly clueless as to what she was talking about.


    ¡°What do you mean, what am I talking about?¡± She retorted, clearly in a bit of a mood today. ¡°Zayne


    asked if I could baby sit your beefy mate while he¡¯s drugged up, so that you could go figure out whether


    or not the witless five are going to let you live past sundown.¡±


    ¡°He never told us that.¡± I frowned, turning towards Kade. ¡°Did he send us a note?¡±


    ¡°Not that I or any of the guards have received.¡± He replied, looking just as troubled as I.


    ¡°Take that up with him the next time you guys meet, but I¡¯m here now. Let me do what I came here to


    do.¡± Ava insisted, already beginning to untangle her seemingly indestructible headphones. ¡°Besides,


    it¡¯s not like you couldn¡¯t use the help.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re particrly snarky today?¡± Tori asked, just as bold as Ava. There was no


    malice in Tori¡¯s eyes, just partially amused curiosity.


    ¡°All of the employees are busy with this stupid meeting.¡± She began with a huff. Her eyes widened a bit


    as she registered what she said. ¡°Not that your life isn¡¯t important or anything¨Cbut do they really have to


    vote on it? Either way, Zayne failed to mention there would be no one escorting me through the


    employee areas and up to your suite. So, I was stuck hiding under a food cart until they dropped me off


    at this floor. Do you know what¡¯s in the bottom of a food cart? Food. Old, disgusting food.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a shower and spare clothes if you wanted to wash up.¡± I offered, grateful for Zayne¡¯s help even


    if I refused to trust the cowardly man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¨Cbut are you sure you trust her to watch Alec?¡± The twin¡¯s mom asked, rightfully worried


    about her son.


    Ava turned and looked at me, clearly waiting for my answer. I didn¡¯t exactly trust Ava, and I think she


    knew that, but she would also gain nothing by harming Kade. Our kind were being enved, used as


    weapons for cruel Alpha¡¯s with severe superiorityplexes. They could sit behind their walls and


    watch atop their thrones as wars are fought and won with the blood of the many. Even though we didn¡¯t


    trust one another; we knew without a doubt, that we were both on the same side.


    ¡°She¡¯ll keep him safe.¡± I promised their mom, hoping she could see the confidence in my eyes.


    Fifteen minutester, all of us apart from Ava and Alec, left for our final meeting with the High Table.


    I had left Alec a note, pinned to the coffee table by a bottle of water.


    Alec,


    I wish so badly that I could be there when you finally woke up. Things have been a mess without you,


    and when they finally calm down, the three of us are taking some time off. I need to get past the fear of


    losing you, just as I¡¯m sure you also have a few things to work through.


    It¡¯s best that you stay in the room while we¡¯re suffering through the final meeting. Ava is an ally, she¡¯s


    safe to be around. Marcus already knows you¡¯ve been sprung, but not by who. Today¡¯s the big day they


    debate whether or not I¡¯m too dangerous to live, like a rabid animal.


    No matter the oue of today¡¯s meeting¨Cwe wille back for you right after the meeting.


    Always yours,


    Aurora


    The only thing I had learned from my time within such close proximity to our species government was


    that we desperately needed a new one. I still had mixed feelings about Jaspar Fox, and Brayton Cliff


    was still a mystery as well. I knew without a doubt that Marcus Novak and Sebastian Sable both


    needed to go¨Calong with their illegal operations.


    From the looks of the court-like room we stood in, you could tell something was wrong. While the


    search hadn¡¯t been publicly announced, there were some of us able to figure out those kinds of things.


    The twin¡¯s parents had been the first to know about the lockdown, from a friend in the witness stands.


    One by one, each member of the High Table walked to the raised tform and sat at their respective


    seats. The growing crowd of witnesses sat in rows around the circumference of the room, grouped in


    their own respective packs and families.


    The number of witnesses had nearly doubled overnight, leaving the small sectioned off area¡¯s


    overflowing with people. I had been jostled and bumped into at least thirty separate times, though most


    cowered away once they realized it was me.


    Marcus Novak sat at the very center, as the head of the High Table. His suit was te grey this time,


    just a few shades darker than his son¡¯s. Zayne sat in his own closed off area, with a minimum of four


    guards at his side. He looked a bit miserable if I were being honest, but that was the usual expression


    on his face.


    ¡°Wee to the conclusion of this incredible debate that will affect our world for generations toe.


    We are constantly making history; with every decision and choice we make. We have debated much on


    this matter, both during these meetings and behind closed doors. The five of us are confident that today


    will bring all of us, and Ms. Aurora, the conclusion we need.¡± Marcus Novak stood, greeting the crowd


    with a wide sweep of his hand. His smile was charming and charismatic, every bit the bachelor instead


    of the blood-thirsty wolf. ¡°We will pick up from yesterday by calling Aurora to the stand. Here she will


    review the terms of our offers and make any refusals or demands she sees fit. Together, we will assess


    her standing in our world and determine what course of action will propel us into a safe future where


    our kind continues to thrive.¡±


    This time, I did roll my eyes as some of the witnesses went into heart-wrenching apuses, with


    watery eyes to top things off. I couldn¡¯t understand how a room full of werewolves could fail to see the


    biggest threat in the room; Marcus Novak.


    I approached the stand and waited in silence as a moderator went over the details of each agreement


    with the High Table members. Sebastian Sable offered me nothing apart from a slithery smirk that


    made my insides turn. Nico Deville imed his father had still not returned, but actually said that he


    had contacted him and refused to form any ties with our packs. Jaspar Fox sent me a wink at that, one


    so quick I had nearly missed it.


    Silence enveloped the room as it was my turn to speak¨Cto save or condemn myself.


    I could save myself by agreeing to Marcus¡¯s terms, to signing my freedom and will away to serve


    another. One who would take and take until I too was drained, devoid of a soul like the ones I had fed


    on.


    I had nned what I wanted to say, and told no one. Kade was the only one who knew what I had


    chosen, and not because we could read one another¡¯s thoughts. We still offered one another privacy,


    but Kade, Alec, and I were equals. I wouldn¡¯t make a huge decision like this without the trust of one or


    both.


    ¡°I, and those I trust have reviewed your offers extensively. I am humbled by the opportunities you¡¯ve


    presented my way.¡± I stated loudly, keeping my face and eyes neutral as they remained locked on


    Marcus. I squared my shoulders, and felt my voice take on a new tone. It soundedyered in a way it


    wasn¡¯t before, interwoven with authority and confidence that seemed much too mature for my young


    years. ¡°It is within my own best interest that I refuse all three of your offers. I might not be familiar to our


    customs and ways, but I do know that all life holds value. No white wolf, regardless of status should be


    forced to prove their right to live. Given to me at birth, I am Luna of not one, but three packs. No one,


    can withhold that title from me.¡±


    The room was silent for a few seconds before erupting in chaos. Words were screamed on all sides,


    slurs and praises. There were some cheering me on, telling me to destroy and rebuild the High Table.


    Others called me a treasonous b***h, amongst other colorful things.


    During all of themotion¨CI noticed something.


    A small woman, dainty and fragile in stature, approached Marcus Novak. Her onyx hair was long and


    straight, stered to her head. She moved slowly, meekly towards him. He lowered himself as she


    whispered in his ear, and never once did his facial expression change as he listened to her words.


    What was worse¨CI swore I could feel just a flicker of carnal happiness inside his cold, stagnant heart.


    Themotion continued, and Marcus did nothing to stop it. My eyes flickered to Jaspar, who was


    watching Marcus with a guarded look on his face. Marcus motioned to one of the guards and said three


    words that sent things spiraling down.


    I could not hear the words he spoke, but could assume what they meant when the four guards


    surrounding Zayne Novak surged forward and ced silver sps around his wrists.


    My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Zayne didn¡¯t thrash, nor fight against his father¡¯s men. His


    ice-coated eyes stared out just past me, to the red-head with ming hair and eyes of moss colored


    agony.


    Most of the witnesses were blind to what was happening, whipped up into a frenzy of my doing. Zayne


    was dragged from the room by the four guards who had been protecting him, the silver sps around


    his wrists the only indicator that they had new orders.


    ¡°Now¨Clet uspose ourselves, yes?¡± Marcus Novak said to the crowd, his smile full and renewed. He


    was ignoring what had just happened, even though there were few in the room who had seen the truth.


    The golden-haired couple were two who had noticed what just happened, and stared at Marcus with


    identical usatory res. ¡°We must respect Ms. Aurora¡¯s decision, and excuse herck of manners


    with our system. I do believe now might be the time to discuss things further, and vote on the oue


    of our future.¡±


    The five High Table members then retreated to a private room where they would continue discussing


    my right to live.


    ¡°What¨CI don¡¯t understand¨C.¡± Tori stammered, taking a few steps towards the door Zayne had been


    dragged through.


    ¡°I understand you want to go after them, but you can¡¯t.¡± I told her, grabbing her shoulders with firm


    hands. ¡°They don¡¯t know who you are¨Cthey can¡¯t know, and Marcus can¡¯t either. He will use you to get


    to Zayne, he¡¯ll use you to control him.¡±


    ¡°What do you think is going to happen to him? ¡± She asked quietly, a mess of emotions swirling within


    her. Even rejected and angry, she couldn¡¯t not care about him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tori.¡±¡® I answered honestly, feeling my chest tighten as I made her a promise, I hoped I


    wouldn¡¯t live to regret. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do to help him¨Cwe will try.¡±


    Minutes melted into one another until nearly half an hour passed. All eyes were alert as the High Table


    members filtered back to their respective seats, with Marcus at the helm.


    As Marcus stood, there was a glint in his eye that seemed just a tad smug. It sends a sour feeling


    rushing through me, letting me know something was wrong.


    ¡°New information has recentlye to light, which we have included in the decision of our final vote.¡±


    Marcus began, his pale eyes flickering down to where I stood at the stand. There was nothing short of


    cold, cruel, triumph in his eyes. ¡°It is unknown to many that a band of treasonous white wolves escaped


    my borders recently. These wolves are powerful and dangerous, murderers of the absolute worst


    variety. I have kept them alive as merely a tribute to their unique abilities, as it would be a shame to


    snuff out a life so incredible. As many of you know, I pride myself on the security of my pack and its


    borders. I now have evidence that these white wolves were not working alone. Aurora and those she


    surrounds herself with, staged a coup to rescue these prisoners, ¡®This information was crucial in


    deciding our course of action for the foreseeable future.¡±


    The room did not erupt into chaos this time. There were no hurling insults or praises, screaming at the


    pack sitting closest to you that their opinions and beliefs were wrong. There was only silence, and that


    thick foreboding where you know everything is going to h**l.


    Marcus didn¡¯t miss a beat. Sympathy shed in his eyes, and his voice deepened until it was almost


    sorry. This was thest thing he wanted to do, his tone said.


    ¡°I have given this much thought. It is not often in a High Table member¡¯s life to make such an important,


    history-altering decision. With my full confidence, I do believe it¡¯s best if Ms. Aurora were taken into the


    custody of the High Table. Her abilities are simply too dangerous to unleash on our fragile world.


    Should she develop into a soul-eater, it would be safest for those under our protection if Aurora


    remains beneath our wing. We absolutely cannot allow instability within ourmunities, it is the


    poison that will crumble our castles and ultimately, put an end to our species.¡± Marcus said loudly to the


    room. His calcting eyes were still locked on mine when he said, ¡°Guards, bring her to me.¡±

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    The entire room held its breath. Fear was a smog that thickened the air and rushed into my lungs like


    fumes of bleach. It stung and burned, nearly making me emit a nasty cough.


    You could feel the tearing and shattering of alliances, opinions being formed and beliefs being


    questioned.


    It wasn¡¯t every day the High Table took in a potential soul-eater. Some instinctual side of me told me to


    use my gift, to tear the life from Marcus before he could utter another order.


    Marcus¡¯s eyes held mine, ice blue and full of acknowledgement. There was something strange in his


    perfectly cultivated emotions, a sort of interest that bordered on g******g.


    The pieces clicked together in my mind, when ever so slightly, he tipped his head at me.


    ¡°Your move¡±, It said.


    A question stood out in my mind, one that made my stomach sink. None of us had thought of it before,


    least of all myself.


    That guard I had k****d at the decrepit house; we had left him there. Did Marcus know what a soul-


    eater¡¯s victim looked like?


    Judging from the look on his face, I¡¯d say he knew exactly what it looked like.


    He was waiting to see what I would do¨Cto see if I¡¯d unleash my power, or if I¡¯d surrender to remain


    hidden.


    I didn¡¯t want to believe it, just as I didn¡¯t want to believe I had k****d so many people already. Such a far


    cry from the girl I had been only months ago, from the human whose views never strayed from ck


    and white.


    The guards that ringed the room stepped forward, forming a semi circle around the booth that held all


    of us. I tried to gleam some bit of emotion from them, but for them, this wasn¡¯t personal. They were


    following orders, no matter how callouses they might be.


    Garrett¡¯s face was grim, set-in harsh lines that looked chiseled from stone. I could feel the defiance in


    his emotions, the hatred and resistance radiating towards Marcus. Something inside my stomach


    fluttered at the thought of him giving a c**p about me, no matter how selfish the reasons might be.


    The fact that I had people I could trust not to turn me in¨Cnot to abandon me when things became too


    hard, it meant more to me than anything in the world.


    Three of the guards stepped forward, all with dark hair and expressionless eyes. Strapped to their waist


    was a silver knife with a jeweled hilt, and a dark colored pistol that I was near-positive shot silver


    bullets. One held a pair of thick silver cuffs in his hands, and something must have shed behind my


    eyes, because they finally had the nerve to hesitate.


    Just as they reached the booth, we all stood in, the main doors to the conference room mmed open.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was diverted, even the guards who were tasked at retrieving me. It wasn¡¯t the


    noise that caused for such prolonged attention, but the man who came strolling through.


    ¡°Alec.¡± I exhaled, my panicked eyes darting up to where Kade stood.


    Alec waltzed into the room, down the carpeted path that separated the various packs that chose to


    attend. There were more now than ever, piling up as the staff continued to fill the room to max capacity.


    I had to give it to him, he wasying it on good. The crowd couldn¡¯t feel the exhaustion in his bones, or


    the way his limbs felt sore and unused. Like a true Alpha, he showed no others his weakness.


    He had changed into a dark button down with grey cks, and had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.


    His hair was freshly washed, still shimmering from the wetness. The stubble that had once coated his


    face was shaved, revealing smooth skin. The dimple in his cheek appeared as he smiled at the crowd,


    seemingly clueless to the mess he just walked into.


    Even his cocky grin, which was aimed directly at Marcus Novak, seemed genuine and without fault.


    Marcus was still where he stood, eyes locked on my mate as he came to a stop at the center of the


    room. There was no emotion in his eyes¨Cno admittance of guilt or acknowledgement.


    ¡°What a shame. It seems like I¡¯ve missed out on a lot, but at least I¡¯ve returned for the fun.¡± Alec


    grinned jovially, giving Marcus a small bow. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank Marcus Novak for my¨Cleave of absence, if


    you¡¯d like to call it that.¡±


    ¡°Hurling false usations will not make your mate exempt from the rules of the High Table. ¡± Marcus


    stood, demanding the attention of the room. He didn¡¯t glower at Alec, nor did he snarl in outrage. His


    tone was neutral, like scolding a mouthy teenager who needed to be taught a lesson. ¡°Since our kind


    was created, this has been our government, and we will not demolish centuries of sess for the


    impulsive wants of a child.¡±


    Fury coursed through me, hot and angry. I could feel the witnesses in the crowd that agreed with


    Marcus, that were outraged a child would stand against him.


    ¡°I might be a stranger to our customs and rules, but I will not live beneath your thumb.¡± My voice


    shredded through the silence. Suddenly, all eyes were on me. Both using and curious. ¡°There are


    many of us who see you for what you are Marcus Novak. I don¡¯t fault them for staying silent, for


    protecting their packs and families while you stole their children and grandchildren for power. I refuse to


    hide while you try toy im on my life. I will not be your trophy, or your weapon to exact on the


    world.¡±


    As the tension in the room ratcheted, Isaiah and Mera stepped forward.


    Their golden hair seemed to shimmer under the light. Both Mera and Isaiah met Marcus¡¯s gaze


    unflinchingly. They stood tall, fearless even though this man was the most powerful in our world.


    Mera turned her eyes to me and gave me a firm nod.


    ¡°We will stand with you, Luna Aurora. Each and every one of us are responsible for the decay of our


    government, for the corruption we willingly turned a blind eye to.¡± Mera¡¯s light ent rang throughout


    the crowd, causing a myriad of gasps and exmations. I guess Mera was well known within the


    werewolfmunity.


    Her presence alone inspired two other couples to stand as well. A middle-aged Alpha and Luna had


    stood, both with dark hair and fine lines etched onto their faces. The woman smiled at me, and while I


    could feel her endlesspassion, she was just a tad weary of me. The second couple looked to be a


    couple years older than the twins and I. Neither seemed afraid nor surprised as they stepped forward


    and turned their eyes to Marcus.


    No one else dared toe forward after that, but it doesn¡¯t matter. This was a start¨Cproof that there


    were those who noticed things, who wanted the truth just as badly as I did.


    I can hear the hushed whispers all around me. Some just simply want to leave, to retreat back into the


    safety of theirnds. If only they knew how temporary that safety is. Others want the High Table to take


    me in already, to diffuse the situation before things turned violent. Little did they know, my mates would


    never allow for me to be taken by Marcus. There are just a few in the room who are questioning things,


    who are realizing things they had never noticed before, Small things here and there, a missing child or


    two¨Ca family moving in the middle of the night.


    On both sides, the guards are getting restless. Marcus¡¯s men keep inching closer, only to be backed up


    when the twin¡¯s men snarl and tense.


    ¡°You are a deluded child fed lies from enemies of the High Table, traitors to our kind. They poison your


    thoughts, and some day, will own you and your abilities. I fear that our very species mighte to an


    end should that day evere.¡± Marcus frowned, ever so concerned about the people he was tasked


    to protect. There were murmurs throughout the crowd, a ripple of fear and anxiety as some actually


    believed what he had said. ¡°I am not the enemy here, nor have I ever been. I urge you not to fight on


    your Alpha¡¯s behalf, to stand down and yield to the High table so that my guards might bring her in.


    This is my only offer. The progression of this issue will have dastardly affects.¡±


    A deafening bang rang out, thundering in my ears tearing away all sound apart from a high-pitched


    buzzing. Strong arms that smelled of Kade, had yanked me down, making my head swim as I struggled


    to catch up to speed.


    I saw a sh of red hair, and Garrett¡¯s concerned face before my eyes darted around the room, trying to


    make sense of the chaos.


    Half the room of witnesses had ducked to the ground, startled from the shot that rang out. Those


    without the sense to duck immediately fled for the exit, shoving at the doors until they broke free.


    Kade pulled me to my feet, wrapping his hand around the upper part of my arm to keep me close by. I


    stumbled a bit, but managed to find my ground as we tried to get as far away from the fight as possible.


    I was too busy ncing down, at the guard whoy d**d at my feet. The one who had jumped in front


    of the bullet hurling my way.


    As Alec caught up to us and took me in his arms before breaking out into a run, I realized something.


    It wasn¡¯t Desmond¡¯s face or the face of his men that would haunt me, nor would that guard trouble my


    memories. This man, the one who had given his life to save my own, I would never be able to remove


    his face from my head. It was a debt I¡¯d never be able to pay, which made it even more important that I


    fight against Marcus.


    Guards swarm Marcus, keeping him safe should the fight get too out of hand. He isn¡¯t even interested


    in the fight, but is watching with murderous intent when Kade shes his ws through a nearby


    soldier, and aids Garrett with keeping them back.


    ¡°Get her out of here!¡± Garrett snarled, looking back once before mming his elbow into the stomach of


    a guard. He nced towards his brother, who had a busted lip, but was otherwise unharmed. Julian


    nodded once, already knowing what his brother was asking. Garrett locked eyes with Kade, ¡°We¡¯ll hold


    them back. Stick to the n, you know where to take her. We¡¯ll meet up with you as soon as we can.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to get her out of here, now!¡± The twin¡¯s dad urged his sons with the voice of a drill Sargeant,


    a far cry from the carefree father I had seen on numerous asions.


    Alec scooped me into his arms and held me close, breaking into a run as I squirmed against him. It¡¯s


    not that he wasn¡¯tfortable, and that I wasn¡¯tpletely basking in his touch right now, but there


    had to be more that I could do. No, I didn¡¯t want to go around soul-sucking everyone, but I could at


    least run by myself.


    ¡°Let me down, Alec.¡± I demanded, giving him a stern look.


    Even out of breath with sweat beading on his forehead, the sight of him brought tears to my eyes. That


    wall in my chest threatened to break and fall, but I sealed the leaking seams shut before a lone tear


    could escape my eye. I couldn¡¯t break down right now, not when our lives were on the line.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin when we¡¯re somewhere safe. Alright, doll?¡±


    The sound of his voice, and the nickname I had hated so much. I mped my lips shut, unable to form


    words even if I wanted to.


    We skipped the elevators, which were now crowded with werewolves still trying to escape. Alec


    barreled through the metal door that read ¡®staircase¡¯ so hard the ss rattled. He took the stairs two at


    a time, sometimes three. Each time we passed a camera nted on the wall, he¡¯d knock it down andC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    crush it beneath his foot.


    We were four flights down when a rattle higher up startled us. As I nced up through the metal


    railings, I watched as dark dressed guards swarmed into the stairs. Their feet thundering down, closer


    and closer, was like my own personal d***h march.


    One of the guardsunched himself over the railing, dropping at least a floor before he came barreling


    down towards us. The twin¡¯s dad leapt into action, dodging the de in his hand as it made a wide arc


    in the air. A few well -ced punches and the guard were currently tumbling over the railing.


    Alec finally set me down, but kept my handced in the entire time. I think he needed the contact as


    much as I did, especially after so long of missing that piece of me.


    Even further below us, another door nged open. Even more guards stormed through¨Cbut these


    guards did not belong to Marcus.


    The men stopped just where we stood, when one stepped forward.


    ¡°Luna Mera gives you her regards, and wishes to let you know she has made it out of the building


    safety. She will contact you once you make it out. We are here to ensure that.¡± A man with dark


    chestnut skin and curly hair nodded at me.


    We kept going, thundering down the stairs as I listened to the battle between Marcus and Isaiah¡¯s men.


    I winced as another body tumbled over the edge of the railing, letting out a dull thud as it hit the


    concrete floor.


    On the bottom floor, the doors swung open. The guards that poured through were different this time.


    They were more heavily dressed, in vests that looked to be at least two inches thick. They had helmets


    on, and an assortment of things strapped to their waists.


    Something clicked against the metal railing as they tossed something further up the stairs.


    The twin¡¯s realized what it was before I did, and darted to the door that led to the second-floor hall. Just


    as we barreled through, a bang sounded, and smoke began to spew from beneath the door.


    I ran alongside Alec, our fingersced together. Everyone else kept up, keeping our eyes peeled for


    more guards that were sure toe. We had long ago given up creeping past corners and instead


    darted past them, trying to get as close to an exit as possible.


    We turned one corner in particr and nearly barreled into a young girl. Her hair was curled in tight


    ringlets, and her eyes were dark and intelligent.


    The tension from Alec and Kade vanished at the sight of her, as she clearly wasn¡¯t harming anyone at


    the moment.


    ¡°Jaspar needs to talk to you.¡±¡® She said in a child-like soprano, blinking once and then twice.


    I opened my mouth to answer, but wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Now wasn¡¯t exactly the best time. Before I


    could think anything of it, she¡¯s reaching towards me with small hands. The moment her fingers


    connect with my skin, the floor is torn from underneath my feet, and I¡¯m tumbling head first into a suite


    that looks suspiciously like the one we had just stayed in. Leaning against the counter with a ss of


    amber liquor in his hand, was Jaspar Fox.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    ¡°Well, that was an absolute f*****g mess.¡± Jaspar snorted, cocking an onyx eyebrow at me as he took a


    long drink from his ss. He seemedpletely unbothered, more inconvenienced, if anything.


    It was then that I noticed we weren¡¯t alone.


    The little girl who had touched me bounced over to his side, cing a protective arm around his leg.


    She stared at me with hazel eyes, through hair the same color as Jaspar¡¯s.


    I gaped at her for a few moments, still sprawled out on the carpet until the world around me stopped


    shifting.


    ¡°She did rather well for her first time, didn¡¯t she?¡± A feminine voice asked, cool and collected as she


    analyzed me.


    I pulled myself from the floor, finally noticing the woman who sat in the armchair. She wore a tight ck


    dress, but looked professional with her short heels and crisp shoulder length cut. Her eyes were a


    warm shade of brown, despite the guarded look on her face.


    ¡°Yes, she did.¡± Jaspar nodded, agreeing with whoever this woman was. Before I had the chance to


    snap at him, he directed his attention back to me. He tapped a nail against the rim of his ss, keeping


    a steady pace as he spoke. ¡°I genuinely had no clue how little you knew until today. I might¡¯ve been


    able to prevent this entire mess if you had known ahead of time.


    ¡°Known ahead of time?¡± I scoffed, ¡°If it hasn¡¯t escaped your notice, I¡¯m trying to flee from this d**n hotel,


    with my mates. Marcus has officially dered me his prisoner. Things have already gone to s**t, and I


    don¡¯t have time to stick around while you tell me the important truth that I should¡¯ve known days ago!¡±


    ¡°We have a few minutes, which will have to be enough.¡± He replied, his tone tense enough that I held


    back my retort for a few seconds. ¡°Delh has made sure to notify your mate¡¯s that you¡¯ll be catching


    up with them, should they manage to make it out of the hotel.¡±


    I nced down at the little girl who met my eyes fearlessly and gave me a wave. She looked up at


    Jaspar, a question burning in her eyes. He gave me a single nce before nodding, and cing a


    hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m Delh, and I¡¯m a white wolf too.¡± She grinned up at me, missing just a few of her baby teeth. ¡°I


    brought you here! I can go wherever I want, but Dad doesn¡¯t like to let me most of the time.¡±


    I cocked an eyebrow at Jaspar, whose gaze hardened. He brought Delh back to his side and took


    another long drink.


    ¡°Everyone always thought g******g was Desmond¡¯s thing, but he had no more skill than a child at an


    arcade. I¡¯m among those you imed to have sat by while Marcus crept around in the dark.¡± Jaspar


    grimaced, but continued without interruption. ¡°I¡¯ve also been crawling around in the dark, getting my


    hands d***y. As you can see, we both have quite a bit to fight for. I¡¯m no fool, to form an allegiance with


    you means risking quite a bit. I¡¯m not one to trust easily, but you are the first I¡¯vee across that has


    a chance against him. I knew it that night, when you drained Desmond Deville of his life.¡±


    Part of me wanted to deny it. I wasn¡¯t a k****r, a m******r¨Cbut at the same time, I had k****d those men.


    Even with all of my promises, I knew that I¡¯d do it again if it meant saving the people I love.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, this is you wanting an alliance with me and my mates?¡± I asked, unable to help peering down at


    Delh. She was clearly a white wolf, the child of Jaspar. It made me curious as to who the woman


    sitting in the chair was.


    ¡°Crystal is my beta, a white wolf as well.¡± Jaspar noted, catching how my eyes had strayed to the


    woman.


    I¡¯m sure my surprise was obvious as it shed across my face. The twins had told me briefly that the


    position of Beta was nearly always given to a man. The rules forbidding women to take on high


    standing roles had been abolished nearly sixty years ago, but there were still none being chosen.


    ¡°Against my better judgment, he is trusting you.¡± Crystal frowned at me, drumming her manicured nails


    on the armrest of the chair. She leaned forwards, and I could feel the protectiveness radiating off of her.


    It was my gift for feeling emotions that kept me from being offended at thisst bit. ¡°The information he


    gives you could destroy thirty years of work. If you betray him, or let this slip through your fingers¨Cyour


    abilities might k**l me, but you will go down by my side.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s quite abrasive, it¡¯s my favorite quality. ¡± Jaspar shrugged, making Crystal let out a dry snort.


    ¡°What I need to know, is that we¡¯re on the same page about everything. You both clearly know what I


    want. At first, it was my freedom. I just wanted to be left alone, but it¡¯s be so much more than


    that.¡± I grimaced, clenching my teeth together as the smug face of Marcus Novak drifted through my


    mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know the full extent of what Marcus is doing, but it needs toe to an end. I want every


    single white wolf to be free, and every ounce of corruption removed from the High Table.¡±


    ¡°So young for so many aspirations.¡± Crystal murmured, her chestnut eyes honed in on my face.


    ¡°Yeah, well. Human life wasn¡¯t working out too well for me. Turns out, I fare better here.¡± I snapped


    back; my words sharp like steel.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll find, that we are on the same page, Aurora.¡± Jaspar said firmly, bringing my attention back


    to the present. I could feel just a sh of fear behind his cold wall of indifference. Whatever he was


    going to tell me, it truly meant a lot to him and his pack. ¡°You hold some form of alliance with Zayne


    Novak, so I assume you know some of what he does. Am I correct?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly an alliance, I wanted to say. We more tolerated each other for the sake of getting


    things done on both of our ends. Truthfully, having Zayne Novak as an ally could change everything,


    but he was too far under the thumb of his father to break free.


    ¡°You are correct.¡± I nodded, choosing simplicity over anything else.


    ¡°He is responsible for getting the wolves to the borders of hisnds, it¡¯s the most he can aplish


    without being caught. I transport those wolves onto my own territory, and give them everything they


    need to begin a new life. They are allowed to leave if they wish, but most stay and build something for


    themselves.¡± Jaspar said slowly, like he wanted me to remember every detail. He nced towards


    Crystal and gave her a friendly smirk, making me wonder if she were a white wolf as well. ¡°Doing this


    has given me powerful allies. Ones that have dreamed of someone like youing along, ones that


    are tired of hiding and ready to fight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where they¡¯ve all been going.¡± I chuckled incredulously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only one with white wolves at my disposal, though the ones in my pack work for me


    willingly.¡± Jaspar said darkly, his eyes turning to stone. ¡°Marcus and Sebastian both have white wolves


    within their borders. That is how Marcus discovered your activities. I couldn¡¯t figure out how he had


    done it. I watched the security footage nearly a hundred times, but then I found it. Rumor has it, Marcus


    is in possession of a white wolf that can see your memories through touch. She just so happened to be


    here today, a few inches from you on your way in the council room.¡±


    Jaspar promised to be in touch with us at some point, though he hadn¡¯t exactly given me a glimpse into


    his methods.


    He had given the twin¡¯s an address to go to, a safehouse where I¡¯d be waiting for them. We needed to


    stay out of sight for a few days, to let Marcus¡¯s troops scatter as they veered farther and farther away.


    Then, we would emerge from the safehouse and make our way back home.


    Jaspar was right, alliances were a risky business. He was trusting me with the truth of his pack, and I


    was trusting he wasn¡¯t sending me to a room full of Marcus¡¯s soldiers.


    ¡°She can only transport herself to ces she¡¯s been before. She doesn¡¯t need to roam the ce, but a


    simple foot in the door will allow her free roam.¡± Jaspar exined, ¡°Staying in the safehouse will give


    us a constant connection until you must venture back to your pack. From there, we¡¯ll figure something


    else out.¡±


    It was hard to doubt him when Delh grabbed my hand in her own and smiled up at me, her child-like


    innocence not tainted from the horrible world we lived in. After seeing the fraction of softness in his


    eyes from his daughter, I knew that he had protected her well all of these years.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± She whispered, grinning up at me.


    ¡°I think so.¡± I nodded, smiling down at her.


    The hotel room around me twisted and warped before morphing into something else altogether. The


    Persian carpet became white and scruffy, and the antique sofa elongated into a modern looking


    sectional. The brick firece against the wall was reced with a long bar that spanned the wall.


    Decanters and bottles of expensive liquor sat unopened on the shelves.


    The scent of air freshener and stale cleaner was in the air, telling me someone had been here recently


    to clean the ce.


    I stood just by a panel on the wall that housed at least ten light switches. After a few tries, I managed to


    flick on the lights. Ten circr lights protruded from the ceiling, making me wince as it bathed the room.


    I descended two stairs to where the sectional was and plopped down. It was surprisinglyfortable


    given its t look, but it did nothing to ease the nerves building in my gut.


    Waiting was the worst part of all of this. I¡¯d rather be with Alec and Kade, fighting whoever might stop


    us from leaving. It¡¯d be worth it to know that they were safe, that Tori and everyone else was as well.


    I flicked on the television that was mounted on the wall, and turned to the next channel for some noise.


    Within the silence, I could hear every creak and shift in this house. I contemted grabbing the tablet,


    and gave in when my curiosity won over.


    There wasn¡¯t a password as I swiped upwards. The screen brightened as the tablet unlocked, revealing


    nearly twenty different screens. Live video footage from various parts of the house appeared, even one


    of me sitting on the living room couch.


    I clicked on one that showed the long driveway, all but shrouded by trees. The next tab held a map,


    with a small section circled in red. I chuckled dryly at the screen. I wasn¡¯t that much farther from the


    hotel, most likely only a couple hours away.


    If they were in wolf form, they¡¯d make it here pretty quickly. Assuming no one was injured. From there,


    my thoughts continued to turn dark. I focused my attention on the tablet, using it as a desperate


    distraction.


    Thest tab was on the Inte, and looked like some kind of news channel website. In bold letters at


    the top was some catchy title, followed by a long paragraph. I refreshed the page and nearly dropped


    the tablet.


    It slipped through my loosened grip as an image of myself shed on the screen.


    It wasn¡¯t just one, but an entire gallery of them. Me pressed against Kade in council room, a look of fury


    on my face. Another one where I was at the stand, my mouth opened as I declined all three of their


    offers.


    I felt oddly invaded, but couldn¡¯t stop myself from reading the paragraph beneath the gallery of photos.


    It said what I had thought. That I was dangerous, a powerful white wolf on the loose. Running from the


    High Table for acts of treason. Marcus Novak had all but dered war on us, all without issuing the


    formal deration.


    I swiped the news article away, trying to force the numbers to stop swimming behind my eyes. The


    remaining members of the High Table were offering a heavy reward for my capture¨Calive, not d**d.


    Jaspar was ying his part, staying within the shadows to keep his own operation safe.


    I propped the tablet up on the table and stared at the screens as they showed me various rooms in the


    house. There was only one camera I was interested in, the one leading directly into the house. As the


    television droned on in the background, I watched the tablet and waited for my mates to find their way


    back to me.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    I was ripped from what might¡¯ve been the deepest sleep I¡¯ve ever experienced to the shrill sound of an


    rming from the tablet. It vibrated against the Persian rug on the floor, making me scramble even


    faster. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes roughly, tossing the nkets from my body in a rush. The tablet


    had fallen over while I slept, and I practically threw myself from the couch to grab it in time.


    I cringed at the harsh light from the tablet, but forced myself to look until the splotches cleared and I


    could finally see what the h**l was happening. My stomach sank and relief flooded me all at once.


    ¡°We know someone¡¯s there¨Clet us in!¡±¡® Tori¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t full of panic and fear, but aggression and


    determination.


    For a moment, it surprised me. She¡¯s always been confident and strong, but this was the voice of a


    Luna.


    I tapped furiously on the tablet, scrolling through the oddly in-depth security measures that


    epassed the house. The boundary line within the forest that would set an rm should something


    too heavye crossing through. The cameras that surrounded the house and even peered off into


    the trees. Every single window, vent, and doorway had a sensor. Either Jaspar Fox was paranoid, or he


    truly had some serious enemies to worry about.


    Finally finding the sensor for the main door, I turned it off and listened to the light whirr of locks sliding


    out of ce. The front door was wrenched open, and I watched in stunned surprise as Tori, Ava, and


    an unconscious and half-d**d looking Zayne Novak tumbled inside.


    Neither Tori or Ava, who was pale and wobbling on two legs, could carry Zayne¡¯s weight anymore. The


    three of them fell to the ground in a pile of limbs, and quiet groans. Ava was first to remove herself from


    the wreckage, sitting with her back against the wall. Her onyx hair was a wreck, knotted and matted in


    ces. Her thick eyeliner was smeared down her face, though not from crying. Tori looked much the


    same, haggard and tired, but still with that fierce light in her eyes.


    ¡°The man could stand to skip a few f*****g meals.¡± Ava hissed, clutching at her head. ¡°First baby sitter


    for sleeping beauty, and now rescue party. Not only does he owe me a new phone, but he better makeContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    sure his insane father doesn¡¯t k**l my family for my involvement. The s**t I get myself into.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ava. I might not know all that you risked, but I appreciate it.¡± Tori said firmly, her eyes


    unwavering as they looked towards Ava.


    That seemed to smooth out some of Ava¡¯s anger, even though she did nothing more than shrug and


    grumble. I made sure to set the locks for the front door and came over to help the two of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m d the two of you are alright, but I¡¯m assuming you didn¡¯t just stumble across Zayne.¡± I said,


    trying to lighten things, but it was hard considering he was currently bleeding onto the floor. I offered


    out a hand to Tori, ¡°Let¡¯s get him on the couch, I think I saw a first aid kit in the kitchen. You can tell me


    all about this while you patch him up.¡±


    ¡°Hope Jaspar doesn¡¯t mind some blood on his couch.¡± Tori murmured, grabbing a pair of scissors to cut


    the shirt from Zayne¡¯s body.


    Her emotions were surprisingly under wraps as she focused on peeling the soaked fabric from any


    wounds he had. She wasn¡¯t doing this out of love or affection, but because we actually needed him. He


    was too great an ally to throw away, a child turned from his dictator of a father.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s at least ten other couches in this house.¡± Imented, earning the smallest of smiles


    from her.


    The first aid kit was more like a first aid suitcase. I hauled it out of the walk-in pantry in the kitchen and


    brought it over to where Tori sat. Ava wobbled into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of warm water and a


    rag before copsing down on the couch with a bag of chips in hand.


    ¡°All of our abilities have drawbacks.¡± She exined with a shrug, crunching down on a chip. ¡°I knock


    people out, so if I overuse mine, it can knock me out too. You¡¯ll find out what your drawback is, we all


    do eventually.¡±


    ¡°I devour the souls from others, and experience the emotions of everyone around me. That feels like


    one big drawback sometimes.¡± I chuckled lightly, though I had grown just a small appreciation for my


    magic.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s saved your a*s a time or two though.¡±¡® Ava pointed out with a nod in my direction.


    ¡°It has, but this world is a lot different from the one I grew up in. It¡¯s hard to undo that kind of thinking,


    that everything is ck and white.¡± I exined, with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m getting there, though. Every time I


    use them to save a life, I can¡¯t bring myself to regret that.¡±


    ¡°Aurora, could youe hold this while I stitch him up?¡± Tori asked, gesturing to the blood coated towel


    in her hands.


    I was as gentle as possible, but every quiet hiss from Zayne had me stilling. There were gashes along


    his torso, across his chest and up to the hollow of his throat. He had clearly been punched or kicked in


    the face, and was sporting two ck eyes. On a positive note, the damage to his face would heal within


    a day or two. The slices along his body, they would take a bit longer.


    ¡°Siler f*****g knife.¡± Tori spat, threading the needle through one of therger cuts on his body. ¡°It¡¯s going


    to take nearly two weeks for him to fully heal.¡±


    ¡°You mind exining this mess without me?¡± Ava grunted from the other side of the couch. She was


    currently lying on her back, with a pillow over the top half of her face. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to check out for


    a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± Tori murmured, not turning her eyes from the task at hand. Nearly ten whole seconds


    later, Ava¡¯s light snoring filled the living room. Tori nced at me before returning her eyes to Zayne. ¡°I


    didn¡¯t exactly mean to leave them, y¡¯know. Thing¡¯s kind of changed atst minute.¡±


    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t have split if it weren¡¯t important.¡± I told her with a small smile, though it was


    difficult to feel happy while I waited for the twins to arrive.


    ¡°The kid Jaspar sent gave us the address. I¡¯m lucky I managed to memorize it or we would have been


    s**t out of luck.¡± Sheughed, but the sound was brittle. Zayne groaned under his breath, which made


    Tori flinch softly. She ignored the reaction and continued stitching him up. ¡°We were running down the


    hall and I caught his scent. It was so strong; I knew he was close. I split off down another hall and could


    hear him as I walked further down. Turns out, I wasn¡¯t the only one lurking. I found Ava snooping from


    just a few doors down.¡±


    ¡°What was she doing over there?¡± I asked, guilty that my tone was just a tad suspicious.


    Tori didn¡¯t seem to mind and replied without skipping a beat, ¡°I don¡¯t know all of what he does in his


    father¡¯s pack, but some of these white wolves are actually loyal to him. Ava acts tough, but she was


    there to try and help him. She¡¯s actually the one who knocked the guards out.¡±


    ¡°And what about his wounds?¡± I questioned with a frown, not willing to believe his own father¡¯s guards


    were torturing him.


    ¡°The men were acting under his father¡¯s orders.¡± Tori replied darkly, her emerald eyes turning to a deep


    shade of moss.


    I¡¯m not sure why this surprised and revolted me so much, but it did. I suppose I wanted to believe there


    was some kind of limit to how cruel another person could be.


    Tori finished patching up Zayne and washed the remaining blood from his face and torso. His skin was


    angry and red, puckered around the shes on his chest. The stitches would seal the wounds and help


    them heal just a bit faster and neater. I paid close attention to how Tori moved, with sure hands that


    lacked even the slightest tremble.


    Something about watching Tori close up the wounds on Zayne made a question form in my mind. A


    theory that I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever actually test. I wondered if since I could steal the life force from


    someone, could I give it as well? That train of thought was derailed when Tori flicked on the television


    and thrummed through the channels at random.


    ¡°Without some noise, I¡¯m going to fall right asleep.¡± She sighed, brushing some crimson curls away


    from her forehead.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay up with me.¡± I urged, more than understanding considering the three of them


    had quite literally fallen through the doorway.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not leaving you to stay up alone.¡± She shook her head, her lips set in a way that I knew


    meant she wasn¡¯t changing her mind. ¡°I know you won¡¯t sleep until they get here.¡±


    I settled into the couch beside her, snorting when Zayne began to snore softly. Some family television


    show was on, one where that cheesy backgroundughter sounded every time someone said


    something mildly funny. Halfway through an episode, Tori¡¯s quiet words caught my attention.


    ¡°You do understand why I went back for him right?¡± She asked, her eyes still locked on the tv screen.


    ¡°Regardless of what Ava says, I didn¡¯t save him because of the d**n bond. I did it because it was stupid


    not to.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I understand.¡± I replied, letting her tell me what she wanted.


    Things between Zayne and Tori were beyondplicated. Tori knew what she wanted, and wasn¡¯t


    afraid to go for it. Zayne had to live in the shadows, splitting who he was and who he needed to be into


    two different people. There was a wall inside of him, one constructed by his father¡¯s cruelty and hate. It


    barred his emotions, forcing them away from me and himself. The glimpse I had allowed me to


    understand how she felt, and I knew that pressing for information was thest thing she needed.


    ¡°We broke into the room that they had him in. Ava knocked the guards out and I went to unlock his


    cuffs.¡± Her voice grew softer, and her eyes darted over to where Zayneid. ¡°He wasn¡¯tpletely


    lucid, but he was mumbling. He was saying a lot of things, and when he saw it was me, it got worse.¡±


    I wanted to ask what he had said, my own curiosity brimming, but I suppressed the question even as it


    bubbled on my lips. I let her take her time, mulling over what she wanted to say and omit.


    ¡°He said it was too dangerous for him to have a mate, that he never was meant to have one.¡± Her voice


    was whisper-soft, to the point where I thought I might¡¯ve imagined the entire thing. ¡°He also said that¨C


    that he needed to protect me, even if it meant crushing my heart.¡±


    The conversation shattered, and that cheesyughter trickled in the background, as I found myself


    completely speechless. I had never been one to give advice of any kind. Even though I could feel her


    emotions like they were my own, I had absolutely no clue what she should do next. Clearly, Zayne had


    made up his mind, but he also firmly believed we would lose against his father.


    Minutes faded into hours, making my eyes sore and dry from staring at the brightly lit tv screen. I had


    thought the family tv show might grow on me, but it actually had the opposite effect. I sighed in relief


    when Tori changed the channel to some alien movie.


    ¡°A little fantasy might do us good.¡± She muttered, snorting when a grotesque looking alien popped onto


    the screen.


    ¡°Speak for yourself, werewolves were fantasy up until a few months ago.¡±¡® I chuckled quietly, needing


    just a moment or two of normalcy before reality seeped back in. ¡°For all I know, those slimy things are


    real.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, if they were real, I would¡¯ve told you by now.¡± She managed a small but genuine smile,


    while wrapping a fur nket around her shoulders. ¡°I would have told you while Alec and Kade were¨C


    pursuing you, forck of a better word, if they hadn¡¯t made me keep my trap shut. They wanted to be


    the ones to break the news to you, but Garrett got there first.¡±


    ¡°Good old Garrett.¡± I snorted, even though I truly did hope he and Julian made it out of the hotel in one


    piece. My nerves were still frayed from Alec¡¯s capture, and thest thing I needed was another family


    member gone missing. ¡°Honestly, I probably wouldn¡¯t have listened to them either.¡±


    ¡°Stubbornness is not an attractive trait, Aurora.¡± Tori teased, sounding just a little closer to her usual


    self.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing my best friend is twice as stubborn as me, then.¡± I shrugged, snickering when her


    eyebrows lifted.


    The tablet began ring, spewing its shrill sound into the air. Ava let out a raspy grunt and flung herself


    to her feet. Her hazel eyes were darting around the room frantically, her hands syed out at her sides


    as she readied to use her powers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Ava! It¡¯s just the stupid tablet!¡± Tori hissed, giving her shoulders a little shake.


    ¡°S**t, thanks for that. I nearly put you all to sleep.¡± Ava grumbled, rubbing at her eyes.


    I scrambled for the tablet, sliding it open a little easier this time. I visibly jumped off the couch when the


    sound of a fist against metal thrummed through the house. I broke out in a full sweat when the


    exhausted faces of Alec and Kade filled the screen. I unlocked the front door as I had the first time and


    sprinted over.


    They opened it before I could reach for the handle. At the sight of Alec¡¯s haggard face, my muscles


    coiled, and I leaped forwards. Both men staggered as I barreled into them. Alec steadied himself on


    Kade, who braced a hand against the wall.


    Both twins seemed to let out identical sighs as they registered my scent and touch. Alecs arms wound


    themselves around my body, tight to the point of near-pain. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care, and


    burrowed myself deeper into his chest. His scent was stronger from when he had been taken by


    Marcus¡¯s men, but all that mattered was he was safe.


    ¡®We are never, ever leaving your side again.¡¯ Alec¡¯s voice flooded my mind, full of his usual warmth and


    affection. Even with the obvious exhaustion in his voice, there wasn¡¯t a single part of him that wasn¡¯t


    grateful to be here with us.


    ¡®Good, don¡¯t. Ever.¡¯ Iughed, but the sound was shaky and broken.


    All of the stress and worry I had been shoving aside wasing back to me, weighing down on my


    chest until my breaths came out in fast pants. At the time, I couldn¡¯t let myself think about how close I


    hade to losing Alec. Now, it was all I could think about. Over my shoulder, I could feel the twin¡¯s


    share a look.


    ¡°Before you guys head upstairs, think you could put him in a room?¡± Tori asked, nodding to where


    Zayney unconscious on the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter.¡± I chimed in, my words only partially muffled from being wrapped around Alec and


    Kade.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Pick out a room and I¡¯ll meet you both there. You look like you¡¯re ready to fall over any


    minute.¡± Kade grunted, giving Alec a once over.


    He ced a hand on his brother¡¯s shoulder, giving him a look that no one other than the two of us


    would understand. We were both relieved beyond anything that he was back, but the guilt of not finding


    him sooner weighed on both of us. We were reminded of it in the way Alec¡¯s eyes were shadowed, and


    the way his skin had paled even further.


    I sent Kade the warmth and intensity of everything I felt for him, of the bond that surpassed love and


    spanned worlds. I could feel his reaction instantly, the way the muscles in his jaw rxed and his


    shoulders loosened.


    In any other situation, I would¡¯ve been ecstatic to be staying in a house like this. Everything was


    smooth and pristine, untouched or marred by anyone living. Even the windows were b**e of the


    smallest imperfection. I would have searched this house top to bottom, and wandered every single


    room inside. Given the situation, and our current state of exhaustion, I opted for the first room we


    stumbled upon.


    The bed could easily fit the three of us, and even more if we tried. It was plush, set atop an oak


    bedframe, and was covered in a silk bed spread. I let out a small whimper as Alec walked past the bed,


    and towards therge bathroom.


    ¡°You can go to sleep, doll.¡± Alec turned from messing with the shower k***s and gave me a gentle


    smile. It was just the slight curve of one side of his mouth, but it held his usual tenderness that I had


    missed endlessly.


    The bathroom wasrger than necessary, especially the shower with its six built-in heads. My favorite


    part was the long marble bench within the shower, a blessing to have when you need to shave. I


    couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Jaspar¡¯s personal home looked like, considering his safehouse was a


    mansion in the forest.


    ¡°What happened to never leaving my side?¡± repeated with a hint of a smirk.


    ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯ll have to shower with me.¡± He chuckled, and I ced my hand against the


    hardness of his chest to feel the sound vibrate across his skin. He wrapped an arm around my waist,


    and toyed with the hem of my t-shirt. ¡°If I slip into bed now, it¡¯s going to smell disgusting.¡±


    ¡°I think you smell good.¡± I mumbled, not at all flustered from the way his eyes flickered down to my lips.


    Even though I wanted to stay awake, to make up for lost time, I could see how exhausted he was. I


    hadn¡¯t a clue how hard their trip was, or how they had managed to get free of the hotel in the first ce.


    As Alec gripped the hem of his t-shirt, I wiggled my fingers into the waistband of his sweatpants. I didn¡¯t


    miss the way his eyes flicked up to my face, his eyes onyx and endless under the white light of the


    bathroom. I inched them down his hips, taking care not to catch them on his growing member.


    ¡°Sleep sounds less appealing with every second.¡± Alec smiled a bit cheekily, and the sight invoked an


    instant reaction within me.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be saying that in the morning.¡± I teased, pulling my own shirt from my head. I swatted his


    hands away when they veered towards my chest, and unbuttoned the pants I wore.


    Only when we slipped under the steam of the shower, did I let him take me into his arms. The heat of


    the water enveloped us, chasing away the chill and fear that had followed for so long. The ss that


    surrounded us began to fog, blocking our view from the open bathroom door.


    The minute his lips shed against mine, all thoughts of sleep went out the window. The taste of him


    danced on my tongue, sweet and masculine as it wrapped around my brain and jumbled my thoughts. I


    could feel his rough hands roaming over every part of me; the soft flesh of my chest, down to the curve


    of my waist and bottom.


    His hands scalded the ces they touched, pairing with the hot water to make my skin flush. He


    rememorized my body, all without delving into the ces he craved the most. After he mapped out my


    flesh with his fingertips, I settled into his embrace and watched the dirt and grime of thest few days


    swirl down the grated drain.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I gasped as my back hit the cool tile of the shower wall.


    It jolted up my spine and through my shoulders as the cold moisture met my skin. I wrapped my legs


    around Alec¡¯s waist, using him to keep my face level with his own. He had been devouring my lips for


    minutes now, leaving me flushed and shimmering with a thin sheen of sweat.


    Once the pine smelling soap had carried everyst ounce of dirt and grime down the drain, his hands


    wasted no time lifting me up to pin me against the wall. I could do nothing but whimper as his fingers


    trailed up my chest and towards my throat.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who was concerned about what I¡¯d say in the morning.¡± Alec chuckled lowly, lightly


    pressing his fingers into the sides of my jaw.


    His lips traveled down the length of my neck. Little huffs of his breath caressed my skin, but it wasn¡¯t


    what I wanted. He refused to ce his lips against me, to scrape his teeth against the smoothness of


    my flesh. Only when his lips reached the mark that sat on my shoulder, did he finally sink his teeth into


    me.


    Stars danced behind my eyes as every muscle in my body went taut. It was his strong arms and the


    shower wall that kept me from falling over. Violent waves of pleasure pulsed down my neck, swirling


    around my n*****s before delving even lower.


    I was already at my limit when I felt the rough pad of Alec¡¯s fingers graze my c**t. The swollen flesh


    reacted instantly to his touch, making me shake around him. With his teeth and tongue still ying with


    our mark, he spread my legs further with his hips and slid his fingers along my damp slit. As two of his


    fingers entered me, I wasn¡¯t prepared for the desperation behind his movements, the carnal need to


    see and feel everything we both had been missing.


    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to be separated from the one you love, only to wake up nearly a week


    later?¡± He murmured against my shoulder, thrusting his fingers inside of me. He curled them as he


    drew back, making my jaw fall ck. I couldn¡¯t force myself to answer other than the slew of sounds


    that left my lips, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°To hear from everyone else what happened, to know that I


    should¡¯ve been there¨Cthere isn¡¯t much worse than that.¡±


    I was shaking and riding his fingers within seconds, trembling against the hardness of his chest as my


    o****m rocked through me.


    ¡°Rest assured, it¡¯s never going to happen again.¡± He snarled, breathing heavily against my shoulder.


    There was a finality to his words that sent excitement skittering up my spine and down my limbs. Alec


    was the more yful of the two, and to see him so worked up and desperate¨Cit only reignited the fire


    that burned low in my stomach.


    As the stars faded from my eyes, I set my gaze on his. I wasn¡¯t sure how much he knew, how much


    Kade had managed to tell him. Did he know that I was now a soul-eater, or that I had k****d Desmond


    Deville?


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± I agreed, flushing when his eyes flickered down to the rise and fall of my chest.


    A sort of possessiveness washed through me, carrying heat and need so strong that it physically hurt. I


    remained quiet for a few moments, catching my breath so he could hear the strength of my words. ¡°I


    don¡¯t know what Kade has told you, but my powers are different now. I¡¯m a soul-eater, and I¡¯ve used


    that skill more than once. I don¡¯t know if that makes me a monster, but I¡¯ve only done it to protect


    myself or the people I care about. If Marcus tries to take either one of you, I won¡¯t hesitate to use it


    again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all monsters in some way, doll. Even the humans.¡± He said softly, tracing his thumb down my


    jaw. ¡°Our world just as brutal and cruel as theirs, only in a different way. You weren¡¯t given powers to


    suppress them.¡±


    There was no contempt in his eyes, no flicker of anything other than pure eptance. It made my


    chest flutter, and renewed warmth grow between my legs. Alec tracked the change with darkened eyes,


    and pressed me tighter against the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be gentle this first time.¡± He murmured softly, brushing the wet strands of hair from my


    forehead.


    My core throbbed painfully when I felt the swollen head of him brush against my inner t***h. The groan


    that rippled through him from a simple touch send my brain into a euphoric haze. Good, I wanted to


    say. The desperate sense of urgency that pulsed through me mimicked the feel of adrenaline. I needed


    him in his entirety, his hands and lips painting the canvas of my body. I was sure I¡¯d go insane if he took


    his time with me, drawing out the torture until I could take no more.


    The look in my eyes was confirmation enough, and he took my lips with a ferocity that made me gasp.


    He set me down on my two feet before nudging me closer to the ss wall of the shower.


    ¡°Put your hands on the ss, and don¡¯t move them.¡± His voice was low and raspy by my ear.


    His hands felt like hot coals as they guided me forward. The pleasurable bite of coldshed at my


    n*****s when he pushed me against the dewy ss. After spreading my legs with a nudge of his foot,


    he positioned himself behind me. I could feel the heat of him at my back, and every second I waited


    only increased the building moisture between my legs.


    A yelp left my lips when I felt the head of him rub against my c**t. Electric danced through me, making


    me shake from how sensitive I currently was down there. As he pressed himself against my opening, a


    few inches slid inside from how wet I was.


    There was always a flicker of pain whenever one of the twin¡¯s entered me, stretching me to


    amodate for their thick lengths. My hips bucked, and I pushed my bottom against him.


    ¡°F**k, just the feel of you is going to make mee.¡± He hissed, digging his fingers into my hips until I


    stilled.


    I could feel half of his length pulsing inside of me, reacting to the tightness that had it in a vice grip. He


    stilled for a few agonizing seconds, before shoving the rest of his thick length in one rough thrust. My


    n*****s ttened against the ss of the shower, and a sound foreign to my own ears left my mouth.


    One of Alec¡¯s hands fell against the ss, while the other reached forward and grazed the sensitive


    folds of my p***y. Pain and pleasure melted into one another, tearing the light and color from my eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°All f*****g mine¡­¡± He panted in between thrusts, running his slick fingers over my c**t until my legs


    shook.


    My mind had been such a haze that I hadn¡¯t thought of peering through the ss that was only inches


    away from my face. The water in the shower had begun to cool down, making the condensation run in


    thick streams.


    My eyes widened and a jolt of surprise raced through me when I met a pair of dark eyes.


    Kade was leaning against the sink, very much watching what was happening between his brother and


    I. My legs were spread wide, and Alec¡¯s hand was all too easy to spot as he continued stroking me to


    climax. I hadn¡¯t a clue how I didn¡¯t feel the weight and heat of his eyes on my skin, or how I hadn¡¯t


    noticed his naked form standing there.


    My eyes were drawn even lower as I saw his hand move to grasp his length. Navy veins bulged from


    his shaft, ending at a swollen head. I cursed and whimpered as Alec continued thrusting into me,


    stretching me with every grunt; all while I watched his brother.


    ¡°You like it when my brother watches, don¡¯t you?¡± Alec snarled in my ear, pressing even harder against


    my c**t.


    ¡°Yes¨CI f*****g love it.¡± I gasped, spurred on by the filthy words that came from his mouth, onesced in


    so much need it made me feel drugged and delirious.


    Precum glistened on the head of Kade¡¯s c**k as he quickened his pace to match Alec¡¯s. I watched the


    way Kade¡¯s hips pumped, his thick shaft sliding against his hand, when Alec delivered the final


    incinerating blow that sent me spiraling.


    ¡°Oh f**k, that¡¯s it.¡± Alec groaned against my shoulder, the sound gravely and dazed. His thrusts grew


    rough and his words incoherent as he grew stiff inside of me. My core pulsed and throbbed, milking him


    for everything he had. I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until I felt him dripping down my thighs. ¡°You take my c**k


    so well, doll.¡±


    I was first to topple over the edge, followed by Alec and then Kade. I remained where I was for a few


    moments, feeling the moisture leak from between my legs. When I was sure I could move without


    falling over, I went to turn the water heat back up.


    Kade hopped in the shower with us, which means I had to smack two sets of wandering hands away as


    I rinsed the shampoo from my hair. Once I felt like I had scrubbed the grime of the High Table from


    beneath my skin, I wrapped myself in the softest towel to ever exist.


    ¡°We should upgrade our safe houses.¡± Kade pointed out as both he and Alec emerged from the


    shower. ¡°I had no clue you guys had safe houses.¡± I shook my head, ¡°There¡¯s so much I still don¡¯t know


    about my own pack.¡±


    Alec stepped forward and gave me one of his lopsided grin¡¯s. The sight made relief blossom in my


    chest, proof that he was still himself after what he had been through.


    ¡°No one mes you for not knowing much.¡± He reassured me, tugging at the towel I had around my


    torso. His grin only widened when I relented and let the warm piece of fabric fall to the ground. ¡°The


    High Table has been gunning for you since the very beginning. Once all of this is over, you¡¯ll have the


    time to learn everything you want to know.¡±


    I was silenced by his lips before I could say anything further. My train of thought was derailed


    completely when we broke apart, and my two mates lead me to our inviting bed.


    I was woken to the sound of shouting, two heated voices shing against one another. It took me a few


    minutes to register where I was, and who I was with. Both the twin¡¯s masculine scents lulled me back


    into that blissful line between sleep and consciousness. When the faces of Tori and Zayne shed in


    my mind, I jolted up from the bed, the haze permanently broken.


    Kade reacted first to my movements, sitting up as his eyes scanned the room. Alec was just a few


    secondster.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s brave or a fool for going back for him.¡± Kade sighed, his voice still deliciously


    rough from the early morning hours. He ran a hand down his face and nced towards the windows,


    staring at the sliver of sunlight that peeked through. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to keep them from k*****g


    each other. Something tells me we¡¯re all running on just a few hours of sleep.¡±


    Thankfully, the closets were fully stocked with clothes. It was a hit or miss to see what fit best, but after


    a few tries I found something that covered the important parts. With every movement the muscles in my


    legs ached, along with the welt on my bottom, which may or may not be in the shape of Kade¡¯s hand.


    We came downstairs just in time to see a red-faced Tori emerge from the kitchen.


    Ava was perched on the couch, looking much like a cat would as its eyes driftedzily at the chaos


    unfolding. She held a bag of chips in her hand, shoving one into her mouth as she watched Tori. The


    distinct scent of barbeque chips permeated the air, along with the acidic taste of Tori¡¯s rage.


    Zayne, unbothered as ever, was seated at the end of the sectional. A crystal ss of what I suspected


    was alcohol, sat on the table beside him. After a whiff in his direction, I could easily tell he had been


    drinking.


    ¡°Day drinking already?¡± Kade asked, his voice t.


    ¡°I spent thest four hours sleeping, slowly healing from my father¡¯s favorite brand of torture. I can feel


    the silver in my veins still, and the Advil in the f*****g cab isn¡¯t going to help.¡± Zayne snapped, but


    rolled his eyes and huffed when Kade took a step forward. The man wasn¡¯t p**s drunk, but his guard


    was most definitely lowered from however much alcohol he had consumed.


    Tori came out from the kitchen with two tes in her hands. Thick pancakes rose from the te in a


    tower of golden sticky syrup. A stack of bacon sat on each side of the tes, sending the smoky scent


    into the air. She handed one to Ava and sat down beside her.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you three up so early.¡± Tori cleared her throat, trying to hide some of the anger that


    still pulsed through her.


    ¡°Since you patched me up with your mediocre sewing skills, think you could bring me a te of food?¡±¡®


    Zayne swiveled his eyes towards Tori and asked smoothly, his face a mask of cool indifference. ¡°I¡¯d


    hate to tear a stitch and have to suffer through a repeat.¡±


    I instinctively took a step back when Tori sat her te on the table, making it tter as she stormed to


    her feet. Her emotions were a thunder storm of anger, resentment, regret, and just a whisper of need.


    Her emotions had been stronger since Zayne rejected her, more vtile when it came to his petty jabs.


    I couldn¡¯t me her, knowing how she felt whenever he was near. Rejection turned happiness to anger,


    and sucked the joy out of every moment. It felt like seeing the world in ck and white, when everyone


    around you marveled at the colors.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my mediocre sewing job, as you so ignorantly call it, you¡¯d still be bleeding out. Not to


    mention Ava and I carried your heavy a*s through the forest for hours to get you here.¡± She snarled;


    her fists clenched at her sides. I was nearly eighty percent sure that if he weren¡¯t already injured, Tori


    would¡¯ve swung at him. Her voice grew a few octaves as she sharpened her words and flung them like


    daggers, ¡°I have never met someone so f*****g ungrateful. If you put as much effort into doing the right


    thing as you didining, you would¡¯ve rescued half the white wolves in your father¡¯s pack by now!¡±


    What was even stranger than the anger that crackled and surrounded Tori like tendrils of me, was


    what I felting from Zayne.


    Since meeting Zayne Novak, I felt next to nothing when it came to his emotions. He had been refined


    by his father, molded and morphed into the damaged man he was today. I wasn¡¯t sure how much he


    had to drink, but it was affecting that carefully crafted wall he ced over his emotions. The wall held


    them back, making him all but numb to the world. It was how he survived; a defense mechanism


    bashed into him by Marcus. I saw it for what it was, a way to survive the horrors of his life without being


    affected.


    This new side of Zayne, the one where his wall was lowered, it gave me a glimpse at him. I wasn¡¯t sure


    what kind of emotions a man like Zayne would feel, but thest I expected to find was amusement.


    It shimmered and danced like a me, yful where Tori was fueled with frustration. Every ounce of the


    emotion was directed at her, and the way her face reddened and her emerald eyes red like glittering


    jewels.


    He was enjoying this, seeing her worked up and angry with him. Most of the time, feeling others


    emotions gives me a glimpse into why they do the things they do. Feeling Zayne¡¯s emotions for the first


    time¨Cthe man clearly had some deep-rooted issues if he was enjoying this, purposefully riling her up for


    whatever reason he could concoct in his head.


    When Tori finished snapping at Zayne, she turned on her heel and stormed back into the kitchen. I


    could hear the tter of dishes and her furious mumbling as she rummaged around.


    ¡°You¡¯re a dumbass. She¡¯s going to take your head off if you keep f*****g with her.¡± I frowned down at


    him, only feeling irked when myment rolled off of his shoulders.


    ¡°She¡¯s so very easy to rile up.¡± He cocked an eyebrow at me, ¡°By all means, give me some other form


    of entertainment while I¡¯m stuck here.¡±


    ¡°Try watching tv like a normal person.¡± I replied dryly, narrowing my eyes at him when Tori walked back


    into the room with a te in her hand. She stopped in front of Zayne, her lips thinning when he gave


    her an oily smile. ¡°Fine, do what you want. There¡¯s plenty of room in the backyard to bury you once


    she¡¯s finished.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but she won¡¯t k**l me.¡± Zayne shook his head confidently, bringing the crystal ss to his lips. His


    frost-colored eyes remained locked on Tori, and didn¡¯t waver when she dropped the te on hisp.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a f*****g mess, I¡¯m not helping you bathe yourself.¡± She hissed, drawing back all of the


    anger that previously exploded from her. Imended her strength, because the amount of energy


    behind her emotions was staggering.


    ¡°Care to bet on it?¡± He replied darkly, knowledge shing in his eyes. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time you¡¯ve


    lost.¡±


    What he said had an impact on Tori, and made her bristle. She snatched up her own te and headed


    towards the stairs, stopping to give me an apologetic smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you guys in a few hours.¡± She promised, turning her eyes to Zayne. They narrowed


    upon impact and her words sharpened. ¡°I think I¡¯ll finish my breakfast in my room.¡±


    Zayne nced down at his te and frowned, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t put syrup on their pancakes? I¡¯m not a


    complete monster.¡±


    Tori ignored him, which he rightfully deserved, and went upstairs. I followed the twins into the kitchen,


    surprised that Tori hadn¡¯t just cooked for her and Ava. A stack of pancakes sat beneath a stic cover,


    along with the rest of your typical breakfast foods.


    I snickered when the twins began piling their tes up high, even though I was incredibly relieved Alec


    was eating solid foods. The sight of them with tes bigger than their heads, it brought a shred of


    normalcy back into our lives.


    As I sat at the kitchen table eating with them, I let my mind wander to what things could be like after


    this mess was over. I still hadn¡¯t forgotten my idea of a bakery, even though I wasn¡¯t sure when I¡¯d ever


    have the time to run a shop when I fully became Luna.


    ¡°Being Luna doesn¡¯t have to run your life, sweetheart.¡± Kade said in between forkfuls of pancake.


    Lately we¡¯ve been reading each other¡¯s thoughts more and more, using that channel ofmunication.


    For some reason, it felt more natural to share my thoughts with them. ¡°You should always have time to


    do the things you love.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t exactly know how to bake.¡± I chuckled, shoving another forkful of eggs into my mouth.


    ¡°Beth taught me some things, but really she just kind of told me what to do.¡±


    ¡°Mom would love to help you. She¡¯s beeniningtely that there isn¡¯t much to do¨Cwell, she said


    that before all of this started.¡± Alec grinned, leaning back in his seat.


    The conversation quickly turned to their parents, and if they were currently safe. The twin¡¯s parents had


    sent them ahead to the safe house, opting to head home to make sure Julian and Garrett made it out


    safely.


    With Marcus stirring up a nationwide manhunt for us, the best thing to do wasy low. When it was safe


    to travel, then we could head home. It was the safest ce for us, to be within the borders of our own


    pack.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be in touch with us either today or tomorrow.¡±¡® Kade reassured me with a soft look, ¡°When it¡¯s


    time for us to leave, we¡¯re going to need their help. Hopefully the search will have calmed down by


    then, but I doubt it. Marcus won¡¯t quit that easily, and we don¡¯t have weeks to hide out here.¡±


    ¡°I think Jaspar might be able to help as well.¡± I exined, going through what exactly happened when


    his daughter wrapped her hand around my wrist.


    Both of my mates seemed stunned at Jaspar¡¯s involvement with rescuing the white wolves, even


    though this was his safe house we were staying in.


    ¡°His help could change the oue of this war, depending on who Marcus calls to his side.¡± Alec


    frowned, and I could already see the gears turning in his head.


    The twin¡¯s helped clean the kitchen once we finished eating. Alec was still loading the dishwasher, so I


    wandered out to the living room. Ava was still perched on the couch, a bag of chips in hand. Her eyes


    were glued to the television, and the colorful show that yed across the screen.


    ¡°Marcus doesn¡¯t let us have junk food.¡± Ava rolled her eyes, ¡°Not that most of us see him personally


    anyway. He just keeps us healthy so he can study us, and use us when he needs. Which is why I n


    on eating whatever I want while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°For some reason, I¡¯m not surprised.¡± I said, my voice grim.


    I nced up to where Tori had gone, feeling a pang of guilt hit my chest. What she was going through


    wasn¡¯t easy, and I hadn¡¯t been there a s much as I could¡¯ve. I made a beeline for the stairs when Ava¡¯s


    voice called out to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to even try understanding Zayne, but as someone whose known him for a long time, I


    can tell when he cares about something. The more he feels for your friend, the more he¡¯s going to push


    her away.¡± Ava frowned, but the serious expression onlysted a second before she shrugged.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean he isn¡¯t a maniptive p***k, but your friend seems like she can handle herself.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that, or whether it should bring some shred offort or not. Zanye was so


    deeply rooted in the lifestyle his father had created, that he shoved anyone he cared for away. It was a


    way to protect them, and himself.


    Regardless, a person could only take so much before they shattered entirely.


    I made it to the top of the stairs when I heard a deep groan, followed by some quietly muttered words. I


    stopped myself before I turned the corner, nearly speaking when I saw Zayne crouched on the floor of


    the hallway. Beside him was Tori, her face contorted in a grimace as she helped him up.


    ¡°You idiot, I told you not to drink so much.¡± She hissed angrily, draping his arm over her shoulder to


    shift some of his weight onto her. ¡°And you¡¯ve torn your stitches.¡±


    ¡°Quit f*****g helping me.¡± He snarled back, but there was no venom in his words considering Tori held


    up most of his weight.


    Even though I should have turned back long ago, I stood there watching until Tori opened the door to


    her bedroom and walked the two of them inside. As she closed the door behind her, I swore I could


    hear her say; ¡°I wish I could.¡±

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    The twin¡¯s parents contacted us nearly an entire dayter. While they had the address for the


    safehouse, there was no way for us to contact anyone in the outside world. There were no telephones


    in the entire house, and our own cellphones were lost or broken during the chaos.


    ¡°They won¡¯te here.¡± Kade reassured me, ¡± Marcus¡¯s men could be anywhere. Coming here would


    only bring trouble.¡±


    Even though I cherished these hours with the twin¡¯s, they were wrought with anxiety. I couldn¡¯t help but


    feel like the world was holding its breath, waiting for the next move to be made. Marcus had clearly


    made the first move, ordering my capture along with Tori and the twins. It was our turn, but we were in


    no position to do anything.


    Both Tori and Zayne stayed in their rooms for most of the day, managing toe downstairs at


    different intervals. While it might¡¯ve been chance, I had the distinct feeling they werepletely


    avoiding each other. I thought back tost night and the interaction between the two of them,


    wondering if something more might¡¯ve happened once, she shut the door behind them.


    Ava had actually stayed in the living room all night. The twin¡¯s and I hade downstairs to her


    wrapped in a cocoon of nkets, with various snacks littered around her body. While she didn¡¯t go any


    further into detail, Ava mentioned herrge family and the closeness between them all.


    The day passed slowly, but the twins had their ways of distracting me. In truth, I think they needed the


    distraction as well. I knew that not only were they worried about the countless white wolves within


    Marcus¡¯s walls, but they were worrying about their own pack. Actual war, it¡¯s not something an


    eighteen-year-old ever thinks they might experience. Where the concept was once concrete in my


    mind, I now couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it. Even with the confusion and guilt, I knew I¡¯d remain


    strong. It wasn¡¯t just about me and my freedom anymore, it was about the freedom of thousands.


    I was finding it hard to sleep that night, even after hours spent in their embrace. I listened to the ringing


    in my ears when the silence became to deafening, staring up into the darkness that cloaked the ceiling.


    The twins had both fallen asleep already, even though I knew both would wake from little more than a


    whisper.


    I was the first to hear the feather-light knock on the door. Both Alec and Kade woke up, awareness


    already forming in their eyes.


    You could have easily convinced me I was dreaming when Kade opened the door to reveal a pale


    looking Zayne leaning against the frame. The three of us were silent long enough for Zayne to roll his


    eyes ande walking in. I could feel how he forced himself to stand upright, to shove and bottle his


    pain until his entire body throbbed.


    ¡°Look, Tori¡¯s the one who knows all of the medical stuff.¡± I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to get over being around her so she can fix your wounds. I¡¯ll only end up doing


    more damage, the twin¡¯s even worse.¡±


    ¡°I am not here for medical attention.¡± He said through clenched teeth, his eyes hardened into sheets of


    ice. ¡°I am here because this is the only way to speak with you without her overhearing. As you¡¯re well


    aware, she¡¯s¨Cdifficult to get along with. I don¡¯t need her interfering in these ns, not when they can tip


    the scales in this war.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go back to the part where Tori is the difficult er, but exin this n.¡± I toned my snarl


    down into a venomous whisper. ¡°Staying in the shadows only works for so long Zayne, especially with


    something this big. This isn¡¯t just about rescuing a few white wolves; it doesn¡¯t just end with that. Not


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°I understand clearly what¡¯s going on, more than you know. I¡¯m all but signing my f*****g d***h warrant.¡±


    He grunted, walking slow and stiff to the couch across the room. There was pain in his stiff movements,


    even if they looked formal and polite. Shadows hung in the depths of his eyes, and his emotions were


    just as blocked as they had been when he was sober. ¡°I fully intend oning out of the shadows, at


    the right moment. When you take my father¡¯s head, I will be the one to bring him to his knees.¡±


    As much as I despised Zayne, and only tolerated him for the sake of this war and Tori, this was what


    we needed. We needed the upper hand, an advantage against the most powerful person in our world.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± Alec was the first to ask, his once carefree face now hardened from equal parts


    loathing and determination.


    ¡°First, I need you to tell me something.¡± Zayne said, his eyes directly on me. ¡°How is it that my father


    found out about our involvement with rescuing your mate here?¡±


    I figured Jaspar hadn¡¯t the time to tell Zayne with him getting dragged off and tortured, but the two


    actively worked together, which meant I trusted him with the truth.


    ¡°A white wolf that Marcus brought, she saw the memory in my mind when she touched me. ¡± I


    exined as best I could, recounting the woman that had bumped into me.


    ¡°Cleo. She works for my father willingly. You¡¯ll find that not all white wolves are unhappy with their


    positions. They thrive just as much on cruelty as my father.¡± Zayne said darkly, ¡°The only good thing out


    of this, Cleo can only see a single memory at a time, and she has to know what to look for. My father


    must have fed her the information about your missing mate, and she followed the path in your head.¡±


    ¡°This is a good thing, how?¡± Kade asked, sitting beside me on the couch. I sat between my twin¡¯s,


    thankful that I wasn¡¯t still tossing and turning in bed. Hopefully discussing war ns would help calm


    my mind. ¡°Marcus has no reason to trust you knowing that you helped us.¡±


    ¡°Cleo¡¯s abilities are like watching a recap of a television show. She can¡¯t hear your thoughts or most of


    the conversation. The longer she keeps contact with you, the more details she can get. She must¡¯ve


    seen just enough for my father to assume guilt.¡± He exined, his eyes peering out the window, to the


    darkness that peeked between the c******s. ¡°Which means he¡¯s still clueless about my involvement with


    the white wolves. He also has no knowledge of our agreement or the reasons behind my helping you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to feed him a story, something that would put you in the clear.¡± I pieced it together, feeling


    my stomach sink for both Tori and Zayne. ¡°You¡¯re going to go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am going to go back. I n on leaving tomorrow night.¡±¡® He answered smoothly, his eyes


    betraying nothing. ¡°I will tear his pack down from the inside, while you gather your armies.¡±


    That small shred within me that still housed the fearful human girl¨Cshe wanted to run for the hills. It was


    bing all too real for her, some magical fantasy turned dark and b****y. She had signed up for the


    endless, eternal love¨Cnot the magical envement, m****r, and lies.


    ¡°How¨Chow does war work?¡± I asked inly, even though the question itself wasn¡¯t stupid in the


    slightest.


    ¡°Packs always formally announce acts of war against one another. They¡¯re recorded so we can always


    remember our history.¡± Surprisingly, it was Zayne who exined. I liked to think that he wanted to


    speak, to distract himself from whatever mess was going on inside of his head. ¡°At times, an Alpha will


    challenge another to singlebat, to save their packs the pain and loss of war.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose Marcus would be interested in singlebat?¡±¡® I suggested with a brittleugh that


    quickly sputtered out.


    ¡°My father will not show such courtesy. He will use every ounce of power at his disposal, even if it


    means sending his warriors to their deaths.¡± Zayne said in a gravelly voice. ¡°Most of the warriors are


    just a formality, bodies to protect the white wolves that are his most powerful.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this story you n on giving to Marcus?¡± Kade asked, his dark eyes like bright orbs in the


    poorly lit room. ¡°I assume it¡¯ll paint Aurora and I as the enemies.¡±


    ¡°As bad as it sounds, I think that¡¯s the smartest thing to do.¡± I frowned, ¡°That¡¯s what Marcus is trying to


    do, show the world that were the bad guys. If his own son shows up telling a story about how we held


    him against his will, it¡¯ll give Marcus even more reason to believe it.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the story?¡± Kade grunted, some of the hardness in his eyes eroded as he looked down at


    me.


    ¡°Well¨Cwe caught Zayne off guard and attacked him. We forced him to help us get Alec back and left


    him in one of the hotel rooms when we were finished.¡± I suggested, knowing that the story had holes. It


    was the best I coulde up with at three in the morning.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to torture me regardless, so I better get my stories straight.¡± Zayne said evenly, without a


    trace of emotion. What hurt me the most was how nonchnt he sounded, as though that kind of


    punishment was normal growing up.


    ¡°Won¡¯t he just use Cleo on you once you get back home?¡± I pointed out, knowing that could ruin his


    ns before they even begun.


    ¡°Once I¡¯m in my father¡¯s pack, I have allies of my own. There are a lot of protective abilities among the


    white wolves, and more than enough owe me a favor or two.¡± He replied without looking away from the


    window, ¡°We¡¯re going to need more details. If you and Kade subdued me, why did I not simply mind-


    link my father or his men?¡±


    I paused for a moment, working through the steps.


    ¡°We used silver on you, enough to knock you out and cut your connection to your pack.¡± I said a bit


    slowly, feeling the pieces click together in my mind.


    ¡°Up until we went there, you had no clue the house existed. Won¡¯t Marcus know that?¡± Kade asked,


    which turned out to be a very good point.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him I¡¯ve known about it the entire time.¡± Zayne shrugged, meeting Kade¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know he


    purchased it nearly a year and a half ago, and who the buyer was, which will be proof enough for him.¡±


    ¡°Once we had Alec back, we left you in one of the hotel suites. We knew you couldn¡¯t miss this meeting


    or it would draw attention, so we injected you with just enough to knock you out for an hour. It wore off


    in time for the meeting, which you then showed up for. You didn¡¯t have the time to tell Marcus what


    happened, because the meeting had already begun.¡± I concluded, feeling somewhat proud with myself.


    ¡°What about Ava? Won¡¯t he know from Aurora¡¯s memory that she was there as well?¡± Kade pointed


    out.


    ¡°Your cynical nature is really proving handy on this one, brother.¡± Alec smirked from beside me.


    ¡°How long did Cleo touch you for?¡± Zayne asked, his voice sharp. ¡°I need you to be as urate as


    possible.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been for more than a few seconds, but there¡¯s no way for me to know for sure.¡± I


    replied, refusing to balk under his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s a risk we¡¯ll have to take.¡± He said with finality, ¡°She was with Kade for the first half. Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s


    the part that Cleo viewed.¡±


    While I wasn¡¯t exactly happy with sending Zayne back to his father, it wasn¡¯t a horrible n. If it


    worked, it would give us that upper hand we desperately needed. In the end, it was Zayne¡¯s choice to


    make, but there was still something bothering me. I could feel it in my chest, picking and scratching as


    it made itself known.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we tell her, Zayne?¡± I asked seemingly out of the blue. ¡°She understands just as well asC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    anyone that you make your own choices. If this works, it could change things, but it¡¯s your risk to take.¡±


    ¡°She will know nothing about it, Aurora.¡± He said harshly, his cool demeanor turning bitter. I could feel


    next to nothing from his emotions, and the wall he had erected around them. Brick by brick, Zayne and


    his father built that wall. ¡°I don¡¯t want her mixed in with what I am doing, and not for the sentimental


    reasons I¡¯m sure are going through your head right now. She has no ce in any of this. I might be


    stuck working with you three, but she is a distraction I never asked for.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he noticed thatst part had slipped out, but his anger was palpable. The twin¡¯s stiffened


    on either side of me, but I quickly told them both to cool it.


    When Zayne had first showed up at the door of the twin¡¯s cabin, I felt absolutely nothing from him. The


    wall around him was of thick granite, imprable and solid. After meeting Tori, the rock began to chip


    and erode; seared by her intensity and passion. That wall around him was going to shatter, and I only


    hoped Tori was free from the explosion when it did.


    Against my better judgement, I pushed again. He was finally doing the right thing, standing up to


    Marcus in the one way that mattered. He was stepping into the light and epting his role in creating


    this new future, but I still couldn¡¯t fathom why Tori couldn¡¯t be a part of this new future with him. One


    where Marcus wasn¡¯t there to exact control over him, one where he was free to choose Tori.


    ¡°What you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t make any sense, Zayne. Did Marcus mess you up that badly that you can¡¯t


    see what you¡¯re giving up? She¡¯s literally meant for you, in all of your ignorant, stubborn, a*****e ways.¡±


    I scoffed, hardening my face as anger shed in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re trying to change things for everyone,


    to create something new and better. There is no reason for you to be doing this to her. She deserves


    better, and yet she¡¯s saddled with you.¡±


    Anger sizzled and burned through the cracks in his wall, though the emotion wasn¡¯t scalding like Tori¡¯s


    was. Zayne¡¯s anger was throughshes of ice and spiderwebs of bitter frost.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin anything to you, not a single f*****g thing.¡± He snapped, his voice dripping with


    rage.


    He stood from the couch, his hands trembling as he clenched them at his sides. He never even


    bothered looking at the twin¡¯s as he turned and walked stiffly from the room.


    Just as he opened the door, I spoke loud enough for him to hear.


    ¡°Your emotionse out when your drunk, Zayne. You can¡¯t hide that.¡±


    The door clicked shut, sending the room spiraling into silence for the second time.


    Zayne¡¯s n was a good one, but it was one full of danger. In my mind, Tori had a right to know. She


    was a part of this mess, hunted by Marcus for simply being important to me. While I supported Zayne¡¯s


    choice¨CI knew I couldn¡¯t lie to her.


    My hope about war meetings and sleep hade true. Wedged between Alec and Kade, with nothing


    more than their body heat and a thin sheet to keep me warm, I floated in that blissful space between


    sleep and awareness.


    My eyes were torn open by sunlight covered daggers that shed in my brain as they collided. Aware


    of nothing more than the pain and the sheet tangled around my legs, I groaned and heaved myself into


    a sitting position.


    ¡°Get dressed, sweetheart.¡± Kade grunted, walking past me with a lot more speed than usual.


    A shirt and a pair of jeans was tossed on the bed in front of me, but I was still having trouble


    processing. Instead of asking questions, I stood and took a few minutes to get dressed. I must¡¯ve been


    moving too slowly because Alec strolled over to help me.


    ¡°You¡¯re a very heavy sleeper.¡± He smirked, slipping my arms through the shirt holes.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± I asked, fighting to keep the grogginess from my voice.


    ¡°Yeah, something happened.¡± Alec grunted; his rxed demeanor reced with one of frustration.


    ¡°Zayne leftst night.¡±


    Like a bucket of water sshed against the side of my head, I was fully awake from that point onward.


    Alec and I came downstairs to a furious Tori, and Kade who took the brunt of it.


    ¡°Were you going to tell me that he nned on leaving?¡± Tori snapped, her narrowed eyes on Kade.


    When she noticed Alec and I standing in the doorway, her emerald eyes fall on us.¡± Were any of you


    going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you, I swear.¡± I promised her, leaving Alec¡¯s side to step forward. I could feel the


    anger and betrayal radiating from her, sinking into my skin like razor sharp daggers. ¡°He said he wasn¡¯t


    leaving until tomorrow night. I figured it could¡¯ve waited until the morning. I had no clue he was going to


    leave a few hourster.¡±


    She looked skeptical, and the thought of her doubting me made my chest throb and ache. I masked the


    pain and hoped she could see the truth, that I wouldn¡¯t keep something like this from her, not about her


    own mate.


    ¡°The moment Zayne told us what he nned; Aurora made the decision in her mind to tell you.¡± Kade


    spoke up for me, meeting Tori¡¯s gaze head on. His voice was strong and sure when he spoke, ¡°On


    mine and my brother¡¯s honor as Alpha¡¯s, Aurora had every intention on telling you before Zayne left.¡±


    Little by little, the suspicion in her eyes dissolved, taking the pain in my chest along with it.


    The rest of the day was wrought with tension, as that looming sensation of the world holding its breath


    grew stronger. After a few hours of mindlessly watching television or exploring the house, I was ready


    to break free from this ce. What I hated worse than the violence and betrayal was the waiting,


    waiting for something to happen.


    As the clock on the far wall hit ten o¡¯clock, the tablet on the table erupted in a shrill ring around.


    Where it was first annoying in volume, it ratcheted up when the sound connected to the speakers on


    the television.


    Alec came running into the room, a te of forgotten food in his hand. There was nothing on the


    screen, nothing but darkness. The shrill sound continued for a few more seconds, when a click


    sounded from the television mounted on the wall.


    The television blinked on, bringing bright light and the erged image of Jaspar Fox¡¯s face. He was


    standing a few feet away from the camera, his onyx hair an untidy mess on his head. The leather jacket


    he wore was ripped in a few ces, and the patches were peeling off. He looked at the camera, and


    began speaking.


    ¡°Hello, Aurora. If you¡¯re getting this message, it means I am d**d.¡±

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    ¡°Hello, Aurora. If you¡¯re getting this message, it means I am d**d.¡±


    Every muscle and fiber in my body locked up at his words. His face remained stered on the screen,


    while Delh¡¯s yed in my mind. My stomach rolled at the thought of something happening to that


    little girl, of Marcus getting his hands on her. Her strange teleportation abilities would certainly pique his


    interest, which I¡¯m sure was why Jaspar kept her hidden from the world.


    ¡°Your current location is safe, for now. I have prepared evacuation ns for you and your crew. Three


    days after you receive this message, a man and woman will knock on the front door. Trust these people


    with your lives, go where they take you, and for the sake of the future¨Cstay alive.¡±


    The television clicked off, nketing the room in darkness. After a total of two seconds, I scrambled


    from where I stood for the remote. Before I could grab it, Alec snatched it from the table and flicked


    onto the news. I had no clue what channels were human news and what were werewolf, but the twin¡¯s


    seemed to know just fine.


    ¡°Mere hours ago, a battle to the d***h took ce when head of the High Table, Marcus Novak, sent his


    troops through the lines of Ex-High Table member, Jaspar Fox¡¯s territory. What began as a casual


    encounter quickly turned carnal when Mr. Fox unleashed his warriors on the troops. Multiple rumors


    had depicted Mr. Fox¡¯s pack as a safe-haven of sorts for white wolves, forcing the High Table¡¯s hand.


    As it currently stands, no evidence of white wolves has been found on Mr. Fox¡¯snd.¡± A somber news


    caster with doe eyes and heart shaped lips frowned, giving the camera a look of genuine sympathy. ¡°I¡¯ll


    pass this on to Nathan Dolohov, who is currently at the scene of what marks the end of Mr. Fox¡¯s


    reign.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The screen shifted, now showing a man in a casual suit, standing in front of the charred husk of a


    house. Its wooden bones were ckened, leaning as it held itself together with nothing more than luck


    and a few stubborn nails. Nathan Dolohov looked at the camera, brushing back his golden hair with a


    hand, and began speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m here at the Fox¡¯s family estate, and what looks to be a tragic ident that imed the lives of


    Jaspar Fox, his mate Emily Fox, and their daughter; Delh Fox. One of our paramedics on scene have


    confirmed that three sets of remains were found. The origin of the fire is currently being investigated,


    spearheaded by Jaspar Fox¡¯s eldest son. When we return in an hour, I hope to glean more information


    from the Head of our High Table, Marcus Novak.¡±


    The screen changed again, flitting back to the brte with sad eyes.


    ¡°Until the High Table¡¯s investigation surrounding Jaspar Fox have been concluded, he is assumed


    innocent from all used crimes. Our team, along with agents from the High Table, interviewed many


    of Jaspar Fox¡¯s pack members. All vehemently expressed their Alpha¡¯s innocence, even though a mere


    hour before Marcus Novak entered theirnd, Mr. Fox transferred all power and titles to his eldest son.¡±


    She spoke, her unwavering gaze on the camera.


    ¡°He made his son Alpha, and a member of the High Table.¡± Alec scoffed, swiping a hand across his


    jaw. His face was illumined by the television, making the darkness in his eyes swirl. ¡°He knew this was


    going to end in a fight, the man was prepared for it. Question is, do we think he¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°Would he really go through all of the trouble to fake his family¡¯s d***h?¡± Tori questioned, her eyebrows


    knitting together as she picked at a few stray fibers on the pants she wore. ¡± They would have had to¨C


    acquire three bodies, and b**n them. Which is deeply unsettling.¡±


    ¡°Not nearly as unsettling as what Marcus would do to them if caught.¡± Kade grunted, settled on the


    couch with his elbows on top of his thighs. Strands of hair fell in his face, but my attention was quickly


    diverted back to the screen when the woman continued speaking.


    ¡°The entirety of Mr. Fox¡¯snd has beenbed through, and within these next few days, the High


    Table will send warriors to scour the packs that surround Mr. Fox¡¯s. It is within the best interest of these


    packs that you co-operate with the High Table and trust them to uncover the truth. As thergest


    broadcastingpany for our kind, we will provide hourly updates on the progress of this investigation


    and the even more elusive search for the soul-eater and herpanions, which has thus far been


    fruitless. In precisely one hour, we will return with more information for these cases, both of which are


    the biggest we¡¯ve seen in decades.¡± She continued, her face neutral and her words perfectly spoken. A


    croak left my lips when three pictures of me shed on the screen. All were from the hotel and the High


    Table meetings. ¡°I¡¯m Sara Barns, and thank you for tuning in.¡±


    The television then changed to some singingmercial, which Alec silenced almost immediately. I


    knew without my abilities, that we were all at a loss for words. The fact that we were all wanted by the


    most powerful man in our world, it was a hard pill to s*****w. Every single pack would be on the lookout


    for us, and we were away from home.


    We sat in silence for the entire hour, having nothing better to do than to sit and watch. It was almost


    funny in a strange way. We were watching updates on our own manhunt. While the world watched and


    wondered where we were, they hadn¡¯t a clue we were watching as well.


    Unsurprisingly, after an hour, no further evidence on either case had been found. The High Table still


    couldn¡¯t find us, though if they had any leads, there was no way they¡¯d spill. They did, however, go over


    nearly every detail of my life starting with when I first moved in with Melissa and Frank. The only time


    Garrett or Julian was mentioned, was when my inheritance was brought up. The twins could feel my


    own mood souring as Sara Barns recounted the worst years of my life. She even gave some


    information on the twins, and even a small segment about Tori. I felt utterly drained afterwards, and


    jumped when Alec¡¯s voice tore through the silence.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been reduced topanions, Kade.¡± Alec scoffed, finally breaking the silence. ¡°Can you f*****g


    believe it? They could¡¯ve at least included a picture of us.¡±


    Kade turned towards Alec, with an incredulous look on his face. The sight made me want tough,


    especially with the stress that had just been thrown on us.


    ¡°I wasatose for nearly a week, and missed out on the entire meeting.¡± Alec raised an eyebrow at


    his brother, daring him to say something. I didn¡¯t miss how thest sentence was said a bit sourly. I


    could tell what irritated him the most was that Marcus¡¯s men had managed to snag him. ¡°Forgive me for


    wanting urate news. The least they could have done was mention mine and Tori¡¯s kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°I do have a name other than soul-eater.¡± I pointed out, giving Kade the same frown Alec was currently


    making. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I only heard my actual name one time.¡±


    ¡°Soul-eater sounds kind of badass though. Makes people think twice about messing with you.¡±¡® Tori


    shrugged from where she sat across the sectional.


    Alec gave her an exasperated look, ¡°You seem awful calm considering they did you even worse than


    Kade and I.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the news.¡± Tori shrugged, ¡°The details of the story all depend on the person telling it.¡±


    ¡°They called you Aurora¡¯s assistant.¡± Alec deadpanned, jumping when my unrestrainedughter


    startled him.


    Perhaps it was all of the stress that finally made me crack, or how truly dumbfounded Alec felt talking to


    Tori and Kade; but my sides ached and my eyes watered as Iughed at the three of them. Alec was


    second to join in, followed by Tori. Even Kade chuckled, which was the most I¡¯d get out of him right


    now.


    ¡°Three days.¡± I sighed after finally catching my breath. I fell back on the couch and sighed when Alec¡¯s


    fingers brushed through my hair. ¡°Three more days of waiting. I think I hate the waiting more than


    anything else.¡±


    For three days we spent as much time as possible with one another. After rummaging through the


    overstocked pantry in Jaspar¡¯s safehouse, I concluded that I was tired of all things in shiny packages. It


    was the heinous workout sessions in the morning that helped me maintain some semnce of self-


    defense, other than my ability to tear the soul from someone¡¯s body.


    On the third day, at ten in the morning, a sequence of heavy thuds sounded on the door. The tablet with


    its security cameras beeped, pulling up an image of a man and woman.


    When we opened the front door for them, I wasn¡¯t the only one who was a bit dumbfounded.


    The woman was in her early thirties, but was dressed well¨Clike a tourist. Her t-shirt said, ¡®I heart NY¡¯


    and she wore an actual visor on her head, along with a pair of wide framed sunsses. Her cargo


    shorts and thick soled shoespleted and confirmed the tourist outfit. The man at her side was


    dressed much the same. Cargo shorts and a ck f***y pack, along with an identical pair of thick soled


    shoes.


    While their clothespletely threw us off, I did not miss the alertness in their emotions, or the


    muscles that protruded from just about every surface of their body.


    ¡°We are here to escort Ms. Aurora, her mates, and friend.¡±¡® It was the man who spoke, towering over


    Tori and I. My own surprise shocked me, as did the man¡¯s voice when he spoke. It was light, carefree,


    and actually kind of happy considering the circumstances. I could feel that positive attitude as it


    radiated from him in warm waves. He looked a bit gruff with the shaved head and thick beard, but the


    grin on his face transformed him from threatening warrior to gentle giant. ¡°Looks like we found the right


    ce. The name is Dex, and my cheerful partner is Carson.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be needing to take anything with you.¡± Carson said in a harsher tone, one that said we


    needed to get going. Her demeanor was different from Dex¡¯s, much sterner and more serious. ¡°Let¡¯s


    get going. We had to leave the van on an ess road. These shoes aren¡¯t meant for hiking through the


    forest.¡±


    During the day, the house looked much different. It wasn¡¯t the first time we had stepped outside since


    arriving at the safehouse, but I still couldn¡¯t get used to howrge it truly was. I found myself both


    relieved and anxious as we walked down the steps, towards where the forest and yard met.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the clothes, anyway?¡± Tori was brave enough to ask, cocking an eyebrow at the t-shirt she


    wore.


    ¡°Right now, your friend the most important person in our world. Considering she doesn¡¯t let it go to her


    head, she could really change things for all of us.¡¯ Carson tossed over her shoulder without looking


    back. The French braid that ran down her back swayed as she walked. ¡°She needs protection, but we


    can¡¯t drive down the highway with an armored vehicle and six escorts. Marcus Novak would be on us


    within minutes. A disguise might just buy us enough time to get you to the drop off.¡±


    ¡°Are backroads not avable?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Marcus is gonna have those monitored first, considering they¡¯re smaller and more likely to be used by


    you fugitives.¡± Dex said with a deepugh, like two boulders shing together. I looked back to where


    he tailed us, unable to refrain from cracking a smile.


    ¡°The highway is just as dangerous as the back roads, but it¡¯ll save us a good two hours.¡± Carson said


    from the front, increasing her pace to where Alec and Kade had to help me from tripping over


    everything.


    I kept eyes on the ground, stepping over the stray roots and nts. I nearly fell to the ground as my


    foot slid on a patch of mud. It was Alec¡¯s arms underneath my shoulders that kept me from being


    coated in the d***y substance.


    ¡°What a dangerous soul-eater you are.¡± He smirked low in my ear, sending a flood of emotions through


    me that were not appropriate for the time and ce.


    The ess road was a thin dirt road that stretched off into the forest. The tree¡¯s parted for the little dirt


    road, allowing just a sliver of the cloudless sky to shine overhead. The air was brisk and cool, much


    different from my time spent in the twin¡¯s pack, where the sun and humidity were constantly at war.


    This time I didugh as we came upon a navy-colored minivan. It wasn¡¯t the floral seat covers that


    made me chuckle, but the wide array of bumper stickers on the back. One said ¡°my child made honor


    roll this year!¡±. Another read, ¡°Dog mom!¡±. On the back window were a cluster of those stick-man


    families. A muscr looking stickman posed a s the father, along with a mother, four children, and a


    dog.


    ¡°Just another family traveling for vacation.¡± Dex grinned, patting the hood of the van with a firm hand.


    ¡°Is this thing even safe?¡± Tori asked, lifting an eyebrow at Dex.


    ¡°Oh, you bet it is.¡± His smile widened as though this question pleased him. He led Tori around to the


    side of the van and opened it up. ¡°This thing is full of reinforced steel and bullet proof ss. Doesn¡¯t


    even weigh her down.¡±


    Apart from the mix of country and rock music trickling through the dull speakers of the minivan, there


    was nothing but silence and the whoosh of the passing cars to fill my mind. I sat at the very center in


    between Alec and Kade, while Tori sat in the far back.


    ¡°So, how do you know Jaspar?¡± I asked, finally finding the courage.


    Dex and Carson nced at one another, a long look that just screamed silent conversation.


    ¡°Mr. Fox is¨Cwas a High Table member. He knows a lot of people, werewolves and humans.¡± Carson


    responded in a tone that let me know I¡¯d get no further information. Her emotions weren¡¯t ones of


    aggression or anger, just fierce protectiveness and a professionalism that most people could never


    aplish.


    An hour of mountains and steep inclines passed before we had no choice but to stop. Both Dex and


    Carson agreed on stopping at the smallest, most decrepit gas station to ever grace this earth. It was


    nothing more than a small shack, big enough to fit a handful people at the very most. An old-fashioned


    cash register sat on top of a fold out table. A very disinterested looking man stood at the table, picking


    at something beneath his nails.


    Carson went inside the shack for the four of us, getting bottles of water and insignificant snacks. Both


    Tori and I headed around back to where the cashier imed were bathrooms. What we found was one


    of those portable bathrooms, and from the looks of it, it had been sitting her for longer than either of us


    had walked this earth.


    ¡°At this point, I feel like it would be safer to go into the woods and use the bathroom.¡± Tori snorted,


    though thement was one hundred percent urate.


    ¡°Were you not able to go?¡± Kade asked with a tilt of his head, once we both returned.


    Tori and I scrunched our noses in sync, ¡°No, that bathroom is a safety hazard. Hazmat should be called


    immediately.¡±


    Carson was a bit disgruntled at having to stop again, but it was better and faster than venturing into the


    forest. Yet another deste gas station with an extremely questionable bathroom, but it was an


    improvement from thest one. We remained out of sight the entire time, hidden behind the tinted


    windows of the minivan. After another half hour, I was beginning to grow tired. Burrowed in Alec¡¯s side,


    my eyes fluttered. I hovered on the cusp of sleep when I was ripped away, my eyes torn open as anger


    and determination radiated from four of the people in the vehicle.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked, pulling away from Alec to look around.


    We were still coasting down the highway, signs and other cars whizzing by. No matter how hard I


    looked, I couldn¡¯t see anything amiss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope not.¡± Kade grunted from where he sat, turning around to wake Tori up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, cracking her neck with a soft groan.


    ¡°We¡¯re being followed.¡± Dex answered, all humor gone from his face.


    If anything, I think I preferred theughing, joking Dex. Serious Dex was downright frightening. It


    brought more attention to his hulking physique, which wasn¡¯t as muscr as it was mountain-like.


    Carson pulled a cellphone from the pocket of her cargo shorts and ced the phone to her ear.


    ¡°Coming up on exit 74. We¡¯re being followed by a ck Nissan. How is traffic from your standpoint?¡±


    She asked, forcing the words from her mouth in rapid session.


    ¡°There are others up ahead?¡± I asked, leaning forwards in my seat.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think we came alone, did you?¡± Dex smirked in the rearview mirror. ¡°It was too risky to have


    the others get close, so we have them stationed at different points on the highway. They¡¯ll let us know if


    anything is up ahead.¡±


    ¡°S**t, they must have spotted us somehow.¡± Carson cursed, pulling the phone from her ear to type out


    a message. ¡°Traffic ising to aplete stop within the next fifty miles. We have twenty minutes to


    get off¨C¡°


    ¡°WATCH OUT!¡± Tori¡¯s scream was timed perfectly, as a Mack truck veered onto the median from the


    other side of the highway, and into the leftne where we currently were.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Dex reacted instantly, mming on the gas as he swerved into the centerne. We narrowly missed a


    little maroon Buick, whose nasal sounding horn red down the highway.


    Before the vehicle could fully regain its bnce, Carson lifted herself out the minivan and onto the


    ledge of the window. My heart stuttered a few beats as I heard the deafening sound of a gun being


    shot.


    Bullets peppered the dark colored SUV that drove along side of us. They swerved to the right, but it


    seemed we weren¡¯t the only ones with a bullet proof vehicle. The SUV veered right, trying to run us


    onto the shoulder.


    ¡°F**k.¡± Carson snarled, tearing the visor off her head and chucking it out the window. ¡°They¡¯re boxing


    us in. If you don¡¯t act fast, Dex, we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    When Dex¡¯s grip on the steering wheel turned white knuckled, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to like what


    happened next. Dex lifted his head and eyed the four of us in the rearview mirror, his eyes straying to


    mest.


    ¡°Our orders are to get you to the drop at all costs.¡±¡® He said firmly, eyes locked on my own. Where I¡¯m


    sure mine were wide with the adrenaline that thundered through my veins, his were strong and bright.


    Even though I hardly knew this man, there was a sense of honor that was concrete within him. It guided


    his thoughts, his life, the decisions he made and the people he helped. I had no clue what Dex¡¯s stake


    in all of this was, but I was surprised to find that I truly did trust him with my life.


    My response was a yelp as Dex turned the wheel all the way to the left; hurling us through the right


    lane of traffic and towards the metal guardrail that led into the forest below. Everything seemed to slow


    as we clipped the front of one car, and tore through the guardrail like cheap ribbon. I could feel the


    impact in my teeth, and hear the crunch and scream of metal as it was torn to shreds. My stomach


    dropped as I saw the magnitude of the hill we were about to roll down, and the thick trees that seemed


    to sit everywhere.


    I felt like a ragdoll in the hands of a child as the minivan we were in thundered over branches andC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    stones, the p**s poor suspension groaning from the off-road trip. It was Kade who kept the seatbelt


    from strangling me as I was thrown forwards. Alec helped keep Tori in ce, who was pale faced and


    wide eyed in the back.


    The tree trunk that we clipped sent us careening forwards, into a roll that made me miss our previous


    position. I could feel something ssh against my face, and smelled the brief but fresh scent of water


    as it mixed with motor oil and blood. It was a tree that stopped our decent, and forced the car to a stop.


    The horn of the minivan red throughout the forest, loud and shrill as it told all nearby that we were


    here.


    Blood rushed to my head, and a mix of crimson and onyx danced behind my eyes. Jewels of


    shimmering color, covering the world in a filter that seemed to move as I blinked and groaned. I had


    never been in a car ident before¨Cbut the feeling of having my bones crushed, it was one I never


    wanted to repeat. The seatbelt dug into my shoulder and waist. ss was inches from my fingertips,


    which hung above my head and grazed the roof of the van. The van itself was upside down, the roof


    crushed from our roll.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get you down, doll.¡±¡® Alec¡¯s voice was a whisper away, smoothing out my panic before it


    could take root. ¡°Just hold still, this isn¡¯t going to feel very good.¡±


    My entire body quite literally protested as I heard and felt the click of the seatbelt, followed by gravity


    iming me for itself. Alec lessened the impact, but any sensation sent pain skittering along my skin


    and bones. ss dug into my skin, but was a mere afterthought with everything else going on. Half-


    blind with blood staining my eyes, I grabbed onto Alec¡¯s hand and crawled as he helped pull me from


    the minivan. Once I felt the wet dirt beneath my knees, I frantically wiped the blood from my eyes with a


    dry piece of my shirt.


    The van was a crumpled husk, a tin can that had been kicked too many times. Shimmering pieces of


    ss littered the ground, along with various scraps of metal. Alec¡¯s strong hands kept me from


    stumbling forwards when Kade and Tori crawled from the vehicle.


    ¡°S**t, we need to f*****g go.¡± Dex grunted, spitting out a wad of blood as he hurried to the back of the


    minivan. The back window was shattered from the roll, making it easy for him to reach in and grab two


    backpacks filled to the brim. I went a little wide eyed when he wrenched open a duffel bag full of


    various fire arms and types of silver ammunition. It was somewhatforting to know that despite his


    usual jolly demeanor, his intimidating looks weren¡¯t just for show. He tossed one of the backpacks at


    Kade, and within seconds, was urging us to leave.


    ¡°Wait¨C¡± I stammered, stumbling to a halt when I saw the unconscious figure of Carson.


    I hadn¡¯t noticed her before, caught up in the adrenaline and pain. The seatbelt was the only thing that


    kept her from falling to the floor, but unlike the rest of us, she was unconscious. Blood fell in a thick


    stream from a wound in her head.


    ¡°No, Aurora.¡± Dex snarled, using a firm but gentle hand to urge me forwards. There it was¨Cthe purpose


    for his intimidating looks. I could see it in the way he towered over me, glowering as he urged me to


    move. Any sane person would have been frightened, but it wasn¡¯t anger Dex felt. His grief and pain


    made my legs weak, but the unbreakable sense of honor within him let me know that Dex would


    complete this mission, no matter what he had to leave behind. ¡°Her legs are pinned, one is broken. She


    understands the cost.¡±


    I had a split second, just one to decide what I was going to do. There was no time for thought, so I


    acted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me grab you, kid.¡± Dex warned, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t f*****g think about it.¡± Kade snarled, and I took that as my chance to bolt.


    I dug my feet into the earth, and turned on my heel. Dex hadn¡¯t been expecting me to run back to


    where Carson was, but the twins did¨Cthey had seen in my eyes the moment I made up my mind. I half


    thought they would grab at me, drag me back and fling me over their shoulder as we escaped, leaving


    Carson to be m******d or worse.


    Instead of making a grab for me, they ran ahead. Kade to the back of the van, and Alec to the


    passenger side. He kicked and tore at the door, finally getting the crumpled thing off after the scream of


    metal filled the air. Dex cursed and ran a hand over his face, smearing the blood on his head and


    cheek, before running to the twin¡¯s side.


    ¡°You two, get over here and grab a gun.¡± Dex snarled at Tori and I, kicking us into action. He shouted


    towards Alec and Kade, ¡°There should be a crowbar somewhere in there.


    Every move of my muscles sent agony through my bones and ribcage. I had definitely broken a rib or


    two, perhaps even my corbone. I could feel myself slowly knitting back together. Every thread of


    bone was like a stinging pain beneath the skin, very carefully making me whole again.


    Tori and I stumbled over to the back of the overturned minivan. Dex thrusted near identical handguns


    into our arms and quickly pointed at the two most important parts.


    ¡°Turn the safety off. Aim, shoot. And don¡¯t f*****g hesitate.¡± He told the two of us, his words fast and


    charged with the weight of oing violence. ¡°They won¡¯t send all they have yet, takes time to travel.


    The ones who were following us, they¡¯ll find us before we can get Carson out. Just so you know, kid.


    Anything happens to you, and it¡¯s my skin on the line.¡±


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have k****d her, would they?¡±¡® I asked, rather than give into the guilt that bubbled in my


    stomach.


    From the heaviness in Dex¡¯s eyes, he knew what I was implying. No, Marcus¡¯s men would not have


    k****d Carson, not with how close she had been to me. Would he torture her first? Or would he have


    the same wolf who looked into my head, look into hers? He would wring her for all the information she


    had, and only when she was no longer of use, would he finally dispose of her.


    From his emotions alone, I could tell that Dex and Carson weren¡¯t mates. There was a deep bond


    there, but it wasn¡¯t one that stemmed from romantic feelings. They were partners, friends in every


    sense of the word. There was an eptance between them that was strange, as though they saw each


    other in their entirety, and embraced the darkness they saw within.


    ¡°No.¡± Dex said after few seconds, ¡°They would not k**l her.¡±


    Behind the sound of Alec and Kade working to free Carson, there was something else in the


    background. I strained my ears to listen, but the pain behind my eyes made it hard to focus. I naturally


    looked towards Dex, who was fixated on a part of the forest just behind me.


    ¡°DROP!¡± The word was thrown from his mouth with deadly uracy, each letter only a fraction of a


    second long. The twins had told me about an Alphamand weeks ago, and though I knew it¡¯s power


    wouldn¡¯t work on me, I registered the meaning behind his urgency.


    A deafening st rang out, followed by a second, at the same time a snarl ripped past my ear. Two dull


    thuds sounded, followed by the sound of two wolves slumping to the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha?¡± I gaped up at him, trying not to look at the d**d werewolf only a foot from where I


    sat.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone back for her, Aurora.¡± Dex shook his head, ignoring my questionpletely,


    his bushy eyebrows knitted together. ¡°You are more important than the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°No, the change we want to bring is what¡¯s important.¡± I shook my head, refusing to believe what he


    was saying. ¡°That kind of thinking, that one person¡¯s life is more important than someone else¡¯s, that¡¯s


    what helps men like Marcus sleep at night.¡±


    Dex remained silent for a few seconds, then reached out a hand.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right, but your powers in the hands of our enemies would cost us everything.¡± He


    finally said, once I was on my feet and brushing the dirt from my body.


    Another shot rang out through the forest, and I turned to stare wide eyed at Tori.


    ¡°What?¡± She shrugged, nudging the d**d wolf with her foot. ¡°Dad might be a doctor, but he has hobbies


    too. Plus, I actually have really good aim.¡±


    ¡°Good, hold onto that.¡± Dex grunted, ¡°Something tells me we¡¯re going to need it.¡±


    I palmed the gun in my hands, feeling the cool metal that had slowly warmed to my mmy touch. I


    had yet to use the thing, and I desperately hoped I wouldn¡¯t need to. With Carson on Alec¡¯s shoulders,


    we trekked through the forest. I noticed Dex doing something with his hands as we walked, holding


    them palms up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, eyeing his hands as he held them out.


    He cleared his throat a bit awkwardly and nced down at me, ¡°I¡¯m covering our scents.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re covering our scents?¡± I repeated, my lightughter d***g out when I noticed how serious he


    was. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°How do you feel emotions, or s**k the souls out of people?¡± He asked with a lifted eyebrow, turning his


    gaze back to the forest. ¡°Magic, I suppose.¡±


    I felt my jaw slip a bit further, ¡°You¡¯re a white wolf?¡±


    ¡°One of many in my family.¡± Dex nodded curtly, telling me I¡¯d get nothing more out of him.


    An hour slowly turned into three, each one wracked with anxiety as every little sound brought on a


    wave of paranoia. Each snap of a branch was a wolf in waiting, ready to tear me away from my mates


    at all costs. I watched the decent of the sun as it dipped behind the trees, and felt fatigue settle in my


    bones.


    ¡°I found a little cave system over here.¡± Dex grunted, shoving back the hanging limbs of a nt. He


    nced towards Carson, the concern he felt nk from his face. ¡°Gonna have to set her leg if it¡¯s to


    heal properly. You four go on in there. I¡¯m going to see if I can scatter our scents a bit further. Buy us a


    few hours.¡±


    ¡°I can set her leg. Like I said, my dad¡¯s a doctor.¡± Tori shrugged, ¡°You got a first aid kit in one of those


    bags.¡±


    ¡°Backpartment.¡± Dex nodded, handing the bag to Tori. ¡°Much appreciated.¡±


    While I wasn¡¯t too excited to sleep in a damp cave, it was partially obscured from view thanks to a wall


    of moss and vine. It covered the rock like a nket, leaving a small slit to pass through.


    I kneeled beside Tori and Carson, while Alec wandered through the cave with a shlight in hand. His


    reasoning was to find another exit, just in case we needed to make a fast escape. While I appreciated


    the forward thinking, I hoped there was enough running for the day.


    That night, I sat between the twin¡¯s, feeling the chill of night settle into my bones. We weren¡¯t staying


    long, just a few hours until Carson woke up and her leg healed a little more. I traced patterns along


    Alec¡¯s arm, which was slung over my midsection as he snored softly. It was Kade who had trouble


    sleeping, just as I did.


    ¡®What are you thinking about?¡¯ I asked, the corners of my lips twitching from the question.


    Kade let out a near silent chuckle, his eyes flickering towards where Iid beside him. I could choose


    whether or not to hear the twin¡¯s thoughts. While sometimes it was instinctual to listen in and


    ¡®Next time, wake one of us up so we can go with you.¡¯ He warned, themand in his voice made


    something inside of me flutter. ¡®We¡¯ll talk about you sneaking off without uster, when Kade is awake


    and we are no longer running for our lives.¡¯


    It was a good thing I hadn¡¯t snuck out from the cave, because a secondter, Dex was already awake.


    His eyes snapped opened as Tori sniffled in her sleep. Kade followed suit, and before long, we were all


    awake. The moon still reigned, even though a few hours had passed.


    Carson was thest to wake up, letting out a soft groan as her fingers found the swelling on her head.


    The gaping wound was healing nicely, thanks to the butterfly stitches given by Tori. Half of her face was


    still blue and purple from the bruising, but it was a step up from earlier. Even after a few hours, she


    couldn¡¯t ce her full weight on her leg. Tori all but forbade it until we managed to get her to a pack


    doctor.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Dex asked, eyeing Alec and I as we stood close to the mouth of the cave.


    ¡°I feel emotionsing from somewhere.¡± I exined, leaving out the part where I had nned to go


    off on my own. My momentarypse ofmon sense did not need to be broadcasted. ¡°There¡¯s at


    least four or five, but they keep fading in and out. It¡¯s making it hard to get a read on them.¡±


    Even though the emotions had piqued my curiosity, I was forced to let it go when we finally slipped from


    the cave ten minutester. Now that Carson was awake, and could walk with the help of the twins, we


    needed to be back on the move.


    It was easier, treading through the forest at night. The air was light and cool, chasing away the sweat


    that clung to my body and clothes. We walked for at least two hours, and I waited and watched as the


    distant emotions grew stronger.


    Dex somehow managed to catch onto the light scent of Marcus¡¯s men as they set up their camp in the


    forest. They were also trying their best to cover themselves, but Dex¡¯s abilities seemed to epass


    all things smell rted. I t was an odd gift, but actually very useful if you needed to sneak around


    without getting caught.


    We nned to veer out of the way, looping as far around them as we could. They couldn¡¯t detect our


    scents, not with Dex covering us, but they could hear us if we spoke. Our heartbeats and breath were


    d*****d out by the nightlife within the forest, though I could hear the men¡¯s chortles and jokes from a


    mile away.


    It was a snidement, something tossed into the conversation that caught my attention and made


    both Tori and I halt in our tracks.


    ¡°Did you hear, Alpha¡¯s prodigal son has returned home.¡± One of the men cackled, which led to a fit of


    raspy coughing. I cringed as he spat on the forest floor and continued in his grating voice. ¡°Bet you that


    boy got the beating of his f*****g lifetime for helping the soul-sucking b***h and her pair of c***s.¡±


    The other menughed in tandem, spewing vile nonsense as they egged each other on. I knew that


    both Dex and Carson wanted to continue forwards, but they were clueless as to the importance of what


    these men were saying. They had no clue Zayne¡¯s roll in all of this, nor the fact that we needed him to


    help tip the scales in this war.


    ¡°He¡¯s rightfully suspicious of the ingrateful pup.¡± Another cackled, followed by mumbles of agreement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t matter he¡¯s just a figure head. Once the kid is old enough to take over, Alpha will never let go of


    control.¡±


    The conversation strayed, and just as we were about to continue forwards, one of the men said


    something that made the others halt in their tracks.


    ¡°Did you hear ¡¯bout the rumor swirling around?¡± He said to his group, his voice ending in a gruffugh.


    ¡°The one ¡¯bout the breeding?¡±


    Gone was the jovial mood, the boasting and jokes that came with a bunch of smelly, drunk men.


    ¡°Careful where you spew that s**t, Damarcus. D**n idiot.¡± One spat, snarling at the man who had


    spoken. ¡°If his inner circle hears you even mentioned it, we¡¯re all f*****g d**d. Each and every one of


    us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to get back to him, the whole pack¡¯s talking ¡¯bout it.¡¯ He rasped, his voice deepening as


    he became defensive. ¡°He¡¯s too busy looking for the leak to bother with us grunts. Don¡¯t want the


    people finding out what he¡¯s been doing with his little white wolf project.¡±


    ¡°Seth, what horse s**t are you talking now?¡± One of the men tried to lighten the mood, but that


    opportunity had long passed.


    ¡°To h**l with you, it¡¯s not s**t!¡± He snapped, whole heartedly believing every word he spoke. ¡°Alpha¡¯s


    been experimenting on the white wolves he keeps, the ones he says works for the pack. He¡¯s been


    making them have kids, mixing their powers until hees up with something¨Cnew. Word has it, a


    nursemaid spilled the truthst month. Said there were rooms full of screaming babies, and that some


    ¡ªsome didn¡¯t even look human anymore.¡±


    I could feel my blood and sweat run cold at his words, followed by rage so strong¨Cso consuming, I


    promptly cked out.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    When all of my senses were blocked; it was the emotions I felt. They were at their rawest; churning


    seas of rage and disgust, boilingkes of hatred and desperation. Those festering, poisonous emotions


    bubbled beneath my skin, picking and scratching as they fought past my control.


    Floating in that darkness, with nothing but those carnal emotions guiding my thoughts; I couldn¡¯t


    remember why I was holding them back in the first ce; why I shied away from what I could do.


    My powers weren¡¯t beautiful or inspiring, they were blunt and vicious. Unashamed of the d***h and


    destruction they could cause. No matter how dark my abilities were, there was this voice in the back of


    my head that told me only brutality would win this war; only rage would end Marcus Novak¡¯s life.


    As thosest shreds of fear and shame left my mind, I unleashed the hail storm of emotions on the


    guards that had invoked them. I wished more than anything I could give them the full scope of my


    anger, my desperation to help these wolves; but I could not. That kind of anger could split the world,


    could crack it wide open. That kind of anger was already reserved for someone special.


    I could see their faces in my mind, mixed in with those of Marcus¡¯s men. The white wolves; the men,


    women, and children that were used for their power. Lives deemed less than and tossed aside in the


    pursuit for more power. They begged for help, for someone with enough power and control to rival


    Marcus; to care enough to force change.


    I wasn¡¯t sure when I had begun feeding from the life forces of Marcus¡¯s men, but their strength washed


    over me in waves of electrifying energy. They sharpened my vision until everything seemed almost too


    clear, too saturated.


    My vision came back in pieces, shes of images purely driven by this feral rage. It rippled over my


    skin, almost shimmering like heatwaves as I darted through the brush and trees, right into the center of


    the men¡¯s camp.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡± Alec¡¯s snarl was a mere afterthought, background chatter as I flung myself at the


    men. ¡°She has no control over what she¡¯s doing right now. It¡¯s better we stay out of her way and let her


    finish. We¡¯ll step in if need be.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Something tells me it won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Kade murmured, and if I had been paying attention, I would


    have heard the awe in his voice. ¡°Feel how enraged she is? They won¡¯t be able toy a finger on her.¡±


    There were six in total, four of which had been rolling around in agony the moment I sent those


    festering emotions loose. The two that had managed to remain on their feet, they were as rotten as


    Marcus was. Truly devoid of any humanity that might make them cower at the devastation wrought.


    I charged at the two first, noting how any surprise onlysted a fraction of a second as it crossed their


    faces. Only to be reced by cruel anticipation and excitement.


    The one on the left,nky with thick ribbons of muscle along his arms and shoulders, pulled a pistol


    from his waist band. I could hear the click and see the flicker of metal as the moonlight caught its


    surface.


    Not only could I see the confidence brimming in his eyes, I could feel it.


    He was expecting me to hesitate, to cower as he pointed a gun between my eyes. Trusting my instincts


    was something I had done countless times as a human. It was what kept me from being harassed by


    Frank or manipted by Melissa. Following it now was easier than ever.


    Even with the gun pointed at my head, I charged. I watched as the vein in his neck bulged, and his


    emotions shifted from confident to unsure. It was then that I ducked, just as an explosion of heat and


    gunpowder rang out. Despite it being so close to me, the sound had as much impact as an insufferable


    fly would.


    Before I could get my hands on the man that had nearly shot my head off, I felt the grimy touch of the


    second. His rough fingertips met the skin of my shoulder for mere seconds, and the revulsion that


    sted through me seemed to have more of an impact than I thought.


    For whatever reason, my arms flew out at my sides. An instinctual movement that felt righter than


    anything else. The warmth and unbridled energy I had been stealing from the men, it rushed through


    me. It crackled and snapped, like lightning beneath my skin.


    I knew in that moment; I had a choice. I could let the energy out, let it escape into the world under my


    command. Or, I could snuff it out. There was no hesitation on my end, the weakness burned away by


    the truth of what Marcus was doing.


    The two men who had managed to withstand the vile emotions I sent their way were sted back in


    opposite directions, swallowed by the darkness of the forest.


    I could hear branches snapping, somerger and louder than others as they both were shoved back


    through the forest. Only when they bothnded, and the sounds of insects and animals returned, did I


    blink and back away from the damage.


    I felt Alec behind me before I turned to meet his eyes. He didn¡¯t bother pulling me into his arms,


    knowing that I currently felt like a d**n live wire. My skin was tingling, electrified by the energy I had


    consumed. I rubbed at my arms, trying to chase away the odd sensation.


    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re going to ask me what I was thinking running in there like that.¡± I mumbled, taking


    in the carnage that was their campsite.


    Beer cans littered the ground along with burnt chunks of wood. Embers still burned in various ces,


    scattered from the st that sent both men careening backwards. Backpacks with clothes and other


    various items were all over the ground, along with the unconscious bodies of Marcus¡¯s men.


    ¡°Actually, I was going to ask if you¡¯re alright.¡± He smirked, and despite how shaken and amped up I felt,


    he managed to take some of the weight from my shoulders.


    Halfway through my feral take down of these men, I decided that I would no longer fear what I could do.


    I would use it responsibly and never to shove my power down the throats of others. Not only that, but I


    would no longer hesitate to use it if it meant freeing the white wolves and taking down Marcus.


    ¡°Honestly, I feel incredible.¡± I admitted, letting out a whoosh of breath. It was horrible to admit


    considering I had almost k****d six men, but it was the truth. Their energy filled my cells with strength,


    pouring adrenaline and life into my veins. ¡°I guess¨CI guess I just surprised myself.¡±


    I stumbled into Alec as Kade and Dex emerged from the forest, followed by Carson and Tori. Tori


    propped Carson against a tree and brushed herself off. Carson nced around at the damage, forced


    to sit on the side lines since she was still healing. I didn¡¯t miss the look of respect in her eyes, nor what


    happened when Alec and I touched.


    The small gasp that left his lips, too quiet and insignificant for anyone other than myself to hear, was


    followed by the crackle of energy as it danced from my skin to his.


    ¡°One of the men you sent flying into the forest is d**d, impaled on a broken tree limb.¡± Dex huffed, and I


    swore there was just a hint of smugness to his voice. I couldn¡¯t me the emotion considering there


    were so many others who had lost much more to Marcus. ¡°The rest are fucked up, but they¡¯ll live.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t pick up any other scents nearby. This must have been the first batch of men sent out. ¡± Kade


    said to the five of us. ¡°Should be safe to head out now.¡±


    ¡°You could have saved us a lot of time just doing that from the beginning, kid.¡± Dex shook his head, not


    at all angry with how things had turned out. He ran a hand over his head and nced around at the


    fallen men. When his eyes met mine, they weren¡¯t wary or afraid, but hopeful. ¡°There¡¯s not an army that


    wouldn¡¯t fall should you go up against them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope I can manage it on arger scale.¡± I cleared my throat, shifting ufortably under the


    attention. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly have control over myself just now.¡±


    ¡°You just need to figure out how to trigger it¨Cwhich it seems you just did.¡± Dex responded gruffly, ¡°Now


    you gotta see how far you can extend it without hurting yourself. Something tells me with an ability like


    that, you wouldn¡¯t want to over use it. Let¡¯s get the h**l out of here, I have to work harder to cover our


    scents now that we¡¯ve been here so long.¡±


    I trailed between the twin¡¯s, beside Tori, who looked a bit worse for wear. Her clothes and hair were


    covered in dried mud, and I knew she¡¯d need help brushing out those tangles. Even in the midst of my


    rage, I hadn¡¯t forgotten what the men said about Zayne. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever forget a word they had


    said.


    ¡°He finally decided to stand up to Marcus.¡±¡® I told Tori, keeping my voice low. The others could hear


    easily, but it at least gave us the illusion of privacy. ¡°I¡¯m guessing something you said finally worked its


    way through his thick skull.¡±


    ¡°He finally listens to me, and takes it as the go ahead to run back to Marcus.¡± Tori snorted, my


    comment breaking up some of the tension in her emotions. ¡°It¡¯s not like it changes anything, anyway.


    Even if he manages to survive all of this, he¡¯ll never ept me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand why, though.¡± I sighed, unable to help myself as Tori¡¯s emotions flitted over me one


    by one. It seemed taking the energy from so many people amplified my other abilities. I couldn¡¯t ignore


    her emotions, or the toll they had on my own. I found myself frustrated for her, at my wits over a man


    who isn¡¯t even my mate. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to get a read on his emotions, or Marcus¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s another white wolf blocking your powers?¡± She asked curiously, but it was something I


    had already thought of before.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I think it¡¯s because neither one actually feel much of anything. They


    have such a tight grip on their emotions, especially Marcus. Just recently, Zayne¡¯s hold on his emotions


    cracked. You were the one who caused it, actually.¡±


    Tori hesitated, wide eyed as she stared ahead. I wondered if my gift truly gave me the upper hand, or if


    Tori truly was oblivious to how affected Zayne was by her.


    ¡°It was me?¡± She scoffed, pressing her lips tightly together. She was silent for a few moments, but I


    could feel her curiosity building just beneath her surprise. ¡°If I loosened his hold, does that mean you


    were able to get a read on him?¡±


    I lifted an eyebrow at her, grinning as her lips widened into a genuine smile. I hadn¡¯t erased the worry


    or stress, but these moments of normalcy were all that kept us from losing ourselves to the violence


    and savagery of our world.


    ¡°You clearly p**s him off more than anybody else. It doesn¡¯t take magic to see that.¡± I chuckled, but


    continued. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to get anything specific, but I can feel the bond between you two, and I know


    that it affects him. The more it pulls him towards you, the bigger the a*****e he is.¡±


    We walked unbothered for another three hours. On the second hour, buttery light began to pour


    through the trees. It brought warmth and the scent of sunlight and dew.


    At a seemingly random point in our hike, Dex stopped and lifted his nose to smell the air. The muscles


    on his chest contracted, and he nodded, satisfied with whatever he smelled.


    ¡°This is where we leave you four.¡± He said with a firm nod, eyes strong and brighter than they had


    been.


    ¡°Wait¨Cwhat?¡± I stammered, ¡°I thought you two were supposed to escort us to the drop off point.¡±


    ¡°This is the drop off point, kid.¡± Dex chuckled, gesturing to the trees that surrounded us. ¡°Where you¡¯re


    going, you¡¯ll find you got some enemies inmon. Security is tight there, so there¡¯s some rules you


    got to follow before being let in.¡±


    ¡°What do we have to do?¡± I asked, more than ready to press forwards. If I had to run headfirst into this


    to bring change, then so be it.


    ¡°Keep heading this way another half mile. You¡¯ll exit the forest onto a paved road. This is the important


    part. Get on the road and stay there, don¡¯t move. Believe me, it won¡¯t take them long toe collect


    you.¡± Dex nodded at the four of us, choosing to approach me. He held arge hand out, nearly three


    times the size of my own. I felt like a child gripping his hand, but did so anyway when he gave me a


    smile that held that flicker of hope. ¡°You might have some mixed feelings about your abilities,


    considering you grew up a human and all, but there are thousands of us who have been waiting for


    you.¡±


    Dex shook the twin¡¯s hands next, and even Tori¡¯s. The most we managed from Carson was a sharp


    goodbye. She shed me the smallest of smiles before leaving, which was as odd as could be on a


    face as stern as hers. It made her look younger, less burdened by whatever she carried with her. As the


    two of them left, heading back the way we came to divert any oing trouble, I could feel her


    gratefulness in her emotions. It was a thank you in her own kind of way.


    We arrived at a slim paved road shortly after leaving Dex and Carson. Even the twin¡¯s felt at odds with


    being so exposed, standing in the center of a deserted road. We listened with ears peeled for the


    sounds of carsing. What we hadn¡¯t expected, were to hear dozens of tree¡¯s shaking, their leaves


    rattling and branches groaning.


    One by one, men and women dropped from the tree tops. On all sides they continued to fall, until we


    were surrounded.


    ¡°Wait¨C¡± I told the twin¡¯s, just as I felt them ready to a****k. Dozens of emotions rushed through me,


    each one tethered to the werewolves that stood around us. They were peaceful, happy, hopeful even.


    There was nothing dark within their emotions, nothing that would lead me to believe they meant us


    harm. I looked at each one, reading the light in their eyes. ¡°They won¡¯t hurt us.¡±


    The crowd of werewolves parted to let a woman through, her skin a dark shade of ebony. Chocte


    braids hung down her back, the color matched the intensity in her eyes. I could feel the confidence


    radiating from her, and knew that this woman was a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°I am d to see you¡¯ve all made it in one piece. That is a relief.¡± She greeted the four of us like long


    lost friends, her smile dazzling. ¡°I trust that Dex and Carson made it as well?¡±


    ¡°They did. They actually circled back around to divert anyone else that might¡¯ve been following.¡± I


    assured her, ¡°Not that we don¡¯t appreciate refuge in your pack, but who are you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Athena, and this is not my pack.¡± She smirked softly, turning back to look further down the


    road. In the distance, I could hear the hum of vehicles approaching. ¡°Actually, that should be them now.


    They insisted on meeting you here themselves.¡±


    A single SUV approached, and pulled over on the small shoulder of the road. Some part of me had


    hoped to see Jaspar, or even his daughter. Any sign that their lives hadn¡¯t been taken. Nheless, I


    was equally surprised to see the golden hair of Alpha Isaiah and Luna Mera as they stepped out from


    the vehicle.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    ¡°Tell me, what did you pick up from Athena?¡± Mera asked, breaking the silence that I knew wouldn¡¯tst


    long. There were too many questions on our end, and both Isaiah and Mera could feel our rising


    curiosity.


    We were in the dark colored SUV now, humming down the road we had once stood on as we neared


    Isaiah and Mera¡¯s pack. The faint scent of cherries and tobo wafted from the front of the vehicle,


    where two dark clothed guards sat.


    It was a bit of an awkward fit, with Tori sitting next to Mera and Isaiah, but I refused to let her take


    another vehicle. I was no stranger to how it feels when you lose both a mate and a best friend. It was


    something I wasn¡¯t willing to risk again, even if we were headed to safety. Tori didn¡¯t seem to mind, and


    actually liked Mera as much as I.


    My mind strayed to what Mera had asked of me. It was difficult, giving a loose interpretation of a person


    based on just a few seconds of information. At times, someone¡¯s emotions were a direct reflection of


    who they were as a person. Other times, it wasn¡¯t so simple.


    What no one seemed to realize is that emotions aren¡¯t just one-dimensional things. They¡¯re multi-


    faceted, and mix with one another to form something new. Anger and hatred turn into this festering mix,


    a noxious gas that poisons the soul over time. Joy and fondness, no matter if it¡¯s tonic or romantic,


    form longsting connections that allows love to bloom in its wake.


    It was this joy and fondness that I felting from Mera as she asked about Athena, though it was


    tonic in this case.


    ¡°She¡¯s very confident, but not in a headstrong kind of way. It¡¯s more like she¡¯s seen the worst of this


    world, but she refuses to let it harden her.¡± I answered truthfully. I had picked nothing else up, and


    didn¡¯t want to give her false information, so I quickly changed topics. ¡°You care about her a lot; I can


    feel it. She¡¯s family in your heart.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is.¡± Mera smiled fondly, the sight lighting up Isaiah¡¯s eyes. ¡°She became part of my family


    when she agreed to be my Beta.¡±


    ¡°Your Beta?¡± I asked, unable to contain my surprise. My eyes flickered to Alec and Kade, who sat on


    either side of me. I was squished between them, their hulking forms taking up nearly ny percent of


    the space in the back. I narrowed my eyes and frowned, ¡°You two never told me I could have a Beta.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, I never even thought of it.¡± Alec admitted, giving Mera a polite smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something traditional pack¡¯s do.¡± Kade nodded, and I watched the obsidian in his eyes soften


    as he looked at me. His voice was gruff but there was no mistaking the kindness that hid within them.


    ¡°If you want a Beta, you can have a Beta.¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t something traditional pack¡¯s do.¡± Mera scowled, but I could feel the pride behind her words.


    I could feel Isaiah¡¯s amusement towards his mate¡¯s anger, and wondered if she had ranted about this


    topic to him more than once. ¡°Traditions keep us whole as a people, but the ones that inhibit the she-


    wolves of this world from moving forward, they ought to be abolished. Starting with keeping us from


    positions of power.¡±


    We had been driving for nearly an hour, passing caps of pine and cedar trees. The thick scent of sap


    mixed with crisp mountain air. Even with the two guards up front, I tried to pretend that we weren¡¯t


    fugitives seeking shelter as we found our way back home.


    ¡°So, you both know Jaspar as well, then?¡± I broke the silence, unable to stop the questions I had from


    bubbling on my lips.


    ¡°Everyone knows Jaspar, he was arge part of the High Table. Even if he feigned uselessness with his


    inactivity. That was perhaps the only thing that kept Marcus from truly suspecting him.¡± Meraughed,


    and while the sound was beautiful, it was both bitter and joyous. ¡°¡®Yes, Aurora. Jaspar has helped us a


    time or two, and we have returned the favor.¡±


    An odd thought came to mind and I found myself speaking freely, ¡°Did those favors include helping


    some white wolves find refuge?¡±


    I had my answer when surprise washed through both her and Isaiah, though their faces were schooled


    into identical masks of indifference. I understood the perfected looks of cluelessness, especially when


    Marcus held most of the power in this world. One visit from him, and you¡¯d want to fortify your walls,


    protect your people.


    ¡°We all have our secrets, especially those of us against Marcus and the remaining table members.¡±


    Isaiah said, sounding wise despite how young he looked. He locked eyes with Mera, and the two of


    them seemed to fade into their own world. I knew the look, the ssiness in their eyes. They were


    speaking through thoughts, having a conversation disconnected from the rest of us. The vehicle was


    cloaked in silence for the next two minutes, until they finished their conversation. Isaiah looked back


    towards me, worry creeping at the corners of his emotions. ¡°You must forgive us, but we hold high


    stakes in all of this. Especially now that a war is brewing.¡±


    ¡°She will understand, Isaiah.¡± Mera said softly, her eyes never leaving my own. Isaiah was the caution


    to Mera¡¯s fearlessness. He was the voice of reason that held her back. I could only imagine how he


    handled both Mera and Athena. The thought only made me like the two of them more. ¡°I¡¯m positive her


    abilities make her a good judge of character.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct. I can tell that you¡¯re both being honest, and that you¡¯re very protective of whatever it


    is you¡¯re hiding.¡± I nodded, ncing between the two of them. It was an invasion of privacy, but one I


    couldn¡¯t turn off. I could try to ignore the emotions I felt around me, but they washed down my


    shoulders regardless. A smirk formed on Mera¡¯s face as I continued, matched by my widening smile.


    ¡°Actually, it was your general hatred for Marcus that piqued my interest in you both. I might have never


    noticed you if I couldn¡¯t feel what you were feeling. It gave me hope that there were at least another


    pack who saw him for what he was.¡±


    ¡°I told you this girl will change things.¡± Mera grinned wildly at Isaiah, who gave me an apologetic smile.


    ¡°I am not an optimist.¡± He admitted reluctantly, sighing when Mera began tough. ¡°Not like Mera is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an optimist either. I¡¯m a realist, darling.¡± Mera chided her mate with an intimate smile. She


    looked towards me, and kept her gaze locked on my own. ¡°Sooner orter, Marcus was going to c***h


    and b**n. After everything he has done, that much negative energy won¡¯t just knock him down a peg.


    It¡¯ll obliterate thedder entirely.¡±


    This was the first time I had been up in the mountains. Each steep incline and decline had my blood


    pumping, but it was the rocky slope of the cliff a few feet away that had me breaking out in a coldContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    sweat.


    Over the course of an hour, every single car on the highway had exited. Just as I thought the forest and


    highway would never end, we took an exit towards Vail.


    The exit led onto a small twoned road, which lead through the forest and deeper within.


    Both Tori and I audibly gasped when we finally made it into town. Mera and Isaiah radiated pride and I


    could clearly see why.


    The streets were cobblestone, rounded and smoothed without any wear or tear. Robust streetlights


    dotted the strip of road we were driving on. The speed limit slowed drastically, giving me plenty of time


    to absorb everything. A few men and women walked down the wide sidewalks, towards the smaller


    shops that sat along the road. Behind those shops I could see mountainous walls climbing upwards,


    capped with snow.


    They towered over us, caging us in. Oddly enough, instead of feeling trapped, I felt protected.


    The only grocery store in town was a rtively small building, but its huge windows let in copious


    amounts of warm sunlight, and the clerk had been one of the nicest women I had yet to meet. There


    were two gas stations, a quaint coffee shop with arge chalkboard sign, and even a small hair salon.


    We continued through town where the shops and streetmps thinned out. Forest once again


    surrounded us, but I could now make out the houses within each cluster of trees. Some of the houses


    wererger than others, and sat towards the forests edge. Others were smaller, but had winding


    driveways that led deeper into the forest.


    Finally, it was our turn to venture down one of these driveways. The guard driving maneuvered the


    SUV over the rocky path, towards a little two-story house just a hundred feet into the forest.


    The outside of the house had initially been a light shade of baby blue, but whoever lived here clearly


    had a fondness for painting. shes and tters were painted across the house, porch, and even


    some of the windows.


    There were vines of twisting flowers, curls of starving me, and waves of cobalt and sea green. Most


    of the shes and paint marks made no sense, but somehow seemed to cohesively go with the house.


    The front door, which had once been white, was now various shades of red and gold.


    Off to the side of the house was a huge garden, the star of the show being at least a dozen fully


    ripened tomato nts.


    We exited the vehicle as it rolled to a stop just in front of the wrap around porch. Mera led us up the


    stairs, but stopped at the front door.


    ¡°This ce is incredible.¡± I told her, ncing around at the thick trees that shot far into the sky.


    ¡°We have been working on this for thest ten years.¡± Mera smiled proudly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been working on the house for ten years?¡± I questioned, trying and failing not to give her a


    strange look.


    ¡°No, the town.¡± She chuckled, shaking her head.


    ¡°I thought the town was the capital of your pack?¡± I replied, looking between both Mera and Isaiah.


    ¡°No. For all intents and purposes, this ce does not exist. While you four are here, you do not exist


    either.¡± Mera said with a proud smile, and though the way she said it was a bit ominous, it was exactly


    what we needed.


    ¡°I am trusting you with this, not only because I hope it can win us this war, but because I would very


    much like to be friends in the future, Aurora. And the same goes for you, Tori.¡± Mera smiled softly,


    though I detected just a shred of nerves. Whatever she was protecting, it was very important. ¡°I did not


    tell you the entire truth when we first met. Marcus did take my sister when she was thirteen, but it was


    Jaspar Fox who helped get her back, ten yearster. It was a favor he owed me, one of my choosing.


    Rescuing Sabine¡ªit nearly had him caught.¡±


    ¡°He rescued your sister from Marcus, ten yearster?¡± I couldn¡¯t keep the h****r from my words, not


    with the way Mera¡¯s heart ached and her throat burned from guilt and shame.


    ¡°She is not the same as she once was.¡± Mera said softly, clutching the doorknob in her hand, pushing it


    open. ¡°Apart of her has nevere back from that ce.¡±


    The soft sound of singing trickled through the house, sounding towards the back. We found the source


    as we ventured into the living room, and stepped on the thick stic sheets that lined the floors.


    Standing across the room, with her golden hair pulled up in a bun, was Sabine. Much thinner than


    Mera, Sabine had a wispier form. She was singing to herself, her eyes closed as she shed and


    swiped with the paint brush. She made broad strokes down the wall of the living room, mixing pinks


    with blues and greens with yellows, as she painted in anguage only, she understood.


    ¡°Sabine, I told you I was bringing guests.¡± Mera said softly, though Sabine still jumped at the sound.


    Pain passed through Mera as she recognized her sister¡¯s reaction. ¡°I absolutely love what you¡¯ve done


    with the walls. The blues and pinks are just stunning, like a sunset.¡±


    She hid the emotion well, but I could feel the stab of sheer terror that wrapped itself around Sabine¡¯s


    neck the moment she had been startled. For that split second, she hadn¡¯t been rescued. She was still


    right where Marcus wanted her.


    Sabine turned to the four of us, her face slim and cerulean eyes unnaturally bright. They weren¡¯t quite


    looking at any of us¨Cmore like, past us.


    ¡°One Luna has twins, and the other Luna has the cursed son.¡± She said in a dreamy voice, her pale lips


    opening and closing. I could feel Tori tense, and just when I thought Sabine might continue, she blinked


    with surprise. ¡°Oh, would anyone care for some tea? It has butterfly pea flowers. They turn purple when


    you add lemon juice. How wonderful.¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Both Tori and I obliged, clearly wanting to hear more of what she might say.


    ¡°Thingse to her at random, but do not press her too hard. Simple, straightforward questions. She


    bes overwhelmed easily, and it takes hours to calm her down.¡± Mera frowned, gazing ahead to


    where Sabine tiptoed into the kitchen, her movements smooth and silent. ¡°Just as well, do not say


    Novak seniors name. It triggers something in her, a vision¨Cor perhaps a memory. All I know, is it is


    horrible enough to cause her to harm herself. So, speaking his name around her is forbidden.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re alright with us asking her some questions?¡± I asked, just a tad surprised, even with the


    boundaries she had set in ce.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I could feel how much Mera loved her sister, how devoted she was to seeing to her every whim. Sabine


    had been through so much in those ten years, most of which I¡¯m sure she couldn¡¯t talk about, and Mera


    was determined to make up for every second of it. It was why she let Sabine paint the walls, pouring


    her emotions into the oils and acrylics, focusing her fear into the coarse bristles of the paint brush.


    ¡°I trust that you will not cause her unnecessary trauma.¡± Mera said with a strong voice, though not


    unkind. Her seafoam eyes flickered to where Sabine stood in the kitchen, standing over a pot of tea as


    her eyes once again went glossy. Within seconds, the vision had ended and Sabine resumed her


    humming. ¡°I cannot begin to imagine what she¡¯s seen, but any information she gives could provide us


    the upper hand.


    I never had a reason to drink tea before, but with the way Sabine made it, I¡¯d have to look into some


    myself. Incredibly sweet and floral, with a fruity undertone. There was none of that bitterness and old


    leaf taste I had experienced at the restaurant as a server. Even the lemon juice, which in fact had


    turned the tea purple, was steeped in sweetness.


    We sat out back, where a screened in patio jutted out from the house. Padded chairs with hand painted


    cushions sat around arge ss top table, which had thin fines and wispy pink flowers decorated


    along the top. There were still a few dried-up cups of paint sitting towards the outer edge. Outside of


    the patio and down three small steps were a grill, covered in multicolored handprints.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Sabine. All of your artwork is incredible.¡±¡® I told her in a kind voice once she took


    a seat at the table.


    Alec helped carry in a tray full of small teacups, a bowl of sugar cubes, and other little ss bottles in


    from the kitchen, shing me a wink before sitting down. I knew very little about tea, but this seemed


    much moreplicated than the simple sugar and water mixture we made at the restaurant.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already met, Aurora. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± She asked, her voice twinkling and soft. Up close I


    could see that her eyes weren¡¯t the same shade of seafoam as her sister, but a pale shade of sky blue.


    They were filled with dreams and nightmares, all of which were very much real. Her thin lips dropped


    as she read the confusion in my eyes as easily as I could feel her emotions, flitting by like cars down a


    highway. ¡°Oh, has that not happened yet? Or¨Cis it happening now? I apologize, I get so confused at


    times.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, my abilities canplicate things too sometimes.¡± I shook my head, letting a genuine


    smile form on my face. I could feel her rx, and marveled at how strange her emotions felt. They


    seemed toe from nowhere, rushing through her as fast as those fragmented visions seemed to hit.


    ¡°This is the first time any of us are meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is the first time, then!¡± She beamed, the wavy strands of her golden hair falling from the clip


    that held it in ce. She looked so proud of herself, so joyful that I couldn¡¯t dare smother it. She


    plopped a few sugar cubes into her tea, and added a ssh of cream before continuing. What she said


    next did nothing to dampen her mood, and everything to dampen my own. ¡°Good, that¡¯s very good.


    That means you still have one, two¨Cthree days left.¡±


    Mera stilled, her eyes flitting between Sabine and I. Judging from the shock in her emotions, she had


    yet to hear Sabine utter a word about this uing deadline.


    ¡°Sabine, what is happening in three days?¡± Mera asked softly, reaching out to squeeze her sister¡¯s


    hand.


    ¡°The assassin and her hound wille. Then chaos will follow.¡± She murmured, pulling her hand away


    from Mera¡¯s with downcast eyes. As quickly as they fogged over, it had vanished. She perked right up


    as her eyes cleared and smiled at all of us, ¡°Anymore tea?¡±


    ¡°We need connections to someone who was in¨CZayne¡¯s father¡¯s pack.¡± I scowled, catching myself


    before his name slipped from my lips.¡± There has to be a way to find out who this assassin is, and her


    hound.¡±


    Sabine was out back, painting the pavement patio that made up a quarter of the backyard. I could hear


    her humming trickling in through the back door, but still wouldn¡¯t risk saying his name.


    ¡°Is there anyone else in town from his pack that might know who Sabine is speaking of?¡± Kade asked,


    the depth to his voice made hime off as a bit aggressive. He cleared his throat and smirked down


    at me, hearing the big bad monster I made him out to be in my thoughts. ¡°Anyone we wouldn¡¯t harm by


    asking?¡±


    Mera and Isaiah looked at one another, their eyes zing over as their stream of thoughts meshed as


    one. After a minute or so, awareness fluttered back into their eyes.


    ¡°There might be a few we could ask, but there¡¯s always a chance they won¡¯t respond well.¡± Isaiah


    frowned.


    ¡°They agreed to join our pack when they stayed, we gave them the choice.¡± Mera nodded softly at her


    mate, cing a hand on his own. He let out a soft sigh, the short strands of his golden hair falling


    across his forehead. ¡°We can ask this of them.¡±


    Even though I hadn¡¯t noticed before, this quaint little town was full of warriors, most of which were


    stationed in the surrounding mountains and forest. It was hard to scent them at first, as the winds were


    harsh and the forest dense. Scents thinned out easily, carried off by distant winds. Those who weren¡¯t


    protecting the town or watching for any intruders were protecting the very house where Sabine stayed,


    where we all stayed for the time being.


    Isaiah slipped away to ce a few phone calls to the houses in town that held previous members from


    Marcus¡¯s pack. Random couples and fractured families were ced inrge cabins and homes


    together. From what Mera exined to Tori and I, things werefortable here. There had even been


    a few mates discovered in the process.


    Isaiah came back nearly an hourter, his golden eyebrows knitted tightly together. With the way his


    cellphone was gripped in his hand, I wondered if he had found anyone we could speak to. When his


    emotions registered within me, I found myself surprised.


    Small fractures of worry cracked at Isaiah¡¯s foundation, spreading until it split off intorger splinters.


    They buried themselves in my mind, my chest, and lungs.


    ¡°You found out who they are.¡± I sucked in a sharp breath, feeling my own heartrate increase with his.


    ¡°Darling, what did you find out?¡± Mera frowned, ncing between the two of us. She ced the palms


    of her hands on his face, down the light stubble that coated his tanned skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s just rumors, stories told in his pack to frighten them all into submission.¡± Isaiah replied, his voice


    notably stronger. With a small smile that spoke of gentle affection, he removed Mera¡¯s hands from her


    face and ced them against his lips. Once they were no longer touching, that shadow fell back over


    his eyes and the worry continued to creep in. ¡°There were three who were able to give me some


    insight, though the details change from person to person. The assassin is a white wolf, one with the


    ability to resist abilities. Another said she has the ability to steal abilities, but I find that improbable. The


    hound is just as bad, unfortunately. They¡¯re a tracker, one that doesn¡¯t miss. Once the hound has your


    scent, there¡¯s nowhere on earth you can hide. One went as far to say that the hound could sniff your


    body from out the bottom of the ocean.¡±


    ¡°How wonderfullyforting.¡± I said, my mouth dry and eyes wide.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be real, right?¡± Tori scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes were concerned,


    but also held that rigid edge of fearlessness she was known for. ¡°A white wolf who can resist the


    powers of other white wolves. What kind of power is that? She¡¯s just a normal wolf, then.¡±


    ¡°Assuming she¡¯s earned her name, I believe the semantics of her abilitieses in second ce.¡±


    Isaiah countered, making Tori¡¯s grimace deepen. ¡°Besides, that¡¯s not the most interesting part. When


    Sabine said that chaos will follow, she meant: Chaos. As in, a person. The Assassin, the Hound, and


    Chaos. They¡¯re who he sends when he needs someone halfway across the world d**d.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    The n since arriving in Mera and Isaiah¡¯s pack had been to get the four of us back home safely in


    time for the inevitable war, which could easily happen at any second.


    Now that not one, but three deadly werewolves wereing for me, we had a time limit to our ns.


    Three days, we would have to leave in two.


    That meant not onlying up with an evacuation n, but Mera and Isaiah had to make ns of their


    own.


    Danger and d***h had followed us, putting all of these white wolves at risk. An entire city dedicated to


    their safety, to remaining invisible. Ten years of blood, sweat, and secrets¨Cand it had all been


    jeopardized in the span of an hour.


    ¡°They¡¯ll find you no matter where you go.¡± Mera shook her head, seeing the war brewing in my eyes.


    For a moment, I wondered if she could feel emotions too, or if she was truly just that in tune with


    everything going on around her. ¡°These people live here knowing it is their safest option, though not


    infallible. They understand that it¡¯s discovery could happen at any moment.¡±


    ¡°If we leave in two days, is there a chance that your warriors can divert the trail so that they go around


    the town?¡± Alec asked, a million idea¡¯s running through his dark eyes. ¡°We could leave tomorrow, just


    as the sun sets.¡±


    ¡°It is possible, but the most important part is ensuring you four make it back to your pack.¡± Mera


    squared her shoulders and turned her eyes to me. ¡°Every single person in this town knows who you


    are, and they would all willingly sacrifice their lives if it meant getting you out. I understand that you do


    not want your life put before anyone else¡¯s, but you are the head of this movement. Packs that have


    remained quiet for decades are finally speaking up. They¡¯re finally stepping forward and it¡¯s because of


    you. If you d*e, so does the courage that many of these packs are experiencing for the first time. You


    are hope to them, someone too strong to be controlled.¡±


    How far things hade, from a mundane human to a hunted fugitive. Mera¡¯s words followed me,


    echoing in my ear as her, Tori, and I left the house. Sabine¡¯s humming sounded oddly like a f*****l dirge


    as I descended the porch steps with a weight in my chest.


    We had no time to rx or reoperate. Isaiah and the twins were staying behind with Sabine, to figure


    out a n on getting us out of here safely. Contacting anyone outside of town wasn¡¯t possible, not


    without risking exposure. Mera and Isaiah could mind link the rest of their pack members, no matter


    how many miles away.


    With Mera at the wheel, we drove into town and pulled into the parking lot of a modest looking building.


    Made from red brick and rectangr windows, a handmade sign read ¡°Public Library¡±.


    ¡°We won¡¯t have all the answers, but there might be something that can help you.¡± Mera exined as


    we entered, listening to the little golden bell attached to the door ring. We were enveloped in the


    comforting smell of rose incense and warm tea. She made no move to head to the front desk, where a


    woman in her fifties smiled warmly. Mera made a beeline for a door that read, ¡°employee¡¯s only¡±.


    ¡°Marcus also likes knowledge, which means restricting it from everyone else. This is the only safe ce


    we have for our pack¡¯s collective knowledge. Everything we know, passed down from countless


    generations.¡±


    We headed down a set of metal stairs, into a dark and damp basement. Another door led us to an old


    meeting room. There were shelves lined against the walls, full of books both dusty and old. Two


    wooden tables held multiple books on top, some pried open with tools smoothing down the pages.


    ¡°We try to preserve the older ones, and repair them when we can.¡± She exined, gesturing to a wall


    full of small boxes, ¡°Most of these boxes are official documents, but there¡¯s also news articles going


    back at least a hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Are all of these recounting from your pack¡¯s ancestors?¡± Tori marveled, eyeing a book case full of


    journals. Most of the covers were peeling and the pages stained yellow, but I could only imagine the


    wellspring of information inside.


    ¡°Many of them are, that was how we recorded our history.¡± Mera nodded, ¡°You¡¯ll find some scientific


    journals as well, but I¡¯m not entirely sure if any are on the subject of white wolves. You both may take


    as long as you need. I am going to coordinate with some of the other pack members on how they might


    aid us with your evacuation.¡±


    ¡°It would take weeks to go through all of this.¡± Tori shook her head, trailing her fingers over the dusty


    journal spines. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and I knew that part of her mind was somewhere else


    entirely.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we only have a few hours, but at least I have the best assistant a girl could ask for.¡± I


    teased, smiling when some of the worry faded from her eyes.


    ¡°Assistant!¡± She scoffed, precariously pulling a few journals from their shelves before setting them


    down on the nearest table. Her ming hair bounced as she plopped down, gingerly lifting the cover


    with her finger nail. ¡°Now that I know Luna¡¯s can have a Beta, I think I¡¯d like to request a raise.¡±


    It was my turn to be surprised,pletely caught off guard. I mean, I had thought the same thing, but I


    knew how rocky things were between her and Zayne. If there was ever that chance that they could be


    together, I could never hold her back from that.


    For a moment, I wondered if Tori had temporarily taken my abilities, because she read the look in my


    eye for exactly what it was.


    ¡°I know, I think the same thing sometimes.¡± She hummed softly, ncing down at the journal in front of


    her. ¡°What if¡¯s and all of that. It just hurts more to think that way, to n some kind of future with him


    when he clearly doesn¡¯t want me there. I can¡¯t put my life on pause for him, and if that means never


    bing a Luna¨Cwell, there¡¯s a lot of good I can do as my best-friend¡¯s Beta. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I think that was well said.¡± I mused, unable to help the smile that overtook my face. I grabbed a few


    journals as well, crinkling my nose when the scent of dust and cracked leather fluttered into the air.


    ¡°Besides, he doesn¡¯t dictate whether or not you¡¯re a Luna. You might have the official title as a Beta,


    but you¡¯ll always be more than that.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean I got the job?¡± She smirked, wiggling her eyebrows in a much more Tori-like


    fashion.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± I shrugged, tapping my chin. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I¡¯m going to need from you.


    References, a d**g test, past employers¨C¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure none of those things matter now that we¡¯re fugitives.¡± She smirked, emerald-colored


    eyes warm and light for a change.


    Weughed and joked for the next few minutes, stealing back some normalcy from the man who had


    threw both of our lives through the blender. Through the bleary-eyed chuckles, we could almost forget


    where we were, even with the scent of old books lodged in our heads.


    We got to work right after, wiping tradingughter for quickly exchangedments on what we were


    reading. The clock in here had long expired, and ticked away even though the hands never once


    moved. I knew time was creeping by as my eyes began to dry and the small spot between my


    eyebrows arched.


    ¡°There were so many white wolves back then, with so many different powers.¡± Tori said softly, both


    amazed and horrified.


    ¡°There still are white wolves, just as many.¡± I said what we both knew, ¡°They¡¯re just not free.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I swapped between musty journals and brittle feeling newspaper clippings about pack politics and even


    a few murders.


    Things were a lot different when white wolves roamed freely, lived freely within their packs.


    As there always is in life, there were white wolves who craved destruction and violence. They did as


    many humans do; they m******d and stole, took what they wanted from whomever. The difference was


    that these werewolves had magic, an advantage that made them more dangerous than amon


    m******r.


    There was always a price; a price for freedom. This was that price, that the white wolves let out into the


    world wouldn¡¯t all be peaceful.


    I knew that this was the first thing I would do once stepping into power. I would make sure that we


    survived, that our kind truly began to flourish, and that those who wanted to hurt the innocent were


    removed from the equation. I trusted that my absoluteck of experience would be mitigated by the


    knowledge of my mates and family.


    I trailed my eyes over what felt like the hundredth journal. The tiny ck script made my eyes ache,


    and felt like agony as I arced and curved over their p¡¯s and q¡¯s. It was a single phrase that caught my


    eye, one I had almost missed.


    1512


    I saw her with my own eyes. Lady Anne healed the cksmith¡¯s boy.


    The vige crone had fixed his broken and brittle body after a fall from a great tree.


    A scream of fright was not foreign, especially one from a child. The gue and dysentery s*********d


    our viges, devoured our young and rotted them before our eyes. We felt the loss less than the


    mortals, though still as deep when our devout were among those diseased.


    Initially, I had nned to turn around and walk in the opposite direction as the ill child. Having children


    of my own and two lost to the creator, I could risk no more than anyone else.


    Lady Anne held no home, no devout bonded to her soul. Long had the vige been waiting for her


    d***h, waiting for disease to im her. Lady Anne was among the seldom few who had not felt it¡¯s cold


    touch.


    Not one knew her health was a curse from the creator.


    I knew it as I turned, as I watched Lady Anne approach the boy¡¯s broken body. Cartge and flesh,


    bone and sinew. A b****y canvas highlighted by the boy¡¯s mncholy song, which now was nothing


    more than a whimper.


    The way her eyes grew bright when she touched the boy, the way my own life flickered and ebbed.


    Lady Anne was cursed with devouring life, my own life. It was that very life she was then giving to the


    cksmith¡¯s boy.


    My breath fueled his heart, the blood in my veins knitting the wounds on his skin.


    I cked out shortly after, hearing nothing but the rush of blood in my ears. I had not seen Lady Anne


    since that day, but have long watched the boy grow into manhood, free of illness and gue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this helps us, but I think I¡¯ve found something about my abilities.¡± I frowned, ncing


    up at Tori. Her hair was a tangled mess from how many times she ran her fingers through it, meshing


    the curls together. ¡°It¡¯s kind of discouraging.¡±


    Tori had just enough time to skim the delicate hand writing before the door was wrenched open and


    Mera came through. The sharp edge to her worry had me standing from my seat, grabbing Tori¡¯s hand


    to follow her without a single word.


    ¡°Somethings wrong with Sabine.¡± She said through clenched teeth as we sped through the center of


    town. There weren¡¯t many cars out, as the sun had already begun to set. It was easy enough for her to


    weave in between traffic as we coasted forwards. ¡°She has episodes, which is understandable


    considering everything she¡¯s been through. Sometimes they are worse than others, when vision¡¯s flood


    her too fast for her to process.¡±


    We swung into the driveway, kicking up dirt and gravel as we mored from the SUV. A quick patter of


    feet on the porch and we were all inside.


    Admittedly, Sabine¡¯s episode wasn¡¯t what I had expected.


    It was quiet in the house, eerily so. It was when we came upstairs that we understood what was going


    on.


    Alec and Kade both leaned against the wall outside of what looked to be Sabine¡¯s bedroom. Both


    pulled me into their embrace, but quickly let me go as I noticed what was going on. A door of pure


    white painted in sshes of pink and swipes of neon green. The door was open, showing Sabine and


    Isaiah inside.


    Isaiah stood off to the side, pleading with his eyes while gently speaking to Sabine.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± Mera asked fiercely, following Isaiah from the hall. ¡°She has never acted like


    this, even when you slipped up and said his name.¡±


    Sabine made no move to show that she had heard Mera. She stood in her room, coated in dark colored


    paint as she furiously sshed and swiped away at the walls.


    Colorful art was covered in splotches of ck and blue, walls of pure crimson. Her movements were


    twitchy, her eyes wide and glossed over as she swiped and shed.


    ¡°Is she having visions?¡± I asked Mera, stepping into the bedroom to get a closer look.


    Her eyes were clouded, pools of blue that seemed just a tad too hazy. There was some awareness


    there, but not much. As for her emotions, they were a whirlpool. Fear, disbelief, h****r, outrage. A


    festering mess of negative emotions that rushed by her all at once.


    I stumbled back, feeling my head pound and my vision blur as all of those emotions passed through


    me. Delicate sparks trickled up my wrists and arms as I felt the touch of both Alec and Kade.


    ¡°You alright, doll?¡± His words were tinged with worry, whispered down to my ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s her emotions.¡± I shuddered, stepping back into both of their warm embraces. Alec with his spicy


    scent, and Kade with his rich one. Both masculine and delectable, but noticeably different. ¡°I


    understand why she has these episodes. It¡¯s like she feels everything from her visions, but it¡¯s all at


    once. Anyone would get overwhelmed if they were constantly being swarmed all of the time.¡±


    I stood back with Alec and Kade as Mera entered the room, walking up slowly to Sabine. Her sister


    made no notice, still scratching and shing at the paint on the walls. Covering bright pinks and


    purples with darkness and blood.


    ¡°It looks like a warzone.¡± Kade shrugged, making an offhandment that seemed just a tad too true.


    The shes of crimson over top the ck, it did look like a warzone.


    Both Tori and I jumped when Sabine¡¯s scream filled the room and hall. Mera had ced a hand on her


    shoulder, tearing Sabine from her vision as she stumbled backwards with her hands raised.


    ¡°Do not touch me.¡± She hissed, colliding into the corner of the room where she remained rooted in


    ce.


    I wasn¡¯t sure whatpelled me to move forwards. Perhaps it was the mind-splitting fear Sabine felt,


    and how her psyche seemed to be in two ces at once. Or it could have been my own inner


    compassion, I wasn¡¯t sure.


    All I knew was that one moment I was standing with Alec and Kade, and the next I was just two feet


    away from a very terrified Sabine. I nced between the two sisters¡¯ reading the very different fear in


    both of their eyes. I felt both equally, and for that brief moment, I was both older and younger sister.


    Terrified for my life, and the life I had thought lost.


    Mera¡¯s eyes hardened when she met mine, and finally, she gave me a firm nod. I seemed to have


    some inkling of what that meant, because I took that as my ¡®okay¡¯ to move forward.


    ¡°I could never understand what you went through, but your sister-these people here, you can protect


    them. You can keep him from them Sabine, but you have to tell us what you saw.¡±


    The words came from my mouth smoothly, despite the obvious tremor in my hands.


    I ced my hands on Sabine, and felt my knee¡¯s buckle as her fear washed over me. Years of it,


    stacked on top of one another until details and memories became warped and fuzzy. She was neither


    here nor there, but everywhere at once. Trapped beneath Marcus¡¯s thumb, a child thrown into a cell, an


    adult finally freed, a sister¨Cafter so long of being alone. Surrounded by real people, flesh and blood


    instead of that of her visions.


    The text about Lady Anne briefly ran through my head, and I wonder if it was that or past theories that


    forced my next actions.


    Much like feeding from someone¡¯s soul, this held that simr connection. Only this time instead of


    pulling and tearing with vicious ws and sharpened teeth, I was giving. ws and teeth retracted,


    nothing but flesh and smooth skin.


    Energy passed through me in a flood of warmth, resonating in my chest as it thrummed down my arms


    and into Sabine.


    She was no longer screaming, her eyes frozen but not clouded.


    Slowly, she blinked a few times. Her eyes darted around the room, at the painted walls and canopied


    bed, at her sister who she looked at for the longest. Finally, her eyes traveled back around to me.


    ¡°They found out you knew they wereing. ns have changed, the three will be here in one hour,


    and he¡¯ll be here in five.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t weak nor were her words whispered. They were spoken with


    rity, and not that dreamy tone she had been using when we first met. ¡°What did you do to me? I


    couldn¡¯t tell the difference between what I was seeing, what was real. I can separate them now, the


    visions and¡­and memories. You¡¯re her, you have to be. The girl with eyes of earth and water.¡±


    A spasm of panic settled in my chest at what I might have done to her, and the h****r that it may wear


    off, but when I saw the blossoming joy and fear on Mera¡¯s face, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to fracture that.


    ¡°I think I am.¡± I replied, my voice just a tad pained. I stumbled backwards as I let go, wondering how


    much energy I had given Sabine. There was something nagging at the back of my mind, something I


    had to ask her. ¡°How did he know that we found out? I thought he didn¡¯t know you were here.¡±


    Sabine was silent for so long that I wondered if she might not answer the question, or if she¡¯d sink back


    into her trauma and the memories and visions that once flooded her.


    ¡°My daughter knows.¡± She finally whispered, a shaky handing up to cover her mouth. ¡± She works


    for him.¡±


    Alec caught me as I stumbled back, his hands gripping my hips as he all but kept me standing. Kade


    frowned and closed in as well, but it was Mera who first spoke up.


    ¡°I have heard the whispers, but I prayed they weren¡¯t true.¡± Her voice mirrored her sisters, horrified at


    the thought of Marcus having her niece, and fearful of the woman she has be under his influence.


    ¡°We will do what we can to help her, but for now we must take action.¡±


    ¡°What the h**l are we supposed to do? If they¡¯re an hour away, that means they know this ce exists.¡±


    I frowned, leaning into both of the twins as I mustered up the strength for the uing hour.


    ¡°Trying to evacuate the town in time will not work.¡± Sabine spoke before Mera had the chance, earning


    another look of stunned surprise. Her voice still held that distinct swell of kindness, a trait I was relieved


    she kept despite the h****r she went through. ¡°They have other¡¯s following close behind, enough to


    cause much d***h.¡±


    ¡°Then what are our options?¡± Mera hissed, though not at anyone in particr. She nced at Isaiah,


    whose eyes were just as pained.


    ¡°We will fight, and use that diversion to get Aurora, her mates, and friend out safely.¡± Isaiah said with


    finality, giving his mate a long look that made pain sear beneath my skin. ¡°You and Sabine will go as


    well.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Mera spat, eyes hardening. ¡°If you are staying to fight, I am as well. We go together,


    Isaiah. Do not forget your promise to me. Sabine will go with them. I will not have her anywhere near


    that man, never again.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, Mera.¡± Sabine whispered, eyes shimmering like sapphire water color. Whatever I had done


    to her, it cleared the fog from her mind and brought her back to the present. I hadn¡¯t healed her of those


    invisible wounds. Of the bruises and shes that trauma leaves, that remain open, manifesting


    themselves in your dreams and thoughts. I hadn¡¯t healed that part of her, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I could. ¡°I


    don¡¯t want to leave you again, but I cannot go back there.¡±


    ¡°Do not apologize to me.¡± Mera shook her head softly, taking Sabine¡¯s hands in her own. Instead of


    cringing away, Sabine returned the smile. ¡°Stay alive, and free. You have spent long enough in a cage.¡±


    The very thing that keeps this town safe from outsiders is the same thing that risks its exposure.


    Located in the middle of the forest, nestled in the mountains, there are at least six different ways for


    Marcus¡¯s people to infiltrate the town.


    Within half an hour, the entire town understood what would soon happen. That they would y


    diversion while I escaped with my mates, best-friend, and Sabine in tow. Rather than send warriors out


    to defend those six entrances, everyone pushed further to the center of town. There they would fight


    against any of the white wolves Marcus had sent with the three.


    ¡°I trust you will do everything possible to keep her safe.¡± Mera whispered into my ear, wrapping her


    arms around me in an embrace that smelled of sunflowers and shea. ¡°I do hope we meet again,


    Aurora. Preferably in this life.¡±


    After a teary goodbye between Mera and Sabine, she and Isaiah left ten minutester. They nned to


    converge with the rest of the town, at the center where they waited for Marcus¡¯s white wolves. With


    Mera wearing my clothes and Isaiah wearing the twin¡¯s, they carried our scent throughout the town with


    them. There would be backuping in around an hour or two from now, from the nearby cities within


    Isaiah¡¯s territory.


    Marcus now knew that without a doubt, Mera and Isaiah were involved in the resistance. From this


    point forwards, war would be dered on their pack as well. Should I fail and Marcus win, there would


    no longer be a ce for them in the world.


    Right on the hour mark, warning bells sounded throughout the entire town, echoing down deserted


    streets and back roads. Long and monotonous, they were the exact opposite sound of what my heart


    was making. Two conflicting beats that both carried the same amount of foreboding.


    We waited ten minutes before slipping out the backdoor, keeping behind houses but out of the forest as


    we progressed further from town. If I listened hard, I swore I could hear the sound of snarling as white


    wolves fought one another to the d***h.


    Each of us had showered before leaving, changing into clothes that didn¡¯t carry our scent. It was a bit


    more difficult for Sabine, who had lived in the house long enough for her scent to reach just about


    everything.


    I knew something was wrong when we were half an hour away from town. Sabine had stopped in her


    tracks, her eyes going foggy for just a few short seconds. She blinked a few times and looked around,


    fear creeping and growing with every second.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, taking her hand even though she hardly knew me. I couldn¡¯t help but feel she might¡¯ve


    known me fairly well, considering she¡¯s been seeing visions of me since she was a child. ¡°What is it?


    What did you see?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee with you.¡± Her voice was feather soft, broken and fractured. That flicker of hope


    had burned out before it had the chance to be anything more than a small ember. A crack


    sounded in the forest, making Kade whip around. ¡°They¡¯ve found us because of me.¡±


    The first thing I smelled was body odor, masculine and thick with sweat. It was overbearing, and I


    understood why when a towering figure emerged from the forest.


    He was easily six foot tall, thoughpletely b**e in the muscle department. Shaggy bark colored hair


    hung down to his shoulders, greasy and poorly brushed. Patchy stubble coated his chin, and sweat


    stained clothes hung from his body. He was one of the least intimidating men I had ever met, but the


    Hound wasn¡¯t meant to look threatening.


    ¡°He caught my scent.¡± Sabine croaked, her entire frame trembling.


    I turned my head to Tori just as another figure emerged from the forest.


    ¡°Get her out of here when they a****k.¡± I told her, my voice low and just barely audible. When I saw her


    eyes widen, and turn defensive, I harshened my tone even further. I knew she could see it in my eyes,


    that I wasn¡¯t asking. It was her first test as my Beta, the first test to see if she could suppress those


    Luna instincts and listen to a direct order. ¡°I mean it, Tori. Focus on her, not me.¡±


    Both Tori and I moved in front of Sabine, making sure she stayed behind the towering forms of the


    twins. I could feel her trembling and taste her fear from the few feet away we stood.


    The next to emerge,ing to a stop just a few feet closer to us than the Hound, was a petite looking


    girl. She was young, with rounded features that could easily pass for eighteen. Even though there was


    a certain kind of youth to her, I did not miss the thick muscles along her arms and legs.


    Thest to step out was Chaos, who would have easily been one of the most beautiful men I had ever


    seen, if it weren¡¯t for the sinister light to his eyes. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were a rich


    shade of crimson, which stood out brightly from his onyx hair. It was the glint of satisfaction in them


    when he noticed I wasn¡¯t alone, that there would be others to take out before grabbing me. A washed-


    out band t-shirt and some torn jeanspleted the look, though there was nothing salvageable within


    this man. A sociopath through and through.


    Just as Sabine had said; the Assassin and Hound had finallye, and Chaos followed.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Just as Sabine had said; the Assassin and Hound had finallye, and Chaos followed.


    ¡°Are you going toe with us willingly, Aurora?¡± The Assassin spoke first, her voice a delicate


    falsetto. ¡°Your little magic won¡¯t work on me, but I¡¯d love to see you try.¡±


    Something at the very pit of my stomach told me not to use my abilities on her. I didn¡¯t have those


    punch you in the gut feelings very often, but this was one I couldn¡¯t ignore.


    The way she sang my name sent a shiver down my spine, which I suppressed with gritted teeth. She


    plucked a knife from one of the straps around her leg and held it in her hand. Her glossy auburn hair


    was tightly pulled back, wrapped in a braid at the base of her neck.


    She only reminded me of the de I had as well, given to me by Isaiah before he had left with Mera. It


    was a kind gesture considering I barely had a clue on how to use the thing. Either way, if the Assassin


    got her hands on me, this de could quickly be my salvation.


    Clearly, she was the star of the show, the one who led the other two. Chaos was foaming at the mouth,


    shing his movie star smile that seemed all wrong with the cruelty in his eyes. The Hound just stood


    there, mindlessly staring at the five of us, nostrils ring as he took in our scents.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you.¡± I assured her, forcing as much false bravado into my voice as


    possible.


    The Assassin shrugged indifferently and nodded at Chaos, whose smile widened into a grin. A tremor


    of excitement seemed to snake its way down his back, making his fingers twitch and eyes sparkle.


    ¡°F**k yeah, been waiting forever for this.¡± He whooped, inky hair falling back as he threw his arms out


    towards the five of us.


    I realized toote what Chaos¡¯s ability was, and that he hadn¡¯t been aiming for the five of us, but for the


    twins. The twin¡¯s obsidian eyes brightened, turning a rich shade of crimson that mirrored Chaos¡¯s.


    H****r enveloped me when I realized that while I could still feel the mate-bond, I no longer had ess


    to their stream of thought. Awareness was leached from their sight, leaving room for nothing but chaos.


    Alec and Kade turned towards one another, snarling and tensing up. I acted without thinking the


    moment I saw Kade¡¯s hand shifting into that of a wolf, nails elongating into curved ws. I lunged


    forwards, though not towards the twins, and not physically.


    Ished out with my abilities, desperately trying to sink my hooks into Chaos and pull with everything I


    had. Just as I felt myself make contact, and form that connection, the Assassin sliced through them


    with cold-hot steel.


    She leaped forward with incredible swiftness, with the Hound tailing her. Her muscr form still moved


    incredibly fast, making me scramble into action. Chaos was engrossed with the twin¡¯s, using them like


    a child would battle with two action figures.


    Kade lunged at Alec, shing his elongated nails across the soft flesh of his face. I snarled in sync with


    Alec, who was already shifting before my eyes. I needed to do something, and fast. Another minute


    and I¡¯d be lucky if I had one mate standing.


    I wanted to nce at Tori and Sabine, who were both just as exposed as I, but I couldn¡¯t risk cing


    attention on them.


    Instead, I did what anypletely sane werewolf would do and ran.


    I veered left into the forest, knowing I wouldn¡¯t make it very long or far. The goal wasn¡¯t to escape, but


    to get them away from the twins, Tori and Sabine.


    It was the exact opposite of what everyone had been telling me¡ªthat I was more important than


    everyone else, that I had to stay alive and away from Marcus at all costs.


    My chest was wracked with pain, because at the end of the day, I couldn¡¯t sit by and let the people I


    cared about d*e for me.


    So here I was, running into the arms of the enemy.


    Even as I heard the Assassin¡¯s snicker at my back, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to regret doing everything


    humanly possible to save my mates.


    If there was one thing I promised myself, it was that now I needed to be strong. Aurora, weak human


    daughter of Melissa, was skin shed from my shoulders. There was room for nothing else¨Cno one else,


    except for Luna Aurora.


    I was knocked to the ground, shoved into the dirt just half a minute in. The taste of it filled my mouth,


    followed by a disgusting grainy texture that crunched beneath my teeth. The gentle scent of gardenias


    and rose petals filled my nose, and I met the not-so-gentle eyes of the Assassin. They were a deep,


    chocte shade of brown that held rich undertones of caramel.


    Even though Icked the fighting skills of your typical Luna, I still had the reflexes.


    I wrapped a hand around the leather-bound hilt of the silver de currently hidden within my belt loop. I


    had no doubt the Assassin had earned her name by writ of blood, but she had made the same mistake


    everyone makes when they be the best at their trade; she becamecent, she


    underestimated me.


    I¡¯m positive she was told everything about me, that my abilities were the most dangerous aspect of my


    personality. I had no formal training, no lifetime at being raised a werewolf, but I now had awork of


    people dedicated to train me, to keep me alive.


    I wasn¡¯t sure where I had found the sudden bout of brutality, or whether it had always lived within me,


    but I tore the de from my belt and jammed it into the first thing I could think of; her chocte-colored


    eye.


    The heart would have been the obvious choice, the easiest when it came to securing a k**l. Alec taught


    me that going for the obvious k**l wasn¡¯t what you should do against a more skilled opponent. Surprise


    them, use your inexperience against them.


    She hadn¡¯t been expecting me to a****k, much less something like her eye. Such a vital part, especially


    in her profession.


    Metallic warmth sshed against my face, mixing with the dirt granules in my mouth, and the


    Assassin¡¯s furious howls grated my ears. Instead of panicking and turning her attention to her gaping


    wound, she tore the knife from her eye and frantically ripped her gloves off. I could still hear the sizzle


    from her flesh as the silver knife burned her skin, destroying any chances at healing her wound.


    Her b**e hands touched my skin before I had the chance to get away, and it was then I fully understood


    what her abilities were. She didn¡¯t just block magic, she fed on it; stole it from other white wolves.


    Her touch made my blood run cold, my sweat freeze and breathe out in strained huffs. My veins


    were clogged with ice, churning and scraping against my flesh as my heart continued pumping.


    Her nails were digging into my skin, pinpricks of cold in a torrent of ice and snow.


    ¡°You f*****g b***h.¡± She hissed incoherently, so furious with me that I wondered if she¡¯d just end my life


    here and now. I could feel her spittle-or perhaps blood, misting across my face. ¡°This is silver¨Cthis is


    f*****g silver! I¡¯ll never heal from this. I¡¯m going to f*****g k**l¨C¡°


    ¡°Assassin, you good?¡± Chaos¡¯s husky voice sounded from a few feet away, jolly even as it made my


    hair stand. The Assassin let go of me, and I gasped as the pressure had finally been lifted from my


    body. She snarled at Chaos, whose eyes widened in genuine surprise. ¡°Why in the f**k did you let her


    get the upper hand on you? Boss isn¡¯t gonna like this, Assassin. You better not let this s***w up your


    rate.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t let her get the upper hand, and it won¡¯t s***w up s**t.¡± She hissed, sending me a look so full of


    venom that I thought I might actually faint. ¡°I can still k**l you just the f*****g same.¡±


    I let out a grunt as a bony shoulder mmed into my gut, followed by the rancid scent of body odor as


    it flooded my nose. I opened my eyes to see an upside-down version of the world, watching my hair as


    it trailed across the ground. I was slung over the Hound¡¯s shoulder like meat, hauled deeper into the


    forest.


    The world sloshed back and forth slowly, leaving doubles and triples of everything. With the blood


    rushing to my head, I could hardly keep up with what I was seeing, so I decided to focus on what I


    heard instead.


    ¡°What did you do with her little mates?¡± The Assassin asked, sending me another d***h and destruction


    filled look that overpped one another three times. I could still feel the cold rattling in my chest from


    where she had touched me with her hands.


    ¡°Left them wounded real nice.¡± Chaos sighed unhappily, garnering my attention. ¡°Didn¡¯t have time to


    maul them the way I been practicing, not with you screaming in the middle of a d**n invasion, making


    Hound drag my a*s through the f*****g woods.¡±


    Relief flooded through me, washing some of that miserable cold. They were alive¨Cwhich meant ToriContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    and Sabine had to be alive as well.


    ¡°She took my f*****g eye, Chaos.¡± The Assassin hissed, and for a moment I thought she might either


    m****r Chaos, ore finish her work on me. ¡°I¡¯d like to see how well your little tricks work with one


    eye.¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯know, I don¡¯t see why our soul-eater here needs two eyes to work some magic.¡± Chaosmented


    in between whistling some annoyingly repetitive tune. He came up behind the Hound and bent over,


    tilting his head so that he could look me in the eye. His movie-star grin turned lopsided, giving him that


    perfect boy next door vibe¨Cif the boy next door was a raging psychopath with crimson eyes. ¡°I call dibs


    on the brown one. I think I¡¯ll dry it like one of those little heads.¡±


    ¡°An eye for an eye.¡± The Assassin mused, and I hated this look of gentle contemtion even more.


    My eyes fluttered once, and then twice before we had finally emerged from the forest. I knew I had to of


    cked out at some point because the sun was hanging precariously low in the sky, casting sshes


    of orange and yellow across the horizon.


    ¡°Shove her in the back.¡± The Assassin¡¯s voice grew louder in my ears, followed by the sound of a car


    door opening. Her form was hazy at first, but cleared up the more I blinked. She was ncing down at


    her watch, tapping on the small screen. ¡°We¡¯ve got fifteen minutes before the alpha and his b***h show


    up with the entire brigade.¡±


    ¡°I told boss those wolves weren¡¯t ready for real battle.¡± Chaos sighed dramatically, though I knew he


    wasn¡¯t upset over the lives lost.


    Another poorly thought-out n flitted through my head. Fifteen minutes¡ªif I could stall them for that


    long, then Mera and Isaiah would show up. That had to be who they were talking about.


    I groaned softly when I was tossed onto a cold leather seat, but quickly turned over and pushed myself


    into a sitting position. I had limited time, and scoured the floor of the van for anything.


    There were splotches of paint, and what I hoped wasn¡¯t blood, along with plenty of dirt and little bits of


    trash. My fingers ached when I felt a slightly bent nail beneath them. It was one of thoserge


    construction nails. Judging from the way my fingers stung, there had to be some percentage of silver


    within the material. It was stuck under a small piece of stic, protruding from the floor.


    Within seconds, the Hound slid into the front seat and the Assassin into the passenger. I wrapped my


    hand around the nail tightly, trying not to lookpletely frazzled. My heartbeat could be heard


    throughout the van, but the fast-paced pattering wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary.


    My stomach clenched as the back door opened, just a few feet away from where I sat. Every muscle in


    my body tensed, coiled and ready. Even my wolf, whose words of encouragement were all that kept me


    going, waited withheld breath.


    Chaos opened the door to the van, and when he was halfway through, Iunched myself at him.


    Either Chaos underestimated me more than the Assassin, or he truly loved any excuse for a fight,


    because he tumbled to the ground like he weighed less than the Hound. I rolled on top of him, jamming


    the nail as deep into his shoulder as I could whilst moring forward.


    His hand wrapped around my ankle, making me stumble when I should have already been running.


    Instinctively, Ished out with the same foot he had grabbed and smashed my heel into his teeth. His


    grip loosened enough for me to slip free, stumbling to my feet and running forwards.


    Before I barreled into the thick brush of the forest, my breathsbored and pained from the tiny dagger


    in my hip, I nced back to see Chaos¡¯s beautiful, smiling face; both teeth and eyes crimson.


    I counted the seconds in my head, lost track, and began counting again. Pain was a distant memory,


    burning the corners of my awareness just enough to leave a dull ache. I couldn¡¯t feel the pain in my hip


    anymore, just this tearing sensation whenever I moved strenuously-which was a lot at the moment. I


    had torn the knife out, almost doubling over when the silver coated handle burned my hand.


    Somehow, it made sense that Chaos would have a knife that harmed its user; to feel pain whilst


    inflicting it.


    I spun on my heel, my eyes practically rolling as I heard Chaos¡¯s joyful whooping fill the forest. It


    bounced from tree to tree, echoing in every direction yeting from seemingly nowhere. I continued


    turning, losing track of where I had been and where I was going.


    For the second time in what I would soon name the worst day of my life, I was tackled to the ground.


    This time my face was pushed into the dirt, and I clenched my eyes shut to avoid getting anything in my


    eyes.


    I was lifted from the ground, met with the smell of body odor and flowers.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, bad soul-eater.¡± Chaos¡¯s voice was right by my ear,ughing loudly when I jerked my head


    away.


    I wrenched open my eyes, wincing when they stung and itched from the dirt that was spread across my


    face. The Hound held me again, the ever so silent grunt man who did as he was told.


    Chaos was walking behind us, his hands in his pockets as he shed me his pretty grin.


    ¡°You ran for six minutes, by the way.¡± Hemented helpfully, and it was in this moment that I knew


    Chaos was the second biggest monster I had ever met. His smile revealed nothing of the beast that hid


    within him, ¡°The other girls I y chase with usually onlyst for two.¡±


    ¡°No games.¡± The Hound said tly, his voice unusually deep. He turned to face Chaos; the abrupt


    motion made my head swim. ¡°You cannot k**l this one.¡±


    I realized it was just us three, and that the Assassin was clearly back at the vehicle. Even though it


    made my body ache to try and use my abilities, I reached out tentatively. A feather light caress against


    the Hound¡¯s lifeforce, feeling it¡¯s intoxicating warmth just inches away.


    ¡°Would never dream of it, dear Hound.¡± Chaos shook his head, a hand against his heart in a very


    convincing disy of offense. The look was wiped away as easy as it hade, reced with a


    carefree smile. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s Assassin you should worry about. She¡¯s the one gearing to k**l her. I on


    the other hand think Assassin looks lovely with her singr eye, just ravishing.¡±


    I held back nausea as I was swung around again so that the Hound could face Chaos, letting loose a


    snarl that cracked and echoed through the trees.


    If he kept spinning me around, I wouldn¡¯t be able to draw anything from him. Thankfully, Chaos


    managed to shut up long enough for me to get my bearings again.


    I couldn¡¯t take much, or too fast. I was sure that he¡¯d notice the significant drain, or the Assassin would.


    Thest thing I wanted were her hands on my skin again, the thought sent a chill skittering over me.


    My first instinct was to drain Chaos dry just for some of the things he¡¯s said since capturing me, but he


    was also one of the most dangerous. I had no clue if his abilities worked on me, but I wouldn¡¯t put it


    past him to hold off until thest moment. Instead, I bided my time and slowly pulled from the Hound,


    stopping whenever he stiffened or twitched.


    We were back within a minute, telling me I hadn¡¯t ran far at all. Beneath the slightly torn fabric of my


    shirt, I could feel the little knife wound knitting itself back together, taking away the stinging pain of


    silver in my blood.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to take down the three of them, but this was a start. My limbs no longer felt like lead and


    the pain in my chest dulled to a slow throb. I stopped pulling from the Hound the moment I was within


    sniffing distance of the Assassin. I feigned fatigue, groaning when I was tossed back into the vehicle.


    Chaos grinned from the seat beside me, the b****y nail still protruding from his shoulder. The quiet hum


    of the vehicle sounded as we coasted down the highway, away from the fading scent of burning houses


    and trees. Even as I watched ck smoke curl into the sky, and felt Chaos¡¯s crimson eyes on my face,


    I refused to let fear take hold.


    ¡°Well, looks like the twinsies are back.¡± Chaos cheered, gleefully turning to look out the back window.


    ¡°They sure heal fast.¡±


    I did the same, only with an abject look of h****r on my face. It churned in my gut and rose up in my


    mouth like acid, searing my tongue and throat so that no sound could slip past.


    From upfront the Hound grunted, narrowing his eyes through the rearview mirror where two onyx-


    colored wolves could clearly be seen weaving throughout the trees.


    My heart stammered as I caught sight of them, racing for the vehicle that carried me away. Any flicker


    of hope I had, it shriveled into a husk when Assassin spoke.


    ¡°I take back what I said, an eye for an eye doesn¡¯t sound nearly fair enough.¡± The Assassin said


    smoothly, sparing me a single nce before turning to Chaos. ¡°Can you k**l them from here?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Chaos scoffed; this time actually offended. He rolled his shoulders and gave me a lopsided


    grin, ¡°Off the mountain, or speared on a tree?¡±


    ¡°Tree.¡±¡® Both Hound and Assassin replied in unison.


    The Hound hit on the breaks, a gentle tap that had the twins gaining on us. Chaos bounced eagerly in


    his seat, rubbing his hands together like a demented child.


    They were close now, and I could feel my heart fracturing as I read the emotion in both of their eyes.


    They could see me through the window, face pale and covered in both blood and dirt.


    Just as Chaos unleashed his power¡ªI let loose my own.


    I hadn¡¯t much, perhaps even less than Chaos, but there was something I had that he didn¡¯t. I had my


    mates, both of which I refused to let d*e. Giving myself up to these three, I did it to spare the twins, not


    to have them k****d anyway.


    I had just a split second to ponder if using energy, I didn¡¯t have would k**l me, but the consequences


    would be worse if I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°No!¡¯ My scream mirrored Chaos¡¯sugh, though only one of our magic was able to take hold.


    Both of the twin¡¯s eye¡¯s widened, still dark and familiar as I flung them back into the depths of the


    forest. I could feel them, and every branch or tree they clipped as I forced them even further back.


    During those long moments in between heartbeats, I thought about Mera and Isaiah, pledging to one


    another that they would not d*e alone. I felt guilty that I couldn¡¯t Alec and Kade that same promise, that


    we would leave this life together.


    It wasn¡¯t selflessness that made me desperate¨Chair pulling desperate to keep them alive.


    Love, such a small word to epass something that held no beginning or end. Endless variations


    and each one was just as important as the next.


    Mera¡¯s love for Isaiah meant they would face d***h together. My love for Alec and Kade meant keeping


    them from pain and torture at all costs.


    It meant sacrificing myself, because I could not live in a world where they didn¡¯t exist¨Cand I, I am much


    more dangerous than the two of them.


    It felt like being hit by a pickup truck, using more energy than what I had. It threw me against the


    driver¡¯s seat and onto the floor, where I gasped and sputtered under the weight that seemed to press


    down on me.


    ¡°D**n it!¡± Chaos hissed, turning to Assassin. He jutted his lower lip out in a pout, an expression that


    would have worked on almost anyone. ¡°I want to go back for them.¡±


    ¡°Boss said to k**l them if we had the chance, not to f*****g hunt for them.¡± She snarled, looking at the


    Hound. ¡°Step on it, we¡¯re expected.¡±


    I was defenseless as Chaos grabbed both of my arms and hauled me onto the seat, giving me a


    grimace when he lifted a bag of crushed Doritos.


    ¡°You crushed my snacks, soul-eater.¡± Was all he said before opening the bag.


    ¡°That was a cute little escape attempt, Aurora.¡± Assassin nodded to herself, not bothering to look back


    from where she sat in the passenger seat. Her voice was delicate and smooth, every word precise and


    perfectly pronounced. ¡°Congrattions, you spared your mates another week or so. Really, you should


    have let Chaos have at them. The boss will only make you k**l them yourself.¡±


    ¡°Marcus won¡¯t get a single thing from me.¡± I promised her, holding onto that truth, searing it into my


    heart so that even when things get worse¨Cwhich they will, I knew I wouldn¡¯t give in.


    ¡°You say that now, but you got no idea how persuasive he can be.¡± Assassin turned in her seat,


    grinning darkly when I paled at the sight of her eye. She was right, there was no chance it would heal


    properly, even with her white wolf abilities. Where her chocte eye had once been was now a raw


    festering mass of flesh, trying it¡¯s best to heal from the wound I inflicted. She gave me a few long


    seconds to stare, but I refused to squirm at the sight of it. I hissed and recoiled when her cold fingers


    wrapped around my arm, sending rippling waves of agony up my shoulder. ¡°Goodnight, soul-eater. The


    fun really begins when you wake up.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell what images and sounds were real, and what horrible things my head had concocted.


    Screaming, thrashing and snarling as people were stuck in mid-shift. Magic everywhere¨Cso thick that


    you could choke on it, like sweet syrup turned into gas.


    Was it their screams or mine that apanied the pain and fear, the agony and hatred, the


    hopelessness¡ªsuch hopelessness that I wanted to curl up in this darkness and let it sweep me away.


    But I couldn¡¯t, not with the faces of two beautiful men burned into my mind, etched so deep that no


    scalpel could ever mar its surface. Still, the pain continued. shes of rage, slices of fear, and bruises


    full of torment and captivity until it all melted into something painful and heavy, seated right on my


    chest.


    My eyes snapped open, bringing light and the faint echo of pain. I clutched the silken nkets that had


    been thrown over me, a deep shade of navy even under the yellow light of themps on either side of


    the bed. Everything rushed back to me at once, ending with the panic-stricken faces of Alec and Kade¡¯s


    wolves as I threw them back into the forest.


    I stumbled out of the bed I was in, my legs wobbling beneath me. I groaned when my head swam, still


    aching and weak from the Assassin¡¯s touch. Disgust and revulsion ran through me when I nced


    down, noticing the sweatpants and tank top I had been dressed in.


    I was in a fancy looking bedroom, with arge bed covered in ent pillows, a sectional and a


    bathroom bigger than one person should ever need.


    I whipped around when I heard the distinct sound of a lock being utched, followed by three more.


    I knew what this was then; a padded cell, an offer.


    The singr door made of what had to be silver, held a small window about eye height. It was covered


    with a thin sheet of metal, giving me no forewarning to whoever was about toe inside.


    Even with how weak and disoriented I felt, my magicshed out with everything it had the moment


    Marcus Novak¡¯s face came into view. His neatly trimmed hair that sat thick on his head, just a slight


    spattering of facial hair, enough to make him look his age. Aman without life in his eyes, without


    emotion or humanity.


    Just a pristine, neat version of Chaos.


    ¡°Hello, Aurora.¡± Marcus said politely, stepping inside with Assassin on his heels.


    The Assassin¡¯s cold magic sliced into my own, searing my skin and making my already weak body feel


    that much worse. My legs finally gave out, and I crumpled to the pale carpet that sat on the floor.


    I made note of the hulking guard outside, along with the Hound¡¯s ripe scent. I also happened to make


    note that the Assassin now wore an eyepatch. If I remembered the jagged g**h on her face correctly,


    the healed version probably wasn¡¯t too many steps up. I red up at her, hoping she knew I didn¡¯t


    regret a thing.


    ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to speak with you before you consequently pass out again.¡± Marcus said


    in a rehearsed polite tone, one I knew could change at the flip of a switch.


    I reigned in that anger, that absolute disgust I felt for this one man and managed not to hurl as I looked


    him in his d**d eyes, already plotting how I would k**l him in his ownnd.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no reason to be this difficult.¡± Marcus sighed, genuine disappointment in his t, blue


    eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve lost, Aurora. This scheme of yours to invent a new world has failed, you have failed.


    What¡¯s best for you and your mates, is to pick up the shattered pieces of your failure and turn them into


    something better.¡±


    ¡°And you¨Cyou¡¯re what¡¯s better?¡± I croaked, rage and malice searing the edges of my words. My head


    throbbed from the Assassin¡¯s magic, forcing dark spots to creep at the edges of my vision. ¡°All of that


    power has given you a big head, Marcus. We haven¡¯t lost anything. I¡¯m one person, there are countless


    more out there who will see you removed.¡±


    ¡°With your surrender, that spark you started will d*e out.¡± He replied evenly, softly even though there


    was nothing tender about his words. He stood over me, staring down at me with just a hint of joy in his


    eyes, like I was just the toy he had been searching for. ¡°I think I¡¯ll leave you, for now. I have many ns


    for you and I, Aurora. After you announce your surrender and service to my cause, we can finally


    begin.¡±


    I didn¡¯t move from my ce on the floor until Marcus and the Assassin left, the metal door nging


    shut behind them. I could hear the two guards outside mumbling to one another before falling silent.


    I knew I was being watched, both frommon sense and the small camera in the corner of the room.


    The one that I refused to look at. I needed privacy, and desperately hoped that Marcus wasn¡¯t big


    enough a creep to ce one in the bathroom.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn¡¯t need to feign weakness as I used the bed to force myself into a standing position. My legs were


    weak, but I managed to stumble into the bathroom, grimacing at the strong scent of cleaner as it hung


    in the air.


    The bathroom was small; with just a sink, toilet and a stall shower. I couldn¡¯t have cared less what


    amenities my current room held, just that it was camera free. I scoured every inch of the bathroom and


    found nothing. With a sigh of relief, I turned on the shower, using the noise as cover in case there


    happened to be any microphones.


    I nced down at the charm bracelet around my wrist, the golden ted piece of jewelry that might just


    be my salvation. Ast gift from Mera, just like the knife Isaiah had given me, though it was taken when


    I was captured.


    Mera¡¯s gift, it was meant to fool the eye.


    ¡°A gift, should you ever be separated from your mates.¡± She said kindly, taking one of my hands


    in her own. I could feel the cold jewelry graze against my skin, along with the golden heart that hung


    from a small chain. ¡°Isaiah and I made a promise long ago, that we would both leave this world


    together. It is my hope that you and your mates will have the same future, one where you never have to


    live without each other. This bracelet will help you achieve that.¡±


    ¡°Is it magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mm, a different sort of magic.¡± She smirked, holding the small heart between her two fingers. ¡°It¡¯s a


    type of human magic, called a GPS tracker. You press the heart when you want to send your location.


    The stone will light up for three seconds, then go out. Your mates will have direct ess, along with


    Isaiah and myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I flushed, wondering why I hadn¡¯t thought of that before.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one raised by humans.¡± She chuckled, ncing back to where Isaiah waited only


    somewhat impatiently. ¡°Should we all survive this, I¡¯d like to tell you about them.¡±


    I held the little heart in between my fingers, feeling my own heartbeat patter in my chest. A second


    passed, and then two, the shower¡¯s waterfall running in the background. I pushed, feeling a small click


    beneath my fingers, followed by the little scarlet gemstone lighting up.


    It sent relief flooding through me, strong enough to send me sliding down the wall, struggling to catch


    my breath. Once I mustered up the strength, I pulled the clothes off my body and stood under the hot


    spray of the shower long enough to wipe some of the ache from my muscles. Afterwards, I tumbled


    head first into the bed, my eyes already closed before I had the chance to crawl under the nket.


    I woke to the sound of the metal door being opened, the numerous locks clicking out of ce. My eyes


    flew open, and I was already in a sitting position when the door swung shut.


    My eyes went to Marcus first, then the Assassin as she stood at his side. The eyepatch she wore was


    red today, bright like her auburn hair. I could see her visibly tense, fists clenched and jaw taut as she


    red at me.


    I could practically taste her need to harm me, even without feeling all of those violent emotions run


    through her. I realized with surprise that I could feel her emotions. Even with this improvement, I didn¡¯t


    dare try to pull from either one.


    For a brief second, I tried to reach out to Alec or Kade-to feel their thoughts or presences, but I came


    up with nothing. A spot on my arm throbbed painfully, making me very aware of a burning beneath my


    skin.


    Marcus seemed pleased by this, his eyes flitting between the Assassin and I.


    ¡°Very good, Aurora. Making smart decisions already.¡± He murmured his praise, lips upturned in a


    professional smile. He waved a hand towards the Assassin, who took two very reluctant steps back.


    Marcus¡¯s voice held all of the emotion and sincerity his soul did not. ¡°Ariana will not use her abilities on


    you, should you behave yourself. The silver injection is a precaution I¡¯m afraid I cannot do without.


    Even so, it is not my wish for you be a caged pet. There are opportunities here for you, you just need


    the courage to discover them. In fact, let me show you the bounds of my generosity. Come, follow me.¡±


    ¡°Alpha?¡± Ariana-the Assassin, questioned.


    For just a fraction of a second, I saw rage glittering in Marcus¡¯s cool eyes.


    ¡°You have your orders, Ariana.¡± His voice was sharp, daring her to speak out.


    Instead, she directed that rage onto me. Snatching my arm in her hand, she pulled me from the padded


    cell I was in, and out into the hallway. While she wasn¡¯t using her magic on me, the stiletto nails she


    had on dug into my skin.


    I took the time to look around, scanning my surroundings as I tried to memorize every detail. Wherever


    we were, it looked more like a mansion than a corporate building or some kind of hide out. There were


    c******s embroidered with golden thread, tables with vases of flowers throughout the hallways, and


    fancy paintings of middle-aged men with gruff looking faces.


    We turned down two halls, making a left and then a right. A guard dressed in dark clothing opened the


    second door on the right and stepped aside.


    It was clearly an office, the most organized one I had ever seen. Book cases lined one wall, full of


    different texts. Arge desk sat to the left, free of any papers or personal belongings. Arge filing


    cab sat along another wall, with each drawerbeled and tagged. Finally, at the center of the room


    was a circr table, the only upied chair belonged to Zayne Novak.


    Surprise threatened to blossom in my eyes, but I stifled the emotion when I felt the Ariana watching.


    Smoothing my features into general disdain for everyone in the room, I let out a harsh breath when she


    finally retracted her nails from my forearm.


    Zayne Novak sat at the head of the table, wearing a te grey suit and a blue tie that matched his eyes


    perfectly. Aptop sat in front of him, open with its screen brightly lit. His chocte hair was trimmed


    and neat, highlighting his full brows and sharp jawline. He looked better than ever, the crack in shield


    still very much there. Even though there was nothing familiar in his eyes, it relieved me that Tori had an


    effect on the man.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± Marcusmanded, forcing me to grit my teeth together to keep from saying something


    stupid. My eyes unwittingly flickered to Zayne, who watched with perfect disinterest. Marcus¡¯s eyes


    held disdain as he looked at his son, turning that same expression towards me. ¡°Do not look to my son


    for rescue, Aurora. You will find nothing but disappointment, just as I have for twenty-one years.¡±


    Zayne made no move, no reaction that would show he had even heard his father¡¯s words.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get on with it. I do hate dying things.¡± Marcus smiled thinly, gesturing to theptop his son


    now used.


    Zayne hit a few buttons before spinning the device around to face me. This time I couldn¡¯t stifle my


    gasp, nor my surprise as both Alec and Kade¡¯s wolves popped onto the screen.


    The video was only a few seconds long, but full of snarling and screaming. Kade¡¯s wolf exploded from


    the forest in a rush of broken branches and snapping teeth, barreling into the first wolf he found. Alec


    followed after, sinking his teeth into the first who dare fight against him. The video faded out after one


    of the wolves was tossed in its direction, turning into nothing more than endless static.


    ¡°This is but one of many attacks orchestrated by your mates, over the course of these four days.¡±


    Marcus began, giving me no time to process the fact that four days had already passed. The rest of


    what he had to say was spoken with suppressed irritation. It made me somewhat smug to know that


    Alec and Kade were making life difficult for Marcus. ¡°They are rather resourceful, and clearly have


    allied themselves with both Alpha Isaiah and Luna Mera. Not to matter, their ns are unimportant. It¡¯s


    what I have to offer you. Think of it as incentive to behave. Rather than k*****g your twins, I will allow


    you to keep them.¡±


    Anger flooded through me, red-hot as it surged beneath my skin. I felt the overwhelming temptation to


    use my magic wash over me, only suppressed because Ariana sat in the room. She narrowed her eyes


    at my rage, but did not use her magic to incapacitate me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll allow me to keep my mates?¡± I repeated, my hands trembling as Iced my every word with


    venom and poison. ¡°You will never have my support, Marcus. It does not matter who you take, or who


    you k**l So long as I am alive, I will fight against you.¡±


    ¡°For now, Aurora. You will fight, for now.¡± His reply was smooth and confident. His hands syed out


    on the table as he smirked down at me. ¡°Believe me, I will catch them. Just like I caught you, and the


    countless others before.¡±


    Before I could answer a dull vibration ran through the room. Marcus pulled a phone from his pocket,


    ncing down at the text for just two seconds. A full smile broke out on his face. Given his movie star


    looks, the sight should have been dazzling, but his eyes were lifeless pools shoved into the hollows of


    his face.


    ¡°Well, what a coincidence. They¡¯ve just attacked again.¡± He mused, ncing at me briefly before


    turning to Zayne. ¡°Take Ariana and escort Aurora back to her room. Do try not to ruin things from the


    short walk between here and there.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t keep them alive for long. Especially since you refuse to cooperate. I¡¯m going to ask if he¡¯ll let


    me have the big one.¡± Ariana purred, a sultry grin forming on her face.


    ¡°When we win this war, and Marcus is d**d, I won¡¯t have to ask if I can have you.¡± I snarled, wishing


    desperately that I could hurl my rage and frustration at her.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    As soon as the words left my lips, she dug her fingers into my arm, the icy ws of her magictching


    onto me instantly. Cold flooded my senses, burning and aching as it sapped what little strength I had.


    ¡°Ariana, do I need to inform you that you are viting a direct order?¡± Zayne drawled in a bored, yet


    professional tone.


    His piercing blue eyes bore holes into her face, but conveyed not an ounce of concern for my well-


    being. Part of me was terrified that this wasn¡¯t just good acting, that the indifference in his eyes was


    ced there, built from years of practice.


    After a few long seconds, Ariana released me.


    I had just a few seconds to wonder if her abilities affected all white wolves the same way, before my


    legs gave out and I fell to the floor. My head was swimming, a steady drum beat as it throbbed


    miserably.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y boss, Zayne. It certainly doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± Ariana snickered, sending me a dark look that


    made me bite back a wicked snarl. Her voice was cruel and self-satisfied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m a higher rank


    than you. The Alpha¡¯s son.¡±


    I fought to keep conscious, taking deep breaths whilst listening to the two of them argue. Slowly, the


    spots faded from my eyes, and I was able to pay more attention to the two of them.


    It was bing more and more clear that the only people Ariana seemed to tolerate were the Hound,


    and Marcus. Well, I¡¯d say she more than tolerated Marcus, considering how she followed him around;


    the Assassin to a King.


    Even without the feel of her emotions across my skin, I could see the loathing and jealousy written


    across her face as she red at Zayne.


    ¡°Yes, Ariana. You are his favorite pet.¡± Zayne stepped forwards, towering over her. She didn¡¯t balk, but I


    could see the hot coals of rage in her eyes ignite, even if she couldn¡¯t act on those murderous


    impulses. Zayne¡¯s voice was smooth and emotionless, ¡°But there is one thing we both know; you do


    not defy a direct order. It doesn¡¯t matter who you are, your screams will sound the same when you¡¯re


    punished.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t f*****g dare.¡± She hissed, and I swore I could hear her jaw clicking as she clenched it


    tightly.


    ¡°He¡¯s already furious about your¡­little ident. What do you think he¡¯d do if he found out? Mm, not so


    tough when you can¡¯t use your magic on a normal wolf.¡± Zayne¡¯s voice grew low, and he cocked his


    head to the side as he stared her down. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so sullen. Now we¡¯ve both got something on


    each other.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure, but I swore I saw just a flicker of relief in her eyes. I couldn¡¯t help but look at Zayne, and


    wonder if this was how he had to act all of the time.


    ckmailing each other, constantly at one another¡¯s throats just to survive¨Cto climb up the food chain,


    knowing that you¡¯ll never be safe, not entirely. Not when Marcus Novak sits above you, each day


    deciding whether or not you deserve to live. Disappointment and mistakes could sway that choice, two


    things both humans and werewolves were prone to.


    Imperfections; Marcus couldn¡¯t handle imperfections.


    I now understood that hardened wall around Zayne¡¯s emotions, constructed to keep him from feeling


    too deeply. I couldn¡¯t fathom having that kind of restraint, to hold back each tidal wave before it sted


    the shore and soaked the sand.


    I wondered how many times those waves barreled him down as a child, how many times he had nearly


    d*****d in his emotions before he finally realized, he was so much better off without them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s escort her back to her cell, and be done with the unpleasantness.¡± Zayne said smoothly, even


    though there was definitely a ¡®for now¡¯, in that statement.


    Ariana went silent for a few seconds, her eyes zing over before she snapped back into reality. The


    conversation between her and Marcus must¡¯ve been a total of three seconds long, but it was enough to


    have her glowering down at me.


    ¡°Alpha wants me to join the fight. Her little twins are starting fires now. How charming.¡± She shed me


    a grin that was all teeth, like a shark stalking a small fish. I felt a chill work its way down my spine as


    she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have to drain you again, just to the point of unconsciousness. Just to keep youContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    weak. Not to worry though, I¡¯ll make it extra painful for you. Now, get the fuckup.¡±


    I was still on the floor staring up at her ming eyes and silky hair. Even though I already felt like c**p,


    frustration managed to keep me strong. She was going to hurt me anyway, and enjoy every second.


    What I wasn¡¯t going to do, was roll over and take it like a dog. I wouldn¡¯t submit the way she had to


    Marcus.


    ¡°Maybe you should have waited to drain me once I was back in my cell.¡± I answered stiffly. My stare


    wastched onto hers, so much so that I could see the amber hues in her eyes.


    As I knew she would, because Ariana was bing just a tad predictable, she dug her fingernails into


    my arm and hauled me up.


    Pain coursed through my arm like tiny daggers, but it was nothingpared to the feel of her actively


    draining me. Thankfully she wasn¡¯t at the moment, but each step towards my cell acted as the


    countdown clock.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drag you, and it won¡¯t be by your arm.¡± She warned, and I knew she was telling the truth.


    I stumbled on my two feet, tripping and using the wall to keep myself upright as she stormed down the


    hall and back to my padded cell. Zayne followed behind, still leaving me confused as to whether or not


    he gave a c**p about anything.


    ¡°Goodnight, Aurora.¡± Ariana grinned, and the smile would have been sweet if it weren¡¯t for the cruelty in


    her eyes. I was shoved onto the bed, feeling the sickeningly plush nkets beneath my fingers. The


    soft touch of fabric was followed by cold skin, and sharp pain. ¡°Hopefully by the time you wake, I¡¯ll have


    your twins in chains.¡±


    Darkness engulfed me, but it only seemed to linger for a few moments. Long enough to dull the pain


    creeping across my body, making it a pulsing ache. I opened my eyes, which watered instantly against


    the artificial light andck of windows.


    My vision doubled, and then tripled, showing multiples of Zayne as he stood at the foot of the bed.


    Once my head was finished swimming, I let out an incoherent groan.


    ¡°Yeah, I get it. You feel like s**t.¡± He said indignantly,ing around to the side of the bed. I let out a


    sound of protest as his hand wrapped around my wrist, more than ufortable from the feel of his icy


    skin. He scoffed under his breath and tugged, ¡°Come on, Aurora. Get the h**l up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I snapped, turning my head enough to re at him.


    Something soft and sweet was shoved in my face, making me recoil halfway across the bed. When I


    brought a hand to my mouth, I frowned at the sweet tasting frosting that coated my fingers.


    ¡°Your sugar is low, and you haven¡¯t eaten in four days.¡± Zayne pointed out, his voice t and impatient.


    ¡°Marcus means to starve you until youply, which would be any day now considering he¡¯s also not


    letting you feed from any souls.¡±


    I had no time to contemte the chances of being p******d, because at the taste of the disgustingly


    sweet food, it snarled and howled for more. I finished off the contents of the cake, gulping down a ss


    of water to get the sweetness from my tastebuds.


    ¡°The cameras are on a loop. It was a one-time favor from a friend in security, so we¡¯re on borrowed


    time.¡± He scowled.


    ¡°What about the fight? Are Alec and Kade alright? Ariana isn¡¯t here, is she?¡±


    ¡°The fight is still ongoing. Ariana joined in twenty-three minutes ago, and as far as I know, the twins are


    safe.¡± He said in a rush, ncing towards the closed door.


    ¡°Are you here to help me, Zayne?¡± I asked after a few seconds of silence, still too drained to even think


    about searching for his emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to do what I can, like I promised.¡± There was a hint of pain in his voice, just a sliver of


    vulnerability that made my heart drop. His voice was still smooth, though it was much darker now. ¡°He


    found out about Tori, through blood and magic, he found out. He¡¯s threatening to hurt her and her


    family, and it¡¯s my indifference to you that spares her.¡±


    ¡°So, you can¡¯t get me out of here.¡± I whispered, fearful but far from defeated. I felt the cool metal of the


    charm bracelet around my wrist, and knew I needed to take a leap. I held it up, letting Zayne get a good


    look at it. ¡°This was a gift from a friend. It sent out my location to the twin¡¯s yesterday. They¡¯ll be here


    any day now, and when they get here, they¡¯re going to need a way in.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a position I wanted to put him in, but this was about finishing what I had started, tending the


    me that had erupted into a full-scale bonfire.


    ¡°Smart.¡± He snorted, smiling in a way that made my stomach feel sour. ¡°He left that on you because he


    assumed it was a gift from your mates. Figured it would motivate you to behave.¡¯


    Zayne was at a cross roads. He could remain inactive to protect Tori, but she would forever be hunted,


    because she would never leave my side. It was her loyalty I was sure of, and that was how I knew


    Zayne would help. Even without the use of my magic, I could feel that something had changed. At


    some point, whether he knew it or not, he had epted the bond between them.


    ¡°Be prepared. I won¡¯t be able to give you a heads up.¡± Was all he said, eyes grim and jaw clenched. He


    was silent for so long that I thought he might just turn and leave. His eyes flickered towards the door as


    he asked, ¡°Can you use your abilities subtly? Without the victim knowing of it?¡±


    I was long past flinching at the mention of my powers, and nodded in response.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing there are three guards stationed outside of your cell.¡± He replied with a twitch of


    his lips, taking away some of that rigidity from his jaw. In tworge strides, he stood at the metal door.


    ¡°Be sure to look sickly once Arianaes back, or she¡¯ll use her magic on you again, and it does look


    rather painful.¡±


    ¡°A*****e.¡± I muttered, slumping back onto the bed as Zayne pounded on the door twice.


    It swung open with a thud, revealing one of the meatheads guarding my cell. When the door ttered


    shut, I slowly moved from the bed. Rather than leaning against the door, which clearly had some


    percentage of silver within the metal, I opted for the wall.


    I assumed Zayne wouldn¡¯t have mentioned feeding off of the guards if the walls had silver within them


    as well, so I decided to take my chances. If it didn¡¯t work¨Cwell, I¡¯d just have a migraine for a few hours.


    I slumped to the floor, my back against the wall as I closed my eyes and let the sounds trickle in from


    around me. I couldn¡¯t hear far, thanks to the reinforced walls and door, but I could hear the muffled


    chatting from the guards.


    It took some time and concentration to feel the flicker of light within their bodies, but slowly they raised


    to attention. All of my instincts said to take what I need, to tear it from them for the damage they had a


    hand in. I knew exactly what that would result in, a long trip from Ariana.


    Instead, I fought against my instincts. Instead of sinking my fingers in deep, I trailed along the surface.


    Even though the power I received was minimal, it was like a breath of fresh air that cooled my lungs


    and soothed my muscles.


    My shoulders slumped, and I let my head fall back against the wall as pain and agony seeped from my


    bones, reced with just a small trickle of warmth. I stayed that way for what felt like nearly an hour,


    slowly sapping the strength from my guards.


    I stood from the floor, unable to risk taking anything more without them noticing. Eventually they¡¯d grow


    tired, and if I took too much¨Cd***h would certainly follow. My legs no longer felt like jelly, and the


    soreness had mostly faded.


    When I heard their voices sputter out, along with a creeping coldness, I knew I had stopped just in time.


    I began to hear the sound of the locks being utched, one at a time.


    The room was small enough that I made it to the bed before Ariana strolled in. There was no point in


    throwing back the nkets, I hadn¡¯t bothered when I passed out the first time. Iid on my stomach, my


    hair a knotted mess and my face buried in the pillows.


    Her footsteps were soft, calcted as she headed directly for where Iid. I heard her scoff of disgust,


    followed by the distinct feeling of abat boot against the side of my head. She nudged me hard


    enough to make me wince, and I didn¡¯t hold back the half-conscious snarl that left my lips.


    ¡°I must¡¯ve taken a lot out of you.¡± She snickered softly, her voice just inches away from my head. I


    didn¡¯t stiffen, but I also made no move to indicate that I had heard her. Still, she felt the need to


    continue. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re just not as strong as everyone thinks you are. It¡¯s pathetic really. Lucky for


    me, I¡¯m your kryptonite.¡±


    Ariana didn¡¯t linger for long, giving me onest nudge with her boot before leaving the room, whistling a


    jolly tune that made me want to leap from the bed.


    I made it a point not to hate¨Cthe emotion itself was simr to toxic waste. But Ariana, she was the


    closest I hade to feeling that emotion for myself. The beauty in her scowls, the cruelty that seemed


    so odd on such a young face. You would expect a monster to look the part, but no¨Cthey were often the


    most beautiful of creatures.


    I didn¡¯t move from my spot, feeling the camera¡¯s steel cold eyes on my back as I moved with each


    deep, slumbering breath. I stayed there until sleep finally did im me.


    I woke again to the feel of a boot on my face. This time when my eyes snapped open, I red up at


    Ariana with bared teeth. Her thick, obsidian braid dangled in my face, the tips brushing against my


    nose.


    ¡°Time to wake up.¡± She snarled, realizing I was focusing solely on therge eyepatch that took up


    nearly one fourth of her face.


    I let out a raspy yelp when her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me up and into a sitting position. Pain


    washed over my scalp and I could feel the individual hairs being torn from my head. I scrambled to


    follow where she led, and only when I was sitting on the floor, did she remove her ws from my head.


    I snarled up at her, whipping my head to re at Marcus where he stood against the far wall.


    He had changed his suit, opting for one that was charcoal in color. His tie was a pale shade of blue,


    identical to his and Zayne¡¯s eyes. By all ounts, he was a handsome man, but once you saw the


    monster that hid within his gaze, it was something you wouldn¡¯t forget.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Ariana hate someone this much before.¡± He stated, eying the two of us like


    experiments, rather than actual people. ¡°You two will have to remain civil once we start working


    together.¡±


    Through the sandstorm of fury, I had a thought. It was petty, rising from the depths of my mind, directed


    at the woman I hade to very nearly hate.


    ¡°If I were to join you, would I outrank Ariana?¡±


    It was a stupid question, but it was one I knew would p**s Ariana off. Marcus would tell the truth,


    because why would he care what Ariana or I thought?


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wanted, then yes.¡± He lifted an eyebrow, but then shrugged indifferently. ¡°I would


    name you my second inmand. Under supervision, of course.¡±


    The rage and flicker of fear on her face filled me with more warmth than any soul could. Any guilt I felt


    was squashed by the fact that she willingly chose to work for Marcus. That meant she could suffer the


    consequences when he treated her like his other minions¨Cexpendable.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I grinned sardonically; my eyestched on Ariana¡¯s reddened face.


    ¡°As you¡¯ve stated many times though, you will not willingly join us. Really, I hoped your sense of self-


    preservation would lend some wisdom, but clearly I was mistaken.¡± Marcus sighed, the disappointed


    parent. How I could have lived up to my potential, the ultimate weapon. I bristled as he continued, but


    kept unnaturally still in case Ariana wanted to make a grab for me. Marcus frowned down at me, but


    there was no sympathy or regret in his eyes. Only the unnerving determination to do whatever needed


    to be done. Whatever propelled him closer to his goal. ¡°Your twins have retreated, revealing


    themselves for the cowards that they are. I now realize that in order to inspire your loyalty, I will have to


    break your spirit. You wille with us to your pack, and when your people are broken and d***g, your


    surrender will smother thest of their hope. Sleep while you can, Aurora. I want you awake for the


    following events.¡±


    Ariana tapped on her wrist, a clock ticking down¡ªit¡¯s hands invisible to the eye, but still time continued.


    And soon, soon it would run out.


    There was nothing for me to do once Marcus and Ariana left, taking the smoldering fumes of my hatred


    and fury along with them. I curled up on the bed, hating the way the nkets felt against my skin, how


    they smelled ofundry detergent and dryer sheets. They weren¡¯t the ones the twin¡¯s used, the ones


    that smelled both masculine and earthy.


    My thoughts and worried meshed into one, coagting into a nightmare that seemed to have no


    beginning or end.


    I was running through the blood-soaked streets conjured up by my subconsciousness, evading


    Marcus¡¯s ws as they came down from the sky, when a loud siren sounded. It sted through my


    dream, one loud whoop after another. His hands gripped my shoulders, nails digging into flesh as he


    tore and tore¡­


    My eyes snapped open, the sound of Marcus¡¯sugh ringing in my ears as the hazy images of my


    dream faded from behind my eyes. Those hands, they were still on my shoulders, but their fingers were


    no longer digging into me. There was no pain, just the soothing sh of sparks as they danced across


    my skin.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    I stared at them for what felt like hours, even though all we had were seconds together.


    Onyx eyes filled with worry, voices thick and raspy with emotion. Neither looked sickly or sleep


    deprived. If anything, they looked¡­bigger? There wasn¡¯t the time to sit and analyze what had changed


    but I swore their muscles seemed more defined, hardened like the blood thirsty determination in their


    eyes.


    Once I was positive I wasn¡¯t hallucinating from the disgusting cake Zayne had given me, my eyes flitted


    across the small room.


    Tori and Zayne stood against the wall, a quiet and rushed conversation between the two. Zayne¡¯s


    eyebrows were gnashed together, and the sight of some kind of emotion on his face made my chest


    flutter.


    Those three seconds were all the twins could give me before I was pulled from the bed and into two


    sets of arms. Neither one squeezed too hard, but held me to their chests in an iron d grip that no


    white wolf could break.


    Three heartbeats, all identical in sound as they ovepped one another. There were tears burning


    behind my eyes, but they wouldn¡¯t dare to fall. Even they knew that there was so much more to be


    done, that we weren¡¯t out of this yet.


    ¡°F**k, doll¨C¡± Alec¡¯s voice was unusually raspy, eyes scanning my face as his forehead rested against


    my own. I watched his throat work to form the words that refused to pass his lips.


    Even Kade, who held back the turmoil of emotions in his eyes with everything he had, could do nothing


    more than hold me close and pray they¡¯d forget thest few days.


    Their touch finally unraveled that knot of terror that had been festering in my stomach, reminding me


    that I might very well d*e here. Nearly an entire second had passed before I felt the absence of their


    touch.


    ¡°Where is Marcus?¡± I asked Zayne, who had just finished his conversation with Tori.


    I locked eyes with her, feeling her relief and determination, though there was a certain smugness when


    her eyes flickered towards Zayne.


    ¡°Him and his inner circle retreat in times like this. His life is far too important to be wasted o n a


    godforsaken battlefield.¡±¡® Zayne said sardonically.


    I had the strong feeling his words were a direct quote, something he had heard Marcus say a time or


    two. Before I could reply, his eyes zed over; a tell-tale sign that a mind-link was currently taking


    ce.


    Three seconds was how long it took, and with each one, Zayne¡¯s eyebrows crept higher. When the film


    had lifted from his eyes, he blinked a few times in surprise.


    ¡°Looks like an official order has been issued. I¡¯ve been demoted from the Alpha¡¯s son, to k****d on


    sight. How lovely, this better have been worth it.¡± He grunted, giving me a long look before stalking


    towards the badly bent, metal door.


    His sour words couldn¡¯t reach me, not when his eyes were bright and full of life, his cheeks tinged pink


    with blood.


    I didn¡¯t miss the three guards on the floor, or the blood that coated their clothes and sat in a crimson


    pool around their bodies.


    ¡°We need to leave before more guardse.¡± Kade¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp enough to


    gain my attention. I felt him thread his fingers through my own, and lead me towards the door. ¡°The


    team we¡¯ve put together took out the ones in the eastern wing of the mansion, but more are on their


    way.¡±


    ¡°Wait, the mansion?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her?¡± Kade grunted, an eyebrow lifting at Zayne.


    We emerged from my padded cell, stepping over the broken and mangled bodies of the guards. The


    hallway we were in was small and narrow, but as we turned a corner, it opened up into a wide corridor.


    Fancy paintings were hung on the walls, their frames thick and weighing probably hundreds of pounds.


    The men in the paintings were all grey haired, pale eyed, and strong jawed. Most of them happened to


    have that identical hint of cruelty in their eyes.


    Every fifteen to twenty feet, a guard dressed in dark clothingy d**d on the floor.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly have the time. I was too busy single handedly ensuring the sess of this d**n


    uprising.¡± He snapped, but the snarky tone fell t when all of our attention was captured.


    Ariana stood at the end of the end of the hall, her dark clothing and eyepatch the first thing I noticed.


    Her thick braid hung down her shoulder, and the eye I could see, glittered murderously.


    ¡°Poor little traitorous Zayne.¡± Ariana cooed, blood red lips twitching as her eyes flitted to Tori. Anyone


    could read the tension between Tori and Zayne, along with the way they stood close yet apart. A grin


    cracked across her face, ¡°You brought your little mate toe y. When each one of you are locked


    up in chains, I¡¯ll give the redhead to the Hound and take your twins for myself.¡±


    Alec let out a deafening snarl that echoed down the corridor. He took a step in front of me, blocking me


    from Ariana. Kade stiffened instantly, his skin growing warm as he fought the urge to shift. His nails and


    teeth were elongating, growing as his rage increased. The fuses were lit, already shortened from nearly


    an entire week without one another. I knew that within seconds, everything would implode.


    I had a sneaking suspicion that if I were able to feel Ariana¡¯s emotions, it would be the exact opposite


    of Zayne¡¯s. I had a theory that she felt everything, but it was the wrong wolf she chose to feed; giving


    into cruelty and rage in order to progress in life.


    Kade halted in his tracks when I let out a loudugh, a smirk on my face as I stared into the furious


    eyes of Ariana. I knew what she was up to, what she was doing here in this hallway. Even better, she


    knew that I knew.


    Oh, she hated me. More than she hated Zayne, which seemed immeasurable at the time. I could see it


    in the way she sped her de, eyes darting between Alec and Kade as she contemted making


    her move.


    I could pin point the moment she realized attacking us would end in her d***h. Sure, she might manage


    to wipe one of us out. Perhaps, even two. But there were more of us, and it was clear her backup


    wouldn¡¯t arrive on time.


    Her fingers flexed, and she let go of the knife that sat in the leather strap around her t***h. Her eyes still


    glittered angrily, and even without my magic, her lust for blood was intoxicating.


    ¡°A pawn till the end.¡± I scolded her, shaking my head in mock disappointment. Her own eyes narrowed


    as she read the promise in my own. Through h**l or high water, we would meet again, and I¡¯d be the


    one to take her life. ¡°Until next time, Ariana.¡±


    We darted down the hall, and I could feel both of the twin¡¯s reluctance as they followed. Their curious


    gazes were dark, feeling the hatred I held for Ariana. Both of them knew she had done something to


    evoke these dark emotions from me, promises of d***h and revenge.


    Zayne led us down another two halls, into a small room that led to a private staircase. It was one


    servants and maids used, to remain unseen as they traveled throughout the massive house. The


    staircase spiraled once as we went down. As we reached the bottom, the fresh smell of cleanundry


    hit my nose. I could hear the whirr and hum ofundry machines going, and saw sheets and different


    articles of clothing hung up to dry. The room was entirely empty, free of any servants or lingering staff.


    There was a single door against the left-hand wall, and two on the right. Zayne led us to the left,


    wrenching open the door to reveal sunlight and warmth.


    I had been wondering why I hadn¡¯t seen any guards, hadn¡¯t heard anymotion until we emerged


    outside.


    The mansion looked more like an office building than someone¡¯s home, which is what I should have


    expected for a man like Marcus.


    The sight of it screamed government building, with its eggshell-colored pirs and arched doorways.


    The six hundred cameras attached to every wall and corner were also further proof that Marcus¡¯s time


    needed toe to an end.


    We had exited through some kind of side door, which had a very clear employee¡¯s only sign. What


    made me speechless were the buildings surrounding us.


    Banks and restaurants, shopping zas and hotels. Signs advertising the newest vehicle or designer


    purse were erected outside of shops.


    The entire sight, including the widened sidewalks and iron fence surrounding the property, reminded


    me of Washington D.C.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    However, the only thing different than the home of the human President, was that there was currently a


    full-scale war on the streets and sidewalks.


    Wolves of various colors fought to the d***h, their snarls ringing out as the scent of blood filled the air.


    Nearly a third were white wolves, but it was difficult to discern the abilities of each one. Some were in


    their human forms, using magic I had never seen before.


    The five of us had our eyes peeled, nearly barreled down by a white wolf as it leaped over our heads.


    We had been outside for almost three minutes, darting across the pristinewn of Marcus¡¯s mansion to


    the street where carnage and d***h ran rampant.


    ¡°He kept me in his house.¡± I scoffed, shouting over the noise. ¡°All this time I thought I was in some


    underground dungeon.¡±


    ¡°He never thought his disappointment of a son would actually turn against him.¡± Zayne snorted, ¡°He


    thought is secure mansion would be safe, and that Ariana would keep you at bay.¡±


    Before we could do anything, go anywhere¨Cthere was a gentle vibration that rippled across the ground.


    It was quiet, a dull hum before raising in volume. Within seconds, my eyes widened and h****r stole my


    breath.


    The sound was thunderous, thousands of feet trampling against the earth, snarls and howls rippling


    through the air as the surrounding forest and street erupted with wolves.


    There were so many¨Cthey crowded the streets, leaped atop of cars and even some one -story


    buildings. Their howls coalesced into one, loud call. A warning to stop the fight, toy down our


    metaphorical weapons.


    The fight around us stopped, and I couldn¡¯t tell who belonged on which side. All I saw were


    werewolves, of all shades and colors¡ªthere were no discernable sides because we were all the same


    species.


    Fear swirled within all of our emotions, because Marcus¡¯s backup had finally arrived. With them, they


    brought a torrent of wolves, the colors a blur among the masses.


    Hundreds of eyes turned on us, on where we stood in the center of the street. We had been invisible to


    most when the battle had been raging, but now¨Cwe were surrounded.


    I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been gripping onto Alec¡¯s t-shirt for dear life, while also digging my fingers into


    Kade¡¯s arm. I peered up at the two of them, who were looking down at me with reverence¨Clike they


    weremitting the sight of me to memory.


    I looked towards Tori and Zayne, an apology burning in my eyes during thesest moments of our lives,


    but neither were looking my way.


    Both held each other¡¯s eyes, and I couldn¡¯t mistake the fear that was written on Zayne¡¯s face. It was


    clear in his crystal eyes, in his downcast lips and clenched jaw. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I swore that when the


    two of them turned their eyes to the mass of werewolves, their fingers were woven together.


    We waited¨Cwaited for the triumphant face of Marcus Novak to stroll out from the masses, from the


    werewolves that covered every inch of street, sidewalk, and parking lot. They even littered the grass of


    Marcus¡¯s mansion, passing the grounds in front of the iron fence.


    The crowd began to part, werewolves standing and moving out of the way, but it wasn¡¯t Marcus¡¯s smile


    that shined like a beacon, here to save us from our own destruction.


    ¡°It seems even D***h herself is against dear old Marcus.¡± Jaspar Fox¡¯s joyous voice rang throughout


    the crowd of werewolves, shattering the ice that had rooted me frozen in ce.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    ¡°It is within all of your best interests to stand down.¡± Jaspar Fox¡¯s voice rang throughout the crowd,


    strong and very much alive. The wolves he had brought with him twitched their tails in irritation, we


    were evenly matched now. I could see shimmering eyes deep within the forest, watching and waiting


    from the outside. ¡°Defy your Alpha and take your own life into your hands, because soon Marcus


    Novak will be d**d.¡±


    Jaspar looked towards me and somehow, I was able to decipher the words within his pale colored


    eyes. He was asking me a question, a simple yes or no. It took only a few seconds, reaching out with


    my magic before I had the answer.


    Disappointment and eptance shed in his eyes as I shook my head ¡®no¡¯.


    Many of the warriors here were loyal to Marcus, and radiated waves of hostility as they barely managed


    to keep themselves still. I could feel that so many of them were desperate for a way out, but the fear


    that stole their breath smothered any hope that might have flickered to life.


    My warning gave all of us a head start before a sand-colored wolf on Jaspar¡¯s nk lunged for his


    throat, the sudden outpour of sound was violent symphony in the background.


    A second wolf, eyes the color of earth and fur the color of snow moved with incredible speed, hurling


    itself at the enemy. They collided in a see of gnashing teeth and snarls, but my attention was torn away


    before I could see who the victor had been.


    ¡°Can you get her to Marcus?¡± Jaspar questioned, gripping Zayne by the bicep in what I assumed was a


    greeting.


    ¡°He has bunkers all over the country, but he¡¯d want to stay close.¡± Zayne said, piercing eyes narrowing


    as he paused for a moment. His eyes flickered up to mine, surprisingly calm considering he was


    sentencing his father to d***h. ¡°I know where he is.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡± I swallowed, nerves settling in my stomach.


    I noticed his eyes weren¡¯t on me but focused somewhere behind my head. Whirling around, I expected


    to see the towering form of a snarling wolf. What I noticed were the twin¡¯s, thick onyx fur and blood-


    stained teeth as they fought to protect the three of us.


    A sh of red sat just a few feet away from the twin¡¯s, right where Zayne happened to be standing.


    Tori¡¯s crimson wolf leaped through the air; muzzle coated in blood as she sunk her teeth into the throat


    of an enemy. Despite her lean form, she thrashed back and forth, tearing the flesh of the wolf before


    letting its body fall to the ground.


    My own eyebrows crept higher at the look on Zayne¡¯s face, an expression I wasn¡¯t sure he had ever


    made before. He watched Tori with surprise brimming in his eyes, the realization that he had


    underestimated her-that he didn¡¯t truly know her.


    Part of me wanted to think that even if he didn¡¯t ept the bond, he was beginning to realize that Tori


    was his Luna.


    ¡°Where can I find him, Zayne?¡± I asked, pulling him back into the present as I read the clear reluctance


    in his eyes. ¡°Tell me, and I¡¯ll take the twins.¡±


    I kept my eyes trained on his face, knowing he¡¯d surely shut down if I even mentioned Tori¡¯s presence.


    ¡°From behind the mansion, it¡¯s a three-mile run to my mother¡¯s old estate. You¡¯ll lose their scent at the


    river, but you must keep going. Marcus, and his inner circle are in an underground bunker, in the


    basement. You won¡¯t pick up his scent again until you¡¯re inside.¡± His eyes met mine, emotionless and


    unwavering. Poise and perfection amidst the b****y and brutal backdrop. ¡°They¡¯re going to know you¡¯re


    coming, and they won¡¯t be alone. Ariana, the Hound and Chaos will be there.¡±


    ¡°Ariana is the only one who poses a threat to me. Once she is out of the picture, the rest of them will


    fall.¡± I said a bit darker than I intended, rage clouding my vision for those fleeting seconds.


    ¡°Do the world a favor, don¡¯t lose yourself trying to k**l Marcus.¡± Zayne grunted, unreadable eyes of


    crystal blue flickering down to my own. ¡°There¡¯s no one alive to stop you if you go dark.¡±


    With that heart-felt farewell, Zayne flexed his fingers and squared his shoulders, taking long strides


    forwards before shifting into a te grey wolf.


    His form was asrge as the twin¡¯s, nearing the size of a bear. There was an elegance to the way he


    walked, holding his head high. As I watched him bound into the thickest part of the fight, where Tori¡¯s


    fiery wolf currently resided, I wondered what type of Alpha Zayne might turn out to be.


    ¡°A*****e.¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Consider it apliment. That¡¯s more concern than he¡¯s shown in years.¡± Jaspar smirked, his eyes


    holding the answers to the dozens of questions swimming in my head. ¡°I¡¯ll be sending a few warriors to


    keep Marcus¡¯s guys off your tail. Keep your guys from k*****g them for me.¡±


    I let my thoughts mesh with Alec and Kade¡¯s, both of which were charging through battle as though


    they had been born to it.


    Neither were white wolves, but their aura of dominance and ferocity made me want to run in the


    opposite direction. They seemedrger than most of the wolves, their teeth longer and sharper. That


    alone made them frightening.


    I gave both a hasty recap of what Zayne had said, and the n that was now set in ce. Both took a


    few seconds to finish off their prey, tossing limp, fur covered bodies to the side.


    ¡®You two in?¡¯ I asked, breathless even though I had yet to join the fight.


    ¡®Of course, doll.¡¯ Alec¡¯s voice was rough, raspy from battle and the thrum of adrenaline. You¡¯re not


    leaving our side for the foreseeable future.¡¯


    Alec and Kade paved the way, demolishing any wolf who stood against us. I sprinted along side of


    them, my lungs burning as cool air whipped across my cheeks. Even though my limbs burned from the


    lack of exercise, my thundering heart was soaring.


    I slid off the t-shirt I wore and tied it around my ankle, knowing sooner orter I would have to shift


    back. I took deep breaths, savoring the moisture and scent of nature in the air. There were no more


    cement walls and artificial light, the floral scent ofundry detergent and the grating voice of Marcus


    Novak. I could feel the twin¡¯s emotions as if they were my own and reveled in the feeling of freedom


    that sent me propelling forwards.


    At some point Kade had warned me that going too long without shifting would hurt. As my bones


    cracked and pulled apart, I realized how right he had been. Pain was short-lived inparison to what


    was toe, the knowledge that I was on my way to end a life. What shocked me even further was the


    estate. A wrought iron fence spanned the property, it¡¯s gate was covered in stray vines, with little red


    flowers growing in small clusters. It¡¯s slow and steady creek sounded unbearably loud as I wrenched it


    open wide enough for us to slip through.


    I kept a hand on Alec and Kade, letting my fingers sink into their thick fur. The t-shirt I wore wasn¡¯t the


    mostfortable thing to wear into battle, but it covered everything important as it reached nearly to


    my knees.


    A cracked and faded sign read ¡®Novak Estate¡¯, welded onto the iron gate. Crumbling pirs sat on


    either side of what must¡¯ve once been a paved driveway. There wasn¡¯t much asphalt left, mostly weeds


    and clumps of dry dirt. The entire ce held an underlying tone of sadness, a loneliness that p******d


    the earth and stained the air.


    Enough remained of the estate¡¯s structure that I could tell it was beautiful in it¡¯s prime. Large windows


    that were shattered and had crumbled, were ced to let in copious amounts of sunlight. Twin


    balconies with ornate railings sat on the left and right side, somehow still standing despite all the other


    structural issues.


    We entered through where the front door must have been. That part of the house had eroded, taking


    behind a good portion of the ceiling. The basement doors, which were wide enough to fit both twins¡¯,


    were through the kitchen and into a small servant¡¯s quarters. From the looks of it, this ce was meant


    to be an intimate and private home. Much warmer than Marcus¡¯s office-like mansion.


    As we left the sunlight behind for more confined spaces and artificial light, I could see why no one


    would dare search this far. The air felt heavier, as if I could still taste whatever tragedy had urred


    here.


    The walls were of smooth cement, and every ten feet hung a small dome light from the ceiling. It left


    just a few inches of darkness between each light. Within that darkness, I watched a familiar eye open.


    Hazel with hues of moss and gold, ruined by the cruelty that shined within them.


    ¡°You talked a big game earlier, Aurora.¡± Ariana cooed sweetly, grinning at the twins and I. ¡°But you¡¯re


    going to d*e here, like a pathetic nobody, in some d**d woman¡¯s house. While the meat is rotting off


    your bones; I¡¯ll be up there, ruling the f*****g world.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be ruling anything, Marcus will.¡± I answered reflexively, a flicker of rage igniting in my gut


    when her smile widened.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never make it to him, you know.¡± She snickered, turning on her heel as she sprinted off into the


    shadows.


    It was clear she was leading us into a trap, but there was no other choice. The hallway twisted and


    turned, but never once branched off. It was a one way shot to the bunker, and there was no avoiding


    the fight that was brewing.


    I sprinted around the corner after the twin¡¯s when I heard Ariana shout, ¡°I had to convince him you


    weren¡¯t worth keeping. Too rabid and uncontroble, there¡¯s no other choice but to put you down. I


    didn¡¯t even have to convince him to k**l Zayne. No, he set those ns in motion himself.¡±


    My breath halted for a moment, thoughts flitting back to Zayne and Tori, both of which were neck-deep


    in the fight. A wave of panic threatened to overtake me at the thought of Tori losing her mate, but I


    swallowed the emotion for the time being. There was nothing I could do from here, but I could focus on


    k*****g Marcus. That might save us all.


    The hallway opened into arge, circr room. At the very end was a metal door, much like what I


    would expect a safe room to have. A guard stood on either side, and next to Ariana stood the Hound.


    The scent of wet earth and mildew mixed with his body odor, filling the room with the scent of rot, and


    sweat.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, breathe it in. This is where you¡¯re going to d*e. In this filthy hovel, like a mutt.¡± Ariana


    chuckled sharply, noticing the way my nose wrinkled at the smell.


    With each insult she hurled my way, Kade¡¯s rage ratcheted higher. His vision quickly became tinged in


    shades of red before a deafening snarl left his mouth, and his muscr form lunged for her throat.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Kade¡¯s rage became him, heating his blood until it boiled as it pumped throughout his form. The violent


    emotion overtook himpletely, giving his increased strength a savage edge.


    Alec¡¯s head was a different story, the same book but in another format. He could see and breathe


    through his rage, using it to propel not himself, but his thoughts forward. Strategies and ns flitted


    through his head, disorienting and at rapid-fire. Many of them looked like football ys, marking where


    Ariana, the Hound, and the two guards stood.


    I tried not to give into the sinking feeling that overtook me, when even Alec couldn¡¯t produce a n of


    action. We were outnumbered, exceptionally considering I couldn¡¯t use my magic while Ariana was in


    the room, and mybat training was strictly lodged in the beginner stage.


    Still, I hadn¡¯te this far by giving up. Through pain and blood, I¡¯d give everything I had. With my


    mates at my side, both identical and different in every way, the very idea of failure became an


    impossibility.


    Ariana hadn¡¯t been appointed Marcus Novak¡¯s personal assassin for her doll-like smile and charming


    personality. Like a poisonous flower with curling petals, her beauty was just another distraction before


    the k**l.


    She stepped to the side just as Kade¡¯s teeth glided past her neck, snapping down on where she had


    previously stood. His ws scraped across the rough cement floor as he slid to a stop.


    Her eyes hadn¡¯t even left my face, her smile never once wavered.


    A reckless, poorly thought-out n of my own flitted through my head. I closed my thoughts off from


    the twin¡¯s, knowing both would do whatever possible to keep me from acting it out.


    ¡®Take out the guards and the Hound.¡¯ I told them both through mind-link, ignoring the incredulous look


    Alec was giving me. ¡®I¡¯ll take down Ariana.¡¯


    Kade heeded mymand as though it werew, letting out an ear-piercing snarl as he dove into one


    of the guards. The Hound was next to shift, smelling even stronger in wolf form. The scent of his body


    odor mixed with that of a d***y, blood covered animal.


    I sprinted towards Ariana, giving Alec no time to stop me. The second guard was charging my way, hair


    sprouting from his face and neck as he shifted. With a snarl aimed in my direction, Alec barreled into


    the guard before he had the chance to reach me.


    I had to y this perfectly. It wasn¡¯t hard to feign hesitation, to let it halt my movements ever so slightly.


    I made a point to nce down at the knives strapped to her waist and thighs, then took a step


    backwards.


    ¡°Power is wasted on the weak. How you were given so much of it is beyond my understanding.¡± She


    said softly, with so much disappointment that I snarled. A sensual smile twitched onto her lips, a


    glittering serpent leading its prey into murky waters. She utched the knives from her waist and


    thighs, letting them tter to the ground. With her arms spread out on either side, she took a step


    towards me. ¡°I don¡¯t even need a weapon to k**l you, Aurora. You can run like a coward or face me.


    Either way, it will be your blood that stains the ground for the next hundred years.¡±


    Amid the snarling, my footsteps echoed loudly across the floor as I sprinted towards Ariana, and what


    could easily be my doom. The few lessons I had still ringing in my head. I made a wild grab for one of


    the knives she dropped, unfortunately choosing one that would give me little distance. One touch from


    her and my blood would turn cold, my strength sapped like a magical juice box.


    Her lips twitched and eyes shone with satisfaction, which I hoped stemmed from how predictable my


    actions were.


    Gripping the padded hilt of the knife until my knuckles turned white, I shifted into my best fighting


    stance. She shook her head once more before lunging with elongated ws.


    In the back of my mind, Tori¡¯s lengthy promation aboutbat being a dance of blood of d***h


    yed on repeat. I had taken her seriously at the time, but it¡¯s different when one wrong move-one


    mistake can send you into an early grave. Though sparring with Tori was exhausting at best, itcked


    the same terror that an actual fight to the d***h had.


    It was my own reserve of strength and Thalia¡¯s hatred for Ariana that kept me from d***h within the first


    five minutes.


    She wasn¡¯t aiming for my throat, but for the soft flesh of my stomach. The wound would have hurt, and


    surely slowed me down as I bled to d***h. I managed to sidestep in time, though not fast enough to


    remain untouched.


    Cold, tearing pain ripped through my arm, right where her nails had broken the skin. The pain was


    heightened from her brief touch, turning a weeping scratch into what felt like a gaping wound.


    I swung the knife as she inched forwards, hearing the metal slice through the air. The move was on the


    reckless side, further pushing the idea that I wasn¡¯t a trained fighter, and that my luck with stabbing her


    eye out had been a one off. I let fear blossom in my eyes and then stomped on it, poorly smothering it


    as I feigned courage.


    Ariana danced backwards, eyes bright and eager. I saw her next moveing. Even if I had the


    knowledge to avoid it, I wouldn¡¯t have.


    The n I had, which had a high percentage of failure, wouldn¡¯t work unless we were close-as in, she


    had to touch me.


    Her fist mmed into my stomach, tearing the breath from my lungs as her sheer strength sent me


    toppling backwards. The grunt that left my lips wasn¡¯t forced but helped reassure her that I was an easy


    k**l.


    As I had hoped, she surged forward and used her weight to send me falling to the ground. She


    straddled me, her nails digging into my shoulders. I could feel warmth flooding my skin, soaking into the


    fabric of the shirt I wore. She grinned down at me, a cat growing tired of toying with its prey.


    Ariana¡¯s magic wasn¡¯t subtle or gentle, there was no build up before the inevitable pain. One moment I


    felt the tear of my flesh from her nails and the next, bitter cold seeped into my bones and made my


    limbs grow numb.


    Every instinct in my body told me to revolt, to fight and thrash with every ounce of energy I had left. I


    resisted those urges, screaming and shouting within the confines of my own head. Like metal frozen


    from ice and cold, my limbs all but refused to work.


    Instead of fighting the connection between the two of us, I used my magic and pulled. Using my magic


    while she was feeding from me elerated. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    A room of six shimmering lights, like candle me. One of the six was flickering, growing weaker and


    weaker until only the wick smoldered. There was a seventh light in the room. Only it was cold, dark,


    and without heat. It was desperate, grasping for the light with everything it had, but it was destined to


    remain frozen.


    I pulled from those five shimmering lights, trying desperately to grasp some of that strength for my own


    before Ariana devoured it. I knew that Alec and Kade were among the five, but I was smothered in


    layers of agony that were too thick to peel back.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She hissed, her voice strained and hazel eyes wide¨Cso wide that I could see the


    different shades of brown within their surfaces.


    All that energy, it was having an impact on her. Not only did I pull from the twins and the warriors in the


    room, but I shoved it all down her throat. Instead of resisting, I gave it eagerly.


    My fingers twitched, and just a speck of warmth flooded my skin. It wasn¡¯t a coat or a hat, meant to


    withstand the bitter frost. Instead, it was a cup of hot chocte, fighting away the cold for just those few


    precious seconds.


    When my fingers wrapped around the slim hilt of the de I had picked up, I managed a warped grin of


    my own.


    ¡°I¡¯m distracting you.¡±


    The same moment, I plunged the de up and under her ribcage, Kade¡¯s blood coated muzzle


    snapped down on her neck and shoulder.


    For just a split second, time seemed to freeze. True surprise blossomed across her pale face; eyes


    blown wide with the prospect of her own d***h. The blush on her cheeks was the same shade as the


    blood that poured down the jagged, open wound.


    Time sped up and Kade tore her from my body, flinging her against the wall with a sickening thud. That


    ssh of crimson seared itself into my memory, along with glossy auburn hair and nk eyes.


    Kade¡¯s b****y muzzle tore me from my endless stare at Ariana¡¯s corpse, her head angled so that her


    eyesnded on my face.


    ¡®Sweetheart, pay attention.¡¯ Kade¡¯s voice, though rough and hoarse, helped steady my nerves. He was


    trying to reign in that rage, the one that told him to k**l and ravage, to destroy until nothing was left. It


    was his concern for me that kept his mind at bay. ¡®We don¡¯t know how many are in his inner circle.


    There¡¯s no telling how many wolves are going toe out.¡¯


    ¡®We need a n.¡¯ I cleared my throat, thankful my voice didn¡¯t break, though it was still full of disbelief.


    ¡®We already have one.¡¯ Alec¡¯s voice was soft, but also clear and determined. ¡®It¡¯s you, doll. You can


    feed from them and strengthen yourself. Focus on Marcus, and we¡¯ll handle the rest.¡¯


    Kade shifted into his human form, doing what I couldn¡¯t as he pulled Ariana¡¯s body over to the thick,


    steel door. He ced the palm of her b****y hand against a t sensor. Anear silent click sounded,


    followed by the whir of gears turning.


    The interior was almost predictable. A room for rich cowards who loved nothing more than watching the


    masses fight and d*e in their battles. Leather couches and Persian rugs, mahogany coffee tables and


    even a bar area. What made it unique were the copious television screens mounted on the walls,


    capturing footage of the fight in town.


    I took a few tentative steps forward, stopped by Alec¡¯s low growl. From where I stood just ten feet


    away, the room looked empty.


    One second passed, and then two. A sh of silver eyes was all I saw before everything descended


    into chaos. Rather than slow, the adrenaline coursing through me sped things up.


    A silver wolf leaped over my head; it¡¯s ws just two feet above me. I turned on my heel, my magic


    lashing out with desperate ferocity. It sunk into the thick hide of Marcus¡¯s wolf; another cold, d**d me.


    This time I was the one distracted and had no time to react when a gunshot rang out. The sound


    echoed, bouncing off the walls as it tore through my eardrums. It was foreign to my ears, considering I


    now lived in a world of ws and teeth.


    It hade from the bunker. An errant thought flitted through my mind, something about Marcus and


    his inner circle.


    He fell to the ground, ripped backwards by an invisible tether. He twisted and writhed but was forced to


    stop thrashing. Eyes of blue and silver flitted up to meet my own, radiating hostility along with that


    infuriating confidence.


    Something dark shed behind my shoulder, falling to the ground in a mess of fading fur and pale skin.


    Dark glee filled Marcus¡¯s pale eyes, making my once heated blood run cold.


    ¡®Focus.¡¯ Alec¡¯s voice was a warning not to turn around, not to break my concentration from the silver


    wolf in front of me.


    I could hear his snaps and snarls as he charged into the bunker, along with an additional three


    gunshots. The echo of Alec¡¯s voice followed each one, reminding me what was truly at stake.


    ¡°Shift.¡± I snarled, my ears popping from the pressure as I pulled with my magic.


    Where Ariana¡¯s magic was forged from the harsh artic, mine held the heat and radiance of a soul.


    What I felt as I fed from Marcus¡¯s soul made me stop instantly, both revolted and horrified at the stain I


    now felt was beneath my skin. It was utter darkness, a gaping pit that hungered for more and more,


    never satiated. Even if he had beaten us and imed me as his own, it would have never been


    enough.


    ¡°Shift.¡± I snarled, giving another harsh tug that made his hackles raise.


    Silver fur retreated, limbs shifting until the b**e form of Marcus Novak sat on the cement floor. The sight


    was jarring to see a man decorated in designer suits, lifted above the masses, sprawled out in the dirt.


    If this had been the first time I everid eyes on Marcus Novak, I wouldn¡¯t have looked twice. A man so


    cold and empty inside that he was forced to chase the light that others exuded. What some had in


    abundance, he had none.


    ¡°She¡¯s never lost, you know.¡± His voice was strained, emotionless even in the face of the inevitable.


    The physical pain in his words reminded me that he was wasn¡¯t this great viin, but a werewolf like the


    rest of us. The sheer indifference in his eyes threatened to send me into my own blood-thirsty rage, but


    I suppressed those emotions. He didn¡¯t bother ncing towards Ariana or feigning any grief when it


    came to her d***h. Even as I crouched down, wrapping my hand around the hilt of one of Ariana¡¯s


    des, he was free from the burden of human emotions. ¡°Neither have I.¡±


    I hovered over him; my hands steady as the silver coating on the de glittered like an old friend. My


    heartbeat roared in my ears as eyes of cold steel met my own.


    ¡°Sooner orter, everyone loses.¡±


    You would think that it was cathartic, ending the life of someone who had caused so much h****r. That


    there would be some grand finale, the stars trickling down from the heavens as d***h swung her scythe


    and imed yet another soul. There was no physical change that rippled across the earth as Marcus


    Novak left this world. You couldn¡¯t feel the absence, theck of evil that had once existed within this


    one person. The stubborn fury to his eyes that refused to fade, even when all awareness had vanished,


    and breath no longer fell from his lips. Men like Marcus Novak; they never submit, even in d***h.


    What I could feel were the shackles falling from thousands of wolves¡¯ wrists, ttering against the


    blood-soaked earth as Marcus¡¯s iron grip was finally removed.


    I had no time to process the change that practically rippled across the earth. Any joy I would have felt


    was smothered, held tightly in the grip of panic. An echo of searing pain rushed through me, hard


    enough to make my teeth snap together. It throbbed and burned just below my left cor bone,


    matching the gunshot wound in Kade¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    The sound of muffled arguing emerged from the kitchen, most of which held the noticeable soprano of


    Tori¡¯s voice. Every few seconds, I could hear Kady¡¯s mom snap back in a venomous tone. Even Garrett


    was perfectly content with letting them argue, considering he was still processing all that I had told him.


    He hadn¡¯t moved from his position on the couch, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. The same


    rush of emotion had once washed through me and even now, it was hard to believe that things were


    changing. Julian sat at his side, unable to conceal the wide grin that stole his face. The exact opposite


    of his brooding and severe brother. It made him look younger, even though the lines etched into his


    smooth face were a testament to his age. He leaned forward on his haunches, eyes sparkling.


    There had always been something feral about Julian. Still, he was more approachable than Garrett.


    ¡°How¡¯d you k**l him, kid? Did he beg?¡± My stomach soured as part of me was torn back to that ce,


    the smell of blood and earth permeating my nostrils as the cold feel of d**d eyes froze my skin.


    The sound of shattered bones as her corpse thudded lifelessly against the wall. Porcin skin, auburn


    hair and hazel eyes that wouldn¡¯t stop looking at me. With a single blink, I was sitting on the couch,


    Julian¡¯s expectant eyes roaming my face. I jolted, startled when Alec opened the door to his father¡¯s


    study and emerged. His eyes found mine instantly as he rounded the corner, honed on where I sat.


    Gentle concern coiled around my mind, forcing away those thoughts that brought up the past. It wasn¡¯t


    regret that festered in my gut, I knew what needed to be done, but the sight of it refused to leave my


    mind. ¡°Kade will be out in a moment.¡± Alec¡¯s voice was smooth, even as his thoughts slid into my own.


    He took a seat on the sectional beside me, smirking as he draped an arm over my shoulders. ¡®Are you


    alright, doll? I know it¡¯s affecting you, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. You did the right thing, but


    d***h haunts all of us.¡¯ Before I had chance to answer, the arguing in the kitchen grew louder, until both


    voices could be heard. ¡°She¡¯s going to resent you for the rest of her life if you can¡¯t ept her.¡± Tori¡¯s


    muffled voice grew sharp as she sent another jab at Veronica. I could taste the anger in her words, like


    rusted metal that coated the tongue. ¡°I was promised a Luna! I am looking out for her future.


    You have no clue what kind of potential she has. Who are you to tell me about my daughter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m


    someone who can¡¯t stand close minded people. Besides, your daughter needs someone on her side for


    a change.¡± I could practically see Tori¡¯s heated cheeks, her mossy eyes vibrant with rage as they often


    became when she was worked up. I snickered inwardly when whatever Veronica had to say, died on


    her tongue. ¡°You need to get it through your thick skull; what you want and what she wants are two


    vastly different things.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    All you should care about is that your daughter is happy! If you can¡¯t ept her, then stay out of her life


    before you ruin it with your hatred.¡± Before any of us had the chance to feign ignorance, the door


    swung open, and Tori stormed through. I caught one nce at Veronica¡¯s face, her beautiful features


    distorted in both rage and guilt. There was a mess of emotions in that woman, one that only she could


    sort out. Tori¡¯s eyes, which held at least a dozen individual shades of green, swiveled over to where


    Garrett sat.


    This time I couldn¡¯t hold back my snicker, not when she cocked an eyebrow at him and narrowed her


    gaze. ¡°Do we have a problem?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Garrett¡¯s eyebrows lifted in interest, but he made no move


    to stand against Tori. Reluctantly, they slid over to Alec and me. He had once been against the twin¡¯s,


    enough so to warn me against them. There was no fondness between them, but a sense of respect


    and a mutual determination for keeping me alive. ¡°I¡¯m an advocate for both of my daughter¡¯s


    happiness, no matter who their mates might be.¡± Tori nodded, satisfied with his answer as she turned


    her head in my direction, ¡°I¡¯m going to head outside.


    That woman gave me a migraine.¡± ¡°Burbon helps.¡± Garrett called out from over his shoulder, shrugging


    half-heartedly as he muttered, ¡°She gives me them as well.¡± Kade emerged a few momentster,


    followed by their parents. Once I was squished between my twins, who had followed through on their


    promise to never let me out of their sight, I found myself smirking at Garrett. ¡°Since you¡¯re all for our


    happiness now, you won¡¯t mind if I don¡¯t take over your pack, right?¡± I teased, chuckling when he


    frowned and shook his head. ¡°Absolutely not, the pack still needs a Luna.¡± His severe expression


    softened when he finally caught on. It was still unnerving to stare into those mismatched eyes, which


    mirrored my own.


    They flickered over to Julian before he continued, ¡°As for the High Table, it¡¯s your decision whether or


    not you want to forfeit your ce.¡± ¡°The girl just won, Garrett. Give her a moment to celebrate before


    shoving this down her throat.¡± Julian grunted. ¡°She deserves to know the risks¡± Garrett silenced his


    brother with a harsh look, ¡°Should you choose to forfeit your ce, it¡¯ll be given to the secondrgest


    pack. You¡¯d be crucial in wars, thergest pack in the world, but without any titles. A useful ally, or a


    deadly enemy.¡± ¡°Your title would protect your pack. No other High Table member would dare go after


    another, especially the head.¡± Julian concluded, ¡°I¡¯d think on it carefully.¡± ¡®This is your decision,


    sweetheart.¡¯ Kade¡¯s gruff voice coiled around my mind. Our hands were sped together, his thumb


    circling my hand with the same leisurely pace. ¡®If you choose not to, we can make sure our pack is


    protected.


    ¡¯ Alec promised with a soft smile, and I could feel the truth in his words, but I had thought this through a


    long time ago. There was plenty of time to think when I was sitting in that bedroom, wondering when


    Ariana and Marcus would show, what they might have me do ¡°Oh, I have no intention on giving up my


    seat at the High Table.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Julian asked, interest and smothered excitement permeating the


    air. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m going to see this through.¡± I smirked at the two of them, my biological father and


    uncle. One prim and proper, adorned in crisp suits and silky ties. The other just a bit more feral, with


    wild eyes and shaggy hair. Both Alpha¡¯s with a lifetime of experience, vastly different from one another.


    ¡°You¡¯ll help me won¡¯t you, the both of you?¡± Surprisingly, my excitement mirrored that of my uncles.


    Even with the horrible memories in my head, mixing with the beautiful and unforgettable ones, there


    was no fear guing me. I had irreceable people at my side, ready to lend me their wisdom and


    experience, determined to keep me on my two feet.


    I wouldn¡¯t walk into this world alone, not ever again. A few dayster, we all gathered to see Jaspar and


    his warriors off. Many had returned home over the course of the week, but there had been some that


    remained to protect their Alpha. Even Zayne, who had been staying in town this entire time, showed to


    say goodbye. If there was one person who looked as sleep deprived as me, it was Zayne. There were


    shadows old and new that still swirled in his eyes, finally broken free by the d***h of his father. He wore


    a dark dress shirt and a pair of cks, which was casual for him. ¡°I suppose you won¡¯t mind me staying


    in town for awhile then, considering you¡¯re the new Head.¡± Zayne¡¯s voice broke through my thoughts,


    his eyes narrowed as though he could tell where they had strayed. I was hyperaware of the fact that


    Tori stood just a few feet away, her head turned as though she weren¡¯t listening, but I could see the


    way her cheeks heated at his words. ¡°I¡¯d also like to speak with your other¡­friends, Alpha Isaiah and


    Luna Mera.¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Zayne Novak was a man with little in the way of friends. Marcus never needed true born


    alliances, not when he used fear and power as his weapons. The twin¡¯s, who had been speaking with


    Zayne increasingly, mentioned the Alpha and Luna who had been crucial in battle. ¡°Who will run your


    pack? There¡¯s still so many wolves there.¡± I asked, curious about the white wolves that had chosen to


    remain behind. All those who supported Marcus were either d**d or dered rogues as they fled


    through the forest. There had been some families who remained, ones who had lived within Marcus¡¯s


    walls for generations. Zayne had chosen to step up and repair the devastation his father wrought,


    rather than run and let others do it for him.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine, facing the people who med him, who worked beneath him for all those years. ¡°I


    have someone I trust to watch the pack for the next few months. It might be best for some of the white


    wolves that I don¡¯t show my face for a while.¡± He frowned, and through the small crack in his wall, I


    could feel a cold whisper of regret against my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s their choice whether or not they want to stay.


    They¡¯ll be given everything they need to settle into another pack. Those who want to stay will be given


    jobs, homes, and money to support their families.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awful generous of you.¡± I replied after a few


    long moments, genuine surprise blossoming on my face. Zayne rolled his eyes at the expression, but I


    didn¡¯t miss how they strayed over to where Tori stood, or how his hand quickly found it¡¯s way to the


    back of his neck. ¡°Marcus had more money than he knew what to do with. Now it¡¯s being used.¡± He


    shrugged, feigning indifference. I was thest to say goodbye to Jaspar, only because I knew we would


    see one another again. Jaspar Fox had officially stepped down as Alpha, even if he did take over the


    band of white wolves he had been protecting. His eldest son would soon be taking his seat at the High


    Table and joining in on our mission to heal some of the damage caused by Marcus. ¡°She¡¯s been


    nagging me relentlessly about you.¡±


    Jaspar said teasingly as the two of us watched his daughter skip about. Every so often she would


    vanish mid-hop, only to reappear a few feet away. ¡°Where will the two of you go, to your son¡¯s pack?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to Zayne¡¯s pack to oversee things for a while.¡± He shrugged, shing a small grin


    as he watched his daughterugh and y. ¡°I¡¯m bringing along the white wolves under my charge. I


    think it¡¯ll help the others see that this is real, that they truly are free.¡± My eyebrows lifted, ¡°So you¡¯re the


    trusted friend?¡± ¡°He called me his friend, did he?¡± Jaspar¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t poke fun.¡± I smirked, lowering my voice. ¡°You¡¯re probably the only one he has.¡± ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m not


    sure about that.¡± Jaspar mused, his eyes flickering to where Zayne stood. ¡°I¡¯m thinking if he ys his


    cards right, that little red head will be his friend in no time.¡± My gaze followed and I couldn¡¯t help but


    notice that again, he and Tori seemed to gravitate towards one another. There was still a general


    loathinging from her, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to stay away. My eyes widen a little as I realize


    that these next few months might give way to a lot of things. ¡°Come here, princess. We¡¯ve got to get


    going.¡± Jaspar called for his daughter, chuckling as she vanished and reappeared in his arms.


    An errant thought crossed my mind, something I had been wondering since watching that gut-


    wrenching clip on the news. ¡°Jaspar!¡± I called out, just as he and his daughter prepared to leave. ¡°It¡¯s


    been nagging me. How did you make thousands of white wolves vanish before Marcus got to your


    pack? There was no trace of any of you.¡± Jaspar cocked his head to the side, his daughter squealing


    and giggling in his arms. An untraceable grin formed on his face, his eyes shing with manic joy. Mere


    seconds before he and his daughter vanished, he replied. ¡°Who says we ever left?¡±

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Two Months Later


    One deep breath, and then another. ¡°Rx, Aurora.¡± Zayne¡¯s t voice sounded from a few feet in front


    of me, icy eyes pivoting across the lounge to meet my own.


    Ever since his father¡¯s d***h, there were moments where he seemed carved from ice. The only one


    able to thaw him was currently waiting along with the rest of the crowd. ¡°Whether they know it or not,


    they¡¯re looking for a leader, someone better to rece Marcus.


    Speak with confidence and they¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong.¡± Brandon Fox shrugged. The only simrities


    between Jaspar and his eldest son were the piercing eyes andzy grin. Everything else, including the


    golden hair, came from his mother. ¡°Still, she is not wrong to be worried.


    There are some that won¡¯t be happy with this decision.¡± Isaiah chimed in, the voice of reason as he


    stood second in line. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked thest member of the High Table, who stood at the


    front of the line. Isabe Garcia was only two years older than me, from arge pack that took up most


    of New Mexico and Arizona.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Her warriors had been too far away to aid in the battle, but her pack had its own history with helping


    white wolves. As the sole child of an Alpha, she was beside herself when I sent the invitation. She


    swallowed heavily, eyes still wide and nervous. ¡°I think if he wants to make up for his family¡¯s mistakes,


    this is the best ce to do that.¡± Her voice was strong, her thick ent almost musical.


    ¡°Alright, is everyone ready?¡± Carrie Heald, an event nner from Garrett¡¯s pack barged into the room,


    her wheat hair pulled into a tight bun. He had hired her two months ago, when I decided to take my


    ce at the High Table. Sticking from the back of her bun was the pen she would continuously lose.


    Even with her frazzled state, she was utterly amazing at her job.


    Once the twin¡¯s and our family decided on a safe location for the High Table¡¯s headquarters, Carrie


    took control of orchestrating the entire event. The concert hall had been renovated just a year ago and


    was the perfect size. Our warriors scoured the building while Carrie transformed it.


    ¡°Alright, Isabe you¡¯re going to head out first. Count to thirty and then go.¡± Carrie grinned


    encouragingly, nudging her to the set of doors that lead downstairs and to the stage. ¡°Aurora you¡¯re


    last.¡± As Isabe descended the stairs, I took a steadying breath. ¡°I hear your Luna ceremony is this


    weekend.¡± Brandon murmured over his shoulder, his grin mirroring Jaspar¡¯s.


    His voice held an air of mock offense, ¡°Is there any particr reason I didn¡¯t receive an invite? Are we


    not friends, Aurora?¡± Isaiah followed soon after, my heart thundered with each step I took. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    know you¡¯d want to go.¡± I snorted at him, feeling some of my nerves skitter away at his teasing voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three and unmated,¡± He smirked, and I swallowed heavily as it was now Zayne¡¯s turn. ¡°Of


    course, I want to go.¡± ¡°Consider yourself invited.¡± I said breathlessly, doing my best to return the


    encouraging smile he threw my way. As Brandon exited down to the stage, I headed towards the doors


    as well.


    ¡°Deep breaths, Aurora.¡± Carrie sped my sweaty hand in her own. It wasn¡¯t her words that gave me


    the strength to press forward and follow the other table members, but the confidence in her emotions.


    This woman I had met a handful of times, had spoken to only once during her task of setting everything


    up, believed in me wholeheartedly. I emerged through a set of double doors, squaring my shoulders as


    I was met with a small crowd of reporters. Velvet ropes and dark clothed warriors from all three of my


    packs served as the barrier between the reporters and me. Their questions thundered in my ears,


    almost as loud as my thundering heartbeat.


    Keep your head straight and answer no questions until you¡¯re seated on stage. That¡¯s what Carrie had


    told me, and I followed her advice as I lifted my chin and headed downstairs. I could feel several


    guards at my back. They were looming presences that felt a little overbearing at times, but the twin¡¯s


    insisted they were a necessity. My stomach dropped as I descended the stairs, feeling the weight of the


    crowd and their emotions nearby. Tugging at the edges of my mind as they loomed closer and closer.


    The sound of my own heartbeat dulled, reced by silence so deafening my ears began to ring. My


    footsteps pattered against the smooth floor; the crowd grew quiet. White-hot lights were bright as they


    illuminated the stage, and I made my way across to stand at the center, lodged between Zayne and


    Brandon. A million thoughts were streaming through my head, the most concerning were the loudest.


    Could they see how frazzled I was? How entirely new this all felt? Did they know how desperately I


    wanted to fix things? That when the nightmares continued to im me, I¡¯d stay up all night searching


    for solutions? ¡®You look as calm as ever, doll.¡¯ Alec¡¯s smooth voice trickled into my thoughts, sanding


    down the harsh edges of my panic. ¡®Like a natural born leader.¡¯ ¡®The only ones who can tell how you¡¯re


    feeling is us.¡¯


    Kade chimed in, his voice a bit raspier than his brothers. I strained my eyes to peer out into the crowd,


    immediately finding where my family and mates sat. Much like in Marcus¡¯s old council room, we divided


    the seating in the concert hall to fit the various packs that wished to attend. All the Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s


    were seated towards the front. Each were given a microphone to speak, so that their voice could be


    heard as well. They would remain off while the five of us were speaking, but it was a way to give the


    smaller pack¡¯s a voice. It was the twin¡¯s dark stares that kept the sea of emotions from barreling over


    me.


    There were so many people, and nerves were still raw from the devastation and change that rocked the


    world. I stood tall, and braced myself against the torrents of wariness, indecision, and worry. A whisper


    of hostility hovered in the air, but the desperation for any semnce of peace was far more vicious ¡®Will


    they revolt?¡¯ Kade asked softly, his voice making the hairs on the back of my neck lift. I gave the barest


    shake of my head before stepping forward, leveling my eyes with the crowd like Carrie instructed. ¡°I


    understand that many of you are wary.¡± I began, hardening my nerves until my voice came out steady


    and smooth.


    My expression was one ofpassion and understanding, something Marcus was incapable of


    showing. ¡°I will not speak for Zayne Novak, but he does have the full support of the High Table. All I ask


    is that you listen to what he has to say.¡± ¡°There is no apology I can make that will give back the lives


    lost, or the pain that has been endured. I am not here to ask for your forgiveness.¡± Zayne¡¯s face was


    smooth granite, his voice heavy even though itcked the snowstorm of emotion he currently felt. I


    couldn¡¯t help but zero in on where his eyes were straying, to the redhead in the front row. Something


    had happened recently between my best-friend and her mate.


    It sent Zayne¡¯s emotional wall crumbling down, but still he hid the rawest and darkest parts of himself.


    He had fled back to his packst week, and Tori had been furious ever since. One thing I could feel for


    certain, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He had fallen in love with my best-friend. ¡°My fear


    condemned thousands of wolves, and it is a debt I¡¯ll never be able to repay. Those I rescued behind


    Marcus¡¯s back were a mere shadow of what I could have saved, should I have stood up to him.


    I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life trying to fix the damage my family has wrought.¡± There was little sympathy


    for Zayne, but he hadn¡¯t asked for any to begin with. The grim determination on his face followed by the


    dark shadows around his eyes soothed some, but others would prove harder to convince. The five of


    us spent the next hour discussing the changes that would be implemented immediately, both within our


    respective packs and throughout the country.


    It had taken us all a month to n and agree on our ns, but what we had produced was just the


    beginning. Before the new year, all the freed white wolves would be sessfully implemented into


    whatever pack they happened to choose. Children would enroll in schools; parents would receive jobs


    and educations. Houses will be filled, and families given the necessary aid to help them begin healing.


    It would never be enough, but their future generations will no longer fear the ghost of Marcus Novak.


    The five of us were opening our borders to all white wolves in search of a ce to call home. There


    were even a few that chose to remain in Zayne¡¯s pack, those who sided more with Zayne and the


    difference he had made. My favorite change ofw, which happened to be one of thergest in our


    history, took time and nning.


    No longer would Luna¡¯s be prohibited from taking a seat at the High Table. No longer would only


    daughters of Alpha¡¯s forfeit their rights to their pack, the people they had been raised beside and taught


    to love. Garrett and Julian had broken that rule when first meeting me, because gender was not nearly


    as important as the wellbeing of their people. It had taken five minutes of convincing to sway Zayne,


    and the threat of Tori spazzing on him. There was no way she¡¯d stay quiet if he voted no on this.


    Brandon agreed with a cheeky grin that made me roll my eyes, and Isaiah was more than happy to give


    strong Luna¡¯s like Mera a chance at making history. Isabe gave the fifth vote, and thew was


    passed. Towards the end, we allowed the Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s in attendance to ask questions. Some


    were sharp of tongue and narrow eyed, but none seemed in the mood to fight. Their questions were all


    based out of genuine concern. Even the packs that hid and cowered had a chance at speaking.


    One Luna in particr stood and spoke softly into her microphone. Her hair was cropped short and the


    fine lines on her face led me to assume she was in her early forties. Her eyes were a warm shade of


    brown, brimming with curiosity and hesitance. ¡°Hello, Luna Aurora. I hope you take no offense to my


    question, but where are the previous members of the High Table? Sebastian Stan, Brayton Cliff, and


    Nico Deville? I am only asking because I do not see them in attendance tonight. It is not strange of me


    to wonder how these new packs grew in size, especially after the downfall of so manyrge houses.¡± I


    took a shallow breath, repeating the words of Alec and Kade as they trickled through my head.


    Their warm stares on my skin chased away the nerves, giving me the confidence to speak clearly.


    ¡°Sebastian Stan was rumored to have fled hisnd due to an uprising. His remains were found two


    weeks ago, still within his pack¡¯s territory.¡± My voice turned dark, and I remembered when his body had


    been found. His own people had torn him apart and scattered the remains. ¡°Brayton Cliff and Nico


    Deville have both been removed from their position and are currently undergoing extensive


    investigations to ensure no white wolves are unwillingly living on theirnds.¡±

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    My Luna Ceremonymenced the following weekend, making Carrie even more frazzled a s she


    nned


    last minute details. Day by day, her buns became just a tad messier. Flower arrangements, guest lists,


    and food.


    She had even gone as far to search for entertainment. I


    had all but forbade her to make an event out of it, but the twin¡¯s ordered her not to listen.


    Streamers of cobalt and powder blue wrapped around the light posts in town, hanging brightly


    decorated wreaths. Storefronts hung lights, andughter trickled in


    through the cracks of devastation.


    The crowd of guests that cheered when I walked under the pavilion erected in the park made my face


    flush. The positive emotions made me giddy as I passed from


    guest to guest, riding the high of happiness and celebration.


    As the ceremonymenced, the joy in my stomach turned to worry. Self-doubt lingered at the corners


    of my mind, fleeing only when the twins came into sight.


    Alec had trimmed his hair for the asion, though the sides were still a tad shorter than the top.


    Kade¡¯s hair was unruly as ever, but the look made him seem darker¨C


    more dangerous as he stood there waiting for me.


    ¡®You have nothing to fear, sweetheart.¡¯ His gruff voice was soft, a tone reserved only for my ears and


    our deepest thoughts. ¡®You¡¯ve been Luna of all three packs for a


    long time now. This ceremony is just a formality.¡¯


    ¡®And a future headache.¡¯ Alec¡¯s yful voice helped slice through the final shreds of my reluctance,


    until excitement once again returned.


    The ceremony itself was short, not nearly asplex as a human marriage despite howplicated it


    actually was. After swearing my life and loyalty to all three packs,


    and a nasty slice to the palm of my hand, the voices of thousands filled my mind. N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    I had been warned about this part, but there was no training avable for something like this.


    ¡®Focus, doll.¡¯ Alec warned, his voice breaking through the sea of chaos. ¡®You can tune them out. It¡¯s all


    within your control. You¡¯re their Luna.¡¯


    Drowning in a sea of sound and emotion, I swam towards the sound of Alec¡¯s voice. Slowly, the chaos


    dimmed, and I could hear past the ringing in my ears. When I was


    finally able to open my eyes, a second of silence ensued before the surrounding crowd erupted in


    cheers. Brandon Fox stood at the front, an earsplitting grin on his That night was one I¡¯d always


    remember, and not because I danced hours of it away with Alec. I had nearly fell overughing as


    Brandon flitted from she-wolf to she wolf, his charm effectively failing him each time. Even Kade


    begrudgingly swept me onto the dance floor during a particrly slow song, his eyebrows knitted into a


    scowl while his cheeks burned a light shade of pink.


    By the time the music ceased, and Alec pulled me into his arms, I had realized I hadn¡¯t seen Tori or


    Zayne for thest few hours.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Tori, but from what I heard in the guest house, you¡¯d only be interrupting


    by seeking her out.¡± He chuckled low in my ear, making my


    mouth pop open in surprise. ¡°Besides, we have something better in mind, a celebration of our own.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I hummed, my breath hitching as his arms wound around my waist. ¡°What will we be


    celebrating?¡±


    ¡°Not you, just us.¡± Kade¡¯s chuckle brushed the back of my neck, his arms snaking around from the


    back. ¡°I don¡¯t think celebrate is an appropriate word for what Alec


    and I have nned. We n to worship you, Luna Aurora.¡±


    I followed the twins from the party, my cheeks aching from the smile stered to my face and a fire


    burning low in my stomach.


    At the time, I hadn¡¯t fully grasped what the twins had nned. I was swept into muscr arms the


    moment we entered the house, pinned to the bed with rough hands


    and heated skin. They snarled and snapped at one another, fighting for the sweetness between my


    legs. Coarse hands held me down while I thrashed and screamed out


    my o****m onto Kade¡¯s tongue, all whilst Alec whispered sweet words of encouragement.


    The two took their time with me, passing me between the other as my own energy waned. I savored


    the roughness and desperation in their touch, the feral need to


    imprint themselves on me in every way possible.


    By the time my eyes fluttered shut from exhaustion, I felt Alec¡¯s hand dip between my legs.


    ¡°We have another surprise for you, doll.¡± His voice was husky from what little sleep we managed.


    I jolted a bit when I realized he held a cold washcloth in his hand and was wiping away at the remains


    of their seed as it had dried to my thighs.


    It took some time to dress and ready myself, especially when my leg muscles groaned, and my core


    throbbed in remembrance. Even Kade, with his gruff demeanor, was


    more of a morning person than me. His touch was gentle as he helped me into a t-shirt and offered a


    hand while I slipped on my pants.


    ¡°My surprise is out of town?¡± I asked curiously, my eyes flitting through the forest as we passed down


    one of the towns many back roads.


    Deeper into the forest we ventured, where small roads branched off the main one, leading to private


    houses and cabins. Just as I readied myself to ask another


    question, Kade slowed the sedan and turned onto a small gravel road. The vehicle tilted back and forth


    on the rocky ground, but within seconds we were pulling up to


    the front of a small house.


    The wooden boards were painted a sunny shade of yellow, and the wrap around porch was covered in


    nts. Wide, tropical leaves hung from attice against the


    porch. Flowers with emerald vines wrapped around the railings, sprouting petals of fuchsia and violet.


    ¡°No way.¡± I gasped, all but leaping from the sedan as Sage stepped onto the front porch.


    Her glossy grey hair was braided down her shoulder and back, her eyes creased as a smile of her own


    lit her face. The nts nearest to her swayed in the breeze,


    reaching towards the woman who radiated so much life and light ¡°Looks like you took my advice, dear.¡±


    Her voice hinted at her age, but the youth in her eyes shimmered like fragments of the sun. Her smile


    widened as Alec and Kade


    stepped from the vehicle, ¡°And then some.¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Iughed, surprised but not offended when she pulled me in for a hug. Sage


    smelled of earth and petals, honey and herbs that clung to the thick


    strands of her hair. ¡°I thought you and your son were hidden away in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we were and d**n happy there too.¡± Sage chuckled, ¡°Your twins sent a few men to my door when


    things started going south. Nearly sent them packing until they


    mentioned a Luna Aurora. My instincts never failed me once, and they were telling me to pack up and


    leave. I miss my garden, but your mates here provided me with a


    suitable recement. Even if thend¡¯s fallen into disrepair.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be enjoying fixing things up around here.¡± Alec smirked, crossing his arms over his broad


    chest. He poked at one of the leaves nearby, ¡°Actually, it looks


    like there¡¯s a lot more nts here today than there were a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Of course, there is. I control the nts, after all.¡± Sage snapped, but a grin tugged at the corners of her


    lips. Her eyes flickered over to where I stood, ¡°Come inside,


    dear. I sent my son to the store a few hours ago, told him not toe back until he¡¯s mated.¡±


    Sage and I talked for hours, long enough that the twins grew restless. I couldn¡¯t contain my happiness


    when Sage told me she nned to stay here, making this house


    and pack her home. It would take her some time to get used to the change, no longer having to hide


    and use her magic in fear.


    Her son returned home as the sun began to set. He muttered a gruff hello and sauntered into the


    kitchen. I hadn¡¯t the courage to ask if he had found his mate, but I


    hoped the nervous excitement fluttering in his chest was a good sign.


    Nearly a weekter, after all the excitement had died down, I received a phone call I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d


    been waiting for.


    ¡®One Missed Voicemail: Melissa.¡¯


    I listened to that voicemail more times than I cared to admit, desperately trying to discern the emotion


    in her words without having to meet her face to face.


    Her voice, though like my own, was throatier from her smoking habit. It was something she did only


    when she was stressed.


    Frank had left her for the cashier at the liquor store, a college dropout named Sadie. He had tried to run


    and cower after getting the girl pregnant, to which Melissa


    promptly kicked him out. I could hear the flick of her lighter in the background, followed by the muttered


    curse when she failed to light her cigarette.


    She wanted to meet with me, to talk about the past and what kind of future we might salvage together.


    The twins never once discouraged me from meeting her, no matter how much buried pain she had


    caused. For some reason, which I still couldn¡¯t figure out, I agreed.


    Standing on the faded boards that made up the front porch sent a feeling of unease skittering through


    my gut. A memory of fear as it shed through my head, trying


    to turn me into the girl I was before. The one who ran instead of facing her problems, who left the


    shattered pieces for everyone else to clean up.


    Her wheat-colored hair was curled when she answered the door, a pale blue eyeshadow was dusted


    across her lids. Nude lipstick and gloss coated her lips. The blush


    on her face showed off her high cheekbones and fair skin. She was wearing her best clothes, a dress


    skirt, and heels with a silk blouse.


    The first knife in my gut was the sh of disappointment when she realized I had arrived alone.


    Alec and Kade waited in the car, this wasn¡¯t something I wanted an audience to.


    Maybe I was punishing myself, but I followed her into the house I had lived in, but never once called


    home.


    The faint undertone of air freshener clung to the cracked leather couch and chipped coffee table. A


    container of antiseptic wipes sat on the counter. The dishes were


    done and stacked in neat piles. The house was cleaner than it had been in the months I lived here.


    ¡°Aurora, sweetheart. How have you been?¡± I frowned at the nickname she called me, the one Kade


    often used. It felt offing from her, twisted and warped. Her voice


    was soft, but it was the emotions beneath I found myself interested in. There was no emotion towards


    Frank¡¯s betrayal. At the very least, I had expected anger.


    Understanding blossomed like bloodstained petals when she continued speaking, ¡°I heard about your


    ceremony-it¡¯s like a promotion, right? Or a coronation?¡±


    At one point, I would have seen the light in her eyes and mistaken it for fondness¡­perhaps I¡¯d even


    convince myself that some small, motherly part of her was proud of


    me. That her own interests were cast aside just this once, for the child she never wanted.


    It was my abilities that both released and caged me I could feel the desperate, wing need as it


    rattled in her ribcage like a starved beast. The harsh regret like an ash coated tongue, and the greedy


    desire to im it all.


    The realization that life was fleeting, and what had she done with hers but ruin it?


    Like a snake, I could feel her slithering close with every silent step she took. Venomous to even those


    closest because a snake could never change its own nature, nor


    would it apologize.


    Somewhere in the back of my mind, a child cried out for the warmth of her mother. Her heart broke for


    this woman more times than I could count, the pain shoved


    down until it seeped into our blood and hardened our heart.


    Like any smart predator, she could see the change in my eyes. The hardness that took over as I stared


    right through her. I wondered if she could feel me probing,


    picking at her deepest emotions with the honed scalpel of my abilities. Slicing back bitter memories and


    fits of jealousy, rage and frustration shoved onto the shoulders


    of a child.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me anymore.¡± I said softly, finally freeing myself from her. ¡°Have a good life, Mom.¡±


    Her fractured sobs filled the house, ringing in my ears as I turned my back on her. I descended the


    porch steps, back to the men who imed every inch of my soul,


    devoured my pain, and reced it with unconditional love.


    The ghost of a smile crawled across my lips because for once, her regret was true.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    One Year Later I nced down at the old article I had saved, snickering at my name in such a bold


    font. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever get used to it, having every werewolf in the world know my name.


    A photo of the twins and I sat below the headline, my odd-colored eyes bright and vibrant. I was


    glowing with happiness as I stood between the twins like a light had been switched on deep within.


    Kade stood behind me, his arms wound around my waist as I grinned and stared into Alec¡¯s eyes.


    None of us were expecting a hidden reporter to snap the photograph. Even after an entire year, my


    love for my mates hadn¡¯t dimmed. If anything, it had grown stronger. It was my favorite picture of the


    three of us. The reporters had a field day when the twin¡¯s and I were finally married. The ceremony was


    mostly for show, an excuse to throw an extravagant party that would lighten spirits and spread some


    happiness. The public were invited, along with various Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s from around the country. The


    legality of it all was questionable considering I couldn¡¯t technically marry two men, but many mates


    chose not to marry at all. Even though it had been a calcted move, I didn¡¯t have to fake my joy that


    day.


    Carrie had nned the wedding for months, but it was Zayne who provided a venue. This wasn¡¯t a


    private event meant for friends and family, but something we wanted to include the world in. The field


    was barren when we arrived, covered in potholes and patchy grass. It was used as a concert venue,


    where stages and booths would be erected. Trash littered the field, ranging from harmless beer cans to


    used condoms and cigarette packs. The grass was used to being trampled by excited feet, but it wasn¡¯t


    aesthetically pleasing for a wedding. Carrie, with full ess to our funds, transformed the venue in a


    matter of a month. I had asked countless times how she managed to get everythingpleted so


    quickly, but her response was always the same.


    A cheeky grin and the mention of a few people owing her some favors. Tori imed the position of


    Maid of Honor before I had the chance to speak and was rather passionate about the wedding


    nning. It put her in the presence of Zayne, who had retreated to his own pack shortly after my Luna


    ceremony, but Tori still enjoyed putting him in his ce. I was sure she also enjoyed the way his eyes


    trailed her every move when her back was turned, but I kept my mouth shut while they bickered with


    one another. I hadn¡¯t asked what was happening between the two of them. I felt like my constant


    intrusion on her emotions was information enough. Their bond was growing stronger, but the two


    continued to butt heads.


    Zayne was dealing with the loss of his father, a man he both hated and wanted to please. There were


    demons in his eyes that wanted to d***n him, but Tori refused to let him sink. The wedding had taken


    my breath away, along with the crowd that had showed up. The parking lot waspletely packed, a


    sea of vehicles that all looked identical in the darkness. In between those cars were guests, donned in


    delicate dresses and suits, walking towards the gates that would lead them to the guard station.


    It was a precaution that the guests and their bags were searched before the wedding. Light posts


    covered in ivy lined the way, like a trail of starlight and nature. As you reached the entrance to the


    party, a domedttice formed overhead with small fairy lights interwoven through the wooden beams.


    Vines with dainty white flowers trickled down, bringing the gentle scent of something sweet. After the


    ceremony had finished and the party truly began, I spent the rest of the night with the twins by my side.


    Their individual scents made me dizzier than the wine I had consumed, making my heart light and


    cheeks ache from smiling so much. I managed to steal Tori away from a couple of lusty guys vying for


    her attention and tugged her onto the dance floor. ¡°What was that about?¡± She chuckled, grabbing my


    hand as she twirled onto the dance floor. ¡°All three of them were wanting in that dress of yours.¡± I


    snickered, rxing as the thundering beat of the music flooded my ears. Tori¡¯s distaste was instant, but


    I hadn¡¯t yet finished. I nced across the room, meeting with a pair of silver eyes that held barely


    contained rage.


    ¡°And a certain Alpha seems a bit enraged by the entire thing. Maybe you should talk with him.¡±


    Brandon Fox and his mate made an appearance, and the few reporters invited chattered excitedly as


    they snapped photographs of the cocky Alpha. He hadn¡¯t stopped grinning since meeting Alicia, not


    once. I had spoken to her while Brandon and the twin¡¯s talked about crossing future training courses,


    and found she was incredibly kind and a tad shy. Jaspar had arrived separate from his son, with Delh


    and his mate in tow. His mate was a soft-spoken woman, petite in stature even though she rivaledContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaspar with a single look.


    After leaping into my arms and stating I looked like a princess, she vanished into the crowd with some


    of the other children present. The twin¡¯s and I mingled with the other guests, Alec doing much better


    than his brother. I could tell Kade was trying, but the bluntness to his words often chased people off.


    After an hour of chatting with various guests and families, my attention started straying. We ventured


    through the crowd, searching for Kady and Ava.


    I found them both with Veronica, who gave me a sour look before turning to Kady. Instead of rolling my


    eyes at the adoration on Veronica¡¯s face as she looked at her daughter, I was happy for Kady. The day


    they met, and Tori chewed Veronica out, it changed something in her. It wasn¡¯t an easy road, but


    Veronica was making a conscious effort to put what Kady wanted first. When Kady was epted into


    the Art Institute a few hours away, her mom had been her biggest supporter. The happiness on Kady¡¯s


    face as she danced with Ava, her golden curls swishing down her pastel gown, it was the purest


    emotion I had felt. I wanted that same happiness for my best-friend, whose all-consuming emotions


    grew stronger the more she resisted the bonds pull. As she continued to pull Zayne from the clutches


    of his demons, I only hoped that she wouldn¡¯t d***n herself. Their emotions were like the rapids, tearing


    me back and forth before dousing me in icy water.


    I had no choice but to listen, to feel every st of sizzling rage or pulse of repressed desire. She was


    the only one to get any sort of reaction out of Zayne, who still held those shadows from that horrible


    night. Sometimes I swore they would vanishpletely when he and Tori were truly at each other¡¯s


    throats.


    Shortly after the ceremony, I had lost sight of Tori. When I finally spotted her fiery hair through the


    crowd, my jaw threatened to tter to the floor. They were towards the edge of the property, where the


    lights were dimmer, but I could never mistake the hunger in their emotions. Even with the other guests


    surrounding them, they only had eyes for one another. Her curves melted into the te grey suit he


    wore, her emerald dress matching the color of Zayne¡¯s tie. Tori¡¯s manicured fingers were on his neck,


    grazing the pulse point of his throat as a coy smile formed on her face. The look was dripping with


    smugness and even from where I stood, I could feel the hitch in his pulse and the sudden explosion in


    his emotions. They were having a private conversation out of ear shot, and I refused to venture any


    further. His desire to attend the wedding plummeted, just as his desire to steal her away increased. The


    night of my wedding, things changed between Zayne and Tori. Two weekster, she asked permission


    to move into Zayne¡¯s pack.


    I¡¯ll never be able to wipe the image of her teary eyes from my mind, the way they resembled fresh


    moss and glittering jewels. The depth of her emotions hit me, sparking tears in my own. She felt guilty


    for leaving, for missing him as desperately as she did. I would miss her more than words could


    express, but this wasn¡¯t the time for mourning. Through trial and tribtion, my best-friend had found


    her happiness. I looked at her through my own tears, both joyful and devastated. I could already feel


    the loss of her in my chest, even though we would always stay in contact. With a smile on my face, I


    embraced my best-friend. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a Luna, Tori. You¡¯ve never needed my permission to


    find your happiness.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll visit, you got that? I¡¯ll tell you everything that happened¡ªhow it all


    changed.¡±


    She sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. ¡°And I¡¯m going toe back as often as


    possible. I¡¯m still your Beta, even if I can¡¯t physically be there. Promise me, Aurora.¡± ¡°You were there for


    me when no one else was, even if I refused to believe it at the time. I¡¯ll always be there for you, no


    matter what.¡± A piece of my heart followed Tori when she left, just as a piece of hers stayed behind, but


    we both followed through on our promise to each other. We made time to video chat every weekend,


    no matter how hectic our schedules became. When my birthday rolled around that spring, I woke the


    entire house with my shouts as Tori and Zayne pulled up in a tinted SUV. I had barely managed to


    throw on one of Kade¡¯s t-shirts and a stray pair of boxers before I stumbled out the front door and down


    the porch steps. Tori cackled with glee as we collided in a mess of tangled limbs, the dew from the


    grass seeping into our clothes. Her fiery hair was longer and tamer, but her eyes shimmered with the


    same happiness I often saw in my own.


    Zayne smirked down at the two of us, his chestnut hair shorter and eyes not as haunted. His emotions


    were clearer, and I was startled at the fierce protectiveness hidden beneath his casual facade. I nearly


    lost it when he extended a hand to Tori and me. He helped me to my feet and tugged her into his arms,


    giving me a wry smile. ¡°Happy Birthday, Aurora.¡± This birthday was the first I had spent with the twin¡¯s


    and was much different than what I was used to. Melissa had rarely acknowledged my birthday, and


    eventually it became another monotonous day. Frank¡¯s attention seemed to fall on me more, which


    didn¡¯t exactly boost my excitement. I had nearly forgotten it was my birthday altogether, until the twin¡¯s


    hauled me into one of the cars and took off. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked Alec, who was currently


    driving. The overconfident smirk he shed me through the rearview was of no help, so I turned to


    Kade. Any time we would drive, one of the twin¡¯s would sit in the back with me. It was a way to remain


    close to them, even if they did bicker over who would sit with me. ¡°I told you two not to get me anything.


    I have everything I could ever want.¡± Kade¡¯s response was a deep chuckle, and a thick blindfold in his


    hands. I swatted them away, my breath hitching when he grabbed both of my wrists and pinned them in


    between his thighs. The moment my hands were free, I reached for the blindfold obscuring my vision.


    ¡°Sweetheart, as much as I¡¯d love to see you restrained, the car isn¡¯t the ce I had in mind.¡± Kade¡¯s


    warm breath fanned across my cheek, making my heart jump. His handnded on myp, just below


    the skirt I wore, the rough pads of his fingers syed out on my t***h. ¡°Now behave and let us have our


    fun.¡±


    I knew we had arrived when Alec stopped the vehicle and shifted it into park. Kade held both of my


    wrists within his hand. For safety measures, he had imed. The two of them kept me from falling on


    my face as I struggled to find my bnce I could hear the gentle rush of wind as it passed my ears,


    along with the sound of passing cars. The muffled chatter of people far away sounded, growing nearer


    with every passing second. Kade led me forwards with his hands on my hips. A dull click sounded,


    followed by the soft jingle of a bell. The first thing I noticed was the immediate scent of nts, with an


    underlying tone of something sweet. I felt Kade¡¯s fingers at the back of my head, pulling the blindfold


    from my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a bakery.¡±


    The words sounded t and full of disbelief as I turned on my heel and gawked at the fully furnished


    store. The walls were white brick, but artwork covered most of the wall space. The smooth marble


    counters glittered under the gentle, golden lights. Arge disy area sat empty, followed by another


    below the counter. Twinkling lights hung on the back wall, where arge chalkboard menu sat. Circr


    tables were in clusters with pale blue chairs and soft throw pillows. A couple of love seats sat against


    the far wall, with the same pastel color scheme as the rest of the store. Potted nts hung from the


    ceiling in front of therge windows, soaking up the sunlight as it poured through. ¡°It¡¯s your bakery.¡±


    Alec smirked, sharing a smug look with Kade that made my face heat. ¡°You can¡¯t get me a bakery.¡± I


    stammered, not looking at either one of them. I was too busy gawking at the shiny new kitchen, with the


    large freezer and steel stovetop. I gave them both an exasperated look when one chuckled, ¡°I got you


    two shirts for your birthdayst year. Shirts.¡± ¡°They were nice shirts.¡± Alec nodded appreciatively, a


    smile twitching at his lips. ¡°Besides, you took us on that pic for our birthday.¡± Heat flooded my face


    as I struggled for an answer. The pic Alec mentioned wasn¡¯t a pic at all. A week before their


    birthday we decided to shift and go on a run, which quickly turned into the three of us taking a break in


    this sprawling meadow of golden grass. The only thing they had eaten during this pic had been


    myself.


    ¡°That was not a part of your birthday-¡° A scream ripped through my throat as I inched too close to the


    marble countertop and saw someone jump out from beneath. ¡°Surprise!!¡± Beth cackled, her sand-


    colored ponytail swishing back and forth as she jumped in ce. It took me several seconds to reign in


    my shock and embarrassment. Her warm eyes flickered between me and the twin¡¯s, sparkling


    deviously. ¡°Your husbands here tracked me down. I¡¯ll forgive theck of wedding invite if you exin to


    me how it is you managed to snag the two of them, and if you can point me towards a set of my own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can help find you a set of twins, but I can tell you all about how we met.¡±


    I teased, ¡°How¡¯s Jake doing? Has he burned the bakery down yet?¡± ¡°Jake ditched the bakery for a


    corporate advertising internship.¡± Beth scoffed in mock offense but shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not a total loss. He¡¯s


    officially the bakery¡¯s one-man advertising team. Now let¡¯s get in this kitchen, I want to see how much


    you remember.¡± ¡®Go on, enjoy your bakery.¡¯ Alec grinned, his thoughts merging with my own. ¡®You know


    I love you both, right?¡¯ I sighed, disgruntled with the guilt that sat in my chest at epting such a huge


    gift. The emotion pricked at the backs of my eyes until Kade took a few strides forward and swept me


    into his arms. Beth¡¯s wistful sigh sounded in the background. ¡®You deserve everything, sweetheart.¡¯


    His voice was gruff, and his plush lips soft as they brushed ever so softly against my own. The twins


    were insistent that I explore the bakery, knowing the more I touched and marveled, the more I fell in


    love with the quaint shop. It was easy to keep up with Beth¡¯s enthusiasm as she chittered and cooed


    over the giant cooler and the stacked ovens. The industrial mixer nearly sent her into a meltdown,


    especially considering it was a pale shade of pink. ¡°How long are you going to be in town for?¡± I asked,


    but she read my mind. ¡°I¡¯ll be in town for the month. I¡¯ll help you hire employee¡¯s, order ingredients and


    supplies, and have everything ready to open up.¡± She grinned wildly, ¡°Thankfully your husbands had


    the ce decorated, that saves us some time. Even though I do think they could¡¯ve used a tad more


    pink.¡±

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Three Years Later


    My back arched and eyes rolled back as molten pleasure coiled between my legs, increasing with


    every desperate s****e of Kade¡¯s tongue. My hands were tangled in his


    hair, tugging him closer while also pushing him away. His snarls vibrated against my slick folds, coaxing


    unfathomable sounds from my lips.


    The man ate like he was


    starving, devouring every inch of my swollen flesh with his lips, tongue, and teeth.


    Alecy beside me, the heavy length of him pressed against my hip as he stroked and yed with my


    tender n*****s. Lavishing kisses down my neck and shoulder.


    Goosebumps erupted where his light caresses fell, even though the air around us was humid and


    warm.


    Both he and Kade were entranced, feasting on me as they had countless times, only this time-their


    attention would stray down to my stomach, to the swell of life


    hidden within my womb.


    They were achingly gentle with me. To the point where my core throbbed, begging to be taken until my


    throat grew hoarse and my legs sore.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to break, you know.¡± I whimpered for the thousandth time.


    It was slow, agonizing torture. Gradually leading up to the moment where I inevitably fell. Shattering


    again and again, until my limbs trembled, and my body cried out


    for reprieve.


    Both Alec and Kade¡¯s protective instincts shot through the roof the moment they spotted the positive


    pregnancy test. I had taken a dozen of them, staring opened


    mouthed in the mirror.


    I had been on birth control for years now, butst month I decided to switch to a different brand. There


    was a one week waiting period, which I was certain we hadn¡¯t


    missed-but something must¡¯ve gone wrong.


    There had never been a time in my life where I imagined myself as a mother. Any time my mind would


    stray that far ahead¨CI¡¯d see shes of my own, a cigarette


    hanging from her mouth as spat at me not to leave my room.


    I hadn¡¯t thought about Melissa much since letting her go, but this sent me reeling back to those years


    ago. When I had been too frightened and berated to fight back. My heart shattered and repaired itself


    when the twin¡¯s found me, scooping me into the safety of their arms. They demolished the gnarled


    vines of my panic and h****r,


    letting the sun break through with strength and hope.


    ¡®You¡¯re not her.¡¯ Kade reminded me, the adoration in his voice made me take a shaky breath. ¡®You¡¯ve


    never been her.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s your choice, doll. We¡¯d never force something like this on you.¡¯ Alec¡¯s voice was close behind, a


    soothing melody to Kade¡¯s intense tone. ¡®When we decide to have


    one, our child will be happy and loved.¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯ll never know the things you¡¯ve went through.¡¯ Kade continued, his lips twitching into a soft grin.


    ¡®Not with a mother who can feel their every emotion.¡¯


    Neither pestered me for an answer, even though I could feel their minds whirling at the fact that one


    might be a father. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I could feel their


    wonder, along with a feather-light touch that swept along my abdomen.


    That night, when they thought I was sleeping, I heard the promise they made to one another.


    ¡°Everything changes if she decides to keep it.¡± Alec chuckled incredulously, ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid of going


    into battle, not even the first time, but I¡¯m f*****g terrified at the


    thought of being a father.¡±


    ¡°Things have been changing since our mate k****d Marcus Novak.¡± Kade¡¯s voice was one of


    unflinching strength, pouring confidence with every syble. I turned my


    face into the pillow when tears flooded my eyes, formed by how strongly Kade believed his words. ¡°She


    will be the best mother, no matter what point in her life she


    bears our children. Our children will never know neglect. They¡¯ll never feel unloved or ignored. I


    actually can¡¯t think of anyone better suited.¡±


    They went quiet for a few moments, and I wondered if they were talking over mind-link. I fought to keep


    my breathing slow, even with the traitorous tear trailing down


    my cheek.


    For their entire lives, Kade was the rock that refused to break against the harsh current of the ocean.


    Even though his anger could easily get the best of him, he had


    always been a steadying presence for Alec-and now myself.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s technically the father, you know that right?¡± Alec broke the silence, his soft


    voice startling me from the clutches of sleep. ¡°If she wants a DNA


    test, I¡¯ll agree to it, but it wouldn¡¯t change anything for me.¡±


    ¡°Mom and dad used to joke that we were the same soul, split into two different bodies. We¡¯ve shared


    everything since we were kids, even a pack¡­and now we share a


    mate. As far as I¡¯m concerned, the role of father is something else we can share.¡±


    ¡°Aurora¡¯s right. You can be sweet when you want.¡± Alec teased, and I smiled into the pillow as Kade


    grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve never needed a best-friend because I knew no one


    would understand like you do. No matter what she decides, I¡¯ve never regretted her having you as a


    mate. She needs both of us.¡±


    Sleep came quickly, sweeping me away as the twin¡¯s slid into bed, their body heat chasing away the


    chill. I slept without a single dream or monster infested nightmare


    for the first time in months,forted by the decision I had just made.


    I was thrust into a world I never knew existed, and quickly learned that running from my problems


    wouldn¡¯t make them go away.


    I had dealt with so much more than I ever thought possible. Felt more emotion than a single human


    could bear, but I came out on the other side. The nightmares were


    a punishment I¡¯d happily pay, to keep the family I had finally found.


    Other than immediate family, we decided not to tell the public until a gender was announced. Our pack


    would celebrate the Luna or Alpha who would someday rule in


    our stead.


    It was still surreal, to think that I was carrying the future of this pack within my womb The twin¡¯s catered


    to me, treating me with a reverence that was almost religious. At four months, the swell of my stomach


    was noticeable beneath tight fitting clothes. I


    had opted for oversized t-shirts that looked far toorge on my small form, but it allowed me to continue


    working at the bakery.


    The twins had tried to draw the line at me working, but after three failed attempts, one would stay


    behind to hover over me, like a worried mother-hen. Typically, it was


    Alec who stayed. After a month, he had learned a thing or two in the bakery and was useful as he kept


    pace at my side.


    When the six-month mark rolled around, I finally stepped back from working at the bakery. The team of


    employee¡¯s I had hired, which ranged from a few high-school


    students to some college dropouts and even a small-time pastry chef or two, already noticed the


    changes in me.


    Tori and Zayne arrived that June, just in time for my ultrasound appointment. Out of all the people in my


    life I surprised with my pregnancy, I knew Tori¡¯s reaction would


    be memorable.


    We hadn¡¯t told either one the real reason for the visit, only that we were hosting an event- one they


    wouldn¡¯t want to miss.


    When the twin¡¯s and I emerged onto the front porch to greet them, I made sure to wear a form fitting


    shirt. My hair had grown significantly during my pregnancy, and


    now grazed my lower back. As Kady and Ava had told me numerous times, I was glowing¨Cradiating


    warmth and life with every smile andugh I sent out into the world.


    Zayne spotted me first, his te grey eyes homing in on my stomach as if there were a shing sign


    spelling out his name. His eyes were on my stomach long enough


    for Kade to growl under his breath. Zayne chuckled and nodded his head towards Tori.


    ¡°Good luck getting her attention, she¡¯s searching for her heat protectant spray.¡± Zayne snorted. I didn¡¯t


    miss the way he eyed Tori¡¯s bottom as she rummaged through


    the car.


    ¡°You¡¯d be a bit more understanding if it were your hair that turned into a frizz-ball in humid


    environments.¡± She huffed, not ncing his way.


    She was fishing through the trunk, searching through her copious amounts of luggage when she turned


    to see what Zayne wasughing at. Confusion filled her


    emerald eyes, as she turned and waved at the twin¡¯s and me. As she turned back to the trunk, her back


    stiffened.


    ¡°There she goes.¡± Zayne nodded to himself, a smirk on his face as he watched Tori¡¯s jaw drop.


    ¡°No-f*****g-way!¡± She shrieked off-key, making her mate¡¯s smirk turn into a full- blown grin.


    She pulled me in for a cinnamon scented hug, squealing and jumping as a slew of emotions burst


    within her like crimson fireworks. If I hadn¡¯t been six months


    pregnant, my best- friend would have knocked me off my feet.


    The real excitement came that Thursday, two days after Tori and Zayne arrived.


    The five of us piled into the cozy hospital room in the same hospital Tori¡¯s parents worked in. Her dad


    was the one flitting in and out, asking if I needed anything before


    he came in to do the ultrasound.


    The gel was cold, as it had been the first time, I had gotten an ultrasound. This time, my stomach was


    larger, a dome that blocked out my legs and part of my feet. I


    stifled a giggle as Kade caught my eye, smirking at my wriggling toes.


    Tori¡¯s dad worked the probe over the tight skin on my stomach, his eyes on the small monitor ahead.


    His hair had just a little more salt than pepper, fading just a tad


    more each year.


    ¡°Ah, yes-alright, it¡¯s shifted position.¡± He nodded to himself, typing a few notes into theputer. He


    took another look at the screen, and my insides clenched


    painfully at the confusion tinging his emotions.


    Tori noticed as well and walked around to view the screen with her dad. She was in her second year of


    medical school, her goal to be a prenatal doctor. While that


    didn¡¯t make her qualified, I trusted her and her dad¡¯s judgement.


    ¡°What¡ª-what is that?¡± She asked, and I struggled to take in a breath.


    The twins took a step towards me, both more tuned into my own emotions and needs than their own.


    Their eyes were dark pits of concern and helplessness, because


    this was one battle they couldn¡¯t fight their way out of.


    Realization reced the confusion on Tori¡¯s face, lightening the fear in my heart when a wide grin


    formed on her face. Her dad let out augh, lifting his sses to get a


    better look. When he met my eyes, I felt the life within my stomach kick ¡°Congrattions Luna Aurora,


    you¡¯re having twin boys.¡±


    The announcement rippled throughout the country, passing through countless packs as tales of my


    mates and I passed through the mouths of others.


    Down in our own streets, music andughter could be heard. The townspeople had been celebrating all


    week, keeping bars and restaurants open twenty-four hours as


    strangers danced on sidewalks and sang into the open night.


    Up until I finally gave birth, I hadn¡¯t truly grasped the fact that my life was once again changing. Who I


    was¨Chow I thought of myself, it was shifting again.


    I still felt the inexperienced, clumsy girl deep within my soul-even though I had changed, morphing into


    the woman I am now.


    That woman was also changing, growing closer to bing a mother with each passing hour.


    Childbirth was something we were briefly taught about as children, but young girls never truly knew


    what it epassed until they were the ones crying out in pain,


    feeling life tear through them.


    Through the pain and the tears, the twins were there with me. The blood and gore never once phased


    them, but the whimpers and cries that left my lips brought them


    agony they could not end. Whispered words and gentle touches were all they could provide, as they felt


    the echo of my pain wash over their senses.


    The names Dean and Sebastian were chosen by the twin¡¯s, who gazed down at the onyx haired babies


    with eyes blown-wide, adoration stirring in their depths.


    A celebration was thrown at the capital of our pack just three months after the twin¡¯s birth. Their chubby


    limbs had grown, as did their cheeks and thick manes of dark


    hair. They were spitting images of their father¡¯s, right down to the eyes.


    Garrett and Julian often liked to watch them, even though they consistently got the two mixed up. How


    they couldn¡¯t tell Sebastian¡¯s curls from Dean¡¯s curved smile was


    beyond me.


    I had thought the celebration pointless at the time, but it was a way to catch up with the other High


    Table members, considering we had only two meetings in the past


    year alone.


    Things were finally settling down, smoothing out into an era of peace that I hoped wouldst at least a


    few decades.


    The party was held at the park in town, so that any and every one coulde celebrate. Multiple grills


    were erected, stereos sting music into the crowd. Families


    laughed, children danced and chased after one another. The happiness and joy in the air made my


    head light, and a genuine smile to my face.


    Brandon Fox and Alicia made an appearance, as did Jaspar and his mate. High Table member Isabe


    had found her matest year, and currently wandered the gardens


    with him at her side. Isaiah and Mera arrivedte, caught in the traffic as the townspeople celebrated


    on the streets.


    Sage was responsible for the blooming gardens that surrounded us, while her son and his mate


    manned two of therge grills. Music trickled in from all directions,


    followed byughter and the scent of charred meats.


    I spotted Mera¡¯s golden hair through the crowd and was a bit surprised to see another head of golden


    hair.


    ¡°Sabine, you were able toe.¡± I smiled warmly, relieved I had sent an invitation to her when I sent


    out Mera and Isaiah¡¯s. I knew the chances of hering this far


    were slim, but happiness blossomed within me at the sight of her out.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing a lot better with going unfamiliar ces.¡± Mera grinned, sping her sister¡¯s hand in her


    own.


    Isaiah¡¯s eyes twinkled, and Mera let out a heart -warmingugh.


    ¡°Could we see the babies?¡± Isaiah asked, an eager grin spreading across his face. ¡°It¡¯s incredible that


    you had twins! Another set of ruling twins.¡±


    ¡°Isaiah loves children. If it weren¡¯t for my iron willpower and birth control, we would¡¯ve had ten by now.¡±


    Mera snorted, and even Sabine cracked a smile.


    Alec came up on my left, and Kade on my right. A few secondster, I could make out Tori¡¯s fiery hair


    moving through the crowd. In her arms was Dean, sleeping softly


    as she cooed and fussed over him. Tori took her role as G*d mother seriously and showered the twins


    in undying affection. In Kade¡¯s arms was Sebastian, identical yet


    slightly different than his brother.


    Tufts of onyx hair were messy on the babies¡¯ heads, their eyes closed, and fists clenched as they slept


    the afternoon away. Anytime I looked at them, the most over whelming sense of peace washed over


    me I was focused on Dean¡¯s pouty lips and feather -softshes, so I hadn¡¯t heard what Sabine uttered¨C


    but whatever it was made Mera stiffen and c**k her head.


    ¡°Sabine, what did you just say?¡±


    Sabine looked surprised, as though she had finally found what she was looking for.


    ¡°Is that what she¡¯s been going on about for months?¡± Isaiah asked, his eyes growing wide as he looked


    down at Sebastian sleeping in his arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, refusing to feed into my worry until someone exined. I looked towards


    Sabine, whose eyes were on my twin sons. ¡°Did you have a vision


    about my children?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sort of.¡± Sabine said softly, her eyes flickering between the lot of us. ¡°Sometimes my visions are like a


    scenario ying out, other times I see broken images and clips.


    I¡¯ve been having this dream for months now, but I couldn¡¯t figure out how the pieces fit. I think I


    understand now-¡°


    Her eyes flickered from Sebastian to Dean when she spoke, ¡°Your babies are fraternal, a father for


    each.¡±


    ording to Tori and her dad-it was rare, incredibly rare, but not impossible. Heteropaternal


    Superfecundation they had called it, even though we had chosen not to


    get a DNA test. They were both fathers to a set of twin¡¯s, andplecating things further would do us


    no good.


    None of us knew it at the time, but it was only the beginning.


    The beginning of a legacy, a family of Alpha¡¯s and Luna¡¯s that were new to this world-that came in pairs


    of two. Aline that would span the decades and help propel us


    werewolves into the future.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!