《The Rejected Alpha's Vengeance》 Chapter 1: The Bloody Crown [AWUOR] "Murderer!" "She doesn''t deserve to live among us!" In and that boasted of peace in the werewolf kingdom, betrayal and anger had finally made an appearance and from the look of things, they weren''t both going to go away anytime soon, thanks to the woman who had brought them to this very point in their lives. "Make her leave!" "Banish her" "Send her away!" These were the angry and disappointed chants by the Sicario pack members. They were currently at the pack square, the ce that they always loved and sang praises in. They had loved this ce over the years and it was a pity that today, they weren''t happy about being here. "We want her to pay the price!" "We demand justice!" The chants continued angrily. There was so much pain in their voices that anyone who was listening could just tell how heartbroken they all were. Maybe it was because of the woman they wanted to banish, or maybe it was because of the person they had just lost so suddenly. Whoever it was who they were against, she had to have done something that was unforgivable, because why would someone be banished from her home? They called her a murderer and they wanted her gone. However, who was she, and what in the goddess''s beautiful world did she do for them to want her gone so bad? From the chants, it seemed like she had killed one of them, someone they all valued for them toe together like this. In a pack that was known as the best in the werewolf kingdom, it just didn''t make any sense for one of them to be a murderer. Surely there had to be a mistake, right? "Murderers are not allowed in our home!" The Sicario wolves were not going to relent this time. They were furious with the woman they were against and it was like they didn''t want anything to do with her. The woman in question was just seated there in shock, silent tears flowing down her cheeks. She had a golden crown on her head and was covered in regal clothing. Her feet were in golden sandals, though as the chant continued, she had removed them and set them aside. Her feet were bleeding, probably from the amount of walking she had done. Her regal clothing was tattered and there were blood patches on them. Her lips were dry and her shaky hands, they were covered in fresh blood. ''Dammit'' was all the woman could think of as she saw them all. The wolves were fighting back the scent of the blood the woman was covered in and tried to focus on their anger at this woman. As she sat there she just looked at them, her head held high, almost like she didn''t regret what she had done. Herck of remorse made the people around her very angry, that if their alpha wasn''t there with them, they could have killed her too. However, that was the least of her worries. Her eyes scanned the crowd, before settling on one point of the crowd. The ce where her family was standing. She could see her father, the former alpha, Sicario, her brother and beta, Dom, and her mate, Jer. They were all looking at her with disappointment and worry. They had clearly not expected that there woulde a day when one of their family members was being charged with murder. The woman looked at them, hoping to the goddess that they could understand her cries for help and listen to her, but they were not willing to. She knew that already, but she just wanted to try. "Banish her!" The chants continued getting louder and the crowd of werewolves was getting agitated. Alpha Sicario looked at his daughter, Awuor, the one child he had thought would be the hope of their home. She had been a good alpha and had worked tirelessly to get their home to where it was. So how in all hell had she decided tomit murder? That too, of Eni, her own mother and the former Luna of the Sicario pack? Sicario didn''t know what to think and frankly, he was too hurt to even make a decision. He looked at the crowd around them. He could feel their rage in the mind links. Eni Sicario was a good mother to her children and she was loved by everyone in the pack. She had the heart of gold and evidently, that had been passed to her daughter. The only difference was, Eni was dead today, and Awuor was the suspect of her murder. Could a child really murder her mother who had been nothing but loving and caring towards her? Did she have a reason to, or was she just psychotic? Then again, the woman had never once shown signs of being psychotic. That alone made this situation unnerving. They didn''t know what was going on in Awuor''s head. Maybe she was truly a danger to them, and if that was so, they would make sure to rid themselves of her before she caused them trouble with other packs. "You''re a murderer! You murdered our mother you ungrateful bastard!" An angrier voice was heard from the crowd and Awuor didn''t even flinch at it. She knew she was done for, and that nothing she said would vindicate her of the usation. For now, she just had to hope that life was really on her side, and that they didn''t banish her, but would it turn out that way? Being a rogue in the wolfnds was something that was frowned upon. The rogues were considered ferals and would be murdered on sight. Her people were about to subject her to the life of a feral. it would be the perfect de-ranking ceremony for her, the woman used of her mother''s murder. "Dom, wait," Jer said to his brother-inw and the beta. He didn''t want to believe that his mate had killed her own mother, but there was damning evidence. She had been found holding a knife over her mother, not to mention that they had found her retracting her ws that were covered in blood. Her mother could have survived the knife stab, but the harsh w on her neck had ripped out her throat and she had lost a lot of blood. She didn''t stand a chance. "Your mate killed my mother and the luna of the pack and you want me to wait? Wait for what, Jer? You tell me, what do you want me to wait for then?" Dom asked angrily as he red daggers at his sister. He had never expected that she would do such a vile thing to their mother of all the people. "Take it easy on her," Jer said and Awuor lifted her head at her mate''s voice. His words were kind, but his tone was telling something else. Something that only she could see through even with all these people here. She hated that tone and he knew it, but this was the tone she knew he had been waiting to use on her. Did she have another choice anyway? "Justice for Luna Eni!" Dom began and the other wolves joined the chant. They were angry at Awuor for what she had done and they weren''t about to forgive. Chapter 2: I Plead Guilty, Alpha [AWUOR] "Justice for Luna Eni!" The crowd joined in and Jer stopped trying to persuade Dom against it. Instead, he joined the chant of justice for the dead luna, the woman everyone had adored even the kids who knew nothing of life. All this while, Awuor just stared at her people. She was thinking but nothing made any sense to her. She couldn''t remember what had happened and how she had ended up killing her own mother. That was something she had never even given thought and now, it happened. She knew the oue and was done hoping for a better oue. She was painfully aware of what was waiting for her, so it was pointless for her to hold on to hope. But did that warrant her crazy wordster? Didn''t she realize the implications of what she was doing? ''Forgive me, mother,'' Awuor said to herself as she red at the crowd before her, furiously rubbing off her tears. She knew they were thinking she was trying to buy their pity. But her mother had just died, apparently by her hands. She didn''t need anyone''s pity. She needed to get out of here. If they were to kill her, she would ept it, but she was more than willing to do anything just to get away from their angry voices and res. She couldn''t take it anymore. So as the irrational girl she was at the moment, she spoke up. "I killed her, so what will you do?" Awuor spoke up for the first time in the past three hours. She had been silent all that time, watching them call her names and treat her like shit. In those three hours, she tried to think of what had happened but she couldn''t remember anything. Thest thing she remembered was that she had been at the gym, training for her next session with the Sicario warriors. "The audacity!" "Justice for Luna Eni!" The chants got even more aggressive and soon enough they started throwing things at the woman who had dared to say such a vile thing, she wasn''t remorseful. She wasn''t showing any signs of seeking forgiveness for what she had done and that clearly didn''t sit well with the people of Sicario. The alpha looked at his daughter, disappointment, and anger clouding his mind. How could his only daughter do that to him? How could she even think of killing her mother? That was the lowest of all lows and consequences be damned, the alpha had to do something. "Silence!" Alpha Sicario growled at his people who responded withplete and utter silence. They were curious as to what the alpha would do, now that his daughter was being used of murdering her own mother. Alpha Sicario walked to the podium where his remorseless daughter was seated. She had maintained eye contact with him, even though that was considered uwful and disrespectful. She didn''t care, not here and certainly not this time. Besides, she was the reigning alpha, not him. Looking at his people, the alpha wasn''t sure he had the energy to stand here beside his daughter. She had taken away someone so important to him. She had denied him the chance to grow old and be happy with his mate. His own daughter had forced him to be mateless without so much as an exnation. What was he supposed to do with her? Sicario was angry. If she was someone else, the alpha could have already had her beheaded, But this was his daughter. The blood of his blood who had taken the love of his life. Taking a deep frustrated sigh, the alpha began. "My dear Awuor, I trusted you and you failed me. You stand used of murdering your mother, luna, and my mate, Eni Sicario. How do you plead?" Sicario asked. He knew he couldn''t do anything unless he knew what his daughter was thinking. If she pleaded not guilty, then he would keep her in the dungeons until she admitted to it. The stench of his mate''s blood was evident on her body. She was covered in her mother''s blood from her head to her toe. It was pointless trying to deny it. The alpha was just asking this, so the people would see that the alpha wasn''t an emotional leader. He followed thew. But did he follow thew when he had already judged his daughter no matter what she would say today? "I plead guilty, alpha," Awuor said in a bored and t tone like all these people were just wasting her time. The father and daughter held their stares together, one of them with eyes filled with pain, while the other, just had empty cold eyes. She didn''t feel anything, or maybe she did but she didn''t want to bother defending herself. Awuor could see their faces and that was also how she knew that there would be no justice here. Her denying the murder would just result in her body being found somewhere in the bushes with a im that she was attacked by rogues. "Then in ordance with the justicews of the werewolf kingdom, I, Alpha Sicario, banish you from our packnds. You will not be stripped of your alpha title instead you will be the alpha of nothing. If you create a pack, we will kill all of them as retaliation for the murder of my luna and mate. "Jer, your mate, will take over the throne since you were both already fully mated. If you are seen anywhere near the packnds, the warriors have the authority to kill you on sight. So be warned, child. "Leave this ce this instant, and take nothing with you, except for the clothes on you and the crown on your head. May that be a reminder of what you did to your mother. The bloody crown," Sicario said while looking at his daughter. Expectedly, the pack members were inplete silence. What the alpha had just done was the worst that anyone could have done to any alpha or child. It was too cruel a punishment, but then she had taken away the one thing that could have kept Sicario peaceful. So now she had to pay the price. "I ept," Awuor said, her head held high, once again, shocking the people of Sicario. She had stopped shedding tears and her eyes were still empty, besides she already knew the tradition was waiting for her. So when her father finished stating her punishment, Alpha Awuor headed towards the clog of penance. It was the one passage to the outside of Sicario, for the people who were banished. She would be walking on fire on her way out of the home that bore her and one she had loved for years. This was her damning sentence, and she had epted her fate. "Awuor," Jer called onto his mate. Once again, his voice was concerned but his eyes were full of joy for some reason. It was like he was d she was going away. Awuor already knew that her mate was power-hungry and this was his perfect opportunity. Sure, she was being sent out on murder charges, and her mate was weirdly happy, but a part of her was painfully aware that her mate would never do anything to harm her. He had truly loved her, but he loved power more. Chapter 3: Her Privileged Troubles [AWUOR] The banished alpha didn''t even bother to respond to her mate. What could she do anyway? Their hearts were both broken by something the alpha had done, so they would try and live with the consequences. "I''ll wait for you," Jer added to the theatrics and the pack members pitied him. He was, to them, an unfortunate man, mated to the one woman who had killed her own mother. They wanted to hug him and some did. They consoled him, as his mate reached the clog of penance. They tried to make him feel better, but the only question that remained in the air was whether Jer was heartbroken for the sake of his mate, or if this was just one of the obstacles that fate had thankfully eliminated from his way. The pack was quiet as Awuor walked away on the clog of penance. They watched her walk on the firestones like she was walking on a beautiful soft carpet. Her sandals were on both her hands and her bloodied crown was still on her head, sitting pretty. Her tattered clothes were still bloodied and as she walked on the Firestones, some part of the fabric caught fire, but she just walked on right ahead, without even taking onest nce at what she was born into and had grown up in. When she reached the end, she kept walking away while her people watched in wonder. They had expected her to turn back and give them ast look, but the woman didn''t. She didn''t even bother saying anything, maybe because she knew they had made up their minds. ''Stay safe, my love,'' Jer said to Awuor in the mind link they shared. He wanted to trust her, but he couldn''t. Not with the pile of evidence on her. He didn''t want to break his own heart. And once again, his mate didn''t utter a word. Instead, she shut her mind links. All of them. The links that bound her to her mate, her family and her people. She blocked them all. If they wanted her to be the alpha of nothing, then she didn''t want to hear their voices or cries or whatever they had in mind. They had judged her without giving her a chance to exin herself. They had forced her away when there was a chance that she wasn''t even the real culprit. But she was done fighting them. She was only thankful that she was an alpha wolf, because that meant she could handle herself. However, how long would she be able to take care of herself before the world came crashing down on her? How long before the loneliness broke her, and how long would she have to wait to redeem herself? "Goodbye, Sicario," Awuor said as she crossed thest of boundaries that linked her with home. She walked a few miles in the thick forest before she came to a stop. The rejected alpha sniffed around the ce she was, in a bid to make sure that no one was around her. She wanted to break down, but she couldn''t afford to have someone looking at her. She didn''t want anyone''s pity. She didn''t want to look weak, besides, she had managed to walk from home and on the firestones without flinching. That shit hurt like a bitch, but Awuor had been determined to prove to them that she didn''t feel anything. It was the only way she knew of. She knew if they thought of her as weak, they would trample on her even more. When she was done sniffing, she could finally rx, because there was no other scent other than hers. The lonely alpha who had no one and nothing. The girl who was tasked with everything but with zero resources. She hated what had happened to her and wanted to go back and tell them she hadn''t done anything to her mother. However here and now, alone and without any source of support, the rejected alpha could finally breathe and be herself. She finally let her tears flow, and let herself feel the pain. She remembered her mother''s neck which had been brutally ripped. She remembered her ws retracting, right at the time that her brother and mate walked it on her. It was all too quick to be a coincidence, but she couldn''t even defend herself. Their faces haunted her. The disappointment, the disbelief, and the shock that she had gotten into from what had happened. She couldn''t recall anything after the gym, but she knew that she hadn''t been the one to murder her mother. She loved the woman so much that sometimes, she thought it would have been better if her mother was her soulmate. Granted it was impossible, but she loved her so much. Awuor thought of the disdain on her father''s face, the raw pain, and clear disappointment. Her father had never once looked at her like he had today, and that too with the whole of the Sicario pack watching. It was all so new for her. The rejected alpha let herself mourn her people, her mother, and the loss of the bonds that were meant to keep her sane. She mourned her situation and more than anything, she wished she could go back in time and see for herself what had happened. "Ouch," she let out when she tried to get the rocks from under her feet. She had blisters that looked so ugly. They were probably infected, thanks to her bravery earlier. She should have put on her sandals the moment she walked out of Sicario, but her hard-headed nature got her thinking that they would still be watching her. She wanted to prove to them that she was brave enough and now her legs hurt so bad. "So much for being brave, aah!" Awuor cried out in pain when she removed the stones from her legs. She had to have been crazy for what she had done, and weirdly enough, she already knew it. Slowly she nursed her legs, even though she had torn her clothes and bandaged her feet. It was a rough setup, but that would help her while she waited for her werewolf abilities to kick in. Meanwhile, she needed to rest. Her head was throbbing so bad she felt like her brains would pop out any moment, not to mention, she could feel herselfe down with a fever. "Great, just perfect timing to be a reject and a pained one. Dammit," Awuor cursed herself as he tried to force her eyes closed. She wasn''t worried about anyone finding her here. The forest was meant for the Republic, so there was a chance that the rogues would be the first ones to find her. The ferals were dangerous, but she wasn''t worried about them. She just needed some damned rest before she picked herself up and decided on what she would do with the rest of her rejected life. After struggling for a few hours, she finally began to get some rest, but annoyingly, there were birds and animals of the night that wouldn''t let her be. They were too noisy and she hated it. She was tempted to get up and beat them up, but it was her who was intruding in their space. "If only I hadn''t apparently killed my mother, I''d be in my bed right now, damn," Awuor sighed defeatedly as she stared at the moon. Night had already kicked in and it seemed like the moon was so determined to shine on her face. Was she really not going to have even an hour''s peace here? Chapter 4: The First of Her Lonely Nights [AWUOR] The first night in the forest was without a doubt hard on the banished alpha. For starters, the mosquitoes had taken a liking to her beautiful soft skin. It was almost like they were sent to make her suffer. Her wounds kept reopening and her alpha abilities had been slowed, all thanks to the banishing. She hated what had happened to her but she had to survive this. No matter what happened to her, she would find out what happened that day that forced her to be the girl without a home. The moon was shining on her face, not to mention the soft breeze. The cold was hell for her, since she couldn''t even turn into her wolf, not until her legs healed and the damned legs were truly taking their time. Awuor was pissed more than she thought possible in that night, but when morning came, she couldn''t help but feel happy. She was out and alone, but at least she had her life. That was all she needed to make sure she found justice for her mother. By now, the werewolves had all heard of the unfortunate Eni Sicario who had been murdered by her only daughter. They all were on the lookout for her, and were ready to punish her on behalf of the Sicario pack. "Positive vibes, Awuor," the banished alpha said to herself as she sat up. Her wounds were so close to healing, which meant she just had to wait for a few hours before she was fine again. She needed to keep moving because if the rogues found her they would try to kill her. Granted they would fail and Awuor would have broken them, but she didn''t want to cause any trouble for anyone. Her stomach rumbled, making her sigh in defeat. It had been thirty-six hours since he hadst eaten anything, Now she was trapped in a forest, where she had no clue of what was dangerous or not. That was the time she wished some old witch would show up and help her. The folktales the young wolves were told, always had some old witching to help the wolves, or someoneing to their aid. But no one had shown up for Awuor yet. She cursed herself for believing in the damned tales. She was twenty already but still believed in folklore. Maybe that was the only thing keeping her sane, right? "Stupid folktales won''t even give me a helper," she sighed defeatedly while she jabbed at her legs and cursed for not being able to walk around with ease. Her feet were swollen so there was just no way she was getting up from here. "Send me some help! Someone!" Awuor called out to anyone and everyone. To the moon goddess and anyone who could hear her, but three hourster, there was no one. At least her wounds had healed a little more. She was now, more than ever, very certain she was all alone, but she needed something to distract her, otherwise, she would go crazy from loneliness here. She missed the voices of the young wolves who had been running around the pack with nothing to do. She missed the werewolves she always trained with. By now, she was sure they had already woken up and were working their way into prepping for anything that could happen to their pack. It was sad to know that this time, Awuor was one of the uncertainties her people needed to be wary of. How had she even gotten here? Well, she was deemed a murderer and there wasn''t even a proper trial. That thought alone made her pick the nearest stone and throw it in the opposite direction. She was pissed at how quick her trial had been when she always made sure to listen to her people. How could they be that cruel to her? Was humanity truly a thing of the past to them? What of justice? Damn. "I didn''t kill our mother, Dom. I swear it," Awuor said to the trees. She wanted to let her brother know that she would never rob them of their favorite luna. She hadn''t killed her and she could swear it on her life. But the only question was whether anyone was willing to listen to her. As if her torments weren''t enough, she missed her mother. Her very dead mother who she was used of killing. Fate was ying a dangerous game with her and she wanted to know how this would y out. It was just the first day and she was already doing terribly. Defeatedly, the young reject sat on the forest floor, ignoring her stomach that had been rumbling for hours now. She hadn''t eaten anything and if this continued, she wouldn''t be strong enough to even transform into her wolf form. She was already regretting going to the gym without eating, or even carrying her food there. Now she was stuck with no one to help and her stomach wasn''t even getting the lonely memo. Maybe she just had to find another way, but where and how? ''A few more hours and I''ll be healed,'' she said to herself while forcing herself to get some sleep. She knew it was an insane task considering she was fatigued and hungry, but hey, she wouldn''t be doing any better if she decided to reopen the wounds on her feet. She wanted to turn into her wolf, since that would make it easier for her, but she couldn''t. Not with her current state. She had to be patient, but patience also tranted to being alone with her thoughts. Everything terrified her at the moment. "Aahh!" she suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream, and jumped so suddenly in shock. Her stomach was hurting so bad and it felt like someone was wing her from the inside out. At first, she thought she was cramping, but werewolves never cramped once theypleted the mating process. Maybe she was in heat, but that too was impossible considering they had fully mated. For a moment, she was confused as to whether she had hurt herself in the night. Then again, she had been careful. The only wounds on her were on her feet. Besides, her stomach wouldn''t hurt that much if she was hungry, so what was it? She was already thinking on overdrive about the possible things that had happened to her in the night. She even thought that the witches in the folklore had heard of her sins and hade to avenge her mother Eni. Damn, what was it this time? Chapter 5: He Couldnt Betray Her, Right? [AWUOR] Carefully, the reject lifted and used one of the openings on her gown to check on her stomach and what she saw broke her heart. Her stomach was having dark marks, the kinds that were only gotten in one way. She had subconsciously wed her stomachst night and hadn''t even woken up. Now, she was feeling the pain she hadn''t been able to feel the previous night. maybe it was because whatever had happenedst night, was happening again. Awuor wanted to say this wasn''t what it was, but she knew because she could feel it in the mate bind. She could feel her rage and the pleasure of her mate, the only problem was that her mate was having the time of his life, while she was banished. He was definitely with another woman and she was out in the wild, paying the price for a crime she was certain she hadn''tmitted but had no proof of it all. If only she could sever her link to the bastard, she could. "No. He couldn''t, he said he''d wait for me," Awuor tried to convince herself, in a bid to make herself feel better. she wanted to think that maybe her tummy had been itchy and that she had wed herself subconsciously, but she knew she was reaching for the impossible. Her mate was finally getting what he wanted, and that was to be a cheating and power-hungry bastard without a conscience. This time, his misdeeds could be excused, in the name of ''his mate wasn''t around to give him the pleasure he needed.'' The man was more than willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted. He had been eyeing one of the daughters of the warriors in the past few months and there was no doubt that this was the product of it all. With the rejected alpha away from home, her mate finally had the opportunity to cheat on her and do whatever he wanted with the women of the court. No one would even step forward to stop and condemn him, because he was the alpha, not to mention the only other alpha was mourning his dead mate. ''Fantastic, just fantastic,'' the reject said right before she felt another wave of pain in her stomach. "Aaahh!" she let out another scream before curling herself to minimize the pain. But nothing was working. She was hurting, and her mate was the engineer of it all. She hadn''t even been away from home for a day and he was already messing around with other people? What kind of love was this? "Focus," Awuor tried to talk herself into focusing on something else but how could she, when her mate was already sleeping with someone else? It was the perfect disgrace for her, the banished without a voice. It was then that she had regretted not rejecting him when she had been banished. Her pride had let her forget the most essential of things. She should have rejected him when she was banished, but instead, she had allowed her father to give him power. She had let him hold onto the throne, almost like she expected this already. She was paying a price too high and she knew today was just the beginning of her hell as by her mate. With her mate on the throne, no one would stake his or her im on it. Maybe it was a tactical move by Awuor, but how long was she going to endure this? While her feet were almost fully healed, it hurt that her stomach looked like she had been wing herself apart. It was one aspect of pain after the other and this time, she cried out in pain. She wasn''t around anyone, so she could cry out. No one would judge her for not being the strong alpha that the Sicario pack needed. No one was going to give her the side eye for being weak and not taking matters into her own hands. She knew this was a given with her mate. She knew that the murder of her mother had given ess to the vilest of creatures to run the pack. Her father was no doubt still mourning his mate, and definitely cursing his only daughter for taking away his mate. He was somewhere in their bedroom praying to the goddess to punish his daughter for being too cruel. Maybe while he was at it, he was praying that his daughter have the same cruel fate as he was right now. The fate of losing a mate, but who was going to tell him that his daughter was already paying the price for it all? Her brother was trying toe to terms with the death of their mother, but was he? Well, that was something the rejected alpha couldn''t know yet. Her brother had loved their mother, but no one could ever love Luna Eni more than her daughter. She had cherished her mother so much and everyone knew it. maybe that should have been the basis for them to begin an investigation into the murder of their luna. They should have been rational and not pushed the one person who could get them answers. Her mate, of course, had already begun screwing around, the proof that Awuor was never really important to him. She knew her mate had only epted her because she was a high-born. Otherwise, he would have rejected her. That broke her heart and she cursed the moon goddess for giving her such an inconsiderate mate, in a world where there was no choice of getting a second chance mate. It also meant that she was stuck with Jer for life, oh the audacity the fates had for parigin her with such a cruel man. "Make it stop, please!" The rejected alpha cried out in pain as she slowly fell asleep. She had no other option, especially now that any moment she healed she was getting more scars. Maybe she would get used to the scars, but maybe she would go back and fight for them. She had bitten her lower lips a little too hard in her quest to survive the pain her mate was causing her and thanks to all that, she was having another bruise. When would this end for her? The punishment her father had given her was too insane, but he had been a man in pain. He had wanted his daughter to suffer the way he was already suffering. Maybe that made him a selfish father, but then what else could he do? She had stolen love from him, and she had to pay the price for it. "Mother, help," Awuor said as she finally fell asleep, the pain-numbing all her senses and leaving her once again, so vulnerable that she couldn''t even fight back if she happened to be attacked by a feral. Awuor may have been alone and in the wild, but as she gave in to the darkness, she made a promise to her people and everyone who was hurting her right now. They had refused to listen to her, so she would never listen to them. They had cast her out, and she would do the same for them. They had broken her so bad, and she would make them feel the brunt of it all. They took pride in a Sicario pack that forgave the culprits and murdered the innocents, and Awuor would ruin them all. She had promised destruction and vengeance and no matter how long that took, she would get back at them. She would make them pay. Chapter 6: The Hopeless Lone Wolf [AWUOR] "I''ll wait for you." "Liarrrr!!!" Awuor cried out in her sleep, instantly waking up. The voice of her mate making an impossible promise upset pissed her off and if she had the power, she would go back home and teach him a lesson in ways that he deserved. She would make him pay for breaking a promise. "If you''re seen anywhere near the pds, the warriors have the authority to kill you, and if you create a pack, we will kill them as retaliation for the murder of my luna and mate," Alpha Sicario had said ever so coldly, to the child who had done more than bring peace to their home. Funny how she had suddenly turned into a traitor. Awuor could hear the voices of her father and her family. The shouts and the anger. Their voices, all of them cursing at her, making her out to be the bad guy in a story whose beginning she hadn''t even known of. "Leave me alone, please," the reject cried out silently. She was tired of it all. She wanted to make them stop. She wanted to mute the voices in her head, but the longer she tried, the longer she heard them. She was alone for the first time in her life and frankly, she didn''t know what she needed to do. Was she supposed to stay here till she grew old and gray? Was she supposed to run away and look for a better life somewhere else? Her father had told her not to create a pack, which only meant she would be a lone wolf. Looking around her, Awuor realized it was almost morning, at least her nightmares would take a break and she would breathe some fresh air. She needed it ever so desperately, not to mention just how hungry she was. ''A few more hours to dawn,'' Awuor said to herself as she tried to get back to sleep, but she couldn''t. Defeatedly, she reminded herself that she didn''t have to wake up so early for the training anymore. She didn''t have a schedule to follow, she was just out here and alone, without a hint of what she needed to do. The temptation to go back home and ask for forgiveness was so great that if today was a mess like the previous day, then she would walk back home. She would face her father. Maybe it would be better if she was home and could talk to her people. The silence in her head made her feel insane, especially considering that her hearing was magnified tenfold. She could hear every damn thing in this forest and it felt like she was the queen of a mad world. Sighing, the reject got up, her legs and stomach having healed. She was going to get some food and maybe decide on who she was supposed to lead the rest of her life out here without anyone. The rejected alpha transformed into her wolf, an action that made her so happy. She had never thought that there woulde a day when her wolfing out would be the source of her happiness. Awuor wasn''t worried about the hunters and the ferals in these woods, no. She was determined to get some food because she was starving. Running around the forest in her wolf form, Sicarios'' best tracker loved the feel of the wind against her furs. It made her feel like she was finally free of a lot of things. She didn''t have to report to anyone and more than anything, she didn''t have to worry about the people that hated her. Her father had made her the alpha of nothing, but she didn''t mind. If anything, this time, she was determined to lead a normal boring life. She would probably pick up a grass house here in the woods and lead her peaceful life till her sunset days. The idea was appealing and it wasn''t a wonder that the reject had already considered it. The rejected alpha was thinking of a lot of things, and really needed to slow down, especially when she saw a bunny in the forest. "Perfect," the alpha wolf smiled at its current prey. She stopped to look at how beautiful the bunny was. It looked so healthy that subconsciously the young alpha was already salivating. Intentionally, she triggered a branch, one that would make the bunny make a run for it. She wanted to chase the bunny, after all, Awuor always loved a good chase, oh but the bunny gave that to her. A few minutester, her grooming stomach harshly reminded her that she needed to eat otherwise she would be suffering again in the night. "Oh well, we could have been friends," Awuor sighed before pouncing on the bunny, ripping it apart so mercilessly and feeding on it like she hadn''t eaten in weeks. In her defense, the reject hadn''t eaten in two days, not to mention she needed to stock up on her energy before she contemted on how she would survive this ce. The bunny had seemed to be all that Awuor had needed because once she was full, she sniffed around, till she saw what looked like ake. She hadn''t expected to find one here but maybe the goddess was finally giving her pointers. Of course, she had ensured that no one was watching her and that there wasn''t a feral around. Confident with her tracing skills, the alpha changed into her human form, before undressing and diving into theke. The feel of water on her body made her feel like this was her little heaven. Granted, her clothes were tattered, not to mention the crown she had been walking with since she had woken up, but she would take life slowly. One at a time. While she took a bath in theke, she also used that opportunity to clean her regal wear. She couldn''t walk around in tattered clothes, but it would be disappointing to walk around in bloodied clothes. Carefully she cleaned up and watched her clothes dry while in her wolf form. The sun was barely up, so she had more time to do what she needed to, like burying the damned crown. As much as she loved wearing it, this wasn''t the ce or time for her to have it on. Anyone who saw the crown would think of her as a royal, which she was, but she didn''t want trouble with anyone. She also made a point to keep her clothes at a safe distance while she worked around getting herself a meaningful and realistic shelter. She couldn''t justy anywhere and wake up like an animal, which she was, but at least she was human too. And so it was that the rejected alpha spent her first day building herself a shelter in the forest, mending her clothes, and even during the bloody crown. She hadn''t cleaned her crown, no. Instead, she had used a piece of her clothes and wrapped the crown in it before digging a hole under one of the trees next to theke. It was the easiest ce for her toe find it when the time was right. Until then, she would just be a normal girl. Her once long hair was wed apart, making the woman transform from an alpha to some sort of a knock-off Cindere. She looked terrible with such hair, but that''s what she needed to survive. Besides, the mud she had intentionally rubbed on her hair was going to help mask her scent for a while. No one has to know that she was a werewolf alpha, much less, one of the Sicario alphas. Instead, she made the hardest choice anyone could ever make. For her to survive, she would live like a bandit, scarring wolves and other creatures alike. She would make it hard for people to cross her, and if possible she would be the girl in the woods, the one person the people were worried about meeting. As she thought about it, Alpha Awuor thought she was going insane, but maybe she really was going insane. After all, this was the cost of losing her mother at such a young age. Chapter 7: The Haunted Memories [1] [AWUOR] For eight months, the reject, Alpha Awuor had to learn to live in the wild like a loner. She ate like an animal, lived like she was the worst of the outcasts, and had no one to call family. She waspletely and utterly alone. It should have gotten easier with time. It shouldn''t have been so hard, but with her mate sleeping with everyone who was willing, she had to be reminded of the awful bond that kept her linked to the throne. She wanted to ask the moon goddess to end whatever this was, she had tried every possible way to have a better life, but how could she, when every time she tried to lead a different life, she would always be reminded that at the end of the day, she was a prisoner of Sicario? She wanted to go back home but she couldn''t, and even though she kept hoping, she knew there was just no other way for her to go back home unless she worked her way to her father''s heart. But then how could she, when she was always far from home? How could she when she couldn''t even find it in herself to deal with her cruel mate? She wished she could make him feel the pain he was making her go through every night, but she couldn''t. Instead, she had to endure the pain. She managed to get herself to the point that she went beyond her limits just to get used to the pain. There were days when she broke her own bones, snapped her fingers, twisted her ankles, and hit herself so hard that it hurt so bad. Anyone who saw her, would think she was trying to take her life, but she was training. She was learning to heal without the help of anyone. She was trying to work through everything because at the end of the day, she was always going to be alone. "Was it really my fault, mother?" Awuor asked as she sat outside the shelter she had built for herself. It was the question that had no answers or rather the question that even she didn''t know the answers to. Over those months in exile, Awuor thought and thought about what had happened to her on the night her mother died. She couldn''t imagine walking from the gym to her mother''s chambers only to w her heart out. Hell, even the people who were possessed showed systems, and the rejected alpha wasn''t possessed by anything or anyone. She couldn''t imagine what she had been used of. After so many tries, she had resolved her fate. And so she mourned her mother, asked for forgiveness for taking a life she wasn''t even sure she had taken. Maybe if she apologized for it, maybe if she felt remorseful, she would know what really happened that night, but even after all that, there was nothing. There were times when she tried to run away from the forest. Those were the times when she couldn''t handle the nightmares that came with her exile. The nights when she could hear her mother''s cries in the distance. The voice of her mother made her feel like the worst daughter in the world and maybe she was. Maybe she was all that the people of Sicario hated. Maybe, just maybe, she was giving up everything. No matter how many times the reject tried to run away, she would always find herself back at her shelter, all thanks to the punishment her father had dered on her. It was the one punishment that made the alpha feel like she was a cursed clown. She couldn''t run away, she couldn''t do anything that rted to her people, since she had shut down the mindlinks. In her desperation, Awuor had tried the impossible, which included several attempts on her life, but as always she had failed. She tried to starve herself, but when she waspletely unconscious, her wolf would take over, and they would hunt and get food. It was all a pointless battle with reality. So she gave in. There was no point in trying to change her life, because what else was there for her? She couldn''t do anything without feeling like she was betraying herself. She had always been a strong and powerful woman, but her time here had turned her into someone else. Granted, she was a beast by nature, but right now, she was a lone beast. She had no one to rely on and no matter how many times she hoped for a luby, she would get nightmares. The memories that haunted her most were those from the day she was exiled. The day her life hade apart. A time when she refused to ept her reality. It was almost like the moment she walked out of Sicario, she had lost a right to hold on to the memories, but how could she forget when it was what she lived by on a daily basis? How could she run away from it when each time she tried to im she didn''t know who murdered her mother, she would end up in the same spot with the same horrendous memories? She knew what happened and no matter how much she pretended not to, she couldn''t. Damn, she had tried so much, but nothing made her feel better, especially since each time she closed her eyes, she could remember it all. She would relive it like the pain she was feeling wasn''t enough already. And as usual, she gave in to her nightmares, besides, nothing would be so different about today''s nap anyway. ************ [Eight Months Ago] "Aaahh," Awuor said when she suddenly woke up in a ce she couldn''t tell. She was feeling like someone had kicked her ass real bad and she hadn''t even managed to defend herself. She had a splitting headache, and for a moment, she stayed where she was. From the feel of it, she was lying on a hard surface, which was weird considering the beds in Sicario were some of the best. Thefort that came with being a royal was beyond this world and being the alpha of her pack, Awuor definitely had grown up infort. So it didn''t make any sense. "Damn, did the stupid dumbbell fall on me again? I should really be careful," Awuor sighed as she waited for the pain to subside. She didn''t know any other way out of this, because thest time she had been in this state, Jer had helped her up. Today, her mate was busy with the warriors, so she was definitely here alone. The darkness in the gym made her feel like she was in another world. one thing about Sicario was that everything was properly lit. They hated darkness, all of them, because so many things could happen in the dark, and that was the first thing that made Awuor raise her eyebrows. The gym that had never been out of light was suddenly dark. It didn''t make any sense. "Great, now I gotta use my werewolf sight. And what the hell is that wetness, dammit," Awuor sighed when she felt some liquid on her hands. She had always made it known to her werewolf warriors that the particr containers were to be put on one side, specifically, the farthest end of the gym, near the male washrooms. Sure, she could have assumed that the liquid was from a water bottle, but from its density, she could only guess that it was a thick liquid, the one that the warriors always used once they had showered. It was something beyond Awuor''sprehension, but as long as they served Sicario well, she had promised she would never get involved in whatever fluids they used on their bodies. Chapter 8: The Haunted Memories [2] [AWUOR] [Still Eight Months Ago] On the first try, Awuor failed, and that was once again a disturbing realization. She was an alpha wolf, it didn''t make sense for her not to have her werewolf sight restored. How hard had the damn weights hit her anyway? Defeatedly, she touched the back of her head, and once again felt the thick liquid. The werewolf alpha was pissed but she wasn''t going to take it out on her warriors. Instead, she would be their very nice leader and make them run just three hundredps in the field. That was enough lesson for them to stay clean. This wasn''t a bar or something, this was their space to train and be better. It was like their heaven and they didn''t need to make it feel like some lost case when it wasn''t that. "Damn, goddess, what the hell is wrong with me?" Awuor asked no one in particr when she tried getting up and felt like her feet were not moving. She was too smart to me the weights again. Something was amiss, and she would find out. "Anyone there?" She called out but no one came to her aid, despite the fact that they had werewolf hearing, which was weird considering she was an alpha wolf and always had her guards waiting for her all the time. Maybe it was their lunch break and they had thought she was sleeping, but why did it feel like there was more to her current state? So she opted for the mind links. It was the easiest way tomunicate with her people and family. Though right now, she needs her family first. who knew how many times her warriors would taunt her when they realized the weights were on her again? "Father, Dom, Jer, mother, anyone please," Awuor called out and they instantly responded. "What is it this time?" Dom asked like he already knew her sister had either done something stupid. The fact that she called out to their motherst, was also proof that she was in the mind of trouble that Luna Eni wouldn''t appreciate. "You''re in trouble with our mother again, aren''t you?" Dom taunted. "Ohe now, Dom. You can''t let her know I fell in the gym again. she will definitely lock me up and force me into those damn sses again. Help a sister, please?" Awuor pleaded and her brother sighed exaggeratedly before saying, "for a price." "Name it," Awuor said and her father just chuckled while Jer said nothing. He had learned the hard way not to get in between the brother and sister. These two were too chaotic and anyone who helped them, would face the wrath of the luna. "Y''know what, I''ll do whatever you want. Pretty pleasee get me from the gym? It''s too dark here and I can''t see anything. My werewolf sight is pretty awful, maybe because I''m too banged up to even think straight, damn" Awuor said and her brother agreed. In silence, she sat up and waited for her brother. Her werewolf sight wasn''t yet back, and she could only assume it was because of how dizzy she still felt. She would definitely need a checkup and her mother was going to lock her out of the gym for months if she survived this. Quietly, the alpha waited for her beta and brother, while she thought of the pieces of training she would expose their warriors to. The Sicario pack never had any attacks from rogues, thanks to Alpha Awuor, but they always needed to be ready. Awuor had been working on some strategies that she would present to her fatherter today. It was the best way to prepare in case there was an invasion. They couldn''t really be sure of their safety, considering the rumors that were circling around, about the Viking werewolf hunters. Those hunters were annoying creatures, but Alpha Awuor had learned to not be bothered by them. She preferred to strengthen her team each day and avoid the troubles that would possiblye with all of that. A prepared alpha was better than an unexpected alpha. For ten minutes, Awuor waited for her brother and mate, but they hadn''t shown up. It was weird considering the gym was barely three minutes'' walk from their home. And that was if she considered their werewolf speeds. Were they crawling or what? "Are you guys cooking peanuts or what? I''m in the damn gym. Use your goddamn werewolf speed!" Awuor said and her brother sighed. His sister was a messed up wolf, because she wasn''t in the gym as she imed. Before she could even finish scolding her brother and mate, Awuor saw the lightse on and she let out a sigh of relief. She was happy, but it all went away when she came to terms with where she was and what had happened to her. ''I''m screwed,'' was all the alpha wolf could think of as she looked around her. "Awuor?" Her father called out quietly, his voice so defeated that Awuor could have sworn she heard her father whimper. She couldn''t me him though. The sight in front of Sicario was making him uncertai too. Maybe he was hallucinating, because his mate couldn''t be on the dan floor with his daughter''s ws retracting gently from her neck, right? It had to be a mistake that his Eni was having her throat ripped out of her neck, yeah? "Father? Oh, goddess what happened here?" Awuor asked, the chock clear in her voice, as she looked around her. She had been on the floor alright, but there was no dumbbell or anything. her mother was dead and it was too obvious that she was the culprit. Her brother had been listening to her, and when he heard their father''s voice and Awuor''s changed tone. That was all it took for him to rush to where they were, in the alpha''s suite. And Awuor hadn''t said a word of where they were. So how did Dom and Jer know that the sister and father were in the alpha suite? "No," Dom said when he walked in. He had never expected to lose his mother, or that too in the hands of his sister,, but damn, this was twisted in so many ways. While her brother, her father and mate looked at their dead mother, Awuor was lost. She couldn''t remember anything and she didn''t even know how she was supposed to start defending herself. Her life was over and she didn''t need anyone to spell it out for her. "Mother, wake up! Mother, please," Awuor said as she looked at her mother, shaking her body so the wolf would wake up, but there was nothing. She was long dead and the blood on the floor of the alpha''s suite was too much. Even if Luna Eni could have been saved by the mate bond earlier, right now, it was a little toote. Awuor had ''murdered'' her mother and she had no recollection of it. She knew her constant attempts at remembering were all in vain, but she kept trying to wake her up. The woman lying here was the love of her life. She loved her mother so much and people had always appreciated how she took care of her mother. She had adored her too much. Losing her mother like this, it was breaking her. She knew she was the obvious suspect and didn''t even want to defend herself. For now, what mattered to her was that her mother woke up. She had to. She couldn''t lose her mother just like that. It wasn''t fair to her. Granted she had no recollection of what had happened, but if it was her fault, then she would apologize to her mother, but the woman needed to wake up for that to happen. "Mother please, I promise I''ll be better." Chapter 9: The Haunted Memories [3] [AWUOR] "Mother please, I promise I''ll be better," Awuor cried out, but her cries were in vain. Defeatedly Awuor looked at herself, her tattered clothes making her wonder what had happened to her. They were wed, and ripped apart so much so, that they didn''t look anything like a regal wear anymore. She looked like she had not even changed into her gym clothes, hell she looked like a homeless woman in Sicario, and yet she had a family and a home. She had power, but that didn''t mean anything at the moment. Devastated, she looked at her mother''s fingers, only to find pieces of her clothing. It was crazy, how she was the suspect in all the damn ways. She never fought with her mother, so what was it that had made her murder her own luna? ''Oh goddess, what have I done?'' Awuor sighed. She didn''t know what had happened, but it seemed like she was the culprit. Her head was still hurting when she dared to look at her father, her brother, her mate, and the servants who had felt the bonds get cut instantly. They were looking at her and she looked guilty in so many ways. She couldn''t even defend herself; and even if she wanted to, where was she even supposed to start from? Awuor was frustrated, so she looked at her father, the only man who could tell if she had really killed her mother or not. The alpha had that chance to make sure the right culprit was caught, but he was too angry. "You killed my Eni,"The devastated let out, ring daggers at his daughter. This woman was already the alpha and now she killed her mother? Why were her ws dripping with her mother''s blood? Why did she smell like the stench of sweat in the alpha''s suite and why in all hell was she even here? This was nothing like the gym; this wasn''t the ce for her to be at this particr time. What was she doing here? "Father, please listen to me, trust me please, father, I didn''t do it. I love her, I always have. Why would I kill the only woman who loved and understood me my whole life? Please, father," Awuor said and when her father didn''t say anything, she knew she was to be judged by the whole of sicario. Nothing she said would make things any better, so she gave in to her fate. So while everyone surrounded her and red at her evilly, she took the chance to look at her mother well. the ws that had ripped her mother''s throat, weren''t hers. It was so obvious because while Awuor''s ws were retracting, she felt some kind of pain. the pain that came with being forced to show her ws. But then she couldn''t prove that too, because only she was feeling this pain. Someone had forced her on this suite. Someone had killed her mother and had made sure that the only person to be med would be her, the reigning alpha. Awuor knew it, but she didn''t have any proof. Right now, she needed proof, but what she had could easily be dismissed as herme attempt at saving herself. "I''m sorry, mother," Awuor said before adding to herself, ''I''ll find whoever did this to you, but I gotta take the fall for it first. I''m really sorry, mother.'' "Take her," Alpha Sicario said and his daughter just hopelessly looked at him. She was hoping that her father could tell that she hadn''t been the culprit, but then she couldn''t me him. That was his mate. But she was his daughter. Couldn''t he at least try and listen to her side of the story? Couldn''t he give her onest chance then? She was always there for him and had been a good daughter. She had never once broken a rule, so how was it even possible that the first rule she broke was when she killed her mother? Awuor looked at Dom, the anger in her brother''s face reminding her that she was already a convict. Her mate didn''t even seem disturbed by the findings. It was almost like he had expected Awuor tosh out someday, and hurt someone, only that this time, her mother was that someone. He could feel the sadness in their mate bond, the genuine sadness and shock of his mate, but Jer didn''t care. Instead, he had just watched as they dragged her from her mother, calling her unspeakable names and ming her for the unfathomable act. "Wait," Awuor said to her father who was staring at her with golden eyes, the proof that his wolf side was showing, werewolves were one with their wolves and would never separate. The grief was at y here. "What do you want?" Sicario asked his daughter, his tone so cold and cruel. He wasn''t going to give her a chance, and he was already making that clear as day. "Please, let me cover her and get her off the floor. It''s too hard," Awuor said and the wolves scoffed at her. The audacity she had was something else. Expectedly, her father denied her the chance, and so she used the only card she had left. The alpha card. "I''m still the alpha of this pack. Unless you banish me. And I am going to see to it that my mother gets a proper burial, whether you want me to, or not. Now, all of you standing here, find something to clear the damn mess. "Try my patience and watch me kill all of you this instant. If you wanna make me a killer that much, try me, oh children of Sicario," Awuor growled out, the anger in her voice shocking the wolves there. They could see her cruelty and felt it to the core. Her father was too shocked to say a word. So he let her have thatst wish. Alpha Sicario already knew his daughter knew she was getting banished. That''s why she used herst card. Well, at least she was smart enough. Quietly, the mourning werewolves wrapped their luna well, and put her in better clothes. The others had already begun digging her grave, thanks to the mindlink and in twenty minutes, everything was done. Awuor was still in cuffs while giving the orders. Her father expected her to give the order to be freed from the cuffs, but instead, she hadn''t. She had focused solely on her mother''s instant funeral, like some dumb package that had been ruined. His heart was breaking for his child. She had just lost her mother and was too confused to even tell whether this was her fault or not. It would have been easier if the cameras were installed here, but they weren''t. It broke him for a moment but he rposed himself to the cold person he had just been. There was not going to be a burial ceremony here today. There was just sorrow and broken hearts. The young alpha swore not to let them see her tears, even if it hurt so bad. The worst had already happened and frankly, nothing would make this any better. Her best friend was dead, her mate was judging her, her brother was unusually quiet, and her father hated her. It was all so clear, not to mention the fact that the werewolves wanted her blood. The alpha Awuor decided not to focus on that because if she did, she would break down, and in her craziness, she would probably jump into the grave with her mother. She didn''t want to be dramatic because that would only show how much she didn''t care for her mother or even respect her. Death was always a thing to be frowned upon and if Awuor tried to do anything, she wouldn''t be forgiven. Besides, It wouldn''t help her case anyway. Chapter 10: The Haunted Memories [4] [AWUOR] "Goodbye Luna Eni Sicario," Awuor said as the wolves gentlyid her mother in the damn grave. She hated what she was seeing. Her mother was warped in damned white sheets. She looked like a mummy from the seventies, but did that even matter now? Awuor was alone. Completely and utterly alone. The wolves wanted her out of there, but none of them could say or do anything to her. Awuor watched the wolves she had been ruling and the anger in their eyes, the fire, and the disappointment in them was a reminder that no matter what happened to her, she had to find whoever did this to her mother. She had to make sure that the culprit didn''t go free. Her mother had deserved better than having her daughter framed for her murder. It was embarrassing and annoying and it made Awuor want to punch everyone here but she couldn''t. "Goodbye mother," Dom said, and as he picked a chunk of soil from the graveside to throw at their mother, as tradition demanded, Awuor noticed something. Her brother was shaking. Dominic Sicario was nervous about something her brother who never got nervous was nervous today. He had patches of red on him, but Awuor dismissed it because she figured he may have gotten it on him when he went to see their mother. There was only one thing that could confirm if her brother was the murderer. His scent. "I''m sorry, Dom," Awuor said, when she walked to her brother. She couldn''t hug him, because her hands were still cuffed, but she leaned her head on his shoulder. It was thest time she would do this and she knew it. So she took that time to breathe her brother in. Granted, it seemed creepy as hell, but it was something she needed to do, besides, they were siblings, nothing was wrong with them leaning on each other anyway. And she did get what she wanted. Her brother''s usual woody scent was masked. Why would he mask his scent when she was home? Why would he do that and yet they were not even in enemy territory? The fact that he had masked it with the damned liquid in the gym, confirmed Awuor''s suspicions. Her scared brother right now, was the reason for all this madness she was experiencing. It was all his fault. There was no remorse in his eyes, just disappointment. And that made the young alpha want to push her brother into the damn grave. However, she controlled herself, even when her brother rudely pointed out that he wasn''t going to hold the shoulder that his murderer of a sister relied on. Oh, the audacity Dom had. "It should be you in there, go on! Be with her, you sick woman! You took our mother away," Dom said and Awuor held back a scoff. He wasn''t as emotional as he thought he sounded. Instead, it was like he was trying to be a dog, a hopeless one for a fact in a ce where the butcher was the dog himself. Awuor walked to her mate, the man the fates had provided for her, the man who should have stood up for her even when everyone was against her. The man who should have been there for her. However, as she closed in, he walked away, and she could sense that his caramel scent was masked too. In the same manner as her brother''s. She tried to talk to her mate in the mindlink. But he had blocked her. How could so much change in just one morning? How could she have turned into a murderer that fast? Her brother and mate were fighting her, and that much was obvious. When the burial was over, Awuor could see her peoplee at her officially, now that herst role as alpha was done. She didn''t want to care, she was too busy thinking about her mate and her brother. They had obviously been the culprits and she was still going to take the fall for them. She knew it, but she was going to be the rebel that did whatever she liked. So breathing in a deep sigh, Awuor let the wolves do whatever they wanted with her. She didn''t have to fight, because she would never win. Not this one, not this time. But she would make them pay. She would teach them a lesson once they are done with her. They had killed her mother, and she would teach them lessons that even karma would lose her mind. **** [TODAY] "Dammit, I shouldn''t have let them be free," Awuor cursed herself as the mosquitoes feasting on her woke her up from her usual nightmare. She should have changed into her wolf but she was tired of it all. This evening, Awuor dejectedly walked out and sat on the stone in front of her shelter. It was a beautiful one that could only fit one person. The shelter had just her regal clothes. Everything else was either grass or leaves. She usually slept in her wolf form at night and always spent the day in her human form, that way, she was able to survive the cold. As for her clothing during the day, the reject had learned to create herself clothes from the banana leaves. It made her look like a whole new person especially with her messy hair, but no one around her would care, not that there had bene any sightings of human life around her anyway. The weather was nice today and the alpha loved it. She wondered how she was supposed to spend the rest of her unfortunate day, and so in her curiosity and boredom, she opened the mind links to her home. Being the alpha and considering she hadn''t cut ties with her people Awuor was still able to link with them. The moment she opened the links, she could hear so many people talk at the same time, and instinctively, she looked for the familiar voices. The first one she looked for was her father''s. She wanted to know whether the alpha was doing okay. She wanted to know if the alpha had turned on his people. Maybe she was hoping for the worst, but then that was an alpha who had lost his mate. Surely there had to be consequences. "Prepare the warriors," she could hear her father say and for a moment, Awuor wondered whether there was a waring, But then again, she knew it was just the usual training. She knew what wasing next, so instead of listening to her father discuss the issues about the warriors, she looked for another voice to focus on. "How are you my darling? I see you look prettier than yesterday," Awuor heard her mate say, probably to another woman. Oh, how she wanted to bash his head on the wall for betraying her, but she couldn''t. At least not yet anyway. Angrily, she skipped her mate''s voice and focused on her brother''s. It had been so long since she had heard from Dom. Her brother sure was angry with her. She had, after all, taken the one person who kept the whole family together. Awor wondered whether her brother would ever forgive her. She wondered whether he would look at her any differently or if he would want her gone and gone like their mother. The universe was cruel, but such was the life Awuor was supposed to adapt to. Before she could filter her brother''s voice out, she heard rusting of leaves around her. Someone was here, and from the look of it, it wasn''t just one person. ''Well, it''s been a peaceful eight months anyway,'' Awuor said to herself as the footsteps got closer. They were heavy, which could mean that the peopleing for her were men, probably rogues, but the rejected alpha was ready for them. Chapter 11: The Unhinged Trespasser [AWUOR] The rejected alpha sat upright, waiting to see who it was who hade to this side of the forest. She had lived here peacefully for the eight months since her exile and while she hadn''t had the best of memories here, it had be a home for her. Sure, she was born and raised in a pce but life had its way of making things turn out and hers was an unfortunate one bound by the betrayal by the very people she had loved and protected over the years. The footsteps didn''t slow down even as the alpha stayed alert. It was already evening and the sun was slowly going down, so whoever it was, either wanted to attack her or wanted to talk to her, both of which she really had no time for at the moment. It wasn''t long before Awuor saw a group of people headed in her direction. They looked like warriors from the nearby packs, not that she ever cared to ask around after her exile, but then that would mean that this woman had been trespassing on their property, right? Unable toe up with an exnation for what these people could possibly want with her, the Sicario alpha sat and waited for them as they strutted towards her, their weapons making a show of dominance, almost to tell her that she didn''t stand a chance. But didn''t she? Just because she was away from home and had no people didn''t mean she was that vulnerable and easy to conquer. She was her own person and knew what she wanted and could get it. Well, everything except the home she was born in. ''All in due time,'' Awuor said to herself when the warriors finally reached her. She had been seated in front of her tiny shelter and these people had surrounded her. She should have panicked. She should have sought help, but she knew no one was around to hear her. She knew it would be pointless because if these people came to her today, it could only mean that they had been studying her, so there really wasn''t a point in her starting to rebel here anyway. The most she could do was show them her bored face. "You''re trespassing," the leader of the group stepped forward and Awuor just stared at him nkly like she didn''t already know that. Of course, she was trespassing. What else did they expect of her when her father had kicked her out of her home on false allegations? "That''s not news. Cut to the chase. What do you want from me or with me?" Awuor asked coldly, her voice making it known that she didn''t appreciate having her peace tampered with. It was already bad enough that she kept thinking of her family''s betrayal and how they let her take the fall without even considering how she would be affected. The people around her didn''t take kindly to her response to the man and that was also a show that whoever this man was, he was their alpha. Well, this was about to get interesting for her anyway. "Hey, tone down on your growls and displeasure. As you may have seen, this forest is empty and your noises will scare the birds away," Awuor added, making the people look at her like she was unhinged or something. Well, that wasn''t a hard conclusion toe to, considering she was wearing banana leaves. She looked like a lost woman from the stone age who wasn''t even bothered that the men were eyeing her. Even if she wanted to be bothered by them, she couldn''t let them know that. Maybe her time here alone and like this had gotten her ustomed to some habits, most of which the regr wolf living in a pack wouldn''t appreciate being associated with. "Hey, listen here. You''ve been trespassing on our packnds for almost eight months now. It''s time for you to leave and pay the dues for trespassing, or face the consequences as per the rules of our pack. "Your presence is disturbing the nature of ournds as our warriors can''t train peacefully in the name of the banana-leaved woman. Now move it," the man growled out and Awuor let out a maniacalugh. This man had to have been very stupid to have let a stranger stay on theirnds for that long. If it had been Sicario and someone else was in Awuor''s ce, she would have already sent the person away or enved them. The man who was talking to her was a little over twenty-five years old. He had a man bun as almost every warrior he hade with, he was too masculine and had a beautiful voice, not that it was better than Jer''s, but it was close. He was dressed like a warrior going to war, but one look at him and Awuor knew he wasn''t the alpha of whatever bounce of wolves this was. He was probably the beta, here on their alpha''s orders, but hey, that was alright, because Awuor wasn''t going anywhere with them. "Okay, oh, grandmaster. But I''m not leaving this ce, not even if youe with your armies. And I''m not paying any dues as per whatever pack you belong to. I don''t give two shits about what you want, so please go away, or fight me. "If you can''t do that, walk away and go back home. Pretend like you saw nothing here and take your men to the nearestke, you guys really need to have a rtionship with water," Awuor said, lying through her teeth that the warriors were stinky. She knew she was pissing this man off and he was probably considering having a duel with her, and she really hoped he epted, because it had been long since she had fought a real person. Granted, her clothing right now, wasn''t exactly the dressing for war, but she would fight them. After all, who hadn''t ever seen a stripped woman, right? It wasn''t new, but it wasn''t appropriate, and still, she baited them. Dan, this woman had some loose screws. The guy who led the group sighed like he had seen enough crazies like the woman here in the forest. "Take her. I don''t care who she is. We need to present her to the alpha before the sunpletely goes down," the guy said and his men looked at him, wondering if he had joined this woman''s craziness. Did he not have eyes or what? "But Beta Adolf¡ª" a warrior said and Awuor cut his statement short, her sarcasm making itself known. "Ooh, so you''re the beta. Damn, no wonder you don''t want to fight me. Are you scared I''d kick your ass in front of your warriors? Or maybe you''re worried you may get in trouble for fighting a woman like me?" Awuor taunted, making beta Adolf look at her again. "Listen here you little wolf. You''re clearly not wanted where you belong, that''s why you decided to pitch a nice tent here. From my guess you could belong to one of the four packs surrounding this forest," Adolf began like he was ready to put the stubborn woman in her ce. Chapter 12: A Prisoner of War?? [AWUOR] "Either you''re from the Dawson pack, the Bluemoon pack, or the Sicario pack, because you''re definitely not from our Greyson pack. You must have done something really stupid for your alphas to banish you, even though you have no scent of the ferals. "So that could mean you''re not a feral, but you''re certainly not that important to your people. You seem to have an attitude and reek of power, that''s why you don''t appreciate anyone talking to you like a regr wolf. "But all of that doesn''t matter right now, because you are the unwanted little wolf. The girl without a home, the rejected wolf who can''t be imed by anyone else. You''re dressed in banana leaves because you have no clue how to make proper clothing on your own. "¡ª or even check the feral cloth reservoir on the west of this forest. The fact that you have stayed so close to the other three packs is because you don''t want to be away from home and are somehow hoping that they''d want you back. "Allow me to spell it out for you and make it easier for your probably useless brain to understand, little wolf, no one wants you. I''m only taking you to my alpha because your presence here is a nuisance to us, and for some reason, the alpha is interested in you. "And before you get any ideas about mates and whatnot, our alpha is already mated. So will you get up on your own, or do we have to take you naked? Because I for one have no problem doing that. We could just treat you like the rogue that you''re not," Adolf said to Awuor who still had her angry smirk on. She hadn''t let him get a hint on her, not even when he mentioned Sicario or even her banishment. She had learned over the years to be a good alpha and that included not giving their enemies any subtle hints. However, as she looked at Adolf it was obvious he knew nothing about her, otherwise, he would havee with arge army, because this woman was an alpha wolf. She had been known by her people to be kind-hearted, but she was the devil incarnate if she wanted to be. Only the closest people to her knew that anyway, and that even made it sad that they had dared to use her falsely. Maybe they wanted to die so bad, right? "Oh wow, and that makes you what? A good beta? Man get out of my face. I may not kill you, but I will rip your warriors apart faster than you can mention your damned Greyson pack. Wanna bet?" Awuor asked, not batting an eysh. Adolf''s warriors looked at him, their eyes trying to remind him that the woman was probably just pretending to be strong and that she had nothing on them, but would the angry beta listen to them? Would he listen to rationality instead of acting on his anger and desire to go home? The sun was already going down and the longer they stayed here, the longer they would be out after curfew. "Well, I must admit, you didn''t disappoint," Adolf said to Awuor, a permanent smirk sitting gleefully on his face, before telling his expecting warriors, "masks on!" The warriors instantly put on their masks while they watched Adolf stare down at the woman they had found outside their borders. It was crazy, how she hadn''t even tried to argue that the forest was a free zone. Instead, she went along with the crazy assumption and unrealistic false truth that Adolf had told her. The forest was free for everyone in the kingdom and that was why no one hade to disturb her, because she wasn''t on anyone''snd. When she hade here, Awuor knew that, but maybe staying here for so long had made the rules a little bit blurry for her. She didn''t have a reason to think about the rules anymore anyway, after all, her people had rejected her and they wouldn''t being for her. With their masks on, Adolf sprayed an odorless substance in Awuor''s face. She had expected it to hurt for a moment, but it was because they sprayed her with water, only that she was very aware that they wouldn''te all this way for her only with a tin of water spray. Awuor knew they were prepared for her, a little too prepared for the people she just met. Maybe it was because she had lived in the wild for a long time and they were just being careful. But why did she feel like there was more to this? Were they told she was dangerous? What was the word out there about her? Did the whole kingdom despise her now? Well, she couldn''t me anyone anyway. She was used of killing her mother, a woman everyone had loved, even her. She wasn''t even close to recovering from her mother''s loss because the emptiness would always be there. She missed her, and wanted to hug her more times than possible but that was alright, after all, she was her mother''s daughter, right? "Damn," Awuor said, looking at Adolf and his team and for the first time, she was d they had ''bested'' her. She hadn''t expected this to happen, but she had learned this time. The next time anyone woulde at her, she would be prepared and would fight them down to thest one standing. While she stared at them, she knew it was pointless to try and cover her nose with her hands or even the damn leaves she was covered in like a primitive woman from the forties and thirties. She had no way of stopping the gas from getting into her system, so she let fate take its course, without caring because this time, if this was the way she died, she would ept it, but would definitelye back in her ghost form to seek justice for her mother dearest. With the stubborn woman unconscious, Adolf and his men scoured the shelter she had built for herself and strangely, they found nothing of importance. There wasn''t even a trace of her regal clothes for them to find. If they had looked a little harder, they would have realized that under the pile of grass she hadid for her wolf to rest on, were the pieces of whatever was left of her clothing. They were Awuor''s reminder that at the end of the day, she would make her way back to Sicario and she would make every one of them pay for betraying her and her mother. She would remind them what it meant to lose everything and she wouldn''t hold back, not even once. Until then she had given into her fate, besides, she had no strength to fight the wolf when she was drugged. The journey to the Greyson pack wasn''t that long, considering the warriors were well-trained. When they reached the borders, they felt a change and for a moment, they were confused. Adolf thought there was something that the woman he was holding had done, but she was sleeping. It looked like she had never really gotten an ounce of sleep. "Open the gates!" Adolf said and their warriors opened the gates to the Greyson pack, revealing a beautiful home that was well guarded and had been peaceful for the longest time. Chapter 13: The Uncivilized Call For Help The Greyson pack was so beautiful, just like the rumors around the kingdom had spelled out. But with its beauty, came the daunting task to keep it safe. It was their home, and their safe haven and they had all vowed to keep it safe. There were a reasonable number of warriors, not to mention their alpha was a powerful one. Everyone knew not to go against the Greyson alpha, and those who have tried, never even lived to tell tales, because tomorrow had remained part of their past. The warriors at the Greyson gates looked at their friends who were caring for a woman who was almost naked. Instinctively, they looked down, as they had been trained by their parents from a young age. A woman''s nudity was never a tool for men''s pleasure, and it was frowned upon, even when there were brothels in the pack. Then again, they only existed because there were a few rejected mates who always wanted to let out some steam. "Good evening beta," the warriors at the gates greeted Adolf, who just smiled at them and greeted them back, before they walked in and the gates closed behind them. Adolf looked at the woman his warriors were carrying and he knew for a fact he would be getting an earful from his very conservative mother. Well, in his early defense, he had not known that they were going after a woman, let alone one who was crazy enough to wear banana leaves in the twenty-first century. Who even wore such attires in the times they levied in and with the technology in their hands? Well the woman he hadn''t even asked her name, was certainly that kind of a person. "Tell the alpha, we got the package and that she cane and inspect," Adolf said and Awuor made the first sound since she had been carried by the warriors to this beautiful ce. "She??? You mean the Greyson pack''s alpha is a woman? Goddess, damn. I love this pack already," Awuor said, startling the warriors and even Adolf himself. What was this woman on anyway, and how strong was she? The substance Adolf had sprayed on her face was enough to knock a warrior wolf out for four hours, and the warriors were the strongest, so who was she or rather, what in the hell was she and why did their alpha want her here? "Goodness gracious, you scared the fuck out of me, what the hell is wrong with you?" Adolf asked and Awuor just smirked at him, ignoring the blinding lights that were in this ce. It was nighttime already, but this ce looked like the sun was at its high. "Damn, this pce is perfect," Awuor said as she somersaulted from the warriors'' arms, making them take a few steps back. Hell, even Adolf was in shock. He couldn''t handle this woman anymore so he could only pray that his alpha came for her package soon enough. "Why do you look so pissed, Adolf?" A woman in her mid-twenties asked and Adolf just frowned at her, like it was the most normal thing to do. Awuor held back augh because this simple act reminded her of her mischievous brother who was always pouting and frowning at everything, every chance he got. The thought of her Dom made her a little angry, because they had been partners, so what had happened and when did the tides change? Damn, she wanted to go back home and smack the shit out of her brother, but well, she would give herself and the time. She would let them getfortable with what they had done to her and then she would avenge herself and her mother. Until then, she would continue with this bunch of Greyson wolves. "He''s a pussy, that''s what. Anyway, hi, I''m a woman and these bastards captured me. Could you please save me?" Awuor said, her tone getting a little too dramatic, that she almostughed from the reactions of Adolf. "Y''know what Rukiya? I thank the goddess she''s your problem now. As for me, myself and I, we''re going home before my mother decides to spank me for carrying a woman dressed in banana leaves. "Goodnight Rukiya," Adolf said before leaving Awuor and a few warriors with the woman who had juste. She was so beautiful that Awuor thought she was hallucinating. How could a woman be so beautiful? Well, she was a powerful woman like her, and pretty enough. So in her dictionary, that was what a beautiful woman was. However, even her description didn''t do Rukiya any justice. The woman looked like a goddess and she wasn''t even trying so hard. "Damn, you''re so ho¡ª beautiful," Awuor said, correcting herself fast enough so she wouldn''t sound rude. The warriors who were with her, were not even sure of what to make for this woman. They knew nothing of her, but the more they heard her talk, the more they were sure she was unhinged. Well, maybe they weren''t wrong. Staying in the wild for so long could have that effect on anyone. "Alpha, shall we detain her?" one of the warriors asked and instead of Awuor being in shock like they had expected, the woman was still ecstatic about seeing Rukiya. "Alpha Rukiya Greyson, a fitting name for a beautiful woman. Anyway, as much as I would really love ttering you by your beauty and personality which you already know about, tell me why the fuck you and your men interrupted my peace in the freends. "And while you''re at it, let me know what''s stopping me from challenging you and your position here and now," Awuor said, her tone going from the happy-go-lucky woman, to an overly pissed alpha wolf whose peace had just been messed with. Alpha Rukiya looked at the woman before her, and she didn''t have to ask, to know that this woman was an alpha wolf. That was exined by the shift when he crossed over to theirnds, or rather when her men bought her here, but also by the power in her voice. "Hello, I''m Alpha Rukiya of the Greyson pack, nice to meet you¡ª" Rukiya trailed off, hoping that the woman before her could tell her her name, but Awuor was staring at her like she was some enemy she wanted to put an end to. "You didn''t answer my question, alpha Rukiya," Awuor said coldly and Rukiya figured it wasn''t really the time for pleasantries. She had been watching this woman for all those months and there was something intriguing about her. Rukiya wanted to know why an alpha was away from her home and what she was doing out there without even bothering to create a pack, but now that she heard the words from Awuor''s mouth, she was convinced that this woman didn''t want a pack. She had the power to create one and even transform rogues, not to mentiony a im to the freends, but she hadn''t done that yet. There was something stopping her, and Rukiya would find that out. Until then, this woman was her guest. "Escort her to one of the guestrooms, and get her decent clothes. Make sure not to dispose of what she''s wearing right now," Rukiya said to her warriors, before telling Awuor, "we''ll talk tomorrow, goodnight." And with that, Rukiya left, not waiting to hear Awuor''s possible profanities. Chapter 14: Careful, Some Mistakes Are Permanent [AWUOR] With Rukiya gone, Awuor was left with her thoughts. A lot had happened and while she wanted to think about her misfortunes as a woman and an alpha girl, she was curious as to why Rukiya wanted her here. The warriors who were told to escort her were keeping their distance for fear of being attacked by the woman. They didn''t know what she wanted and why their alpha wanted her, but from the moment they had seen her, they knew she would be trouble; and they were nning on keeping their distance before she decided they were useless to her. "Aren''t we there yet? I feel like I''m walking on sand," Awuor said and the warriors just pretended like she wasn''t around or that they were not ordered to take care of her. "So you guys won''t talk to me, great. If you must know, I''m really famished, since I didn''t go hunting. I would really appreciate it if you gave me food," Awuor said and the warriors sent a message to the Greyson kitchen to get her food. A few more minutes, they stood before a door, one that Awuor was sure was hers toy in. It had been so long since she slept under a roof and that too in a ce that reminded her of home. The door staring at her was a painful reminder that nothing would ever be the same. The mahogany door reminded her of the Sicario alpha''s suite, the ce she had woken up and found herself wing at her mother''s throat. That one incident broke her and it still hurt, even to this day. "That''s an actual door, not a shelter like the one you''re used to," one of the warriors said to Awuor and surprisingly, she didn''t say a word to him. She just looked at the door, then back at the warriors, before making up her mind. "Do you have a shelter for the ferals you capture?" "What?" the lead warrior asked, shocked by the tone this woman was using considering she looked like the goddess of death. The look on her face was lonely and sad. She looked mortified, and they didn''t even understand that. How could they, when they don''t know why she had gone away from home? How could they when her whole life crumbled to pieces like she hadn''t worked so hard for it? Her life had been turned upside down and a good shelter in the night wasn''t going to change the fact that she had trust issues, with anything and everything that had a door. "The rogue shelter. I don''t mind sleeping in the stinking dungeons or torture chambers. You can even hold me in the lethal dungeons. I know every pack is required to have one. I just¡ª I can''t sleep in this room," Awuor said and the warriors once again looked at her. What the hell were they supposed to make of her sudden change in mind? This woman was dangerous and she has proven that to them when she lived in the freends, where the rogues and the possible wild animals roamed and she never once got hurt. "If you insist," the warrior said before adding, "are you okay?" "Absolutely perfect. Which reminds me, you guys said you have a kitchen, no? Can I please eat before going to the dungeons, y''know since they are stinging and I would probably die of the stench¡ª "¡ª rather than my own hunger?" Awuor said, her tone changing from the vulnerable and lost tone, to one that they had just witnessed out there. Either this woman was bipr, or she hated it when people took pity on her. It wasn''t hard to guess which one it was. "Alright, as you wish. But on the condition that you at least put on a shirt over your banana leaves, okay," the warrior said and Awuor smiled sinisterly at him. "Tell me something, are you turned on seeing me this naked, with perched tits and lean thighs? Or is it that my ass makes you unstable?" the rejected alpha asked not even pitying the warriors who hade along with her. She was doing this on purpose but at least they were already aware of that. Whatever it was that she was doing, they had already resolved to their fate and figured that it wouldn''t be any close to sane. "How about you eat first, pretty darling, and then we can see whether the warriors will have you, or I can have you all to myself?" a woman in her thirties approached with a food tray in her arms. The reject''s eyes lit up instantly at the beautiful scent of food. It had been long since she had eaten any good food or even properly cooked food. Her meals in the wild always consisted of raw meat and bloody food, which she always preferred to eat in her wolf form, so it wouldn''t be so hard to digest and that she wouldn''t be in pain from the possible bacteria. She had learned to survive, but just for this moment, she would enjoy the food that was about to be presented to her. "As you wish, my darling I could even eat you as dessert, if that works for you, y''know," Awuor said and the warriors looked at each other, almost like they were intruding in their moment. it was quite interesting how this woman was bing more and even more confusing to them. "Go on, boys. This will be adies'' night. I wouldn''t want her thinking we poisoned her, no?" the woman said and the warriors looked at her like they weren''t sure she would be safe in Awuor''spany. They were right to be skeptical though. This woman was a piece of work and if they weren''t careful, she would ruin them all. "Alright, Sherry. But if she looks at you the wrong way, please be sure to call us. We wouldn''t want alpha Rukiya murdering us for leaving her best chef with the psycho we picked in the woods," the warrior who was the other''s spokesperson said and Sherry just shooed them. She was sure they were right to be skeptical of the woman before her, but there was something different about this woman. There was an aspect of loneliness in her, and the fact that she didn''t trust any ales made it certain that she wouldn''t agree to take any help for the warriors. However, until that time came, she would remain in herpany. "Now darling, the boys are gone, it''s just us girls," Sherry said and Awuor looked at her skeptically, like she was studying her prey. She had fallen for her family''s tricks and as much as Sherry was charming, she wouldn''t fall for hers too. It was something she had learned the hard way. "I love food. Dammit, I feel like I haven''t eaten in years. Tell me something Sherry, is your food poisoned, orced with something to make me subconscious so I would reveal the secrets of my oh so mighty kingdom somewhere in this realm?" Awuor asked and Sherry just smiled at her. "Darling, if Rukiya wanted to get information from you, trust me, she wouldn''tce your food with anything. You would willingly give it to her, that much everyone knows," Sherry said and Awuor got curious about this alpha. Maybe that''s why she was so respected. "Well, I wish her luck with me then." Chapter 15: Her Limited Selective Patience [AWUOR] "Well, I wish her luck with me then," Awuor said with conviction and for a moment, Sherry looked at her, unsure of whether this was just another normal conversation again. However just like her frown had shown, so had it disappeared. "Eat up, you need to be strong if you''re gonna dress up in banana leaves and lead a normal life, aye," Sherry said and Awuor let out augh. She had seen the woman frown at her tone and now they were suddenly besties. Anyway, she was hungry and she had been offered food, so who was she to refuse such a kind offer from a stranger who didn''t even have to, right? The rest of the meal was spent in silence despite the fact that Sherry had been a little chatty. Maybe that changed when she saw the scars on Awuor, and she was about to join the pity bandwagon, the one thing that Awuor hated more than anything else. The food was tasty and Awuor relished it. She wanted to have more, but she knew where she stood with these people. To them she was a fascinating woman in the elf, one without a home and a woman who ended up being treated carefully. But that wasn''t what she had wanted to be. She wanted them to look at her like a person, but that was still a long way from tonight. When she was done, the reject stood up and watched as Sherry grabbed the shirt from the seat and handed it to her. "Thank you," Awuor said, as she put the shirt on above her banana leaves. She knew that she wasn''t a visitor here and she didn''t want them having any ideas. Of course, the banana leaves were super ufortable. But it was a good thing that it was nightime because she would sleep in her wolf form. "Could you please show me to the feral dungeons?" "Why?" "Because I''ll be sleeping there," Awuor shrugged and when she saw Sherry about to say another word, probably to convince her to stay in the guest room, Awuor spoke again. "Don''t bother trying to convince me. Your warriors tried and couldn''t. If you''d be so kind enough to show me the way there I can go myself. Or you can assign warriors to take me there. After all, I may as well be a feral without a pack, yeah?" Sherry was at a loss with every word that came out of Awuor''s mouth. This woman was something else, and one thing Serry was sure of, was that her alpha, Rukiya, had a lot on her hands. But then again, Rukiya Greyson was the best of the best. So what this woman would be thinking of she definitely stood no chance against Rukiya, but was any of that really true, or was Sherry just talking because she believed in her alpha so much? Awuor couldn''t me her, if anything, loyalty was like gold. "Alright, sure. Adolf!" Sherry called out to the beta as Awuor let out an exaggerated sigh. "Great! The stupid beta again. How do you people survive his unapproachable ass that seems to have a stick in it all the damn time?" Awuor asked when Sherry was done calling the pack''s beta. The amusement on Sherry''s face was something that made awuor wonder if she really was a spectacle. Well, she probably was, considering she was the only one who hated their own kind and great beta. "You met him before?" "If you mean to interact with his rough ass, then yes. I met him and the urge to punch his face into tomorrow, oh only the goddess can exin that feeling. I have never met someone so annoying and with an attitude," Awuor said just as Adolf arrived. He looked a little better than earlier. It was obvious he had cleaned up and had even shaved. He looked a little less of a beast in the wild and more of a beta that was responsible for so many people. Maybe the change shocked her, but the words out of his mouth reminded her what a delight beta Adolf of the pack was. "Look in the mirror, and you''ll see them staring right back at you. Oh, my bad, I momentarily forgot that since you were abandoned in the freends and banished from home, by your people, which I certainly understand, you haven''t looked in the mirror. "Did you even try theke? It looks like a mirror when the water is still; then with your presence near theke, there''s a high chance that the weather would never be calm enough for you to stare into, thanks to your annoying face that makes you worse than even the ugliest ferals here. "Look at your hair, you look like you''ve been chopping wood with them. Considering there was no fire at your damned shelter, I''d assume you ate your hair since you couldn''t f¡ª" Adolf said as he stared Awuor down and this time, the reject growled. Like full-on alpha growl. She hadn''t let out her wolf in a while and even when she did, it was always on peaceful terms. Right now, this bastard was testing her patience. She had epted her fate as the reject but the fact that this measly beta was determined to rub it in her face was uneptable, and maybe that was why Awuor walked towards Adolf who didn''t even look the least bit scared of her. She then held him by the cor, lifting the huge beta up, the distance between the ground and his feet pretty decent. She was pissed and a danger even to herself. Right now, she wanted the head of this beta, and if she hadn''t been away from Sicario, she could have beheaded him. "One more word about my banishment and stupid family and I can swear on everything you hold dear, consequences be damned, I''ll rip you apart, piece by piece. And not even an intestine will be left of you. "You can mock me all you want, but watch it. Even I have just so much patience, beta Adolf," Awuor said, her wordsing out in growls as she swung the beta on the grass. She was really pissed. Nothing was okay. Sherry was in shock because she had never seen a regr wolf try that shit with Adolf. It was so obvious that Awuor was an alpha wolf. No one with that much power would be just a regr wolf. Sherry wanted to give Awuor a piece of her mind before the wolves gathered to see what the matter was, but before she would let out a word, Awuor crumbled suddenly on the ground. She was grabbing her stomach and wing herself apart. It was a shocker to the people around her and while Adolf tried to gain hisposure ande to terms with the new reality that they had brought in an alpha, Awuor shifted into her huge white wolf, and sprinted off, her senses taking her in the direction of the ferals. The blood trail she was leaving behind didn''t matter to her, because she just needed everything to stop. "Hmmph," Awuor whimpered as she used all the force she could muster, and threw herself in the feral dungeons, almost like she wanted her pain to be swallowed by the pain of the silver that these dungeons were coated with. Chapter 16: In Which Her Pain Hit Home [RUKIYA] The Greyson werewolves who had watched Awuor were at a loss for words. Sherry was still staring at the direction she had taken and she wasn''t sure what to think. The shirt she had given Awuor and even the banana leaves Awuor had been wearing were stripped to pieces. It was almost like she had done her best to hold on to this reality but there was nothing that could be done for her. "What just happened?" Adolf asked when he got up from where he had been swung. He had his suspicions about Awuor being an alpha wolf, but now that they had seen her wolf, the only white wolf in the whole kingdom, he was shaken by that simple yetplicated fact. He wasn''t sure he was the right person to be tending to the broken werewolf he had just triggered. Maybe this was his punishment for being nosy, but was Aldolf being nosy, or was he just carrying out his duty as the beta of Greyson to determine who Awuor was and where she was from? Now that Sherry looked at Adolf, the realization dawned on her, and she wanted to pull the beta into a proud hug, but she couldn''t. They could talk about their findings about the werewolfter, but for now, there was a more pressing matter. The blood trail to the most lethal feral dungeons. "She''s hurting. Why would she w herself apart like that?" Sherry asked quietly, even though she already had an assumption. She didn''t want to think about it, but the silence that Adolf was holding onto right now, confirmed her worst fears. The woman wasn''t banished just for fun, no. She was banished and her mate had taken someone. Was that why she was always so angry? Was it why no one scared her anymore? Was that why she was scared of closed doors? "We can''t do this alone. Call Alpha Rukiya. Tell her the white wolf is in her pack," Sherry said to Adolf as she walked into the guest house and picked some clothes for Awuor. Whatever was going on, the alpha girl was truly hurting. Was there a way they could ease her pain? But even if they could, would the woman even agree to their help? Would she listen to them? Dammit, what kind of hell were they currently trapped in? This wasn''t what they had nned their evening to be, but then it wasn''t like they were about to grace the heavens with her skin, no? "But Sherry¡ª" Adolf tried as he followed Sherry who just kept walking toward the feral dungeons with clothes in her hands and the hope in her heart. She was counting on the wolf they had just discovered, not being too harsh with them and letting them help her. Then again, she had been suffering out there and alone in the same manner, for more than eight months. Awuor was probably used to it by now, what a sad reality for a beautiful woman like her. But would anyone ever get used to pain when no matter how numb she tried to be, her mate constantly reminded her that she wouldn''t ever have peace? "Go, Adolf. Go tell the alpha what is happening before morninges, because who knows what the white wolf will do? We all know how rare they are and we also know what they could do in their anger. "You''re the beta of the pack, so go, and don''te back unless Rukiya is with you," Sherry said and Adolf sighed. He understood Sherry, but then for some reason, he wanted to go and check on Awuor. Adolf didn''t know her name, but he knew her pain. It was one too familiar and he knew how much that shit hurt. Maybe he was hoping that by helping Awuor they would be able to start over. But then the woman was too broken even for life itself. Had it not been for her revenge, she would have long given up. Life had served her in the worst of ways and hope for justice and vengeance was the only thing keeping her going out there when she lived like an animal without a home. "Alright. Please take care of her while wee," Adolf said and Sherry just nodded at him. She knew he knew what the alpha wolf was feeling, but she did not dig deeper. Some scars needed time to heal, and right now, only a broken one would understand another broken one. The walk to the feral dungeons felt like a century-long walk, and Sherry hated her ardent steps for it. She was walking as fast as she could, with the elite warriors beside her, in case Awuor tried something, but this all didn''t feel right. She had questions and wished to know why Rukiya had brought the woman to their home, but then there were some things beyond her. The least she could do right now was hope to the goddess that Awuor was still conscious even with the pain in there. "Where is she?" Sherry asked the warrior who was guarding the feral dungeons. The poor guy looked so shocked like he wasn''t sure which part of the world was right. He was however right to be confused, because the feral dungeons were as lethal as the ferals who were always put in there. No one ever willingly walked in there thanks to the heavy doses of silver, and yet the white wolf in centuries, had rushed in there, her body profusely bleeding. Maybe she was too broken, that she didn''t care anymore. "She¡ª" the warrior said as he pointed at the feral dungeons. Sherry just let out a sigh. She understood what the guard wanted to say but couldn''t. There were so many words loosely hanging in the air, and what even made it worse was the fact that it was midnight. Oh, how life was truly unfair to the white wolf. "Dammit, the stench here is insane,'''' Sherry said as she walked in. The warrior had already sprayed the air, so the remnants of silver wouldn''t be that harmful to anyone who walked in there right now. He would return the dungeons to its original state once all of this was over, but until then, he just had to see for himself which part of the universe he had woken up to, because this was borderline insane. "Careful Sherry, the kitchens are kinder than this ce," the warrior warned and Sherry just smiled. "Turn on the lights." "Remember to be careful, Sherry." "When am I never careful, Harry?" Sherry asked though it was just to reassure the guard that she was at her best behavior and wouldn''t let the ferals attack her today. The feral dungeon was stinky and looked like a ce where the worst of the worst were disposed of. It looked so terrible that no one in their right mind would willingly walk in here, but a bleeding white alpha wolf had rushed in here. Awuor knew how much this would affect her, especially in her wolf form, but she had stayed anyway. Sherry was on the lookout for whimpers, but they never came, instead, the scent of the white wolf''s blood, was her only guide in the ce that had so many ferals. The captured ferals were awake, from the light, and possibly for their own pain they had never had visitors, and now, they had the most unusual of them. "Ie in peace," Sherry said, when she saw a frustrated Awuor, who was hopelessly drifting in and out of consciousness as she clutched her tummy in pain. She was currently in her half state. The lower part of her body was a werewolf, while the upper body was human, and even then, the pain in her eyes was too hellish even for Sherry to maintain eye contact with her. "I''m sorry," Sherry said but Awuor just stared at Sherry, even though she was half asleep and drunk on pain. The sincerity in sherry however gave her hope that maybe she was worth something. Maybe she was worth caring for, but what of Sherry was caring for her just because they wanted to know more about her? Then again, Awuor didn''t have the strength to even care about what people thought of her right now. She only had one thought keeping her alive. Her promise of vengeance. She would ruin them all, and her mate would be the very first one to feel her wrath. She wouldn''t forgive him for all he had done to her till this moment. She would avenge herself first, and then she would avenge her mother, but until then, she needed to sleep. So with her hands on her tummy, the alpha let herself drown in darkness, not caring that her ws were a little too deep this time, into her body. ''I''ll make them all pay,'' was thest she thought of when she was totally consumed by the darkness. Chapter 17: Of Unanswered Questions & Frustrations [RUKIYA] "Is she awake?" Alpha Rukiya asked for the hundredth time in the six hours since they had gotten Awuor out of the feral dungeons. Even though the woman had been unconscious then, it had taken an all-female warrior team to get the woman away from the ferals and into the guest room near Rukiya''s bedroom. It was almost like everything masculine reminded her of a past she wanted to forget and her body was repulsed by it. However, Rukiya hadn''t gotten the warriors to help her under that assumption, but instead, there were some things that even she couldn''t quite exin and this was one of them. To her, it felt right, and she was the alpha with the power to make that happen. Sherry had informed Rukiya of what had happened and the possible phobia of closed doors that Awuor had. So like the good alpha she was, Rukiya had her warriors unmount the door just so everything would be clear. The room that had once been filled with hundreds of gold bars was now a hall with a mattress on the floor and a sheet covering the woman who was right thereying on the mattress. It was a heart-wrenching sight, especially with the painful whimpers of the rejected alpha. "No alpha, not yet," Sherry said to Rukiya who just sighed. She hated what was happening and wanted to let it out. She was getting frustrated by the second and even her beta had noticed that. Adolf wanted to say something to his alpha, but what could he say when even he wasn''t aware of what Rukiya was ying at by bringing a broken wolf into their home? It wasn''t like the Greyson pack was a home for the needy. Defeatedly, the alpha walked out of the room, but not before telling Sherry to call her the moment the woman so much as moved a finger in her state. "Yes, alpha," Sherry said as the warriors opened the window to the room they were currently in. The fact that the woman before them was unconscious, scarred, and broken by someone, didn''t sit right with Rukiya and she needed to let out some steam. So the moment she walked out of the guestroom, she headed to the gym, with Adolf following right behind her. "Calm down, Rukiya" Adolf tried when the alpha ignored everything around her. Her people had gotten the hint and from their experiences, a pissed alpha Rukiya wasn''t to be messed with. So when they saw her walk in the direction of the Gym with Adolf following, they knew she had to be in a tight spot and wanted tosh out, but couldn''t without hurting anyone. "You know what they did to her. You can see her current state. How could someone be that heartless? A rejection is better than the pain she had to endure each night. "What is even wrong with people?" Rukiya asked frustratedly as she punched the nearest bag, making it spill the contents on the floor. "We don''t know anything other than her being in the freends for eight months. Tell me something, why are you so interested in her? Is it because she reminds you of where you were at some point?" Adolf asked carefully, knowing so well that whatever it was, was a sensitive topic for his alpha. Rukiya looked at Adolf like she wanted to say something, but then changed her mind, because she clearly continued punching a little longer. It was frustrating seeing Rukiya like that, and Adolf wished that she could open up to him. They were, after all, on the same team. "No Adolf. It''s not about that. She''s the white wolf and from what''s been happening to her, she never let anyone in on that secret. The white wolf fully develops at twenty-six years old, which is exactly ten years from the time they meet their mates. "It''s so clear her mate didn''t know who she was, otherwise, no one would do that to her," Rukiya argued and Adolf just watched her amusedly, his confusion still showing on his face. There had to be something more about the woman, but he would tread slowly with Rukiya. "So you brought her because she''s a white wolf?" Adolf asked carefully, hoping to not upset the already upset alpha Rukiya Greyson. "No. I didn''t even know she was a white wolf in the first ce," Rukiya said as she continued punching the bag like it was the same bag that had broken the alpha wolf. "Then why¡ª" "That doesn''t matter and won''t matter if she doesn''t wake up. I should have gone to her sooner, fuck," Rukiya sighed. Adolf figured it would take more than just a small talk with his alpha for her to let him know what she expected of him, especially now that everyone in the pack was curious about the prisoner who had been brought the previous night. The rumors had spread, and while Rukiya already knew that, she chose not to care. Her people would always trust her, no matter what kinds of rumors were spreading around, so that wasn''t a concern to her at the moment. "Well, since you''re all secretive, spar with me. That should help you out," Adolf suggested, like he was feeling terrible for the punching bags. In reality, he wanted to let out his frustrations and the only person who could match his skills was the alpha of Greyson. They both had pent-up anger for different reasons and their defeated sighs over the past twelve hours were just proof of it all. "Alright," Rukiya said, agreeing to Adolf''s suggestion. It was the sanest thing she had heard from him. So for the rest of the hour, the two of them sparred, though at some point in the hour, they startedshing out, punching each other, and intentionally missing the sensitive organs, because they were not enemies. They were friends, leaders who had a pack to run, but had been a little too distracted by something that reminded them of their pasts. "That was fun," Rukiya said when the hour was over. The both of them were currently a sweaty mess, but even then, they looked a little happierpared to the time they hade walking through the doors of the gym. Of course, the warriors who had been watching the spar knew their fights meant nothing, and it was always fun to watch Rukiya and Adolf spar. They were the very standards that every werewolf warrior in the Greyson pack wanted to meet. "I know, but you realize you can''t always run away from the truth Rukiya. I''m your beta and best warrior. I need to know if there''s a waring and get everything ready. The woman you brought in is clearly an alpha," Adolf argued and Rukiya just looked at him. She knew she had made a good decision to pick Adolf as her beta, but right now, she needed a long cold shower, before she could go back and see if the woman had woken up. She was done hoping. If the woman didn''t wake up, she would have one of the whalers of the pack wake her up. That was the simplest way to determine if there was truly a waring, and the easiest way to get her beta the answers he was seeking. The answers they all needed. "Let''s go clean up Adolf. After that, we can both get the answers, yeah?" Chapter 18: I Dont Have Time For Cap [RUKIYA] "Wake her up," Rukiya said to Adolf who just looked at her. They had agreed to get their answers, but then him poking the woman who most likely hated her, was like a death sentence. However, Rukiya was relentless and Adolf eventually had to poke Awuor with the stick he had been holding onto for the past hour. They didn''t have time to be weing to a possible hostile to their home, but then again, wasn''t it Rukiya who had told them to get this psychotic woman into their home? "Ayo, get up," Adolf said as he poked Awuor again, and Awuor instantly got up, her ws and fangs ready to dip themselves into anyone who was trying to hurt her. However, when she saw where she was, she let out a frustrated sigh. "So once again it''s you, the beta without brains. Great. Now are you people going to tell me why I''m here or are you hoping I''d tell you who I am and what I want? Well, I''ll make it simple for you. I''m a woman and I don''t need anything from you. "If you please, hand over my banana leaves and I''mma be on my way, alright," Awuor said as she sat up, and stared at Rukiya who was nkly staring at her. Awuor knew they had questions and she knew that she had turned before them yesterday. As much as Awuor wanted to regret what had happened, it had already happened and no matter how many times she would beat herself over her slip up, there was no erasing it from their memories. Which was also why she was going to face everything head-on. "Are you hungry?" Alpha Rukiya asked Awuor and the alpha had had enough of it. "Seriously? Am I hungry? How about you answer my damn questions, huh? What the hell do you want with me?" Awuor said to Rukiya who was just smirking at her. This woman was fierce, and Rukiya liked that about her. She was already imagining what it would feel like, going to war with Awuor by her side. They were both powerful warriors and given that Sicario had a powerful reputation because of Awuor, Rukiya hoped that someday she would get to benchmark in Scario, even if that would depend on her royal craziness, Awuor, actually letting here along. "Rx, Alpha Awuor. I apologize for keeping you guessing. Anyway, I''m alpha Rukiya Greyson of the Greyson pack. And you, are Alpha Awuor, of the Sicario pack. I''d say nice to meet you alpha, but I know you may fight me. "So let''s get to it, yeah?" Rukiya said and everyone expected Awuor to be shocked by the revtion, but she just stared nkly. She knew they had to have known her and were ying tricks with her. She was smart enough to know that word had already spread across the kingdom that she had murdered her mother and the gracious punishment she had been given by her father dearest, Sicario. "You know who I am and the fact that I murdered my mother doesn''t exin why I''m here. You know me, which also means you already know that you can''t hold me hostage. No one can. So, why am I here? "If you can''t tell me that, you''ll have to excuse me but I have a shelter to clean. There are possible bugs who have invaded my space already and I need to do housekeeping," Awuor said as she looked at her clothing. The banana leaves had probably already dried up, that''s why she was currently properly clothed. She couldn''t remember thest time she had been well dressed like this but she didn''t want to getfortable with it. She didn''t want to let them know how much pain she was in, but then her gracious mate had already forced it down the throats of the wolves that had been present the previous day. There was no hiding it. Anyway, even if they knew her pain, they wouldn''t be able to help her with anything, so she was back to where she had been except for the fact that they had disturbed her peace. The audacity these wolves had. "I have a message from your mother, Luna Eni," Rukiya said carefully as she watched Awuor''s face contort into different emotions before settling on anger and boy was she furious. Awuor looked at the people around her, the people who had been pretending to care about her. Turns out they had their own agenda, of course, they had. A damn message from her mother, the mother she had woken next to? The mother she had been used of murdering even when her brother and mate were clearly the culprits of this crime? That mother? These wolves were something else. "My mother, you say. Luna Eni, no? A message from her?" Awuor asked quietly as she got up and stalked towards Rukiya who wasn''t even making a move to step away from the obviously irritated alpha wolf. The warriors at the door were waiting to strike her down in case this woman tried anything with their alpha, and Adolf was in his beta mode. Sherry looked like she was ready to cook Awuor''s organs and feed them to the ferals if she so much as touched a hair on their alpha''s head. They were ready to go to war for Rukiya and Awuor knew that, but she didn''t care, not even once. "Tell me something, Rukiya," Awuor said when she closed in on Rukiya, trailing her fingers on Rukiya''s hair and trailing her fingers around one strand of the Greyson alpha''s hair. She was looking straight into Rukiya''s eyes, a smirk on her face, while Rukiya was staring at her with a bored face. The Greyson alpha was the alpha that couldn''t be easily threatened, just like the alpha Awuor. Here and now they were equals, only that one of them was raging with anger. "Did my mother dearest send you a message from the grave where I buried her?" Awuor asked angrily, her voice booming and making the warriors worry for their alpha, who by the way, was still standing in front of Awuor, the same bored face on. "See, the thing is, I killed her when no one was watching. I wed her neck apart and popped out her trachea. Then I used the alpha code and buried her on the same day I was banished. I was there, I did everything, but mother dearest didn''t even give me a message. "So how the fuck do you have a message from mother dearest, Rukiya?" Awuor asked again, her temper calming down. She hated what had happened to her mother and the loss still hurt like it had happened yesterday. The fact that she would ever see her mother''s happy face, haunted her more than anything else, and she wanted to forget. She wanted to live in a world where her mother was, but then she couldn''t. Her mother was gone and nothing she did was going to get her back. But everyone seemed to want to remind her that she was the spoilt fruit in Sicario. She had taken something that had too much value, something that she cared about more than even herself, and now, what was she even supposed to do without her mother? Fuck, she felt like she was going nuts. Chapter 19: In Which She Shows [RUKIYA] She knew there had to be more if Rukiya risked having a banished alpha in her pack. Sure the Greysons were strong, but they went that strong against allied packs. They were just one pack, and if the other packs were allied toe against them, they would be done for. "Could you please take a step back from my face? I need my personal space too," Rukiya said, her voice equally cold though hers wasn''t filled with anger or any emotion for that matter. It was emotionless, too emotionless. "Yeah sure, just tell me what I need to know because my patience is really running thin and I don''t want to cause your pack trouble," Awuor enunciated as she roughly ran a hand through her shabby hair. She was dirty and hadn''t even been cleaned up. Then again, this woman was a wildfire, and cleaning her up would have probably cost them more warriors than they needed to. Rukiya hated going back to her werewolves'' mothers and telling them that their sons had died in war, which was why she had worked so hard to strengthen the pack and make sure no one dared to intimidate her people. "I know you didn''t kill your mother." "I know you didn''t kill your mother. Anyway, since you have limited time and want to go back to your shelter, you''re gonna have to listen to what I have to say, Alpha Awuor. "Otherwise, we can spend the whole day staring into each other''s eyes, alright?" Alpha Rukiya said, her tone calm like she was trying to assure Awuor that they weren''t her enemies. But then would Awuor really trust her? "Great, now can I leave?" Awuor said, making it clearly known that hers wasn''t a request. "Summon mother in," Rukiya said to Adolf who looked at her like she had gone bonkers. Everyone knew the luna Razia had no interest in what the kingdom had to offer she wanted to lead a normal life, especially after her husband had been murdered for colluding with the rogues to bring down the werewolf king. He had brought shame upon their home and to make sure her daughter didn''t go through the same thing, former luna, Razia had made it clear that she would be her child''s mother and nothing else. At the end of the day, she wanted to be a regr wolf even if she was never going to be the regr wolf. Maybe her presence would make it easier for Rukiya to lead a fairly normal life. "You gotta be kidding, right?" Awuor asked Ukiya who just smiled sadly at her. The rumors in the kingdom were so obvious and while no one wanted to talk about it in front of Rukiya, Awuor knew she had been affected. Her mother, luna Razia, the woman no one had seen in so many years, just happened to meet with the Sicario Luna, who was also her mother, Eni. What the hell was even wrong with her? Was she some charity case? There had to be more if Rukiya was willing to call her mother here. So patiently, Awuor sat back on the mattress she had beenying on before. She knew once she walked out of Greyson, she wouldn''t have the chance to sleep on afy mattress again. She could just make the best of this anyway. "Yes alpha," Adolf said as he called the former luna through their mind links. Five minutester, a woman in her fifties walked through the doors. Her striking resemnce to Rukiya was all that Awuor needed to know that this was the luna Razia. The Luna Razia was she who hadn''t done anything to make people hate her, but also the Luna who had been spotted because of what her husband had done. She had clearly learned to live with that because when Razia''s eyes met Awuor''s she could only utter one word. "Eni." "Mother, pleasee in. Get her a seat," Rukiya said to her mother before turning to the warriors who were quick to bring everything that their luna would need. She had been good to them and never once brought them pain. So they had no reason to spill her even when the whole kingdom whispered about her. "You look so much like my dear friend, Eni," Luna Razia said once she settled. She was slowly taking in Awuor''s appearance and for a few moments, her face contorted into happiness, disbelief, anger, and pity, though thest one quickly changed to a nk face considering Awuor hated being pities. It seemed like this luna really knew what she was after. "Luna Razia, greetings," Awuor greeted as she bowed respectfully at Ruiya''s mother, making Adolf and Sherry wonder what was going on with the woman. Even in her state of terror, she could respect people. Well, that was what a true alpha did anyway. Right now, they were all so curious as to why Rukiya had summoned her mother. "Greetings, Awuor. What happened? Did they finally banish you and me you for your mother''s death? Is that why you look like shit? Pardon mynguage child, but what did Sicario say when you were banished? Was he the one who banished you? "Damn that stupid bastard¡ª" luna Razia said and Awuor looked at her curiously. How the hell was this woman aware of everything unfortunate that had happened to her, and why did she seem so convinced that Awuor wasn''t the culprit? Was this blind faith or was there something more? "How do you know all that?" Awuor said, respectfully and quietly interrupting the luna who just smiled sadly at her. It broke her heart, but then what had been done was already done. "Your mother came to me six months before she died," Luna Razia said, as she removed stray hair from her eyes. Her long hair made her a pretty goddess, but right now, she was a heartbroken one. She had lost her best friend and now the child was here because the worst had really happened and she hadn''t been able to do anything to save the child. "Why? Please, make me understand," Awuor said to the luna who just sighed. "Alright, but please listen." Chapter 20: A Glimpse Of The Near Past [1] [FOURTEEN MONTHS AGO] [RAZIA] The afternoon was quiet and the forest in the freends was, as usual, unupied. The animals were freely roaming by and there was no sign of human life, other than the two women who were casuallyying on the mat like they were having the pic of their lives. They looked happy, the smiles on their faces and their beauty radiating the atmosphere. But that was what they wanted anyone who happened to see them to think of. There was nothing happy about them being there at that point in time. They always met here when things were going wrong in both their homes, and today was no exception. The women were a little older, almost like they were in their fifties, but even then they were too beautiful, too regal, and too loyal to even be out here in the fields where the rogues could get the easiest ess to them. Maybe they were not scared of the rogues, because they were rogues themselves. However, one nce at them and the way they handled themselves was rough to show that these women were rulers. They had the responsibility of taking care of more than a thousand people each but that wasn''t an issue today. On the mat, were pic baskets and tes of food lying there they seemed to be catching up on something. The two women were Razia Greyson and Eni Sicario, the two lunas of the strongest packs in the kingdom. It wasn''t unusual to see them together, considering everyone knew they were friends from a young age long before they had even gotten their mates and had to separate and go to live with their mates. "You look terrible, Razia," Eni said to Razia, who just looked at her friend like she had gone bonkers. Between the two of them, Eni looked worse, but hey, Razia wasn''t just going to stay quiet no? "Says the one who looks like she got trampled on. Something is bothering you, what is it, Eni?" Razia asked as she looked at her best friend''s frown. Eni Sicario was never pissed or even frowning. She was always the happy pill that brought Razia out of her misery. Since Razia''s husband had been detained, the two sisters had made it their mission to meet at least thrice a year. That Way they could help each other out and talk to each other considering they couldn''t do it in their packs. The freends were unimed so it was without a doubt the perfect spot for the two besties. "You''re right. I''m worried about my daughter, my Awuor. She''s in danger and she doesn''t even have a clue as to why," Eni began frustratedly. She hated such conditions especially when it came to her daughter. She had seen her child make the impossible possible and now that she was in danger, she didn''t know who to reach out to. Razia would understand her, so that''s why she was here with her best friend, hoping that Razia would help her find a way. "Razia, they are growing too hungry for power. I don''t understand when all this began but Dom and Jer are dangerous to my daughter," Eni said to Razia whilst upright to look at her best friend who was apparently using her family. It was one thing to be paranoid, but she knew Eni was never paranoid. Eni was never scared of anything and if there was a danger to her, she would always face it head-on. She was never worried for herself and that could exin why of all the people she could have reached out to, she was currently with Razia. "I don''t understand, Eni. Those two are sons to you. Why would you say they are dangerous, and what do you even mean sister?" Razia asked curiosity sparking her voice. She could sense the worst was about to happen ande from her best friend''s mouth, but she hoped for the sake of everyone and everything they held dear, that it wasn''t what they were thinking of. It wouldn''t be okay, to even think of it, but as life would have it, miracles had a way of happening, even the terrible miracles. "They both hate the idea of Awuor being the alpha. Something about the first male heir having the power. They hate that my daughter is sitting up there. Which doesn''t even make sense because Awuor has never let power corrupt her. "She''s always diligent and is loved by everyone," Eni said, her frustration showing up. Razia looked at her friend and for the first time, she wondered what had happened to the strong woman she had known over the years. Then again, this was her son and her son-inw that she was talking about. Even with her power, she couldn''t break her family. But from there they both are, the obvious was staring at them even though none of them seemed ready to face it. Reality was truly a son of a bitch and they were just being forced to live in whatever this was. "That''s something. Why do you suspect them?" Razia asked carefully. She knew Eni and she knew the woman wouldn''t ever make such baseless usations. If this was happening, then it truly was worth noting. "I heard them, and I wasn''t supposed to. I asked them questions but they just stared at me like I was already the thorn in their life. My son, Razia. My son Dominic looked at me like I was a part of the reason Awuor was given the power. "His sister is stronger. His sister is swifter and is a great ruler. I just don''t understand why he suddenly got so greedy for power," Eni sighed. Her current reality didn''t align with her. What was going on with her family and why had they suddenly be so hostile towards each other? "What about Jeremy? If his mate is the alpha, that means he also has some power in the pack. Why would he be against his own mate?" Razia asked the most vicious question, it didn''t make any sense that jer would also want his mate dethroned. That shit would affect him too, because no matter what happened, he was always going to be linked to the alpha. He was always going to be her equal in some aspect. She was the alpha and he was her mate, what else would he be thirsting for? "Hell, if I know. They have been ring daggers at their sister and I''m not sure if what they will try doing is alright," Eni let out defeatedly. She had brought up her children in the right manner and now, she felt like she was losing. She had taught them to love each other and be there for one another. She had given them everything they had needed and they never once appreciated it. How was she supposed to tell that to her Awuor? "But that could also mean you''re in danger, why don''t you let Awuor know, she would know how to go about this?" Razia asked even though she knew it wasn''t going to be easy. If this was what she was thinking of, then the brother would even hate on his sister more and that wouldn''t solve anything. Eni was at a crossroads and Razia understood her. Chapter 21: A Glimpse Of The Near Past [2] [RAZIA] [Still, FOURTEEN MONTHS AGO] "I can''t. My daughter has been through hell and back in the name of making life better for the Sicario wolves. If she knew her mate and brother were plotting against her, it would ruin her. "We all know what the white wolf would do if she felt threatened," Eni tried arguing out but she felt like she was justifying the evils of her children. How else was she to go through this? "Speaking of the white wolf, have you told anyone what your daughter is and how powerful she is?" "I''ll take that to the end of the afterlife with me. If they don''t know who she truly is at the moment, and they are plotting against her, what else would they do if they knew who she truly was? We also know how my daughter has anger issues. "She''s too lethal and that could break her bonds with humanity. I''ll try to save her for as long as I live and breathe" Eni said and her friend just looked at her. She wanted to argue with her but Razia knew what pain did to her daily. She knew what betrayal did to the usual bonds and she knew it so well that it scared her. "Just let me know if you need anything, I''ll have all my resources at your disposal," Razia said and Eni pulled her into a hug. The rest of the evening, the two friends spent trying to catch up on other things that their lives ran around. It was the only thing keeping them sane and no matter what happened, they all needed to face the truth of it all. ***** [Four dayster] "I''m worried about her, Razia. I don''t know what to do. I heard them plotting again and this time, they said they would attack her where it hurts the most. "I''ve been thinking and the only thing that matters to my daughter more than life itself¡ª"Eni began, the fear in her voice making her best friend wonder why the fuck she wasn''t even on her way to Awuor to warn her daughter of the danger that was looming over her. All she needed was to tell her child what this was and the girl would be able to do whatever was needed. It wasn''t that hard, was it? But then again, Eni was a mother and was worried about how her child would be affected by this. "Don''t say it, Eni. It can''t be. Maybe you heard them wrong. Your son can''t be that open about eliminating you. You''re his mother for fucks sake," Razia tried to reason with Eni. "It''s me. I don''t know what they''ll do, but I know my days have just begun their countdown. They''ll me her for it. I wanna tell her, but she won''t be safe if that happens. They will find other ways," Eni said and Razia looked at her incredulously. They were once again on the freends with their pic setting, even nothing about this was okay. Razia hated that her friend was in danger and she was acting like it was all so okay. Nothing about this was okay. "But Eni¡ª" "I''m worried, Razia. My only daughter is the target of the man she loves and the brother she adores. That will ruin her, if she knows," Eni cried out, her heart breaking even Razia''s resolve. "Why don''t you tell Sicario then? He should at least know what to do," Razia tried. She wasn''t ready to lose her best friend. She wasn''t ready for it at all. She hated that she was helpless against the Sicarios when Eni had braved the dangers to defend her when Greyson had been sentenced to death. "I can''t. If their father knows, they will hate her even more." "Oh,e on Eni, you can''t seriously be sacrificing your life like that!" Razia said angrily, getting up as she paced around. She couldn''t believe this was truly happening. She wanted to storm into Scario, but she couldn''t unless her best friend allowed her. "Don''t worry, if something happens to me, my Awuor will know what to do. She''s the white wolf. I only have one request, friend. Please take care of my child. I don''t know what will happen once I''m gone, but I know it won''t be easy for her. "Please take her through her transitions as the white wolf. I can''t trust anyone with this. I can only trust you, and you can''t tell her, not now anyway," Eni said like she was already wishing her best friend a happy life without her. What the hell were they supposed to make of this? "You''re being too cruel, Eni. She''s your child, and has the power to protect you. She''s stronger than you give her credit for. Rukiya would lock me up if she knew I was in your situation. My child would protect me with her life and I know yours definitely will too. "You can save her from herself," Razia said, as she held back her anger and desire to walk in the direction of Sicario. It had to be something huge if Eni Sicario was willing to sacrifice herself like this. "I can''t. Her white wolf hasn''t shown and if it does show, it will be too premature. If my sacrifice is the only way she can fully gain her powers and protect herself, then that''s what I''ll do," Eni said to Razia, almost like she was finally reassuring her best friend that things would be okay. However, what would be okay with Eni gone? She would be leaving her child in the hands of a group of people that wanted her gone. She was subjecting her to too much pain. "Just know that I don''t agree with this, but okay. I will take care of her, just like I would my Rukiya. I''ll take care of Awuor," Razia said as she sat back down. She hated this, but it wasn''t her choice. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the betterment of the future. "Thank you, Razia. This may also be thest time wemunicate. I''ll try and make sure my daughter is safe, but I am not sure if that will work. "Meanwhile not a word to Sicario or Awuor, or they will burn the pack down and that is too risky even for them," Eni said as she pulled her best friend into another hug this was hurting her and breaking her, but if this was the price for her daughter''s safety, then she would do it. Maybe it seemed like she was leaving her daughter with the predators, but if Eni died, Awuor would automatically be the white wolf, one so premature, but one whose anger and pain would make her strong and powerful enough that she would be able to defend herself. And when that happened, then Eni wouldn''t have to worry about her daughter anymore. She would be able to take them down, all of them. "I hate what you''re making me do, but what choice do I have?" Razia sighed why they broke the hug. "You love me," Eni pouted while her best friend rifled her long hair. It hurt, but it would be okay. Or at least Eni hoped her way to get her daughter to safety was to give her the white wolf. "That''s why I can''t think of losing you. If anything happens to you and your daughter doesn''t avenge you, I''ll burn down Scario for you," Razia said, her tone full of promise and death lingering on her tongue. She had loved Eni so much and frankly, she didn''t care that shit would follow Greyson. If anything, Rukiya was a strong leader who wouldn''t need her as much. "I know you would. I''m not worried," Eni said before she got up, packed everything, and bid her friend the final goodbye. This was the type that they would never see each other again, maybe if they were reincarnated or the moon goddess saved her life. "Goodbye sister," Razia said as she pilled Eni into onest bone-crushing hug. She would miss everything about Eni and that broke her heart. "Live long Razia and stay safe," Eni said as she walked away from where they were. She was going home, probably to her death, but what else could she do when all she wanted was to save her daughter? Chapter 22: Open The Gates, Warrior [AWUOR] Listening to Razia should have given her some kind offort, but instead, when the luna was finished, Awuor decided she had had enough, so she got up. Everyone in the near-empty room was curious to know what the banished white wolf was nning to do, but how could they, when even she wasn''t sure what she needed to do? Knowing that her mother had known about her brother''s ns made Awuor want to rush back into Sicario and give Dominic Sicario a beating. She would simply force him into submission for ten years and that shit messed people up. She hated what was happening and wanted to go home and exin to her father that this time she didn''t go crazy. This time it wasn''t her fault and that she even had a witness. But that was too risky. ''At least she got her mother,'' Awuor thought as she looked at Rukiya who was just watching her curiously. They all were, but did that even matter? "I have to go. Thank you, luna Razia for clearing things up, but as you might already know, my father banished me, and made me into an alpha without and. Me being in Grayson for this long has possibly alerted them and they could be nning toe here. "So I''ll leave peacefully and none of you will follow me," Awuor said sternly before adding, "Thank you also for the clothes, I''ll make sure to wash them at theke when I craft better banana leaves. I''ll bring them back or drop them at the Greyson gates." "But Awuor¡ª" Razia tried. She didn''t want the child out there and alone. Sure, she was an alpha and could protect herself, but what if her attackers came with a weapon that would defeat her, would she just give in to the battle? Razia''s heart was breaking for her best friend''s daughter. She wished there was more that she could do, but it was all on Awuor now. "No, luna Razia. My mother is dead because of me. I need to figure that out, I need to make myself understand why all that had to happen and I need to do it alone. I appreciate youing forward and your daughter seeking me out, but advise Rukiya that what she did was dangerous. "I am a near-feral alpha. I can kill and get no consequences for it. So the next time you wannae to my door and talk to me, you better not have stupid ass masks, and a gas release that does nothing to the white wolf. "I''ll take my leave now," Awuor said and while Rukiya was still insistent on stopping her, they all understood her. It wasn''t every day that any of them was told of a murder plot that somehow ended up sessful. Walking out of the Greyson pack house, Awuor felt like she was doing the cursed walk. She had nothing to fight for anymore. She was angry and wanted to kill things but she didn''t want to let out her anger here. She didn''t want to bring unnecessary attention to this pack. The thought of her mother sacrificing herself for her, was fucking with her mind, and Awuor wanted to rush back home. She knew they would probably kill her, but that didn''t matter. So with her rationality locked off, the Sicario alpha walked out of Greyson, smelling like the Greyson wolves. The clothes she had on, had the scent of Rukiya, just the perfect bait for her stupid mate who had been fucking people every night. Goddess, she hated everyone at home. "Are we just letting her leave? After what we have all heard? What if she gets hurt?" Adolf asked and he could have sworn he heard Awuor scoff right before she crossed the Greyson gates. "She is an alpha and has people to take care of Adolf. We tried our best but we need to let her decide on her own," Alpha Rukiya said while Luna Razia just nodded. Her daughter was right. It was impossible to expect awuor to be okay and just let shit be after what had happened. At the moment, the woman was pissed and was probably going to let her anger out, right? Away from Greyson, Awuor was determined to walk back to Sicario. She knew it was a crazy idea to go back home. She was painfully aware that they would try to kill her on sight, but then again, if they killed her, they would all feel the pain, after all, she was still the rightful Sicario alpha and had power over all the wolves in the pack, her father included. The fact that she had let her father banish her didn''t mean she was powerless to not overturn that, but she let him, because she wanted to think. She needed to get her mind in order and there was just no way that could have happened if she was still in Scario. ''I''m just going to visit mother,'' Awuor said to herself as she crossed the freends and headed in the direction of home. This time, she opened the mind links to hear what was happening in her home but there was nothing significant. Well, she wasn''t going to shut them down anyway. An agonizing hourter, Alpha Awuor Sicario had reached the Sicario gates, and boy did she look like shit. Her hair was still as dirty as she had worked up. Her hands looked terrible. Now that she studied herself she couldn''t me anyone who thought of her as a maniac. Eight months away from home had turned her into this, and while she wasn''t here to stay, she wished she had at least taken a bath or even her damned crown. ''It was a bloody crown,'' Awuor consoled herself when she felt her head lighten up. Goodness, what the hell was she ever supposed to say as she walked back in? Would they even let her through the gates? Of course, they wouldn''t, but as the reigning alpha, she could justmand them to open the damn gates. The warriors at the gates watched curiously as the banished alpha neared the gates. They were conflicted, considering she was still their alpha. Some of them wanted to get up from their posts and go home, but they couldn''t. It was against the damned pack rules, so they wanted to see whether the alpha would force her way in or be as civilized. She could hear their thoughts and worries. She could sense their fear and boy did it make her feel like an ultra viin, the perfect mix. She wasn''t here for peace. She wasn''t at the gates of Sicario because she wanted forgiveness. She was there because she wanted to see her mother, and more than anything because she was yearning to see the faces that her brother and her useless mate would wear when they heard she was back. "She''s crazy," the warriors at the gates said when Awuor stopped and stared at them like she was thinking of the easiest ways to eliminate them. She was here for peace, but was she? "Open the gates, warrior." Chapter 23: The Unexpected Vendor [AWUOR] "Open the gates, warrior!" Awuor said when she got to the ck gates. The entry to her home was beautiful and she could swear on the goddess that she didn''t want to bring it down. She knew it would pose so many risks to her people, and she didn''t want to hurt the children. However, if they didn''t do as she wanted, she would give them a taste of what it felt like, to be the banished alpha for eight long and agonizing months. She would let them see her anger and she wouldn''t even hold back one bit. The warriors at the Sicario gates had been watching here for a while now and were curious as to what she wanted. They thought she was just passing by, like she always did in the past three months, so they didn''t pay heed to her. After all, the banished alpha never once caused trouble. But seeing her here, barking orders right now, was like a punch to their guts. She looked too different from the other times and what''s more, she looked too disheveled. The warriors were conflicted between listening to her and ignoring her considering she was banished Sicario alpha, and the rules had been clear from the moment she had stepped out. Being an alpha, the crazy woman surely had to have an inkling of what they were told, right? "State your reason for visiting Sicario," the lead warrior, Theo, said formally even though Awuor could feel the fear in his bones. He was right to be scared though because this woman was the devil the whole of Sicario had shunned months ago. She was dangerous and she knew it this time. One look at her in the wrong way and she would be doing pull-ups with people''s heads, and she wouldn''t even feel bad. "Visiting luna Sicario," Awuor said, the respect in her vice so new you''d think she didn''t want to murder her brother and mate. Maybe she would, someday. Maybe when she got to the bottom of this, she would but today, the only thing she wanted was to see her mother''s grave. Well, there were no maybes. It was a thing she had promised herself like a woman in debt that needed to pay it back. Their lives were her debt to her mother dearest, and she would take them to fulfill her promise to her mother. She had mourned her mother for so long and never got to the bottom of what had happened, but the Greyson visit was something that had made her question herself and her abilities as the alpha and the daughter of Sicario. How did she not see that there were people who wanted her mother''s blood? How did she not see that her very existence and power were the things that had ruined her family? Well, she hadn''t been a selfish daughter, but the truth she had learned had broken her and now she was here probably hoping for a quicker ending. "You are not allowed in," Theo said before he went quiet, probably talking to the others in the mind link. He was seeking permission from the higher-ups and hoping for a response that wouldn''t anger the already angry woman at their gates. "I know. Anyway, tell my father, or mate, or my brother, that I havee to see my mother. And please remind them to be quick about it, please," Awuor said in the kindest voice she could muster. She knew this was basically here causing trouble, but she didn''t want to believe that things had already gotten out of hand. Of course, they had, otherwise she wouldn''t have felt the need toe this far just to see her mother dearest, who by the way was buried because of her family. The fates were truly ying a sick game with her and she hated it. "Yes alpha," the warrior said as he watched carefully as his alpha sat quietly on the ground at the gate. She didn''t look like she wanted to cause trouble, but with the mind links open, everyone could feel her rage and disappointment. Maybe they were scared of her but that didn''t matter to her at this moment. She was their alpha and they were expected to know everything that she did. Ten minutester, the gates of Sicario were still closed on the woman and she figured that the approval request hadn''t been granted. Maybe it was time she reminded them of who she was. So graciously, she got ready to kick down the beautiful ck Sicario gates if she had to, but she was stopped by a voice that she hadn''t expected to hear on this side of the forest. "What the actual fuck?" Awuor mumbled as she paid more attention to the voice, and for once she knew there was someone who outmatched her craziness in this realm. This woman was beyond wild and why the hell was she here? "Banana leaves for sale, please buy some! Please help me feed my children! Ie in peace ad want no war, please have mercy on me!" the voice said and Awuor snickered. Who in their right mind sold banana leaves to werewolves when the wolves were carnivorous themselves? The idea was ludicrous, but the person with the banana leaves kept calling out, like it was the most normal thing. Awuor looked at the warriors who were surprised too. They had never seen a banana vendor on this side of the forest and hadn''t even thought that any wolf in their right mind would even think of bananas. Awuor had her suspicions that this was a call for her, so she figured she wouldn''t go at any loss if she decided to check the voice out, besides, it wasn''t like the gates of Sicario would ever refuse to open as long as she was the alpha. "What in the goddess''s good name are you doing here Rukiya?!" Awuor asked her anger, making itself known as she gripped Rukiya''s arms. The alpha looked at her fellow alpha like she was telling Awuor that this was her saving her. "Are you that stupid or what? I was saving your ass!" Rukiya said and Awuor red at her. She had walked on live fire, so what else could Rukiya be thinking that she was saving her from? Chapter 24: At Least Use Your Brains [AWUOR] "Saving my ass? Do I look like some fucking charity case that needs your attention? You think that just because you got me to go to Greyson you have some say in what I do?" Awuor asked angrily, as she flickered her nose, before using her hand to rub her dirty hair. She couldn''t believe that Rukiya had crossed over just to give her a scolding, what did she think her presence would do for her anyway? Awuor wasn''t even pissed or mad at the woman it was her audacity that made Awuor even more curious. Rukiya looked like a ridiculous mess and right now, with bananas on her head, Awuor wondered whose idea it was for Rukiya to show up here like this. And where was that annoying beta of hers? Looking back at the Sicario gates, Awuor saw Theo and the warriors staring at her. Her bodynguage with the apparent banana vendor could make someone believe that he wanted to fight the vendor, but did she? Then again that didn''t matter because she didn''t need Rukiya disrupting her very sane n of going back home, even for ten minutes only, to talk to her mother on her graveside. "Take it as you may, but we both know that walking into Sicario right now will only cause you more trouble than you''re ready for. "I just don''t understand how your brain works," Rukiya said and Awuor looked at her again, like she wanted to be sure that this was the Greyson alpha on this side. Understanding Awuor''s brains wasn''t exactly Awuor''s problem so why the fuck did Rukiya feel like she needed to make a show here? "So you''re unhinged and senseless too? Are the Greyson affairs so minimal that you didn''t get to have as much fun, or do you just like poking your nose in people''s affairs? "You look like a lost sheep without a shepherd right now and the fact that you''re here means you have time on your hands, so how about we go together to Sicario and kill them all, yeah? "If you want to have that much fun, you will join me there, no?" Awuor asked disbelievingly, still gripping Rukiya''s arm. This woman needed a reality check because otherwise one of them would go insane and it was obviously going to be Awuor. "Move it, Rukiya. This is my war, and you have no part in it," Awuor insisted and this time, Rukiya put the basket that was heavily bnced on her head to the ground. She clearly didn''te here to y with the woman who was stubborn as fuck. The Sicario alpha was clearly angry and was being controlled by that. They both knew that energy could do so much damage, so why the fuck weren''t they able tomunicate with each other even as they stood there? "You don''t get it, do you? I am saving you because my mother made a promise to yours, the promise to save you even if it meant from yourself. If it were me, I wouldn''t have wasted my time. "Consider this me doing your mother a favor and keeping her promise with my mother," Rukiya bit back angrily before continuing, "Did it ever ur to you why your mother didn''t tell you about your brother''s ploys? "She already knew you were powerful, so why would she sacrifice herself for you? Why would she give up everything for the daughter who could defend herself? Think Awuor, think! "I would like to believe you are not dense, so please, think," Rukiya said when she had freed her arm from Awuor. She could tell it was a rough topic for the woman, but if he was nning to go back to Sicario and face off with her family. "You don''t know shit," Awuor growled at Rukiya who was just staring at her with a bored face now. They were both stubborn, but somehow their goals were simr. Whatever they were doing right now, was because of the luna Eni. It was like they were trying to make do with whatever they had to get through the fact that she was dead, but did that even matter now? Awuor was hated by her people. Her brother and mate had gotten what they wanted and her father, he had given up on her. Maybe Awuor was giving up on herself too and that''s why she so desperately needed to go back home so that they could lock her up before she went insane in the frends. "Listen, alpha Awuor, I know your mother sacrificed herself for you. I know she could have used her powers as Luna and stopped her son and son-inw from doing the unthinkable but instead, she sacrificed herself. For you. "Whether you like it or not, your mother is dead and it is on you. So you can either waltz in there in the pretense of seeing a grave that is well preserved, or you cane with me and find ways to get the answers you need. "The real answer as to why your mother had to die just so you white wolf would be activated," Rukiya insisted, pissing Awuor off even more. She was however telling her the truth that she wasn''t ready for what, though? It wasn''tmon for Luna to be friends, but to befriend the luna who people were looking down on because of her husband was something else. Eni knew what she was doing, and she had been a friend to Razia till the very end. "If that is too much for you, if you think that was far-fetched, think of the punishment your father gave you and how bizarre it was. If he was going to banish you, why not strip you of your alpha positionpletely? "Why let you walk out with your crown and power? Why warn you to never create a pack or they would kill your new members? "It just doesn''t make any sense because packs are meant for people to move on, and even the goddess would deny you that, so why did your father tell you not to? Why not close off the mind links between you and your people all this while then? "I agree, the punishment was bizarre, but if your father truly believed you killed your mother, he would have made you a feral, not an alpha without a pack¡ª" "Because he expected me to find my way back home," Awuor said, realization hitting her so hard that she was in shock. Rukiya looked at the packless alpha, and hoped that she now understood what this all meant. "You have to find out why the alpha would do that, and why he wants you to go back home, when he knows your idiot of a mate is the temporary alpha of the pack. If you still want to break the gates of Sicario, then you can go ahead Alpha Awuor. "However, at least try and think of the sacrifices your parents have made. Sure, they were not so conventional about them, but they did it in a manner that would allow you to identify yourself. You survived in the frends where the rogues roamed. "You survived the gas Adolf released. You survived the clog of penance. You survived a lot of things, and if you wanna ruin it, that''s your choice alpha. "At least my mother and I tried to keep you sane," Rukiya said to Awuor, before she began walking back home, with her call for bananas not slowing down anytime soon. She had to keep up the act and she had to give the banished alpha a choice. Awuor looked at Rukia and wondered what she truly wanted. Of course, she knew the facts, but in all the eight months she had been alone, she had never thought that her father hadn''t just banished her but given her a power that no rejected alpha would ever have. She had to make a choice and make decisions. Looking at the Sicario gates, she had made her decision as she walked back home. Maybe whatever Rukiya had said was true, but did that matter now? Chapter 25: Her Patience Finally Paid Off [AWUOR] With Rukiya gone, Awuor walked back to the Sicario gates. She didn''t know what else to do and she couldn''t quite back out right now. She had told the warriors to call her father and her family and if they showed up and didn''t see her, they would assume that she was a coward. Awuor was never a coward; which was also why as she put one foot in front of the other in the direction of Sicario, Awuor knew she had to aplish her mission here. There was more than justing back to her parents and her home. This was more than justing to see the faces of her family who had betrayed her and no matter how hard it was, she was determined to see it through. "Hello again, Theo. Did you do as I asked or should I break down the beautiful gates that I made you and your team build?" Awuor asked Theo who looked at her like she was bonkers. Awuor didn''t care though. She didn''t care what anyone was telling her and she hoped for the love of the goddess that he would see their faces. She wanted to see who it was who was causing her so much pain all this while. "The alpha ising," Theo said respectfully to the reigning alpha. He knew Awuor and he knew that everything this woman did had to have a reason. However, just like everyone else in Sicario, he didn''t understand why Awuor would go after her own mother. No matter how Luna Eni was, she didn''t deserve to be killed by her only daughter. It was too cruel a fate. "Great! If you don''t mind, could you please help me with a cup of water? I promise I won''t cause any trouble. I just want to see the alpha," Awuor said and Theo looked at her. The soldiers who were with Theo knew that this could be a trap, but even then, Theo decided to trust his guts. He believed in Awuor and it wasn''t too much if he gave her a cup of water. "Don''t cause trouble alpha Awuor," Theo said and the woman just nodded as she took in the surroundings. She had only been away from home, but the roads that led to Sicario were poorly maintained. They looked worse than she had left them, and probably because of the battles that were ongoing. Awuor wished she could know why everything had fallen far behind,g but then it wasn''t that hard to tell, considering she had been the ultimate backbone of this pack and now she was no longer in charge of it directly. Theo opened the gates of Sicario, even though he knew it was dangerous. He knew the alpha could use him as a captive and find her way into the pack, but even then, he still walked out with a jug of water in one hand and a cup in the other. He trusted her with his life, which was weird considering the charges she was facing. The soldiers beyond the gates watched them, ready to defend one of their own if the alpha so much as posed a threat to him. She was feared and rightfully so, but she wasn''t here to cause any trouble. So quietly, Awuor took the jug and the cup and muttered a thank you to the warrior who had believed in her before he walked back to Sicario, leaving the banished alpha seated at the shadeless gates of Sicario. For hours, Awuor waited for the alpha toe to meet with her, and even then, seven hourster, no one had shown up for her. She had expected that though, so she kept asking for jugs of water, gulping down even though she was hungry as fuck. She should have eaten earlier at the Greyson''s, but she was too hard-headed to even think straight. Maybe this was the price for her adamance, right? She had seen Adolf and other Greryson warriors linger around in the bushes, properly camouged like they didn''t want to trigger the alpha or even the warriors of Sicario. "She''s crazy," Awuor muttered to herself when she saw the people from Greyson ready to fight for her. They looked like they were waiting for one soldier to lift a sword against Awuor, and they woulde out of hiding. Sighing, Awuory on the ground in front of the gates, ignoring the sun that was hitting her so hard and the ground that was burning her up. She hadn''t gotten enough sleep and she was still hungry so the only way out of this was to sleep. "Hey Theo, please wake me up when the alphaes, okay?" Awuor said to Theo who was conflicted about this all. He wanted to understand what Awuor was thinking, but the woman was tooplicated, and trying to understand what it was, was like trying to solve aplex problem when he was blind to it all. "Yes ma''am, as you wish,'''' Theo said and went back to manning the Sicario gates with his friends. "I''ll be okay," Awuor whispered, though it was obvious that that was her message to Adolf and the Greyson warriors who hade to keep herpany. Theo had heard her, and he thought that she was just counseling herself. This woman had no time for constion and so that idea was absurd, but then it wasn''t like there was something else for her here, no? Awuor slept through the evening, till the night when the rain started hitting her harshly. But even then, she didn''t move from where she was. She looked like someone was protecting her, even though she wasn''t. She should have listened to Rukiya and gone back to Greyson, but how could she when she hadn''t gotten what she wanted from this pce? She didn''t care if it would take her days or months, but she would be here at Sicario after till she got what she wanted. And so for eighteen days, Awuor stayed outside the Sicario gates, her clothes a mess that would make anyone pity her, but that didn''t matter to her. She was adamant and hadn''t caused her people any trouble, instead, she had justid at the gates, waiting and watching in the hope that whoever she wanted to see who coulde to see her. "Should we get you anything, alpha?" Theo asked on the eighteenth evening, but as usual, Awuor insisted that he just get her water. She was a wolf who hadn''t gone hunting and hadn''t eaten any substantial food. She was bound to be weak and instead of asking for food, she only wanted water. "Yes alpha," Theo said, his heart broke for the woman who looked exactly like Luna Eni. He wished there was something he could do for her, other than be her water boy when she was thirty and hungry. "Turn into your wolf and go hunt," Theo had advised Awuor when he had brought her the third cup of water on the eighteenth day, but the woman as usual was adamant. She had felt her white wolf grow, and be more mature. Her perseverance was all because of the white wolf, otherwise, she would have long gone back to Greyson. Maybe there were perks of this after all. "Do me a favor, Theo. Tell your alpha toe to see me," Awuor said and Theo looked helplessly at her. She had been asking her of the same thing since the first time shey her head on the Scario gates, and despite Theo sending word to the alpha and even the former alpha, none of them had batted an eye toe to see their family member who was so insistent on withering out here. "Yes alpha," Theo responded, even when he knew what the oue would be. However, thirty minutes after Awuor submitted her request, Theo came back to her, smiling on his face like he had won the jackpot. It didn''t take Awuor a while before she understood that after eighteen days, she was finally getting what she wanted. After all that while, she had been looking like a crazy beggar at the gates of Sicario, but her pain was finally paying off. "The alpha ising," Theo said gleefully like he was so happy for Awuor''s achievements. When the warriors at the gates had heard that the alpha wasing to meet their former alpha, they were d on her behalf. Finally, someone would free her from whatever misery she was currently in. Even if she had been banished, she was still one of them and they knew her for her kindness and love. "Hello, Awuor." Chapter 26: I Missed you, Alpha [AWUOR] "The alpha ising!" one of the warriors said to Theo who was all smiles as he looked at Awuor. It was almost like this was an achievement they would celebrate at ater time. Awuor had offered through the harsh weather and that too in her human form. It had been a city at this time, but at least her efforts finally yielded fruits. Awuor smiled sadly at Theo, who looked so happy like he was the one who won, but that was alright, because the alpha he cared about was finally getting her wish granted. Maybe he would make an offering for the goddess some timeter when he was off duty. The sound of the gates opening got Awuor anxious. She wasn''t sure who she had expected, so instead of turning her back to see the alpha who hade to her, she just closed her eyes while facing the direction in which Adolf was with the Greyson warriors. It was almost like she was trying tomunicate with the Grersyson wolf that hated her with everything he had and didn''t have, but hey, that didn''t matter trite now, yeah? "Hello Awuor," a familiar voice spoke when the nging of the gates stopped. It took everything in Awuor, for her not to turn back and look at him, so she just pretended like he wasn''t here. She was still gathering her thoughts and her anxiety was taking it easier on her. She had wanted this for so long, and now that she got it, why the hell was she so nervous? Gently and slowly, the banished alpha opened her eyes, while still facing the bushes where the Greyson team was. She used her super sight to look at them and she could see Adolf doing breathing exercises. At first, Awuor was confused, before she realized that the uncouth beta was trying to help her ease her anxiety. He was trying to help her out of this in a nice way because the alpha behind her knew that she was a nervous wreck and he would use that against her. For that kind gesture, Awuor would always be thankful to Adolf. "Damn girl, you look like shit," another voice spoke and this time, Awuor just nodded at Adolf, before looking up in the direction of Theo who was hopelessly giving her a thumbs up on the down low, and encouraging her, like he would always trust her. It did seem like even though her plight in Sicario seemed hopeless, Awuor had allies and that was all that a woman like her would ever wish for, especially in times like these. She hadn''t expected that, but at least she had hope. She had people who trusted her in a ce where she had been an outcast for so long. Maybe her prayers were being answered, or maybe this was just the fuel she needed to get to the bottom of everything that had happened. Awuor then stood up from where she had been sitting, on the ground, and turned to face the voices she had been hearing. It had been a while since she had shown up at the castle but one look at the people standing there, she could only think of her mother who was murdered. "I know, I do," Awuor responded to the woman who was standing beside the alpha. Her hands were entwined in his and he didn''t even look the least bit bothered by it. And Awuor wasn''t going to do it either. They were all looking so damn good, in their regal wear and their gold essories. They looked like royals. Who was she kidding, they were the Sicario royals, but it still hurt to some extent.It hurt to know that this was the oue of all that had happened. Maybe she had expected them to wither and die, but wasn''t that too harsh a thought from a banished alpha? Awuor looked at the man who had taken her position, who was staring at her. He still looked as handsome as ever and his style had never changed. He still dressed like the bad boys that kids were warned about in movies and in their adolescent stages. He was a little taller today, and he was dressed in all ck like he wasing to some funeral. Maybe he was here for Awuor''s funeral. On his head sat the crown that belonged to Awuor''s mother, Luna Eni. The thing about Sicario crowns was that they were unisex so that the leaders wouldn''t have to feel awkward wearing them over the years. It looked pretty on him, but he wasn''t deserving of the crown anyway. Awuor had been avoiding his face, like she was scared she would do something irrational. She didn''t want to fall in love with him over again because this man right here had something that made her heart beat faster than it should have. However today, with a heart filled with anger, Awuor waspletely and utterly confused for the first time in so long, even though it was just for a moment. She wanted to look away but then she also knew that if she looked away, then people would think she was crumbling. But then that would have been a good strategy, so Awuor didn''t look at his face. Instead, her eyes were on his shoes, her head bowed like she was just some subject he needed tomand, only that she was banished it wasn''t even a rogue. Life would have been easier for her if they had taken everything from her, but they were too much of cowards to even admit that they were worried because of her. "Hello alpha Jeremy," Awuor finally spoke, but she didn''t raise her head to see the eyes of the mate that was supposed to be by her side. She felt an angry wave go through her, but she ignored it, because she wasn''t here for trouble. "You really became such a weakling," Jer said to his mate, when he saw that she was bowing her head before him. The woman he had been mated to, took all the blows with her head held high. That woman had been the reincarnation of hell, but this one before him was different. She had never faltered, even when the pressure was too high and there was so much at stake. She faced her hardships with grace, but where was that grace when she was meeting with her mate? Where was that grace when she looked like she hadn''t taken a bath in months? Well, the eighteen days she had been here couldn''t have given her the chance to take a shower. So the rains had been it for her. But she did have a stench so unpleasant for an alpha. "Yes sire," Awuor said and she heard Adolf gasp. If she could sell the Greyson beta, she could have, but now wasn''t the time for that. She needed to feed Jeremy''s ego and make him feel like he was doing his best when in fact she was preparing him for an uncertain future. "You wanted to see me. What do you want?" Jer asked and Awuor almost scoffed, but then she remembered she was here to look like an apologetic mate who had been handed her ass by the universe and be quite the charmer, even though she was a stinking one. "I¡ª I missed you. I just wanted to see you," Awuor said as she raised her head, this time, looking her mate in the eyes, but there was no spite in them. There was only a weakness and from Jeremy''s point of view, Awuor looked like a loser in love. Fuck, he liked it that way. He had always wished for the day his mate was vulnerable like this, and now that he had gotten to see it, he felt like he had aplished everything. "You missed me? Are you fucking stupid or what?" Jer said to Awuor who flinched at his tone. She wasn''t affected by it, but needed to pay the part. She needed to be a submissive little woman who was scared of her oh-so-mighty mate. "I''m sorry, Alpha," Awuor said, her eyes lingering on each and everyone who was currently watching her make a fool of herself. They were enjoying her misery and helplessness even though some of the idiots here had been close to her. "I just wanted to see you, please Jer," Awuor pleaded and Theo''s heart broke for her. "As you can see, I have another to rule with," Jer said, as she grabbed the hands of the woman beside him and hooked them to his. He knew it would piss Awuor off and knew that she would probably bash him. However, when his mate didn''t do anything, he was suddenly shocked. There was no way a woman like Awuor could have changed that much, but then life did have a way of humbling people. Maybe his mate was just one of them. "My best friend? Elodie?" Chapter 27: Maybe White Wasnt Truly A Color [AWUOR] Elodie Kane was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties who always got what she wanted, no matter what the consequences were, and her current target was the poster boy for betrayal. She had long ck hair that was beautiful and magnificent curls. Hers was something everyone wanted to have and her choice of fashion made her an icon in Sicario and even the werewolfnds. She was beauty reincarnated, and the woman girls wanted to be, and at the same time, she was the woman that men wanted to have. However, despite all the attention that came with her beauty and stature, Elodie Kane had rejected both men and women alike. She had always been a curious person, one who wanted to explore so many things, which is why when Awuor saw her with her mate, she figured her best friend was just exploring again. However, even if that was the case, did she really have to have a go at the Sicario alpha who happened to be her best friend''s mate? Whatever happened to loyalty then? What of love? Were they so insignificant to her that she would tread the muddy waters for the price of her loyalty? "My best friend? Elodie?" Awuor strained out disbelievingly as she looked between her best friend and her mate, the betrayal clear on her face. It was impossible for her to even imagine that there woulde a day when her best friend, the girl who had always been so loyal to Awuor, would ever betray her. But maybe that was what happened when tides changed and power shifted. Maybe she was just a power-hungry woman too, just like Jer. The people who hade with the alpha looked ready for a spectacle. Their phones were out and they were watching while some were recording. It was clear what thy were waiting for, and it certainly wasn''t Jer and his new catch of the week. They knew the temper their female alpha had and they knew for a fact that she would try to put her mate in his ce. she had bene disrespected in so many ways, and if she fought back, she would be right within her limits to do so. But that wasn''t why she was here today. Awuor knew everyone was judging her from the way she was currently dressed to the hopelessness on her face. She could tell they wanted her gone, and maybe that was also why she had closed off the mind links. She didn''t want to listen to them bring her down. She didn''t want to imagine what they were thinking of her, so she chose her peace of mind. But then that was a far-fetched wish, because this woman had been her best friend for fucks sake. She knew everything about Awuor; from the little things that made her smile to the shit that made Awuor explode. It was like she as an encyclopedia on how to love and ruin Awuor and right now, she had joined the hate train on her best friend. It did suck. "You finally got what you wanted, sweetheart," Awuor said to Elodie, their eyes holding onto each other. One set of eyes was filled with scorn while the other was just empty, like the betrayal didn''t even matter, when it mattered to her so much the betrayal was already haunting her. Awuor thought of the endless nights she had suffered, the times she had to w her stomach apart because her mate was busy sleeping with other women, and all this time it was her best friend? For a moment, Awuor considered beheading her best friend, given she was the rightful alpha, but the voice of reason in her head patiently reminded her that she wouldn''t even get justice for her mother if she did that right now. It would be too easy a sentence for those who had broken her more than they should have. "We do look good together, right?" Elodie spoke when alpha Jer didn''t say anything. He was still processing the mere fact that his mate hadn''t tried to do anything that would make him want to throw her into the Sicario dungeons. Theo, just like Jer, was wondering whether the alpha Awuor could seriously take the disrespect, and when she didn''t do anything, he was in shock. If the woman could stay outside and sit through the terrible weather just to see her mate, then there was something going on. "Ah yeah. You actually do deserve each other," Awuor said when she regained herposure. She had been out here for eighteen damned days and she wasn''t going to waste it on her best friend. Sure, the betrayal did suck. But her mission was more important than the cheating wolf who she had once trusted. "I wanted to see you again, Jer," Awuro said to her mate, making the wolves who were with him gasp. This was the third time they heard the woman say it, and everyone could sense that something was wrong. Awuor Sicario was not a weak alpha, and this wasn''t the first time she was dealing with her enemy but then she had repeated the same words thrice, and with her, situations like this were never a coincidence. "You''ve seen me. Now be on your way. We wouldn''t want the other packs thinking we were the ones who did this to you, right?" Jer was worried about Awuor, and he wasn''t worried because she looked like shit, or that she would probably get sick from staying out in the cold for too long. He was worried that his woman was testing him and was trying to figure out something. He was worried about what had happened to the gorgeous darling who hated dirt and yet here and now, she looked like she had been eating from the dustbins and spending her time with the pigs instead of practicing her usual hygiene. She had changed, but the fire in her eyes was still there, and that was all the warning that Jer needed. The only question being, would he ever take her seriously when she looked so pathetic and couldn''t even warn her best friend against screwing her mate? "Yeah. Thank you foring to see me. Pass my greetings to father, alright. Oh, and onest thing, Jeremy, maybe white wasn''t truly a color," Awuor said as she picked herself up, and gave them onest look, before she began walking away, leaving her mate pondering over her words. There was some weight to them, and they would learn, soon enough. She wasn''t walking in the direction of the Greyson wolves, or even the direction of the freends. No. she was walking away, like she was trying to make a run from the packnds and wanted nothing to do with the wolves anymore. "Awuor!" Jer called out to his mate. He seemed to be having a message for the woman who had waited so long just to make stupid confessions to him. Maybe she was crazy, or maybe she was falling apart. But whichever that was, Jer didn''t care, as long as he was in power as the alpha of Sicario. That was all that mattered. "Remember to take a shower. You could make even the pigs faint at your stench," Jer said when his mate didn''t even bother to look at him. Of course, she had stopped what he wanted to tell her, but that was just it. She was done listening and hoping and waiting for him toe clean to her. Eight months was a long time, especially in a realm that valued time. It was enough for a revolution to seed, so Awuor knew that her time out there was enough for her toe up with a n. Granted, she had a n before the Greyson wolves came at her. But then the information she had gotten from Razia, had made her question everything that had happened; her mother, her family, and even the role that Sicario yed in murdering her mother. "Thanks for the reminder, mate!" Awuor shouted back at the alpha, and the group that was at the Sicario gates. She then held up her hands to show him a peace sign, even though she wasn''t going to be peaceful with them. She was just trying to keep up appearances. ''I should have eaten, fuck,'' Awuor thought to herself when she began feeling dizzy barely a few meters from the gates of Sicario. She knew she had dared herself for so long and her body was finally giving out, but she wasn''t about to fall when her mate was watching her. Or maybe that was what she needed, right? But did she? Deciding against giving in to her fate, Awuor struggled to walk the remaining road until she was out of sight of the Sicario wolves and even Theo''s watchtower. Then she let herself slump at the roadside. She was weak and had a fever creeping up on her. She was fragile in all ways and with herck of strength, anyone could fight her and she wouldn''t even be able to fight back. ''This is it, huh,'' Awuor said as she fell into the darkness, while thinking of her best friend who had deliberately chosen to sleep with her mate. That shit made her want to punch things, but first, she needed to find her way out of the darkness. Even though Awuor didn''t want anyone to see her, Jer watched her fall to the ground and wanted to go pick her up. But he couldn''t. He had a reputation to keep up. Besides, the banished alpha was the main reason he had kept the alpha title. If he helped her, then there was a chance that he would be banished with her too, and he wasn''t ready for that. He didn''t need that shit in his life anyway. "You''ll be okay," jer mouthed, as he walked back into Sicario, like his soulmate didn''t just call out for help in silence. He was an ass and a royal one. Chapter 28: The Undecided Tornado [RUKIYA] The evening was strangely calm considering all that had already happened. The sun was slowly setting beyond the Sicario slopes. The wolves were back home and were talking about the appearance of their once-loved yet now-banished alpha. They were thinking of her and her adamance, not to mention her craziness for staying out of the gates for eighteen whole days. She was unhinged, and they were slowlying to terms with that, though they could tell it wasn''t going to be easy. A fairly distant ce from Sicario, just opposite the Greyson pack, was an alpha who was worried about her friend, if that was anything that Awuor could even consider them. Rukiya wanted to think that their acquaintance made them part of something. Well, it sure did, but it was part of a past Awuor despised and a future that was so uncertain, save for one little fact that ran through the fallen alpha''s mind. Her vengeance against her family and the people who had taken part in the atrocity against her mother, their luna Eni. "How long has she been out?" Rukiya asked her beta, Adolf, who was staring at Awuor''s sleeping form. He had been watching Awuor earlier, just like Rukiya had ordered him to, and when she had fainted on the road, a part of him hoped that her stupid ass mate woulde and take care of her. He thought that the mate pull would mean something to Jeremy, but clearly, it didn''t, and now, they were stuck in the same ce, with a woman who had been betrayed and broken one too many times than she deserved to. "Four hours at most," Adolf said before adding, "she could have killed her mate, she could have pushed her best friend, and yet she decided to walk away? She''s unhinged and worse than I always thought of her.'''' He was frustrated by the mere fact that Awuor had chosen to walk away when the faces of betrayal had been right there before her. She could have killed them and gotten her vengeance. She could have ended everything already, but instead, she fucking walked away. "Because, young Adolf, to be strong, sometimes you have to be weak," Hudayfah, the pack doctor said and they all turned to look at him. "But surely her case should have been an exception, right?" Adolf insisted, but Hudayfah just smiled at him. He knew that Adolf''s heart was bleeding for the white wolf in their midst, and he wanted to help her, but there were things that Awuor needed to do alone. There was a reason she was the only white wolf in the kingdom, and the only person who could fix Sicario. "No, child. She was thinking rationally and if she hadn''t, she could have caused more damage than she wanted to. Her options are vast and there''s a chance she may even want to ept your help," Hudhayfah said and Rukiya let out a smile since they hade here. She had been worried about Awuor. She knew this woman was stubborn as fuck, and she understood her. She was however curious about what Awuor''s y was, because like Adolf said, Awuor had every opportunity to end them and she didn''t even lift a finger. "You people never really shut up, do you?" Awuor groaned as she woke up. She was aching all over, thanks to her apparent brevity outside the Sicario gates. What she had done was borderline insane and she shouldn''t have tried it, but then she was who she was and did what she wanted to. "Just like you never get tired of making yourself suffer, no?" Adolf bit back a little too angry than he had nned. "Touche, Adolf, touche. Anyway, where the hell am I?" Awuor asked, before looking around and finding herself in her shelter. She wasn''t sure how to react, because bringing her here was so unexpected. So she let out augh, making even Hudayfah look at her like she was insane. Maybe she was, after all, she had gone through so much more pain than she needed to have gone through, right? "Your home," Rukiya said as she helped Awuor sit up. Her shelter was tiny and yet they had managed to fit themselves in it. Hudayfah cast a spell and a magic ball of light appeared, making Awuor see her shelter even more clearly. "Damn, it looks like shit," Awuor sighed and they just looked at her. "Well, this was smart of you, I must admit. Anyway, I''m okay now. You guys can go back to your lives and run your pack alright?" Awuor said as she slumped back on her bed. She was tired and needed to rest a little longer. The worry on their faces was making it even harder for her to focus, because they were a reminder that her mate had not tried to stop her, and that the woman who was supposed to be her best friend was in cahoots with the man. She wanted to rush back to Sicario, but for some reason, she figured it would be pointless. If her father hadn''te to meet her at the gates, then either he was really pissed at his daughter, or he was desperate to make the narrative stick. But why would alpha Sicario even do that? Awuor was frustrated and rightfully so. Her world that was once nk was slowly gaining momentum and she wasn''t sure if she wanted to do anything yet. She had thought she would have at least a year before she began her process of revenge, but learning what had happened to her mother through Razia had made her take a step back. She needed to think clearly. She needed to understand the risks, because this time, she wasn''t just nning to go back home and teach her brother a lesson. This time, she was going to do worse, and especially to her mate. "If that''s your wish," Rukiya said angrily, her voice so empty and cold that you''d think she was waiting for this opportunity to leave. She hadn''t though. She was just sick of trying to pump some sense into the banished alpha. If Awuor was smart enough to run Sicario, then she was also smart enough to know that going to battle alone was a death sentence. Maybe, she wanted her space, and that was what Rukiya would give her. "Yes, it is. Thank you," Awuor insisted, trying so hard not to sound ungrateful. She had lost her mother and didn''t want to lose other people too. Crazy as it may have sounded, she was already used to Adolf''s nagging ass, and if he was close to Awuor then there was a high chance that Sicario would go to war with them. She did that. This was war, and she would fight it as she deemed fit. "Goodbye Awuor," Rukiya said as she got out of the shelter, her people following closely behind her. She understood Awuor, and hoped that she would have a solution after all this anyway. "See you around alpha," Adolf said, the scorn in his voice long gone. It was almost like he was slowly understanding that this woman had more to lose than they did. "Yeah, yeah," Awuor said as she watched them go out. She wasn''t unthankful for their offer, it was just that they would lose more than they nned to, if they got involved with Awuor. She was a tornado, and they knew it too. Chapter 29: In Which She Meets Malika [AWUOR] With her friends gone, Awuor Sicario sat up like she had just remembered something. Everything at the Sicario gates had been weirdly smooth, especially for a woman who loved chaos. She hadn''t done shit when she saw Elodie hooking her hands to Jer''s. It was like she saw them as a brother and a sister, which was also unrealistic considering their mouths had said different things altogether. Maybe it was all a ploy, but then Jeremy had seemed too serious for it to have been a farce. Someone was lying between her mate and her best friend, and the more she thought of the moment that had passed, Awuor was convinced that her best friend was the liar there. Elodie couldn''t have betrayed her. She thought of her encounter with Jeremy and her best friend. She thought of what Elodie had been doing and the cues she was making for Awuor. Elodie''s bodynguage was different, almost like she was ufortable standing there. Awuor knew her best friend well, to know that Elodie was never scared of Awuor, no matter how dire the circumstances were. So why had she looked like she was scared of her best friend then? Surely she had no reason to, right? Besides, with Awuor gone, Jer was bound to take on another mate, it was only right ording to their customs anyway. Maybe he was grooming Elodie, even though the woman was a firecracker just like Awuor. Awuor wasn''t sure what it was, or maybe she was hallucinating but her best friend had used the cue that they always used when they were hiding something. It wasn''t as obvious, but now that she thought about it, she was slowly getting convinced that Elodie didn''t betray her. It was a long call and even she knew it. It could have been easier if Elodie was a greedy person, but she wasn''t. Awuor knew that by heart even as she thought of their conversation years ago, before the chaos and banishment. ******* [shback] "When you meet your mate, you will be happy Elodie, I promise," Awuor had told her best friend some time back and she had justughed. She never talked about her mate and while Awuor was adamant about her, Elodie had remained herself. "Mates are not for me, love. Besides, all they ever do is betray, I wouldn''t want a mate. She would probably ruin me instead of the other way around. Think of the countless things that happened each time someone lost their mate in the pack. "I wouldn''t want my mate to suffer, nor would I want to suffer because of her," Elodie had said and Awuor, who had been keenly listening, realized that Elodie wasn''t talking about a male mate. Granted, she had no issues with that, but what of her statements? It seemed like she was talking about someone''s betrayal. "She?" Awuor asked, like she needed to confirm it for herself. "Yeah, she. I would be caught dead with a male mate. Even the goddess knows that I love women," Elodie said before adding, "if you didn''t have a mate, I would have asked the goddess for you. "That Jeremiah needs to count himself lucky," Elodie had said and they had burst outughing at the idea of Elodie squaring with the goddess just because she gave her a male mate. There was a chance that it would happen, but her words seemed to have a deeper meaning, but Awuor waved it off, besides, they always talked like they were alone in their world. Maybe that was all it was then, right? "Anyway, until I meet my mate, I''ll always stay by your side, even if the world is against you, I will stand by you," Elodie had said while she yed around with Awuor''s cheeks. It was her gesture of love and for someone who wasn''t into affection that much, Awuor leaded in and kissed her friend''s cheeks. "It''s gettingte, we need to leave and go back home," Aeuor had said, but Elodie didn''t want to. The weather was nice and the evening warm. They could be themselves out here before they had to go back to the confines of thew and ranks in the society. "Let''s stay here a little longer. Besides, the pack is always chaotic. Who knows the next time I''ll see you, right?" "You''re being dramatic, but fine I''ll stay. Just make sure I didn''t fall asleep¡ª" "I know. If you fall asleep, you might fall asleep with the whole pack," Elodieughed. [end of shback] **** Awuor was still in her shelter, reminiscing the memories from her past with her best friend. Elodie Kane was a stud. She loved women. Not men. She always wanted a femme for a mate, and that was all Awuor needed to delve deeper into her best friend''s interactions with her mate. It wasn''t normal, of course, because Elodie was forcing herself to like Jeremy. Somehow, Awuor was willing to bet on her life that Elodie nevery with Jer. not even if it was just the two of them left in the damned world. Maybe Awuor was being too trustworthy of her best friend, but she knew her best. So what the hell was Elodie Kane ying at? Why was she beside Jer when she should have stood up for Awuor? "Maybe she changed," Awuor said to herself but even she didn''t believe the wordsing out of her mouth. It was impossible to lose someone who had been with her through thick and thin. It just made no sense whatsoever. Awuor tried to understand what had happened, but as it was her body wasn''t having it, and so she fell asleep, waking up and going back to sleep like it was what her body needed. Before she knew it, it was morning again. The sound of birds chirping and the feel of the bugs on her body got her awake faster than anything ever had. She had been away for too long and her shelter had turned into some refuge for bugs. Awuor got up and looked around, wondering how long she had to stay here. She didn''t want to be stuck in a damn shelter for long, so she figured she would leave. She had nothing to keep her around Sicario anymore. Her best friend and mate had betrayed her. And no matter how hard she tried to convince herself of the opposite, she had to acknowledge the mere fact that people did change when it was convenient for them. She wasn''t going to stay in the freends and suffer while the people who forced her to this ce were happy. "Hello Awuor," A voice said to Awuor and the woman screamed all hell into life. She wasn''t a coward, but the fact that the woman had managed to sneak up on her drove her nuts. She hadn''t imagined that anyone woulde to this ce so why the hell was someone here for her? "Goodness, what the fuck is wrong with you? You shouldn''t sneak up on people like that!" Awuor said as she struggled to catch her breath. The person who had called her was still watching her amusedly, like the startled woman was a spectacle worth paying attention to. Maybe she was, but what if she wasn''t, right? "Deep breaths, Awuor. Otherwise, your temperatures will rise and the clouds will gather. You don''t want it to rain hail storms on Sicario, now would you?" the woman who had startled Awuor spoke, making Awuor re daggers at her. And even then, this woman wasn''t even worried that she was startling an alpha with anger issues and trust issues like a package she needed. "Hold on¡­ who the hell are you and why the fuck are you here, dammit? And what''s with the hail storms in summer, you weirdo?" Awuor asked as she removed thest of the bugs on her, those pesky little insects were making her feel like her morning wasn''t good enough. She was already living in hell, couldn''t they just leave her the fuck alone? "I''m Malika, your protector." Chapter 30: You Can Be Free, Hawi ***Happy Birthday to me! [26th Oct] [AWUOR] "I''m Malika, your protector," the woman said and Awuor let out an emptyugh. She couldn''t be serious, right? Malika looked the same age as Awuor and one look at her was enough to tell Awuor that this woman hadn''t even stepped on a damned battlefield. So what the hell was she even going to protect her form? For a pretty uneventful day, the woman standing before her wasn''t exactly what Awuor had thought she would see. She was adamant in her quest to tell Awuor that she was the protector. She had been repeating it like some broken record and weirdly, instead of Awuor being pissed at the woman, she was weirdly invested in the truth of what Malika was saying. She was curious because no one in their right mind would ever show up before the woman who had been banished by one of thergest and strongest packs in the werewolf kingdom. It was absurd, but what were the odds, right? ''She''s going to repeat herself in three, two, one,'' Awuor said to herself as she watched Malika repeat the same words she had been uttering for the past five minutes. "Hello Hawi, I''m Malika, your protector," Malika said and Awuor just sighed. She had two options especially since she had seen that this woman was adamant and wasn''t going to leave her side anytime soon. Maybe she just needed to understand what the hell the woman was on about. Because Malika could stay here and repeat the same words like she was a lost ghost, or Awuor could indulge her and see what the woman had, right? Besides, living in the supernatural world, Awuor had learned not to undermine anyone, no matter what the size was. Power was rtive in the realm and anyone could just be as powerful. "You say you wanna protect me, yeah?" Awuor asked and Malika nodded, like she was thinking that the alpha was finally seeing what was happening to the both of them, they were stuck with each other no matter what they did to themselves now. They were bound by fate almost like an amateur''s bond. The thing about protectors was that once they were assigned to someone they would protect them till they grew old and faded into dust. Then they would rest for a year or two before they''d be assigned to another supernatural. "From the bugs?" Awuor asked, clearly not believing the woman before her. There had to be a reason, but she was so tired and wanted to clean up her shelter before she decided on what she would do next. She couldn''t bind herself to the damned shelter for years and certainly not when her mate and best friend were together. That thought made her want to kill but Awuor couldn''t kill Elodie. She loved her best friend too much, and maybe that was also why her betrayal hurt like a bitch. "From anything you want me to. You are the white wolf and each time a white wolf is matured, they are assigned a protector, by the moon goddess. I am your protector, Awuor Hawi Sicario," Malika said and Awuor looked at the woman like she was crazy. Maybe Malika was real. Maybe she wasn''t a figment of Awuor''s brain, but why did her offer sound a little too familiar to the Greysons'' offer? Awuor knew that alpha Rukiya wasn''t just going to stop just because she had sent her away. There was something that had changed in Rukiya since thest time Awuor had seen her. Maybe it was just Awuor''s brain screwing with her, but she knew that Rukiya was determined to help her out. She could tell how much Rukiya was invested in this. It seemed like it was personal for her too. Did it have anything to do with her mate? When Awuor had first met Adolf, he had said something about the alpha Rukiya having mate, but when she got to Greyson, Awuor didn''t see anyone apart from Rukiya, her mother, and their subjects. "How did you know all my names?" Awuor insisted though she had predicted the answer.s he just wanted to be clear. Awuor knew Jer''s position gave him power to manipte their bond and right now this could just be one of them. This could be someone sent by Jer to Awuor. And how the hell am the alpha supposed to do that? "I am your protector, Awuor Hawi Sica¡ª" "Okay, okay, jeez. I get it, damn. What now, madam protector with a creepy smile?" Awuor said to Malika who just smiled at her even wider. She was intentionally looking creepy, almost like she wanted Awuor to realize that there were so many hurdles for them to deal with. "Goodness, don''t¡­ don''t smile please, woman," Awuor said and Malika finally listened. She looked around them before heaving a sigh. It wasn''t reliving in the least bit and it certainly wasn''t because she wanted to be here. "I know you don''t trust me, and that''s very smart of you. You need to be careful. Now I''m aware you can''t go away from home, but that would be if you were a regr wolf. "You are the white wolf, which means you can leave here," Malika said and Awuor, who had gone back to her shelter to remove the bugs, hurried out using her werewolf speed, hitting her head hard on the wood pieces. "Oww, that hurts. But wait, what did you just say?" Awuor asked and Malike said the same thing. Awuor wasn''t sure if the woman was kidding or not, because even when she had been smiling she had a straight face, and now, she still had a straight face. Maybe they would need to work on her expressions. "You mean I can leave?" Awuor asked again. She never thought she would have the freedom to move away from the horrors of Sicario. She knew she was never going to be rational as long as she was this close to home and that was without doubt a terrible idea if she wanted her vengeance. But then she had been bound by her father not to leave or even get a pack on her own. "Yes, Hawi. You can leave and start over. But you must keep in mind that only you can save your people. You will eventually have toe back, Awuor," Malika said and Awuor just smiled at her of course she would never forget about getting justice for her mother. She would fight tooth and nail and she would make sure that her brother and mate would pay for theta they did. "Now, I''m listening," Awuor said and Malika let out augh. She hadn''t expected the woman to be that happy about leaving here. However, she also knew that Awuor wanted to get away from her pain even for a moment. So she gave her hope. "Your bonds with your mate will weaken and eventually will break. Unless you want them to stay. Which also means that he won''t be able to hurt you anymore. With the bonds broken, you will be free to choose another mate and you won''t have to w your stomach out all the time. "It took me a while to fix you through the months," Malika sighed while the woman she was talking to already had her jaw on the forest floor. "I am your protector, Hawi." Chapter 31: Fine, Ill Follow You [AWUOR] The more Awuor listened to Malika, the more she was convinced that this woman was stalking her either that or she really was good at her job. Awuor was counting on thetter, because as she looked at Malika this morning, she was somewhat excited about the adventures that woulde with listening to Malika. "Please tell me more," Awuor asked and Malika let out a smallugh. Of course, she knew Awuor would be curious, but time wasn''t on their side. Granted, it was still early, but there was no telling what Jer would do, especially now that he had seen Awuor. Jeremy would try to maintain the bond with his beautiful mate who without a doubt despised him and wanted to strangle him with her bare hands. Aaeuos had practiced a lot of restraint yesterday and she had to apud herself for that. "We have to leave this ce. Take what you will and destroy what you must. No trace of you should remain in here," Malika said, her tone going from the happy one to a tone so serious. Awuor looked at her and then realized that she had probably switched into her protector mode. The rejected alpha looked at her shelter, wondering if there was anything important for her to take other than the ragged clothing that she had been hiding under her makeshift bed. It wasn''t the easiest thing to do, but over the months she had been out here, she had learned to adapt and one way of doing that was to conform to the environment around her. "The only important things here are my gown, and crown which I buried near theke," Awuor said and Malika nodded understandingly. She was already looking around, like she was worried that the banished alpha would be in some kind of danger. Granted, she would fight for her, but wouldn''t it be better to avoid confrontation with anyone at the moment? Awuor needed to recuperate and the only way that would be possible was if she didn''t get into any fights. "Well then, let''s bring down the shelter," Malika said as she tied her hair into a bun. She didn''t want to get dirty, even though that was kind of a given here. Together, Malika and Awuor brought down the shelter and cleared any and all evidence that the banished alpha was once here. By the time they were done, the only thing that could tell of her shelter once being here, were the holes that Malika had filled with stones, and covered with dead leaves. She really did know how to cover her tracks. Awuor had been studying Malika as they worked together. She was curious as to where the protectors were, but then even she hadn''t known that white wolves had protectors till Rukiya had proven that she was more than willing to do whatever it took to keep the banished alpha safe. It was a risk, and Rukiya had known that, but what else was there? The woman was the only white wolf in their generation and needed to be kept safe. "Come along, let''s get your crown, and clean up your gown," Malika said, as she picked up Awuor''s gown and headed in the direction of theke while the alpha walked right beside her. For a woman who had been determined to be alone, she was listening to Malika quite a lot. Maybe because she was curious about what it was about Malika that gave her so muchfort. Awuor had trust issues, and she wasn''t going to lie, and say she trusted Malikapletely. After her family''s betrayal, she had learned to keep her walls high and above. She wasn''t going to let anyone in and the only reason she was listening to Malika was because she wanted to know if Jer had sent Malika toe and y house given the banished alpha had fainted yesterday and her mate a hand done shit other than a pointless apology. "Okay," Awuor said, looking around and listening in for any unusual activities. She wanted to make sure that her apparent protector was ying foul with her, because consequences be damned, Awuor wasn''t scared of eliminating Malika and continuing with her n for revenge and justice for the mother. She was scared of being alone and that was her greatest strength. "It should be under this tree," Awuor said when they reached theke. The breeze was cold and the weather warm. She was tempted to jump in theke and go for a swim or something but one look at Malika''s face, and Awuor knew this wasn''t the time. "Alright, you get it out," Malika said as she stepped back. Awuor did as she was told, dug through the mud with her ws till she got the worst reminder of her banishment. Her bloody crown that she had wrapped up. It looked bloody still and since it was made of gold, it didn''t have any rust. Awuor stared at her crown, and for a moment, all the memories came shing back at her. Everything that she had been trying to run away from was hitting her, including the anger; which could probably exin her reaction to Malika. "What''s stopping me from killing you and doing all this on my own?" Awuor turned to Malika who was ring at her, like she wanted to kill the woman. She wiped away the stray tears and grabbed her gown from Malika''s hands. She was hurting and Malika could see that too so when Awuor looked at her with distrusting eyes, Malika didn''t do anything. Instead, she waited for her out. "Well, definitely not me. I won''t stop you, if you try to kill me. That would even make my life much easier. Because protecting the white wolf means I can''t ever have a life. It''s like being a tool, an object that needs to be at some ce in time like a robot. "I can''t do anything without it affecting you. I can''t cough or sleep without your permission, especially now that I met you, the wolf assigned to me for the next two hundred years or more if you don''t kill me. "Did you know white wolves sometimes kill their protectors? Well, if you do it right now, it will save us both some time. Besides, if you wanna kill me, all you have to do is give me the order, and I will kill myself. "So tell me, alpha, how should I kill myself?" Malika shrugged nonchntly like she was not even worried about death. She was alone in the world and didn''t have any family. Protectors were robbed from their parents at birth and their memories cleared too much to the point that the only thing the protectors knew was that they were tasked with sacrificing their lives for the people assigned to them. Awuor looked at the woman before her, who was talking about death like her life didn''t even mean anything. She was worried about herself. She wasn''t worried about the consequences and was acting like this was her death sentence? "I¡ª" Awuor began but Malika just looked at her amusedly. "If you''re not going to kill me, can we please leave before everyonees? You already know you control me," Malika said to Awuor who was gripping her crown and gown so hard that it tugged at her heartstrings. "I''m sorry¡­ Yeah, we can go," Awuor said. Chapter 32: Just Another Sin In The Bucket, Right? [JEREMY] The Sicario pack was once again filled with whispers on that early morning. Since their alpha hade and made a mess at the gates they were bound to talk. They had known that she was out there alone for eighteen days. She was a fighter and strong, really strong but, that was one thing that they had to admit even though it wasn''t exactly pleasing to them considering how they had sent her away. She had shocked the whole of Sicario though. What Awuor had done was unexpected, of course after the kind of banishment she had been given. There were rumors about what she was doing out there, and everyone who had seen her yesterday wanted to be of help to her, but she hadn''t let them. She didn''t want them to be branded as traitors to the crown. In the eight months that Awuor had been away from home, some of her people were slowly getting convinced that the alpha had taken the fall for someone else. They had analyzed all the possible reasons that could have ended in Awuor murdering her own mother but no matter how any scenarios they tried to create, none of them added up. Absolutely y none of them. While the people outside the packhouse were thinking of whether their alpha had been betrayed, their rulers were trying to make sure that nothing of the sort happened. Awuor was a force to reckon with and they all knew it. But they need to deal with her soon enough because otherwise, Awuor Hawi woulde after them and none of them would be spared. In the alpha''s office were Elodie, and Dominic, Awuor''s brother. He had heard of his sister showing up, but he hadn''t cared one bit to go and look at her or see whether she was okay. He was so invested in the narrative of his sister being murdered that consequences be damned, he would always believe that, and even make Awuor the anti-hero. She was everything Sicario had once loved and now that she was out of their way, the power-hungry leaders of Sicario were determined to take their share of the power. And Dominic was at the center of it all. He knew it and Jer ken w it too. maybe Elodie and Alpha Sicario knew it too, but did they? "Heard my sister came. What did she want?" Dom asked Elodie who had been in the alpha''s study, helping with the projects. She wasn''t doing much other than being there for Her who apparently seemed to need her even more. She knew she was useless in this office, but then the pay was good, and she wasn''t about to pass that up just because she refused to roll with the elites. Besides, she knew Her would want a strong woman to help him run the pack. Jer''s promation earlier had made her feel like a powerful person, even though that was at the expense of her own best friend. Then again, life was cruel to those who just sat and waited, and Elodie Kane wasn''t going to be sitting around. "She wanted to see the alpha. She really got some nerveing home after what she did to the luna," Elodie said, her tone going from disbelief at Awuor''s audacity, to anger because the woman wasn''t seen showing any remorse. Eight months had passed and the least thing Awuor coulde home to say was to apologize for taking the life of their luna. Instead, the woman hade empty-handed and made them seem like they were too cruel to their people. Sicario hadn''t grown to be so strong because they were lenient to wrongdoers, but then Sicario was a powerhouse because of the alpha that had been leading them. The alpha that had sat with grace on the throne and wasn''t scared of getting her hands dirty to make things right. Funny how they had ousted that alpha at the first suspicion when even she was worried and checked about how she had ended up killing the woman who meant everything to her. Then again, facts over rumors and all evidence pointed to Awuor, but did they? "She did put up an excellent show though. Eighteen days? She''s insane worse than I imagined her to be," Jer said, as she walked in. He hade from training with the warriors and it seemed like they were making good progress. He, however, had been worried about his mate since the first day he had heard that Awuor had been used of murder. He had really loved her and for some reason, if Jer could have vouched for his mate on that fateful day, then the whole of Sicario could have believed him. But then he didn''t. Despite his wolf wing at him and telling him to tell the truth about what had happened that day. He had been quiet and watched them do her dirty, and even if he wanted to fix shit, right now wasn''t the time. Seeing Awuor so hurt and fatigued yesterday made Jer want to apologize to her and take care of her, but he couldn''t. Because he knew if she cleared her name, she would be the alpha again, and er, he would be without the amount of power he had been thirsting for. He was a power-hungry bastard and even though Awuor had her suspicions of it, she had long conformed it when she walked the clog of penance and there wasn''t even remorse on her mate''s face. Oh, that bastard. "Oh, tell me about it. Starving herself at the gates, making us look like we refused to shelter her when she was the banished murderer," Elodie said, her tone not going down. She was angry with her friend for murdering the Luna Eni and in her mind, Elodie wanted justice for Luna Eni, just like everyone else. Dom looked at the woman who is proudly showing her ex-best friend and just sighed. He couldn''t understand why Elodie would do this, but as long as Elodie wasn''t trying to defend his sister and her actions, then everything would be okay. He didn''t want anyone looking at him with eyes that hoped for the banished alpha''s return to their home. She needed to stay away, for the sake of their sanity, but knowing Awuor, she wouldn''t ever stay away. Dom was painfully aware of it. His sister never took usations simply, and she would never rest until she either confirmed that''s why was the one who murdered her mother, or if she had been framed. And that too, would be another year of chaos at the Sicario pack. She was dangerous, and she wasing for them. "She looked terrible though and I felt bad for her¡ª" Jer said, making all eyes in the room turn to him. They couldn''t believe that each of the people could defend the woman who had just killed a luna. The consequences of murdering a royal were intense and Awuor had been served the worst of them all. However her mate talking like he could have saved her but wasn''t going to, was just ridiculous and an absolute shame. "What? It''s not like the mate bond will just disappear like that?" Jer added, defending himself under the pretense of the mate bond. He knew what he was doing, but what he heard next hadn''t been in his bucket list for power. "Then reject her." Chapter 33: Go On, Do It [JEREMY] "Then reject her," Elodie said, not even batting an eye as she spoke the words that could easilynd her in a mental institution, if not in a grave. It was almost like she was unaware of how important and dangerous her words were. Rejection in the werewolfnds was something so sensitive and needed to be handled with a lot of care. It was the one thing that could be standing between a war, and a peaceful nation. Though there were a lot of chaotic certainties. It meant ripping apart the bonds that bound him and Awuor. It was literally impossible, or maybe Jeremy had been thinking one too many times about it but was just unsure of what he needed to do and how to detach himself. "What?" Dom asked even though there wasn''t much surprise in his voice. It was almost like he thought the idea was superb and was curious as to why Elodie hadn''t started with all that. There was so much at stake with Awuor still being the alpha but deep down, they also knew that she was probably the only person holding them together here. "You can''t really be serious about this, no?" Jer said as he looked at Elodie who wasn''t about to bat her eyes at him. She knew how this shit worked and by the matingws, if Jer rejected his mate while she was away, then he would cease to be the alpha by default. That was because the power was Awuor''s birthright. He couldn''t just hop in and take over when he didn''t have any right to it. This wasn''t a power y where he could grab the opportunity and take over. Everyone knew it. And maybe that could also exin why none of the elders had suggested the rejection even though eight months had passed since Awuor had been abolished from the Sicari packo. The fact that her father still bound her to the pack, could exin why their enemies had been a little reluctant toe and attack Sicario. No one wanted to mess with what belonged to alpha Awuor Hawi. "Who can''t be serious?" Alpha Sicario says as he walked in the trio still baffled by the situation. It was like they were stuck in some dystopian reality and didn''t know what they were supposed to make of it. The Sicario alpha had been busy since he banished his daughter. No one knew what he was doing, but anyone could tell that he had been busy with his affairs. Dom and Jer hadn''t dared to ask him, because they figured whatever he was doing was the best distraction for him considering he had lost Luna and his daughter all on the same day. As much as they wanted to downy the alpha''s grief, everyone knew that Awuor had been her father''s favorite, and maybe that coils also exin why Dom despised his sister so bad. Even when she was away, the girl would always have a ce in their father''s heart. "Shouldn''t you be resting?" Jer asked alpha Sicario who just ignored him and walked to his seat. Sicario was pissed about everything since the death of his Luna and all attempts to try, and make him see the light of the pack had all been futile. They had given up fighting him because he was the power in the pce. Dom looked at his father, the grief on the old man''s face once again, breaking his heart. A wolf with a dead mate was uncontroble, and yet for some reason, the alpha had tried to be sane enough to keep up with the affairs of his pack. He had been there for his people even though it hurt to sit up there alone. He wanted to forget what was happening, but it had happened and there was no way to reverse everything. "Are you okay, alpha Scario?" Elodie asked when he saw that none of them was getting the answers from the alpha. He had been cold and somewhat distant, and yet each time he walked into the alpha''s office, he tried to be kind and smile a little. It was like this as the only ce he could be in without feeling so empty. But was that true or was the alpha wolf just slowly withering away? ''I''m doing great all of you. Now what is it you guys are talking about that seems to spark arguments? I would love to hear what it is," Alpha Sicario said while the kids in the room with him looked at him skeptically. They were worried for him, even though he had made it quite clear that he didn''t need them to worry about him. He could handle himself and one too many times, he had proven that over the eight months that he lost thest of the important women in his life. "Elodie is suggesting I reject Awuor," Jer stated carefully, like he didn''t want to upset the alpha. He didn''t want to get in trouble with the man, because she could easily be banished just like his mate. The council could argue that since they were mates, it should have been easier for Her to know that the alpha Awuor had been nning to assassinate her own mother. "That''s absurd, right?" Jer added swiftly, worried that the alpha could st him through the walls for suggesting such an unrealistic idea; not to mention his greatest fear which was the uncertainty of the thing that waited for him away from being the reigning alpha''s mate. He didn''t want to go back to being a regr werewolf. It was too much work and sometimes made him feel like he was a hundred shades of fucked. Maybe because even in her banishment, Jer still loved the rejected alpha. He still wanted to see her face when he woke up, and always slept with women who looked like her, in the hope that he would somehow find one who was exactly like the woman who loved him wholly and without any discrimination. However, the result of his transgressions was just Awuor getting hurt a little more than she should have, and losing more than she needed to. "I don''t see what''s absurd there," Dom dered, like he was trying to make a point to his silent father. Maybe the idea was noble, but was it when there are so many conspiracies? Was it when he and his brother-inw had nned to uproot his sister and get the power for themselves? Everyone had expected Dom to step up after Awuor was banished and instead, her mate had taken over. Only because Dom had allowed it. He was a walking red g, but everyone around them seemed to think that they were the best version of Sicario. "Me too," alpha Sicario breathed out after a long silence and for a moment, the kids in the room looked at him, wondering if he thought that the whole idea was absurd, or that he agreed with Elodie''s suggestion to reject his own daughter. No matter what happened, Awuor would always be his child, and even though that was a hard pill to swallow, Sicario had toe to terms with that, and soon enough, to avoid looking like a lost father anyway. "I don''t see what could be the issue there anyway. That woman killed my Luna, and she is banished for all I care about. If you wanna reject her, then you do it, it won''t affect your mate bond''s specifics like the rule. You will still be alpha. "If anything, you will have the power to choose another mate. You''re an alpha, mated to an alpha," Sicario added, his cold tone making chills run down their spines. Either he really hated his daughter, or he just wanted to lock her out forever. Power had gotten him to the point where he lost his wife, the only good thing about the pack he had created from scratch years ago. Chapter 34: Hawis Ceremony of The Lost [JEREMY] "What?" Jer asked again, hoping that he heard the alpha wrong. Just because his daughter was used of murder didn''t mean she did it. If they had conducted an investigation before Awuor was banished, then they would have had concrete evidence. Instead, they didn''t do shit other than force her out of their lives. He felt bad for his mate and yet he was powerless that, not to mention, they were pushing him to hurt her even more. Jer knew Awuor wouldn''t appreciate this, and he knew the woman would probablye after him for betraying her. Then again, the usations against her were not as simple as a stolen cow. She was used of murder and was facing her punishment, even though it really wasn''t her. "What is it with you anyway? You''ve been sleeping with everything that has a skirt and now you''re ying savior? It doesn''t suit you," Elodie said, having had enough of Her ying saint. He had disregarded their mate bond the moment Awuor walked out of Sicario, and the rejection ceremony was just to make things official for him. Besides, he would have more freedom to do whatever he wanted. "But she''s your daughter¡ª" Jer tried to argue. It was too cruel a fate for his mate, and he knew how much it would affect Awuor. He didn''t want her to suffer and yet she had been suffering through the eighth months because of him. He was shocked to hear what the alpha said and he wondered if the man ever truly cared about his daughter through all those years or if she was just a pawn for him. Jer wanted to ask questions, whose answers would probably never show for him, but then it wasn''t like he could at the moment anyway. The alpha Sicario seemed to have made up his mind, but it wouldn''t be bad if Jeremy tried, right? "Who also happened to kill my luna. Anyway, if you wanna reject her, you don''t necessarily have to see her face-to-face. We just need a function that announces you''re rejecting her," Sicario said dismissively like he was done listening to Jer tell him what needed to be done with his daughter. The girl was a culprit and would always be the worst of her father''s legacy anyway. Besides, people who knew Awuor knew she would do whatever it took to get what she wanted, and right now, they did know what she wanted. This was why Alpha Sicario had figured it would be easier for her to be rejected, since then, she would be dealing with her pain for three more months if not four. "A rejection ceremony? That would be perfect!" Dom said as he lifted his head from the pile of work on his table. For someone who had adored his sister over the years, he looked like he had been waiting for this particr ceremony. Dom had never shown any interest in the throne, so why would he be so excited about his sister losing it all? They were being unrealistic and cruel, but that was the only thing they could do toAwuor anyway. Everyone in the alpha''s office right now knew just how resilient the woman was, and they were frankly worried about her sudden appearance at the gates. She was nning something, and they wouldn''t be able to get out of it. So maybe rejecting her was just a step to buy themselves time while they prepared for the future. "When do we do it?" Elodie asked excitedly, her tone showing no remorse for what had happened to her best friend or even the fact that she was eyeing her friend''s mate. It was hical, but since Awuor would be rejected soon, there was no point in pretending not to want a seat at the high table anyway. This was her perfect moment, and she would see it through. She had to. "How about now, before the heat about her showing up goes down?" Sicario said, like the strategic man she was. Giving the wolves the news at this time was the perfect moment because she was still on their minds. They had seen her, sensed her, they had watched her break down at their gates and none of them had walked out to help her. Maybe because of their loyalty to the crown or maybe because they did that to be branded traitors. There was no telling anyway. "I''m not sure¡ª" Jer said before adding, "She''s my mate. She never wronged me as a mate. Sure she killed the luna, which is really the worst thing anyone could ever do, but rejecting her as my mate is just too cruel." "Says the guy who''s been fucking anything with a skirt," Elodie said again, as she humorlesslyughed at the self-dered advocate of Awuor Hawi. Well, they couldn''t deny the fact that Awuor Hawi was a loyal mate and one who respected their bond. But with all that happened, maybe letting her go was the only option for Her if he wanted to live the next day in this pack. "Not you though. You are the only one who declines my advances, Elodie," Jer said as he looked at the woman before her, not even caring that the alpha was in the same room with them. Alpha Sicario should have defended his daughter and her dignity, but that seemed like an already lost fight because her mate was bedding everyone and anyone that was willing anyway. Maybe he was doing it because he hated his daughter, or maybe he was just a father protecting her child from the pain of her mate''s ugliness. Maybe, just maybe, Sicario wanted to free his daughter for Her, but why would he do that when he was clearly angry with her? "Well then, it seems to me like we got an announcement to make, Jeremy. Let''s go," Dom said before mind linking the warriors to ring the bells. It was a rash decision and they could hear the warning bells ringing, but they didn''t want to care too much about it. *** "Good morning Sicario, I trust you are doing well, the alpha Jeremy has a quick announcement to make," alpha Sicario said and the pack was silent waiting for him to talk. They had never had such impromptu announcements unless they were going to war, but then their enemies had long retreated since Awuor had set the terms of their engagements. She had made sure that her people would be safe on all fonts and kept everyone safe, in their homes, and even the surroundings. Sicario was easily the safest ce in the realm thanks to the woman who looked and smelled like death, but loved with all her heart. She adored her people, funny how they had ditched her without so much as a second thought. "As of today, I officially reject the former alpha, Awuor, as my mate and alpha. Any and all bonds tying me to her will be relinquished with this announcement. Let it be known to everyone in the supernatural realm. "That is the only announcement I have today," jer said and the pack unusually remained silent. No one was saying anything. Jer wasn''t sure this was the reaction he had been expecting from them, especially considering how they had all been shouting for the alpha to be banished. Well, it was one thing to banish the culprit, but to reject a mate just because he wanted to, didn''t feel right. He could have waited and convinced his mate toe and confess, maybe ask for forgiveness or even take on her punishment a month them. What year had done was cruel, especially in a society where the mate bonds were valued. "That will be all, everyone, dismissed!" Alpha Sicario said to his people right when a loud pained howl was heard in the freends. There was only one person they knew who could let out a howl that pained. They all knew who it was. "Awuor," Elodie breathed out quietly as she heard her friend. Denouncing a mate publicly was always the final straw. It showed everyone that whatever happened, the two mates would never get back together Elodie knew it, everyone knew it, and yet, Elodie had still pushed for it. She clearly had her reasons, but did she push Jer to reject Awuor because she wanted Jer, or was it because she, just like alpha Sicario, wanted Awuor to be free of the bonds that had betrayed her? Chapter 35: Youre Right, Olyana It Is [AWUOR] "Is that¡ª'''' the Sicario wolves asked themselves when they heard their banished alpha howling in pain. What Jer had done was cruel and inhumane and instead of the Sicario wolves doing something to stop him, they had just stood there and watched as the heart of their own was ripped apart by the mate bonds. The wolves felt guilty for being watchers and while they could have wanted to do anything, they couldn''t intervene here. Jer breaking the mate bond, meant that he was severing all ties with Awuor and that also meant that he was mostly going to be the only recognized alpha of Sicario. He had broken the links that Awuor had and right now, the only thing Awuor was linked to, was just her family members. That was basically Dom and her father, both of whom had despised her, from the moment she had been found hovering over her mother''s body. Back in the freends, Awuor was already done with the cleanup of her bloody crown and had changed into cleaner clothes that Malika had brought her. It was then that she felt the bonds she had with Sicario break, and turn to shambles while she was helpless and watched. Malika looked at her pitifully, like she was hoping there was a way to take away Awuor''s pain, but even if there was, she wouldn''t be enabled to fix the woman anytime soon. The freshly broken mate bonds would leave the young alpha feeling empty and lost, at least for three days; that meant that she would be in pain for three more days. "We don''t have to leave now, Hawi," Malika said to Awuor who was howling out in pain, the raw emotions in her voice and the tears falling down her cheeks made Malika feel terrible for the alpha. She wanted tofort her, but there was noforting a freshly rejected alpha wolf. It would hurt a lot, but she needed to go through it alone. "Let''s... leave," Awuor let out amidst the pain, and Malika was conflicted. Just like every protector, Malika wanted the alpha to be okay but right now, the woman looked like she would die anytime soon. "I''m sorry about this," Malika said before she took the crown and gown from Awuor''s hands, and pulled the woman in a hug, before she began absorbing all of Awuor''s pain. It was too much and could probably kill her, but then she was here to serve Awuor and the first rule of protecting the white wolf was to make sure they went overwhelmed by their pain because then they would be too dangerous and would need the other protectors toe and pin it down. Malika may not have known Awuor for long, but she knew that whatever it was, Awuor was hurting, and it wasn''t even her fault. She just wanted to see the woman smile for once, instead of the months of pain she had had to endure. Malika knew of everything that had happened to Awuor, including all that she had learned from Razia. She wanted to hate Jer on behalf of Awuor, but that wasn''t part of her job description. "What did you just do?" Awuor asked once Malika pulled away from her, only to stumble and almost fall. She looked weak and Awuor was livid. The banished alpha had been used to pain for the past months, and seeing someone else in pain because of her, made her want to strangle the life out of Malika herself. "Rx, Hawi. We can go now," Malika said once she regained her footing. The pain was unbearable but she had endured worse, which was how she was able to get up despite feeling like her whole body was on fire. She had been warned by her protectormander to never try siphoning a white wolf''s pain, but she had felt too bad for Awuor and had gone against the advice. and now she was feeling the brunt of her disobedience. "You''re crazy," Awuor said, grabbing her crown and gown, before she followed Malika who was determined to get her out of thesends. Now that her mate bond was broken, so were all the links she shared with Sicario, and that applied to the punishment her father had given her. It also meant that she was seen as more dangerous because this time, she had nothing to soothe her humanity and nothing to remind her of anything about Sicario. The only thing she felt about Sicario was the hatred and spite of the people who had betrayed her and still dumped her without even thinking twice. she woulde back for them though, but until then, she had a protector to keep steady. "You too. Nowe along, before the sun gets high up," Malika said and Awuor just smiled sadly. She was leaving the one ce she had built her home in for the past few months. Granted, she had been forced to be there, but she had grown ustomed to it. Maybe that was what happened when her home changed and she had no one. "Where are we going?" "Olyana, thend beyond thend of the protectors," Malika said and Awuor just looked at her like she was supposed to understand a ce she hadn''t even heard of. Awuor knew it was stupid just trusting Malika like that, but then she had already lost everything, besides, it wasn''t like she even had a n now that her ties to Sicario had been cut off. She wanted to stay and fight, but for what? For who? Her people in Sicario never needed saving and her family hasn''t anything to do with her. her best friend had ditched her for power. She was alone in all the ways possible. "Great, anothernd I don''t know about," Awuor sighed as they crossed the freends and headed in the direction of Olyana. It was a dangerous ce, but ording to Malika, it was the best ce for the alpha to stay if she wanted to prepare. "You''ll love it, I promise. Besides, don''t you want revenge for the wrongful usations? I know you didn''t kill your mother, and you didn''t have enough proof or even an alibi, making you the perfect criminal. Everyone at home hates you, and you can''t do shit about it. "You cane with me to Olyana, or you can stay in the freends, and sympathize with people who wouldn''t think twice before casting you out again. So what is it going to be Hawi, before we cross this border right here? "Because once we do, everyone in Sicario will know that you crossed the borders and there''s noing back from that," Malika said with conviction like she wanted Awuor to make a choice and fast. They didn''t have time, considering they were going to use the longest route to Olyana, since they couldn''t walk through thend of the protectors just like that. "I¡ª" Awuor began, looking back at the distance they had walked, and the ce she had lived in for a long time. It was a dangerous choice and honestly, staying in the freends alone would have been safer for her, and not put her at odds with her people. However, her father had banished her without a second thought, and right now, Awuor could either stay in the freends, or she follow the protector wherever Olyana was and would get back her life. "You''re right. I have nothing holding me back anymore and staying alone in this huge forest will likely give me depression and kill me. So yeah, let''s go to Olyana if it''s my best bet for vengeance against them. I wille back eventually, and I will burn them all," Awuor said excitedly. "Good choice," Malika said as they crossed the border between the freends and the rest of the supernatural realm. Chapter 36: The Promises of A Lifetime [JEREMY] When Awuor crossed thends and went with Malika on the journey to Olyana, the wolves felt it. They knew the moment the wolf stopped howling and the moment the skies rumbled. Those were urrences that took ce any time that the oaths were broken. Awuor Sicario had broken an oath and there was no one to y judge, jury, and executioner to her this time. "She left," Alpha Sicario said once they had walked back into the alpha''s office. The rejection announcement had been as brief as they had nned or rather unnned it, and they were d to have severed ties with her. However, when the signs began showing, Jer knew that he had made a mistake. He had lost anything that could give Awuor an excuse toe back for him. The thing about mates, was that they were sacred. Mates were supposed to be the partners who made life better and without their mates, werewolves always ended up so ruthless sometimes that even the goddess would have to intervene. As they sat in the office, and felt her final bonds break, everyone in the office was silent. They hadn''t expected that she would give up on them too soon. Alpha Sicario wasn''t saying anything, despite having been the first to motivate Jer. Instead, he walked out of the packhouse and went to the hunting grounds. He needed to clear his mind of what he had just done. He knew that his daughter would be more brutal, but a part of him was thankful that she had the courage to break free. Alpha Sicario knew about what his mate had known of, and just like Razia, he had tried to act on the usation, but Eni had stopped him. In the end, his mate died, and his greedy son got to control the sitting alpha. That was never how he had nned to watch his kids grow up, and maybe that was also why he had given the punishment to Awuor. He knew it wasn''t a punishment, because his little girl was a fighter and could battle anyone who tried shit with her. As the oldest alpha in the pack, Alpha Sicario was forbidden byw to take revenge for anything that was done against him and his family, but there was now that was binding Awuor. And even if thews had been there, right now, the young alpha had nothing left. She was free to be as brutal as she wanted to be. She was free to take a life for a life, because she had nows restricting her anymore. With the alpha gone, Dom looked calm. However, one look at him and Elodie could tell that the young beta was d his sister was finally gone. The relief on his face was somewhat strange, a little too strange. "Aren''t you sad your sister is gone?" Elodie asked and Dom just let out augh. She was right. he felt nothing but spite for the sister who had loved him with all that she had and didn''t have. Awuor may have been strict, but her brother was her lifeline and she loved him so much. Seeing Dom like this was just proof that some bonds weren''t worth keeping and maybe, just maybe Elodie was d that Awuor had severed all her ties with Sicario. "Sad? Why the hell would I be sad that my mother''s murderer is gone? Besides, you people are assuming she left the packnds. Did it ever ur to you that she may have gone and provoked the rogues in her shameless anger and gotten herself killed? "Or what, you think she''s the only psycho in the supernatural realm? I for one am hoping that she is dead, dead and dead. Because it''s shameful to have a sister who is also a murderer. I refuse to be sad for her. She can die for all I care," Dom said coldly. Elodie looked at the young Sicario and wondered if this is what it felt like to be alone in a fight. She knew that life without Awuor would be quite hectic, but she also knew that she had to learn to live without her. Her best friend was a good person and Elodie was painfully aware of that. It was also how she knew that one of the people in that alpha''s office had framed Awuor for murder. She had her suspicions from the very beginning, because her best friend loved her mother so much that Elodie was always jealous of Luna Eni. But then she also knew that Awuor valued her rtionships and would never do anything to jeopardize that. The fact that her ws were found in her mother''s neck was also another red g, because Awuor Sicario never used her ws in a war or a fight. She believed that they were meant for a time when she truly was in danger, but was the alpha in danger from her own mother? It was just impossible. "And what of you, Jer, aren''t you the least bit worried about her?" Elodie asked, her tone growing too cheery. She knew she had to y the part of the girl who wanted Jeremy, the girl who could betray her best friend for a packet of chips and a seat in power. She had to do it well, otherwise, she would never be able to prove the innocence of her best friend, especially now that there was no way of knowing if Awuor was murdered or if she had just crossed thends on her own. If she was dead, then Elodie would get revenge for her, because her friend was the best that anyone would ever get. But if she had gone away, then Elodie would fight for her justice, only that this time, she would do it in her own way. For better or worse, she would always be on Awuor Hawi''s team. "I bet you love it now that she''s gone," Jer said tly, like he wasn''t in the mood for anything else. His thoughts were clouded by his missing mate, even though he knew he would get over the rejection soon enough. After all, his mate could have just died of a heartbreak. The idea was crazy tough. Thinking that thest thing that could take out the alpha, was a heartbreak was a far fetch, even for him. But what was he supposed to think of now? "Why are you mad at me, it''s not like I forced you to reject her. You''re the alpha, and her mate, well ex-mate, but still you had the power to refuse out convictions. "If you keepining about the mate you rejected, your people may think you''re a weakling, just saying," Elodie said to Jer who looked at her, like he was trying to find a clue of something or anything. But then with Elodie, there was no knowing what she was nning. Just like Awuor, she was lethal in her own way, and right now, she was scared that her best friend had died, so she would avenge her in every manner she could. But until then, she had an alpha to guilt trip mercilessly. "I am not a weakling." "Then act like it," Elodie said, before kissing Jer on the lips and walking out. Chapter 37: The Lackey Alpha in War [JEREMY] The three weeks that followed were obviously different in Sicario. Sure, everyone had gone back to their normal lives, but there was one person who couldn''t even breathe right. He was haunted by his choices. At first, his friends thought he was just being affected by the mate bond, considering Awuor had without a doubt epted Jer''s rejection. However, ten weekster, everyone was living their lives, but Jer, he was not. If anything, he had refused to get out of his chambers and Alpha Sicario had to run the pack alongside Dom and Elodie, while Jeremy wallowed in pity. "What is wrong with you? You have a pack to run," Elodie had approached Jer on the eighth week, but the man didn''t even lift his head from his pillow. His room was littered with food and broken bowls. He had made the ce look like the apocalypse was happening right there in his room. He wasn''t even bothered by the fact that he looked like a wallowing alpha, which he was, but damn, his people were trying to make excuses for him, however, Jer couldn''t get up. He was feeling like shit and just couldn''t exin it. He wanted to understand what was wrong with him, but it seemed like each day was a mystery. All of this started when Awuor hadst howled. Of course, the warriors had gone out to see if the alpha was dead or still alive, but all they found was blood and broken bones that had her scent. Her scent was too potent in the ruins, and it broke their hearts. Maybe they were just being dramatic. So much had happened and Jer was depressed about it all. "Leave me alone," Jer had said to Elodie who just sighed. She knew she had to get her best friend justice, but this bastard here was determined to push Sicario into the ground, never to rise again, and that wasn''t something Elodie wanted. "Do as you wish. You''re just proving to your people that you are useless to them without the alpha. You might as well go back to your pack, if you''re going to be spending your nights and days sleeping worse than a cramping woman," Elodie had scolded bitterly. However, instead of responding, Jer turned to face the wall, not even fazed by the fact that he was actually a nuisance to almost everyone in Sicario. He didn''t care though. Well, that was until today, when everyone was expecting him to be wallowing but instead, like a ghosting from the dead, alpha Jer showed up for his people. At the breakfast table, the warriors looked at him, wondering if he was okay. That was all they had been going through for the past ten weeks. They didn''t know how to approach the alpha, so they had hoped that everything would be okay with the alpha "Good morning," Jer greeted and they just nodded, while openly staring at him, like some ticking time bomb they needed to be ready for. It felt like some twisted reality, but that is what was happening right now. "I see you decided to wake up for the dead," Dom said as he walked in. He was covered in blood and looked pissed. He had been torturing the rogues who had been at the Sicario border and who were determined to get into Sicario. This was the fifth day he was torturing them, but the rogues hadn''t said anything substantial. Instead, while they were being tortured, they were chatting like best friends who had found each other after so long. Of course, Dom had thought it was a distraction technique and he exercised the worst of the torture methods and even then, there was nothing. And that made him furious, to the point that the warriors who were working with him were petrified. "It''s a good day¡ª" "Yeah right. Of course, it''s a good day for you, finally waking up, anding to a reality that you abandoned. How does it feel to mooch off people''s efforts?" Dom asked angrily and everyone at the table instantly paused. Even those who were hungry could tell that this wasn''t the time for them to be passing bowls on the table. "Dom, we''re eating," Alpha Sicario said to his son, who shifted his eyes to his father. He looked like he wanted to ask his father something, but he changed his mind. Instead, he walked out, mming the door, seeing as no one wanted him around anyway. But was that the truth or was this some twisted reality for all of them? "Please ignore him, let''s continue," Alpha Sicario said to everyone at the breakfast table. It was a long table where warriors and elders were always at courtesy of Awuor''s systems. She had made sure that there was inclusivity in Sicario and that no matter what happened no one was to think of themselves better than the other. She valued unity and the long table was one of her ways of proving to everyone that they could exist peacefully. "Alpha, are you alright?" Elodie asked Jer who just nodded. He knew he had cked for a while and he had to make up for the lost time. He had almost closed three months since he rejected his mate and yet he had been acting like he was the one who had been rejected. Even at this table, Jer wasn''t feeling too well, but he had to wake up. He knew this was because of Awuor. He didn''t know what it was about her yet, but he was determined to lead a life without her. However, if he had been on good terms with the elders since he rejected his mate, then he would have known that this was just one of the countless side effects of rejecting the only royal-born white wolf in their time anyway. Chaos wasing, and even alpha Sicario himself wouldn''t be able to help Her. maybe they just had to hope that things went well, because otherwise, they would be running a dead pack. "Yes I am, Elodie," Jer said right when a messenger ran into the dining room, painting like he had been having the longest morning of his life. All eyes suddenly focused on him form the moment his feet made screeching noises on the floor and everyone was curious about what it was that had gotten the poor messenger startled. At first nce, Sicario thought that this was just his son''s doing, but the more he watched the messenger warrior who had just rushed in, he knew that shit was happening for real. "Hello alphas, I have a message, from Rukiya Greyson," the messenger, Reynard said, when he had managed to calm down and rx. He had a sack in his hands, which no one had actually paid attention to, until Elodie questioned him. "The Greyson pack?" Alpha Sicario asked and Reynard nodded, looking at the alpha with eyes that made Sicario feel like none of this was good news at all. "Okay, what is it, Reynard?" Sicario asked not sure if he wanted to know what the strongest pack in the kingdom wanted with them. As far as he was concerned, Sicario had never had a reason to go to interact much with the Greyson wolves, but seeing Reynard petrified, made even Jer curious as to what was happening. "Alpha Rukiya Greyson has dered war on Sicario, alpha." Chapter 38: Rukiya is Coming For Us All [JEREMY] "Alpha Rukiya Greyson has dered war on Sicario, alpha," Reynard said prompting murmurs. They openly stared at the messenger wondering what the hell the Greysons were on, wanting a war with Sicario. They literally had nothing to fight over and had been peaceful for so long. They wanted to call it a bluff, until Reynard lifted up the sack in his hands, and emptied it on the ground. They all watched with their mouths open as heads fell from the sack, and their appetite disappear with every severed head that rolled on the ground. "Did she send a message with the heads?" Alpha Sicario let out as he got up from the breakfast table, to get a closer look at the mess that just interrupted their morning. This was unbelievable on so many fonts, but then there had to be a trigger. The Greyson pack was too strong for it to have silly feuds with the Sicarios. So whatever this was, it had to have been provoked. Sicario thought back to his son who had conveniently walked in earlier, looking bloodied like he had juste from hell himself. Maybe this was the result of Dom''s doing, right? But then why should Dominic Sicario trigger a war with the Greysons? "No, Alpha. I was just handed the sack and ordered to bring it to you. These heads are from the borders, and while we don''t have any missing werewolves, I recognized three of them and they are from our pack, alpha," Reynard said and Sicario sighed. This was not how he had nned to spend his morning, but what else could he expect, when his son was getting barbaric daily, and his son-inw was ackey who didn''t give two shits about their people? This was insane, and Sicario couldn''t help but think that this was just the beginning of hell for all of them. "How many heads?" Jer asked and all eyes turned to him. Did he know something they all didn''t? Well, he was the alpha, but had he triggered a war with the Greysons? "Eight," Reynard said and Jer got up for his seat, the warriors who had once gotten up, making way for him in the hope that he had answers. Jer stared at the heads on the floor, turning them to see anything that could spell an attack but there was none. "The heads are a clean cut. Which means that they were captured and sent to us. They must have been missing for a while," Jer added thest bit slowly, because he knew that if he hadn''t been on his own word, there were chances that he''d have known that his people were captured. He had screwed u,p and lives had been lost. How long was he supposed to stay the absent alpha, while there was a danger looming on his people? How far was he supposed to ignore the obvious before everything came crashing on them? "Get the heads out of here, and the warriors head to the training grounds. Prepare to leave on mymand," Jer said as he got up and walked out the door angrily. For azy alpha, he seemed to have an idea of what had happened and it definitely wasn''t good for his people. "Where is the beta?" Jer asked one of the guards outside the pack house. "The gym, alpha," the warrior responded, and Jer didn''t say anything. Instead, he walked in the direction of the gym, with alpha Sicario following closely behind him. Something was going on and Jeremy knew about it. "You must really be having the time of your life out here while your warriors are murdered," Jer said when he walked in. Dom was busy punching the bags and from the look of it, he had already broken a few of the punching bags and he wasn''t about to drop his madness. Dom didn''t even turn to look at Jer, and he continued punching the shit out of the bag before him, even though it looked like it was about to tear too. He had cleaned up in the short while, but it seemed like he had just changed his clothes. His state was worrying and as much as Jer wanted to ask if he was okay, he had more pressing issues like what the fuck Dominic had done to puss of Rukiya Greyson. "And you must really be dumbing at me like that when you''ve been doing nothing for ten weeks. Tell me, how''s the bed so far? Is it warmer now that my sister isn''t there with you? Or wait, didn''t Elodie waring it up enough for you?" Dom asked sarcastically. "It really was, and with the endless women, it''s gotten even warmer. I doubt yours was the same, considering you failed to crack the rogue in the dungeons, or the fact that you look worse than you did when your sister was around. "Just between us two, I''ll just let you know that your sister did a good job fixing your head. Anyway, tell me something, why did Rukiya send me eight heads today? And why wasn''t I aware of the capture of my wolves? Where the fuck were you, as the beta?" Jer asked and Dom scoffed. He didn''t want to fight Jer, but he would, if the man kept pushing him like that. He was trying to get a good morning but thisckey alpha was making his life a little too difficult than it needed to be. "And to think my sister chose you for her mate. Who would have known you''d reject her based on just an usation? She truly deserved better. A mate who trusted her, not a bitch that had been running father dearest errands like a sheep without brains. "Tell me, does it hurt, every time you try to use your brains for once?" Dom bit back as he kept punching the bag harshly. Something was bothering but he didn''t trust his father or the useless mate his sister had gotten with it. So here they were bickering instead of trying to find a solution for their pack. Alpha Sicario just looked at the two, before he walked out. He needed to know what had happened to the warriors and two people who were bickering over a banished alpha, were not going to do their home any good, not if they had screwed up more than once and none of them was willing to take responsibility for their actions. "It''s not my fault your sister was stupid," Jer said and that was all it took for Dom to turn Jer into a punching bag. All nder was allowed on Awuor but calling her stupid was just crossing the line. Everyone knew that his sister was an intelligent alpha, and she could have made their pack stronger, and better if she had stayed, but they couldn''t have her stay. "Eight heads, Dom. what did you do to Rukiya?" Jer asked while he and Dom fought. They had both wronged his sister, and if they wanted to y messiah, then they needed to do that with other people and not the two of them, considering they had been the worst to her. "They were protesters of the decision, y''know the banishment, that was dered for Awuor. They were part of a revolution that has been ongoing in Sicario. The revolution that believed that my sister was innocent. "I didn''t know who led them, but by the time I got wind of what they had done to the Greysons, I was a littlete," Dom said defeatedly as he punched Jer. he wasn''t going to stop anytime soon anyway. "A revolution? What in the seven hells did the eight of them do?" Jer asked, punching Dom in the stomach so hard that he let out a tired cough. "They went to the Greyson prisons and killed eight of the most valuable prisoners in Greyson. And they didn''t run when they were caught, despite knowing how ruthless alpha Rukiya is. Those knuckleheads imed they were sent by Sicario, because we suspected that they helped Awuor. "Everyone knows Rukiya is never into anyone''s business, so there was just no way she helped my sister. Besides, Awuor lived in some whacky shelter in the woods, so it was just impossible. "Anyway, we lost eight stupid wolves, but Rukiya lost eight of her most valuable prisoners and she won''t take it lightly. Brace yourself Jer, Rukiya ising. And she is just as crazy as my sister. Goddess have mercy on us all," Dom said as he made a final punch and slumped down beside Jer. They were screwed. Chapter 39: Lets Go Defend Our Home [JEREMY] "Fuck," Jer cursed as they both took heavy breaths. They awere tired from the fighting, but the fact that Rukiya Greyson wasing for them, was even more terrifying. Maybe they needed to find a way to stall, but knowing Rukiya, she would break through any and all barriers that were put against her. It was all just a matter of time, which at the moment, the Sicario pack had very little of. "What will you do now?" Dom asked as he turned to look at Jer. He knew that this was just one of the challenges that they would face. They were slowly realizing how much impact having Awuor had in the pack and now that she was gone and most probably dead, they had nothing. "We''ll face her. It''s obvious that she doesn''t want peace, otherwise, she would have sent the messenger with a request for a truce," Jer said, and Dom justughed. It was almost like he was enjoying this and clearly, Jer wasn''t having any of it. So before Jer said another word, Dom got up. "That''s more like it. Nowe along, we have warriors to prepare. And we need to be ready, because fighting Rukiya, will be like fighting Awuor, and we both know my sister could be a crazy bitch sometimes," Dom said as they walked out of the gym. The next few days were busy in Sicario. The warriors were training day and night and were, with tuba doubt, exhausted. But they couldn''t stop. They couldn''t afford it, because Theo, one of the watchers at the gate had already sighted the Greyson troops closing in on them. It was a battle they had never expected, but one that they had no other option other than to fight. This was the life they had to live through. "Train! Harder! Rukiya and her people won''t let you off, just because you have been training daily. So make sure you protect the pack! Make sure you protect your families, our families because at the end of the day, this is our home!" jer said to the warriors who were sparring with each other. They were worried about going against the Greyson warriors, but they had a responsibility to their people, and their home. "Yes, alpha!" the warriors responded, right before Reynard walked into the training grounds and headed to the alpha. "Keep training, I''ll be back!" Jer said as he walked out with Reynard. "What is it this time?" Jer asked and Reynard looked at him tiredly, almost like the unexpected was truly happening. Whatever it was, it seriously couldn''t be worse than what they had all endured, right? "Alpha, they are closing in on the gates. What do we do now?" "We stall," Jer said, before adding, "tell the warriors at the gates to be ready. I''ll inform the ones on the training grounds too. And do not under any circumstances ring the bell," Jer said, making Reynard look at him like he was crazy. Not ringing the bell would mean that they would definitely have little time for the pack members to evacuate. They had almost no time right now and with what was happening would it really be enough for the women and children to stay in the houses that fast? "Okay, alpha," Reynard said, before leaving. Jer sighed as he looked at the warriors who were training hard. He knew he had been keeping them on their toes for a long time and that they were tired, which was also why he told them to stop training and get ready. They needed to rest. Maybe it was crazy what he was doing, but the Sicario defense system had different stages. And the warriors that he was personally training, were the kind of warriors who stepped into the war, when shit was going sideways. They were the death squad and if the battle with the Greysons was out there in the field, then the death squad could have gone. But until then, they had to restock their energy while the other warriors tried to keep the defenses steady. With his warriors dispersed and ready, Jer knew he had to find a way tomunicate with his people and tell them to go to safety, without sounding the warning bells. So he used the mind links between him as the Sicario alpha and his people. That was the only private link that wouldn''t sell out. "Good afternoon Sicario. We have enemies closing in on our territory at the moment. Do not be scared, because our warriors will hold the fort. Leave everything as it is, and only take the essentials and walk slowly to your homes. "Initiate the lockdown protocol on the homes, and do not leave. The protocol will make it easier for the human resources team to get food to the houses by sundown and until the battle ends. Take care of each other, and be safe," Jer said, before he shut the mind links. He knew they were scared. He could smell their fear from the moment he talked about the enemies closing in. Jer knew he couldn''t tell them why there was a war but he would once they dealt with this. There would be losses and possible destruction, but Jer could only hope that lives were saved. After all, he was still clinging on to the idea that Rukiya wouldn''t let her people attack women and children. With the announcement bit down, Jer walked to the pce, where the alpha Sicario, Dom, and Elodie were waiting for him. While Elodie was technically useless to the team, she was there because apparently, she was the motivation Jer needed to keep the pack going. It was like she was his escort or consort. "That was a great announcement. Theo says the Greyson troops are at our gates. How do you want to y this?" Alpha Sicario asked and Jer looked at the map before him. He knew the troops had to have surrounded the northern part of Sicario, which meant that this was probably not an invasion, right? "We face them. We can''t stay back like pvssies at war. We have to show up. Buckle up people, we have to defend our home," Jer said, even though he wanted to go out there and negotiate. However, he knew he had nothing to negotiate with. Rukiya''s high-value prisoners were probably the reason why her pack had stayed silent for a while and now that she had nothing anymore, she ended up letting out the anger, the disappointment of a pack that was too quick to do so many things without thinking. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" Alpha Sicario said and Elodie stood back. She watched them as they put their war armor on, and since she was a warrior too, she could have joined in the battle, but she couldn''t. Not when she was sure that one of these three people had been the very reason her best friend was dead. She wasn''t going to join in a war of fools. "Aren''t youing?" Dom asked, even though he had a feeling she wasn''t. "Women aren''t allowed to go to war, remember?" Elodie shrugged like it was the mostmon thing. "Yeah right, and Rukiya Greyson is a man, yeah?" Domughed before he walked out with Jer and alpha Sicario, leaving Elodie in the alpha''s office. Chapter 40: In Which The Greysons Went Seeking [RUKIYA] [A week ago] "She left," Adolf said to his alpha, looking at her, hoping to the goddess that she didn''t do anything irrational. Rukiya had been so invested in saving Awuor and even making sure she got her justice to the point that the betrayal had be personal. Maybe she was biased, but she had taken a liking to the alpha banished by her own people and med it for something that wasn''t even her fault. Adolf knew she was a ticking time bomb, especially since Awuor had sent her away thest time. She hadn''t wanted their help, even when they had offered and now, she had left. "What do you mean she left?" Rukiya asked, looking at her beat who for the first time wasn''t sure how to tell her, the disbelief crowded Rukiya''s face as she looked at her beta, and her mother who had been with her in the alpha''s office. Instinctively, Adolf removed any sharp objects that were around, even though they were not sure that the alpha would start throwing things, and sometimes, those things were never pretty. "Rukiya¡ª" Razia tried but her daughter just looked at Adolf like she couldn''t believe that Awuor had just upped and left. Thest time they had talked, she had tried to convince Awuor toe with her to Greyson, but the stubborn woman had stayed in her shelter. There was just no way she left. It was impossible. "Get the horses ready in five minutes. And you''reing with me," Rukiya said, hurrying out the door, leaving behind a confused beta, and a mother whose heart was torn by the agony on her daughter''s face. "Go on Adolf, and please take care of my daughter out there," Razia said and Adolf just nodded at the luna. He didn''t know what else today to the mother who was watching her daughter slowly while back into the pit that they had struggled to get her in. Ten minutester Rukiya was on her horse and alongside her, in silence, was Adolf, who was going to be riding with her. They weren''t even saying anything, even as the gates of Greyson opened and the alpha saddled into the freends. She wanted to see for herself, because she knew that a determined woman like Awuor couldn''t just leave. If she had wanted to leave, she would have left in the past eight months, instead of enduring the torture that she had experienced in the freends. She had literally gone from being the alpha of a strong pack, to being the alpha of nothing, bound by rules so insane that no one would ever wish to be subjected to, and yet even then, Awuor had stayed strong. She hadn''t relented or even given in to the damn pull. And now she suddenly was giving up when she had waited eighteen days outside Sicario? That had to be some sick joke, and Rukiya wasn''t buying it. Hell, even Adolf refused to buy it. "Yaa!!" Rukiya said as she fastened her pace on the horse. She wasn''t going to rest till she found out what had happened to the woman who wasn''t even scared of her. The woman who had been through shit, and the woman that Ruikiya had somewhat hoped would be her friend, because they understood each other in more than one way. When they got to the pce where Awuor''s shelter once was, they were met with dried blood. Rukiya sniffed and the scent was a little too familiar. It was the scent of the girl she had grown to admire and like, and the girl she hoped would find justice. "No. This is impossible," Rukiya said when she got off her horse and walked near the ce where the shelter once was. There was literally no trace of Awuor and the only reason they were able to tell the spot where her shelter was, was because of the grass that had dried up over the eight months that Awuor had been sleeping there. She hadn''t even tried to change anything and now, she was gone. "Find me, scouts. Find her¡ª" Rukiya began and Adolf looked at her. He was one of the people she trusted and without a doubt, could be ssified as Rukiya''s best friend, if Rukiya ever acknowledged such rtionships. "No, Rukiya. Don''t do that. If we send the Greyson scouts, think of what will happen with the Sicario pack. Think of the questions that will be raised. How will we exin that we were looking for the alpha that Sicario had banished? It all just won''t make any sense to the general public and could put us in odd situations," Adolf argued and Rukiya red at him. She knew he was right, but she just wanted to know what had happened to Awuor. Knowing Awuor''s past had made Rukiya feel like the woman deserved better than being thrown into a mix of whatever the fuck they had managed to get her into. She seemed to be an understanding person, even though they had met in dire circumstances. The woman had held her head high up until thest minute, which frankly, Rukiya refused to belive was herst breath. "But Awuor¡ª" Rukiya said and Adolf pulled her into a hug, silencing her momentarily, even though that was meant to keep her thoughts free. She was worrying too much, and anyone could easily be tempted to assume that the Greyson alpha had a thing for the banished alpha. Adolf had never seen Rukiya so disoriented about another pack''s alpha. She always minded her business, even when the other alphas were murdering themselves before her, so Rukiya wasn''t going to sit there and pretend like this was nothing. Rukiya Greyson had decided to be on Awuor''s side, and Adolf could tell why, even though he was scared shitless of spelling it out to Rukiya. Maybe this one was Rukiya''s to find out on her own, after all, some bonds were too sacred to be toyed with. "We will find her, Besides, you and I know her scent better. We can find her, okay? At least if we don''t find her in three days or even a clue of where she is we can conclude that the worst happened," Adolf said and Rukiya looked at him, staring emptily as she wondered where Awuor was. She seemed desperate, a sight that Awuor would have no doubtughed at, but then what else was there to be done? Maybe if she was desperate enough the universe would pity her and give her a hint as to where the banished alpha and gone or if she had truly died like someone was determined to make it out to be. All of this was just too fast, especially for a woman who had fought tooth and nail to survive the dangerous freends, and one who was unhinged enough to go back to Sicario. As they kept talking, a bunch of rogue wolves passed by, watching curiously as they saw the Greyson alpha and her beta. "Hey!" Rukiya suddenly said, startling the rogues. They weren''t trespassing on Rukiya''snd, and went even trying to best her in any feud, so why did she seem too interested in them? This was the freends, so the rogues didn''t even hesitate to walk toward Rukiya. Thews of thends said that no one was to be harmed in the freends. "Hello alpha Rukiya, I see you and your beta are looking for the banished alpha, eh?" one of the rogues spoke as the other stared silently. They didn''t want to have any issues with Rukiya, considering everyone knew that the woman had anger issues and all. "Yeah, she owes us some shit, considering she acted all tough and all. But as you can see, she jumped ship already. I never knew the Sicario alpha could be that much of a coward," Rukiya strained out making sure her voice came out with disgust instead of the worry that wascing her. She was desperate and was more than willing to give the rogues whatever they wanted to get information about the Sicario alpha. "Well, she won''t be paying whatever she owes you, because she died. We heard from the Sicario wolves that she died after the rejection by her mate. Anyway, good luck finding her, or whatever remains of her. "Excuse us," the rogue said before they walked away, leaving behind a broken Rukiya, who for some reason didn''t understand how he was affected by Awuor leaving, and now, apparently she had died. What was she even to make of that anyway? Chapter 41: Rukiyas Unspoken Promise [RUKIYA] As the rogues disappeared into the forest, Adolf knew he had to step up. Rukiya Greyson was in denial and that wasn''t good for them, at least not for the Greyson pack. If news spread about their alpha being disgruntled because of the banished alpha then questions would be raised and he didn''t want that. "We have to go, Rukiya. She''s dead," Adolf spelled out slowly, knowing that there was a high chance that Rukiya would snap at him. "You''re right, let''s go home. She''s not dead. The first white wolf in centuries can''t be taken out by a rejection. I''ll find her, even if it''s thest thing I do," Rukiya said and for a moment, Adolf stood there, confused about what was happening to his alpha. He knew Rukiya was fond of Awuor, even though the woman had been nothing but chaotic and crazy. That was probably why Rukiya found her interesting. The alpha female was without anyone, the helpless girl, and even then Awuor Hawi had still remained the girl who refused to take shit from anyone just because she was helpless. Awuor believed she would always rise up from the ashes, no matter how bruised she was, and right now, Rukiya Greyson seemed to believe the same. She refused to believe that Awuor was dead, and until she saw a body, she was never going to believe it. Without even waiting for Adolf toprehend what she had just said, Rukiya got on her horse and saddled back home. She was going toe up with a n to help Awuor get the justice she deserved, especially now that she had apparently gone into hiding. "She''s crazy," Adolf said to himself as he followed his alpha. He knew what Rukiya was nning on doing was risky, but then it wasn''t like they could change the facts of what had happened. Hell, even he believed that Awuor had just taken a break from everything and there were high chances that she had just decided to take the long road home. The road that involved her training so hard, and being ready for whatever it would take toe back home strong. Together, Adolf and Rukiya saddled silently back home. Both of them seemed to have a weight lifted off their shoulders, however, the moment they got through the Greyson gates, everything changed. It was never a plight to go after Awuor Hawi, but it was the stench of death that was looming in Greyson. Rukiya despised that stench, unless she was the one who had caused it, but this time, Rukiya hadn''t murdered anyone. "Alpha! You''re back! We have a problem," Harry, her enforcer and the warrior who manned the dungeons said to Rukiya and the desperation on his face was all that Rukiya needed to know that something had happened. Harry never freaked out, and right now, Harry was freaking out, which was never a good sign. "Slow down, Harry. I have only been gone for two hours. What the fuck happened?" Rukiya asked, trying to ignore the stench of death and the desire to kick ass as she got off her horse at the stables. She wanted to be calm, because she had been practicing it for a while, but one of her best warriors was panicking and it wasn''t good. "I''m sorry alpha, we tried to fend them off, but we couldn''t. They were armed with magic and we couldn''t do shit," Harry said, rambling that Rukiya''s patience was slowly thinning away. Adolf could see the changes in the alpha, so he looked at Harry, and how bloody he was before he got off his horse and tried to make Harry spell out his sentences coherently. "Who, Harry? What happened? You''re gonna need to be clear and precise before we have more deaths on our hands," Adolf said. Anyone who listened to him, could have thought he was the grand advocate of peace instead of the bloodthirsty beta of Greyson who would kill anything, and everything that walked the face of the earth, as long as Rukiya Greyson gave him the order to. "There were ten wolves from Sicario. We don''t know how they made it through the borders, and into the dungeons that had our most valuable assets. They walked in there, and murdered all the eight assets in cold blood. "At first, it was almost like Alpha Rukiya sent them, but then I noticed they had tattoos. The rules of ournds forbid any tattoos and by the time we realized it, we were toote. The weird part is that they didn''t run. "They are still in the dungeons, waiting for us. I thought they''d be gone but they are in there, talking like nothing happened," Harry said and Rukiya just sighed frustratedly. Her first thought was that they had been sent by the reigning Sicario alpha toe and see whether Awuor was here, and that was against thews. Having spies was fine, but having spies that killed assets, was against thews that governed the wolves, which was also why Rukiya walked toward the dungeons, with only one thought, murder. "Did they tell you why they came in and took out our best assets?" Adolf asked Harry as they walked towards the dungeons. "They said that it was all for Awuor. Something about this being the only way to get justice for the dead banished alpha," Harry said defeatedly before adding, "the psycho white wolf is really dead?" Adolf didn''t know what to tell Harry, because he didn''t want to believe that Awuor was dead. There were so many things that could have happened to her, but then a rejection? No one had ever died because of a rejection, at least not that instantly. However, they couldn''t put it past Awuor, given that she had spent eighteen days at the gates of Sicario, trying to find her way in, and meet the alpha, and she hadn''t eaten shit. She had suffered for a long time and even when she walked back to her shelter after seeing her mate and her best friend, Awuor had been weak. Adolf had seen that too, which was why he hoped that things were not as brutal as they seemed to be. "Let''s go, Harry, before your headnds on a spike for being rxed to allow intruders to take out our best assets. You know Rukiya won''t forgive you for this, so you had better start thinking of ways to get on her good side. "We both know I''m just her weapon, and you should hope she doesn''t point me in your direction, because I will have to kill you, old friend," Adolf said, in the most reassuring voice, even though the reality they were currently facing was a little too cruel. Looking ahead of them, Rukiya was no longer in sight, so they figured they needed to hurry, lest they get the punishment for staying behind, and being slow while they lived were in danger. However, when they got to the dungeons, barely three minutes after Rukiya had gotten there, they got the shock of their lives. "Take these to the Sicario messenger, and tell him to tell Jeremiah and Sicario, that I aming for them," Adolf and Harry watched Rukiya tell their messenger, Ranae as she kicked heads towards Ranae. "Yes alpha," Ranae responded, knowing so well there was nothing she could do. At least the heads were not hers, to begin with. Chapter 42: Ruin Without Killing [RUKIYA] "Rukiya?" Adolf managed out slowly, the shock of seeing his alpha''s face and body drenched in blood something that hadn''t been on his bucket list today. He wanted to say something that would make her feel better but there was nothing that could do that. Her assets were ughtered, her greatest source of intel had been dismantled and that too, because of Sicario wolves who couldn''t understand the difference between their territories. Oh, but she was mad and she hadn''t even started yet. "Take them to the clear chambers, we have work to do," Rukiya said with a sweet toothy smile that creeped Adolf out. However, he knew what he had to do. The two Sicario wolves who hadn''t been murdered in cold blood stood there shaking like they hadn''t expected this. Maybe they had expected that Rukiya would call their alpha for a meeting and then talk shit out. But that always worked but only if no one was murdered. The only thing Rukiya Greyson had done today was to make sure no one messed with his people and lived to tell the story. Of course, she was pissed that she had intruders in her home who had managed to get ess to the high-profile dungeon. But that was something she would deal withter. After she dealt with the annoying rats that had shown up to disturb her peace "You, clean this ce up, and prepare a good exnation for what happened, because I need to know how the fuck my security was breached and these idiots managed to get into the dungeons. Find me a traitor if there''s one, otherwise, the Greyson warriors won''t sleep today. "Your choice," Rukiya said as she walked out to get some air. She couldn''t believe that had happened. She wanted to understand that these people were justifying their alpha, but she couldn''t give two shits about that. They hade to her home. They had breached her borders with magic so potent that even her warriors hadn''t sensed. They knew what they were doing and if Rukiya had to get more heads rolling, then she would. She didn''t care what the reason was, because no one was allowed to screw her over. "I say you getfortable, it''s about to be a long long evening for you," Adolf said to the two Sicario wolves who were yet to snap out of the shock. They had clearly never imagined that they would watch their friends be butchered by Rukiya before them and that too in less than three minutes. It was almost like she had been needing something to let her anger out, and she had found the perfect avenue for it. "Will she kill us?" one of them asked, and Adolf scoffed, wondering if the Sicario wolf was just in stupid, or the shock had made him a little too dumb. "For an idiot who managed toe to Sicario and mess with Rukiya, you really have no clue what you''ve got yourself into. Anyway, don''t think you''ve been spared because you''re special. "You can as well start making yourst prayers, because tomorrow, may never be promised, but your tomorrow, is certainly not," Adolf said with a smile, even though the wolves could what the anger in his voice he hadn''t expected that this would happen to, but hey what else could he do, right? "Hello, you two. My apologies for not introducing myself earlier. Hi, I''m Rukiya. Rukiya Greyson and you''re my visitors. Please feel at home, and ask for anything you need," Rukiya said ten minutester as she walked in, making Adolf almost snicker. Oh, he knew this wasn''t good news for these wolves. They could have as well offered to die earlier instead of surviving. Because this was the beginning of a different kind of pain and torture. "Get me my tools, Adolf." "Yes, alpha," Adolf responded, knowing so well that Rukiya''s tools were not justmon tools. They were tools that even Adolf was scared of. He was never scared of shit, but Rukiya Greyson was the only person who made him want to curl up into a ball and slowly roll away without saying a word. And right now, the woman was fueled by the Sicario''s banished alpha, who conveniently disappeared. "Now that you have my attention and name, would you tell me why you came knocking at my door?" Rukiya asked politely as she picked up the scalpel from the tools that Adolf had gotten her. She hadn''t tied the Sicario wolves up, but the sight of Rukiya was enough to freeze them up. No one could tell what she would do with them, but it was obvious they were never going to see the light of day again. "For Awuor. Only you can get her back," one of the wolves said and Rukiya red at him in disbelief. This idiot didn''t have audacity, but he was also dumb too. "Yeah right, because I go around doing charity cases, yeah? And why the fuck would I even care about your so-called banished alpha? Last I checked, she killed her mother. "She deserves worse than a banishment too, don''t you think?" Rukiya said to the wolves and one of them even dared to growl at her, something that she found interesting. Adolf looked at the wolf who had growled, surprise on his face, before he threw a hammer to his feet, and boy didn''t he miss, because no one had ever growled at Rukiya. And these two here, were strangers, strangers who had no business storming into their home. "You fight for justice, you believe in it. Since our wolves don''t believe it anymore, well, it was easier triggering you than talking sense into them," the wolf said, wincing at the pain in his feet, his voice trembling as Rukiya advanced towards him with her scalpel. "What do you want from me?" Ruiya asked and this time, she wasn''t ying around. Her voice had gone from the smiley rxed one, to one so cold that everyone in the room felt the temperature change. She was done bluffing; right now, she was an alpha who needed answers, an alpha who demanded payback and an alpha who was certainly going to dere war on Sicario whether these people talked or not. She had made up her mind. "Help us find justice for Alpha Awuor¡ª" the man began but his statement was cut short when he felt a knife stab his thigh, while the other wolf got his arms broken by Adolf who was having a lot of fun. "I said, I''m not a charity centre. Why couldn''t you get to them? If you so believed that the rejected alpha was innocent, why wouldn''t you tell your people? You realize how much you screwed me over?" Rukiya asked with augh, chuckling like this was the best part of her day, when all she wanted was to run her fingers in their chest and rip their hearts out. She was pissed. "You didn''t kill the two of us, so that should be a start for your foundation, yeah?" the other wolf who had been silent all this while said and that was all Rukiya needed tomand Adolf to do the torturing. She knew these people were stalling, something else was going on and Rukiya needed to figure that out, before more of her wolves fell dead. "Do not give them a break even in the slightest way. You can rip them apart, but one more thing Adolf, don''t kill them." Chapter 43: A Strategic Or Lousy Alpha? [RUKIYA] [Today] "Are you sure about this, Rukiya? This is dangerous, what you''re about to do. Are you sure, child?" Luna Razia asked her daughter as she watched Rukiya gear up. She looked a little too pissed and her determination was scary, even for her mother. With her promation of war, Rukiya and her warriors were ready to teach a lesson to Sicario. It wasn''t just about the fact that the wolves had breached the code of conduct, but more about what it was about Awuor that had gotten wolves risking their lives for her. If she had been a terrible alpha, and one who was so cruel as her father and mate had made her out to be, then no one in their right mind would have started a revolution, and even more, gone to attack Greyson, knowing so well they would definitely be killed on sight. Rukiya Greyson was the mother of ruthlessness and she had no conscience when it came to protecting her people. The fact that she had been breached had triggered her in the worst of ways. It reminded her of her father and how everything had gone downhill then. She didn''t want that for her people, which was why she was going to Sicario and she was going to make sure no one was ever going to think of crossing the Greyson borders without her approval. She had to send the message otherwise she would prove the others right. She was not just an alpha because she was born into royalty, but she was an alpha, because she had fought to keep her people sane. She had cleaned up the mess her father had created, and she had done it singlehandedly, with her team. Rukiya Greyson had made the wolves believe again, and this time, she knew some were scared. If Greyson was open to attacks then what was the point in staying there, right? Rukiya didn''t want her people living in fear of the Sicarios. "They started it first, besides, this will also give me the chance to get into Sicario and see for myself if she really is dead or not," Rukiya said to her mother before adding, "don''t worry too much mother. Besides, the worst that could happen to me, is me dying, right?" Luna Razia looked at her daughter, the kid she had watched grow up in the midst of chaos; the child she had tried to keep away from war as far as possible, and also the kid she had always wanted the best for. It was hard to understand that her child, that child was now a grown woman. Maybe this time, she just had to put her trust in her daughter and their armies, after all, the Scario and the Greyson armies were among the strongest armies in the supernatural world. Their going against each other was dangerous. "But Rukiya¡ª," the luna tried, but her daughter wasn''t having any of it. "You know the rules mother. If I die, you will have to take over and groom the next alpha. If I don''t, then I''ll definitelye back home. I''ll see you soon, hopefully," Rukiya casually responded, as she kissed her mother on the forehead. Never in her life would have Rukiya thought she would ever go to war with ulterior motives. Granted, she was going to Sicario because her people had been attacked and as retaliation, but she also wanted to see how everyone was acting. If the wolves in Sicario seemed okay, then it meant that their rejected alpha hadn''t died, but if otherwise, then it would mean that she really was dead, and Rukiya would have to give up, but would she? Would Rukiya stop fighting for justice, and clearing Awuor''s name if the woman was dead? That was something Adolf had suspected her of, and while it was absurd, it seemed really likely that Rukiya Greyson would find justice for Awuor, even if it was just for fun. And that, made it even weirder. "Be careful, child. Please don''t leave me childless," Luna Razia said, whispering thest bit, even though Rukiya heard her loud and clear. She wanted to think her mother was being dramatic, but with all that had happened in the past three years, Rukiya understood her so well. She would try ande back home, but there were no promises and she was okay with that. After all, her home was okay, and for some reason, her desire to look for the banished alpha seemed to be growing with every passing day. Rukiya knew it was not a good idea to be going after Awuor, but then she couldn''t help it. She thought of the woman even when she didn''t need to. She worried for Awuor, even though everyone had assumed she was dead. The woman was a rejected alpha, and yet, Rukiya was still determined to see everything through. It was dangerous and could cause even more chaos between Greyson and Sicario, but the woman didn''t mind. Maybe that made her a terrible alpha, but what if she was fighting for her life? What if she was fighting for a better future? Would it ever really count when the sun went down and they were assessing their spoils of war? Would it? Despite all the red signs, Rukiya was not going to let Awuor go with ease, and maybe she needed to take a step back, but what else could she do this time other than satisfy her curious desires, especially in a territory she was going to battle with? "Are they ready out there?" Rukiya asked her beta, who had been a little too silent for someone who always voiced his opinions. Maybe because he knew that this time, there was no calling back Rukiya. He just had to let her be herself and he would simply show up if she needed him. "Yes, alpha. We''re just waiting for you," Adolf said, his worried tone making as how. He wasn''t worried that they would lose the battle no. He knew they would win, it was a given especially with how rxed the new Sicario alpha had been over the past ten weeks. However, just like Luna Razia, he was worried about Rukiya''s newfound obsession with the banished alpha. Or maybe it was because Awuor was a white wolf, but then what were the odds of Awuor showing up, even if she was alive? "Great. Let''s go, we don''t have time. Besides, the sun is already going down, and I want us by the Sicario borders before nightfall," Rukiya said like she was talking about the weather. Defeatedly, Adolf just nodded and followed her to the gates where the warriors were waiting for her. "Good evening Greysons, today we are going into Sicario. They took some of us and we have to retaliate. We are not in the position for peace talks because the assets their people ughtered, were, by far, too valuable. "When we get there, stick to the mission, and that is to grab the alpha, Jeremiah. That is your mission today. However, let it be known that if they strike at you, strike ten times harder. Do whatever it takes, to get me the bastard who let his wolvese at us with magic. "Any questions?" Rukiya said, after her brief yet precise briefing. "Alpha, are you okay?" one of the warriors asked worriedly, and Rukiya instinctively stared at herself, wondering if there was any reason that the warrior ad to ask her how she was feeling. It was too sudden a question and certainly one that was unexpected. "Yes, I am. Let''s go get me the Sicario alpha okay?" Rukiya said to her warriors who cheered on. She knew they were worried about her and the more she thought about it, the more she figured there had to be something that could have led her mother and warriors to the conclusion. Maybe she was changing but she didn''t know it. If anything, Rukiya was feeling fine, but then fine wasn''t what she was parading before them. And just like every other thing that didn''t involve Awuor, Rukiya Greyson pushed her health and her people''s concerns about her to the side. ''What if they are right?'' Rukiya asked herself as she led her warriors out of Greyson, watching as the gates to their home closed and they had to walk in the direction of Sicario. She knew the Sicario wolves were expecting an attack, and yet here she was, leading her people to kidnap the reigning alpha. If that wasn''t unhinged, then what else was it? ''Oh the things I would do for the Greyson pack,'' Rukiya sighed as she went with her warriors. Chapter 44: The Wildest Of Missions [RUKIYA] That evening, as the Greyson gates closed on the Greyson warriors headed to avenge their fallen, Rukiya had only one thing in mind. Awuor Sicario. Rukiya was pissed that the alpha was dead, but she was also pissed that no one hade forward with a body. If the rejected alpha was really dead, then the Sicarios would without a doubt hold a burning ceremony for her considering what she had done to her mother. However, they hadn''t done any of that. They had been a little too quiet. Maybe Jer knew what had happened, but then Rukiya had other purposes for Alpha Jeremiah. She needed him, but not because she desired him, no. She needed him to get the answers that had been too blurry for everyone. If there was someone who could tell if the alpha was truly dead, then it would be her mate. Alpha Jer would have felt the final strings be cut, the strings that no one in Sicario could have ever felt. That was what happened, even with rejections. The soul strings would stay connected for at least a year or so, before they slowly broke. "Alpha, we''re here," Adolf said to Rukiya when they reached a little close to the Sicario gates. They could see the soldiers ready for them. They could see the watchtower at Sicario filled with warriors who were already aiming their spears and archers with their arrows aimed at them. "Great. I''ll go in with the first team, and Adolf, you will go with the second team. The third and fourth terms have their responsibilities and leaders. Remember, I need the alpha alive alright?" Rukiya said to her warriors. She knew they were a dangerous team and they could do more harm than good, but that is what she wanted. She wanted them to get her the man at the center of this all. Only then would she be able to get her answers and closure about Awuor. She was desperate for it. "Yes, alpha." "We convene at the rendezvous point in three hours. That should be enough for all of us toplete our different missions," Rukiya said to her warriors before they divided themselves and they each went their own way. The team that Rukiya was leading, was the one that made it to the front gates of the Sicario pack. The huge ck gates were staring back at her and Rukiya couldn''t help but remember Awuor sleeping at these gates, trying to find her way in to meet someone there,e and even then, they hadn''t listened to her. They hadn''t given her the benefit of doubt. Awuor Hawi had been banished without a trial and subjected to the worst of states. Fuck, Rukiya wanted more blood. "Good evening Theo. As you can see, we wanna go in. So what will it be? Will you open the gates, or shall I do it on my own?" Rukiya said to the warrior meaning the gates as she looked up at the watchtower. She knew they would never open the gates willingly, but she had to try. "You can as well go back, alpha Rukiya," Theo said and Rukiya just scoffed. "Well, at least I tried the peaceful way," Rukiya said before turning to her warriors, "open the gates, you three, you''re with me. Take out the watchers." With their alpha''smand, the warriors tried to pry open the Sicario gates, but expectedly, it hadn''t budged, so they blew the gates off the hinges. It was apparently the only peaceful way they knew. Rukiya and the trio were shooting arrows at Theo and his team who were also firing back at them. There were a few hits and misses, but when the Greyson warriors walked into Sicario, half the watchers were dead, and those that were alive were wounded terribly. The swords and arrows that Rukiya and her warriors had been equipped with, wereced with wolfsbane and silver. Two substances that were so dangerous to any wolf, royalty or not. "Tie them up quick, Theo," Rukiya said to the injured warrior, as she threw a rope at him. He had an arrow stuck in his thighs and was ready to shoot and knock someone out with his bow, but then he couldn''t, because he didn''t have the energy. The silver was already in his style and soon enough he would either die, or he would need intense medical care. Theo looked at Rukiya''s bored and stone-cold face as she stared back at him like she was telling him not to taste her time. He knew she would kill him without a second thought, so he didn''t want what was demanded of him. He tied his fellow injuredrades together and when he was done, Rukiya shot another arrow in his right arm, making the wince in pain and curse out. But that didn''t matter to Rukiya. "Let''s go!" Rukiya said to her warriors. She knows that Theo had already alerted the Sicario warriors and they were watching them. So Rukiya reminded her teams to be alert and to remember that the Sicario wolves were well-trained, just like the Greyson warriors. They walked into the pack, only to be met with emptiness but that wasn''t something that shocked Rukiya and her teams. She was aware they had probably evacuated the civilians. That was actually a smart move, for them to avoid casualties. "Stop," Ruiya said to her warrior, who had been so close to triggering a booby trap. His boot was a few centimeters from the string which could probably trigger the worst of cases in Sicario. The Greyson warriors looked around, sniffing, and listening to heartbeats other than those of their friends. "Step back, slowly," Rukiya said to her warrior, and when he did, she threw a stone at the string, which unexpectedly resulted in a hole suddenly showing up in the middle of the road they were in. And it was then that Rukiya figured she didn''t have to ck anymore. This was war, and mercy was not something on her mind. This could also exin why she wasn''t surprised when they were suddenly surrounded by the Sicario warriors. "Rukiya Greyson," Dom said with a lonelyugh. He looked like he had been expecting Rukiya, which was certainly a given, but the smirk on Rukiya''s face was enough to tell him that he wasn''t going to win whatever this was. "Dominic Sicario. I would say once to meet you, but it will be hard to hear me, with spears and arrows flying towards you, no?" Rukiya said with a smile before she told her warriors to duck. The third Greyson team was here and was shooting at anything that didn''t smell like the Greyson warriors. They are ruthless and cruel. Soon enough it was a battle of who could live through the other faster. The battle had officially begun and the shouts of men fighting men and women sighting women was the reminder of that. Rukiya was fighting Dominic, while her warriors were fighting the rest. and for two hours, the warriors fought. Somewhere in the battle, the rest of the Greyson teams had made it to where Rukiya and the Sicario wolves were. They joined in, and it was a battle of life and death, among warriors who never feared death. "Another ng of swords and spears and your pack will have no reigning alpha," a voice suddenly growled loudly, gaining the attention of everyone on the battlefield, Greyson and Sicario alike. Chapter 45: The Unexpected Exchange [RUKIYA] "Another ng of swords and spears and your pack will have no reigning alpha," a voice suddenly growled loudly, gaining the attention of everyone on the battlefield, Greyson and Sicario alike. All of them had clearly not been expecting that, but then it seemed like there were more than enough surprises waiting for them today. "He''s a dead man anyway. You could be doing us all a favor," Elodie suddenly spoke up and Rukiya turned to see the best friend that had betrayed Awuor. There was something about Elodie''s betrayal that didn''t sit right with Rukiya. "Okay, great," Adolf said, as he lifted his sword, ready to thrust it into Sicario''s chest. His eyes were filled with anger, and he wanted to avenge Awuor but more than anything, he wanted to prove to Rukiya thating to Sicario was a dangerous move, on both ends. Everyone knew that a wolf without their mate was as good as dead, especially if their mate was dead they all knew that alpha Sicario was slowly fading away. It would just be a matter of time before he snapped and they would have to put him down. Maybe Elodie was right about this, but was she? Was that the reason she was currently daring Adolf in front of all the warriors who hade to fight for the sake of their fallen? "Adolf¡ª" Rukiya called, a warning clear in her voice, but it was one that Adolf was familiar with. It was the kind of warning that held no power at all, though, to everyone who was watching, it felt like Rukiya Greyson was warming her beta. "They were reluctant and their people killed eight of our assets. Besides, we''re here for revenge, aren''t we? Eight assets dead, I say we take out the one most important person to them, what do you think, alpha?" Adolf said to Rukiya. They Were currently ying a game that could cost them more, but Rukiya was sure her bet would know what was best for the both of them. He wouldn''t drag Greyson to the mud. "Do it," Rukiya said, right before he spoke. "No! Don''t. Please don''t. Take me instead, I''m more valuable than an alpha on his way to an early grave anyway," Jer said and Adolf smirked at Rukiya. "Why should we take you, and what are the chances that you''re not going to try fighting us?" "I want to talk, Rukiya. I know we cane to a consensus. We have no reason to kill many, when we can sit down and talk about this. Please, give us a chance to make things right," Jer said, in the most un-alpha way. Dom was watching from a distance and he had a constipated face on. He couldn''t believe that this was the man who was going to lead Sicario when his father died. Maybe there was no hope for Sicario after all, right? "We rounded up the group that attacked your home, and we have questioned them. We are willing to hand them over, if you stop the battle, alpha Rukiya," Dom said as she walked through the space that his warriors had let him. He was simply proving how inefficient Jer was, but even then, Dominic Sicario never wanted to be the alpha, because there was a lot to be done. "Fine. We''re taking the alpha, Jeremiah, with us. Bring me the people behind the attacks, and you can have your faulty alpha back. You have three hours, Dominic. After that, I will start sending body parts. We both know how I like snipping body parts. "Three hours, Dominic, or your pack will have to choose another alpha, Rukiya said, her tone warning Dominic. "Fine, you got yourself a deal," Dom said, staring at Rukiya so coldly, but that didn''t have any effect on the Greyson alpha. She was already used to being stared at differently by the men and women of the different packs. Dominic was not going to make her back down, not ever. "Bring him along, Adolf," Rukiya said to her beta, as her warriors pulled back from their fighting stances, and began walking away. Rukiya was standing on the side, watching to make sure even her injured were taken. Thankfully, she didn''t have any dead warriors, even though she knew that had all been trained to be ready for death at any moment. It wasn''t as weing, but that was part of everyone''s training, including hers. "I''ll be back soon," Jer said to Elodie show as looking at him worriedly. He had told her to stay put in the alpha''s office, but the woman had insisted oning. well, she hade a little alter, but she was here now. "Please be careful, I would hate to have to see you dead," Elodie said, as she rushed to hug Jer. Rukiya almost rolled her eyes at the woman, but what she heard Elodie say made her lift her head so fast and look at the woman. "This soon," Elodie had mumbled, and obviously no one else had heard her. Well, Rukiya did hear her, and now Rukiya Greyson was curious about the woman. Sure, no one from Sicario had told her of the rtionship between Awuor and Elodie, but the spies had confirmed it more than once that this woman was the easier way to get to alpha Awuor. That was because Awuor loved her with every fiber of her being. It just didn''t make sense that with Awuor dead, Elodie was still clutching onto anything that could give her power. Elodie Kane was nning something, but Rukiya wasn''t interested in that. All she wanted right now, was her prisoners. So she waited for her warriors to walk out of Sicario and she followed them. Of course, Rukiya smiled at Theo on the way out as if to tell him that this wasn''t personal. But it was. Rukiya had gotten the alpha she wanted and she didn''t even have to kill so ay people. In the three hours that she had given Dominic, she would use it to the fullest to get all the answers she so desired. Chapter 46: Yes, Alpha. Take The Offer [RUKIYA] Three hours that was how long Rukiya knew she had, but she would utilize the chance and get what she wanted in less than two hours. Well, that was if the alpha she had taken with her, was willing to talk. Maybe Jer would try to be a pain in the ass, but Rukiya Greyson was more than willing to bet on him speaking in the end. She was determined to get her answers about Awuor''s whereabouts and this man was the way out. The next ten minutes were spent on the road that led away from Sicario, and more importantly, the side of the freends that Awuor had been in. That was to make sure that Jer, didn''t prepare a lie for her. Rukiya was too pissed and too anxious to take on another load of bullshitting maybes. "Where are we headed, alpha Rukiya?" Jer asked and Rukiya ignored him. She needed him to keep pushing until there was nothing left and then she would ask him the question that had been creating her up for weeks now. "Beta Adolf, where are we headed?" Jer insisted and Adolf ignored him and turned to the Greyson warriors who were making small talk as they walked the road from Sicario. There was no point in indulging the very alpha he had been against for a while now. Maybe this would prove to Rukiya that Awuor was dead and that she could finally focus on running their pack, as usual, right? Granted, Rukiya had never cked as the Greyson alpha, but since Awuor had shown up and disappeared, it seemed like she was the only thing Rukiya Greyson ever thought of. She wanted to know if Awuor was alive, and if so, she wanted to know where she was all this while. Rukiya was determined to prove that the rejected alpha was not dead, and that was why she had triggered the war between Greyson and Sicario. Awuor waspromising Rukiya in ways more than one, especially with her absence. Adolf was determined to make sure the answers they got today were straight and that Rukiya stopped obsessing about Awuor. But what if the answers were different, would he let the alpha do as she wanted to, or would he use thews to forbid Rukiya from looking for Awuor? "We''re here. Getfy. We still have at least two and a half hours left," Rukiya said to Jer who looked at her, hoping to get more answers. The woman hadn''t said a word since they hade from Sicario and frankly, Jer was worried. "So, are you going to tell me where we are, or are you going to try threatening me too?" Jer asked. For someone who hade with them from Sicario, and that too, uncuffed, Jeremiah was not thinking straight. If Rukiya wanted him dead, she wouldn''t have let him tag along. "We''re in the freends, alpha Jeremiah. Besides, weren''t you the one who said we could talk?" Rukiya said as she sat on the first floor. They had managed to get a shade that wasfortable, one that they could stay under for their period of wait. Looking around, Jer thought of the alpha they had banished, the woman who had left without causing a ruckus. For someone who hadn''t been given a fair trial, Awuor''s peaceful exit had been phenomenal, but it was Jer''s greatest nightmare. He should have defended her but he hadn''t. And if defending her and been hard considering how they had found her, he should have demanded a fair trial for the alpha wolf, and yet even then he hadn''t done anything. He had so many regrets, but that wasn''t what Rukiya was interested in. Rukiya could see how deep in his thoughts Jer was, and she figured it was the perfect time for her to interrupt him. She didn''t want him to think this was some friendly meeting for them, because it wasn''t. "So, what is it you want to talk about?" Rukiya began and Jer almost let out a loud sigh. "Stop the war, Rukiya," Jer said, his toneing off with his alpha power, but he was very aware that Riya was his equal so she obviously understood that this was him trying to talk serious business. "Oh, but we already stopped it a long time ago, like ten minutes ago, Jeremiah. You''re only here as coteral, if they fail to deliver the culprits. Need I remind you of how harsh that would be for your people. "They might probably never trust you again, selling off their friends and families like that," Rukiya shrugged like she was talking about the weather and not the lives that had been taken by the Sicario wolves; lives that were now being paid for by other lives. Blood for blood had always bene Rukiya''s policy since she stepped up and had to protect her people from the ruthless wolves that had surrounded them for a while. "What if I offer something else instead of my wolves to be your prisoners?" Jer asked, and Rukiya''s eyes lit up. Of course he would try to negotiate to save his legacy if that was even something he had at the moment. "At this point, I don''t think you have anything that would interest me alpha Jeremiah. Just wait it out, and when I get my crimiatls you get to go back to your people and live happily ever after with your women, alright?" Rukiya said, smiling at Jer like there real wasn''t anything that Jer could offer her. "What of weapons? We could create a tretay that lets us supply you wth weapons, and in return, you don''t take our wolves, and free the two that you have been holding" Jer said and Adolf looked at the man, wondering if he was thick headed or he really was out of options. Everyone knew Sicario ahd the best weaponry systems, and everyone also knew that for hundreds of years, so many alphas wanted to get the Sicario firepower supply and weaponry, but none of the had managed to get it. Which was also why the weapons gotten from Sicario were valued at extreme prices in the ck market. Was he really not aware of that? "Interesting, but my people already have more than enough weaponry. Why would we need yours?" Rukiya asked and Jer looked at her worriedly. He knew he couldn''t sacrifice himself, but he also couldn''t let his people be captured. Rukiya was ruthless, beneath the smile she was giving him, and everyone in the werewolfnds knew it. Sending someone to Rukiya as a prisoner was the worst thing that could happen, hell it was worse than the usual death penalties. The only person who ever matched her cruelty was Awuor and Jer was sure she was dead. "Hudayfah, do you think we should take the weaponry offer?" Rukiya asked her healer. he walked slowly to where Rukiya and Jer were seated and he touched Jer, which was clearly making the Sicario alpha ufortable. To Jer, this was probably some weird ritual that her healer did to make sure the deal was going to be worth it, but Rukiya and Adolf knew what this was about. Adolf was silently praying for the end of the chaos while Rukiya, her curiosity got her hoping to the universe that she would have to avenge Awuor. There were just so many things that needed to be done at the moment and so little time. "Yes. Yes alpha, take the offer," Hudayfah said with a huge smile like this was the best thing that happened to them since the morning began. Chapter 47: The Unexpected Happy Answers [Reload To read the whole chapter, thank you. If it doesn''t work, remove the book from your library and add it back again.] ***** [RUKIYA] "Yes. Yes alpha, take the offer," Hudayfah said and Rukiya got up, fist-bumping the air, while her beta was sighing defeatedly. Well, she finally got her answers anyway. Alpha Jer looked at the Greyson alpha and her people and wondered what the hell they were looking for. However, he was more than happy to have Hudayfah''s hands off of him, because he was already feeling like the world was out and on his case. "We''ll take the offer, alpha Jeremiah. I look forward to seeing you hold your end of the bargain, or you know what will happen to your people. We really don''t want anything like that happening, or do we?" Rukiya asked Jer, who looked at her like this woman was crazy. She had gotten her healer to check if he was lying? What the hell was even wrong with her? Well, that seemed to be the only thing that Jer needed to know that Rukiya Greyson wasn''t to be messed with. This woman had some loose screws in her head, and Jeremiah wasn''t going to sit and wait to see what else she had in n for him. Maybe this was his punishment for rejecting Awuor, but then it wasn''t like Awuor was the one who had sent the rebels to Rukiya, right? "Okay, I get it. Now that we''re done, what do I need to do now?" Jer asked Rukiya who simply ignored him and focused on Hudhayfah and Adolf. Of course, the people around them would know what they were talking about, and it was dangerous. To make sure they remained in confidentiality, Hudayfah cast a spell that blocked anyone from hearing what they were discussing; even the warriors they hade with were not allowed to listen in on this. This was high-key confidential, but for the smiles on Rukiya''s face, they could tell that they were talking about something that would definitely benefit the Greyson pack, right? "Now what?" Adolf asked Rukiya. He was clearly against the whole psycho n to go after Awuor. Confirming that the alpha was alive was one thing, but nning on going after her, was some other level of insanity. Of course, Adolf knew just how obsessed Rukiya had gotten with the topic of Awuor; it was almost like she was ready to fight for the woman. Granted, he had no problem with that, but then Rukiya was the Greyson alpha and not a Sicario alpha. They would be putting so many people at risk and it wasn''t going to be fair on any of them. "We release Jer to go back to his people. He''s of no use to me anyway. I found what I wanted, so it doesn''t matter what he does or says, as long as he keeps up his end of the bargain," Ruiya said and Adolf groaned. He knew this wasn''t what they had nned for, and honestly, he was hoping that they would get different answers so Rukiya would leave Awuor alone. But it seemed like the universe was ying another game with the woman. "But alpha, she won''t be easy to find," Hudhayfah said to Rukiya who was still excited about Awuor being alive. Anyone could have assumed that Awuor was important to her, considering the amount of happiness on Rukiya''s face right now. "I know, Hudhayfah, I know. But what matters now is that she''s alive. I don''t care how long it will take me to find her. She''s alive, and that''s all I needed to know, honestly," Rukiya said as she broke the barrier she had Hudhayfah set so their discussion wouldn''t be heard by the others. It only meant that there was nothing left for them to talk about. "You can go, alpha Jeremiah, but remember what is said. If you don''t keep your end of the bargain, I wille for more than eight lives, and I will show no mercy," Rukiya said seriously as she stared coldly at her. She was tempted to punch him for rejecting Awuor, but she knew Adolf would probably take her to a therapy session for being absurd. So she didn''t do anything other than give her the coldest stare she could muster. "We will sign the treaty in two weeks'' time, alpha Rukiya. Thank you for your understanding and I hope we get to live in harmony," Jer said before adding, ''''I will take my leave now." Rukiya watched Jer walk away and for a moment, she felt like she was letting the devil go back to his den. She wanted to strike him down for what he and Dom had done, but she knew that she would be stealing Awuor''s vengeance from her, and that also meant that she would be enemies with the worst of the strongest alpha in their word. That was too much of a risk even for her, and she wanted to respect the woman. So she breathed out a defeated sigh, as she watched Jer and didn''t stop staring until the man was out of her sight. She wondered what it was that Awuor had seen in the bastard, but then she also knew that the universe didn''t give two shits while pairing the two wolves together. It was a harsh pairing though. "Listen up everyone! You did great today. However, we are not leaving this camp until tomorrow evening. That is to remind the Sicario wolves that if they n on abandoning the deal we can always go back and kill them all. "For now, stay on alert, and you guys can have fun! Good job once again!" Rukiya said to her warriors who were proud of their alpha too. They cheered for her once she was done with her speech of course some went in for fist bumps while the others just gave her a thumbs up. It was important that they maintained their distance with her because she was one hell of a woman who could eliminate anyone she didn''t feel like interacting with. It was easy to maintain a professional distance with Rukiya unless you were sure she wouldn''t kill you out of anger. And that was Adolf''s position as her best friend and beta anyway. "Rukiya, what you''re nning on doing is dangerous. I know I will follow you to the ends of the world, but I need to know if you are really sure about this. "Remember that once you make the choice, there will never be a chance for you to turn back. Everyone will know and you will be in that cycle unless the womanes and takes over. You do know that, right? "And you also know that there is a really high chance of Alpha Awuor dismissing your efforts?" Adolf said to his best friend who was currently standing next to theke near where Awuor''s shelter once was. Of course, their camp was in the freends, but Rukiya had made sure it was located close enough to where Awuor had been living. It was the reminder that an innocent woman was forced to a fate worse than death. "I know, Adolf. And I also know you have your suspicions about me and Awuor." Chapter 48: Over The Cliff... Until The Very End [Just a reminder to reload the previous chapter, if you didn''t already. Happy reading!] **** [RUKIYA] "I know, Adolf. And I also know you have your suspicions about me and Awuor. Trust me, I want to prove they are wrong more than anything else. But if they are right Adolf, will that change our friendship?" Rukiya asked Adolf, even though she was still staring at theke. It was like she was scared of his answer. Adolf looked at Rukiya, who was letting her guard down with him, and he knew she needed her friend and not her beta. He could tell that from the way Rukiya was adamant about not looking at him. Granted, whatever he said wouldn''t affect Rukiya''s next moves, but she hoped that she would be having someone who cared about her, by her side when she went after Awuor. It was a mission she wouldn''t be able to do alone, and she knew she would need her friends more than anything. "No, Rukiya," Adolf said quietly, as he sat on the ground. The sun was slowly setting in the distance and he could see the ray marks so simr to the horizon. Theke looked calm, and the water insects seemed to have taken a break today. Hell, even the winds seemed to avoid the waters. "Okay," Rukiya said after a while. She wasn''t sure what she had expected for Adolf, but it wasn''t like she could force her choices on her best friend. She wasn''t a dictator or an alpha and wasn''t going to use her power on the wrong person that meant the world to her. Sure, it did hurt for a while, knowing that her best friend was having mixed thoughts about her decision, but that was alright because at the end of the day, she would have to confirm it either way. All she needed to do was to find Awuor, but even Rukiya knew that it would take her a long time. "Rukiya¡ª" Adolf called out to his best friend, as he raised his arm to get a hold of her. He didn''t want her to think that he was having a different opinion, especially after everything, but Adolf just wanted to make sure she knew what she was getting herself into. "You don''t have to¡ª" Rukiya began, but Adolf dragged her gently, as he motioned for her to sit beside him. They had already been through enough earlier today, and he didn''t want to see her heartbroken again. She deserved to be happy and if Awuor was Rukiya''s definition of happy, then Adolf was going to make sure that she got her happiness. "No, Rukiya. As long as you are sure about the mission you want to take on, you can always count on me. I know it will be dangerous, considering the woman is an alpha, but if she is your sanity, then I will be by your side, no matter what happens. "You never have to worry about whether I will be by your side on some missions. Just remember as long as it''s okay with you, I''ll follow you over the cliff. You just have to tell me when to jump, and I will jump for you, Rukiya," Adolf said as he looked at his best friend. "But¡ª" Rukiya began but Adolf cut her short. "Over the cliff, Rukiya. Always, and until the end," Adolf said and Rukiya just nodded at him. She needed him by her side; hell, without Adolf she wasn''t sure she would ever seed in this particr mission. That was because Adolf was her voice of reason and without him, she wouldn''t be able to think straight. She needed him and she wasn''t afraid to tell him, because theirs was a friendship that no amount of gold could buy. They were loyal to each other. "I have a question though, Rukiya," Adolf asked as he picked up a rock and threw it in the still and quietke. Rukiya looked at her best friend, waiting to hear what question Adolf had. She was curious too, because she knew that Adolf somewhat understood Awuor. "Why her? Is it because you were betrayed too? Or is it because you care for her?" Adolf asked carefully. This was a crucial topic, especially the betrayal. When Rukiya''s father had betrayed their pack, Rukiya had promised herself to never fall victim to a betrayal again. Adolf was thinking that this time, she was obsessed with Awuor because she refused to believe that her mother had believed in a woman who really deserved the banishment. She knew the story and how Awuor had been framed. However, Rukiya wanted to know that she was on the side of a woman who was taking them for granted. Sure, Awuor hadn''t asked for her help, but Rukiya had seen how helpless Luna Razia had been because of Awuor and Eni, and she wanted to take that helplessness away. She wanted to give her mother closure, and what better way to do that than to save her best friend, Eni''s daughter? "Because she''s a fighter and doesn''t give up. She knew she wasn''t guilty and yet she took the punishment because she wanted to find the truth. She knew the consequences of admittance would be worse, but that would also mean that her pack would lower their guards with her. "She was aware that she would suffer for a long time, but even then, she was determined to find justice for a mother she was used of ying. I like her spirit and the fact that she doesn''t mind being out in the wild alone, just to make sure things go right, makes her intriguing. "She would probably fight me to the death, but I will still help her find out the truth if not for her, then for my mother. I don''t want mother to me herself for everything that happens to Awuor. "I need my mother to be happy and if the rejected alpha is the key to that, then so be it," Rukiya said proudly, like she didn''t just openly admit to Adolf that she liked Awuor in ways more than one. There was no way she just liked Awuor because she was a fighter. No one ever went to the lengths Rukiya was willing to go for Awuor. It wasn''t even about volunteering anymore, because Rukiya had made it part of her daily life. She was running a pack, and yet at the same time, she, her beta, and her healer were working on uncovering the truth about Awuor Hawi Sicario. "You like her," Adolf said as he looked at her, the smile on his face making Rukiya look at him like she was hallucinating. Maybe she was, because it was impossible, right? "Of course, I just said I like her because she''s a fighter," Rukiya defended though she knew that wasn''t what Adolf was talking about. However, before Adolf could say another word, Hudhayfah showed up. "Who are you plotting to kill? Should I prepare a grave? Or maybe someone wants to carry a basket of sweets on her new mission?" Hudhayfah said mischievously, and Rukiya couldn''t help but roll her eyes at him. They were being unrealistic, but were they? "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Rukiya said, as a blush crept up her cheeks, making the healer and her beta look at her like something intriguing had just happened. "What?" Chapter 49: Be Careful What You Look For [RUKIYA] The Sicario wolves had backed out of the war, thanks to the deal that Jer had offered Rukiya. He knew they didn''t need the weapons, but if that was the only way to get the Greyson wolves off their tails, then they would do it. Besides, it wasn''t like there was anything else Sicario could offer Rukiya anyway. Rukiya, Hudhayfah, and Adolf had already agreed to continue with the mission to find Awuor, but they also knew it would raise eyebrows, which was also why, as they sat near theke, watching the sun go down, they all couldn''t help but agree that this mission was supposed to be discreet. "Now that we''re doing this, we need to know more about the Sicario pack. Everything from the beginning to the point where Luna Eni was killed. But then we don''t have any active spies in Sicario at the moment," Adolf said and Rukiya let out a sigh. She didn''t care if they didn''t have spies there. No matter what it took, she would find Awuor and put her mind at ease. It was a crazy idea, but then wasn''t all of this irrational already? Her obsession with the woman was wild, but she wasn''tining and had somehow managed to convince her healer and her beta to join in the bandwagon. Nothing would go wrong, yeah? "Not exactly. Remember the prisoners we had back at the pack? The ones who seemed to be obsessed with Awuor to the point that they even risked their lives attacking us?" Hudhayfah asked as he picked as stone and threw it into theke disturbing the quiet in theke. However, Hudhayfah thought of the three of them as the disruptors. They''re going against nature itself for a woman who wasn''t even willing to admit that she had a thing for the Sicario alpha or maybe she didn''t. But then why did it seem like Rukiya was always excited when it came to Awor? Granted, Rukiya loved challenges, but nothing was ever going to beat the fact that she was a little too excited about this one. "Yeah, they could really prove useful this time," Adolf added when he saw the wheels in Rukiya''s head spinning. It was almost like she was in her own world. Frankly, Adolf wanted to get this obsession over and done with because as much as Rukiya was running the pack, she would be risking a lot of lives if she went on like this. The Greyson pack needed their alpha and Luna Razia was just no match for Rukiya in every sense. Luna was soft, unlike her daughter who had been running the pack with an iron fist to the point that the Greyson wolves had known what was expected of them and what they needed to do to avoid the wrath of their alpha. "Well then, I should go for them¡ª" "No, Rukiya. Be patient. Also, remember we promised to give them back to the Sicarios in a week as a sign of good faith. "If we fail to think straight then we will bepromising our home and that is certainly not on the bucket list," Adolf said, interrupting his alpha who just looked at him like he was foreign. However, Rukiya knew Adolf was right. They needed to be very careful lest they looked like wolves who had nothing to do other than be a nuisance to the other wolves. "Is a week enough to get the information we need from the wolves, Hudhayfah?" Rukiya asked her healer. She needed to know that this would work, because if it wasn''t enough then Rukiya could alwayse up with a crazier idea to make things work in her favor. She was going to get to Awuor and it didn''t matter who was with her, or against her. She was going to make it work no matter what happened. "Yes, alpha. A week is enough to get what we need, and to confirm whether the rejected alpha is around or went to thend where the white wolves are taken," Hudhayfah said, and Adolf let out a sigh. There was more to the white wolves too? Well, of course, there was. They had been too cooped up in looking for Awuor the alpha, and they had forgotten that she was also a white wolf and a dangerous one at that. Awuor Hawi was the white wolf motivated by death and that made her a lethal creature other than her naturally dangerous aura. "Thend where the white wolves are taken?" Adolf asked, though he already knew he wouldn''t like the answers he would be getting from Hudhayfah. "Yes, there is and where the white wolves belong. But that shouldn''t worry you at the moment. "The priority is to find the banished alpha and then we can figure out everything elseter," Hudhayfah said as he looked at the two best friends. One was tired of the fiasco while the other was determined to settle her thoughts about the woman they were looking for. "Alright then, it seems like we have our work cut out for us. Let''s go back to the warriors. I need to send them home," Rukiya began and Adolf and Hudhayfah looked at her like she was a few screws loose in the head. The more they hung around Rukiya, the more they were asked into the most unpredictable of situations. "Now? Woman, are you even okay?" Adolf asked as he looked at Rukiya who was staring at him like he needed to borate. "What Adolf means in simpler terms, is, let the warriors have their rest for the day and then they can go home tomorrow. Sending them home now doesn''t seem like a bad idea. You just have to see it too, Rukiya. "Let them have their fun, and then when tomorrowes, we''ll go home ande back with the two prisoners, alright?" Hudhayfah said and Rukiya nodded. There was no point in making the warriors up and leave, when it wasn''t like they had anything waiting for them back at home. They needed to be ready, because going after Awuor meant that they would be facing so many dangers and would probably be risking the lives of the Greyson wolves. "Alright, let''s go back then," Rukiya said and they walked back to where the warriors had camped. They were excited about how the day had turned out they had seeded in their mission and while there was no reward waiting for them, they knew they had managed to earn the trust of their alpha even more. That was all that mattered to them. The rest of the evening, the Greyson wolves spent having their fun, oblivious of the chaos that their alpha was bringing to them. Maybe they would know about thatter, but until then they needed to stay in their current state. A few meters away from where the Greyson warrior wolves were, Awuor Hawi was staring at them, wondering what chaos their irrational alpha had managed to make this time. She wanted to listen in more, but then she and Malika had a mission to attend to and if she stayed even longer, she wouldn''t get to where they were headed. "Be careful what you are looking for, Rukiya," Awuor whispered as she walked away, with a frowning Malika who was determined to keep their invisibility as long as they were walking amidst the Greyson wolves. Chapter 50: Of Respected Boundaries [RUKIYA] "Go home be with your family. Your wives are waiting for you," Rukiya said to the Greyson warriors who hade to war with her. They had done a good job holding the fort earlier even though they could tell that there was more to the weird mission that their alpha had them go on. As usual, they never questioned the orders from Rukiya, but at least they deserved the break for their loyalty. ''Five days,'' Rukiya said to herself as she looked at the warriors cheer on. They were excited to go home, but she was more excited to get the two intruders from Sicario who she had been holding in Greyson. She only had that long, before she would have to hand them over,r thanks to the deal she had made with Jer. That was also why she needed to make sure she got as much information from the goddamn intruders before she sent the back, because, after that, she wouldn''t have an ace up her sleeve anymore. Maybe alpha Rukiya was wild for taking on this mission, but the only thing that mattered to her was that she found Awuor, and sorted things out with her. Of course, Rukiya constantly convinced herself that she was doing this for her mother, the luna Razia, deep down, this was for her. Rukiya wanted to know that the banished alpha was doing okay. it was something she''d been working on for weeks now, and she needed to see it through. "Are you sure about this?" Adolf asked again, and Rukiya couldn''t help but roll her eyes at her beta. No matter how many times Adolf asked her that question, the answer would always be the same. She was sure about this, and she''d been thinking about the woman for a while now. So no matter what the oue was, Rukiya Greyson had made her decision The Greyson alpha then released her warriors, in the hope that there would be a sense of normalcy at home. She didn''t care that she was slowly bing an absent alpha; the only thing that mattered was her closure. "You know what you need to do when you get home," the alpha said to her beta, who was still ring at her. this whole mission was risky and out of order, but he''d already agreed to it ,so there was no point in him trying to backtrack at the moment. "Alright, alright, I''ll go then. And Hudhayfah, make sure she stays here and doesn''t go running around," Adolf said to the healer, almost like he needed confirmation that if he left Rukiya there, she wouldn''t wander around. "Yeah, I will take care of her. And if it''s any constion, I made a pact with her so she can''t exactly leave anyway. "At least not without the two of us with her," Hudhayfah responded while Adolf just smiled creepily at the healer as if to tell the healer that one mistake from his end and he would be long gone. **** "Where is she? Where is my daughter?" Luna Razia asked Adolf when she saw the pack beta get home with the warriors. She could see they looked a little tired, even though they hadn''t done a lot of fighting; but maybe just this was her chance to know what was happening with her daughter. "Hello, Luna, good morning," Adolf responded happily, even though he could tell the woman was worried. However, was there really a reason for her to be worried about her daughter, when everyone knew that alpha Rukiya Greyson was already a ticking bomb? "Where is she," the Greyson luna asked again, this time staring at Adolf as if darign him to lie to her. Of course, this was always the hardest part of the job,ing back to her and letting her know about her daughter''s misfortune. Nothing was ever okay, because at the end of the day, there was always going to be another dangerous mission for Rukiya to go to, given how powerful an alpha she already was, and the luna was always the one left to worry about Rukiya. Again, it was understandable considering the Greyson alpha had quite the temper. "Oh, you mean Rukiya?" Adolph said as he looked at the luna, feeling bad for the woman for the hundredth time, but maybe she was already used to this. So he simply added, "she''s finalizing a deal with the Sicarios, and it will take her a week. She''ll be back home after that she''ll be back. Don''t be worried too much about her, you know she can take care of herself." "Oh, really now? You''re supposed to be beside the alpha all the damn time. What is it you''re doing back home?" Razia asked before she turned to the warriors who were waiting for her dismissal, with a beautiful smile, "go home to your families and make sure you clean up so you don''t make your families feel like they''ve been living in a dump." "As for you,e with me." "Why am I always the one in trouble when ites to Rukiya?" Adolfined when the luna grabbed him by the ears and dragged him into the Greyson pack house. Of course, this was their type of normal, but there were times when all Adolf wanted was a normal life, one that didn''t involve being beaten up on behalf of Rukiya and especially given that he couldn''t fight the lunar anyway. "Now will you give me an exnation or will I have to get it out of you myself?" Luna Razia asked the hopeless beta, who seemed to be silently praying that the woman will let him go. Then again, whenever it came to Rukiya, the luna was going to be protective, after all, she was hr only daughter, and the only real family Razia had. Adolf figured he could save himself some time and get to the issue at hand. "Okay, okay," Adolf said and luna Razia let him go as he rubbed his ears which were already turning red. As much as Adolf knew how costly Rukiya''s current mission was, he also knew how important it was for the alpha, and while it was attempting to tell the crazy Luna the truth, Adolf knew it would only get the woman worried even more. And then he''d have to sit through hours and hours of the luna crying out for her stubborn daughter. He was already horrified enough and didn''t nat a taste of that again. "Rukiya got a deal to finalize with the Sicario wolves and that''s why I''m back home. I still have to go back to her, I just came for the two intruders. That''s all I can tell you, luna, I''m sorry," Adolf said sincerely, even though he could tell that the luna wasn''t believing him. Hell, even he couldn''t believe that he was in on this road to madness with Rukiya, but he was a loyal beta, that was all that mattered to him. "Fine but make sure my daughteres back home to me and she''s hurt, you''ll dig the farm on your own," luna Razia said and Adolf let out a defeated sigh. Of course, he was always the one suffering when it came to the two women, but he was thankful that the woman was respecting her daughter''s boundaries because that was very important especially given what the wild Greyson alpha was working on at the moment. "I''ll try my best Luna." Chapter 51: When Im Old And Grey... Right? [AWUOR] As Awuor trained with Malika, she couldn''t help but feel like something was calling onto her. She felt like there were things she wanted to fix, and Olyana just wanted the ce for her at the moment. She had been here for a few weeks now, and while she appreciated what Malika was trying to do for her, Awuor wanted to take a break from everything. She was tempted to go back to the forest in the frends, and it was something that she wasn''t sure of. Granted, she never had someone who would stand on her side, especially now that her best friend was on Jer''s side, but Awuor couldn''t help the strong sudden urge to go to the damning freends. "Malika, I need to take a walk," Awuor said, and Malika looked at her skeptically. Awuor Hawi never took walks, so hearing her im that she wanted to take a walk, was the first sign of suspicion. Malika had seen Awuor train and frankly there was no point in training her in Olyana. The rejected alpha was well trained, not to mention she was always alert. As part of her Hawi''s test, in the past few weeks, Malika had sent people to attack Awuor in the night and they had ended up with broken bones. The woman was alert, and had a clear mind even when she was filled with a rage and desire to go abc and make her people pay. Now that she thought about it, Malika knew this was the first white wolf who didn''t even need training. Awuor Hawi was the woman any pack needed. She was good at her weaponry, she was alert, she was smart, and she knew what she wanted to do. Frankly, Malika had considered telling Awuor that there was no point in training her, but she had seen Awuor enjoy the fights, so she had dyed it for a while. But hearing Awuor say she wanted to take a walk, Malika knew that maybe, just maybe, it was time to let her be. "You need to take a walk or you need to go back to the frends, Hawi? Which one is it?" Malika asked and Awuor lifted her head a little too fast, almost hurting herself in the process as she looked at her protector. "A walk," Awuor said and Malika just sighed. "Alright then, I''ll pack our bags for your WALK, alright?" "Damn, you know me so well. I''ll help," Awuor said with a slightugh. She was tired of staying in Olyana. Maybe someday she woulde back here, but each night since she hade here Awuor had been thinking a lot about her vengeance. Granted, her people had assumed that she had died because of the rejection, but still, she wanted to see for herself what was happening. She ended up rethinking everything because she could always run away and what better ce was there for her other than the freends anyway. Right now, she was a rejected alpha, one who didn''t have a mate and a pack to stay in. She was a rogue on her own, and a white wolf who had set base in thend of the protectors. So even if she didn''t have a home in Sicario, Awuor would always have a home with the protectors. "I''ll miss this ce," Awuor said to Malika as they walked past the Olyana borders into the freends. Once again, Malika gave her a look that made Awuor sigh. "I really will. Not waking up early though. You, people, wake up at a time when I''m used to going to sleep. I won''t ever miss that," Awuor added and Malika smiled knowingly. She had been with the white wolf for a few weeks and Malika knew that the white wolf was strong. Maybe because in her anger, Awuor had unintentionally exposed herself to so many harsh situations. Situations that would have rendered her dead and blind, but even then she had managed to survive. "I know. And you must also keep in mind that you have changed a lot, Hawi. your hair color ispletely white and they are so long even though pretty with the braiding you''ve been consistent in. "Even then I hope you also keep in mind that your scent changed with the rejection. No one who has never seen you will know that you''re from the Sicario pack or that you''re a rogue," Malika said a little too proudly. The white wolf assigned to her had made the impossible possible and she had nothing less than praises for Awuor. Together the two women walked back to the frends, spending two days and nights on the road, and not even stopping once. Maybe it was the excitement, or maybe it was because Awuor wanted to get settled fast. There was no telling what she was hurrying towards, but even then, Awuor knew that she was setting foot on the path that could either lead her to imminent death, or her victory against the people who had murdered her parents. Whatever it was, she was willing to face it head-on. She had been preparing for when she came back, even though she had never thought she would be back this soon. Sure, Malika always kept her up to date with all that was happening in Sicario, but Awuor had never once cared. Especially since her rejection. Awuor knew it was pointless trying to go back home and try to win the favor of her people, when they all knew the truth, and chose to be blinded by the lies that her family had decided to spread to the Sicario wolves. Hawi was done kneeling before her stupid mate and her dear brother and this time, maybe she would choose to fight fire with fire. It was always the best option when a truce was inconsiderable. "Hold on, I can smell something," Malika said as she sniffed in the air, and Awuor did the same instinctively. They had been too busy on the road and almost all the stenches were the same, because they belonged to trogues who knew better than to go after a woman with white hair who looked like she was a thousand years old. That was the price Awuor had to pay if she wanted toe back to the freends. She would be the fragile old woman with gray hair and a woman everyone wouldn''t want to fight, because no one in their right mind fought an old wolf. It was just an unreasonable and in stupid a choice. "Pack wolves in the freends,... interesting," Awuor mused as she looked at her protector who was staring at Awuor too, as if to tell her not to do anything that would harm her. "The Greysons?" Malika sighed and that got the rejected alpha''s attention. Awuor had never expected that Rukiya Greyson would have set up camp where she had once set up her camp. "I guess she finally went nuts, huh?" Awuor said, making Malika look at her like there was something wrong with her. The Greyson alpha was way out of her limits as the leader of one of the strongest packs. "Finally I get to see someone crazier than you, I have really lived my life to the fullest now," Malika said and Awuor just rolled her eyes at her protector as they sneaked around the Greyson camp. Chapter 52: Youll Never Walk Alone *Hi! It''s me again lol. Sorry for not updating in a while, but now that I''m back, the schedule will be followed. Thank you for loving Awuor, enjoy! [AWUOR] "I still think we should have gone a little farther than this," Malikained for the hundredth time as they finalized their settlement. They were currently in a shelter that was a little too close to the camp Rukiya had set up. Everyone knew the Greyson alpha was bad news, and yet as Awuor smiled at Malika knowingly in the midday, like it was going to undo all the fatigue they had, she knew she wouldn''t have it any other way. Malika didn''t want the alpha to be in danger because of the Greyson troops, but the woman she was dealing with was a stubborn mule who wasn''t even scared of death itself. "Rx Malika, it''s not like they will even know we''re here," Awuor said excitedly, like she didn''t juste back to the one ce that witnessed her worst of days. After the rejection by her mate, Awuor had changed a lot and it even scared Malika. It was almost like she was working towards one mission and one mission only. Vengeance for her mother''s death. Somewhere along the way, her desire to fight for her mother''s justice had faded in the distance, and she wasn''t even interested in trying to salvage her bonds. Justice was a thing of the past, considering Awuor had been banished by her father, rejected by her mate, betrayed by her brother and best friend, not to mention, ignored by her people. She had nothing left to gain and lose and she was going to do whatever it took to get her vengeance. It didn''t matter who she would have to cross off, and if Rukiya Gretyson was going to be thrown in her way, then Awuor Hawi would simply eliminate the woman. After all, Hawi was done thinking of other people. "Fine then. Now that we are almost done with setting everything up, what else?" Malika asked even though a part of her knew that she wouldn''t like the answer Awuor Hawi had for her. But then again, as the woman''s protector, Malika had to make sure she was always avable whenever Awuor needed her. "We say hello to Rukiya," Awuor said and Malika choked on air. Surely this woman couldn''t be serious, yeah? They had just got here, not to mention her disguise was slowly fading away. "We can''t. You can''t. You still look like an old hag, and while you''re good at fighting, you can''t fight in that state. Be patient. Let yourself change back to your original self, and then we can even go back to Sicario to say hello. "Just be patient, alright. A week is all I ask, Hawi. Just a week," Malika said, trying to pump some sense into the woman. It was going to be a long battle of wits, especially if Rukiya caught a whiff of Awuor''s scent. They needed to be sure that Rukiya was not Hawi''s enemy, before Hawi did anything. Sure Hawi didn''t need anyone to help her out in her war, and she could fight whoever she wanted to, and win, but some fights were not necessary. "You''re no fun," Awuor said to Malika who just let out a sigh and looked at the woman. She knew Awuor was curious and wanted to see what Rukiya was doing, so Malika made an offer she knew she would regret, but also one that could put the white wolf at ease. "I''ll take you to the camp, but we''re only going there to ask for food. Which isn''t much of a lie since we didn''t have the time to get some food for ourselves alright?" Malika asked and Awuor''s eyes lit up. She looked like she was finally going to do something fun. "Why do I sense a ''but''ing?" Awuor asked when Malika went a little too silent for a woman who was offering to take her out there. She was a strategist, and she was doing that at the moment; probably calcting the odds of a screwup on their end if Awuor went and if Awuor didn''t go. And since Hawi was insistent on leaving with Malika, the protector had to be ready for whatever it was the woman would do. "But you must not talk to Rukiya. I will do the talking and the begging," Malika said and Awuor pouted. Of course, the deal had been a little too good to be true, but then she wanted to scout the freends and she wanted to know if there were people spying on the freends. Awuor knew Jer was stupid as fuck, and probably assumed that Hawi was dead with the rejection and the mindlinks finally being cut. But she also knew that Dom and Elodie would want to see a body. Those two were her best trackers and probably didn''t believe that Hawi was dead. They weren''t going to ever believe that no matter what happened. Dom and Elodie knew Awuor Hawi, and they were also aware that the woman was a little too strong and too powerful to be weakened by a stupid rejection. Sure, Hawi had invested a lot on the mate bond, but she was a fighter and would always survive no matter what happened, especially if she survived the clog of penance. The woman was a force to be reckoned with through and through. "Fine. Let''s finish setting up and then head there. I assume since it''s almost evening, they are winding up too. We need to make sure we see what they are up to before they leave the camp. "The Greyson alpha has no reason whatsoever to leave her territory ande to this ce of all the ces. This is the most unguarded spot and everyone knows it will be difficult to process anything that happens in the farnds. "And yet even then she still showed up," Awuor said to Malika who watched her like she had some interesting piece of art. Of course she was, but Awuor didn''t want to think for herself as a special woman. She was going to fight and fight for her mother''s vengeance. After that, she would probably leave the wolfnds and go with Malika back to Olyana. "I think you''re being more rational," Malika said an hourter when they were finally done with everything and had even prepared their sleeping rags. They had made everything ready so that when they came back from begging they could just get into bed and get some rest while they prepared for their attack on Sicario. It wasn''t the perfect or even ideal ce for an alpha with Awuor''s stature, but then it wasn''t like they had so much to work with. Besides, they were here to kill ruthlessly, break bones, and ruin more lives that had taken the one life that mattered to Awuor, and not getfortable and kiss ass. "I have to be Malika. The people I''m after aren''t just my family, but people who know me best. If I am to stand a chance against them, I''ll need to be more careful with them. I have trained with them, and they know my strengths and weaknesses. "I do hope though, that me being the white wolf could give me an advantage over them. And if that doesn''t happen, then I will have to train a little harder and find new techniques. I have to be more careful," Awuor said honestly, shocking even Malika. They had been walking for a while now, and could see Rukiya''s camp in the distance. However, unlike earlier, they could see that the soldiers had gone and from the heartbeats, Awuor could only hear five heartbeats. Two sounded scared and were beating a little too fast, while the other three were rxed like they were having some sort of little party or interrogation. "You have me, Hawi. Always," Malika said as she gently pat Awuors back in reassurance. The road ahead was tough, but at least taught, they stood a chance against the people they were after. After all, the only way anyone would be able to get to Hawi was if they went through Malika first, and that woman was cold, cruel, and wild as fuck, not to mention a woman who didn''t mind spilling blood for the white wolf assigned to her. All Hawi had to do was simply ask and Malika would do the dirty work for her. Chapter 53: In Which She Faces A Past [AWUOR] "This ce is a little deserted," Awuor said after a long silence. She was watching the establishment and the temptation to go closer to Rukiya''s camp was overwhelming. Then again, she had no reason not to go. She needed to see for herself what Rukiya Greyson was up to. It was a nice evening after all and the worst that could happen was for Malika to burst out withughter when they were there. It was a given though, considering what the woman was doing at the moment. It was almost like she was setting herself up for failure, but was she? "I''m the grandma, and you''re my granddaughter¡­ how about we begin the practice sessions?" Hawi said to Malika who just let out quietugh. It was unbelievable what they were willing to do, but then it wasn''t like they had a formation to keep up to. They needed to get this over and done with so they could settle down with ease. At least then, they would be letting Rukiya know that they were here, and more than anything else, they would be reminding Rukiya that they were around, just in case she was nning to do anything. "Lead the way, grandma," Malika snorted and Awuor just sighed. They were being unbelievable right now, but then there wasn''t much they could work around at the moment, or was there? "What of the rehearsals?" Hawi asked, unsure if going to Rukiya without a proper rehearsal was a good thing. Then again, there was a chance she was worrying too much for nothing. There wasn''t a thing that Malika hadn''t learned at the protector school hundreds of years ago. She could do whatever Hawi wanted of her, in her sleep. And right now, it was just a chance for her to prove to Hawi that she was in a good state of mind. "I got your back. Don''t worry, I could even start, if that works for you. You just have to look a little older than you are right now," Malika said and Awuor let out a sigh. Her protector was really going to have a lot of fun with her current getup. Then again, it was only until Rukiya Greyson left the freends, that Awuor Hawi would go back to being the woman she had been. She would get back to her life and her ns, but until then, this was just a gate pass for her. "Alright, let''s get going then," Hawi said and together, they walked towards Rukiya''s shelter. It was one that had magic all over, thanks to Hudhayfah who had set everything up. It reeked of magic, but then that wasn''t even a worry for the white wolf and her protector, because they didn''t have a reason to make Rukiya look at them differently. One foot in front of the other, Hawi and Malika made their way to Rukiya''s shelter. They could hear so many voices but even then, they didn''t pay any attention to it. They wanted this to be like a surprise. When they got closer to the shelter, Malika picked up a stick and handed it to Hawi who was already giving her a stink eye. "You''re supposed to be a grandma. Or should I be it?" Malika said with a slightugh, and Hawi just rolled her eyes, before grabbing Malika''s stick. As if that wasn''t even enough, Malika moved to Awuor''s left side and held Hawi''s hand, so they looked really like an older woman with her young granddaughter. The getup was interesting but one that Awuor Hawi was always going to frown upon. Then again it wasn''t like she had much of a choice at the moment anyway. "Careful my child. I wouldn''t want to fall. And here look, we could get some of the firewood here so we can set our shelter out there, or we can use this shelter for us, don''t you think?" Hawi said in the tone of an older woman. It was a tone that no one would be able to tell that the woman in the grandma setup was Awuor Hawi, one of the lethal alphas in the region. She looked nothing more than an old woman determined to mind her business no matter what was going to happen after this. "Oh, nana. I told you this ce is dangerous and filled with wolves. But you just won''t listen. What if we are attacked by wolves? What if someonees sour and attacks us? You are so stubborn," Malika whined and Awuor looked at her with a knowing smile. Their n was working, because instantly, the voices in Rukiya''s shelter had quieted down. It was almost like there was no one in the room, but then Awuor could smell Adolf, Rukiya, and her healer in there, not to mention the two Sicario wolves. She couldn''t be fooled, but maybe this time, all she had to do was to be patient and wait to see how this would y out. Maybe then they would find a clear bnce of their current situation. "We''ll be fine. Besides wolves have their territories. Revilio said that this was the freends. I trust him for that. Come along, help me to get in this damn shelter. Who knows, we might get some food here," Hawi said and Malike helped Awuor into the shelter that was suddenly so silent. They could see that there was no one in the room, but then Malika and Hawi had a special gift of sight. Eyes that could see through any barrier, and that was also how the two of them saw Rukiya, and her team in the room along with the Sicario wolves. The Sicario wolves look like they had been roughed up and were forced to stay silent, because a word for them would probably result in Rukiya killing them. It wasn''t hard to let them be unsociable and Hawi just let out augh in her head. Rukiya Greyson was crazy, that was her only conclusion. The woman was stubborn and adamant and even Awuor hoped that there was something they could have all done, but there wasn''t, at least not now. "See, nana? There''s no one here. The people here were probably eaten by wolves. Come let''s go back home," Malika said and Awuor just sighed. "No. We are staying here. The evening is here with us and we can''t go out there. You said it yourselves. There are wolves here. What if they attack us?" Hawi insisted as they looked around the shelter. She was pushing it, trying to see if there was anything that could catch her yet, sure enough, she got it. Her favorite sweater. Everyone in Sicario knew their alpha loved that weather and even when they had left, they had remembered it. Which could only mean one of two things. Either the Sicario wolves went to Rukiya to look for Awuor, or Rukiya was trying to find out where Hawi was. But then again, why would anyone even look for Hawi when everyone had been silent when she had been banished? It all just didn''t make any sense. "Come on nana¡ª" "Here child. I found a beautiful sweater for you. You can take it and then we can go back home. Try it on," Chapter 54: The Stubborn Old Hag [AWUOR] "Here child. I found a beautiful sweater for you. You can take it and then we can go back home. Try it on," Hawi said encouragingly to Malika. Hawi knew so well that if Malika wore the sweater, her potent scent would be interfered with and there would be no way of tracking her, especially now that she had masked her scent. Maybe that''s what she wanted, or maybe she wanted to see what this was all about. "If I wear this, will we go home?" Malika asked and Hawi nodded as Malika grabbed the sweater from the ground and headed to try it on. However, before she could even try to put the sweater on, the magical barrier was broken and Rukiya instantly snatched the sweater from Malika so fast that Hawi was forced to let out a knowing chuckle. Malika almost facepalmed, but then she remembered that she was here with her nana, so she had to pretend like she was shocked. Oh, but it wasn''t hard to fake that, given that everything Awuor had made her do, had surprised her from the moment they had set foot into Olyana anyway. "Good lord what the hell?" Malika said in a terrified voice as she stood before Hawi in a protective mode. This wasn''t just her acting as the kiddo read to protect her nana, but this was her being the white wolf''s protector. If she sensed that Rukiya was a threat to Hawi''s life, Malika would fight her to the death, and that was not even up for discussion. "They just popped out of nowhere, child. Or is this their shelter?" Hawi asked as Rukiya watched her like she had seen her somewhere. "I told you entering people''s shelter was a really bad idea nana, now look what we have gotten into," Malika scolded her nana while Rukiya was giving them the stink eyes. She wanted to exin why they were here but then wasn''t it obvious? They hade here for food and water. It was the mostmon thing that anyone in Hawi and Malika''s state would have said, but then was that just it for the two lethal wolves here? "I''m sorry, nana wanted to get some rest and food and we saw your shelter. If we had known someone was here, we would have knocked. It''s just we have been traveling for a while now and we just needed the food. "Again, I''m sorry," Malika said and Rukiya looked at her, walking towards Malika who hadn''t made a move to get out of Hawi''s face. It was her responsibility as she would protect Hawi with her life. "Where are you from?" Rukiya asked when she reached Malika. Rukiya looked like she wanted to kick Malika to the curb, but there was an older woman behind Malika, a woman who was looking at them like he was ready to spank Rukiya till kingdome if she so much as tried to hurt Malika. It was crazy how they were willing to test each other''s limits, but then wasn''t that something that they needed to get used to this early? "We were crossing to the humansnds. We came from Olyana. Nana was sick and someone said that Olyana was the ce to go. He''s Revilio. He told us that Olyana is the ce where doctors are. "We wanted to go to Sicario, but Revilio said that the wolves there were unfriendly and could kill us for being humans. I''m sorry, we didn''t mean to trespass. If there''s a price for trespassing, I''ll pay it. "¡ªSince nana is too old. I''m sorry," Malika said, her voice sounding so genuine even though he was cringing from the amount of begging she was doing right now. For someone who had been trained for war since birth, Malika was shocked that''s why hadn''t even started a fight with Rukiya right now. Maybe hanging around Hawi was giving her a sense of self-control. Or was it? "Well, this clearly isn''t the ce for you two. You need to leave and never look back, because if you do, I will be the wolf that hunts you down. "It''s a good thing you already know that we aren''t kind to humans and other earthlings," Rukiya said, the emotionlessness in her voice making Awuor raise a brow. She had heard the rumors of Rukiya Greyson, the alpha that never flinched, the alpha who would do whatever it took to get things done. She had heard of the stories of one of the strongest alphas in the region and now that she looked at her, Hawi was convinced that there was always going to be more to Rukiya. She wanted to smirk, but she could tell that there was a sense of sincerity in Rukiya''s voice, and because Hawi wasn''t in the mood to start a war with one of the strongest pack leaders, she stayed silent. "Okay. Thank you. Come on, nana. Let''s leave while we can," Malika said and Hawi stood there looking at Malika like she was crazy. "I''m not leaving. My joints hurt. If you want me to leave you can as well kill me instead of letting me leave Besides it''s already dark. We don''t want to steal, but I want to rest," Hawi said stubbornly, making Malika choke on air. This woman was unbelievable. Of all the things that she could have done, she chose to y the stubborn card? Oh, but she was unbelievable at this one. "Woman, you can''t be serious right now. Don''t you hear her? We are not wanted here. Now get your old ass up ande with me. You''ve lived to be this old and I''m just in my twenties and would very much like to live till beyond your age. "Now will youe along or do I have to drag your stubborn ass back home?" Malika said seriously, making Hudhayfa chuckle this time. They all could see the stink eye the old woman was giving her grandchild and it seemed like Malika dealt with this daily. It was out, really, but was it, anyway, when the two women were having the time of their lives putting up the stupid act right now? "I said I''m not leaving. If you want to go, you go. Have fun telling my son why you left his mother with a bunch of wolves," Hawi insisted and Hudhayfah had to intervene. Rukiya herself looked like she hadn''t been ready for this madness. This wasn''t what she had subscribed to, even though the old woman''s stubbornness seemed awfully familiar. Then again, how was she even supposed to tell that Hawi was the nana who was giving Malika too much trouble anyway? How was she supposed to know that the woman she was desperately trying to find was right here before her in the form of a white-haired older woman? "Nana, you don''t have to leave. We can set up a shelter for you outside. And then you and your grandchild can leave tomorrow. How about that?" Hudhayfah said softly as he looked at Hawi who was ring daggers at him. It was almost like she wanted to beat the hell out of Hudhayfah, and sure enough, Hawi raised her stick and smacked Hudhayfah''s leg with it, making everyone in the room look at the stubborn old hag in the room. Chapter 55: The Intelligent Hopeless Duo [AWUOR] "Oh, this is unbelievable. First I had to deal with Rukiya and her obsession with finding that alpha and now I have to deal with another one who is determined to make our lives difficult. "What the hell is even this?" Adolf sighed as he looked at Hawi with a scornful face. He couldn''t believe that he was going to deal with this again. He wasn''t even halfway with Rukiya and now he was blessed with another one who was clearly going to drive him nuts than Rukiya herself. "Heyy, I''m not worse than her. The old woman had refused to listen to her granddaughter. She''s crazy for sure. Even with Hudhayfah''s offer this woman is stubborn. "Oh, I will bash her face in at this rate," Rukiya said and Hawi looked at her before lifting her stick again and this time trying to fight Rukiya only for her to fall into Hudhayfah''s arms. It was like he was waiting for her to get to this side with him. The woman was a stubborn mule and right now the only thing they could do was try and be nice to her. But then who would be nice to an older woman who was giving them trouble than she probably was worth anyway? "Come on nana, you''re embarrassing me in front of strangers. I shouldn''t havee with you to Olyana. You''re getting crazier. Wait, did you drink the medicine that man gave you?" Malika asked as she looked at Awuor who was ring daggers at her and Rukiya. It was almost like they woulde in handy. "Yeah, I drank it all," Hawi said proudly and Malika facepalmed. "You grouchy old woman. He clearly said not to drink the whole bottle in one day, but you just had to go do it, no?" Malika asked before turning to Hudhayfah, "Sorry about my nana. She should be out any minute now, especially since she drank her portion of the drugs. "She should have taken it in bits, but as you can see what I''m dealing with, I''m sorry again," Malika said sincerely, that Rukiya felt bad for her. It was clear that the older woman was being a little bitch about the situation and her granddaughter was having to bear the brunt of her rudeness and all, but maybe they could find amon ground for her right? "I''m not leaving this ce. And if you carry me out when I fall asleep, I will curse you and tour generations. All of you. I don''t know if you believe in curses, but try me," Hawi said and Malika just sighed. "That''s it. I''ll drag her out myself. This woman is crazier than Rukiya and Awuorbined. Help me out here Hudhayfah. We need to be done with the Sicario prisoners in three days, and this womaning here is making our life even harder than finding that goddamn alpha. "So which is it going to be, Rukiya. The old hag, or information about Awuor?" Adolf asked, clearly not ready to take the old woman''s bullshit anymore. He was so done and had gone through the five stages of grief in the few moments that the old woman had been here. Maybe he was even rethinking his choices and probably the day he became Rukiya''s best friend. But then again, Rukiya had made Adolf go through worse, so this was probably an act on the back, no? "You have quite the mouth on you, don''t you. I should really start with you. May your¡ª'''' Awuor began but Malika instantly covered her mouth. "Stop it, nana! You can''t go on cursing people just because they refuse to give you what you want. You''re being an asshole right now, you know that, right? How the hell do you even expect them to help us when your mouth is faster than your legs? "Goddess woman, can you just fucking shut up for a second, and let me think or even apologize for what you are doing?" Malika scolded her nana who was pointing at her, and yet so ready to take a swing at Malika with her wooden stick. She was being impossible, but isn''t that what they were supposed to be? In the few minutes they had been in Rukiya''s shelter, Awuor had scanned the room and knew that the mission was to find awuor, and even Adolf''s rants, it was obvious that Rukiya wasn''t looking for Awuor to make her surrender. The woman had another agenda that Adolf obviously didn''t approve of. Adolf was never an affectionate man which could mean that he was here because Rukiya wanted him to be, but more importantly because there was a chance that Razia had begged him to look after her stubborn daughter. Oh but Hawi was finding out things in the most interesting way. "I want to sleep. I feel sleepy, malyshka. Help me out here," Hawi suddenly said and Malika figured that it was the ''portion'' she had taken that was making her sleepy. Granted, Hawi was really sleepy for the long journey they had taken, but then she had to make sure that they were on the same page. "Let''s go out, I''ll build you a shelter myself," Malika said and Hawi just scoffed at her. "You can''t even take care of my knees, how are you going to take care of a shelter?" Hawi scoffed rudely, and Malika looked at her like she really was going to leave her here. "In that case, I''ll go back home. Good luck finding your way back, you ungrateful old woman. The next time you fall sick, I''m not taking you to the doctor. You will do that yourself," Malika said as she rushed out of the shelter, like she really was going to make a run for it. She walked around the shelter in pretend anger as she looked around, and studied the structure to see if it was a permanent one or just a makeshift shelter. She wanted to know how long Rukiya Greyson and her wolves would be staying in the freends. That way, she could find a strategy that befitted Hawi well. She was going to help Hawi get her vengeance against Sicario, but she needed to make sure that they were in a safe space for Hawi. Granted, they could fight, but Malika didn''t want the woman to fight all the time. She needed to have time to think and love herself too, because as much as this was all nice and great, a part of Awuor would always be haunted by how easy it was for her people to let her go. It hurt her so much not that she was ever going to willingly admit that out loud anyway. "Stupid woman won''t let me go back home in peace, or maybe I should sell her to the traffickers. They could put her to good use¡ª what the hell dude?" Malika asked when she saw Adolf looking at her with a bored face. He looked like he was about to beg Malika to take her nana and leave the ce, but he also looked like he understood Malika so well, given that they both were being forced to deal with the most stubborn of people. It wasn''t the greatest job, but at least Sofdl already owns that. "She''s driving you nuts, isn''t she?" Adolf said as he looked pitifully at Malika. Chapter 56: The Silence Before The Storm [AWUOR] "She''s driving you nuts, isn''t she?" Adolf said as he looked pitifully at Malika. "You tell me about it. But not for long, I know that. I won''t put up with her shit for long. At this rate, I''m gonna grow older than her because simply dealing with her is a pain in my ass. I wish I had let my father take her alone. "But then I just had to be the dutiful grandchild, and now I''m stuck with her, like he''s some rag doll I need to deal with too. I''m so close to abandoning her here with you, y''know,'''' Malika ranted, believing that Adolf sighed and sat on the ground next to Malika. He looked like he had wanted to rant to someone too, because of the pressures that came with being Rukiya''s beta. Then again, their lives were not even entwined yet and they had started making faces. What would they do when the women they were tasked with protecting went bonkers, huh? "I actually understand you. I have a woman driving me nuts too," Adolf said and Malika just sighed. "At least yours is not an old hag who still has days of travel ahead of her and doesn''t even want to make a move. "Talking of my devil, Is she asleep?" Malika asked Adolf who was watching her curiously like he was trying to see whether there was a rtionship between the woman and the old hag back there. Of course there was and even if there wasn''t, it would be hard to tell whether there was any, given how they had first met. "She''s asleep, and we''ll build her a shelter, so don''t worry. Hudhayfah and I will help you out. Anyway, I''m Adolf," the Greyson beta greeted like he was talking about it as an act of faith. He wanted to know Malika better but what were the chances that they knew each other would spark more than they could offer each other? "I''m Malika," the protector said and Adolf looked at her with a smile. Malika could see that Adolf found the name failure for some reason. However, she hoped that for their sake, Adolf didn''t prod even more, because he wouldn''t like the answers he was looking for at the moment. "Well Malika, it''s nice to meet you. Come on, let''s get your nana a good ce to rest for the night," Adolf said and Malika looked at him, like she was studying him. Of course, she was, she was watching him, ready to pounce on him the moment he became a threat to her and what she cared about. She was ready to teach him a lesson into the unknown if he so much as looked at Hawi the wrong way, but then maybe it wasn''t Adolf she decided to worry about. Maybe it was Hawi she needed to worry about because the woman was unpredictable as hell. She was a crazy one and who was to tell what she had done when Malika had gone out to take a breather, right? "Yeah, let''s get going," Malika said as she walked back to the shelter. She wasn''t sure what she had been expecting, but Rukiya and Hudhayfah looking at Awuor with a murderous re just wasn''t it. It was almost like they were determined to give the woman a hard time. "You said she was sleeping!" Malika said usingly to Adolf who was equally shocked to see Hawi awake and ready to fight Rukiya and Hudhayfah. The prisoners who were in the room had kept their distance, almost like they own the wolf woman wouldn''t hesitate to beat them to a pulp if they so much as looked at her the wrong way. She looked like she wanted to beat them all up though which wasn''tforting at all. "She was when I left her!" Adolf defended and Malika just sighed before rushing to Awuor. "What is it this time nana? What is wrong with you?" Malika asked and Awuor red at her, like she was about to cause even more drama. Oh, but the banished alpha was enjoying making Rukiya''s life miserable. Now that Awuor had confirmed that Rukiya wasn''t a hostile toward her, she was going to use that to her advantage. There was something about Rukiya''s dedication to finding Awuor that made Hawi even more curious. No one in their right mind would seek out a banished alpha and yet the Greyson alpha was here looking for Awuor, even when she knew the dangers of going against the Sicarios. It was a death trap for her people, but Rukiya was determined to see it to the end. She was going to make sure she got her answers. But what answers were those anyway? "They were carrying me to a different shelter!" Hawi whined and Malika felt like she was too close to spanking the white wolf a little too hard on the head. This woman was being an ass and they both knew it. However, Malika just smiled at the woman before turning to Rukiya. "Honestly, she''s your problem now. I am done with her. I will be out there in the shelter if you need me for anything but her. I have dealt with her long enough and I need to get some sleep too. Deal with her for the night alright? "I''ll take over tomorrow," Malika said as she walked out of the shelter, not looking back. She was so done with her white wolf''s antics and needed to get some sleep. Granted she wouldn''t exactly be sleeping because she was always going to be alert and on the lookout for anything rted to the wolf assigned to her, but she needed to see what the trio would do to Hawi. "This little--" Hawi began as she stumbled backwards, and fell on her butt on the ground. Adolf held back the urge tough knowing so well that this woman was probably going to make his life even more difficult than she was already making Malika''s life, but that was not going to be so for long, yeah? "Great. Now her grandchild also left us with her. Hudhayfah, please shut her up and put her to sleep, alright?" Rukiya said, having had enough of the woman. Maybe she would be better off with a silent old hag than one that made her life a little more difficult than it already was. Hudhayfah did as he was told, and even cast a sleeping spell on Awuor. Once they were convinced that Hawi was sleeping, they turned back to the prisoners who were still amused that the old hag hadn''t given Grayson much of an option. ***** "Where can I find alpha Awuor? I know she''s not dead. The sooner you get me those answers the sooner you find your way back to your people," Rukiya said, her tone going from defeat to that of the alpha. She was so used to it and would take every chance to use it. And right now she was the pissed alpha, the alpha whose assets had been killed by the rebellious group determined to fight for Awuor. It was crazy how these people aremitted but at the same time, it wasmendable because no one in their right mind would fight for a dead alpha, right? "Why, so you can hurt her too?" ***** A/N *Sorry it took long to update. I hope you guys are doing okay. Please vote regrly so I can update the book more frequently, thanks! and Happy weekend! Chapter 57: Loyalty Begot Loyalty [AWUOR] "Where can I find alpha Awuor? I know she''s not dead. The sooner you get me those answers the sooner you find your way back to your people," Rukiya said, her tone going from defeat to that of the alpha. "Why, so you can hurt her too? We didn''t know whether she was alive or dead, but the only way we are telling you where she may be, is if you search in your life never to hurt her. If you promise to look out for her and never let her get into harm''s way. "Otherwise, you might as well kill us now, but do know that more will always fight for her. We know her for the alpha she is, was, and will always be in our hearts. The alpha who did everything to save us. "There is just no way she killed her mother, she loved luna Eni too much. So which is it going to be, alpha Rukiya? "Your answers for the price of our true alpha''s safety and the promise of being on her side, or you can end the interrogation and go back to Greyson and be your people''s alpha?" One of the prisoners said with conviction and determination that Rukiya looked like she wanted to know more. If Awuor had been that good an alpha, why was it so easy for her father and her people to cast her out? Why was it so easy for her brother to lust for more power? Why was it so easy for the world to banish her and look at the young alpha differently? Awuor Sicario was clearly loved by her people because this was the second day she was here with the prisoners and their loyalty to Awuor was intact. It was almost like they weren''t scared toy down their lives for her. In Rukiya''s experience, it was loyalty that begot loyalty. And knowing the Sicario wolves, they didn''t be the greatest pack of all time by just worshiping their leaders. They had their own minds and most of them knew the difference between right and wrong. Right now, the people here in this shelter seemed overly convinced that Awuor Hawi was never a bad person. No prisoner wouldy down their life for a ruler who didn''t care for them and so the questions began for alpha Rukiya. Who was she supposed to trust this time? "I wont hurt her, I won''t do anything to her. I just want to see her again. Is that enough for you?" Rukiya asked and Awuor almost choked in her pretend sleep. She knew better than to fall asleep in a shelter that she wasn''t sure was safe for her. She knew Malika was in her state too, even though they both wanted the same thing. Their mission this time was to find out why Rukiya was so adamant on finding Awuor so much that she was risking having Sicario wolves in the same spot as her. It wasn''t something that happened on a daily basis, which made it even more confusing at the end. "Don''t you think if it were that easy we would have just done that ourselves instead of intentionally triggering the ess that binds Greyson and Sicario, huh? We wouldn''t have killed your elite prisoners for her, now would we? "If it were that easy, alpha Rukiya, we would have taken over the throne ourselves and made things right for our alpha but it isn''t that easy. It just doesn''t end with that. "Hudhayfah here is a healer, he must know a little about blood oaths, or didn''t you, Hudhayfah?" the prisoner said as Hudhaydfah looked at the man like he was insane. Blood oaths were permanent. They bound someone to life and if broken, the other person would die, and they wouldn''t even need to be reminded that Blood oaths were dangerous. If Rukiya made a blood oath it would mean that technically the Greyson army was always going to be there to protect Hawi, even if Hawi was against Greyson. That was a dangerous pact and could even be dangerous for Rukiya herself, especially if Awuor ever considered Rukiya an enemy. It was a long shot, a gamble that they didn''t want to even think of. It was crazy and for the love of everything good, Hudhayfah and Adolf silently held that Rukiya Greyson wouldn''t do what the prisoners wanted. "It''s a trap, Rukiya. This is a trap and will bind you to so many things. If the Sicario alpha is really alive, we already know she''s too crazy for life. She might get you in trouble and you wouldn''t even have a choice, Rukiya. "Don''t ept that," Adolf said as he tried to reason with the woman, but one look into Rukiya''s eyes and Adolf knew that there was something that the woman wanted. It was almost like Rukiya Greyson was willing to give her life for Alpha Awuor''s. It wasn''t ideal, but Rukiya Greyson and ideals didn''t really go together. It was like they were hallucinating in so many ways and right now they were losing, but were they? "Adolf is right, Rukiya. You can''t. It''s too dangerous. The blood oath binds you and the whole of Greyson and that will not really be for you, if Awuor ever shows up and decides to fight you. You know that woman is a psycho who is fueled by blood. "You will be their insurance and that is not smart. What if therees a time when alpha Jeres to ask for your help to find the banished alpha? What will you do then? "Will you leave everything behind for the psycho who probably is actually really dead?" Hudhayfah asked worriedly. He was right to be worried though, because at the moment, no one knew where Hawi was. There were spections and most believed she was dead. Maybe it was right that they let the dead remain dead. Maybe then, they would finally go back to their people and lead their lives as usual. Rukiya looked at her healer and her beta, before she looked at the two prisoners who weren''t going to try and relent. She knew that they were smart, and that just like how Adolf would follow her to the ends of the world, these two prisoners would go to the ends of the world for Hawi. They would do whatever it took to make sure that their alpha was protected, and that alone kept Rukiya on the edge of her seat. She had been thinking a lot and maybe she had finally made her decision. "Alpha Awuor is dead, and you have no proof of life, otherwise you would have note to us," Rukiya said to the two prisoners who just scoffed at her. Seriously she wasn''t that dumb, or was she? "In that case, you wouldn''t mind if we take our lives here now, would you?" the other prisoner who had been silent said and Rukiya raised a brow at the two of them. They were really unhinged, but were they? Was this just another way of coercing the alpha to bind herself to the most dangerous oath on the face of the earth? Would it really make sense for them to even think like that? "By all means, go ahead," Adolf said at the same time that Rukiya spoke, and boy did they look at her in shock. **** A/N What could Rukiya have said to make them that shocked lol? Chapter 58: The Destructive Decision [RUKIYA] "I want to see her because I like her," Rukiya said and everyone in the shelter let out a gasp, even old Hawi who had been sleeping. However, Hawi covered her gasp with a cough, especially when she heard Malika dying ofughter in her shelter. The mother of crazies'' title was finally Rukiya''s at this point, because no one in their right mind would want to say things aimlessly like that, right? There had to be ramifications for careless words like that, right? Then again, this was Rukiya Greyson and she didn''t be so powerful by being so careless. But what if this time, the Greyson alpha was being truthful? "Well it seems like it''s time for us to sleep," one of the prisoners said with augh as he looked at Rukiya. As everyone looked at her in shock, this prisoner could see that there was something in Rukiya''s eyes and it looked a lot like sincerity, which was something that he had hoped wouldn''t be real. Rukiya Greyson liking their alpha hadn''t exactly been on their bucket list because now they had to try and make the woman understand that there would be no day that Awuor Hawi Sicario would change her mind about her ns and choose Rukiya. It was an insane decision. "Hold up, Rukiya. You what?" Adolf asked but Rukiya ignored him and looked at the prisoners. "I will make the blood oath, and bind myself to thends, since we don''t know where Alpha Awuor is, or even if she is dead. If she really is dead, then it will be a faithful oath to Awuor''s loyalists and if she is alive, then I shall swear on my life to protect her till herst day. "If she is to die, she must by natural causes and if someone forces her to die, then I will avenge her down to thest bit," Rukiya earnestly said and the wolves let out unsettling coughs. The more they stayed here with Rukiya, the more they realized this woman was a few levels crazier than the alpha they were looking for. It was quite confusing to them, especially since they had never imagined that Rukiya, of all the alphas, would agree to this or even say what she had said. They had thought that it was a trap but the determination on Rukiya''s face made them realize that this wasn''t just about power anymore. This wasn''t an alpha who was willing to look out for another alpha. It would have been a stupid ass decision. Instead, this was a woman in power, but still a woman who was determined to look out for their very own. It didn''t matter that the rejected alpha had just been banished, because clearly, Rukiya Greyson didn''t mind that. And it scared them all, including Hawi who was still lying on the floor, her breaths so even everyone was thinking she was asleep. "Once you make the oath, you can''t take it back, do you--" Adolf asked, even though he had somewhat expected that Rukiya would do whatever it took to keep Hawi safe. It was crazy, but maybe the alpha was really dead and that Rukiya''s oath wouldn''t mean shit, right? "I will make the oath. How do I begin? What do you need me to do? What am I supposed to take or wear or what is needed for the blood oath?" Rukiya asked, the determination in her voice making Malika worry about Hawi truly for the first time. The both of them had never imagined that Rukiya Greyson was willing to go through all of this just for Hawi, an alpha she had met at least once in her life. It was too expensive a decision and seeing how Rukiya was more than ready to make the path, Malika knew this wasn''t good. They had no reason to trust Rukiya or even her conviction that she liked Hawi. It was all so vain and truthfully, Malika didn''t like it. "Fine, you need to--" Hudhayfah began, before there was a sudden storm outside that rattled the surroundings. There was a raining and just to make sure that Hawi was safe, Malika rushed out of her shelter and back to the shelter that had Rukiya and her team she wanted to see to it that Rukiya didn''t bind herself to Awuor, at least not until they had a reason to trust her. For all they knew, the woman was a ticking time bomb and signs like those were very dangerous to everyone and life itself. "It''s raining so hard out there, are you guys okay? Nana? Are you fine you mouthy old hag?" Malika asked when she got into the shelter, intentionally disrupting the blood oath even before they could start. The storm outside was wild, but only because Malika had triggered the storm. She had used her powers to make sure that the weather would be so terrible that by the time it all stopped, they all had no choice but to go in different directions. The winds were a little too cruel, not to mention the rains were hitting so hard that for a moment there, they watched as Malika''s shelter got dragged by the floods that had formed. It was a messy situation and the only reason Rukiya''s shelter wasn''t swept away was because her warriors had made it a few meters above the ground, and were stable enough so it wouldn''t sway. But how long would that hold? "I''m fine you ungrateful child. Why the hell did you wake me up you little shit?" Hawi said to Malika who looked at her like there was something that Malika needed to exin. Hawi knew that Malika had been listening to the conversation and she knew that the weather had been too good earlier for a storm to even show up from nowhere. It was all so conveniently crazy, but even she was smart enough to know that her protector might have had a hand in how the weather had changed a little too fast. "Are you guys okay? The weather outside is not so good, and I was worried about nana. Thank goodness I left that shelter because it had been swayed by the floods," Malika said like everyone here hadn''t already seen her shelter being dragged away. But then it wasn''t like there are so many options left for her right now, or was there? What mattered right now was that Rukiya didn''t make the damn oath because as much as it was bad for Rukiya, right now, it would be worse for Hawi, especially if Rukiya was making the oath because she was a spy for Sicario. That would break Malika''s soft heart and she would have no other choice but to eliminate alpha Rukiya Greyson in the worst of ways. Malika hated taking lives, but for the crazy woman pretending to be a nana in the shelter right now, Malika would do so without a second choice. "We can make the oath after the weather gets better, because you need to let a drop of your blood get into the ground and dry out within. Others you will have bed for nothing," Hudhayfah said and Adolf sighed in relief. He was clearly against the idea, but now that they had more time, maybe he would convince her against it, right? "Alright then, I''ll wait." **** A/N Why do you think Malika was against the binding so much? Does her distrust for Rukiya have anything to do with the fact that Luna Eni was Luna Razia''s best friend? Chapter 59: [Bonus chapter] Hi reader! I didn''t updatest weekend, I know that''s unfair, and I''m sorry. My weekends are getting a little busy and I would like to run a census per se. I want to be updating on weekdays, but I need to know which day works for you guys. Wednesday is booked, so maybe you guys can tell me which day you would want me to update between the ones listed here. The release rate will be 2 chapters a week on the day that gets the highest choices. Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Let me know in thements the day that works for most of you. Thank you for the support and I promise to do better. Love, she_osprey, Author Chapter 60: Her Ferocious Love *Since the votes, the updates will be on Friday every week. Thank you. [AWUOR] The rains went on for the whole evening and night, and even by morning, it seemed like it wouldn''t stop. Rukiya was angry and anxious because she was left with just a day before she would have to send the Sicario wolves back. Failure to do that would trigger another war and it was never a pretty sight when two of the most powerful packs went to war. So many lives would be lost and more than anything, there would be destruction all over, Because they were both powerful and had the resources to keep the war going even for five years without a break. That was a lot of damage to a society that wanted peace and advocated for it on a daily basis. "These rains aren''t stopping," Rukiya said when she could see that it was almost noon and there were still drizzles. She wondered how long the rains wouldst. She wanted to get this blood oath over and done with, so she could get her answers on Hawi''s whereabouts. It was a strange dedication, but Adolf and Hudhayfah had given up trying to talk her out of it. They knew Rukiya would always get what she wanted and maybe if they helped her find Hawi, she would be reminded that she wasn''t entitled to everything. But was Rukiya Greyson looking for Hawi because of a feeling of entitlement or was she doing this because she wanted something else from the alpha of alphas? Was it because she wanted to learn more about Hawi and interact with her or was it because she wanted to use Hawi to overthrow Jer? There were so many questions, but only Rukiya Greyson knew the answers to those, maybe it would all be fine, right? She was determined to find Hawi and she was willing to gamble with her whole pack. It was dangerous but then what else could she do anyway? "They have slowed down. I bet by tomorrow they will be gone," Malik said softly as she looked at the distraught Rukiya, almost like she, Malika, wasn''t the reason the rains had begun in the first ce. Hawi looked at Malika like she wanted to ask her protector what was happening or even what they were both supposed to do at the moment. They were both curious about what Rukiya''s intention was and the longer they stalked the longer it would take. Awuor Hawi Sicario wanted to know whether Rukiya was an ally to her, and Malik could tell that too. However, Malika was still not convinced that Rukiya meant well for her white wolf, so she would still stall. Until she was sure the woman was genuine. Blood oaths were permanent and she didn''t want to bind Hawi to a psychotic woman that they would never be able to shake even in the future. That was a lot of risks honestly, and Malika would wait. "If it''s okay with you, can I please ask something, alpha Rukiya?" Malika asked softly after a long silence making Rukiya look at her with a raised brow. What would the human want to know about her anyway, but then again they would still be stuck in that shelter until the rains stopped and they could as well make conversations. Hawi was staring at Malika, the prisoners, and the team that Rukiya had for herself. She could see how Hudhayfah was loyal to Rukiya and that made her smile a little. But it didn''t change the fact that she wanted answers too. If Rukiya was an enemy then Hawi needed to be ready and if she was an ally, Hawi needed to n for that too. But then it wasn''t going to be easy given all that they had both been fine through to this point. Questions would be raised in the future and as much as it would beforting to answer some questions, Hawi one that some wouldn''t be as easy as she would have wanted them to. She just had to be patient. "Sure, what is it?" Rukiya asked, as she walked to the door of their shelter to see whether the rains would be slowing down anytime soon. The seven of them in the small shelter for another night wasn''t pleasant, not to mention Hawi was really an irritable older woman. She was annoying every second of the day. If she wasn''t snoring the whole night, she was sleep-talking intentionally and making noise for everyone. In her sleep talks, she was ming Malika for not taking her to her son. Oh but nana Hawi was a pain that Rukiya would pay all the gold just to be rid of even for a whole day and preferably forever. Malik had learned to mute her out though because she needed her sleep, even though she was alert and ready to act in case the stubborn Hawi was in danger. It was just crazy how everything worked but what else could she do, right? "Why do you want to find the banished alpha so bad? From what I heard it seems like she''s a nutcase, probably worse than you. So why her? Why fight for someone who could clearly drag you and your people down to the pits of hell?" Malik asked as she helped Hawi sit up. She and Hawi had agreed that if Rukiya''s answer to that question was reckless, then Hawi would cause more trouble and make the shelter inhabitable till the rains stopped. It was a selfish n and one that wasn''t fiat but what else could they do? Hawi needed to be safe from everything that could harm her and if Rukiya was one of them the Malika would be ready for the next stage. Elimination. "You stupid girl. Why would you poke your nose into things that don''t concern you?" Hawi suddenly said as she grabbed Malika by the hair. It looked painful but it was it? If anything Hawi wasn''t even pulling Malika''s hair. She was just holding onto them but anyone who looked at the two of them could see Malika in pain, which she was not in. "Jeez you old woman, you really like making my life hard. Why the fuck wouldn''t I be curious? It''s not every day that anyone makes a blood oath, though I hope you make the blood oath to never hit me. "Or I promise I''ll just leave your ass on the way home and tell father that you were eaten by wild animals. Now please leave my hair, you," Malika said disappointedly as she tried to break free of Hawi''s grip and expectedly, she couldn''t. "Apologize to them, and be quick about it," Hawi insisted, knowing that Rukiya was about to y right into their hands. She could see the worry on Rukiya''s face and her empathy towards Malika. Maybe Malika and Hawi were wrong for that but when they needed the answers. "It''s okay nana. She didn''t ask the wrong question. Even my people are wondering why I want to seek the woman out so badly. She''s right. Alpha Awuor is dangerous, and kind-hearted at the same time. "She''s crazy and yet understanding, she''s full of hate but that''s what she wants people to see in her. She worries a lot for people, she loves without thinking of the consequences, and she''s Selfless. "The blood oath has to be the craziest thing I have ever even considered but I will do it for her and only her," Rukiya began and the shelter went dead silent, with Hawi staring at Rukiya like the woman had lost a few brain cells in her head. What the fuck was she even thinking? This woman was nuts and honestly, that scared Hawi. The determination on her face was telling Hawi something different but she had to be patient and hear what Rukiya would say anyway. "But yeah, I won''t hesitate to do this for her, because she''s mine¡­ She''s mine to protect and be insane with. We''re probably not even mates given she was just rejected by her mate, but for her, I would do whatever it takes¡ª "¡ªBecause she''s always been mine from the onset, my ferocious love," Rukiya said thoughtfully like she wasn''t even listening to anyone anymore, and maybe they could have bought into her fantasies if only Hawi hadn''t spoken in her real voice and not the nana voice she''d been using. Oh, Hawi. "Bitch, I''m your what now?" Chapter 61: The Only Way Out [RUKIYA] "¡ªbecause she''s always been mine from the onset, my ferocious love," Rukiya said thoughtfully like she wasn''t even listening to anyone anymore, and maybe they could have bought into her fantasies if only Hawi hadn''t spoken in her real voice and not the nana voice she''d been using. Oh, Hawi. "Bitch I''m your what now?" Hawi asked as she looked at Rukiya who had suddenly turned to look at her. Rukiya could have sworn she had heard Hawi''s voice and she could have sworn everyone in the shelter had heard her too. She looked in the direction of Malika''s nana and Malika was busy facepalming. She looked like she was about to go crazy by just listening to Hawi and her madness. This woman would be the death of her if she wasn''t careful. Hawi didn''t even care for a moment, because to her, she wasn''t going to pretend for long. Malika looked around them and she was getting greedy forbat ready to protect her assigned white wolf, but then as Rukiya closed in, Hawi did what she always did best. She became a nuisance. "I told you, you little shit, the nappies wouldn''t work," Hawi said, this time, using her real voice, but an older version. She was slowly masking her voice, trying to make it seem like she hadn''t slipped up or that she hadn''t been shocked by the fact that she had heard Rukiya''s confession. It was crazy and as it stood, Rukiya had taken a new interest in her. "What did you just say?" Rukiya asked, and this time, she was using her alpha tone on Hawi and she didn''t like it. Malika had to remind Hawi that this was them just having to keep on the act and that it was a necessity. But even then, Hawi didn''t like the tone Rukiya was using on her. Whatever game she and Malika were ying, she was slowly getting sick of it, because no alpha dared to use the alpha tone on her. Hawi looked at Rukiya, then at Malika, before deciding that maybe it was worth a try. And so the great Hawi Sicario looked at Rukiya, like a regr wolf who had just gotten the alphamand, a wolf that wasn''t sure what this meant. Of course, right now, she was parading as a human, but there were times when the humans had to bow to the wolves and that was something that Hawi was going to maximize, only for now. It was appropriate and at the moment there weren''t many options for her. Malika was constantly reminding her that they needed to find out what Rukiya wanted with her, but then again, Hawi was already cringing so hard at what she had heard so far. This isn''t how this should have gone by and frankly, maybe getting the blood oath done was better. "Hey kid, what the fuck did your father say we should say when we meet the wolves?" Hawi said to Malika who had been bowing with her. They looked stupid and even then, Hawi knew that this was a picture that Malika would never let her outlive. For a woman who took pride in so many things, Hawi wasn''t proud of this. She had been waiting with her head bowed so Rukiya could continue and it was unsettling for her. Maybe once this was done she would remind herself to never bow again, right? "Shut up you old woman. You peed in your fucking nappies and now we don''t got nothing to change you into. Maybe I should just let them deal with you," Malika whispered as she intentionally shook her body to make Rukiya think that they were scared shitless. Maybe with the terrible weather outside, they would be able to sell the act, but the only question was whether Rukiya Greyson would buy the act. It wasn''t something that they couldn''t count on really, because it all just kept getting worse. ''How long am I supposed to be an old woman? My butt hurts from all this and the stupid spell you cast got me smelling like pee you wicked protector,'' Hawi said to Malika in their mind link and Malika just sighed internally. ''If she doesn''t buy this act, then we don''t have to keep the act anymore. We will just bind them to a wall and force the answers from them. It''s that easy,'' Malika said and Hawi looked at her incredulously. "You should have fucking started with that instead of torturing me like this," Hawi scolded loudly, and as unintentional that was, Rukiya and everyone in the shelter heard them. Adolf looked like he was already tired of staring at the circus before them. The fact that they still had to spend more time with this nana wasn''t even helping their situation. Maybe there was a way they could shake Hawi and Malika, right? "Oh for fucks sake, Rukiya. Focus on the n. We need to get to know what these prisoners have and of the stupid blood oath so the only way for them to tell us where Alpha Awuor is, let''s get on with it. "This old woman is clearly a nuisance that her granddaughter would want to shake, and that won''t happen if we keep standing here. "So let''s get on with it, shall we?" Adolf said and Hawi made a move to talk but Hudhayfah took a piece of clothing and wrapped it around the older woman''s mouth, making Hawi re daggers at him, but he didn''t mind that. This woman was being a nuisance to their ns and if they stayed here for long they would have all the answers they needed. If anything, finding Hawi was more important to them than whatever the fuck was going on here. "Let''s go outside, and get this done with," Hudhyafah said when the rains subsided. Malika looked at Hawi, ready to stop Hudhayfah, but had stopped her. Maybe there was sincerity in Rukiya''s words. Maybe there was something that they could do about it, butter on. ''Why are you stopping me, think of the consequences of her binding herself to you. What if she tried anything stupid?'' Malika asked when Hawi stopped her from stopping him, or even acting. ''We have tried to buy time, Malika, but none of that has worked so far. I can''t keep on being this dumb nana and you can''t be cursing out an older woman all the time. We have to think. Besides, if she binds herself to me, and swears to protect me with her life, I will have an army. "I will have her army, which is one of the strongest armies in the realm. That means I won''t be alone, Malika. I will have an army ready to go to war for me. With the blood oath, Rukiya won''t have a choice but to make sure I am safe and the only way to do that, is to let her do this. "Besides, don''t you trust me? I wouldn''t let a bitch bring me down, not this time,'' Hawi said and Malika just sighed. She knew Hawi was right, so she did the one thing she hadn''t thought she would ever agree to. She stopped the rain. Chapter 62: The Binding Blood Oath [RUKIYA] Malika was skeptical about what was happening, but she also knew that they couldn''t rely on a dumb n all the time. Their time was getting more limited and Hawi was right. So as Rukiya and the prisoners made their way out of the shelter to do the blood oath, Hawi could only hope that this was going to be truly beneficial for her. She knew that there would be risks, but wasn''t she born of risks from the very beginning anyway? She had lived a happy life, only to lose it all because of her family, and maybe that was enough motivation for her to get on their necks and demand what was hers. "I need to see what is happening too, help me out of this damn shelter," Hawi said and Malika and everyone else just looked at her. It was like they had forgotten that they had an old woman keeping thempany all this while. The woman was a nuisance and they were contemting whether to let her be there or to see to it that she was helped. But would it be worth it? "Stay in the shelter, nana. It is cold out here. Besides, we prefer doing the blood oath next to the shelter. We will be back, don''t worry," Alpha Rukiya said and Hawi resisted the urge to roll her eyes at them. These people were about to expose her and she was supposed to stay and sit tight? Then again, it wasn''t like she would lose anything after the blood oath was done, right? "Fine, I smell like pee anyway," Hawi said and they all facepalmed, but stood in a semi-circle, making sure that the stubborn old hag was able to see what was happening so she wouldn''t cause them more trouble than she was worth. The two prisoners looked at Rukiya, wondering if she really was going to do this. Hudhayfah and Adolf were still against the idea, but they had given up trying to make peace with her because she was determined to make this happen. All they could do was to support Rukiya anyway. "Let''s get on with it, shall we?" Hudhayfah said and they all just nodded. Hudhayfah had a knife that he always walked with, most of the time it was for his own protection, but right now, as they stood here, he was going to use the knife to slice the Greyson alpha''s palm so she could bleed into the earth. The ground was still wet, but it was drying a little too fast, but they couldn''tin about it. Besides, they are a little higher on the terrain so it is understandable. "Are you sure you want to do this? This is thest chance before you bind yourself to the psycho who will probably want you dead more than you might want her dead," Adolf said and Rukiya just smiled sadly at her best friend. "I need to do this, Adolf. I have to. Besides, who knows what is happening to her. If these two will tell me where she is, and if she is alive or dead, then I will do it, for her," Rukiya said earnestly and Hawi almost choked from the sincerity and Rukiya''s confirmation that no matter what happened, she would go on with this. Oh, but it was still a risk still. "Alright, let''s begin, shall we?" Hudhayfah said, and the Greyson prisoners looked at Rukiya, still expecting her to back out, but then Rukiya never backed out of deals with what she was seeking, so they just had to get on with it. "Do you, Rukiya Greyson, swear to keep the banished alpha safe, and protect her with your life, and your people? Do you swear to never put her in harm''s way and to never let her take the hits alone? "Do you swear to be there for her no matter what differences you may have, should she be alive? Do you promise to listen to her and be by her side through and through, no matter how harsh the winds could get? "Do you swear this and do you willingly agree to the blood oath?" Hudhayfah said and for a moment, Rukiya looked at the prisoners who were standing there with her and her friends, not to mention Hawi who was actually seated at the door of the shelter, waiting for Rukiya to refuse the oath. It was evening already and they needed to keep warm, given the temperatures weren''t exactly weing to say the least. Rukiya looked like she was hesitating and Adolf almost let out a sigh of relief, but then all that went away when Rukiya responded. "I Rukiya Greyson, alpha of the Greyson pack andmander in chief of the Greyson army, swear on my life to protect, love, and fight for the banished alpha, until myst breath," Rukiya said, making everyone a little emotional. She had mentioned love and that wasn''t even in the oath, did that mean that Rukiya had a crush on Awuor? Did it mean that she had a different motive for doing this? Maybe there was and maybe they wanted to. "Then you shall bleed on the earth to make sure your earth is bound to the very earth you walk on. If you betray the oath, may the fates have mercy on you," Hudhayfah said as he handed Rukiya the knife he was holding. Rukiya didn''t even hesitate to slit her palm, and watch as her blood dripped on the earth''s surface, as light that made Malika convinced that making this woman wasn''t so bad. Besides, now that Rukiya had made the oath, nothing would change the fact that no matter where Hawi was, the Greyson alpha would always be on her side. It was a fate that Rukiya had decided on for herself and no one had forced her, which made all of this a tad more interesting. "You really did it you crazy girl," Adolf said as he pulled his best friend into a hug. He didn''t know what else to do for her, especially now that she had healed and her blood had dried up pretty faster than they had expected. "Yeah, I did it," Rukiya said excitedly as she looked at the prisoners, "now it''s your turn." "The alpha is alive, alpha Rukiya," one of the prisoners said as the other added, "That is all we can give you for the moment. That is all we know anyway, because if she had died, then the wire would be storms that came with the death of the only white wolf in this lifeline. "She is alive, and maybe the oath will bring her to you. Our work here is done, don''t you think?" "You''ve gotta be kidding me. She made the damn oath and all this while you didn''t know where she was? What the fuck is with you both?" Adolf said angrily as he looked at the prisoners. He didn''t believe that they really didn''t know where the troublesome alpha was. They had forced Rukiya to make the blood oath and it was or nothing? "If you can''t be as resourceful, then we have no use for you," Adolf said as he showed his ws, ready to strike the suddenly worried prisoners. They knew that the beta would easily take them out and they would have lost their lives for her, but damn, none of them had thought that it woulde to this. "No Adolf, don''t kill them," Rukiya said, as she reached out to her best friend to stop him. She didn''t want to use the alphamand on him, because she had promised that she wouldn''t, but seeing what she was seeing right now, Rukiya was tempted to be the alpha. "Don''t do that, Adolf," Hudhayfah added, like he was suddenly realizing something that they all hadn''t all this while. "She''ll kill you, if you kill them," Malika said, the conviction in her voice as she stood there, with an annoyed face. Unlike Hudhayfah and Rukiya who were trying to stop Adolf, Malika was staring at him, like she was waiting for her mistress to tell her what she needed to do. She knew Hawi wasn''t cruel to let her loyalists die for being loyal to her, when she could save them this early. "You never really learn, Adolf, do you? You really want me to kick your ass again?," the old Hag finally spoke up, shocking everyone except for Malika. Chapter 63: Wont You Look At Me? [RUKIYA] "You never really learn, Adolf, do you? You really want me to kick your ass again?," the old Hag finally spoke up, shocking everyone except for Malika. Her voice was familiar, awfully familiar, and as they watched the woman transform from the old hag they had been with in the shelter for a while, to the woman they all were seeking, their minds were nk as they tried to process everything on overdrive. "Let''s agree, the next time, you''ll be the old hag," Hawi said to Malika who was watching her amusedly. Now that she had transformed, Hawi looked beautiful, a sight that she herself would have been shocked with if she had seen herself in the mirror. She looked like a goddess even as the slow winds rushed through her hair in the night. It had been long since she felt whole again and now that she was sure she wasn''t alone, Hawi felt like she could conquer the world. It was but a feeling that she would always reign in, an emotion unfamiliar to her, but also one that she was willing to explore. This right here was the feeling of freedom, and more than anything, she felt like she belonged, even though the circumstances were not exactlyforting to anyone at the moment. "Fine, but I think you aced it, don''t you, Hawi?" Malika said and Hawi flipped her hair, as she looked at her proud protector. This was a feat she hadn''t thought she would get to and now that she had, she was d she did hold on, even for a while longer. "Of course I did, but none of that will convince me to do it again," Hwi said and Malika just fist bumped her. "You did great, mistress," Malika said, as he bowed to Hawi, a sign that they were finally snapping from their little world to one in which the prisoners and the Greyson wolves were staring at them in disbelief. It was understandable though, because none of them had expected to see Haiw, not even the prisoners who trusted and believed in her so much. It was like they had been hoping that everything would be fine, even though they didn''t have the slightest clue of how it would be. "The old hag¡­ The granddaughter who had had enough with her nana¡­ Was it all an act?" Rukiya asked, clearly not expecting what had just happened. She couldn''t be med though, because even Hawi herself hadn''t expected that they would end up having some blood oath. She hadn''t even imagined that Rukiya would ever make such a great step and that too a risky and unstable one. But then here they were, right? "You yed us," Adolf said angrily as he looked at Hawi. She had changed and she looked prettier than ever, not that she would care to admit it, but boy was it something that made Adolf''s blood boil. His best friend had been forced to make a blood oath binding her to a woman so unpredictable, a woman who loved ying games, and a woman who clearly wasn''t scared of losing anything. "Did I? All I did was be the old hag who hade to seek shelter. Besides, it wasn''t like I was encouraging your alpha to do the blood oath. You heard her. She wanted to do this for herself. "Don''t me her terrible decisions on me, we both know that wouldn''t be fair and not nice, don''t you think?" Hawi said nonchntly as she looked at the. She wasn''t even bothered that she seemed like a traitor, but then she was right. "You both knew she was in the tent?" Adolf turned to the prisoners who were smiling and in awe that their banished alpha was back. They were so happy they could agree to whatever the Greysons wanted at the moment. Besides, it wasn''t like they could go anywhere right now. Their leader was back, the women they were so ready to fight for were back and that was all they needed to believe that maybe their prayers had been answered too. "Does it matter now? You got what you wanted and we got the affirmation that our Mistress was alive. Whatever you want to do with us, get on with it. Besides, we don''t mind dying by your hands this time," one of the prisoners said to Adolf, who was looking at them disbelievingly. "Why you little¡ª" "Okay. I see that it''s hard toprehend that I am back. But no one is killing anyone now," Hawi said before turning to Malika, "Portal them back to Sicario." "Are you sure, mistress?" Malika used formally, reminding Hawi that here and now, they were a protector and her assigned white wolf. Maybe that was going to be new to everyone and would take them a while to adjust, but alike wanted to remind Rukiya indirectly that no matter what happened, Hawi was never going to be alone. "But alpha¡ª" the prisoners began but Hawi just smiled at them, and it wasn''t the kind of creepy smile, no. It was the smile they had once been used to. The smile of a once-happy Hawi, the smile of the girl who had everything going right in her life, and the girl who didn''t have to fight for her ce in the society. It was the smile everyone in Sicario would probably never get to see again because of the circumstances but maybe they just needed toe to that reality. "You guys have to go back home. However, I need you to send a message to Dom. Tell him that ''maybe white wasn''t truly a color'', and tell Jer to prepare for the red veil, because it will reign for a very long time," Hawi said and the prisoners looked at her. They knew what that meant and frankly, they were worried for Sicario. There were times they wished they didn''t understand their banished alpha but right now, they couldn''t deny that they deserved it. After everything that had happened, the red veil being mentioned was understandable. "Okay alpha," the prisoners nodded as they bowed to their alpha once again. "Come along, let''s get you through to Sicario," Malika said before she created a portal, unshackled the prisoners, healed them, and then sent them through the portal to Sicario. All that time, Rukiya and Adolf weren''t sure what they were up against or even what was happening here. "You''re her protector. It all makes sense now. You didn''t hesitate to defend her even if it was indirectly. I should have noticed the stench earlier wasn''t even pee in the first ce, it was the stench of an overly ripe mixed fruit juice. "You were here all this time," Hudhayfah said to Malik once the portal closed. Malika on the other hand just stared at him like he was a slow poke, but was he when he had managed to figure it out this soon? "You''re smart, Hudhayfah. Anyway, we don''t want to intrude in your shelter. We will go back to ours now. And you guys need to leave the freends before you get linked to me. "It would be really embarrassing for the three of you," Hawi said before she turned to walk back to her shelter, along with Malika. "Won''t you say something to me?" Rukiya asked, making Hawi stop in her tracks. Chapter 64: Go Home... This Is No Place For You [AWUOR] "Won''t you say something to me?" Rukiya asked, making Hawi stop in her tracks. "You? You mean the alpha that left her mother to guard the pack while she''s out here seeking a disaster of a woman? You mean you who keeps poking your nose in things that don''t even concern you? "What do you want me to tell you, Rukiya? Thank you? But for what? The blood oath is stupid, was stupid, and will always be the stupidest decision that you ever made while your best friend and the old idiot beside you watched. "Don''t expect me to thank you for forcing yourself into my life. I didn''t ask that of you. As you can see, I was doing well on my own. Fighting MY battles, alone. Facing MY demons, alone. I told you the first time that you didn''t need to show up for me. "And I''ll say it again, Rukiya Greyson. I am not a charity project that you want to see its sess. I am an alpha and a powerful one. I may be without a pack, but I can easily take your people with a snap of my fingers. "But hey, you want me to tell you something, right? Release the Sicario warriors and let them go back home. And you too, go back home. The frends isn''t a ce for a pretty little princess like you," Hawi said coldly, her voice shocking even Malika. It was almost like the woman had been possessed by a spirit, but Awuor was right. She couldn''t keep herself bound to Rukiya just because of the damn blood oath. If push ever came to shove and all her contingency ns failed to work, then she would consider seeking Rukiya. But until then, until her long list of contingency ns was exhausted, Hawi was going to get some rest and forget that she had seen one of the smartest alphas in their realm, be a fool right in front of strangers who would mock her for life. And there was a chance that Hawi would do the mocking first. "What the fuck did you just say to her?" Adolf asked angrily when he felt Rukiya''s heart breaking. Of course, even he had expected the whole evening to be a shitshow, but damn, witnessing Rukiya being burned like that wasn''t fair. Rukiya waspromised. Adolf knew it. Hawi knew it. The prisoners knew it. Malika knew it and even Hudhayfah knew it. It was all just a matter of time before she fell apart because of her actions, which didn''t seem like too much of a big deal right now. Eventually, her irrationality would bite her in the ass, but then what were the chances that Hawi changed over time? What were the chances that the fierce banished white wolf would change and be warm to Rukiya? "Why, have you gone deaf in the few minutes that it rained, or did your brain cells take a break again? You need to be one with your brain, Adolf. At least if one of you is smart, the big bad alpha wouldn''t have made such as stupid decision. "Anyway, you can choose not to listen to me and get on with your oath or whatever the fuck you were doing before Malika and I showed up. Maybe it will make your evening beautiful and who knows, maybe the skies might be starry right? "Get on with it, maybe it would be good karma for you guys, right?" Hawi said, and Malika looked like she was about to drill a hole in her forehead, from the amount of facepalming she was doing. Malika wanted to tell Rukiya that Hawi was just shocked and that the banished alpha just needed to process the fact that one of the most powerful alphas in the region had taken up arms on her behalf. She wanted to exin to Rukiya that maybe by morning, when Hawi was done getting over the shock of Rukiya choosing her without a doubt and a pause, things would be alright. Maybe then it would be fine, really fine, yeah? Oh, but that would have been easy if Malika was dealing with someone else other than the mother of crazies who looked amused, angry, and emotionless at the same time. The angry smirk on Hawi''s face, conveyed a different emotion from her nk face and hopeful eyes, not to mention the heavy blushing she was doing right now because of Rukiya, though Hawi would deny it with her life if ever asked. That was something Malika would ask her about when everything had calmed down. But in the past few minutes, the only thing Malika could think of, was that Rukiya Greyson had made the mother of crazies blush, even if it was just for a second. And that, in Malika''s book was enough proof that Hawi had emotions. A part of her was normal and that was a sign of hope for humanity, right? Oh, Hawi. "You ungrateful little¡ª" Adolf began and Hawi didn''t even bother to wait for the rest, because she was already on her way. The night was cold and with the rains, it would be hard for them to get dry branches. And that only meant that she would be sleeping in her wolf form. But then again, that would leave Malika cold. Maybe they would stay and talk about the night and then sleep during the day when the sun rose, right? "How are you feeling?" Malika asked when they got to their shelter which looked like shit. "Better than the shelter we set up," Hawi said as she pointed at the mess before them. "Do you think it''s toote for us to go back to Rukiya and ask her if she can give us a ce to sleep for the night? I feel so tired, and the aging spell you cast on me made me feel weak," Hawi whined and Malika let out a chuckle. It was nice to know that even though she had been a bastard earlier, there were little things that still managed to bring out the young whiny ass Hawi. She looked different with her long white hair trailing down her back. "It''s not toote, but then you just dismissed the woman for looking for you when everyone probably wasn''t. You made her feel like she didn''t need toe for you, even though she felt the need to. And you made her question if what she felt for you was real or not." "I was that bad?" Hawi asked and Malika just rolled her eyes at her. "I was just being frank with her, and what the fuck do you mean when you talk about her emotions. Were we looking at the same Rukiya? Or did I have a different focus?" Hawi asked when Malika began picking whatever was left of their shelter. It was going to be a long night for them. "I''m not even surprised you didn''t notice that," Malika sighed. "Ohe on, I didn''t do shit." "Yeah right¡­ you did nothing, other than blush like a little birdie with a crush. Just between us, you both would make a bomb couple¡­ don''t ask me what a bomb couple means. Help me fix this mess," Malikaughed and Hawi joined her, feeling confused as hell. ''What the fuck is a bomb couple?'' Chapter 65: Quite The Good Night, No? [RUKIYA] With Hawi and her protectors gone, Rukiya, her team, and her prisoners stood there staring at each other like they didn''t know what they needed to do. Adolf was still raging because of Hawi''s unthankful nature, while Hudhayfah had long given up fighting the banished alpha, because he already knew that he would be seeing more of her, even with her rebellion. The Sicario prisoners were excited and while they wanted to go with their leader, they were aware that their mission wasplete and didn''t care what chaos followed after this. The only important thing to them was that their alpha was alive, healthy and in good hands, not to mention her madness hadn''t changed even once. It was a good evening for them and if they had a chance they would offer sacrifices to the goddess to show their appreciation. "She''s still wless as always," Rukiya said thoughtfully as she looked in the direction of where Hawi and her protector had disappeared. She didn''t seem bothered by the fact that the psycho alpha had just ignored her and probably made her look stupid with the blood oath or anything. To Rukiya Greyson, it was like she had gotten a new bout of fresh air and it was worrying. Adolf looked at his best friend, silently questioning where the badass Rukiya was and what had happened to her. Then again, as someone who had seen Rukiya through the years, he knew that his alpha had fallen so hard for the mistress of chaos and vengeance, and it was just a matter of time before Rukiya got her heart broken. The worst part of it all was that Adolf wouldn''t be able to do shit to help Rukiya then. He just had to let everything y out and that made him feel like they were about to be walking on literal fire because of the two women. "Goddess please have mercy on us all," was all Adolf let out, before they walked back to the shelter, leaving Rukiya standing there in the night like the moon was suddenly so interesting. He wanted to bug her a little but he couldn''t, because he knew that this time he needed to let Rukiya do this on her own. Besides, she was always going to be level-headed after some time anyway. That night, Rukiya Greyson didn''t sleep. Instead, she had been thinking of different strategies to take over Sicario. It was almost like the mission was more than personal for her. She was analyzing Jer and Elodie''s actions during the war in her head. She was trying to see what fit where and who she would begin with if ever Hawi had called upon her army given their circumstances. Rukiya was thinking of the older Sicario alpha, a man who had been ready to die for hisnds, and yet refused to believe in his daughter. Rukiya was pissed that the alpha knew of what would happen and still let his daughter find herself in the trap that was the worst situation a child would ever be put in and they had put Hawi in it like she was the easiest target. And for some reason, that drove Rukiya to the edge, so much so that Adolf had to get up and force her outside. "You need to calm down, alpha. Your anger is simmering through the links and it''s just a matter of time before all the Greson wolves experience the unrest and we both know that will keep them on edge and stop them from going through with their activities. "Please," Adolf said when he managed to walk Rukiya outside. He didn''t know what had made her so angry to the point that the links were filled with so much anger, but thest time she had felt like this, Rukiya was fighting against her father, the man who had brought Greyson down and Rukiya had to make the choice between her father and her people. Adolf didn''t even want to ask what it was, because the amount of clicking and pacing Rukiya was doing was already disturbing in itself. "It will get better, Rukiya," Adolf added a few hours into RUkya''s pacing. If she wasn''t careful, she would dig a hole in the soft soil that was left when the rains had stopped. He could only wish peace for her. "I know, it just makes me feel like there is more that I need to do and assess, but I don''t even have the time," Rukiya said sadly as she plopped to the ground. It was crazy how she was more worried about Awuor Hawi more than Hawi was worried about herself. It was almost like Rukiya was having an intense urge to please Hawi and that would lead her in the direction of her shattering heart. While she was pacing around, the mistress of chaos was sleeping peacefully in the cold shelter, right? Well, that would have been easy to exin, but then Hawi hadn''t been sleeping. She had been listening and heard what Adolf had said to Rukiya and for a split moment, Hawi felt like she was responsible for this, and her heart bled for Rukiya. She didn''t know the repercussions of the blood oath that well, but Hawi knew that no blood oath would drive the woman to this level of insanity, if she hadn''t been in that state herself. "Go get some rest, Adolf. I''ll stay with her," Hawi suddenly said, making Rukiya stop her pacing and Adolf red at Hawi under the moonlight. He didn''t trust her and he was right to not trust her, because Hawi was even more unpredictable, especially now that she had nothing left to lose anymore. She could go bonkers and no one would question her and no council would dare to judge her. "You?" Adolf asked skeptically. He knew that it was easier to believe traitors than for him to believe that Awuor Hawi suddenly had Rukiya''s best interests at heart. "Yes, Adolf. I''ll take care of her Even just for tonight, you can rest assured that I''ll take good care of her. I won''t be doing this when the sun rises thru. So go, warrior, get some sleep and I''ll be here with her," Hawi said again and Adolf raised another brow at the woman. The fact that there was sincerity in Hawi''s voice confused him even more. This woman was sitting at the same table as the devil and now she was suddenly feeling empathetic if she couldn''t even muster a thank you? "Where''s Malika?" Adolf asked like that was supposed to mean anything to him or even Hawi. "Sleeping like everyone else. You should sleep¡­ Tomorrow might be busy. I won''t hurt her, I promise alright?" Ha insisted and Rukiya looked at her with a nk face. "Go, Adolf. If she tries anything, I am just as strong a fighter as she is. I can handle myself," Rukiya said to Adolf who still looked like he needed a lot of convincing to leave Rukiya with the mad woman. "Oh, Rukiya, you care too much about this... If you want toe to war with me, you must promise to choose mind over matter, and everything else, including the heart. "You can''t fight beside me, if you''re always going to let everyone read through you like an open book," Hawi said softly to Rukiya, as she removed a stray strand of hair on Rukiya''s face, once Adolf was gone. It was almost like she too cared about Rukiya, but that was impossible, right? "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Rukiya reiterated, as she faltered back. she wasn''t sure where she was headed, but a little further so Hawi wouldn''t hear her fast heartbeats that were betraying her face right now. She wasn''t sure what they were both doing, or even what had happened, to get them this close that they could almost feel each other''s breaths. Rukiya wanted to me it on the night and the cold weather, but was that really it for them? "That''s how it should be, even on the battlefield," Hawi said, as she put a hand on Rukiya''s waist, to stop Rukiya from falling over in the muddy patch behind her. "If you keep worrying about me too much, you might have wrinkles, and I''m not nning on having a wrinkly mate, when my war is over, alright?" Hawi breathed ever so slowly on Rukiya''s face, before kissing Rukiya''s forehead, an action that not only shocked Rukiya, but also Hawi herself, and the mad woman suddenly had to rush back to her shelter with Malika. ''What just happened?'' Chapter 66: Running From The Wind [HAWI] ''Why did I even do that?'' Hawi scolded herself as she walked back to her shelter. However, instead of reaching the shelter, the rejected alpha sat a few meters away from her shelter, like she was waiting to see what Rukiya would do. She may have been shy to go back to Rukiya right now, but she had promised Adolf that she would look out for Rukiya, and that was what she was doing right now. She watched as Rukiya sat on the nearest stone, cold as it was, she didn''t seem to care, and Hawi was worried for her. She could tell there was a storm in Rukiya''s eyes, and slowly, Hawi was learning that there was more to the both of them. She could have stopped the blood oath and could have gathered a different army for herself without any difficulty, but instead, she had pretended to be amused when Rukiya offered herself and her army. Hawi was smart, but it was also that which stopped her from making a mess of herself even more. Tomorrow woulde and then they would go their separate ways. ''Goodnight, Rukiya,'' Hawi whispered into the night as she watched Rukiya finally walk into her shelter after a while. The night had grown colder, and she went to her shelter to rest and wait for tomorrow. However a few minutester Hawi was shaking Malika, waking her up like there was an emergency that they both ended to attend to, and maybe there was especially now that Hawi was thinking on overdrive. She had regrets and in her experience, regrets while on admission was never a good thing. "Wake up, Malika, I can''t do this anymore. I need to¡­ Please wake up," Hawi said and that''s all it took for Malika to straighten up, rubbing her eyes, and switching into protective mode. She knew Hawi hated using the term ''please'', and that itself meant that something had happened or something was wrong. But what could be so urgent that couldn''t wait till morning when they had been suffering in the hands of the weather they had triggered themselves? "Why, what happened?" Malika asked and Hawi stared at her, like she wasn''t sure where to begin. She knew that this was probably the most insane thing she had to do, but she felt like she was in a block and did not know if there was any other way out for her. "Hawi¡­ You''re scaring me. Is it something Rukiya did? Do you want me to kill her? Is it Adolf? Or the damn healer? "Did they do something to mess you up or put you in this state?" Malika asked as she finally sat upright, ignoring her wet back thanks to the rain taking out everything they could have used to keep themselves warm. Of course, Malika had suggested that she use her magic to warm this up, but Hawi seemed to have other ideas even then, and they had ended up going to bed on the wet patches. Well, Malika herself anyway. "I screwed up really badly. We need to leave before the Greysons wake up. We need to go, lie right now. I promise to exin it to youter, but can we please just get up and leave? I promise a drier shelter and a better bed. "A real bed this time. Don''t worry, I''ll just steal it, but we need to hurry," Hawi said, helping Malika up and Malika stared at the woman before her. Instead of even making a move, Malika fixed her hair before she made herselffortable on the impossibly cold mat she had been sleeping in. "Awuor Hawi Sicario, what the hell did you do? From your reaction, I know you didn''t trigger a war, but given your anxiety, you did something that you shouldn''t have¡­ "Did you tell Rukiya that you like her too?" Malika asked and Hawi stared at her like it was supposed to make Malika change her mind, but she wasn''t relenting this time. If she had to endure another wet nket over her, then Hai needed to give her a good reason for sacrificing her sleep for the second week in a row. "Why the fuck would I do that?" Hawi asked, making Malika roll her eyes at her. "In that case, we''re safe then. I haven''t slept in two weeks, thanks to you, now go away and leave me to my wet bed, will you¡ª" "I may or may not have kissed Rukiya¡ª" "You WHAT? Oh my fucking God, are you nuts? Of course, you are otherwise you wouldn''t give in to the damn pull when you haven''t even started the mess you are in right now. "Wait, was it because of the blood oath? That would be exinable, but you are too emotionally closed to even be pulled in by love. You''re like a wall or something," Malika said thoughtfully before adding. "Did she feed you? Is that why you did what you did? Why the fuck would you kiss her? Goodness, I''m not opposed to it, but damn girl, you really decided to¡ª" "Another word, and I''m shoving this wet nket in your mouth," Hawi said, making Malika re at her. "That''s so inhumane of you¡­ Which reminds me, lips or cheek?" "What?" "Where''d you kiss her?" Malika insisted and Hawi threw the nket at her. "Get up, we''re leaving and we''re not taking anything other than the bloody crown and the gown. All of these things are wet, we can steal clothes on the way and find other things to deal with," Hawi said and Malika sighed, before getting up to pick whatever they were to take. Hawi was in a real hurry and in the next five minutes, they were ready to leave their shelter. It wasn''t the ideal time that Malika had thought that she would be leaving here, but then she didn''t have much of an option and clearly, Hawi wasn''t in the mood to talk about the mistakes she had made. Malika had grown to know Hawi over the past few months and she knew that he would never admit to any emotions, which was why it was easier for her to run than embrace the fact that maybe, Rukiya crushing on her wasn''t exactly a bad idea. If anything she would have more than just an army. She would have the reassurance that things would be alright. However, Hawi had been betrayed by the people she loved the most. People who meant the world to her and she was definitely not going to trust easily. The only person she trusted right now was Malika, but that was because Hawi was sure of the control she had over Malika. Besides, Malika was so invested in her well-being that she wouldn''t dare to betray Hawi. "Where are we going? You do realize that we might cross into other people''s territories while on the run?" Malika said, reminding Hawi that their options were a little limited given the time they were running away. However, they were the wildest and smartest duo right now, so it wouldn''t be hard for them to find a ce to settle. Maybe there woulde a time for them to embrace that which they were seeing, but when would that timee? "The rkson pack," Hawi responded with a knowing smile. "The weakest pack in the realm?" Chapter 67: The Wedding of The Year? *This is a bonus chapter to thank you for all the gifts you guys have been gifting this book. Thank you, and enjoy. Don''t forget to vote hihi ***** [SICARIO] [Six Months Later] "You must really be desperate if you''re willing to marry a low-ss girl from the rkson pack, of all the packs in the goddamn realm. I wonder who your advisor was, and what they were on when they were telling you to go for her. "You know you don''t strike me as the man who would go on his knees to propose to a woman, but damn, you really are something, Jer," Elodie said as he looked at Jeremy who was dressed and ready to meet the apparent girl of his dreams. That in itself made Elodie''s blood boil for some reason. She had no qualms with the woman Jer had picked but the fact that Jer was getting married, just didn''t make any sense to her. Maybe she was jealous, maybe she was just unsettled, maybe she had her reasons. But then again, what could be her reasons when she had tantly rejected Jer and his endless proposals to her over the past year? She really had no reason toin, because if it was about the position of the Luna, she had had it in her hands, and had instead chosen to let go. That was something that she couldn''t even me Jer for. It was all on her, and her alone. "Jeez woman, you should be happy for me. Weren''t you the one who told me not to mope around and find someone to fill the nk space Awuor left? Now that I''m filling it, you are cranky. Goodness. "If you want me to marry you, just say the word, and I will drop her this instant," Jer said with augh even though he knew he couldn''t. At this point in time, the envoy from the rkson pack was on its way with his new bride, a beautiful woman that had gotten the realm talking. Of course, all the alphas of the realm were invited to the wedding of the century, a wedding that would cleanse Sicario of the sins that Awuor hadmitted over the years. But was that all there was to this wedding? Was it simply about reputation for Jeremy, or was it about something else? "Fuck off. Go get married to a woman you have only met thrice. Are you marrying her because of her beauty, or to boost her dumb pack? "You do realise that their park is the weakest group of shits in the is realm?" Elodie said, her anger making a show again and honestly, Jer didn''t understand her. She had been the one pushing him to get over Hawi and now that he seemed to be getting over Hawi, she was mad for some reason. Of course, Jer didn''t even think that it was because of Hawi, no. For him, his former mate was long dead and no one had seen her even if she were alive. Awuor was a part of his past life and he was going to go through with his wedding this time. It didn''t matter what happened, or who said what he was going to go through with it. "Fine. The pack needs a Luna, and since you declined, just enjoy the show will you? And one more thing, don''t make my new wife feel ufortable. It will be bad for us. "We have to keep the reputation of Sicario, so make sure not to screw it up alright?" Jer said earnestly, and Elodie rolled her eyes at him. She wanted to bang his head on the wall and make him unconscious so he couldn''t go through with the wedding, but then again it wasn''t like she had a valid reason for stopping him anyway. He was however right, the Sicario pack had bene without a Luna for over a year now. It was almost two years and Jer needed to make sure that everyone respected them. Besides the woman he was marrying was just another low-life who would most likely be a trophy wife for him. "Don''t bete to the reception Elodie, I need you as my wingman along with Dom alright?" Jer said, and Elodie just gave him a thumbs-up. She wanted to say more, but then she would stille out as a jealous girl and that didn''t really sit well with her. All she wanted was to live the rest of he life peacefully and hope that she would find a mate that she loved so she could also focus on something else. Besides the Sicario pce had been lonely for a while since Hawi left. Sure, Elodie would never openly admit that hut even she knee that the pack would have been livelier with her around. "Hopefully this new Luna brings us peace and more smiles," Elodie sighed before she walked out after Jer, and went to wait at the wedding reception. She didn''t like this wedding at all but she had to show up, otherwise Jer would think she was rebelling and she couldn''t afford that. Besides she loved being in power because it gave her some perks that no regr wolf would ever have. Perks that gave her ess to everything she needed to figure out he greatest puzzle yet. "Put on a smile, you look like you were forced toe to the wedding," Dom said with augh as he smacked Elodie''s shoulder lightly. Over the past two years, the both of them had be close like best friends. Actually, it was the three of them. Elodie, Jer and Dom. They had grown thick as thieves and wouldn''t go anywhere without each other. They trained together, and ran the pack together because alpha Sicario had retired from pack duties. Ever since the two remaining Sicario wolves were released by alpha Rukiya, alpha Sicario had decided to retire early, and live in the countryside of the pack. He lived in one of the houses that he and Eni had nned to retire in. Sure, it was a lonely life but he didn''t want much. Even with the wedding that was happening today, he had declined the invitation and told Jer that he trusted him to make good decisions in running the pack with the help of Elodie and Dom. "You''re lucky they are here already, otherwise I''d punch your face in," Elodie said with a smile and Dom justughed. They had already gotten used to each other, so this wasn''t new to them. "Do you think Jer has even known the woman he''s marrying?" Elodie asked, her fake smile still showing as she watched the convoy reach the reception. It was crazy how everything had moved so fast but then they couldn''t do much to change it because this is what their life currently was. They had to be there for their friend, no matter what happens because they were family. "Probably not. We can ask about thatter. The wedding guests here are Alphas of different packs. It''s quite funny how they sometimes don''t see each other eye to eye but they must attend every Alpha''s wedding. The moon goddess really got weird rules," Dom said as they watched the group of Alphas that had arrived. Even Rukiya Greyson was here. The fact that the werewolfw demanded that all Alpha''s were to attend every Alpha''s wedding was insane but at least it gave the leaders a chance to get to know each other and find amons ground. Sometimes themon ground never worked, but then as long as they fulfilled their duty to the moon goddess, they would be safe, right? "Why is she walking so slow, does she know we''ve been waiting for her, for long?" Elodie whined and Dom let our a light chuckle. "You mean the past twenty minutes you''ve been standing here ready to bite Jer''s ears off?" "You''re no fun. Anyway let''s focus on the wedding of the day, hopefully I can get to eat at the end of this shit show," Elodie said, just as the procession began. She didn''t understand the fuss about weddings, especially since Awuor never had a wedding. She had just registered their bond and that was it for them. "Fine whatever," Elodie said before muting out the wedding procession. Instead she stood there, watching as the new bride was apanied by her peasant parents. It was a stupid thing in Elodie''s eyes, and she was pissed because the woman that her best fired had been reced with didn''t even look that pretty. Compared to Awuor, the woman was average and she looked so fragile. Oh but a part of Elodie already knew she was never going to get along with the woman. She just couldn''t find it in her heart to rece Awuor. Sure, she was always ready to tolerate any Awuor nder but she always made it a point to remember the names of each and everyone who tried to nder her best friend and when no one was watching, she''d thrash them ck an blue. Of course, when she beat them up, she never said that it was because of Hawi, no. She always said that it was because they didn''t do their jobs well... After she intentionally screwed them over. Oh, but Elodie had turned into a conniving woman out for blood and revenge for her best friend . And as she watched the new Luna make it to where they were standing with Jer, Elodie promised to use the new Luna to find out what had happened that day with Awuor. "Hello Malika, you look beautiful today... Shall we?" Jer said to his new bride and Elodie almost rolled her eyes at the new couple, as they turned to the altar. ''Who the fuck even calls their child Malika... Malika rkson, what ame name,'' Elodie whined to herself. **** Ps: I edited on phone... Got a ckout but I''ll fixter. If you saw any issues just let me know thanks. Chapter 68: The Stage Had Been Set [SICARIO] The rkson envoy was huge, despite the fact that they were considered the weakest pack in the realm. It was surprising really and anyone would have assumed that they had gone this hard for the damn wedding, because their child was their hidden power in the pack. It was one thing to be weak, but damn, the preparations they had made for the efforts that they had made toward this wedding was insane, to say the least. At first nce it could have easily been assumed that they are royalty and powerful, but were they? "Please take care of my daughter," Alpha rkson said to Jer. He looked like every father handing over his child and he looked a little skeptical about this. Then again, the rkson alpha knew that his child would be in great hands, after all the Sicario pack was the strongest of them all, right? But what were the chances that his daughter would go through the same fate as the banished alpha for this very pack? "I will¡­ Thank you, for trusting me with her," Jer said sincerely as he took a look at the beautiful woman beside him. She looked so innocent, so fragile, and untainted. It was clear that his new wife was naive and had no understanding of how the world beyond the weakest pack worked. She had been protected from the chaos of the world and Jer found her the perfect first for a trophy wife. All she had to do was to sit pretty and exist as the Sicario pack luna. She wouldn''t have any responsibilities and Jer loved that, because this time, he would have all the control, but would he? "Hello, alpha Jeremy," Malika greeted respectfully as she looked at her new husband. She looked timid even as she watched Jer take her hand into his, smiling at her, in the hope that it would reduce the fear that the woman had. Maybe she was just shy, right? "Hello Malika, you look beautiful today¡­ Shall we?" Jer said to his new bride, who nodded shyly, before they turned to the officiator who was happy about the union in itself. Everyone had always wondered who was to be the greatest pack''s Luna after the crazy one left, but here and now, they were d that she didn''t look like a psycho who could murder them if they so much as looked at her the wrong way. Maybe they seemed to be forgetting that it was always the silent ones who were scariest. "We have gathered here to¡ª" The officiator began the ceremony officially, before proceeding to make sure that everyone here wasn''t opposed to the wedding in itself. It was important because if there was, then Jer would have to wait another five years before looking for a Luna. "And now I pronounce you, alpha and Luna of the Sicario pack. You may kiss your bride, alpha Jer," the officiator said, allowing Jer to unveil the bride he had been bound to officially. This was like their mating bond, of course with the mating actually happening sometimes in the future, but this right here was a reminder that they were bound for life. However, was that it for them and especially the woman he had chosen among the hundreds of women he had been presented with for a wife? "Well at least she looks beautiful today," Elodie whispered to Dom as they waited for her to unveil her. And when he did, the first person to release a gasp, was the Greyson beta, Adolf and his alpha, Rukiya Greyson. "On second thoughts, I''m not sure if it''s her beauty that shocked the Greyson team or it''s because she is the most unexpected candidate," Elodie said with a silentugh as Jer kissed his body gently. If they had been keen enough, they could have realized that Rukiya''s gasp was the first sign that they had all shot themselves in the foot. A soft and humble bride? More like the tornado that could manipte everything except the wolf assigned to her. When Jer broke the kiss, Malika smiled at him heartily, before she looked at Rukiya, winking at the alpha who knew that there was danger around. The moment Rukiya saw how familiar Jer''s Malika was, she began looking around for the woman who owned her heart, the woman who could give her a run for her money and she wouldn''t even abject. The craziest woman Rukiya had ever met, ever. "Alright, go have fun. The wedding is officially over!" the officiator said, and it was then that Rukiya realized that the officiator was never a man. Thankfully, things like this were never an issue for all the packs. It didn''t matter what gender officiated a wedding as long as they were happy with the oue. Everyone cheered as the bride and groom walked to the side, as the wedding venue was slowly shifted into a celebratory space and everything was arranged so that this was the party that Jer and his bride had hosted. "Excuse me," Rukiya said to Adolf who looked at her skeptically like how that Rukiya would go on and cause chaos here but then Rukiya Greyson was smart enough to know that he wouldn''t hesitate to kill her if she ruined whatever n was at y here. "Don''t do anything I wouldn''t, Rukiya," Adolf reminded her even though a part of him felt bad for her. He knew that Rukiya had been hoping to see Hawi for months now, especially after they had woken up and found her shelter still there with everything, except her and Malika. Of course, being the positive woman she always was, she chose to believe that they had gone for a walk, but then monthster, she was finally convinced that Hawi had left, without even telling her goodbye, but did she ever deserve a farewell for Hawi? "I know what you''re thinking¡­ I won''t. Don''t worry too much. I''m just going to congratte the new bride and groom. On second thought,e with me. We will go together and it won''t seem awkward," Rukiya said and Adolf just sighed. "Congrattions to both of you. You got yourself quite the bride, Alpha Jer. Thank the goddess she isn''t as crazy as thest one, hmm?" Rukiya said to Jer who nodded to her with a smile, like this was the best thing that ever happened to him. "Don''t mention her here. She might even pop up from the dead. Today is about me and my Malika," Jer said and Adolf held back a snicker, especially when he saw Malika''s annoyed smirk make a show for a split second. This was really going to be fun. "Oh, but she''s a darling. May you always be happy, Malika. Can I hug you?" Rukiya said and Malia looked at Jer like he was asking her if she could do it. And that gave Jer the feeling of being in charge. "Sure, go ahead, my love," Jer said and once again Malika cringed, though she tried her best not to make it show. That term was a turnoff for her, though Malika wasn''t in the least bit interested in Jer, well unless she had to chop his head off, which she would dly do, even now, considering she had a de in the shorts she wore under the damning gown she had to be convinced to wear by the rksons and her mistress. "Okay," Malika said meekly as she got up to hug the confused Rukiya. "Where is she?" Rukiya asked as they hugged, her voice so low, but she knew that Malika was well-trained to hear even the slightest of sounds and clearly she had heard her. "Why, so you can see her and get your heart broken again? You do realize she doesn''t give a shit about love, after she was betrayed?" Malika asked with a smile as Rukiya hugged her longer. The hug was unexpected but the people who were watching them, were d that at least the Greyson alpha approved of Jer''s new wife. "Malika¡ª" Rukiya began and Malika just let out a sigh as she pulled back from the hug, but not before shocking Rukiya even more. "The wedding officiator," Malika said with a ''worried'' smile. "Oh yeah, don''t worry, she won''t leave, my love. Your dad convinced her to stay till the end for us," Jer said as he took Malika''s hands into his, as the officiator passed by smiling at them. The stage had been perfectly set, and it was time for the first dance. "I thank the goddess for that," Malika said adorably, though Rukiya understood her message so clearly. Awuor Hawi was their officiator. Chapter 69: You Cant Run Forever, Love [SICARIO] "Weddings aren''t so bad. Why did I never attend the many weddings earlier?" Hawi asked Malika who almost facepalmed but then remembered that this was her wedding and the woman beside her was her wedding officiator. Granted, they were chatting using the mind link while everyone else could see them sitting silently as the people danced on the floor. Adolf tried to get his alpha busy, but well, it was impossible for Rukiya to keep busy when Hawi looked like a literal goddess in the white pants suit she was wearing today. She looked like an angel and Rukiya was fighting the urge to go to her and talk to her. She didn''t want to do much, just to sit there beside Hawi, breathe the same air as here, listen to her heartbeats, and just listen to her voice. Rukiya Greyson didn''t care who Hawi was talking to, as long as she could hear the woman''s voice. She had missed Hawi, she yearned for her in ways that Hawi would definitely flip over again, but damn, she had no choice but to wait it out. "Why did I have to marry him? He looks stupid, no offense to the mate bond you guys once shared. I wonder how he is supposed to run a pack. He looks like a submissive dog, worse than the character I''m ying this time. "Goddess, he makes my blood boil. And that best friend of yours and your brother, they make me want to wring their necks and send them to hell myself. How the hell did you manage to be rted to this bunch of idiots Hawi? "Should I just kill them all and get this over and done with?" Malika asked angrily as she watched Jer interact with the other women. It was obvious he was a yer and Malika couldn''t doubt the fact that this man was going to cheat on her. She was just thankful that they had asked that Malika be marked after five years. That contract was enough for both of them to decide whether they were ''good'' for each other or not. Of course, when the contract had been drafted, Alpha rkson had made it seem like he was sure Malika was a slow-witted kid and would probably frustrate the fuck out of Jer. Sure, she would definitely do that, but then the contract had been designed to make Jer feel like he was in power, like he could do whatever they wanted unless they were mated. And this very contract was the one way that Hawi would be certain of whether Elodie and Jer were sleeping around. It was a cringe idea but Hawi needed to cross the t''s and dot the i''s before she got down to business anyway. "Calm down, Malika. Your anger is getting more obvious. I know, they are terrible people, they hurt me, and I know you want to protect me, but then the only way to do that right now, is for you to rx. "Don''t stress too much, besides, who knows when we''ll have a wedding again, right? Smile, miss protective protector, we have a wedding to enjoy. Also, I want cake, please get me some. "I''m the officiator and cant be seen desperate for cake," Hawi said, adding thest bits to lighten up the mood. She understood Malika, and frankly, she wasn''t surprised that Malika had learned all that in one sitting. Malika was painfully aware of Hawi''s pain and for the hundredth time, Hawi was thankful for her. "You''re right. I won''t let them hurt you again; if they hurt you, I will make their lives a living hell, I swear it," Malika said sincerely. "Let''s go dance, Hawi. I''ll get you a caketer," Malika said just as Rukiya got up and walked in their direction. "What will you do about her?" Malika asked, her mood suddenly getting better. "Nothing, it''s not my fault she can''t understand that I don''t like her," Hawi said and Malika let out loud giggles. Thankfully she was watching Jer dance so it would be easy to exin that her dumb ass was happy that she was seeing her husband happy. "If I keep smiling like this, I might have a stroke. Maybe I can be a runaway bride, right? I can''t smile any longer," Malika whined in the mind link and this time, it was Hawi who let out augh. She was enjoying Malika''s misery as the bride in the ''tight'' gown. It had taken a lot of conveying for Malika to agree to the wedding and the character itself; hell, it had been harder than convincing alpha rkson to y the role of her father. "You''ve been enjoying my misery too, with Rukiya. Go along, have some fun little miss bride," Hawi shooed Malika, making the woman give up. "If I get up, I won''te back with cake," Malika threatened. "You love me too much to not get me cake." "I hate you," Malika whined before getting up and walking away. However, as she met Rukiya on her way to Hawi, she couldn''t help but smile sadly at the woman. "Seeing you here makes my terrible day in this damn gown better. At least I know someone will be suffering with me. Have fun with her, but first, please wait till I get her cake, it might increase her chance at a normal conversation, otherwise she will be a grumpy ass the whole time," Malika whispered to Rukiya with a smile before going to get some cake. She knew she would never hear the end of Hawi''s whines if she missed out on the only wedding she could havee to. Then again, she was right, Rukiya was suffering. Even though Rukiya could see Malika in a gown, the poor alpha couldn''t help but wonder what Hawi would look like in a gown. Sure she was dressed in that pantsuit and looked like she was ''calling'' for Rukiya, but seeing her in a gown would be something else. Rukiya Greyson was a goner for Awuor Hawi and she wasn''t even trying to fight it anymore. The moment she had set her eyes on this woman years ago, long before she was even banished from Sicario, she knew she had to win her heart; even though it was a heart of steel. Funny how fate gave her the chance at the worst of times. But Rukiya was patient, right? "Greetings, miss officiator," Ruliya greeted loud enough for the people who were around them. She didn''t want them to have any questions about what Rukiya was doing, and even if Hawi broke her heart again, she didn''t want to make a fuss about it. Then again, why the hell was she so insistent on going after a woman who was clearly preupied with anger and a desire for vengeance anyway? "I won''t officiate your wedding, Alpha Rukiya. Maybe Adolf''s, but not yours," Hawi said with a fierce smile on her face, before she got up leaving Rukiya staring at the woman like she had gone bonkers. ''You can run, Hawi, but you can''t run from me forever, love.'' *** A/N * Those of us hoping Rukiya and Hawi''s ship will one day sail, do we even have a name for that ship lol. Suggestions are wee. * I was thinking ''RUHA'' or ''RUKHA'' or ''HARU'' vote vote while we hope for them lol Chapter 70: But Why Did It Hurt So Bad? [SICARIO] "Good evening. My bride and I would like to take this chance to thank you once again foring to celebrate our union with us. We appreciate that you took the time to witness our union and wish us the best. "However, we will be leaving first, because we are spent, but you guys can keep on celebrating. Elodie and Dom will be in charge and will help you with whatever it is that you need. Once again, thank you," Jer said to the guests who hade to the wedding. There were a lot of guests, more than Jer had imagined would show up, but then that only made him feel like recing Awuor was the best thing that he could have done in his life. But was it ever better, when he had married Hawi''s best of the best weapons? Was it really going to be all coy and mushy when he had taken the first step into hell and that too, on his own? Well, maybe the universe would be kind to him, because one thing that Malika was never going to be was, to be kind to the man that threatened her assigned wolf. "Take care of her!" the guests shouted and Malika couldn''t help but make a constipated face. She knew what they meant and honestly, she wasn''t sure she would be able to go through with it, but then that was for her and Jer to decide right? As the cheers and wishes kept oning, Malika focused on the woman of the day, the woman she wouldy her life for, Awuor Hawi. She knew that this was by far the worst thing that could ever happen to Hawi, but then Hawi had wanted it. Even then, it didn''t make it any easier, because the fact was still staring at the both of them. The simple reality in which Alpha Jer would have eventually gotten to move on with another woman while Hawi was left out in the rain. It was like Jer was determined to erase the part of his life that was Hawi, and the thought itself was breaking Malika''s heart, more than it had broken Hawi''s heart on the first day of the damn engagement. Granted, Hawi had been brave then, but it never changed the fact that her mate had betrayed her a little too easily. Jer had shown her that she was just a flip of the many switches that he had ess to, and for that, Hawi promised destruction. "Be careful, Malika. It''s not going to be easy, but that doesn''t mean you have to stay in it if it''s ufortable. Let me know when the burden is too heavy to carry, and I will let you free. We''re in this, not to burden ourselves even more," Hawi said softly to Malika in the mind link. "I know, Hawi, I know. Don''t worry too much about me, after all, what could go wrong here, if not me murdering him before time? I won''t murder him easily, I wouldn''t take that from you, mistress. But you must promise to take care of yourself too. "You must promise me that you will not get hurt while at the rkson pack. This is just another assignment for me, and if you need me, Hawi, just howl at the sky, and no matter where you are, I will find you, Mistress," Malika said to her mistress. She knew that this was by far the hardest decision Hawi had ever made in her life. She had loved Jer with all of her. She had been truthful to her bond with the man, she had protected him, more than a mate needed to. He had once been her world, but then she hadn''t been his, and he had proven that one too many times. The death of Luna Eni had just been the icing on the cake of his misdeeds. He should have fought for her, but he never did, and Hawi would never forget that. "Malika¡ª" "Promise me, Hawi, or I won''t go with him. My ce is beside you, serving you, being there for you at all times. You''re my Mistress and I am meant to be used by you, at all times, but I can''t do that if you won''t reach out to me. "I can''t do my job if you want to take on the tough responsibilities alone, Hawi," Malika said just as Jer smiled at her and held her hand in his. He was excited to get away from the crowd, but Malika wasn''t. So she didn''t move, even as he tugged at her gently. "Is everything okay?" Jer whispered to Malika, careful not to scare the poor girl who was staring at the crows and where her supposed family was. She looked like she wanted to stay, and that was the truth, though this time, Malika was daring Hawi. She was daring her Mistress to decline the promise, to say something other than what she needed to, because if she didn''t make that promise, then Malika would easily call for the wedding. Malika was born a protector, which meant that she was never bound by any rules, no matter what pack she found herself in. She, just like the white wolf, was never limited to boundaries, and right now she was willing to prove it to Hawi. "Go, Malika. Go with him," Hawi insisted but Malika stood there, ignoring the fact that most of the people were starting to catch on to the fact that she didn''t want to leave with Jer. She wasn''t going to move unless she heard from Hawi. "No, Mistress. Not until you promise me you will check in every two weeks. Not until you promise to seek me in case of anything. Not until you promise to let yourself live. This marriage is not a prison for me, Mistress," Malika insisted and Hawi knew she was right. Malika had sworn to keep Hawi safe, and if that wasn''t going to happen when she was gone, then there was no point in her leaving in the first ce. She could as well count herself as just another attendee of a failed wedding. Rukiya, who had been watching Malika and Jer, had also noticed the hesitation with Malika, but unlike everyone here, who had assumed she was scared, Rukiya had followed Malika''s line of sight, and she had understood that it was because of Hawi. As much as she wanted to go and tell Hawi that things would be alright, Rukiya couldn''t. It would raise so many questions and given Hawi was constantly rejecting her advances, she would just end up embarrassed again. "Fine, Malika. I promise to check-in. Now go," Hawi said, and Malika just sighed defeatedly as she turned to look at the man she had gotten married to, a man who suddenly had a punchable face. She hadn''t even realized it when her fists curled up. Malika was ready to punch Jer''s face, and Hawi had seen that, but then that wasn''t something they would let happen. It wasn''t part of the n, and only Hawi could stop her this time. "Malika, no!" Hawi warned, just in time as Malika''s fisted hand reached a little too close to Jer''s throat, and instead of punching the bastard, she hugged him, hiding her face in his shoulder like she was some dumb girl. "I won''t forgive him, Mistress." "I know. Goodbye, for now, Malika." Chapter 71: The Queen of Losses [SICARIO] As Malika walked away from the podium with her husband and new mate, Hawi stood her ground for a moment, until it was too much for her. She knew that this was something Malika had to do, but the fact that Jer had been so excited about her recement hurt her. ''Why does it hurt Ma,'' Awuor said to herself as she stared at the nk space. She could feel her heart conflicting, and suddenly the voices of everyone around her, was like just white noise. They were just bbering and she was getting overwhelmed by them Awuor looked at the crowd that was slowly blurring out, and everything about them pissed her off. She wanted tosh out at them and tell them that she had once been the perfect alpha for them, to tell them who she was, but she knew they wouldn''t care. She knew that they would best be thankful she was alive and pretend that things were okay. The fact that Hawi hadn''t seen her father at the wedding, went to show that the Sicario alpha had isted himself, maybe from the pain of losing his mate, something that could drive the former alpha nuts. Hawi knew that her father could die from his grief, and knowing that it was a given, broke her even more than the stupid wedding b between her mate and her protector. She wanted to ask where her father was, and seek him out, but Hawi knew it would give her up. But that was too tempting. ''No, not now,'' Hawi said to herself as she stumbled and tried to walk away from the crowd that was enjoying the wedding. She wanted to make sure they didn''t see her, because if they did, then they would want to care for the officiator, and that would raise questions. Something was happening to her body, something that she hoped wasn''t true, because if it was, Awuor would burn down Sicario here and now. She wouldn''t spare any of them, whether it was a wedding or not. She struggled to walk in a straight line, but then that was difficult for her, because her final bonds with Sicario were breaking a little too fast. It was like someone was intentionally cutting them, someone was forcing it to happen. The pain was familiar, one that Hawi didn''t want to think about but then she couldn''t smell Dom or Elodie in the audience anymore, and that could answer her question. She could also hear whispers from the Sicario wolves. The whispers that are breaking her already broken heart. ''No. Not today of all the days. Not this time. I can''t deal with this again,'' Hawi said to herself, still struggling to walk. Thankfully, her ce in the crowd was a little too far for the main setting, and people wouldn''t notice her, but Rukiya did. Rukiya''s eyes had been in Hawi the whole time, even as Malika walked off the podium with Jer. She had been watching the banished alpha, watching her every move, like Rukiya wanted to be there for her, even if Hawi didn''t want her to. Her gentle eyes were focused on Hawi, as if to remind Hawi that even without Malika, she would still have someone looking out for her, someone stranger than all the wolves here except for her, someone who wouldn''t mind leaving everything for her. ''Fuck,'' Hawi said as she let herself give in to the darkness that had been pulling her. She had tried to remain sane, to hold on, but the pain in her heart and the reality that she was slowly being roped into weren''t doing her any justice. However before her body hit the ground, and even before anyone noticed that she was not feeling so well, Hawi felt a wind hush past her. It was too fast, but then she didn''t even care anymore because she was unconscious and couldn''t tell what was right and what was wrong. **** "She''ll kill you for this," a familiar voice said and Hawi tried to mute it out. This wasn''t the time or pce for her to be focusing on whatever anyone said. Instead, her focus was on Malika and her wedding. Hawi had promised to stay till the guests started leaving. But had she really managed that? ''Malika¡­ Wedding¡­ Darkness¡­ I¡ª'' Hawi thought as she tried to process what had happened, and that got her opening her eyes real fast, only to find herself in a room that was familiar, but one she never imagined she would be in, at least not at this time. She was supposed to be at the wedding, but this ce looked like no wedding venue, not to mention she could feel the stench of something she had tried to avoid in the past few years, the stench of sorrow. Perhaps she was wrong¡­ Was she though? "What am I doing here¡­. No, what are you doing here?" Hawi asked as she looked around her to find Rukiya, Adolf, and the rksons seated next to her bed. If she hadn''t remembered this as the room that the rksons had given her when she hade to their pack, she would have thought she was in a hospital, probably hooked to hundreds of tubes like she was on herst straw with life. Well, that was better than the reality that she was hoping wouldn''t hit her. "Alpha Awuor, you fainted at the wedding, and Rukiya brought you home," Alpha rkson said and Hawi let out a growl at the mention of Rukiya. She hadn''t wanted Rukiya anywhere near her, but fate was a stubborn son of a bitch, no? "Oww¡­ Just call me Hawi, or Awuor. I''m not an alpha anymore. Anyway, about the wedding, why am I here? Is Malika okay? What happened to her?" Hawi asked as she tried to pull the covers off of her, but Rukiya kept the covers on her. "If you insist on removing the covers, I will stay here longer than I nned," Rukiya said nonchntly, knowing so well that it would stop Hawi from getting off the bed, and it worked, much to Rukiya''s disappointment. Then again, it wasn''t like she didn''t know Hawi didn''t want her here. "I hate you," Hawi said to Rukiya, the sincerity in her voice slicing through Rukiya''s heart and for a moment, Rukiya felt like she had been stabbed in the heart. She knew this was going to happen and even then, she had swooped in. Her heart just couldn''t take the hint. Maybe it would, but would it really, when Hawi was a disheveled hot messy bundle staring at her with beautiful eyes she wanted to get lost in for eternity? "What happened to you? You fainted at the wedding, it''s a good thing I got you here on time. You were hyperventting, and calling for¡ª" Rukiya began, before stopping mid-sentence and Hawi looked at her like she was bonkers. "Calling for who, Rukiya?" "Your father, Hawi, Alpha Sicario," Rukiya said carefully, worried that Hawi would snap, only that this time, she wouldn''t me her. "What about him? He abandoned me, remember?'' Hawi bit back like she wasn''t already aware of the pain that was breaking her heart worse than life itself. "Hawi... Alpha Sicario, was murdered," Luna rkson choked out sadly and Hawi looked at her like it was a lie. Surely it had to be, right? "I''m sorry, Jaberna," Rukiya added defeatedly, her head bowed in sadness. *** * Jaberna = ''My beautiful.'' Chapter 72: Let Me Nurse You, Love [AWUOR] "Hawi... Alpha Sicario, was murdered," Luna rkson choked out sadly and Hawi looked at her like it was a lie. Surely, it had to be, right? A part of Hawi wasn''t sure how to react, while the other was in denial. She had been feeling unusually antsy at the wedding, and now her father had died. For a moment, Hawi looked around her, the faces that were sitting next to her bed so heartbroken, so serious that she knew they weren''t lying. What was she supposed to do then? Her father was gone, and she wasn''t sure if it was grief that had caused it. Then again, Luna rkson just said that her father was murdered. There was only one set of idiots that would want the alpha dead, and Awuor was willing to bet on the fact that her father had been opposed to the remarriage of the Sicario alpha. It was all so clear and out there for the world to read through, only that this time the world that could read through, was just Hawi. "I''m sorry, Jaberna," Rukiya added defeatedly, her head bowed in sadness. Hawi didn''t have much to look forward to, even now, but damn, hearing that her father was gone was something out of this world. This wasn''t how her father left her, not before she was done showing him that what he had done to her had been unfair. However, would it matter this time? Would it make any difference to know that despite everything, she had still managed to lose the one man she hoped to prove her innocence to? Her father had died knowing that she was the one who had killed her mother, and his mate. There was nothing that could ease that up, no matter how Hawi tried to live it through. The universe was a bitch, but none more than the bastards at Sicario. "It doesn''t matter. Anyway, I need some air, I''ll be back," Hawi said stiffly, as she pushed the covers off of her, before rushing off the bed. She had insisted that she needed air, but it seemed like there was more than they could begin to fathom. Hawi had had a good rtionship with her father up until thest day that she had left home. She hadn''t wanted him dead, but then she had lost, again. She wasn''t sure what life would ever be like anymore because, in the end, she always found herself on the losing end. Defeatedly, Hawi ran off in her wolf form. She didn''t know where she was headed but she needed to feel like there was a break from all her pain. She didn''t know how to start mourning her father and that in itself broke her heart even more. There should have been a way out, there should have been a warning, and yet as the wind blew through her fur as she raced against it, Hawi felt broken and trapped, more than she had nned to. It hurt a lot and she couldn''t deny it. ''Father is dead. Mama is dead. What else do I have left? A brother who probably killed their father too? A best friend who switched teams so easily, or a former mate who was quick to rece me?'' Hawi asked herself as she raced against the wind. She could feel her paws hurting, probably because she had been running for long and the friction had gotten her paws bruised. The pain should have distracted her but it wasn''t enough. It didn''t seem to be enough for her to forget the pain she was feeling in her heart. So she ran like the world wanted her dead. She ran like it was thest time she could do it. She ran like she was in apetition, and more than anything, she ran like she had found the person who had engineered her pain. It didn''t make sense for her, all of this, and even though she was worried about everything, this morning, Hawi wanted to run and forget it all. And she did, not even realizing that she had crossed over the territory and was in the freends, again. Her safe space. "Fuck, how long have I been running?" Hawi asked herself when she finally shifted into her human form. She was tired and spent, even though she didn''t mind running again. "That would be six hours, thirteen minutes and forty-eight seconds," a familiar voice responded to Hawi, and this time she didn''t even turn to look at the owner of the voice. Maybe because a part of her knew that the person would be tailing her. Maybe it was also why she had kept running, and running in her white wolf form, despite being awfully aware of the risks that would pose to her. "Rukiya fucking Greyson. Aren''t you a sight for sore eyes?" Hawi said as she panted. She was still trying to catch a breath but she felt like everything else didn''t matter right now. Maybe if she turned against Rukiya, maybe if sheshed out at Rukiya, she would feel better. But then again what were the odds, right? "That I am. Though I must say I almost won the race. Your wolf just couldn''t take thepetition. Just to let you know, next time I will race you and make sure I win," Rukiya said nonchntly like it was themonest thing for her. Then again, Hawi had already expressed hate for her, and nothing would change that. For Rukiya, nothing would ever hurt her more than the fact that Hawi had told her point-nk that she hated Rukiya. It honestly couldn''t get any worse than that, and maybe that was consoling to Rukiya. The fact that Hawi had always pushed her verbally and never forced her away was something she was counting on. Maybe Rukiya was deluded, but who could me her for wanting to be with the woman after her heart? ''Is this a fuckingpetition for her? Goodness, she must be sick or crazy,'' Hawi thought to herself as she red at the nonchnt Rukiya. The woman looked like nothing could scare her anymore despite the fact that she was alone with the wildest woman she had ever met. But what was Rukiya to do? Give up on her heart''s greatest desire, or live like shit wasn''t about to hit the fan literally? "Are you okay? I noticed your paws were bleeding. Seems like it was so intense because you have scratches on your legs," Rukiya voiced worriedly as she walked towards Hawi who seemed determined to ignore her. Well, that wasn''t new to Rukiya, she just wanted Hawi to be okay, even if there was a higher chance that Hawi would push her away, again. "No shit Sherlock. Mind your damn business, will you?" Hawi retorted but Rukiya just stared at her with a smile and loving eyes. She had known that falling in love with Hawi had to be the craziest of things that she''d ever done, but she wasn''t going toin about that, because each time Hawi pushed her away, Rukiya wanted to get closer and closer. Maybe Hawi was challenging her, to see how long she would hold on in the pain, but damn, she needed to make a decision real fast, because Hawi wasn''t going to be as nice and as forgiving to her. The woman was detached from everyone except for Malika anyway. "Oh but I am, even if you hate me and want to kill me," Rukiya said with a lightugh, even though the pang in her heart wasn''t making her life any easier. She hated this, the way things had turned out and she hated that in a span of less than two years, Hawi had lost the parents she loved more than life. Rukiya wanted to avenge Hawi but she also needed to be in a position that would let her be on the same side as Hawi, because otherwise, the wild woman would have considered her an enemy, and that wasn''t what Rukiya wanted with Hawi. "You''re hurt, love, and it might get worse. Let me nurse you, Hawi. You can cuss at meter, please," Rukiya Greyson, the woman who had the pride of a hundred Alphas gently pleaded with Hawi, as if her life depended on it. "I can do it myself," Hawi retorted, and once again, Rukiya smiled at her. "I know. But you''re tired and need a break. Just this once, let me take care of you," Rukiya pointed out softly. "Fine. But this doesn''t mean shit. I still hate you." "I know, baby, I know." Chapter 73: Well, That Wasnt As Terrible [AWUOR] "Oww, that fucking hurts!" Hawiined and Rukiya instinctively removed her hand from Hawi''s leg, before gently blowing on it, hoping to make it a little better for Hawi. She hadn''t meant to hurt her even more and she was worried. At first, the crazy woman was surprised to see this side of Rukiya, and she loved that she was getting to see it. She wanted to get hurt again, so she could have Rukiya blow on her wound and hold her gently. Hawi wanted to stay in this spot with Rukiya, staring into the loving eyes of the woman who had cared for her from the very first day, but then she realized that she was staring at Rukiya with warm eyes, something that she shouldn''t have, ording to her. She had promised to hate Rukiya for the longest time, but the warmth and safety she felt when with Rukiya was making her feel like there was more to this than just her rebellion. She looked like a kid who was rebelling and Rukiya was the one person who understood her the most. "I didn''t say to make me feel even more cold. Don''t you know how to tend to wounds? Goodness woman, the one time I trust you to help me out you turn out to be a wind whistler. Why don''t you whistle your way back to Greyson, huh?" Hawi said rudely as she red at Rukiya. She knew that what she was doing was mean and was going to fuck up Rukiya even more but then it wasn''t like she was supposed to care for her. She hadn''t nned this and Rukiya always showing up for her was distorting her ns. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to hurt you. Tell me, love, does it hurt when I lift it like this?" Rukiya asked as she raised Hawi''s leg a little. Hawi''s wolf was healing her but it didn''t seem fast enough, maybe because Hawi had run like crazy ignoring the thorns. This woman would easily be the death of Rukiya if she wasn''t careful. "I''m fine," Hawi bit back and Rukiya just arched a brow at Hawi, as if to tell the stubborn alpha that she could either be a meanie and they would stay here the whole day, or she would respond and Rukiya would help her out with the pain. "Fine, it hurts a little. Why are you ring at me like th¡ª" "Hawi, we can do this all day, baby. And you know I would love to stay in istion with you, but not when you''re hurt. So you can either let me fix you up, or I''ll carry you back to rkson and make sure to pass by the Sicario gates while at it. "Wanna try me, love?" Rukiya dared grimly, and Hawi wanted to call it a bluff, but the sincerity in the Greyson Alpha''s voice and the raw warning in it made Hawi fold. She hadn''t expected to fold that quickly but then Rukiya Greyson was so hot when she was mad. An angry Rukiya was distracting to Hawi and she kinda loved this version of her. Sure, she didn''t want to be the object of Rukiya''s anger, but maybe it would be the perfect way out of her pain and the intense sound of her breaking heart, right? "Yeah, right. Maybe if the worldse apart. Are you forgetting you''re the Greyson alpha? Or has your insanity got anything to do with the fact that you''re always showing up around me like a shadow I can''t seem to shake? "You know that''s kind of rude, alpha Greyson," Hawi said as she stared right into Rukiya''s eyes, daring the Greyson alpha to do anything to her or even challenge her. She was a little too close to Rukiya''s face and by the time she noticed it, it was toote to pull back. "And you do remember that I''m in love with you, right?" Rukiya whispered as she slowly moved towards Hawi, not minding the fact that the distance between her face and Hawi''s face was thinning so fast. She loved it though. Hawi could feel her breath hitch in her throat as she was at a loss for words. She had initially been brave because of everything that had happened and as sure that Rukiya Greyson wouldn''t try anything with her, but now that she could feel Rukiya''s breath on her lips, Hawi knew she had fucked up. Maybe she shouldn''t have dared her to do this, maybe she shouldn''t have gotten so close, but why did she feel so pleasant in this position? Why did she feel like this was the best thing that could have happened to her after the obviously shitty day she was having? Could this go on forever? "How could I forget that? You keep shouting it to anyone who wills to listen. The universe probably takes you seriously like that. I''d be tempted to believe you too, but I''m not,'''' Hawi said, correcting herself as she stared right into Rukiya''s eyes. She loved what she was seeing in the alpha''s eyes and if this had been a different state, in which she didn''t have to worry about her future and her vengeance, Hawi could have given in to the pull that was clearly between them. But she couldn''t, or rather, she wouldn''t let herself give in to it. She just couldn''t afford to let one more person in, at the risk of being betrayed again. Betrayal had ruined her one too many times and she wasn''t ready for another strike at her heart. She couldn''t handle it well this time. "I''m d you know that," Rukiya whispered as she ran her thumb on Hawi''s beautiful plump lips that were calling to her. She had been imagining what these lips felt like and now that she was so close and could see them, she had to admit that they were the most inviting lips she''d ever encountered. "What are you doing?" Hawi whispered huskily, as she stared at Rukiya''s lips; and maybe she wasn''t thinking right too. This was not something that she would ever think of doing and yet at the same time she felt like this was a rare chance. Maybe she was getting deluded too but goddamn, she wouldn''t beining about Rukiya being the source of her delusion, right? "I should be asking you the same, love. What are you doing, baby?" Rukiya asked as she pushed a stray strand of hair that was on Hawi''s face. Being this close to Hawi was making Rukiya''s heart beat a little too faster than she had anticipated and she was worried about doing something that could make Hawi hate her more. Rukiya wanted to close the distance between them, but she knew that the action itself would probably end up with her in broken bones because Hawi would probably fight her, but she would never fight Hawi. That was something she had promised herself from the first day. If there came a time that she would fight, she wouldy down her weapons if her opponent was Hawi, but if she had to fight for Hawi, then she would do whatever it took to be there for her crush. "Making a terrible decision," Hawi said, mming her lips on Rukiya''s, an action that Rukiya didn''t expect much less from Hawi, but she certainly wasn''t going toin about. ''Goddamn,'' was all Rukiya could think of. Chapter 74: A Loners Ugly Thoughts? [AWUOR] "D¡­ Don''t say anything about it. Assume it didn''t happen," Hawi said after their heated makeup session. She was still reeling from the aftereffects of the contact and the fact that this time, she had gone in like she owned Rukiya Greyson. The fact that the Greyson alpha hadn''t once objected to the contact was something else, but then they both knew that she was down so bad for Hawi, the woman who wasn''t even sure what she had done right now. Maybe it was just her grieving and Rukiya was the closest person to her at the moment, maybe it was because thest time she had run away and today she couldn''t, maybe it was because she didn''t want to keep specting about the kiss that never was. Then again would it make it any better especially now that she had clearly crossed a line with Rukiya? Was it ever going to be just enough for her to tell the alpha to forget the kiss ever happened? What of their swollen lips? What of the sparks that had erupted at their contact? What of how much she had loved the kiss? What of the emotions she had been feeling when she lured Rukiya in? And more than anything, would Awuor Hawi deny the safety she felt when she was around the woman? Was she going to be at it again? Oh, but Hawi wasplicated as hell and her reality was something she never paid attention to because if she did, she could have figured out that she had done the impossible with one of the wildest and most dangerous alphas in their society. "If that''s what you wish, Awuor," Rukiay said softly as she turned her focus on the mad woman''s leg that was slowly whaling. She had done a good job fixing her earlier and they just had to wait for her to feel a little better before Hawi went back to the rkson pack. "Your leg is healing pretty well. There are some issues I need to sort back home, so I''ll take my leave," Rukiya said as she got up and dusted herself up. She had taken the hint clearly and she knew that there was just no point in her pushing forward her attraction to Hawi. She had been through enough rejections with the woman and while this time, Hawi hadn''t quite rejected her, Rukiya figured that she could at least leave with some of her pride. She loved Hawi, but the woman was stubborn and a pain. Granted, Rukiya had always wanted to stay beside Hawi, and she wanted to be there to console Hawi, especially now that her papa was dead, but then Rukiya was smart to know when she wasn''t needed. Maybe she woulde back at another time. Perhaps her advances this time were wrongly timed. She would just wait for the day Hawi wanted her to show up, and she woulde, after all, they had a blood oath between them. Then again, there was a chance that Rukiya would stille even without the blood oath. "You''re leaving?" Hawi said, her voice so different from the prideful one she had been using on Rukiya in the past few weeks. "Yeah. My people need me," Rukiya said, her tone so neutral that Hawi felt a pan in her heart for the first time in so long. She couldn''t exin the sudden emotion and it was new to her, but would she express it to Rukiya this time? "Oh," Hawi let out defeatedly. "Take care of yourself alright? And stay alert," Rukiya said, as she kissed Hawi onest time on the forehead and began walking away. It hadn''t been her intention to leave Hawi like that, and she wanted to go back, but she needed to leave. She needed to choose herself this time. She had always shown up for Hawi and fought her battles and right now, Rukiya Greyson needed a break. "You too. Be careful on your way home, Ruru," Hawi whispered softly as she watched Rukiya leave. Hawi didn''t want her to leave. Hell, she wanted to stop Rukiya, but then the woman said she had pack issues to attend to. Hawi knew just how important packs were to them as alphas and she couldn''t me Rukiya this time. Sure, she had a feeling that Rkiuya had left because of what she had said, but then Hawi couldn''t even confirm it for herself. Instead, she hopelessly sat on the stone Rukiya had left her on as she watched the woman disappear into the woods. For a moment there, Hawi felt like she had done something that she shouldn''t have, but what else was she supposed to do then? How else was she supposed to tell Rukiya that she hadn''t said what she had just because she was a mean girl in mourning? How else was she to tell Rukiya that this time, she had wanted to be with Rukiya and not because of the damn blood oath? Hawi was suddenly so frustrated, and she knew it wasn''t a good sign for her. She needed to get her head back in the game, otherwise, she would lose more than just Rukiya walking away from her and leaving her with a hurting heart she couldn''t even exin. "Why am I suddenly worried about her? Fuck," Hawi scolded herself when she realized she had been staring at the spot Rukiya had disappeared in from the past two hours. Her leg had already exhaled and she could walk back home or even run, and yet she had been stuck here. "Did I do something wrong? Is Greyson in danger?" Hawi asked no one in particr though there was no clear answer for her. Rukiya was gone and Adolf was most certainly already at the Greyson pack by now. Hawi looked around her, her anxiety about Rukiya making her feel like she needed to follow the woman home. She was suddenly feeling like she needed to make sure Rukiya reached home safely. Granted, she wouldn''t be able to exin what she was feeling right now but then she could figure it outter. So sighing, she got up and began walking towards Greyson too. Funny how she was the one tailing Rukiya this time when she had been whining about it earlier. The road to Greyson wasn''t long and it didn''t take long before Hawi reached the end of the woods, the one spot where she could see the gates of the Greyson pack. She had seen Rukiya earlier and her heart had fluttered, something she would deny a hundred times if asked though. She had made sure to see for herself if the woman had reached home and more importantly, if Greyson was in danger and needed reinforcements. Hawi knew was the perfect reinforcement in case of anything, because away from being the crazy banished alpha with parental issues, she was the strongest alpha in the realm and the white wolf of their century. She was power and everything else in between. "What am I even doing here?" Hawi asked herself when she realized where she was. This was something she wouldn''t have done on a normal day, especially on the day when she had just heard about her papa''s murder. Maybe she had gone insane right? "Do I care for the young Greyson?" Chapter 75: Im Fucked, Yay [AWUOR] "I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry I couldn''t help again," Hawi silently cried as she sat next to theke she had been sitting at for hours aftering for Greyson earlier. She had been happy that she had seen Rukiya get home safely. She was even amused for a while about the possibility of her liking Rukiya but then she had figured that maybe she was just hallucinating, given she had just gotten out of a mate bond recently she didn''t want to jump into another. And that too, not when her heart was filled with so much anger and pain. She hadn''t even wanted to think of that and it was honestly understandable. However, walking back from the Greyson woods back to the Frends, so she could run to rkson, Hawi had been hit with the reality that she waspletely and utterly alone. Her Father was dead. It was something that Hawi had been hoping would be a bad dream, but then it seemed like that and the dream was determined to stay longer. Then again it wasn''t a dream. It was a reality, one that Awuor Hawi had never imagined woulde to pass. She had never imagined that her father would ever be dead, instead, she had nned out her vengeance and made sure that in the end, her father got to see what kind of a son he had and the kind of son-inw the universe had given Sicario, but all of that was down the drain. ''I should have been there. I should have done something, I should have tried to save him, I should have tried to make things right. Maybe I would have been able to fight for him. "I don''t know what to do now that he is dead,'' Hawi said to herself as she stared at her reflection in the water that had stilled. She looked terrible, very terrible and if today was another normal day, she would have been grossed out by the sight she was staring at. And yet as she looked at herself, she no longer saw the strong alpha female she had always been. Instead, she saw a girl who had been happier for twenty-three out of the possible five hundred years that werewolves got to live. She saw a girl who had watched helplessly as her parents were stolen from her in the worst of ways. Sure, she hadn''t known how her father had died, but one thing Hawi was sure of, was that her father was a warrior. The Sicario alpha wouldn''t have gone down easily. Then again, he had been depressed. What if Sicario had taken his own life and the pack announced his murder to keep his reputation? But what if her father was truly murdered? Hawi was confused and hurt, she wanted to rip her heart out and throw it to the wild animals but then it wasn''t like she wasn''t a wild animal herself. "Malika, help me," Hawi whispered defeatedly as she stared at theke, not even caring that she was slowly slipping down the muddy trail into theke. She wanted to get up and fight, but she felt like her world was just getting darker. Granted, she had called out for Malika, but Hawi wasn''t even sure that her protector would show up this time. Malika was fulfilling her part of the deal with Sicario and it was crazy for Hawi to seek her out but then who was she supposed to seek? The rksons who had allowed her to stay with them in exchange for her protection of their people? Her best friend who had abandoned her? Her useless brother, her dead father or was she supposed to call out to Rukiya again? And even if she did, it wasn''t like the woman would show up for her, when she had been the reason she had left. "I''m so sorry Mother, Father. I should''ve been a good daughter," Hawi said, finally letting herself jump into the water like it was the easiest way out. The Alpha knew it was a stupid idea and she knew that her giving up was an insult to everyone who had believed in her and everyone who had trusted her. But then who were those who trusted her and cared for her? Rukiya Greyson had a pack to run, the rksons were under a mutually beneficial agreement. So who was supposed toe to save the little girl who was trapped in her pain? When she got into the water, Hawi didn''t even try to stay afloat. She just wanted to mute out the voices in her head, so she let herself drown for a moment. The crazy woman hadn''t intended to die today, but in her desperation, she hoped that if she stayed long enough under the water, the voices would stop and she would be able to get out and start afresh but with her desire for vengeance intact. She wasn''t going to forgive anyone who had crossed her and now she had just added the fact-seeking mission or her father''s death. She wasn''t going to rest until she dealt with them all, even if she was alone. "¡ªThirty-eight, Thirty-nine, Forty, Forty-one," Hawi counted as she stayed under water. She was honestly loving it, even though she had closed her eyes and was spiraling towards the bottom of theke real fast. But that didn''t even scare her. She had been through worse and it seemed like the deeper she went the quicker the voices got muted out. It was a win for her, up until she lost count of what she had been doing and couldn''t even think straight. Maybe she had finally stopped the voices, or maybe she had finally managed to anger a few more people. But then it wasn''t like she cared at all. She had long given in to the darkness and was finally free. Besides, when she would wake up, she would be clear-headed and ready to face the world again, right? But how was she supposed to wake up underwater when she had gotten a little too deep that she wouldn''t probably be able to survive this? Oh, Hawi. ***** "Don''t you even try hiding your face, because I will smack the life out of you myself," an angry voice spoke when Hawi opened her eyes. She had been sure she was still underwater and was getting ready to get back up, but when she opened her eyes and saw a furious Malika and Rukiya, Hawi knew she was fucked beyond justification. She had never imagined there woulde a day when the devils would ever be on the same side for her, but then here they were and if Rukiya was here there was a really high chance that Malika had called her. That in itself wasn''t good for Hawi, not in any way and Hawi had a feeling she was in for a long disciplinary session. But what would she tell them? That she tried to mute the voices in her head and she happened to lose count? They were already ring at her and it was obvious that they wouldn''t buy her bullshit. ''Nope, I''m not facing them today,'' Hawi said as she tried to shift into her wolf but she only heard a few growls around her. Of course, she knew who they belonged to, but maybe if she yed stupid for a while, she would be able to get out of this, right? Maybe she would have enough time to prove that she hasn''t exactly been suicidal. Then again where was she even supposed to start from? The women around her were scary as hell and she had just managed to be on their wrong side. ''I can''t feel my wolf¡­ I wasn''t even in the water for that long, right? Or was I?'' Hawi asked herself after attempting to shift for a few minutes and managed to epically fail while at it. She wanted to say something, or do anything that would make them believe that she hadn''t tried to make the worst mistake of the century, but then it wasn''t like it was any further from her desperate truth. She had wanted to mute otu the world and she had managed to, for a while, only that she could even remember what it felt like. Maybe she could try going back in and get a hint, no? "Yeah, try me, Mistress," a furious Malika voiced when Hawi stared into theke with a glint in her eyes. Hawi tried to smile at her, but Malika was grim this time. And Rukiya looked heartbroken and disappointed at the same time. Was that even possible in one sitting? "I''m fucked, yay." Chapter 76: In Which She Was Lost [AWUOR] "Malika¡­ I promise, I wasn''t trying to¡ª" Hawi began and Malika rolled her eyes at Hawi, making the woman feel like she had a lot to do today. How the fuck had she ever gotten here? Maybe she wouldn''t have attended the damn wedding, right? However she had to be there, and see for herself the faces that she was going to destroy, and now she looked like she was determined to destroy herself instead of her enemies and her protector was ring at her. "I know you aren''t that stupid. The only question I have is why the fuck would you call out to me and disappear underwater. Were you trying to teach yourself to be a fish or what?" Malika asked with a clear displeased as she stared at Hawi. Hawi conceded and so she looked at Rukiya who was also ring at her. She hadn''t even changed clothes, and she looked like she had had the worst pain in the past few hours. Surely it couldn''t be because of Hawi too, right? "Don''t tell me you''re mad at me because you think I¡ª" Hawi said as she looked at Rukiya curiously. "Why would I, when you told Malika to seek me out for you? I just don''t understand what''s going on in your head. You''re confusing me and it''s pissing me off. Reject me already so I can move on instead of pushing me away and bringing me close. "I hate it, and I can''t even hate you for it, so please do what you do best," Ryuliya said angrily as she stared into Hawi''s eyes that seemed to be calling out to Rukiya. Funny how they could manage to both be in their world even when they had Malika around them. However, was that even enough to exin whatever the fuck had just happened? "I did what now?" Hawi asked as she ran a frustrated hand through her tangled hair. Hawi winced out in pain when she felt her fingers pull a little too hard at the roots of her long white hair which had somehow managed to remain white despite the fact that the woman looked like she had been fighting the water insects and fish. She looked like a lost Nemo or whatever the fuck sharks went to find under the deep seas anyway. "As much as I would like to hear you reject Rukiya for the hundredth time and break her heart despite the obvious pull you both are experiencing, we have a bigger problem than you being stupid right now,'''' Malika said and that got Hawi''s attention. She wasn''t sure what it was but the tone that Rukiay had used was enough to tell her that something had happened that shouldn''t have and it needed Hawi''s instant attention. "What is it?" Hawi asked as she tried to sit up, and once again failed. She felt like she had grown a little weaker than usual and hoped that it wouldn''tst for long. She didn''t want to be a burden to Rukiya and not even to Malika because they had things to do, and Hawi needed t think straight, something that she had learned was impossible with Rukiya staring into her eyes like she was already fucking with her sanity. "Your father isn''t dead, Mistress," Malika said slowly like she wanted to make sure He Heard her right. It was like there was something in the air that was making Hawi look like she was about to lose her chance at humanity today. "Exin," Hawi said stiffly and Malika looked at Hawi and then at Rukiya, like she wasn''t sure she could say this around Rkiya. Then again, it was quite hrious since she had seen the bond and knew that it couldn''t be denied. "She won''t do shit, don''t worry about her. And even if she does I will kill her with the blood oath. So what the fuck do you mean by my father isn''t dead?" Hawi said coldly and RUkiya flinched at the tone the woman was using. She was used to the rejection but hearing Hawi talk like that about her was affecting her and she couldn''t deny it. However, right now they had more important things to worry about than what she was feeling when she heard Hawi theater her indirectly. She hated being on this side of things but maybe once they were done today, she would go back to being the alpha her people needed and not the woman who was pining after a crazy woman with anger issues and a lot of baggage, right? "It was a setup, Hawi. It was a setup to see if you would show up. They had nned it to see whether you were alive or not, and Alpha Sicario was in on it too," Malika said and He felt her breathing stop for a moment. She suddenly turned pale, and she felt her heart constricting even harder than it had been earlier. "What?" Hawi breathed out defeatedly as she looked at Malika like she was hoping that it was all just a lie to discourage her from going back to Sicario. She wished it was just a bad message and that she hadn''t been betrayed again by her father. Hawi had been beating herself up for a while because of the man''s death and he was ying catch with her? What the fuck was even that? "I''m sorry, Mistress," Malika said defeatedly as she watched the betrayal register with Hawi making her wince again. She had been yed and betrayed by the one person that she cared for in Sicario. And it seemed like they were out to really get her. "They faked Father''s death because they weren''t sure I was alive or dead. They tried to lure me because they always know that I would always show up for that old man after what happened. "They used my love to y with my emotions again?" Hawi asked angrily, though this time, her tone was low and she was feeling like running things. "He¡­ He yed me, Ruru," Hawi whispered subconsciously as she held onto Ruliya''s arma and set herself up. She hadn''t expected that her father would be that cruel and it was breaking her heart once again. "I''m sorry, love," Rukiya said, ignoring the flutter in her heart when she heard Haiw call her ruru like they had been friends for the longest time. Maybe that was a sign that Hawi cared about her, right? Rukiya gently stroked Hawi''s hair in reassurance, like she was telling the mad woman that she was always going to be there for her. It was frustrating, but then it wasn''t like Rukiya could find it in her heart to walk away from Hawi. "I have to go, Mistress. I can hear theming. Please don''t hurt yourself, as for what they were hoping to get, I''ll find it out. Until then, be good to yourself mistress. Take care, Hawi," Malika said before she disappeared, making Hawi realize that all this time, only Rukiya had been real and Malika was just a reflection. "Why is everyone always out to hurt me? What is so wrong with me? D... Do you think I''m damaged too, Ruru?" Chapter 77: Get The Fuck Up, Woman [RUKIYA] "Why is everyone always out to hurt me? What is so wrong with me? D... Do you think I''m damaged too, Ruru?" Hawi asked softly and for a moment, Rukiya looked at the woman she had fallen in love with. She knew what Hawi wanted her to say and what she needed right now. She could tell that the lie about Sicario had broken Hawi''s heart and would probably have her questioning herself again. Here with her, Rukiya knew she could easily forge her way into the mad woman''s heart, but then she was also sure that when Hawi snapped out of whatever this was, she would eventually turn on Rukiya, again. It wasn''t something that was easy to do and Rukiya Greyson knew she had a choice to make. Frankly, she wished she could have Hawi beside her for a long time, but then she also knew that Malika didn''t just sacrifice her freedom and willpower to the Sicarios just for Hawi to stay down like a cabbage head. Malika wasn''t here to take care of Hawi, and Rukiya knew that. But even she knew that there was something else that they needed. This version of Hawi was weak and humane, but that wasn''t what Hawi needed right now. Rukiya loved her, no doubt, but even she wanted the fierce woman she had fallen in love with. She did like this woman who was forgetting what she had gone through, the woman who had let her guard down, and that too when she wasn''t even sure Rukiya was her ally. Granted, Rukiya was, but if she truly has not been, then it would have been another betrayal for Hawi and that in itself was a horror that the Greyson alpha wasn''t ready to deal with. So she chose the worst option at the moment, but also the option that could remind theirnds of who Awuor Hawi was, whether she was alive or dead. "Get up, Hawi. I don''t know what you''re doing right now, but you must realize that your sworn protector just went into enemy territory, and in the few hours she had been there, she''s been able to get you more information. "That was something that you could have figured out at the wedding if you weren''t too preupied with what Jer was thinking or what he wanted with you. Snap out of that, because they betrayed you. "That is the truth, and you have to decide whether your nat to go back home and be the girl they ramble on again and not get any answers about your Mom, or you can get up and be the daughter Eni sacrificed her life for. "Your mom didn''t sacrifice her life for you to wallow over people who don''t even miss you," Rukiya said and she felt her heart constricting at her tone. However she knew that Hawi needed a wake-up call and if she didn''t get one, especially with Malika away from her, Hawi would spiral and lose herself. And that wasn''t what Rukiya wanted. She had known Awuor to be an excellent warrior, hell even Rukiya Greyson was scared of her and her strength. That was just how powerful Hawi was, and yet in the past month, the version of Hawi that they had all seen was reduced to a lowly woman who wined and wallowed, and directed her anger at people who didn''t deserve it. They all needed a rational Hawi and if Malika couldn''t do that for them, then Ruliya would just have to put her feelings aside and work with the devil to bring back the powerful woman they knew. A woman who wasn''t scared of shit and a woman who wasn''t worried about her life. She was known to be strong and crazy but more than anything, everyone who knew Hawi, knew that crossing her was a death sentence, and yet all this time, the woman hadn''t done anything to retaliate against those who had done wrong to her. "You''re being too cruel, don''t you think? I get that I''m supposed to be the hero or whatever version of me you all have in your head. But am I not allowed to grieve or even express my feelings? Am I not allowed to be weak even for a moment? "You say you love me and yet you don''t understand what it means to be in my shoes. Maybe they were all right, maybe this was not a good idea from the very beginning. I should have just killed you at the beginning," Hawi said and Rukiya let out a scoff. She knew it was a dangerous move, especially given how Hawi was still weak and down. However, Rukiya also knew that the only way to get the woman back into the battlefield was to rile her up and make her into the woman who despised emotions, not the woman who was randomly kissing Rukiya like it was the norm. Rukiya wasn''t ever going toin about Hawi''s kisses, but she knew that Hawi had been using her as a distraction and that was something that Hawi wouldn''t have done, or let pass if she had been in her right mind. Maybe losing Eni had reyc fucked her up, and the fact that they had lied to her about her father, had just made her into a broken shell. She had loved her father and yet the man was ying chess with her emotions. If she wasn''t careful, Hawi would lose, and Rukiya wasn''t going to let that happen, not after she heard of the things that the Sicarios had done to Hawi. Sure, she didn''t have a right to fight Sicario for Awuor, but she was going to make sure the woman got right back up and fought for herself, until the time came when she wanted Rukiya to join her on the battlefield. "You really enjoy wallowing in self-pity, huh? Should we hold a fucking ceremony for your tears then? How long ago was the wedding? "You were there when the negotiations started and your stupid fuck of a mate hadn''t even realized that you were there, or that you were the one who officiated their wedding. That goes to show how insignificant you are to them. "So get the fuck up woman, and go get your house in order. I have a pack to run, and I can''t always be worrying about you just because I''m in love with you. "If this is what I''m going to get when you hopefully agree to my proposal then I would rather not have you at all, I hate messes and you being a mess is the lowest of all lows. I''m going back to my people, to actually be the alpha they need. "You can say here and wallow about how life has been unfair to you, or you can find a way to bring down your enemies and protect the citizens of Sicario from them. Otherwise, you will be the alpha without a pack, just like they wanted, because your people will be walking bones. "Whatever you do with that, I don''t care. But keep in mind that I killed eight of your loyalists because they cared for you too much to the point that they triggered a pack war as the only way to get Jeremy killed. "I''m off, and don''t look for me unless it''s rted to the stupid oath I bound myself to you with," Rukiya said angrily as she got up and walked away. She could feel her heart breaking at the sight of Hawi going back to rest on the mat they hadid for her. It made Rukiya wonder if she had done the right thing, or if she had just given Hawi a chance to give up and never fight back. Then again, even if Hawi were to fight, who was she to fight for? The same people that had watched and cheered that she be banished? It wasn''t like the people knew that she had been armed. The Sicario wolves were innocent in all this and if Hawi was going to save Sicario, she had to get back up and be the alpha they needed. She had a throne to reim but would she get up today or was she still going to try and buy herself more time in the hope that the world wouldn''te down on her people, while she was staying beside theke and hoping the breeze would punch some sense into her? Chapter 78: The Game of Pawns [AWUOR] "I, Alpha Sicario, banish you from our packnds." "If you are seen anywhere near the packnds, the warriors have the authority to kill you on sight." "Leave this ce this instant, and take nothing with you, except for the clothes on you and the crown on your head. "May that be a reminder of what you did to your mother. The bloody crown." "Aaahh!!!!" Awuor shouted in anger as she woke up. She had fallen asleep when Rukiya had left her, and she was sure she would wallow in pity as she hit her old age, but there was a different kind of rage. The kind that made her want to up and go back to Sicario and murder them all. The thought that her father had banished her and still had the audacity to try and lure her back home with his death was more than what Hawi needed to know that her family couldn''t give two shits about her. It was like they were wired toe and ruin her, to make fun of her, to make her the banished alpha that she already was. They were determined to cause her pain even posthumously and that in itself said a lot about the people she had loved for years. It also made Awuor wonder if her mother would have done this shit to her, if she had been the one alive and something else happened. She wondered if her mother would have supported her or gone with the winds like her family. Then again, were they even her family? "Stupid nightmares won''t let me sleep in peace," Awuor cussed out as she caught her breath. She had had enough of everything and frankly, the only reason she wasn''t going out to Sicario was because of her protector. Malika was on her side and was in Sicario for her. So Hawi had to be patient and see how the n worked. If Malika''s n failed, then Hawi would go in and murder them all, but until then she had to go back to the rksons and prepare her army. She was nning for war and it was only right that she found her way there. ''Malika, I need a portal back to rkson,'' Awuor said in her mind link that was always open with Malika. She knew that even though they were far away they always had tomunicate, and seeing that they are both special creation and their circumstances they had special abilities. ''Are you sure you''re in the right state of mind, Mistress?'' Malika asked, even though she was currently ying chess with Elodie in Sicario. She was winning by far and was so close to checkmate. ''Yes, I am. Why¡­ Are you busy?'' Hawi asked and Malika just sighed, before allowing Hawi see what she was. It was strange and something Hawi had never experienced, but then she wasn''t even sure what her abilities were. ''ying chess against Elodie. I''m so close to win¡ª'' ''Lose to her,'' Hawi said and Malika almost choked on air. She hadn''t been expecting Hawi to say that, but then what else was there when they were all in one stack of games with so many levels? Would it ry be alright if they started the game on a high note? ''What? You can''t seriously be telling me to lose when this is the first game¡­ Come on, Hawi,'' Malika said and Hawi justughed at her hopelessness. She knew how desperate Malika loved to win. She had never lost shit in her whole life and now she was being told to y this as a loss. ''If you win, which I know you will in all the games they will present to you, you will no longer be the stupid foolish girl who agrees to everything her husband says. And that will blow your cover. This is the time to fuel their ego, so trust me,'' Hawi said and Malika just agreed defeatedly. ''I''m only agreeing because you agreed to go back to rkson, on your own, which is strange, but that''s for another day. Anyway, give me a minute to lose and then I''ll step out to create the portal for you,'' Malika said, before she turned to look at Elodie who was smirking at her. Given Malika hadn''t closed off the sight, Hawi was able to see her best friend¡­ her former best friend sitting there all happy like she hadn''t betrayed Hawi. It made Hawi wonder if her best friend was guilty of everything, but that wasn''t the focus right now. So Hawi watched in silence as Malika lost to Elodie, who expectedly stared down at Malika. The pride on the woman''s face was familiar, and it seemed like her ego was still as big as usual. ''Oh I''ll wipe that smug look off her face, just portal me to where you are,'' Hawi growled out, when she noticed Malika had made eye contact with Elodie for a while now. Unknown to Hawi, Malika was instigating Hawi. She was reminding Hawi of what it looked like to love and lose. She was reminding Hawi that no matter what the woman looked like, she would always be the girl who got betrayed and this right here, was the fuel that Hawi needed to even go after the bastards. Seeing Elodie that smug was fucking with Hawi and Malika was intent on making sure her mistress got her priorities straight. ''Let me get to her, Malika. I could start off the murders with her, that stupid-looking face is so irritating, ughh,'' Hawi said angrily. "Goodness woman, rx, will you?" Malika voiced and this time, she hadn''t realized it, but she had spoken loudly to Hawi, and with Elodie and Dom being the only ones in the room, it seemed like Malika was addressing Elodie, which was a bad move at the moment. "You''re telling me to rx, after you lost to me? Damn girl, you got some balls," Elodie said and this time, Hawi let out augh. ''Well seems like I''m not the one in trouble this time, madam protector,'' Hawi mocked with augh and Malika sighed frustratedly. She made a mental note to separate the mind links with Hawi from her subconscious so she wouldn''t fuck up again. ''Happy cleaning, Malika,'' Hawiughed as she waited to see what Malika would do this time. "What?" Malika said softly to Elodie, like she was just another weak wolf in the pack. "I''m sorry, my wolf was telling me to train harder next time. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to upset you," Malika said, even though she was internally cringing at how she sounded. The tone itself made her want to die from embarrassment, but then she had gotten herself into this shit and she had to fake her way through it. "Are you bipr?" Elodie asked with a smirk on her face as she stared at Malika who had quickly gone on her knees and was before Elodie, giving her the power like Hawi had advised. It was crazy what they both were willing to do for Hawi''s vengeance, but at least they knew that they were on the right track. "Fine, whatever, just get up before Jer sees you like this and thinks I''m bullying you. Besides, don''t think too much of it," Elodie said softly as she carefully helped Malika up; it was Malika''s turn to wonder if Elodie really was bipr. Chapter 79: Not My Business Anyway [AWUOR] "Be good to the rksons," Malika reminded Hawi for the hundredth time. She knew how angry Hawi was and she knew that it would take a lot of power and restraint on Hawi''s end, especially now that she was ready to face her horrors. It wasn''t the kindest of times for the woman, but then it wasn''t like she could stay on the ground for long. Hawi was born to fight and that''s what she was going to do, even though this time, she was going to be fighting, not just for her mother''s justice, but she would fight for herself. She would fight for her peace and she would fight for what was rightfully hers. Her Sicario crown, even though she hated that crown with all of her being. "I will, Malika. I swear it," Hawi had said as she went through the portal, though she hadn''t been expecting the rkson warriors to be in arms and ready to go to war. ''What the hell is going on?'' Hawi asked herself when she saw that the weakest pack in the realm had picked up weapons. For years, everyone had assumed the rksons were weak because they never engaged in fights. They were always minding their own businesses and keeping their peace. They never lusted for more than they couldn''t handle and taught their children to be content. They had been peaceful for years and centuries on end. But as Hawi stood there beside one of the houses in rkson, she was worried. Why were they going to war? "She wouldn''t like this," Hawi heard Luna rkson say, and Alpha rkson just looked at his wife tiredly. He looked like he had thought of the options, and this right here was the only thing that they could work with. "She has been gone for a week. If we don''t find her, then we have an explosive protector in Sicario waiting to burn us down. You know the girl and everything she has gone through. You know very well why Malika brought her to this particr pack. "If we can''t even stand to defend our grandchild, what else is there for us? If we can''t protect the only reminder of my Eni, what else should I do as a father, Amara? "What use am I to Eni when I couldn''t even stop her from the very beginning?" Alpha rkson said to his wife, who Hawi had just learned had a name. Luna Amara looked worried and rightfully so, because whatever situation they were in was challenging as hell. Hawi could hear them clearly and the longer she listened to them the more she had questions. However, she also had a feeling that if she showed up and started asking questions, they would look at her as their own. She wasn''t sure what she had heard was true, but Hawi was done acknowledging more bonds. If she epted the bond with the rksons and the fact that there were more secrets with them, she wouldn''t be able to focus on her mission. When she had left Sicario, she had vowed to go back and burn them all. And she would. "But rk¡ª" "It doesn''t matter what she wants. She ran out of here on hearing that her father died, which by the way turned out to be a big fat lie, so what am I supposed to do? Stay here, Amara. Wait for her toe and let me know when she does. "But until then, I am going to find my Eni''sst pure blood," Alpha rkson said and Amara just pulled her mate into a hug. She knew that this wasn''t the greatest of situations and she knew that it wasn''t going to be easy. However they all had demons to fight and this time, they would go for Hawi. "I''ming along, and don''t even think that you can convince me otherwise. Where you go, I go. Our people will be fine, but your battles are mine. Now lead the way, rk," Luna Amara said, and Alpha rkson, once again, considered his options. He didn''t have that many, though right now, with his mate standing beside him, he knew there wasn''t another way out. They had to do this, together. Hawi watched as the two mates understood each other and talked about their strategies. It reminded her of a time when she and Jer were the perfect mates. Jer had always been there for her always supporting her decisions, always having her back. Jer had always been the ultimate mate and for the eight years they had been mates, Hawi had been the happiest. Her mate never let her go to war alone, just like she had seen with the rksons. Jer had always stood with her, for her, and always defended her. She had loved Jer and he had loved her equally as much. They were perfect, but then something happened to them, something that to this day, Hawi would never be able to understand. Hawi wasn''t sure when Jer had turned sides, and wanted the power for himself, but he had, and Dom had supported him. ''I can''t let them go to war for me,'' Hawi said as she rushed a few meters away from the ce she had been standing in, before she unmasked her scent. She knew that this was the only way. She may not have known much about the rksons, and there seemed to be more secrets here, but Hawi wasn''t ready to deal with anyone''s secrets; they could kill themselves if they wanted to, but she would just make sure they didn''t die for her. That was what mattered to her. "Thanks for the Apple," Hawi said cheerfully before she ran towards the pack members. She knew that she hadn''t thought of this, but what else could she do? What else was she supposed to work around that would keep her sane? She was angry, she had a thirst for vengeance, but this time, she would use her brains instead of her emotions. If anything, emotions made people weak, and she had learned that firsthand. "You guys are going to war? Who are we killing today?" Hawi said bubbly, ignoring the blood on her clothes and the evident scars that were new on her face. She didn''t mind. She had done what she had to do to make herself feel like her pain was disappearing. She wouldn''t be sorry for the pain she had inflicted on herself and if she had to do it again, Hawi would without a second thought. "Wow, Luna rkson, you''re also ready for war. I love a pack that values everyone. Don''t mind me here, I''ll tag along to war with you guys alright? I just need to get my¡ª" Hawi began as she stretched her arm and called for her weapons. It was something that Malika had taught her when they were in Olyana and she appreciated it. It was a trick that allowed her to go to war looking like a normal person and if it got to the point that she needed weapons, she could just call for them and they would be handed to her. It was strange but right now, even though Hawi knew what was happening with the pack, she had to y dumb. She couldn''t let them think otherwise of her. "Yup, good one," Hawi said as she got her spear and shield, and the guns she always had. "Let''s go, shall we?" Hawi said, cringing at the idea of war with a small pack like this. If these people were truly her grandparents, then she finally understood why they had always stayed on the low. But that didn''t exin why her father didn''t acknowledge the rksons to the point that he had let the rksons give them another woman for Sicario. It just didn''t make any sense, unless someone was ying a game here but who? And what did they stand to benefit from all this? "You¡ª You''re back, Alpha Awuor," Luna Amara said, and Hawi looked at her softly for a movement before she went back to the overexcited little shit that she had been practicing for the past ten minutes she had been back at rkson. "Of course. My father lied about his death, so I have to work around making his death real this time. Enough about me, where are you guys headed anyway, and whose head are we chopping off today?" "You," Luna Amara said. "What?" "We were going to war¡­ For you." "Well¡­ Shiiiit." ***** [A/N] Why do you think Malika didn''t say anything about Hawi''s ''rtionship'' with the rksons? Or was this also a game? Chapter 80: The Devils Table or The Angels Forte? [AWUOR] "We were going to war¡­ For you," Luna Amara said and Hawi felt her breath hitch in her throat. She had seen them and had known that there was a chance they were doing this for her, but hearing it from their mouths was something else. No one had ever gone to war for her. No one had ever defended her, or even stood up for her. Everyone was always trying to go to war with her, trying to stand up, to her. They were always trying to do things that would get her attention and not things that could show her that they loved her. The people around her had always thought of her aspetition and up until thest day she left home, hai knew that some things would never change. Here and now, as she looked at the alpha and his Luna, the couple that was considered weak and yet at the same time hadn''t once hesitated to pick up arms for the psycho they had just met barely six months ago. This was new to Hawi and she felt like she was about to cry, but she couldn''t. So she tried to think of what she could say to them. Maybe she was supposed to thank them, but for what? For being so ready to lose their lives for her that wasn''t something that Hawi knew how to work through and in the past years she had learned that emotions made people weak. She didn''t want to get emotional. She wanted to appreciate what they had almost done but she couldn''t find the word to say to them, so as she looked at the warriors who were smiling and happy that she was back home, Hawi knew she had to say something instead of standing there like a lost goat. And so she spoke the first thing that made its way out of her mouth. Maybe it would ease the situation but there was no knowing at this point, right? "Well¡­ Shiiiit," Hawi said, internally cringing at how chirpy her voice sounded. Then again, it wasn''t like she knew what else to say so she stood there with them, pretending to wipe whatever was left of the nonexistent apple she had been eating. All of this was new to her, and maybe if Malika was here with her, Hawi could have known what to do, but maybe this time, she didn''t always have to be the one to take the lead, right? "We''re d you''re back home. Are you okay? Is there anything that we should worry about?" Alpha rkson spoke when he noticed how awkward Hawi had gotten and the silence had somewhat gotten ufortable. "No, nothing. I''m fine. Thank you, foring for me even though all I have done is make you worry about me," Hawi said sincerely and the alpha just smiled at her like a father would a daughter. The only difference was that this time, Hawi was done getting attached to anyone. She didn''t have the strength to deal with her emotions and even more to work around the dynamics of new rtionships. She just wasn''t ready and she considered it a waste of time. "Wel¡ª" Alpha rkson began and Hawi interrupted him, making him arch a brow at her. Of course he was aware that Hawi knew what she was doing, otherwise they wouldn''t be here but even then, that didn''t make it easier for the both of them to understand each other. "I have something." "What is it, Hawi?" Alpha rkson asked and Hawi just took a deep breath, like she was silently hoping that she didn''t sound like a dick or evene off as an ungrateful guest to the pack. "I was thinking I could join your warriors in training. I know I''m a little rusty given I''ve not stepped into the battlefield or even training feld for almost two years now, but I will do my best. You don''t have to agree, it was just a request. "I will understand if it''s ufortable for your warriors because I''m a rogue alpha," Hawi said, adding thest bit softly. She had never spoken that word out loud from the time her father had banished her, but then here she was, for the first time in two years epting her fate as the rogue alpha. An alpha who had been banished for being too strong and being too intelligent. It was crazy, how up to this date, there were still some Sicario wolves who were convinced that Hawi had murdered her mother and forgot to erase the evidence. Awour Hawi was a rebellious woman when she chose to and she was strong and had good leadership skills. She also knew how to hide a body and erase the evidence faster than anyone else. If she had wanted to murder her mother, she would have done it and sessfully pinned the me on someone else, but hey, here she was, several miles away from the pack that had been home for her from the moment she had been born of the strongest alphas too. "It''s just that you guys took me in, and I want to be useful to you too. I don''t mind functioning as an omega, if that makes it easier for me to train with your warriors," Hawi added so quickly, like she was already sure that she had said something that she shouldn''t have. Then again, it was going to be a long hectic ride for her, if alpha rkson epted her bid to be an omega. The girl didn''t know the first thing about being an omega, and it would definitely take a toll on her, given most people despised Omegas. Then again, for her vengeance, Awuor Hawi wasn''t scared to join the devil''s table and feast with him. "Oh Hawi," Luna Amara said and alpha rkson stared at Hawi long and hard. It was almost like he was challenging her, and Hawi, had naturally refused to back down. She had never submitted to anyone other than her mate, who turned out to be a wuss, hell she hadn''t even submitted to her father, so right here and now, her world wasn''t going to submit easily. But if that was what the alpha wanted, Hawi would do it, though the man would have to spell it out for her, otherwise, they would be at odds sooner than Hawi had ever imagined. "You can also say no¡­ I don''t want to trouble you, not after you gave me shelter," Hawi insisted, and this time, alpha rkson let out a smirk almost like he had made his decision. Well, if he had then he could as well tell Hawi, because beyond the cold face and the strong woman she was showing to them, was a girl who was scared of rejection again. She was scared that she would really be unwanted and she would never be able to fit in. Awuor Hawi was scared of being cast aside if she proved to be useless to them. Oh, but Hawi was questioning herself at the moment, even though she was keeping her eye contact with the alpha rkson. Maybe this was going to be herst day here, right? "You can join the warrior team and train with them. Mbali is the chief warrior of the pack, I have a feeling you will get along very well." Chapter 81: The Angel of Death [1] [AWUOR] "You can join the warrior team and train with them. Mbali is the chief warrior of the pack, I have a feeling you will get along very well," Alpha rkson said after a long silence. He knew that having Hawi in his pack meant a lot and it also meant that she could give them apetitive advantage if ever the day came when they wanted to go to war. "Sure, I don''t mind training with him," Hawi said and the alpha just smiled at her like he knew something she didn''t. Then again, at this point, nothing would scare Hawi anymore. She had gone through the pits of hell and knew there was a hellfire waiting for her specifically when she was done with her vengeance. The least she could do was embrace the devil and hope that by the time shit went sour, she had figured out what was happening and a way to get back on her feet, because otherwise, she would have wasted not just her time but her potential too. "Mbali, please step forward," Luna Amara said and the warriors began cheering, making Hawi look at them like they had gone bonkers. She didn''t mind, because these were the very warriors who had been ready to go to war for Hawi. She would train with them and build her skills and maybe help them to the point that they would actually want to follow h to war. "Hello, Alpha Awuor," a voice greeted, as he swung Hawi in the distance, something that got Hawi not just confused but angry as well. The swing was so hard that Hawi''s body rolled off a few yards away just before Mbali rushed and stopped her before her head hit a stone. That in itself got Hawi wondering who the fuck the rksons were and what they were doing hiding under all that weak demeanor they presented o everyone. Whatever was happening here, was a test and Hawi had figured that out soonest because the moment she felt Mbali''s leg on her neck, she knew it was time to be the warrior she had trained for years to be, and the woman that Malika had trained for the past two years. If she was going to go down, then she would go down with a fight, and not a second earlier. Mbali then grabbed Hawi by the neck and punched her one more time into the ground, making sure that everyone heard the crack in her chest as he punched her. It was like he was gearing the woman for a mini battle, but then he could only hope that Hawi was understanding of the fact that this wasn''t war. They were just warriors sparring, right? But sparring with broken bones and a chest that could have been filling up with blood, had it not been for Hawi''s abilities, didn''t seem like fair y for the banished alpha. Hawi just smiled at Mbali, even as he punched her a second time, to the same spot, and Hawi spit out blood. She looked like she was slowly dying, but was that really it for her? Was this how she was going to die? This easily and beaten to a pulp by the wolves that were supposed to exist in myths? The cheers around Hawi irked her and she felt like they were the fuel to her anger. And seeing as Mbali hade at her in full force, Hawi figured that it was only fair that she returned the same energy to the man. Besides, it wasn''t like she had asked for this, right? So she looked at the Calrksons one more time, like she was silently apologizing for what she was about to do, but then even she wasn''t sure what she was going to do to the rkson warrior and maybe that was why she was apologizing. "Hello Mbali," Hawi greeted as she grabbed the man''s leg from behind her, and punched it, instantly breaking his tibia in the process. She then got up, and wed his arm, before slicing a sect of his throat, careful not to rip his trachea off but close enough to send a message of fuck you to the man who was in armor and Hawi was not in anything. Hawi punched his chest again, and this time, it was hard enough to make the warrior fall back to the ground, but not enough to kill him. This may have been a test, but Hawi wasn''t nning on killing the first warrior the rksons had sent her way. Hawi didn''t wait for the man to get up, no. She dragged him by the neck, something that made Mbali let out a loud growl, before he sat up with a gasp, and dug his ws into Hawi''s thigh, not even bothering to think of the consequences of trying to rip through Hawi of all the people. Everyone in the wars that Hawi had fought, had learned the hard way to never to w Hawi''s thigh, because that was always the one part that all the dead in her sight had chosen to use for an easier way out and even then, Hawi never gave them a way out. So when she felt ws dig into her thighs, Hawi held Mbali''s ws, and dug them even deeper, making the man''s wse out on the other side of her thigh. Werewolf ws were long, but as Hawi had barely registered a few seconds ago, the rksons were not regr wolves, and instead, they were the kind of wolves that the horror stories talked about. They were the wolves everyone was scared of, but Hawi was never scared of anyone, not even death itself and that would work for her this time. Because anyone in her state would have cried for mercy, and she was embracing the pain like it was a part of her. She had been one with the pain for a long time. "Nice to meet you, Mbali. I''m¡ª" Hawi began as she took in a deep breath, before she twisted the warrior''s ws, while they were still in her, an action that sent all the rkson warriors dead silent, and Luna Amara let out a gasp, while alpha rkson looked amused and shocked. Of the things he had expected, insanely insane wasn''t one of them, but then they couldn''t expect the woman who had led Sicario to war from the age of fifteen, and won the wars, to just be a regr wolf. Hawi was pissed and she was hurting so bad that she felt like her head would spiral into the darkness again. He hadn''t eaten in so many days and now she was here fighting, and regretting why she hadn''t taken a meal in the past few days. Maybe if she had, she would have been strong but then what else could she do, other than fight to hold her ground? Of course, she knew she would fight to win, but was that enough for her wolf right now, or even her health? She needed to restock from the emotional trauma and yet here she was, having fun at her very own expense. "¡ªHawi¡­ but my ''friends'' call me the angel of death." Chapter 82: The Angel of Death [2] [AWUOR] "¡ªHawi¡­ but my ''friends'' call me the angel of death," Hawi greeted with a sinister smile, as she casually plucked out all the ws from Mbali''s arm, and then stretched the warrior''s arm, which was still in her thigh, as if to tell the warrior that this was what happened to anyone who went against her. Her brutality was known across the realm. But many who hadn''t seen it for themselves had always assumed they were rumors. However, were they really? She knew that she would end up with a dark mark on her thigh when she finally healed, but then this was one she would be d about. Mbali let out a gasp as he tried to wiggle from the woman''s grip, and even scratched her other thigh to get her attention, but instead, she just smirked at him, as if to tell him that he wasn''t being serious at the moment. He was already having a potentially lost arm and was now fighting to lose another arm? Maybe he had a thing for arms and thighs, right? Well, that didn''t matter to Hawi anyway. She could help nurse the warrior, butter. "Nice to meet you," Hawi added, when she felt her skin closing with Mbali''s arm still in her thighs. She knew that she should have slowed down her healing, but then she was a pissed wolf, one who had been attacked without her permission and woman who had been punched senselessly by an enemy. She was not the kind to take defiance easily. So she stood there, watching Mbali as her wolf suffocated the life out of the rkson warrior. No matter what grade of warrior anyone was, Hawi was always different, and the girl who could kill by just staring. Bit by bit, Hawi watched as the warrior turned pale, as did the faces of the rkson warriors in horror. It was then that she realized that this man was their lead warrior, their enforcer. And it had to mean something, because of the few seconds that Hawi and Mbali had fought, she had made a conclusion that this was the kind of warrior she wanted beside her in war. But then no one ever wanted to be against Hawi¡­ Until the dumb Sicario elite wolves. "Do you want to continue this?" Hawi asked with a bored face, as she lifted her head to look at the warriors and this time, instead of just silence, she saw them take a few steps back. She was feeling dizzy, and that was something that Mbali had noticed too, because the rkson warrior instantly got up, and yanked his hand from Hawi''s thigh. It was a scene that left a lot of blood, but a warrior''s pride had been hurt and he was going to avenge himself. Maybe he was stupid, or maybe he wanted to prove himself a worthy challenger of the angel of death. "I do," Mbali said as he suddenly called for a sword and handed it to Hawi who just stared at him, with the permanent smirk that hadn''t left her face. "I have mine," Hawi said, summoning her twin swords. And when she got them in her hands, she began fighting Mbali. She didn''t care that Mbali was done and was probably going to be dead if she didn''t stop. The only thing Hawi wanted was a win and she would have it, whether she had to kill a warrior or if she hadn''t. She just didn''t give a fuck anymore. "Perfect. If you beat me, you get to train with us, but if I beat you, you leave rkson and nevere back. Not even if your protector, Malika, shows up here again," Mbali warned and Hawi looked at the man before her, and then thought of the protector she had gotten used to. Hawi needed an army and the rkson army seemed to be the perfect one because of how untainted they seemed. She had to save Malika and had to get her revenge and if defeating this warrior is it, then she would do it. Without question, though she wasn''t quite feeling alright at the moment, Her fatigue and stress had finally caught up to her, even though the timing was horrible. But she had to win. The thought of Malika being alone in Sicario didn''t sit right with her; so if she wasn''t going to fight for herself, she would fight for Malika. She would fight for the woman who had trusted her, the first woman who had seen some good in her. She would fight for the woman who had chosen her without a second thought, and one who had risked her life for Hawi. If she had to fight for Malika, then Hawi was going to do it. "I thought you were going to tell me something along the lines of me not seeing Rukiya anymore, but hey, you want to fight me,e along," Hawi said, before she remembered what she had just said. ''Fuck, I mentioned Rukiya. What the hell?'' Hawi scolded herself as she facepalmed, almost slicing her long hair with her swords in the process. She didn''t know when, but the idea of losing Rukiya suddenly didn''t seem like a good one to her, and it wasn''t because Rukiya was a warrior. She liked the woman and would fight for her. But at least this time, she was going to fight for Malika. "Perfect¡­ I''ll think of Ruk¡ª" Mbali began and Hawi let out a warning growl. "You mention her, and I will rip through you faster than you can make your ws visible," How warned and the skies suddenly turned darker, as the lightning was heard. It was morning and sunny but then with Hawi''s anger came a lot of things, not to mention the liking she had for Ruiya wasn''t making her life any easier. "You mention my Ruru again, and I will burn down rkson, and the best part of it, I will make you fight yourselves down to thest one. Don''t test me," Hawi added, and Mbali just nodded, having seen Hawi''s golden eyes. It was then that they all knew that Rukiya Greyson was THAT important to Hawi, and that to them was the first sign of hope and humanity. Even if they fought Hawi, at least this time she wouldn''t be fighting for nothing, but her love, even if she would deny it to the very end. "Say it," Hawi insisted as she put her sword on Mbali''s neck. "What?" Mbali asked, not sure what he was supposed to say. "Say you won''t mention my Ruru again, not as bargain to anything, unless you will be protecting her, but I can do that on my own. Now. Say. It." "I won''t mention her, ever, unless I have to," Mbali said and Hawi released her sword as she took a step back from Mbali. She could see the damage she had done to the warrior, but this man had challenged her and she would make sure to finish the challenge. However, instead of the warrior whining about it he just snapped his bones back into ce, eliciting a raw crunching sound that sounded a little too painful in Hawi''s ears. She felt sad for him, but not enough to stop her fight. "Perfect, let''s get back to the fight, shall we?" Hawi said the rksons had no other options other than facepalm as they watched the two. *** [A/N] * Aren''t Mbali and Hawi a match made in heaven lol Chapter 83: Paralysed By Fear [AWUOR] "Perfect, let''s get back to the fight, shall we?" Hawi said the rksons had no other options other than facepalm as they watched the two. They were both warriors who knew when to quit and yet right now, they had made a deal. "Do you guys really have to? I mean you have introduced yourselves and for the looks of it, you will be working together, so why don''t we break this up and let Hawi get some rest before she falls on her back?" Luna Amara said and Hawi pouted at her. Granted, she could feel her stomach wing for food, but she was certain she could go another round with Mbali, and win. It was a given on her end, because she had never lost the battle, ever, but would it really feel the same? "I can still go on. Besides, how else will he know that I am good at my work when he fights like a woman I once shared the battlefield with?" Hawi whined and Mbali looked at her curiously. Was this woman by any chance assuming that Mbali was a female warrior? "Female warrior? That''s quite the assumption, alpha Awuor," Alpha rkson asked. Hawi looked at the alpha, and then at the whole team almost like she was trying to tell them that she may have been dumb, but not that kind of dumb not to know the one warrior that had promised to fight her to the death if ever their sides crossed once again. Granted the rkson pack wasn''t it for them, but maybe they would create a new pact, right? "It''s nice to see you can still hold your first as usual, Warrior Jabali Lihle. If you wanted not to be known by me, you should have changed a few tactics, and yet you did everything that you always do. "Such a predictable warrior," Hawi said and Lihle figured that it was pointless hiding behind her mask again. She had been waiting for the day she would see Hawi again and frankly, this pack had never crossed both of their minds then again, as it was, fate yed different cards for them and now they would have to either side with each other, or part ways. "Of course, only you can remember the tiniest detail about anyone. Nice seeing you here, Alpha Awuor. Mind sharing your blood to heal me fast?" Lihle asked and Hawi dly slit her wrist and let Lihle drink from it. It was the fastest way for them to heal, especially since Hawi had learned a lot about her healing powers over the years. Maybe she was a gifted werewolf, but then things were slowly making sense to her. She still had questions though, and wanted to know why the hell the strongest female warrior to ever exist was here at the weakest pack. Sure, Hawi knew that this pack wasn''t as weak as everyone imagined, but that didn''t answer the question of why Alpha rkson needed Warrior Lihle of all the warriors in the realm. What was the alpha nning or rather, who was he hiding from? The only way someone would get such a force was if there was a threat, but what was the threat this time? "Tell me, Lihle. What are you doing on this side of the realm? Why are you with the rksons? "No offense but the reputation of this pack isn''t exactly something that people would brag about in the royal councils and hallways," Hawi said, her bluntness once again making Luna Amara facepalm. However at least this time they were slowly learning that the woman was chaos after chaos. But would that make it easier for them to even understand when she sometimes couldn''t even understand herself? "They''re my parents, Alpha Awuor," Lihle said and Hawi let out augh. No one ever knew that the rksons had children, and yet at the same time no one had ever actually questioned how the rksons were going to let their lineage live on when they had no one to continue their lineage. "Them? Your parents? What a beautiful lie. Again, no offense but they don''t seem like the pack to deal with your brutality, Lihle. Or did they adopt you for your skills? That is more believable than you being their biological child," Hawi insisted, though she had a feeling that this wasn''t a lie. She was curious and yet for the first time, she was scared of the answers she would find beneath theyers. If the rksons had born and raised Jabali Lihle, then why the fuck did their daughter not have theirst name? What the hell was going on in this goddamn pack and why were there so many secrets lingering around? Hawi was curious, a little too curious for her own good, but even then she was determined to not bond with anyone though her curiosity was taking a toll on her self-control. Soon enough she would go snooping and she would probably never find the answers she was seeking. "I knew you wouldn''t believe me, so I''ll show you something," Lihle said as she walked with Hawi to the house next to the pack house. The warriors who had been standing there with their weapons ready to go to war for Hawi just looked at their alpha as if asking what they were to do now. "Dismissed," Alpha rkson said to the warriors who bowed and their weapons disappeared in the air just like they had been summoned. Hawi saw that and she knew that there woulde a day when she would know what was happening here. But first, she needed to know why the warrior had agreed to be on this side of the realm when she could be fighting for Sicario or even the Greyson pack. Both were the strongest packs, so why choose the weakest in in sight? "We''re here," Lihle said as she opened the door to the house. It was dark inside and seemed dusty, given how harshly the door creaked. Hawi wondered whether the door had ever been opened in a while and the more she walked into the house, the more answers she got, and yet at the same time, the more fearful she got. She had never seen anything like this and she didn''t know what to do. There were paintings on the walls, beautiful paintings, and if it had just been that, Hawi would have been satisfied. She had fought long and hard to survive all these years and yet when the lights flickered on, Hawi finally confirmed that her werewolf vision hadn''t fucked up her sight. She hadn''t been hallucinating all this while and that left her with even more worries than she could ever voice out. She was scared, and Awuor Hawi was never scared. "Come along, we still have more to look at," Lihle said, as she turned to Hawi, only to see a shocked and shaking Awuor Hawi. She was trembling and her white hair was slowly turning a tad darker, something that happened when she was scared shitless. "Malika, help me," Hawi managed out, before her vision got blurry and her breathing got heavier. She could feel her heartbeats in her ears, and her throat drying up. Her mind was whirring with so many scenarios as she tried to force herself to breathe, but then all she could see was darkness. "Malika, please," Hawi called out again and this time there was nothing. She was met with absolute silence, something that never happened, not with Malika. Maybe the protector was busy, but couldn''t she even send out a signal to Hawi to tell her that she wasing or exin whatever the fuck was going on? As her breaths slowed, Hawi could only think of one other person who woulde if ever she called for help. And so as a gamble, she sought out the woman she loved but would never admit to, in the hope that she woulde. But even Rukiya Greyson didn''t make a show. "Fuck me," Hawi said humorlessly as she watched her world get blurry and everything stopped making sense. Defeated, Hawi watched as Lihle''s mouth kept opening and closing, the words from her mouthing off as grunts more than clear statements. Lihle began fading slowly as the darkness consumed Hawi, and she let it this time. She had never thought that she would ever have her panic and anxiety attacks at the same time again, and this time, in her terror, Hawi gave in to the darkness, because it was the only other ce better than the room she had walked into. Maybe she would be okay, but would she, really? Chapter 84: This Truth Hurt... A Lot [AWUOR] "You''re weak, that''s why no one cared toe to fetch you when you called." "I wonder how you survived alone in the freends." "The world will only save those who save themselves." "How pathetic. And to think she wanted to get her vengeance against me. I guess we''ve won the first round." "She''s crazy. She will always be crazy. Nothing can stop that." "I hope she dies and saves us the horror of seeing her face daily." "Death is too good a mercy for people like her. She''s an abomination. I''m her best friend, I have known her for long and I''m sure of it." "No one would me you if you stabbed her a second time in the heart. Look at her. What a pathetic excuse of a wolf." "Heard she was a white wolf, I don''t see anything special about her." There were so many voices in Hawi''s ear and each of them seemed to be mocking her. She wasn''t sure what she had done to get into that situation, but right here and now, Hawi knew that staying in that position would cost her more than just her mental health and peace. So she struggled to get up, to walk away from the voices because she wasn''t in the mood to trigger a war. She didn''t want to fight, and not today of all the days. She could feel her head hurting and her limbs were a little too numb. She felt like she was a stone but she was determined to get away. ''You can do this, Hawi. Just one more time,'' Hawi said to herself as she tried one more time, but just like the previous times, there was nothing. The light she had been seeing had slowly faded while she was busy trying to get up, and her werewolf vision isn''t working anymore. She was trapped and she didn''t know where she was. ''I''m strong, nothing can take me apart,'' Hawi said to herself but her subconscious seemed to think otherwise, because it was taunting her. "Except for the part where you don''t know where you are, have no clue what happened and the sun is going down on you." ''I''ll be fine. I am always fine,'' Hawi said as she ignored her subconscious. This wasn''t the time for her to me herself. She had to get out of here, so she tried retracing her steps, and everything that had gotten her into whatever situation she was in but she failed. Everything was nk. *** While Hawi was trapped in her subconscious, Warrior Lihle had called the alpha and the luna toe help her out. Whatever had been happening to Hawi had gone on for more than thirty minutes and that scared the hell out of Lihle. Seeing Hawi shaking and her eyes closed while her hair got darker, was even more confusing to her. She could tell that something was wrong but she didn''t know what; and she hoped that the alpha could tell what happened to the strongest werewolf alpha to ever live in their time. "Damn, I didn''t think she would be in this state," Luna Amara said when they got into her house with Lihle frantically pacing. She was trying to keep herself sane, but she couldn''t. It was just impossible for her, given everything she had witnessed. "What do you mean by that?" Lihle asked and the luna looked around the house, while her husband tried to get through to Hawi. "Everything on these walls is a trigger for her," Luna Amara said as she looked around the house. The lights were on and they could see it all. To themon eye, the walls were filled with regr paintings of a woman who seemed to be the muse of it all. However, the longer someone looked at the paintings, they could see Eni Sicario, from the time she was a child to the time she was apparently murdered by her own daughter and buried in a shallow grave back in Sicario. These drawings were products of magical visions and no one had control over them. "What does that even mean?" Lihle asked and Luna Amara just gave her hand to Lihle who took it seriously. She wasn''t sure what the luna was alright at but when she entwined her hands with that of the luna, she could see everything clearly. The drawings were live. The woman there was always smiling, running around. They were the lifeline of a woman who shouldn''t have died. A woman who should have lived longer, but a woman who had died in the hands of her daughter. "But you said that her walls would be in Sicario, not here?" Lihle asked and Luna Amara just sighed defeatedly. "Eni knew what would happen to her, and she wanted toe back home. She was our only daughter, and when she opened up and wanted her memories stored here we couldn''t object. "She wanted to protect her," Luna Amara said as she pointed at Hawi, who was still having a panic attack. The sight was pitiful and frankly, Luna Amara felt her heart breaking at the sight before her. The girl deserved better than so many triggers. Sure, Hawi had made it seem like she had embraced her reality and that she had murdered her mother, seeing thest scene rey like that, was more than just triggering. In the final memory of Luna Eni, in the damn drawings, Hawi had seen herself walk to the gym, but make a detour to her mother''s suite. She seemed to have had an idea that she had wanted to share with her Mom. i Hawi had been excited, She just didn''t know that it would be thest time she would ever be seeing her Mom. The visions showed Hawi and her mom talking and smiling, before Hawi excused herself to the bathroom, and when she came back out, she was out for her mother''s blood. She had wed the luna on her stomach, more than once, but Eni had healed herself. Hawi was brutal, but Eni defended herself and tried to protect Hawi. Even when she was in pain, Eni Sicaro had tried to save her daughter. "They said no one saw thest moments of Eni not even Hawi, so h¡ª" Lihle tried to make sense of the situation. "No one did. These showed up a year after Eni''s death. This was her house when she was a kid, so when we saw all these here, we figured it was her way of reaching out,'''' Luna Amara said as she watched in silence as everything unfolded. How Eni had managed to get Hawi to calm down. Dom and Jer were shown watching amusedly in the alpha''s suite while their Luna was being hurt. They knew that Hawi was not in the right mind and even in sight, but they had enjoyed it. They ignored the pleas of Luna Eni to help them out. "Hawi never murdered Eni?" "No. Jeremy did," Luna Amara began before continuing, "Hawi was too strong, so he wanted her dead and the fastest way to do that, without raising questions, was to murder Eni; by the Sicario rules, Alpha Sicario was to burn Hawi at the stake." "And Dom covered for him." Chapter 85: Please... Just A Little More * Thank you for 800 collections and 360k views!! Happy reading! [AWUOR] "Hawi¡ª" "I''m fine. It''s just an episode, and nothing new," Hawi said to Alpha rkson who was clearly worried for her. She hated being in this state and hated the fact that she had been vulnerable. She had promised herself she would never be vulnerable again and yet she was, again. Well, her panic attacks never came with warnings. Then again, Hawi was smart enough to know that the world wasn''t her yground and shit wouldn''t change just because she was the pretty little princess hurt by the world. She would find her way along the long road and wherever it led her, she was determined to make sure she found out the truth about what happened that day with her Mother. She had to get her answers, because this was the third time she was remembering her Mother''s death and it certainly had a different ending to it. One conclusion Hawi hade to was that Jer and Dom had been at y that day, and she would eventually find out what their role had been, that night. She was sick of everything crumbling whenever she had her panic attacks, but as usual, she had to find her way back to reality, even though deep down, she was scared shitless. She however wasn''t going to show the rksons that. "Are you su¡ª" Luna Amara began and Hawi just got up from the ground, as she made her way to the exit. "Yes, I am," Hawi said before turning to Lihle, "if you''re not too busy, maybe you can show me the training grounds. I got some steam to blow off." The rksons stared at Hawi worriedly. They knew she wasn''t okay, but they could also tell that she was always used to bottling everything up to the point that her hurt didn''t even matter to her anymore. It was not fair to her, but then Hawi didn''t care about anything other than the fact that she had a mission toplete. One that she would make sure to see through to the end, no matter what her body and mind threw at her. "Yeah, sure. Please excuse us alpha," Lihle said as she followed Hawi outside the room. However, before Lihle could make the final exit, Luna Amara stopped her for a moment. "Careful not to fight her in that state, Lihle. She is angry and wants some blood. Your abilities are not a match for her and she could kill you in the process. "Please don''t agree to be her punching bag, because I can''t bury another daughter in the hands of the Sicarios," Luna Amara said and Hawi, who had been out the door, felt a pang in her heart once again. Thest statement was a reminder that herst name was always going to be a hindrance to her. Herst name was always going to make her feel like she was the devil himself, but what else could she do about it? So when she heard Lihle''s footstepsing to the door, Hawi teleported to the pack house, like she wanted to make Lihle think that she hadn''t heard what the rksons had just said about her horriblest name. "Hawi?" Lihle called out when she didn''t see Hawi out there and suddenly, the rksons rushed out, worried about the wild woman again. With Hawi, they either had to get used to her, or they would have their blood pressure above the roof at this rate. "Rx. I didn''t run away. I didn''t kill anyone. I just went to the pack house to see what was there. Shall we head to your training grounds, Lihle?" Hawi said as she walked towards the rksons again. She was bothered by the way they perceived herst name, but she knew that there was nothing she could do at the moment. Besides, she wasn''t exactly the kind of Sicario to give anyone closure when she didn''t even know her truth. "I just thought you had gone to drink your ass off. Thest time we won the war, you were in the grand tavern," Lihle said casually and in a tone that told Hawi that she didn''t have to worry about anything. Lihle understood Hawi. Sure, she was never going to get to the level that Elodie knew Hawi, or even how Malika knew Hawi, but at war, Lihe knew Hawi the best. But was that enough at the moment? "Little shit¡­ Come along before the evening sun disappearspletely," Hawi said and Lihle just nodded before she led the way to the training grounds. That evening, Hawi sure did let out the steam she had gone to get off. She had sparred with herself, and a little with Lihle, even weing the other warriors to fight her. She had told them to beat her up like they were at war, and for a moment, the warriors had refused. But then Hawi had promised to buy them beer at the taverns for the whole night if they beat her up. It was a dangerous thing, and Hawi knew that there was a chance she could die if she let the warriors of the unknown n hit her, but then it was easier than having to face her fears. She just wanted to breathe and the only ce she could breathe was at war. She hated gyms, because of what had happened to her thest time. "Do you think she''s dead?" One of the warriors said once they were done and Hawi''s blood was all over the room. Her hair was red, thanks to the hits she had taken and the fact that she had wiped the blood off of her with her hair. Then came the point when her hair was too soaked that she couldn''t continue relying on her hair anymore. Hawi had blocked her wolf, which meant that she had declined the help of her werewolf healing abilities. She could feel her broken bones poking out of her skin, as her teeth had fallen on the ground. She had broken knuckles and her face was swollen. Hell, her whole body was too swollen that the warriors began feeling guilty about it. "The alpha will have us train rigorously again if they knew we did this to her," another warrior said. They were all nursing wounds, but unlike Hawi, they had let their wolves heal them. Hawi had gotten them pretty good to the point that even though their wounds had healed, the pain was still there. Yet none of them couldprehend the amount of pain Hawi was in, as she was curled up on the training room floor. She looked like some ve that had been bullied into submission. Awuor Hawi looked terrible and like a ghost had taken over her form, but even then, she still managed to speak the words that the warriors declined to give in this time. They had had enough, themselves, given the woman they had been fighting was too strong for them all. It was like she was a weapon of destruction on her own. Sure, she was badly hurt, but the hundreds of warriors at the grounds were hurting, because of how harshly she had hit them. "Punch me a little more," Hawi said and the warriors stepped back, including Lihle. However, when Hawi spoke again, their hearts shattered on her behalf. "Please¡­ please beat me up a little more." Chapter 86: Ill Kill Them All, Your Choice [AWUOR] "Please¡­ please beat me up a little more," Hawi pleaded as she looked at the worried warriors who weren''t sure they could give in to what Hawi wanted anymore. The woman looked like she loved getting the pain, but then was that enough a reason for her to let herself be beaten shitless like she didn''t just rule the strongest pack in the whole realm and lead them to war more times; and win each time? "I''d run, if I were you, all of you," an awfully familiar voice said, making the warriors turn to look at the source. It was unexpected, especially here at the training grounds, but the warning was so clear in that voice that the warriors were sure they wouldn''t want to stay if they wanted their lives. "Or do you want to test how powerful me and my army that is a few clicks away from here, are?" the voice asked again and the warriors, including Lihle, ran off. They were injured and slow, but they knew they had to leave that ce as soon as possible because the woman who had just walked in was the very definition of hell, and the mother of ''fuck around and find out''. She was dangerous and could easily bring them down, because this very woman knew all the secrets of the rksons, and for that very reason, they were sure she knew what their weaknesses were as a pack. It wasn''t that hard to tell, but damn, the disappointment in the woman''s face as she looked at Hawi''s broken self on the ground, made the skies want to open and cry for Hawi. "I leave for a week and this is what you do, huh?" "If you aren''t here to beat me up, leave me alone. You always spoil my fun, Rukiya,'''' Hawi said as she struggled to open her eyes. She couldn''t even get herself to trigger her werewolf abilities anymore. That was how terrible she had been beaten, and boy did she look like she was stoned in the pit of the unwanted. Hawi knew that Rukiya wasn''t going to let this go, and expectedly, the ultimatum came, something that made Hawi smile at how protective her Ruru was. If they had met under better circumstances, they would have been best friends, and even more, but was that off the table now? "You have two choices, baby. Eithere with me and I figure out a way to fix you up, or dare me to beat you up and watch me burn down the rkson pack here and now. And trust me, not even their name will be left in the minds of everyone when I''ll be done with them. "Dare me, love. Try me and see what I will do, hmm?" Rulkiya said angrily as she took in Hawi''s appearance. She felt a stray tear fall from her eyes at how vulnerable Hawi had let herself be. The vulnerability was never a problem, but the kind of vulnerability that Awiuor Hawi had subscribed to, was one that would forever break Rukiya''s heart. "I''m fine." "Adolf, go find me Mbali. Seems like she and I have a lot to talk about. Bring her, whether you have to drag her by her hair or ws. Bring me Jabali Lihle. "And do remind alpha rkson and his luna, politely, that I had warned them against seeing so much as a scratch on my woman; if they might be tempted toe to save Jabali alright. "I see more than scratches, hell I see a shitload of scars waiting to show up when she heals. So remind them politely, alright?" Rukiya said to Adolf, her tone so cold that Adolf was worried for himself and the rksons. More than anything, the man who never cared about anyone, was suddenly worried about the fate of one of the great warriors of the realm. This was bad. No, this was terrible, like an invitation to hell kind of terrible, only that this wasn''t an invitation. This was Jabali''s summoning to hell. "She didn''t do anything. You''re being dramatic, Ruru. Besides, my wolf will heal me soon enough alright? I don''t need a babysi¡ª" Hawi said and Rukiya turned to her with a full-on re like she was daring Hawi to say another word. And well, Hawi always would be Hawi. "You make me look like a weak alpha wolf, Ruru. I wanted to do this. I t¡ª" "You wanted to do this? Was that why Malika had to get me out of a meeting and tell me that you needed the both of us but she couldn''t make it, or even make me a darn fucking portal so fast? "Was that your reason, Hawi? Don''t fuck with me woman, fucking stay silent," Rukiya said and Hawi gulped like a deer caught in the headlights. She had never seen Rukiya Geryson that pissed and hell, she was sure it wasn''t the damn blood oath anymore. ''I think I fucked up big this time,'' Hawi thought to herself as she watched Rukiya give instructions to Hudhayfah who carefully walked to Hawi, ready to heal her. Hawi wanted to object, but there was a pissed alpha wolf on the same ground as her, and she honestly didn''t have the strength to fight anymore. So she waited for Hudhayfah. Hopefully, that would calm Rukiya, right? Rukiya paced as she waited for Adolf toe with Mbali. Everyone here knew that Adolf was stalling, like he didn''t want toe with Mbali immediately for obvious reasons. He knew that Rukiya was not in her right senses and was blinded by rage and a possessiveness over Hawi and that in itself made her a ruthless predator. If she saw Mbali like she wanted to, there was a chase that he would murder the warrior just to prove Hawi right, and that wasn''t why they hade here. It was quite the sight, seeing Adolf try to save someone''s life, that wasn''t Rukiya or a Greyson wolf, but then tough times did call for tough decisions, right? "Ow," Hawi winced when Hudhayfah tried to clean a wound on her arm, and that got Rukiya turning to Hudhayfah like she was about to make her healer take a long trip to the afterlife. "I doubt you want to piss me off even more Hudhayfah, no?" Rukiya spelled out, word by word like she was not in the mood to put Hawi in pain even more. "Y''know what, leave. Go find me Mbali and tell Adolf to stop stalling, that won''t let me save her life," Rukiya said as she grabbed the supplies that Hudhayfah hade with and sat next to Hawi, ready to treat the elf woman''s wounds herself. "Tell me when it hurts, alright?" Rukiya said and Hawi moved away from her, breaking Rukiya''s heart. However, the sheer determination on Rukiya''s face was enough to tell Hawi that they could y this game until the moon goddess came herself, and she wouldn''t even be able to do anything to stop Rukiya. "I''ll let you treat me on one condition." "You''re not exactly in the position to tell me what to do, love. I need to know what triggered this, and why you let them hurt you. I need to know why you didn''t fucking fight back and don''t give me shit about wanting to feel the pain so bad because your mind was clogged. "Don''t even think of bargaining for Mbali''s life," Rukiya stated, and Hawi stared nkly, like she was just caught in a lie. But then she knew that Mbali wouldn''t hesitate toy her life for Hawi, and that wasn''t what Hawi wanted. "Well then, seems like you''re okay with me being this far from you, right? Besides, who knows, I might just fall in love with Lihle since she gives me everything I want, unlike you," Hawi pouted, and Rukiya flinched like she had just taken a hit in the heart. Of course, she had, and Hawi knew that what she was doing was low, but damn, this was the only way for her to make a negotiation. "Your call," Hawi added stubbornly, like she didn''t just give the mother of crazies an ultimatum. Then again, weren''t they both wild? "Fuck me. What''s your damn condition?" "You don''t hurt anyone in rkson, and I let you take me with you to wherever you want." "Only if we leave this instant, and you don''t talk of falling in love with Lihle EVER again." "Like I said, your call," Hawi insisted. "You will be the death of me, fuck. We have a deal then." Chapter 87: For You, Id Give It All Up [AWUOR] "I can''t believe she made me do that," Hawi whined when she woke up with a splitting headache, clutching her head like it was supposed to make her feel any better. Her body was still sore, but cooped to thest time she could recall her pains, she was feeling a little better. She was currently in afy bed, one that she could have sworn she hadn''t called for or even summoned. It was a luxurious one, the kind that she had in Sicario, but her bed with Jer wasparably smaller than this one. Sure, it had been a big eight-by-twelve bed, but as Hawi took in her surroundings, she knew she wasn''t even at the rkson pack anymore. The huge bed covered in white sheets that were stained by her bloodied body stared at her as she watched the endless bed. She could see Rukiya beside her and for a moment, Hawi let out a sigh of relief. She wasn''t alone here, and no one wasing for her with spears and guns. She hadn''t murdered anyone, and she hadn''t done something that society would frown upon. She looked at her hands and there were no ws retracting, or even blood beneath her nails. "You''re awake?" Rukiya asked groggily as she looked at the love of her life who was trying to sit up in bed. She had been sleeping beside Hawi, close enough to make sure she wasn''t hurt and got everything she needed, but distant enough to make sure the woman didn''t wake up and start throwing a fit about how she felt nothing for Rukiya. Or even how she didn''t mind walking back to Sicario despite being hurt and wild as hell. "You know I hate closed doors and rooms," Hawi said as she saw the Mahogany door staring at her. She couldn''t help but remember the pain she had felt thest time she had found herself behind closed doors and in the dark. She had a lot of painful memoirs, but then she couldn''t live like an outcast her whole life. Granted, Hawi may have been sleeping on the floor in the living room of the pack house at rkson, but that didn''t mean she deserved the hostility she was showing herself. She deserved better, and she knew it too. However, she just wasn''t ready to face that reality. Not yet. "Hawi," Rukiya said softly as she looked at the woman in her bed. Sure, she hadn''t expected a bloodied Hawi in her bed, but then she hoped that there woulde other days when she wouldn''t be nursing her love, just because of her inflicted wounds. "You''re safe, baby," Rukiya said as she looked at the frustrated Hawi. Rukiya could see that Hawi was contemting making a run for it, but then the woman had made a deal with Rukiya to not turn rkson into a madhouse and in return, Hawi would let her do whatever she wanted with her. And in this case, Rukiya had brought her to her home. She had let Hawi in, even though she knew it was not going to be easy having two alphas in one pack, especially when both of them were extremely powerful on their own. Maybe it was a stretch, but it wasn''t like Rukiya''s heart which was solely beating for Hawi could take any hints at how dangerous it was, no? "You don''t know that. Fuck. My wolf should have healed me by now. I wonder what''s taking so long," Hawi added as she tried to push the duvet off of her, but Rukiya wouldn''t let her. "No. Not yet. You can''t get out of this bed unless you want to use the washroom. And yes, I know you''re safe, because if anyone tries anything, I will kill them first and ask questionster. "No one will hurt you and no one will take you away from me; not even if I have to fight the moon goddess myself," Rukiya said, the determination in her voice making Hawi smile even though she was still in pain. It was obvious she had slept for a few hours but damn, she wished she had drunk a sleeping portion or Malika would have cast a spell on her to make her sleep through the injuries, but then it wasn''t like that was a miracle that could happen anytime now. "Me being here will put you in danger, Ruru. I''m a time-ticking bomb, and it''s not fair to force my baggage on your people. You have innocents in this pack who don''t know anything about why I was banished or even what could happen if my people find out that I''m alive. "I worry that they might try to use them as coteral, and I can''t choose between my vengeance and a bunch of innocents, Ruru. I''ve suffered too much to give it up. Which is why it''s a smart idea to leave me be. "I know it''s not what we both want to hear, but danger always follows wherever I go," Hawi said defeatedly as she ran her fingers through her hair frustratedly. She loved the idea of being around Rukiya and staying here, but Hawi was right. If word was out there that the banished alpha didn''t die and that she was alive all this while, so many things could go wrong and Malika would be put in impossible situations. Hawi wanted to protect the woman who was tasked with protecting her, maybe because Malika was the very first one who had been sincere with her. She couldn''t let shit go sideways just because she was doing quests as Rukiya''s guest or whatever the fuck she was here as. She didn''t want to do this, not if lives would be lost, undeserving lives. It would be too much for her. "Oh, Hawi," Rukiya began as she stared lovingly at the psycho on her bed. "I knew all that, long before I started looking for you in the freends, Hawi. I knew that you were dangerous and death followed you like a shadow, and even then, I didn''t stop looking for you. "I don''t care if the devil himself wille after me for having you this close to me, but I won''t lose you. And you keep forgetting that now that you''re no longer the Sicario reigning alpha, your pack has fallen a few steps behind. "That leaves Greyson as the strongest pack to ever exist. I don''t care what happens, Hawi, and I know you might think that I''m saying that because I refuse to lose you, which is true, but I''m also sure because I have the best army in the realm right now. "I don''t want you for power, or whatever it is that is going on through your head right now, Hawi. I want you, for you. I need you, for who you are; the person who makes me smile, and makes me the happiest. I''m crazy about you and I go crazy at the thought of you being away. "If loving you brings the devil to my doorstep, then so be it, I will lead my army into battling all the devils, for you," Rukiya said as she carefully closed the distance between her and Hawi. She was fighting the urge to kiss Hawi''s plump lips that were staring at her, and only because the woman was still in pain and Rukiya didn''t want to hurt her in the process. She was a patient alpha. But she wouldn''t lose her, not again. Never. "But Ruru¡ª" "Earlier, you said you''d let me do what I want with you, no? Then let me nurse you back to health, Hawi. You''ve always taken care of everyone around you, always worrying about everyone except yourself, so let me, please. "Let me be the shoulder for you to lean on in your happy times and sad times. Let me join you in fighting your battles, blood oath or not. There will always be obstacles ahead, for you, for me, for us, but I''m ready for all that, otherwise I wouldn''t have sent Adolf to seek you out. "And if I''m being honest, I didn''t seek you out because mother dearest wanted to talk to you. I only sought you out, for me, baby. I did it because I was sick of loving you from a distance and wanted you near, consequences be damned. "I''m that selfish when ites to you," Rukiya said earnestly, and Hawi sighed. "You''re so stubborn." "No, Hawi, I just love you, so much it breaks my heart to see you in this state. Please don''t push me away." Chapter 88: Ill Be Your Executioner, Love [AWUOR] "You''re so stubborn," Hawi said as she looked at Rukiya. It was honestly tempting to make a move on Rukiya, but just like Rukiya, Hawi figured that this wasn''t the best time for the both of them. Then again, maybe they all just had to clear the air about everything and embrace each other, right? But what was there to be cleared between the two of them? "No Hawi, I just love you, so much it breaks my heart to see you in this state. Please don''t push me away," Rukiya said softly as she watched Hawi. She loved this woman so much it hurt her and wanted to reign in it. And at the same time, she also knew that Hawi wasn''t the kind of woman she could force herself on, because she would end up with a lot of bruises and frankly, she wasn''t on a mission to be broken. "What if someday you''re wrong about what you feel right now? What if it''s because you just don''t have a mate yet? What if all of this has to stop when you meet your mate? Then what, Ruru. What will I do then? "What will we do then?" Hawi asked as she gently pulled Rukiya towards her. Hawi could see the sincerity in Rukiya''s eyes and she knew it was the kind that couldn''t ever be faked. Having Rukiya this close to her made her feel like she could face anything in the world. She could go up against everyone and win. That much she was certain of. "I never had a mate, Hawi. I never knew one was even possible, especially after what my father did. I haven''t known what love is, for a long time, until the first time I saw you in the freends woods, covered in banana leaves. "At first, I thought it was because I''d watched everyone have mates, and I hadn''t met mine. I thought that maybe my loneliness was the reason I was attracted to you, the girl who didn''t have a home to go back to. "I thought maybe you were alone and I was alone, and that''s what I wanted you so bad. But it''s more than that, Hawi. I know you feel it too. This, us, it''s different from the normal mate bonds," Rukiya said as she carefully leaned closer to Hawi. "If that makes you ufortable then I can promise to never mention it again. I''d hate to do anything that makes you feel like you don''t have a choice. With me, you always have a choice, love. "I want to see you happy and alive; free and without any worries and burdens. I want to¡ª" Rukiya said and Hawi put a finger against Rukiya''s lips, instantly shutting the woman up. Hawi could see the turmoil and confusion in Rukiya''s eyes and she could tell that there were already a hundred things going through her head at the moment. And Hawi wanted to clear them all, but she needed to take a stand too. "I won''t go anywhere, Ruru. I can''t, even if I wanted to; because somehow, having you this close is addictive as hell. My daily routines usually consisted of me waking up, and nning murders, and while that is still my main objective, you found your way into my thoughts, Ruru. "I think of you so randomly and imagine so many things with you. I know you took the blood oath, but I don''t want you to love me because of some oath, because I certainly didn''t love you because of that," Hawi said and Rukiya lifted her head to look at Hawi. She was careful just like the other times but damn, hearing Hawi''s words was now fucking with her. She wasn''t sure if she had heard her well or this was Hawi just ying games with her again. Surely it couldn''t be that, right? Hawi wasn''t so cruel, no? "What?" Rukiya mouthed, like she was scared it was all in her mind. But was it? "You''re mine, Ruru," Hawi said with a smile on her face while Rukiya was still staring at her with uncertainty. There were times she was sure Hawi was only talking because of the pain or to change the subject, but for thest twenty minutes, they had stared at each other and breathed each other in, and all Hawi had done was think of the both of them. It was strange to Rukiya but it was one that gave her hope. Granted, Rukiya knew that with Hawi, hope was the worst that could happen. However, just this once she was choosing to hope again because at the end of the day, the worst that could happen between the two of them, was them staying in Greyson just for Hawi''s vengeance and the army that Rukiya had sworn to Hawi. "I''m more distracted when you are not near, than when you are near. I worry for you more times than I''ll ever admit, even though I know you can take care of yourself. Maybe this is crazy, especially given the position we''re currently in. "But Rukiya Greyson, will you let this anger-controlled and ruthless alpha love you? I can''t promise that it will be a smooth sail, hell I am certain that loving me will probably turn all targets to your back too, but I can swear to always protect you. "And if I fail, then that means I''ll be dead, though Malika told me that I have a long life ahead. Let me use that to protect and be there for you too, my Ruru," Hawi said and Rukiya let out a breath of relief. She had never imagined that the great Awuor Hawi would ever say those words, hell she knew that Hawi was more unhinged than could be seen, but hearing the psycho alpha ask for her permission to love her? That was just something that the Greyson alpha hadn''t imagined was possible. "But I have enemies too, Hawi¡ª" "That is a burden thates with the thrones we have long sat on, Ruru. Though if they try to hurt you, then I''ll have no other option than to burn them all." "What if¡ª" "Yeah, what if you let me kiss you right now. I know the past two times, I acted out rashly. So I''ll try to be civil this time. Can I¡­ Can I kiss you?" Hawi said, and this time, her voice was no longer filled with hopelessness and a desire to leave Greyson, no. This time, she had something to protect, someone to live for, someone to take the high and lonely rough road for. She had someone to walk on fire for, and she wouldn''t evenin. "Only if you let me fight beside you." "Well¡ª" "I''ll be your executioner, love; Just point me in the direction of everyone and everything you want gone, and I''ll take them out for you." "I have something in mind." "Who?" "But I don''t want you to kill it, because I''ll be damned then." "What is it?" Rukiya asked worriedly, given she couldn''t think of anything that could leave Hawi damned anywhere right now. "I love you," Hawi said and this time, Rukiya didn''t waste any time smashing their lips together. She was happy, and so was Hawi. "Always." "Always, my Ruru, always." Chapter 89: Melting Me Softly [AWUOR] "Just a few more steps," Rukiya said to Hawi. They were currently outside the pack house and it was safe to say that Rukiya had taken Hawi''s approval a little too seriously. She had managed to convince Hawi''s wolf to heal her, and while that hastened the process there were just some things that Rukiya Greyson needed to confirm for herself. And that''s why they were here with Hawi going through physical therapy. "Can I take back my approval?" Hawi whined as she made the three-hundredth step. She had been doing this for an agonizing three hours and was about to lose her mind. She had given Rukiya the stink eye more than once but that didn''t seem to faze Rukiya because her greatest priority right now was Hawi and her health. Everything else could wait. "Just one more. I promise I''ll let you rx," Rukiya said and Luna Razia let out a knowingugh. "See, even the luna isughing because she knows you won''t let me rx. You''re such a meanie," Hawi pouted as she struggled to walk. She had been used to pain and inflicting it on herself, but when she had let the rkson warriors descend on her full throttle, she hadn''t ounted for the fact that there were many of them and she was just one person. The fact that she had intentionally overlooked the part where they were probably going to break her bones and would take her a while to heal, didn''t sit right with Rukiya. However, right now, the main goal was to make sure Hawi went through her physical therapy. "I''ll take you on a hunting trip round if you put that foot forward, sweetheart," Rukiya said sensually, and Hawi looked up a little too fast, making her head hurt and her hands falter. But that didn''t matter because she had been given the one thing she was willing to do whatever it took. "If you lie this time¡ª" Hawi began but Rukiya interrupted her softly. "I''d never lie to you, baby. Now you wannae with me, just the two of us, or would you prefer to go with Adolf?" Rukiya asked and Adolf let out a whine. "You''re setting me up, Rukiya. You seem to be forgetting that she could bite my head off and not even feel an ounce of remorse. "She still wants to kick my ass and going hunting with her will be an excuse to bring me back home looking like the walking dead," Adolfined and Rukiya let out a knowing smirk. Of course, she wanted Adolf and Hawi to be on the same page but that wasn''t something that would happen overnight. It had been two years since they had first met Hawi and even then that didn''t make it any easier for Hawi to trust Adolf. She was still skeptical, though they were like frenemies at this point. But did that even matter when Hawi wanted something to punch right now? "I''d say I want to go with Adolf since it''s tempting to knock off that smile on his face, but I''d rather spend more time with you. Besides, who knows what tomorrow holds for me, right?" Hawi said as she suddenly walked in a straight line she hadn''t been hurt in the first ce. "Oh, she is sly, this one,'''' Sherry, the Greyson pack cook, said and Hawi just smirked at her. Of course, Hawi was a strong wolf and she could handle herself. She knew she could fix herself long before she had even left rkson, but the thought of having Rukiya care for her, and treat her well, was something she had been looking forward to. It was a test of loyalty, one that could have gone sideways so bad, but then here they were. It worked. "You can''t me me for wanting to spend more time with my woman, even if I have to pretend to have a broken spine," Hawi said and Adolf just rolled his eyes at the woman. He loved the duo, but that didn''t mean he was going to openly admit defeat to Hawi. He was excited for what the future truly held for them and especially now that they had Hawi with them. "No, I can''t. Just don''t hurt her, alright? She''s my only daughter, and if you hurt her, I wille for your hair," Luna Razia warned and Hawi justughed. Her hair was never an issue for her, because that shit grew faster than Awuor Hawi could ever blink. And the fact that it was tinum white made her feel like her mission as th white wolf was about to be made known to her. She just hoped that it wouldn''te before she was done avenging her mother because then, Hawi would abandon that mission and focus on her vengeance. There was nothing she wanted more at this point anyway. "You don''t have to worry about me hurting her. She''s mine to love, cherish and protect. What''s mine is hers in every way, except for my enemies because I will burn down anyone who looks at her the wrong way. "If you all will excuse us, I have a woman to please," Hawi said before winking at the group that had gathered to encourage her to get through her physical therapy with her woman. "Is she fucking blushing?" Sherry whisper-yelled when she saw Rukiya Greyson, the woman who could pull the coldest of faces blush when Hawi had imed her. It was a new sight, probably something they would take a long while to get used to, but hearing that the wild woman was her protector was something that they all had to appreciate. Because only those who hated their lives would darey their hands on what Hawi had imed. "Damn, you look so fucking pretty right now," Hawi said to Rukiya who was so close to facepalming. She wasn''t used to the open show of affection, but then she was d that she didn''t have to hide what she felt for Hawi anymore. "Everyone, dismissed. Get back to your stations and report to Adolf and the Luna in case of anything while we''re away," Rukiya said and Hawi shooed the crowd away. Sure they were leaving, but a little too slow. And it seemed like Hawi was having other ns for Rukiya, because she turned to the wolves who were taking their sweet time to leave. "You people are naughty. I guess you want a show, no? I''ll give you or then," Hawi said, before she imed Rukiya''s lips right there, before the pack doubting Hawi''s words. Well, they were right to doubt, but seeing Rukiya respond to the kiss was something else. It wasn''t a deep kiss like the one they had before, but it was one that made the statement Hawi wanted to make known. Instead of leaving they just cheered and Hawi let out a low growl, one that finally served as a warning for everyone who was still watching them. Carefully and wordlessly the crowd of wolves disappeared while Rukiya was melting softly in Hawi''s arms. She loved it there and wanted to stay for a long time. She wanted to reign in the newfound affection and clearly, she was hoping that it wouldn''t end. "You owe me a hunting trip, love. Let''s be on our way, no?" *** [A/N] * I created Instagram to promote my books. I''d appreciate it if you follow me. I''m still trying to see how the tform works lol. Hopefully, it''ll bring more readers * My username is "she_osprey" thanks! Chapter 90: In Which She Was Her Treasure * Thank you for 400k views and 879 collections!! [AWUOR] "You owe me a hunting trip, love. Let''s be on our way, no?" Hawi said to a flushed Rukiya who was staring at her like the world was suddenly full of unicorns. And at that moment, Hawi took the chance to look at the woman before her. This time, she didn''t have anything to hide, or worry about because there was nothing that could ever beat what she was seeing right now. Rukiya Greyson, smiling and happy, was a sight Hawi had gotten used to, but she was determined to make sure the smile stayed. Love and life were still not going to be enough for Hawi to show Rukiya just how much she loved her, and maybe that was also why, as she stared at Rukiya, getting lost in the woman''s eyes, Hawi reached out to Malika. ''I''m in trouble, Malika,'' Hawi said in the mind link, while she traced a finger subconsciously on Rukiya''s lips. She wanted more, she needed more, and yet right now as everyone was slowly dispersing, Hawi wondered what it would be like to taste Rukiya, and eat her up. She wondered what it would feel like and even look like, when the woman before her was writhing in pleasure beneath her. She had never thought of that, and maybe that was also why she had subconsciously let Malika into her thoughts. ''Holy fuck, woman. I know I wanted you to be happy, but I didn''t sign up for trauma. Now I have to sanitize my mind with images of dead people, damn,'' Malika whined, but Hawi wasn''t even fazed. Sure, she hadn''t intended for Malika to be that traumatized, but she wasn''t sorry that she was thinking of spending long nights of pleasure with Rukya Gereyson. ''You sound like a saint,'' Hawi said and Malika just mimicked Hawi. ''Anyway, you said you were in trouble. What is it?'' Malika asked, having had enough of teasing Hawi, who was currently hugging an unexpecting Rukiya, courtesy of Malika''s gentle push. It was strange how they were both connected. Then again, Malika knew that Hawi had always wanted someone who could show her affection without a price for her to pay and Rukiya Greyson was just that. It may have taken them years to get here, but it was just perfect. ''Scan the Greyson woods for me. I have a terrible feeling about today, please. I need to be ready if there is something I need to worry about,'' Hawi said, her voice getting serious as she smiled at Rukiya, before they started walking back to the pack house. Hawi knew it wouldn''t be long before they got ready for the hunting trip, but she needed the woods to be clear and not with things that could ruin her day. Hawi knew her guts were never wrong, and the moment she had woken up and found herself in Greyson, she had felt like someone was pointing the explosives in the direction of the Greysons, and that didn''t sit well with her. ''Hawi¡ª'' ''I just need to be sure, Malika. I can''t mess this up, when she''s the first good thing that happened to me in literal years. I can''t make her worry again, not this time. If I''m right, then let me know, so I can go clear the woods ande back for her. "She wants a hunting trip and I can''t have that ruined for her. I just can''t,'' Hawi said to Malika, even though right now, she was watching Rukiya talk about how the Greyson woods wererge and had good catches. Rukiya was excited and that was all the more reason that Hawi needed to be sure about whatever was in those woods. She knew that she was right to be skeptical, but goodness, she wanted to be so wrong today. Maybe then she would be happy with Rukiya, but for how long, right? "So have you ever gone hunting before?" Rukiya asked Hawi who was staring at her, while she waited for Malika''s response. ''Fine, Hawi. But if there''s danger, you can''t stop me froming to help you¡ª'' ''Malika¡ª'' ''That is my condition, as your protector,'' Malika insisted. She may have been far, but her job description had never once changed, even though she was in Sicario. Awuor Hawi was her only job and no matter what happened, she wasn''t going to fail, not this time, and not ever. "Or you''ve been cooped up in your office working on the papers all this time?" Rukuya teased and Hawi let out a chuckle. "I''ve been out there several times, but just never in the Greyson woods. I''m d I get to explore the Greyson woods with their queen herself," Hawi said as she got up from where she was seated, and walked towards Rukiya, who was still checking the outfits. She didn''t see the need for them to change clothes, since she couldn''t die and she was always going to protect Rukiya. "Their queen?" Ruuya asked absentmindedly. She knew she was no queen, so she figured that maybe Hawi was referring to herself as the queen, but was that it really? "Yes, you are their queen. The Greysonnds are so huge and you''ve managed to make sure there is peace and that they are stronger than most, despite the challenges. "That, moya krushka, in my books, makes you the queen," Hawi said, tucking a stray hair behind Rukiya''s neck, before she kissed her forehead and went to sit back down, like that was the only thing she had wanted. Oh, Hawi was soft for Rukiya and it was a beautiful sight, really. ''Fine, go. Scan and let me know. I need to find an excuse early enough so I won''t take away that smile on her face. Goddess, isn''t she a beautiful soul?'' Hawi said to Malika who just sighed knowingly. Then again, she was d that Hawi had a purpose other than her vengeance. Of course, Mlika had always wondered what life would be like for Hawi, once she was done burning down Sicario. There would be a deep and hollow gap that nothing would ever fill, and chances were that Hawi would spiral into depression. Malika had seen that with most of the wolves over the course of her life, but she didn''t want that for Hawi. And maybe that was also why seeing Rukiya in Hawi''s life was something that even she wanted to protect. Because Rukiya Greyson meant a future for Hawi, a future that didn''t have so much pain. Granted, they would go through hell in their quest for justice, but at least when all that ended, Hawi would have someone to live for. That was all that mattered to Hawi. ''I was already scanning anyway,'' Malika said, making Hawi smile while she stared at Rukiya. At least she could exin that she was smiling because of Rukiya, and not because she was d her protector was an efficient one. ''What did you find?'' Hawi asked, and Rukiya and Malika spoke to her at the same time. "You tter me, my little wolf. Anyway, I''m done,e, let''s see which of these fits you well, before the sun goes down" Rukiya chirped. ''Hawi, you were right. There are hostiles in the Greyson woods, and they areing for Rukiya,'' Malika confirmed. "Fuck," was all Hawi could manage, in response to the two women. Chapter 91: Got That Answer Yet? [AWUOR] "Ruru, baby," Hawi began, not knowing how she was supposed to tell the excited woman that there were things she had to work on, things that didn''t have to involve Rukiya this time. Or even that it was dangerous and Hawi was still going to go, even without backup. "No backing out. I already have the outfits," Rukiya said, turning to Hawi with a scowl on her face, though it looked more of a pout than anything else. She looked prettier and Hawi was honestly thinking of letting the world burn even just for a second so she could have more time with the woman in this room, but then she also knew that the stakes were a little high this time. "Malika needs me," Hawi breathed out, and that got the attention of Rukiya. She knew that Hawi wouldn''t look so conflicted if it wasn''t important. Rukiya had learned that Hawi and Malika were peas in a pod and if one needed the other then they would always show up for each other. ''Way to throw me under the bus woman,'' Malika whined but this time, Hawi didn''t pay attention to her. Instead, she was focused on the woman before her, the woman who was slowly understanding the possibility of everything that was Hawi and the situation at hand. "Is everything okay? What happened? Do I need to prepare an army?" Rukiya asked worriedly, she had already put the outfits on the bed and was currently seated next to Hawi, on the couch. The raw concern on her face made Hawi feel like maybe this woman was the best thing that had happened to her. There was a lot that Hawi wanted to tell Rukiya, like how she had predicted that there would be hostels in the woods, but then she didn''t want to worry Rukiya even more. Maybe if she was overwhelmed, she would call for help, but until then, she was going to be out there and alone. "Everything is fine. She says it''s something to do with Jer¡ª" "Oh," Rukiya sighed defeatedly. She had been overthinking over the past few months and was always worried about what would happen to her if Hawi ever chose to give her bastard mate a chance. She wondered if she would have to fight for Hawi or if everything they had that hadn''t even begun properly would have gone down the drain by then. It had honestly been a sore topic for Rukiya and each day, she always prayed for the strength to not storm into Sicario and murder Jer, since he was the one obstacle that stood between her and Hawi''s love. "Hey, look at me, Ruru," Hawi said when she saw Rukiya''s face fall. She had intended for this, but Jer was the easiest exnation. There was just no way she was going toe clean to Rukiya before she assessed the damage herself and she wasn''t going to let anyone take the woman from her. Not ever. "No one''s taking me from you, my love. Don''t overthink. I belong to you, and I will always choose you, my Ruru. Just yours and no one else''s, baby," Hawi said, cupping Rukiya''s face so she was staring right into her beautiful eyes. She understood Rukiya and her worries but she wasn''t going to let a betrayere between them when there was nothing the man could give Hawi that Hawi wanted right now. "I don''t want you to get hurt, Hawi," Rukiya said quietly, as she leaned into Hawi, resting her head on Hawi''s shoulder, something that made Hawi have a glimpse of Rukiya Greyson''s vulnerability. If this had been about something else, Hawi would have made fun of Rukiya, but right now, her woman was feeling a tad bit insecure and that was something that Hawi was determined to do away with. "I won''t get hurt, love. Besides, we don''t even know if I will get into a fight. After all, I have a hunting trip to go on with you alright? We will definitely do that today, not a secondter. "I just need to check with Malika and see if the intel she has is actionable and thene back. I''ll be fast," Hawi promised even though she knew thest bit was too good a lie. She didn''t know what was in store for her in the Greyson woods. The fact that she was very unfamiliar with the woods made it a daring mission for her, not to mention the obvious situation in which she was definitely not going to let Malika tag along. It was dangerous, but Hawi had to do this. "We can postpone the hunting trip, y''know?" Rukiya tried reasoning but Hawi wasn''t going to ept that. So she gently pulled Rukiya from her shoulder, as she traced as stray hair that had fallen on Rukiya''s face. Now that she looked at Rukiya''s eyes she noticed that they were changing between golden and brown eyes. It was almost like Rukiya''s wolf was on edge and wanted to protect Hawi, but how was she to protect the woman when she was the one people ran away from? "No, we can''t. I won''t let anyone ruin today for us, alright? Greyson won''t be in danger, but I need you to promise me you won''t engage, in case of anything," Hawi said and Rukiya looked at her curiously. This same woman had told her that she was going on a discussion with Malika, but what the hell was this about Rukiya not engaging? "You''re lying. What are you not telli¡ª" Rukiya asked, but Hawi interrupted her with a trail of kisses on her neck and her shoulder. She had wanted to do this for a long time, and with Rukiya''s bare neck staring at her, Hawi figured it was the perfect chance, and Rukiya didn''t disappoint. At first, when Hawi''s lips made contact with her skin, Rukiya shivered. She hadn''t expected this, at all, but the more Hawi kissed, sucked, and nibbled on her neck, leaving tiny yet noticeable and possessive bite marks on her neck, the more Rukiya was sure she was never going to win this. "Do you trust me?" Hawi asked sensually, before she roughly pulled Rukiya to herp, so they were facing each other, their faces barely inches from each other, while Hawi''s eyes were trained on her woman''s lips. Her hands disposed of the throw pillows, before she shifted Rukiya''s position, gentlyying her on the couch, as her left hand acted as a shield to stop Rukiya''s head from hitting the couch so hard. The distance between their faces had remained the same, their breaths hitching, as Hawi''s right hand found its way under Rukiya''s shirt, drawing circles on her abdomen like she was suddenly artistic. "Fuck, you''re wearing nothing under this shirt?" Hawi whispered huskily when she noticed how Rukiya''s perched tits were poking the shirt she was wearing. And all Rukiya could do was try to breathe, though that ended up with her lips dangerously closer to Hawi''s. "Ruru, baby, I''m gonna need to hear an answer from you," Hawi said against Rukiya''s lips, ignoring her self-control that was hanging on a really thin thread. "Do you trust me?" **** [A/N] * I''m gonna be outside touching some grass on behalf of my inner fangirl lol. Chapter 92: Let Me Show You [AWUOR] "Do you trust me?" Hawi asked again as she looked at Rukiya, waiting for her response. She wanted to make sure that Rukiya didn''t feel like she was abandoning her. She couldn''t ever be able to abandon Rukiya, even if she had to. This woman right here was everything to her and she wasn''t going to lose her just because a bunch of people wanted to think for them and their bond. The hostiles may have been targeted at Rukiya, but Hawi wanted to deal with them on her own, because she hated it when the battle reached her people when she could stop it even before it started anyway. "I¡ª" Rukiya began, but she wasn''t sure what else she could say without ruining the mood they were both in? She didn''t want Hawi''s hands off of her and yet at the same time, Rukiya knew she had to be rational. She had to be realistic even in the midst of pleasure, right? Besides, she was rue Hawi would hate it if she lied about what she was feeling. Did she trust Hawi? Of course, she did. She trusted Hawi with her life, but that didn''t mean that life was always going to care whether they trusted each other. Rukiya was struggling to think of what it was that Hawi needed to do. Stuck between pleasure and rationality, Rukiya Greyson made her choice. And so instead of saying anything she moved her lips against Hawi''s, like they belonged to her and just her alone. She didn''t care that she had her suspicions. Here and now, while their lips and bodies were so close to each other, Rukiya Greyson chose to express her trust with a kiss, as she arched her body towards Hawi, making Hawi lose bnce for a moment there. Then again, it wasn''t the kind that got Awuor Hawi having regrets, because her hand found itself under Rukiya''s skirt, skimming so close and dangerously over her womanhood. And Hawi being Hawi, didn''t fight it. ''Goodness woman, are youing or what?'' Malia asked, interrupting Hawi in the mind link. She had been so engrossed in the kiss and tracing her Ruru''s undies that she had almost forgotten what she was supposed to do. ''Shit, how close are they?'' Hawi asked, as she continued the battle of lips with Rukiya. She loved it here, having Rukiya''s lips on hers, feeling their tongues dominating casually like they had done this more than thrice, which frankly, they hadn''t. But who was counting, right? ''They are nearing the Greyson border. There''s only so much my magic can do when I''m still in Sicario. You might want to hurry, or you might never get the chance to see her smile again. ''I know that would haunt you as fuck,'' Malika said and while she sounded like she was taunting Hawi, she was being very truthful with the woman. ''Okay. Give me a minute,'' Hawi said, instantly shutting the mind link, not even waiting for Malika''s response. She could smell Rukiya''s arousal and the fact that she could feel the wetness on her fingers, despite her fingers casually tracing her undies, made Hawi feel like this was the greatest battle she had ever been to. "I wanna continue this, baby¡ª" Hawi began when they pulled apart from the kiss. "But you have to go, I know," Rukiya said, as she stared into Hawi''s eyes, like she was making a silent plea so Hawi wouldn''t leave her that high and dry. She wanted more. She needed more. She needed to get off but damn she could see that whatever Hawi was after was urgent. But surely, Hawi wouldn''t leave her like that, right? "Ruru¡ª" "It''s alright," Rukiya said, not even hearing what Hawi had to say and Hawi took that as a yes, because one moment she was cuddling Rukiya gently, on the couch, and the next, she was gently setting Rukiya on her bed. She was then ripping Rukiya Greyson''s clothes off of her in a swift motion. It was something that got Rukiya staring at Hawi in shock. Of the things she had expected, her in this position with Hawi, and that too, today, was certainly not it. She didn''t know how to react, especially when she could see Hawi''s beautiful eyes glossed over in lust. "Fuck, you look like a damn angel. My angel, to be precise," Hawi said huskily as she took in the sight before her. She wasn''t sure where she was supposed to look at first, because the woman before her had a hot body. It was one that made her feel like she could probably order Malika toplete the mission herself. "You look so fucking good on this bed, Ruru. So fucking good and it gives me so many ideas of what I want to do to you, and with you," Hawi whispered as she climbed on the bed with Rukiya, hovering over the very naked alpha, and clearly loving the position they were in. "You keep biting your lips like that and the whole of Greyson will hear you scream," Hawi warned lustily when she saw Rukiya biting her lips. "What if I want to scream your name?" Rukiya asked, with closed eyes, while she bit her left thumb. She was curious, and yet at the same time, she could hear the warning bells ringing in her ears about daring Hawi, but just this once, she chose to not listen to anyone. All she wanted was to listen to Hawi''s voice, Hawi''s erratic heartbeats, everything about Hawi. Frankly, that was all Rukiya wanted and right now, with Hawi hovering over her, their breaths so close, Rukiya knew she was fucked. "You''re so adorable," Hawi said, as her hands glossed over Rukiya''s abdomen. "Don''t open those eyes, baby," Hawi whispered in Ruya''s ears, before adding, "I want you to feel what I do to you. If you open your eyes, I''ll stop." "But¡ª" "Keep them closed, Ruru," Hawi warned and Rukiya knew that there wasn''t a thing she could do this time. So shey there, anticipating what Hawi would do to her excitedly, and at the same time, she was curious to see what it was that Hawi did. Hawi breathed Rukiya in, taking in her sweet rosy scent, while her hands yed with her woman''s mounds, casually leaving to kiss the valley between her breasts like it was the one thing she had been desiring for a while now. Loving the feeling of her hands on Rukyia''s breasts in her hands, Hawi gently pinched them skillfully, before she let her mouth do the simultaneous biting and kissing. She loved it here especially Rukiya''s reaction to her when she bit her nipples. Hawi released her right hand that was fondling Ruru''s right tit, and reced it with her lips, while she let her right hand tease Ruru''s naked sex, earning a string of moans and curses from Rukiya. "Hawi¡ª" "What is it, baby?" Hawi asked raspily as she peppered kisses on Ruru''s abdomen, while her right hand fondled her lower lips. Goddess she loved how wet Ruru was. "Can I¡­ Can I op¡­ Fuck," Rukiya cried out in pleasure when Hawi''s fingers worked their magic on her clit, wading through her leaking juices. "You smell so good, baby," Hawi said as she kept flicking Ruru''s clit with her fingers, her movements getting faster, as were Ruru''s moans. With her left hand fondling Ruru''s breasts, Hawi kissed Rukiya''s sex, as she carefully plunged a finger into her, making the woman let out a strained gasp. It was obvious Rukiya had been untouched, given her reactions to Hawi''s touch and that just made Hawi fight a losing battle with her self-control. The womanying on this bed was fucking with her sanity and if she wasn''t careful, she would lose herself. Oh, but it was something she wouldn''t fight. "I''m going to taste you," Hawi said and she felt Rukiya''s squirming. Her thighs wobbled with pleasure at Hawi''s statement and that just got Hawi more excited. Hawi could feel how tight Rukiya was, as she moved her finger in and out of her, casually increasing the space and loving the melody she was creating with Rukiya. She vowed what she was seeing, even as she gently pulled Rukiya''s thighs apart to give her better ess to those beautiful lips. She wanted to see them. She wanted to watch here undone, and more than anything, Hawi wanted a taste. "Hawi¡ª" Rukiya moaned out. Chapter 93: I Trust You, With My Life [AWUOR] "I''m going to taste you," Hawi said and she felt Rukiya''s squirming. Her thighs wobbled with pleasure at Hawi''s statement and that just got Hawi more excited. Hawi could feel how tight Rukiya was, as she moved her finger in and out of her, casually increasing the space and loving the melody she was creating with Rukiya. She vowed what she was seeing, even as she gently pulled Rukiya''s thighs apart to give her better ess to those beautiful lips. She wanted to see them. She wanted to watch here undone, and more than anything, Hawi wanted a taste. Hawi¡ª" Rukiya moaned out and Hawi just kissed her thighs, loving how warm they were and how pretty they were. Maybe she needed to do this more often, oh but she would, because seeing Rukiya Greyson like this was worth everything that had gotten her here. "Don''t fight it, baby. Keep your eyes closed, and tell me what you feel, alright?" Hawi raspily said, while she continued kissing Rukiya''s thighs before finally settling on her pink ps, while her finger was still in Rukiya. She added another finger when she felt Rukiya adjusting to her pace. "I feel¡­" Rukiya struggled but she couldn''tplete her sentence, because Hawi was thrusting more fingers into her, hastening the pace, while Rukiya struggled not to be a screamer in her own chambers. "Don''t fight it," Hawi added, her left hand widening the pink ps, her right fingers in Ruru''s clit, while Hawi''s tongue traced Rukiya''s sex slowly and sensually like she had all the time in the world. The more Hawi thrust her fingers inside Rukiya, the more Rukiya''s juices dripped on her hands and tongue that was gleefully waiting, the more Hawi licked along so gently, like a woman hungry for more. Of course that was expected. Rukiya was a new addiction for Hawi, and she wanted more. So she reced her left hand with her mouth, sucking Rukiya''s ps while her right fingers kept on thrusting faster and harder into Rukiya''s clit. When she was sure Rukiya was right where she wanted her, Hawi released her fingers and thrust her tongue into Rukiya in greedy paces, while Rukiya was constantly spasming from orgasm. "Ha¡ª" Rukiya cried out as Hawi''s tongue continued invading her, driving her nuts. In response, Hawi pulled Rukiya to the edge of the bed, to allow her more ess to her beautiful sex. Rukiya was like a drug to Hawi because despite orgasming thrice, Hawi still wanted to make her woman orgasm one more time. That was her mantra. One more time. And when Rukiya orgasmed the fifth time from Hawi''s tongue, Hawi released her tongue from Rukiya''s insides, while her hands were still wrapped around Rukiya''s waist. The Greyson alpha was too tired to even let out a word, so she rxed, as she felt Hawi''s tonguep at her juices, licking her out like she was her favorite ice cream. And when she was done, Hawi was pleased with her work. "You can open your eyes now, baby," Hawi said and Rukiya let out a tired sigh. She couldn''t feel her lower body, even as Hawi emerged from beneath her and kissed her way back to Rukiya''s upper body. "I cleaned you up pretty well already, so you don''t have to worry about a shower, love," Hawi teased while Rukiya just stared at her wordlessly. She had experienced something that she had never thought was possible. "That was crazy," Rukiya finally voiced as she arched her body, when Hawi took her right nipple into her mouth again, making Rukiya wonder what sort of stamina Hawi had. "I couldn''t leave you high and unattended to, baby. I''m not that cruel," Hawi said with a chuckle, even though she felt a little tired too. But she had no regrets this time. "However, I really have to go, before Malikaes for my head," Hawi said as she repositioned Rukiya on the bed, and covered her up, before shey beside Rukiya. She loved that Rukiya was so innocent in bed and was still obviously trying toe to terms with the reality of whaty beyond the pleasure she had never experienced. It was a whole new life, and Hawi was more than willing to explore the deepest and darkest alleys with her woman. "Promise me you''lle back to me, no matter what happens," Rukiya said and Hawi mmed her lips on Rukiya, letting the woman taste herself on Hawi''s lips. She tasted so divine and Hawi loved it. "Of course. Look what I have waiting for me, baby. I wouldn''t trade this for anything. I wouldn''t give you up, ever. You don''t have to worry about me choosing someone else, Ruru. Because you are my ride or die, or whatever it is that people tell each other. "Bottom line is you''re everything to me. Everything. You''re my lifeline and I''m never going to leave you, ever," Hawi said as she stared at her woman. They were currently staring at each other, like they were each other''s worlds, which was true. They loved being here with each other. "You''re crazy," Rukiya teased as she ran a hand through Hawi''s unkempt hair. They both looked like they had had the time of their lives but at the same time, they looked like they could have a go at it again. Oh, but they were wild. "Don''t worry baby, only for you. Besides, the next time, I won''t just eat you up. I''ll fuck you senseless and you''ll be screaming louder than today. Everyone will know who you belong to by then," Hawi said as she traced a hand on Rukiya''s face. This woman was pretty as fuck and if she was going to be Hawi''s doom, then Hawi wouldn''t even try to fight her. She was everything to her. Everything. "Everyone already knows that by now anyway," Rukiyaughed defeatedly, snuggling closer to Hawi for more warmth. She was safer in Hawi''s arms and she wanted to stay there forever. She wanted to tell everyone that she belonged to Hawi and confirm all their suspicions, but right now she was tired and spent. She was so sure she would faint if she tried to even get up from the bed at that moment. "I''ll remind them if they don''t know that already," Hawi teased again, breathing in Rukiya''s rosy scent. "I trust you with my life. So make sure youe back to me, okay," Rukiya reminded for the hundredth time. She wasn''t ready to lose Hawi, not when she had just gotten the woman back. She just wasn''t ready. "Get some rest, my Ruru. I''ll tell Sherry to get you some food. I love you," Hawi said, kissing Rukiya gently on the forehead, before she got up and walked out of the room, leaving behind a smiley Rukiya who was rehearsing everything in her head. Hawi, on the other hand, had shifted into her white wolf the moment she stepped out of the Greyson kitchen, after giving orders to Sherry who stared at her questioningly given she looked like she had just had some rough sex. She didn''t have the time to change clothes, or even ask for weapons. She knew that the hostiles were close to Greyson. And that was all that mattered to Hawi right at that moment. She had people to kill and a woman to make happy. Chapter 94: Desperate Times, Desperate Measures [AWUOR] ''Slow down Hawi. If you keep going at that rate, you might get hurt,'' Malika warned as she felt Hawi''s heartbeats ringing in her head. She could feel the wind, and she could sense that Hawi was going at an abnormal speed. Something wasn''t right this time. Malika couldn''t hear Hawi''s voice, or evenmunicate with her. Instead, the only thing she could feel was anger, and a great desire to unwind. It was almost unusual. Sure, Hawi never liked it when people threatened those that meant the world to her, but this right here was different. It was almost like Awuor Hawi was channeling the environment around her, the bustling winds and the energy from the sun that was finally high up. She was at her peak and yet at her weakest however strong she was. Ten minutester, Malika was done struggling to try and keep up with Hawi. She may have been in Sicario, but her only responsibility was Awuor Hawi, which was also why, when she walked out of the pack meeting, the very important meeting that needed the Sicario Luna, Malika had made her choice. She was going to go after her assigned white wolf and anyone who tried to stop her, would meet the wrath of the deadliest protector to ever live since the beginning of the white-wolf-protector project. "Malika? Are you okay?" Jer asked, following his wife outside. He had grown to like the woman. Sure, they were just married on paper and were waiting for the time toe when they would eventually fall in love, but there was something about Malika that got Jer pulled toward her. It was only sad that Malika didn''t give two shits about the bastard alpha that had ruined her mistress. "I''m not feeling too well. Can I please be excused, alpha?" Malika requested, her patience growing thinner with every assumption that Jeremiah was making she wanted to knock him out and get on with her mission, but she also knew that it would cost her her cover. So she lulled him, and settled his thoughts. She used her magic to keep the trust alive and made sure to make him feel protective of her personal time. She wanted to make sure Hawi was aya dn at the same time, she wanted to make sure that her mission in Sicario hadn''t gotten wrung up. "Sure. I''ll tell the others to let you rest. Please let me know when you need me," Malika said, making sure toe off as the polite persona she had created. It was the best way to get Jer to trust her and right now, she needed it. However, while she was trying to get through to Jer, Elodie was watching her in the distance. Elodie Kane had noticed Malika''s bursts and sometimes when she was glossed up in the mind links. It wasn''t the first time and she could tell that something was strange with Malika. And Malika would have noticed that, if she wasn''t too busy working around the fact that Hawi wasn''t responding to her. "Please don''t be hurt," Malika whispered as she created a portal and went through it. However, before the portal could close, Elodie went through too. This was her chance to find out what the woman who was too perfect for a luna was doing in her spare time. It was her chance to prove to herself that she could trust Malika to not ruin her ns of finding out the truth about the day Luna Eni was murdered. Elodie was desperate, even now that she knew her best friend was dead. She had never imagined a world without Hawi, she had never wanted a life that didn''t have Hawi in it, and she was haunted by it every time. The nk space Hawi had left had broken Elodie more than once and she wanted Malika to pay the price for being Hawi''s recement. Maybe that was also why she followed Malika through the portal, because this was her chance to eliminate Malika, right? Well, maybe that was it or her. "Please be alive, mistress, pretty please be okay," Malika whispered defeatedly as she scoured the Gresyon woods for Hawi. She could see traces of blood but none of it belonged to Hawi. That should have been relieving, save for the fact that Hawi was never an easy bleeder. It always took a lot to get the damn woman to bleed, especially when she didn''t want to. So Malika sniffed the woods, trying to find Hawi''s scent, trying to get a grip of what had happened hee she had never imagined what her life would be like without Hawi. Sure, she would probably be assigned another white wolf, but Malilika wanted to see Hawi happy. It may have been an obsession, but it was the only thing that meant the world to her. She had never wanted to get justice for someone so bad, like she wanted for Hawi, which is why as she sniffed around and caught a different scent, Malika pretended like she didn''t sniff anything. If the person was an intruder, she would deal with themter. But until then, she had to find her mistress. "Mistress!! Please let me know where you are!" Malika shouted in the woods, as she struggled to sniff through the thick woody scents. Such were the times she hated the woods, but she had to focus. So she tried, helplessly calling out for the woman she would always serve even when the worlds were apart. She wanted Hawi back and that was all that mattered. "Mistress please!" Malika shouted her voice so strong that Elodie who was following her from a distance felt like she had been yed. Of course, they all had. There was never a protector who was weak, ever. "Goddess, where the fuck are you?" Malika cried out but then she instantly stopped, a smile on her face as she walked deep into the woods. She had finally gotten a whiff of Hawi''s beautiful scent. It was a distinct one. Sure, the mate bond would reveal a whole new scent when Hawi and Ruiya mated, but until then her regr woody scent was always going to be potent. "Are you hurt?" Malika asked, gently, once when was sure that there was no point in her shouting anymore. She could feel that Hawi was calm and yet for some reason, that didn''t give her anyfort. She had to see her mistress for herself. ''Run, whoever you are, run,'' Malika said to herself as she thought of the person who was tailing her. Chances were that the person wanted them dead and frankly, it was a stupid idea, because the protectors were immortal and so were the white wolves. They are dangerous and given Malik and Hawi''s personalities, they were the kind that weren''t to be messed with. Oh, but this was a dangerous mission for Elodie, but then again, Elodie Kane was a woman who wanted to know why the fuck Malika was in Sicario ying pretend-weak luna when she was clearly oozing so much power once she had gone through the portal. "I finally found you! Goodness woman, I guess you were hungry," Malika said when she saw the sight before her. However, before Hawi could say anything, Elodie spoke, getting a very naked Hawi''s attention. "Malyshka? You''re alive?" Chapter 95: Let Me Snuff Her Out [AWUOR] "I finally found you! Goodness woman, I guess you were hungry," Malika said when she saw the sight before her. However, before Hawi could say anything, Elodie spoke, getting a very naked Hawi''s attention. "Malyshka? You''re alive?" Elodie asked, making Malika turn to her with an angry cold face. It was one that Hawi could have sworn she had never seen on Malika, and for the first time in so long Hawi was scared of what Malika would do. She may have been naked as fuck, but seeing Malika that angry was enough to get her attention. "I knew you were following me. I just hoped you weren''t stupid enough to get this far. Now that you have seen my mistress, you leave me no choice but to kill you. "I''m telling you this out of courtesy, now wield your sword, warrior," Malika growled out, word by word, almost like she was reminding Elodie that there was only one oue to this. Elodie stood there, not even bothering to unsheathe the sword hanging on her waist. She was still staring at Hawi, the shock, anger, and betrayal making itself known as she realized that everything she had done had gotten to this point. She had never thought there woulde a day when Hawi would look like this and yet as she watched her best friend, Elodie couldn''t help but feel her heart breaking for the hundredth time. This wasn''t what she had imagined. Hearing Hawi was dead had ruined her, but seeing Hawi alive and in this state, made Elodie feel like she was not the best friend that she should have been. She should have protected her. She should have defended her, but then she had done what she thought was right. Funny how it all got her to this point. "No, Malika. I surrender," Elodie said, as she unsheathed her sword, and unarmed herself, before throwing her weapons on the ground. All this while, she had maintained eye contact with a very naked Hawi. Her best friend always had a hot body, but damn, seeing her this close made Elodie feel like she was a shitty person. She had failed Hawi and she was never going to forgive herself for it. But maybe there was a choice for her, right? But was there? "Three steps back or I run you through," Maika warned, this time as she made three steps towards Elodie who did the same. Hawi was still watching the scene before her, as she let the thigh she had been feeding on thump to the ground in a soft plushy sound. Maybe she had gone crazy but seeing Elodie surrender, that was something else. "I won''t hurt her," Elodie insisted when she realized that Malika telling her to take three steps back was a trap for her, especially when Elodie felt herself against the back of a tree. She wanted to say a lot of things, but first, she needed to be sure that her ''sister'' was doing okay. She needed to know that Hawi was real and so she pushed Malika, ignoring the sword that was so close to her neck. If Malika wanted to fight, then Elodie Kane would give her one. "If you''re not going to kiss me, get out of my face," Elodie dared and that was all it took for Malika to throw her sword to the ground, before she grabbed Elodie before Elodie could even get out of her face. Hawi was watching amusedly and for a moment there she figured Malika was going to lock lips with Elodie. But when she saw that Malika was holding Elodie in her arms like the werewolf warrior was a feather, Hawi knew what shit was about to go down. Instead of telling them to stop, the naked woman dragged a dead body that she hadn''t feasted on, a body that was covered in blood and looked messy as hell, and she sat on it. The crazy woman figured it had been long since she got her entertainment and right now, she would get some. "Oooohhhh," Hawi shouted in excitement when she saw Elodie being thrown on the ground. She could hear the bones breaking, but that wasn''t even surprising anymore. Malika was brutal with Elodie and Hawi was loving every bit of it. "I see you like it rough, huh," Elodie said, instantly getting up from the ground despite the broken ribs she had. She punched Malika in the face, the stomach, and the neck all in swift motions. But even then Malika wasn''t incapacitated. Instead, she just returned the punches at Elodie, making sure to hit harder and with her protector power. To Hawi, Elodie may have been a familiar face, but to Malika, Elodie was a bitch for abandoning Hawi when Hawi needed her the most; this right here was the first out of Malika''s anger on behalf of Hawi. Two years ago, when Hawi had been rejected, Malika had absorbed all of Hawi''s pain from the rejection. Despite all the years since the incident, the anger had remained in Malika. The disappointment, the pain, and the emotions of betrayal that she had absorbed from Hawi had all been dormant. Well, until today when she finally found a reason to give Elodie the kind of beating that everyone who had betrayed Hawi deserved. "I''ll teach you rough," Malika said as she punched Elodie in the face constantly. She didn''t stop, even when Elodie was wincing, and trying to tap out. She didn''t stop, when she saw Hawi get up. And Malika certainly didn''t stop, even when she saw Hawiing in her direction. The woman beneath her was a traitor, someone who didn''t deserve any mercy and as Hawi''s executioner, Malika had every right to take her life. A life for a life was always Malika''s rule, but today, she would take a life for betrayal. A life for the hurt that Hawi had endured. A life for the woman who had been good and had still been betrayed by everyone she loved. Maybe she was loving this because Elodie was fighting back. Even with her face swollen from the punches, Elodie Kane had managed to take a swing at Malika. It was frail, but that didn''t matter. If she was going out, she wasn''t going to go without a fight. "Malika¡ª" Hawi whispered, the shock on her face evident as she saw the woman who was once her best friend and sister get punched all over. Malika''s punches were calcted and direct. They were rough and she hit every weak point she knew in Elodie''s very frail human body. She had broken a few bones in the leg, arms and even Elodie''s throat felt like she was about to get crushed. And yet even then Malika didn''t stop. "Malika, you''ll kill her," Hawi whispered silently, hoping that she wouldn''t have to get through to Malika using hermand. She hatedmanding Malika, but right now, the mind link wasn''t working, because it seemed like something else was fueling Malika''s anger. It seemed like Malika had found out something else while she had been in Sicario, something that made her want to pounce on her first prey and that was when Hawi figured that maybe she didn''t want a death on her hands. "No!" Hawi screamed when she noticed what Malika was about to do, making Elodie open her swollen eyes, even though she wasn''t seeing well. "I''m fucked," Elodie said, before she closed her eyes, clearly not ready to see herself mutted by the woman before her. Malika had released her ws. She was about to dig them into Elodie''s heart. Hawi had learned that a protector''s w was lethal, especially to the people the protector considered enemies and dangerous. And right now, Malika was seeing Elodie as a threat to her mistress. "Please, don''t!" Hawi pleaded and Malika looked at her mistress. On asions like this, the white wolf would always use themand, but Hawi didn''t use it. Instead, she was making a request; and that disgusted Malika. "You would plead?? For her??? This little dumbass bitch whose desire for power is at par with your stupid ex-mate''s? Are you fucking with me now, mistress? Why won''t you let me rid you of her? "You would seriously plead to your servant for a woman like her?" Malika asked, the disgust in her voice so clear as she looked between Elodie and Hawi. She knew that Hawi always had a good heart but this was just stupid. "She is like a sister to me, Malika. Please get off of her," Hawi said this time, her eyes were pleading but her voice told Malika that she was holding back amand. She really didn''t want to, but if Malika pressed too hard, if she kept going at it, then Hawi e she wouldn''t have a choice but to force her off of Elodie. Pain and anger had gotten her through so much shit, but a part of her refused to believe that Elodie would ever betray her. Hawi wasn''t ready to face that reality. She knew that her life wouldn''t have meaning if the one she considered a sister, the only one she thought she could trust of all the wolves in Sicario would betray her, but then here they were. Maybe, just maybe Hawi was right, yeah? However, Malika and her disgust were clear as day. She despised Elodie, more than anything else, and she wanted her dead. But she was a warrior, a servant of Hawi''s and she had responsibilities to her mistress. "You must be out of your mind, pleading for the little fucking shit that suggested your fucking rejection!" Malika said angrily before she kicked Elodie in the ribs so hard, ignoring the crunching sound that came out. Goddess, she hated Elodie so much. "What?" Hawi asked, while Elodie just sighed defeatedly. *** [A/N] * Book Characters are up... well their descriptions lmao I don''t know shit about art, but I''ll try to set them up sometime in the future Chapter 96: Oh Hell To The Fucking Naw [AWUOR] "You must be out of your mind, pleading for the little fucking shit that suggested your fucking rejection!" Malika said angrily before she kicked Elodie in the ribs so hard, ignoring the crunching sound that came out. Goddess, she hated Elodie so much. "What?" Hawi asked, while Elodie just sighed defeatedly. "Great. This is the report I have on Sicario today. The little bitch on the ground, was the one who fucking suggested to your stupid ass mate and your fucked up brother, the rejection. And you know what Old Sicario did? "That haggard old piece of shit approved it. So yes, mistress, excuse me while I go calm down, because I might just kill her from the rage," Malika said angrily, before she stood at attention, while looking at Hawi, and made a ny-degree bow to her. With that, Malika walked away. Of course, Hawi knew that the protector wouldn''t be gone far, but she needed Malika to calm down and that''s why she didn''t stop her this time. Hawi knew Malika was dangerous and if she pointed Malika in Elodie''s direction, then Elodie would be a gone case in the next ten minutes and not even an ash from her remains would have been found. "So power really turns you on in the end, huh?" Hawi whispered as she conjured clothes or thin air and put them on her bloodied self. That action itself made Elodie who was still on the ground, look at her former best friend, wondering what the fuck had happened to Hawi. Elodie had so many questions and rightfully so because he had never seen someone look at Hawi like that. She had never seen someone who was more loyal to Hawi tha Elodie herself and that made her want to ask Hawi what the fuck had happened. However, right now, she had broken ribs and couldn''t even feel her face or legs. Malika had done a lot of damage to her and it was all so evident. But Hawi didn''t care about the damages. What mattered to her was her answers. Granted, she had never expected that she would be hunting for them this son but goddamn, this right here was an opportunity into the wild dark hole that was in Sicario. Maybe then she would be able to figure out what the fuck had happened, right? "You know I wouldn''t betray you like that," Elodie managed out and Hawi let out a chuckle. She couldn''t believe that her best friend still thought that they knew each other. Sure, Hawi had her suspicions, but with Malika''s findings, it was hard to believe Elodie at the moment. All the evidence was pointing at her having shifted sides, and with the years that passed, Hawi was right to be skeptical about Elodie. "Really? You do realize Malika is thorough in everything she does, no? She may be the pretty clueless Luna that Jer is having fun parading around, but she''s the ultimate killing machine. My ultimate killing machine anyway. "Malika wouldn''t ever lie to me. That much I am sure of and can vouch with my life on it," Hawi said with conviction. She had every reason to trust Malika, because the woman was sworn to her life and Malika wouldn''t betray her. "She doesn''t know me like you do. Also, you changed a lot, Awuor. You really did change," Elodiemented as she struggled to get up, but her bones weren''t letting her the hit she had taken had forced her wolf into submission. The only way Elodie was going to get up was if Hawi convinced Malika to release her, though with Malika rxing somewhere in the woods, it wouldn''t be soon. "Do I know you, really? And everyone changes, Kane. I was used of killing my mother and everyone believed it. No one pointed fingers at anyone. Or maybe it was because the evidence was well nted¡ª" "You think I don''t know that? Do you think I don''t know it was Jer and Dom who strangled Luna Eni? That those two shits were the very reason I had to watch my best friend walk on fire? I was there, Awuor. "I was there when they did it. I had gone to wake your mom up, because she had promised to teach me how to shoot with my left hand. And when I got there, I saw your brother and mate, dragging your unconscious self to the ce they had murdered your mother. "I didn''t think I''d walk into that, but then your father showed up and threatened me against saying a word. If you had been me, what the fuck would you have done? I didn''t have proof and I fucking needed time. "Jer was already whoring around, and the only way to make sure you were no longer hurting every night, was your rejection. It was the only way I knew to minimize your pain. But I didn''t think you''d die, Awuor. "I didn''t think that my suggestion would lead to you dying alone in the freends. And when they announced your death, I was working on exposing them. I¡­ I wanted to unmask them and show Sicario the kind of leaders the pack had. "I was working on restoring your honor. Even when Jer married again, I was still working on it, and I was d he had married a clueless woman, because she was supposed to be my way to the truth. Funny how that turned out. "The night before the wedding we had an argument about how easy he had reced you, and he told me it was the only way to keep the pack safe. I fucked up and I know it, but trust me sister, if I had to make the same decision all over again, I would have. "I would still suggest your rejection, but I would never let you die out there. I wanted to find your body, but no one found your body, and I had hope of seeing you again. Call me crazy for thinking you were alive if everyone knew you were dead. "¡ªBut I knew, and know that if the tables were turned, you wouldn''t have left me out there. You''d have done everything to get my body," Elodie said angrily, as she forced herself to get up she ignored the cracking of her bones and the splitting headache she was experiencing. She was done staying on the sidelines. One thing about Elodie, was that she could handle usations from everyone, but Elodie Kane refused to be on the side of betrayal for her best friend. But then that was what it looked like today, and Hawi wasn''t wrong to not believe her too. "Yeah right. Nice try, Kane. You do you. I must remind you, if you blow Malika''s cover in Sicario, don''t me me for having the most efficient killing machine. "Safe travels, Kane," Hawi said, biting back the tears that were forming in her eyes. She had always known that Elodie would never betray her. It was something she had told Malika, and maybe that was why Malika felt like she had to show Hawi what kind of woman she trusted. Then again, that never changed the fact that Hawi had trusted Elodie. "Awuor¡ª" Elodie struggled to speak, but Hawi was done listening. "Malika, you cane free and heal her. Please get her out of my sight and continue your mission in Sicario," Hawi said and Malika dematerialized a little too close to Elodie, making the woman shriek out in fear. Of course, Hawi could see Malika all this while, but it was fun hearing Elodie shriek like that. "Do I finally get permission to kill her, mistress?" Malika asked and Hawi let out a sadugh. "If ever the timees, I''ll aid you myself. But for now, you can erase her memories and send her back to Sicario after healing her. We wouldn''t want a little bitch ruining our ns, yeah?" Hawi said in the coldest tone she could muster and Elodie let out a defeated whimper. "Please, no, Awuor, please don''t erase my memory of you." "Take her away," Hawi said with a tone of finality and Malika created a portal, before going through. However before the portal closed, Malika said something that got Hawi fucked. "Good to see you, Rukiya. Hawi fucking smells like you, shit. Anyway, hurt her, and I''ll burn down Greyson. Goodbye, Hawi''s Ruru," Malika said in a sing-song voice before disappearing through the portal. Chapter 97: Make A Choice, Baby [AWUOR] "Good to see you, Rukiya. Hawi fucking smells like you, shit. Anyway, hurt her, and I''ll burn down Greyson. Goodbye, Hawi''s Ruru," Malika said, the mischief in her voice reminding Hawi of how fucked she was this time. "Hey wait. Malika, take me with you please," Hawi pleaded but her protector was long gone, leaving her with a bunch of Greyson wolves and their alpha. With Malika gone, Hawi contemted the next excuse she coulde up with. She didn''t want to seem like she didn''t trust Rukiya, but then she had a feeling that that was what this would be about. She had told Rukiya that she was going to sort thighs out, and now, here she was in the Greyson woods, looking like she had been having a damned bloodied feast with the dead bodies surrounding her. It was a literal massacre, and the only way Rukiya could tell the count of people that were dead was by counting the severed heads that were scattered around. There were fourteen heads. "Oh heyy, alpha Greyson. What up?" Hawi asked, popping the p so loudly that some of the warriors with Rukiya snickered. They could sense the tension between the two women and they figured that this was their cue to make their leave. After all, the warriors were sure that Hawi and Rukiya in one pce was already a massacre in the making. They didn''t want to be the dispensable bodies this time. "What up? Really Hawi? What up? Is what you have for me? How about hey, alpha fucking Greyson, I murdered people on yournds and didn''t fucking tell you?" Rukiya asked, her tone so calm and chill that Hawi could feel herself shudder for a movement there. It wasn''t because of fear, no, but because of how Rukiya spoke. She knew she was in trouble and had to find a way out of this. Then again, where was she never supposed to start? What was she supposed to tell Rukiya, withouting off as a woman who didn''t trust Rukiya Greyson''s abilities to protect her own pack? "Yeah, about that¡­ I was going to tell you after the hunting trip. Which reminds me, I owe you a hunting trip. Let''s go, shall we? Malika cane to clean this messter," Hawi said, with a smile on her face you''d think that she hadn''t just done the unthinkable yet. She had managed to murder fourteen people on her own and that too in a span of a few hours. That was even more unsettling than the fact that she had lied about where she was going. Rukiya wasn''t sure if Hawi was okay, but from what she was seeing she could tell that Awuor Hawi was already thinking of a way to evade whatever wasing her way. "Thanks to these intruders, I found a perfect spot for hunting. It''s not bloodied and it''s a beautiful ce. Come, let''s go home so I can change and then we''ll leave for the hunting session, right?" Hawi added. If Rukiya had questions, then she had to ask them, otherwise, Hawi was going to y dumb until the day ended. She didn''t mind doing that, because it was way better than telling Rukiya the truth. The simple truth was that the people she had just murdered were bastards who hade looking for Rukiya because someone was busy spreading rumors about Rukiya Greyson being important to Hawi. It had been a stupid assumption, but then what else could Hawi do other than what she had done earlier? "Are you serious right now?" Rukiya asked, her tone still calm, but Hawi didn''t falter. She knew what Rukiya was trying to do and it wasn''t going to work on Hawi. This woman had done that more times than she could count on any possible scale and frankly, nothing terrified her anymore. "Yes, of course. I owe you a hunting trip, remember? Sorry, I left in a hurry like that. But as you can see, I didn''t even take three hours. I was quick. That gives us a few more hours before sundown. We can catch rabbits today. "The next time, I''ll make sure to not be distracted so we can spend the day out, just the two of us," Hawi said nonchntly as she tried to figure out where her slipper was. However she hade from Greyson without any clothing on her and it was just a miracle that she had remembered to conjure clothes, otherwise it would have been really awkward with the beautiful woman before her. "Aren''t you going to answer my questions?" Rukiya asked and Hawi just smiled at her like it was a given. Of course, she would be selective about the answers she was going to give Rukiya. Hawi had also calcted that there were higher chances of her and Rukiya getting into a fight either way, and honestly, she wasn''t sure how she could get out of that predicament sooner. "I was going to tell you once we came from the trip. It''s no big deal," Hawi shrugged and Rukiya let out a low warning growl that instantly got Hawi''s attention. "You growled at me?" Hawi asked, before she walked in Rukiya''s direction. Right now, it was just the two of them given the warriors had already left, and Adolf wasn''t here to disturb them. It was interesting how things could get to this point, but Rukiya needed answers. She needed to know what the fuck had prompted Hawi to go all feral on hernds, when there was a chance that Hawi wasn''t even the target this time. The whole realm knew that Hawi was dead, so it was impossible for anyone to be looking for Alpha Awuor Hawi anywhere. "What the fuck happened here, Hawi?" Rukiya asked again and this time, it was obvious that she wasn''t going to let it slide just because they both liked each other. She had a right to know, and if Hawi wanted to y games Rukiya wasn''t really in the mood. "I didn''t lie. You saw Malika too, right? She hade with a mission¡ª" "Now, now, sweetheart. You know you''re a terrible liar, right? Tell me, baby, what happened here?" Rukiya asked, again, closing the distance between her and Hawi, though it seemed like Awuor Sicario wasn''t really ready to divulge that information to Rukiya. "I went to meet Malika. And well we fought, and there was coteral damage. As you can see, the blood is all over. She did that though, not me. As for Elodie, she''s harmless and won''t do shit. Malika will deal with her and erase her memories. "You have nothing to worry about, trust me," Hawi said and Rukiya just let out a lowugh. "Oh, but I trust you, Hawi. I trust you more than you know," Rukiya said, running a hand along Hawi''s messy hair. How a woman could be so hot and bloodied at the same time was a wonder, but even that didn''t get Rukiya''s answers. "But I have to know what happened here, and why the fuck you were naked, with Elodie staring at your body like she wanted what''s mine. I could follow them to Sicario and ask her, or seek Malika for answers, baby. Which one do you prefer?" Rukiya dared possessively. Chapter 98: Choices: An Alpha or A Lover [AWUOR] "But I have to know what happened here, and why the fuck you were naked, with Elodie staring at your body like she wanted what''s mine. I could follow them to Sicario and ask her, or seek Malika for answers, baby. "Which one do you prefer?" Rukiya dared possessively, and Hawi knew she couldn''t resist it anymore. The longer she stalled the longer it would take before she got her feedback from Malika. She knew Malika wouldn''t just hate Elodie like that because she suggested the rejection. Hawi needed to know what it was that Malika had found out about Elodie, that had triggered her so much to the point of wanting the woman dead. "What if¡ª" Hawi began but the eyes Rukiya was giving her told her that it was useless stalling. Besides, she couldn''t stall for the whole day anyway. "Alright, fine. Whatever I did was necessary. It was the only way I could think of, Rukiya, trust me," Hawi said and Rukiya took a step back instinctively. Hawi always called her Ruru, never Rukiya. However, she had, right now, which meant that this either had to be very dangerous or whatever they had was already a pipe dream. But was it really or was Rukiya just overthinking? Then again with Hawi, it was hard to tell. "Are you talking to me as an alpha or as your woman?" Rukiya asked and Hawi smiled at thest bit, even though Rukiya was trying so hard not to think with her emotions. It was heartwarming for Hawi, just hearing Rukiya call herself as Hawi''s woman. But this was something they needed to discuss as leaders. Hawi couldn''t keep on killing because it would raise questions and then everything would point back to her. "As an alpha," Hawi said before gently pulling Rukiya a few steps away from the mess. She knew that as much as she wanted to get all flirty with Rukiya, Greyson was in danger, and Rukiya was at the center of it all. "Okay. What is it?" Rukiya asked and Hawi ran her fingers roughly through her hair. "You were targeted. You, not Greyson pack. You, Ruru. Someone wanted you dead because of me. While that sounds absurd in all the possible ways, the intel I got from the intruders suggested that someone is using you to lure me out of hiding. "I didn''t know how that is possible and how anyone outside of Greyson and rkson even knows that I''m still alive but they do, and they''re willing to pay a huge price just to get to me through you. "The fourteen that came today were just the beginning. And I know whoever sent them won''t rest until they get their sure answers. I wish I could pinpoint one of my enemies and say it was them who did this. "But I have a score of enemies, Ruru. I didn''t get to keep my throne just because I was the good girl who ascended her throne at eighteen. I have made enemies out of very dangerous men who had always wanted to get to me. "I never had a weakness they could exploit, or someone I would go to war for outside my family, Ruru,¡ª" Hawi said earnestly. "Until today," Rukiya added, her voiceing out in disbelief and slow anger. She had never thought that there was a day when she would be considered anyone''s weakness. It was thrilling and exciting and yet at the same time, it made her wonder what she was even supposed to do with that information at the moment. She had always been the stronger one. The one who protected and fought battles. She had always been there that people were scared of and yet right now, it seemed like she had finally had someone who would cross the ocean on foot for her. "Yes. Until today," Hawi said proudly like there wasn''t a war waiting for her on the other side of the forest. She knew this was about the safety of the Greyson pack and she wasn''t going to be the reason a once peaceful pack was turned into a house of war. It wasn''t her intention and she knew what she needed to do. Even if it would break both their hearts. But would it really work? Rukiya looked at the banished alpha before her and this time, she was staring at Hawi with the eyes of a reigning alpha. For an alpha who hadn''t had a pack in the past two years, Awuor Hawi had managed to defend herself and make her statement know sure it was in the most brutal of ways, but it went to show just how much Hawi valued the things she had marked. She hadn''t retired despite being a loner. She hadn''t forgotten what it felt like to be in battle even though most of the time she had forced her acquaintances to hurt her. "You should have told me," Rukiya said, trying to wrap her head around the fact that the woman before her had mutted fourteen bodies and even fed on some of them. It was wild but it was what it was. Hawi wasn''t one to be messed with even if she was out and alone. She was more dangerous alone because she had no rules binding her to any pack. The intruders should have known better than to attack a lone wolf that had nothing to lose. "I know. But they weren''t many and I didn''t want to bore you with this few wolves. I needed to know what they wanted and now that I do, you have to make a choice, as an alpha, Rukiya. You have to think with your brain and not your heart this time. "If I stay in Greyson, the hostiles wille especially now that they know I''m here. I''m sure they won''t tell a soul about my existence because they want to be the ones to release that news to the realm, but it still leaves Greyson in danger either way. "However, if I leave Greyson, you guys will be safer. No one wille after you and I''ll assign Mbali to be your extra security just in case. Whatever choice you make, I''ll respect it," Hawi said and Rukiya let out a knowingugh. She had been used to Hawi always leaving without hearing what Ruru wanted, but at least this time, she didn''t just disappear. It made Rukiya feel like there was some progress in their rtionship, however little it was. "If it''s about security, I believe I''m safer at your side. Greyson is safer with you around, Hawi. I''d rather have you close than rece you with Mbali. You''re stronger, more powerful, and have the ways of war. "If you want me to choose an alpha, then I choose you. Whateveres our way I know we can face it, as long as we''re together. It doesn''t matter how long it takes. We can do this together. "There''s my choice," Rukiya said with a smile on her face. "Then gather your warriors, my beautiful alpha, we''ll be going hunting soon," Hawi said gently to her woman. Hawi was d that they didn''t fight today. She was d that she didn''t have to disappear because she was scared of what the future held for both of them. Hawi felt relief once again, knowing that this time, she would be fighting alongside one of the best warriors in the realm. Together they would be unstoppable and that was all the encouragement that Hawi needed this time. "Let''s go home. And I would still love to hear what you have to say for yourself, standing stark naked before Elodie," Rukiya said with a pout, her dominant voice disappearing in the background as she went back to being the woman Hawi had left back home in bed. She had missed Hawi and felt her heart shattering for a moment when she saw the kind of eyes that Elodie was using on Hawi. Then again, Ruru was within her rights, given she didn''t know that Hawi and Elodie could never have anything going for them outside of their friendship and sisterhood. The two women wouldn''t even get aroused with each other, so it was just useless, but Rukiya didn''t know that. "My breath still smells like roses, baby. Your scent is all over me. Even the ignorant would know that I am taken, my Ruru," Hawi said, as she kissed Rukiya lightly on the lips, before they walked back home, their hands entwined, and ready to face the iing danger together. Chapter 99: To Love And To Protect, Always [AWUOR] "I don''t understand why we have to be out here." "You can go back home and exin to the alpha, if you wish." "Yeah right, so she can sever my head, no thanks." "Quit stalling. She''s almost back at the pack, and we both know what she will do if we don''t have answers by then." "Where''s Adolf?" "Sicario." "Damn." Greyson had been attacked and answers were needed. Someone had dared toe to Alpha Rukiya''sir and triggered the insecurity in her home and she would burn them all. She would find them, and make sure they never once thought of harming Greyson again. It was a truth that the warriors who were discreetly scouring the Greyson woods hade to learn. Greyson had been attacked and someone had to pay the price for it. Sure, Awuor had made sure that they never made it to the maind, but to Rukiya, blood was shed on hernds. Someone that dared to taint the beauty that was the Greyson woods and someone had to pay that price. She would find them even if it was thest thing she did. "Alpha Awuor didn''t leave a trace on the men who were here. Isn''t it strange that she was the only one on this side of the woods and she was the only one who fought with them and murdered them all? "Doesn''t it seem a little too convenient for her stories and the alibis she would be giving alpha Rukiya?" one of the Greyson warriors said and the others seemed to think about it. Given the circumstances, Hawi had never done something that could make them suspicious, but then the woman had a reputation. One that was well known, a little too well. Her reputation as the alpha of alphas was insane and there was nothing that they would be able to do about it other than question whether Hawi''s intentions with Rukiya were true. But then there were so many questions right now. Like why Rukiya would send her warriors and her beta on a wild hunt. Why her mind and heart were conflicted so much that even as she held hands and walked away with Hawi to the Greyson pack house, she could still feel the uncertainty creeping back. Oh, but Rukiya was in a fix, but she was going to find her way out of it. "She never leaves traces, ever. Anyone that attacks her is bound to die. I know we have our suspicions, but are we forgetting that our alpha swore her life to Alpha Awuor? That she swore to protect her at all times? "Maybe this is just Alpha Rukiya trying to make sure Alpha Awuor doesn''t have a hard time in Gresyon, right?" another argued but then even he couldn''t believe his own words. Of the things that could have happened, this was by far the worst of them all, because the ideas were there. The suspicions. Everything that could make life a bit more difficult was all there and it pointed toward one person and one person only. Alpha Awuor Hawi Sicario. The woman was not what anyone would be able to embrace freely and right now, it was a risk that Greyson was taking, a risk that could cost them more than they would ever be able to be true to. "But Alpha Awuor never once swore her life to our alpha''s. She only says it in words and never makes a binding oath. It''s like we''re here for her to do with as she pleases, and the worst part of it all, is that alpha Rukiya is letting her. "What if this woman is a nuisance? What if she''s the one to bring doom to Greyson again? We have been through so much and we shouldn''t let a banished alpha cripple our home like that. "She has nothing left to lose, and she sure as hell has nothing she has nothing to hold on to anymore. She is everything that should be wrong, and yet we are here helping her. "What are the chances that the people she had killed were just imaginary and shouldn''t even exist? We know that she has powers like the white wolf. What if she used dark magic to¡ª" the warriors said but the leaves rustled, shutting him up instantly. The warrior wasn''t sure what he was expecting but the Greyson betaing back was something not on their list. It just didn''t make any sense right now and if there was a chance that the spections were true, then Greyson was in danger, but was it? Well, Awuor Hawi hadn''t given them a reason to trust her whatsoever. They knew her because she was banished, and she was the alpha of the alphas. They knew her because she was the most dangerous woman in the entire realm and they knew her, because the walls that once whispered about Awuor Hawi had eventually broken down and shattered to pieces from the show of who she was. The ultimate disaster and chief maniptor. "Instead of worrying about whether Hawi is on our side or not, worry about how the hell a little woman like her, had managed to murder the lycans of Avalon in cold blood. "The lycans of Avalon are supposed to be the most powerful creatures to ever exist and yet Hawi mutted fourteen of them. If she wanted to burn Greyson to the ground, she wouldn''t have to use Rukiya. "She would have done it herself. But she is here with us, on our side. She is with us. The least we can do is to make sure that she stays on our side," Adolf said and they looked at him like he had gone bonkers. Beta Adolf had always been one of the key anti-fans of Awuor Hawi, but as the days progressed, he himself realized that there was more to the woman who was crazy. There was more to the girl who didn''t give two shits about life, any life whatsoever. Awuor Hawi was the girl who could do as she wished and no one would ever question her. If Adolf was on her side, then either the beta had been broken or maybe, just maybe there was a trust to it all. But how would they ever be able to determine that? "What did you find in Sicario?" the warriors asked the beta who looked like he wasn''t even sure where he was. Chances were that Adolf had found his bearing because he knew the warriors, but if that was so, then what had happened to him out there? What had made the beta who never came back home withoutpleting his mission,e back home? What had forced Adolf to make his way back when he could have as well fought and tried to make sense of the mission he had been sent to? Oh, there were so many possibilities but not more than the woman who was watching them with a smirk stered on her face. She was hidden in the woods, and not hidden at the same time. Then again, it never really mattered because she was going to make sure that the doubts about Hawi were never a threat to Hawi''s life. After all, she was Hawi''s greatest ally. Jabali Lihle. Mbali. Chapter 100: Hells Favorite Summer Child * Happy First Century, 454k views and 986 collections to us! We did so well, that I wanna cry lol. * Long Chapter Alert [AWUOR] Walking back to Greyson, Hawi knew that the beginning was already here. She knew that no matter how hard she wanted to make a run for it, there was only so much that she could do, and that in itself made her feel like there was limited time. Staying back in Greyson with Rukiya was a long gamble. She may have been with a strong pack, but Hawi knew that she would be putting them in danger by being here. But then again reality was a smug son of a bitch, because it seemed that the universe had already snitched on how important Rukiya was to Hawi. So in a way, Awuor Hawi didn''t have much of a choice but to stay in Greyson. "Alpha, they are ready for you," one of the warriors said to Rukiya when he knocked on her chamber doors, and she just nodded in approval, before she turned to the woman beside her, the beautiful woman who was covered in blood and yet wasn''t even bothered by it. She looked like she didn''t mind taking a swim in the blood of hostiles and while it should have creeped the Greyson wolves out, they knew that it was pointless trying to figure Hawi out, because, at this point, they had gotten used to her and the madness that surrounded her. "Hawi, I need to meet with them first. You go clean up and put on better clothes," Rukiya said softly, though her voice was stern. She didn''t want the woman running away, but then she also knew that if Hawi decided to make a run for it, nothing that Rukiya would say would ever stop her. She was unpredictable as fuck and Rukiya just hoped that this time, Hawi wouldn''t think of the promise she had made Rukiya two days ago. Maybe then, it would make more sense. "Uhh¡­ Sure, I''ll ask Serry for some, no worries," Hawi said, her tone stiff like she wanted to be out of here now. She seemed like she was pouting and wanted to go to the meeting, but having been an alpha herself, Hawi knew that this was something Rukiya had to do on her own. She just liked causing trouble when she wanted attention. "No. If you want anything, you ask me. I don''t care if I''m in the middle of a meeting or a murder. I will give you whatever you want," Rukiya said with conviction and Hawi gave her a small smile. Of course, she knew that is how this shit worked. But seeing Rukiya this determined, made her feel like even with her guard up, she was loved and protected. Granted, she was powerful and immortal and didn''t need to be protected from anyone, but it felt good, having someone care for her like this. It made her feel alive and she loved it. "Come here, baby," Rukiya said warmly, as she snaked her arm around Hawi''s waist, instantly pulling the bloodied woman closer to her. "But the blood¨C" Hawi tried but Rukiya wasn''t even thinking of that right now. "I don''t care. All I care about is you, my little wolf. If something is bothering you, you can trust me with it. Don''t go off wandering again, into the woods. I know you can take care of yourself, but you don''t have to do this alone, Hawi. "You don''t have to be out there fighting on your own. If you want to break bones, I am always avable for you. Just don''t do it all on your own. We can share the burden, my love. "You protect me always, so let me protect you too, hmm?" Rukiya said, gently closing the distance between their faces. She didn''t mind that Hawi was a mess. What mattered to Rukiya Greyson was that Hawi was okay and wasn''t going through everything alone. She had a family now and while that was a concept that Hawi was still refusing to get used to, thanks to her history with her family, Rukiya was determined to get her to settle with her. It wasn''t going to be easy. "You''ll bete for your meeting, Ruru," Hawi said as she tried to get out of her grip, but instead, Rukiya just held her tighter, and closer to the point that their noses were rubbing on each other''s. "Promise me you''ll be here when Ie from my meeting, promise me you won''t go after the hostiles alone while I''m there... Pr¡­ Promise me you won''t leave me again," Rukiya said, though she whispered thest bit like she was scared she was asking for too much. Maybe she was, given that Hawi hadn''t exactly wanted to have something else to protect, and yet Rukiya Greyson had managed to make a blood oath binding them. But maybe Rukiya was right this time. "I''ll always be by your side, my Ruru, always. Now go, your warriors are waiting for you," Hawi said, as she pecked Rukiya''s lips, but Ruru was hungry for more. Maybe because Hawi had left her in bed earlier, but did that even matter when they were here now? "I love you," Rukiya whispered before she captured Hawi''s lips with hers, driving the both of them into a whirlwind of emotions and sparks. With that desperate kiss, Hawi made her a promise, the reassurance that she would always stay, no matter what wasing, the promise of forever in their little world, the promise of always, and the promise to never paddle the seas alone. They were in this, together. "And I you," Hawi said when they broke the kiss, pulling Rukiya into a hug. Hawi didn''t try to pull out of the hug as fast, because she knew Rukiya needed reassurance; Ruru needed to know that no matter where they would be, they would always find their way to each other. For a moment, Hawi''s heart broke for the woman in her arms. She wondered how things had gotten so unpredictable that she always wanted to leave, but then now she had someone. Sure she had made a rude show to the Greyson pack earlier with Rukiya, but that wasn''t enough, especially for a soul that was used to being broken, and Hawi didn''t want that for Rukiya. Hawi didn''t want to break Ruru and make her feel like she had to work a little harder to make Hawi stay. She wasn''t that cruel a woman. "Ruru¨C" Hawi tried when she realized that the longer they stayed in each other''s warm arms, the longer Rukiya''s meeting would take, and she wanted to spend more time with Rukiya. She had promised her a hunting trip and now all that had been changed because there were hostiles. Maybe a hunting trip was a little too rigorous for their first date, but then Hawi was determined to make their next date a sess. "Just another minute, please," Rukiya said as she breathed Hawi in. It was at that moment that Rukiya wished she and Hawi weren''t alphas with responsibilities. She wished that they were just normal wolves who only had each there to worry about. But then they had people that depended on them and they couldn''t disappoint them. "Anything you want, baby. Anything," Hawi said to Rukiya, holding her tighter. However, as they stayed like that, Malika''s voice forced its way into Hawi''s head, in the form of slow rumbles and growls. It was incoherent and loud that for a minute it was all gibberish and super ufortable, making Hawi feel like she was about to go bonkers from the splitting headache that she felt. She felt like her world wasing down and she could only stand there and pretend. The bust of pain was so intense that it took every ounce of strength in Hawi to not show her pain to Rukiya. So she smiled like an idiot, wishing for the first time that Rukiya Greyson left the room so damn quick. She wasn''t sure how much longer she could hold on and face the pain because it was irking her wolf and that was slowly trying to show her fangs. That wasn''t what she intended but some things couldn''t be helped. She didn''t want Rukiya worrying about her, just when they had found amon ground again. She needed Rukiya to work on increasing the Greyson defenses and the only way for Rukiya to be focused was if she was sure Hawi was okay. But was Hawi really okay? "I have to go now, baby. I''ll be quick alright," Rukiya said, pulling back from the hug before she kissed Hawi on the lips one more time and left. Hawi made sure to confirm that Rukiya was out of the room, before she punched the nearest wall, creating a hole in the damn thing, but even that didn''t make what she was feeling any easier. Goddess, she wanted to find Malika so badly. She held back the urge to growl out loud, but she was so close to losing her sanity from the intensity of the damning pain she was feeling at the moment. ''You had better have a really good reason for causing me so much pain Malika,'' Hawi growled in pain in the mind link. She was pissed and ready to throw some more punches at her protector. ''Hawi¨C'' ''This isn''t the time to make me see sense, Malika. Fucking speak,'' Hawi said as she clutched her head that was hurting so bad. Goodness, she was in so much pain that she felt like she would die any time now. ''Jer killed Dom. Your former mate killed your brother, and imprisoned your father in the lost dungeons.'' ''Good for the¡ª WHAT?'' Chapter 101: Happiness Was Too Great A Task [AWUOR] ''Hawi¨C'' ''This isn''t the time to make me see sense, Malika. Fucking speak,'' Hawi said as she clutched her head that was hurting so bad. Goodness, she was in so much pain that he felt like she would die any time now. ''Jer killed Dom. Your former mate killed your brother, and imprisoned your father in the lost dungeons.'' ''Good for the¡ª WHAT?'' Hawi asked, as she faltered. Of the things she had been expecting, her bastard mate doing the impossible hadn''t exactly been what she had been hoping for. There had to be an error somewhere this time. It all just didn''t make any sense, because the Jer she knew was kind, loving, and caring. Sure, the bastard was power hungry but to actually take up the weapons and murder people that were not his enemies, that was insane. It just didn''t make any sense. And so Hawi stayed silent, like she was trying to find the correct words to ask Malika. She wasn''t sure what she had been hoping for and she didn''t know what she was supposed to do with that info. Here and now, Awuor Hawi was in shock, so much so that Malika had to try and call her a few more times, before she responded with a soft groan. ''I''m going to bed, Malika. Don''t wake me up,'' Hawi said, instantly shutting the mind links, and letting her wolf take over her subconscious. She was tired, very tired of everything that was happening. She wasn''t sure what she was to do anymore and she wasn''t ready to process the fact that Jer had murdered her brother. That was all too much and she refused to face it, not this time. She just couldn''t do it today anyway. *** At the Greyson warrior room, Rukiya Greyson was trying to make sense of the situation with her warriors. She knew how absurd and how suspicious the situation had been and the fact that Hawi had been the one to find out the hostels, raised more questions than they all were ready to face. It just wasn''t something that happened daily for them. "Alpha, I don''t mean to intrude, but don''t you think it''s a little suspicious that your guest, a former alpha; and with a history of violence, was the one who found the hostiles and dealt with them even before we could get the news that we had hostiles? "She could havee to you as the alpha, and told you of the news. We could have even had one of them tell us what they really wanted, instead of them being murdered at the same time?" one warrior asked and the others nodded while Rukiya looked at them in understanding. Her warriors were the first defense of Greyson and by the rules of the pack, anything was to be reported to the alpha herself. And yet her very own visitor had failed to indulge her in the possibility of hostiles, not to mention the Greyson scouts didn''t find anything that could give them a reason to trust Hawi and what she was saying to them. It was all a little too suspicious at the moment. "I understand your concerns but we still have to wait for Adolf and the scouts who remained at the scene of the massacre to tell us what they found. "However, I assure you that if the Alpha Awuor turns out to be a threat to Greyson, I will deal with her myself, regardless of anything that may have started stemming. "Your safety is always going to be my priority," Rukiya said and her warriors tapped their tables in agreement. They knew they had no reason to trust Hawi but they had every reason to trust Alpha Rukiya. That woman would cross the ocean on foot for them and it didn''t matter who wasing for them. Rukiya was always on their first line of defense. "Any other concerns?" Rukiya asked, before her warriors listed all the things that they thought needed to be done to strengthen the pack. If news spread about there being an attack on the Greyson pack, then it would get a lot worse. So for their meeting, all Rukiya did was to listen to them. Of course, Hawi had wanted toe, as the meet was her suggestion, and yet as Rukiya kept staring at the door to the warrior room. She hadn''t seen her and that worried her frankly. It wasn''t like Hawi to forget something she had been adamant about, and that also reminded Rukiya of how Hawi had been strangely calm, like she had wanted Rukiya to believe that she was okay. Then again, surely Hawi wouldn''t lie to Rukiya about her staying in Greyson, right? Well, Rukya would just find outter. "We have a problem, alpha," Adolf, who wasn''t even supposed to be in the warrior''s room suddenly said after he had walked up to the alpha. He knew that Rukiya would have so many questions, but then a blood bath was on its way and even karma was about to take the back seat on this one. The only thing he could do was to alert his alpha, right? "You shouldn''t be here," Rukiya whispered and Adolf gave her a look that told her that they needed to continue this conversation in private and there was no other ce that could be more private than Rukiya''s office. So Rukiya dismissed the warriors and told them to think everything over ande to her with their list of requests and concerns. They could see that she had other pressing issues to attend to, so none of them tried to press on and get answers from her. Then again, they couldn''t get any, if Rukiya Greyson said there wouldn''t be answers. "What is it, Adolf?" Rukiya asked when they finally reached her office. The warriors had been curious, but so had every Greyson wolf out there. They had all heard about the massacre and were not sure of who they needed to believe. However, a part of them rxed a bit because they had found out that none of the Greyson wolves was missing, so maybe that gave them a benefit of doubt, right? "Where is Hawi?" Adolf asked, looking around the room, like he was thinking Awuor Hawi was inside the room somewhere. Perhaps she was, but even if she was, that wouldn''t change the fact that Hawi didn''t want to think of anything. She didn''t want to feel, and she didn''t want to face the probable reality. She just wasn''t ready and frankly, for a girl who had gone through so much hell at twenty-three, she deserved all the peace the world could ord her but if only it was that easy. If only love and life aren''t bastards to her, then maybe she would be fine. But would she? "What?" Rukiya asked, clearly surprised because Adolf never asked about Hawi, ever. Not even when there was a possible chance that they would be going to war with the woman. He had learned to mind his business and had learned that Hawi wasn''t going to be open with him or anyone. And that too, was okay. After all, it wasn''t that hard staying away, right? "Hawi¡­ Y''know the psycho alpha?" Adolf said, in a desperate attempt to make the words he had to say, sound lighter, but even he knew that there wouldn''t ever be lighter words to describe what he had to say this instant. "Adolf¨C" "Jer murdered her brother and imprisoned her father just hours ago. I was on my way to snoop. However, Mbali stopped me and made mee back to tell you to not leave Hawi''s side¨C "¨CAs she would be in her most fragile state yet," Adolf said, speaking the words so carefully like he was worried that there was a kind of hell headed for them. Of course, hell was brewing and it was getting hotter, but this time, it wasn''t for Greyson. No one knew where it would begin yet, but one thing they were sure of, was that the realm would feel the brunt of it all. "And the hostiles sent to Greyson, were Jer''s doing," Adolf added after a long silence, as if to make sure not to overdose Rukiya with the wave of terrible news. "Oh, Hawi," Rukiya breathed out defeatedly, before she made her way out of her office. Only to find Hawi ying cheerily with the kids outside. And Rukiya''s heart broke for her. Chapter 102: Meek Malika Strikes Again [AWUOR] Looking at the woman with the kids, Rukiya had so many questions and no answers. She knew that this was to be the roughest news Hawi had ever received, granted she may have wanted to be the one to kill her brother, but which sibling did not want to kill their sibling any other time of the day? Siblings were annoying and that was obvious in every family, but having them taken out by someone else, someone she had trusted and someone she had been so sure was not a murderer at heart, was something that made Rukiya have so many questions. She wasn''t sure when the rain had started hitting, but a happy Hawi was one weird sight even for her. "What do I do, Adolf?" Rukiya asked her best friend who was standing with her out there, as they watched Hawi run around with the children. It was almost like she was looking for some particr connection, one that she would never be able to get again because her brother had been murdered. Maybe if Hawi was breaking things and letting out her anger, it would have been easier to face her, but right now, she was acting like there wasn''t a thing on her mind. Then again, she had always been in pain. There was only so much pain she could take without snapping too. She had lost so much already and that was not even a shocker to her. "Let her be for the moment. She needs to process it in her own way and if we rush her, she would push us away," Adolf said and Rukiya understood what he was exining to her. She had seen that happen with Adolf and she didn''t want to make the same mistake. Maybe this was their doom, but who was to tell what wasing for them anytime soon anyway? "I just hope she trusts me enough to let me in," Rukiya said, though she had a feeling that he was probably hoping for too much. Defeatedly, she sat on the veranda, as she watched the woman she had hopelessly fallen in love with, deflect her pain. She, just like everyone who cared for Hawi, knew they had to prepare. And so as she watched Hawi y into the night with the kids, Rukiya wished she could take some of her pain. Maybe that would make her feel better, but what were the chances that she would take care of that on her own too? *** Despite the terrible news that had graced their evening, the Sicario pack was hushed. That was the only way to describe what was happening. There was no revolution like what had happened when Hawi had murdered her mother apparently, no. This time, it was like no one cared that a good warrior had been snatched from them by someone, or even that the alpha was imprisoned. For all the Sicario warriors knew, The head alpha, Sicario, had murdered his son and that was why Alpha Jer had so generously decided to keep the man isted in the dungeons. It was a good exnation and no logic would ever beat that anyway. The wolves of Sicario pack were convinced that this is what had happened while others refused to believe that the head alpha had simply snapped, three years after his wife had been murdered. Instead, they had graciously pinned it all on Hawi again, cursing the supposedly dead woman for pushing their pack to the brink of insanity and lost wars. It was all so crazy but what else could they do? It wasn''t like any of them was courageous enough to take it up with their reigning alpha who had done a good job pretending like he was the most affected by the apparent death of Dominic Sicario. But how good an actor was Jeremiah supposed to be? "I''m so sorry about your loss. You two were really good friends," Malika said meekly to the man she had gotten conveniently married to and one who was casuallyying in their bed. She hade back from Greyson and figured out that Jer was the murderer in the three seconds that she had met him after, and right now, she was trying to be the woman Hawi had sent her to Sicario to be¨C ¨CThough it was tempting to torture the bastard in that bed in ways that even Hawi the chief torturer would frown against. Oh, but Malika was trying to be patient even though she wanted to puke her guts out at the man. Goodness, he despised him and wanted him dead, but he had to serve his purpose. That was the only thing that got Malika being patient with him, otherwise, it would have been a different thing altogether. "He was like a brother to me. It hurts so bad that he was murdered by his father. I get that Awuor was psychotic, but I didn''t think that the father would be as psychotic too. "He lost both his children because of his recklessness," Jer said pitifully and Malika had to remind herself for the umpteenth time that she was on admission. But damn the urge to smack Jeremiah across the face was so strong that she didn''t see herself not giving in to the temptation to introduce this bastard to the darling walls was just growing. "Is there anything I can do? I may not be strong but I can¨C" Malika tried. She knew what would happen if she switched and tried to sleep with Jer, though that didn''t seem much of a task as Jer was always under a woman whenever he felt like it. She knew that she would kill him instantly; or ruin him to the point that he would be crazy. There was a reason protectors were feared, because of the powers they had, but then again, Jer was just another dirtbag that didn''t deserve Malika''s humanity, right? "I saw you leave with Elodie. Where did you both go?" Jer asked and Malika looked at him, the fear on her face making a show, however ingenuine it was. She had known that Jer had a thing for Elodie though she had always rejected the man. "What?" Malika asked, and Jer raised a brow at her. Maybe she knew what he was talking about or maybe he was just specting because Malika and Elodie had been out at the same time. "I¡­ We¡­" Malika stuttered before she continued, "I''m sorry, husband. I didn¨C" Hoover, before Malika couldplete her sentence, a very furious Elodie walked into the room, looking at Malika like she was about to get her murdered. Of course, right now, Elodie Kane had no recollection of what had happened even with Hawi, but she looked like she wanted to kick the living daylights out of Jer and that was strange. "Elodie?" Malika asked meekly as she rushed to seek shelter in Jer''s arms. She figured that she would be ''safe'' in the arms of the man she had married. "Please don''t let her take me, please," Malika cried out and Jer looked at Elodie before he looked at his wife who was trembling in his arms. He didn''t even need to ask more questions about where Malika and Elodie had gone because, for him, Malika''s fear was real. "Get the fuck out, you''re scaring my fucking wife you little shit," Jer said protectively and Malika smirked into his shirt. Chapter 103: Oh... Who is She? [SICARIO] "Elodie?" Malika asked meekly as she rushed to seek shelter in Jer''s arms. She figured that she would be ''safe'' in the arms of the man she had married. "Please don''t let her take me, please," Malika cried out and Jer looked at Elodie before he looked at his wife who was trembling in his arms. He didn''t even need to ask more questions about where Malika and Elodie had gone because, for him, Malika''s fear was real. "Get the fuck out, you''re scaring my fucking wife you little shit," Jer said protectively and Malika smirked into his shirt. She knew what would follow and she was more than ready to stir up more trouble. Those two made her blood boil and the fact that Jer was pretending to be hurt and like his word hade crushing because of Dom made Malika want to take a swing at his head. "I was gone for a few minutes and suddenly head alpha Sicario murdered his only son? Make it make sense, because the guy is also conveniently unable to speak or say shit," Elodie said, ignoring the fact that he had just kicked her out. Then again if that worked on her they wouldn''t be there, right? She didn''t give two shits about what the fuck Jer was thinking. What she wanted to know was how two hours had turned into the madness that she wasn''t even aware of. All of this was not logical. Sicario may have been older and wiser but if pitted against his son there was just no way that he would win that war. It was impossible and yet the man was in the dungeons and his son was a goner. No one had seen what happened, which was another suspicious thing. This was all pointing to a coup but Elodie was going to give her the benefit of the doubt and let hime clean to her because Thai was his only chance. "You have no right to question me. You should be very careful how you talk to your alpha, Elodie¡ª" Jer began and Elodie hurled the nearest vase at Jer and Malika. She didn''t care what she was doing could make her a prisoner too. She had lost her best friend and now she had lost Hawi''s brother too. Dom may have been a pain in the ass but he was still like a brother to Elodie and this was one death she wouldn''t forgive. If it was Alpha Sicario then she would get to the bottom of it, and if it was Jer, then Elodie Kane wasn''t sure what she would do. She hadn''t imagined that shit like this could happen. She couldn''t lose the people important to her in one day like that. It all just wasn''t fair and she wasn''t going to let it all slide. She would get to the bottom of this,e raine sunshine and she wouldn''t stop until she got their justice or their vengeance. Oh, Elodie. "What is wrong with you woman? Why the hell are you acting like a barbarian and why the fuck do you want to hurt my wife? I''ll break you if you hurt her," Jer said and Elodie let out a dark chuckle and a scoff. She couldn''t believe what she was hearing. This was easily the worst joke of the century. When Elodie had thrown the vase at Malika and Jer, she had noticed that only Jer flinched, while Malika looked like she was bored out of her mind. The protector didn''t even flinch when the vase hit her and the man she was married to. Instead, she had focused on Elodie, maintaining a damning eye contact and making sure that this woman was really certain of what she was doing. Malika didn''t care about anything or anyone other than Hawi and her mission. And right now she was honestly stuck between punching Elodie in the face and making the woman scream in pleasure under her. It was a thought so unconventional and unexpected for her, that in that moment Malika found herself rethinking her priorities. ''What the fuck was that?'' Malika asked as she shook her head roughly, something that the dumbass husband near her tranted to fear. "You keep doing that and I will have you exiled from Sicario," Jer warned and Elodie just looked at him like she needed an exnation. "You should start talking then, and your senseless wife should also listen carefully because the next one I''ll throw, will be on her head," Elodie warned and Malika took that as a chance to react to her statement. She pushed herself closer to Jer like she was seeking asylum. Her eyes were filled with raw fear, an act that Malika had perfected over the months before she had agreed to be Jer''s mate. She had been plotting this so well and right now it was paying. "Hey, baby¡­ I need you to go to the next room. You can wait for me there alright? I won''t be long, I promise, alright. I''m so sorry you had to witness this," Jer said as he held Malika''s face delicately in his hands. He was worried for her, genuinely worried that she would be traumatized. And for a moment Malika couldn''t actually believe it. This man really cared for this version of her and that was actual progress on her mission. It was happening and she was going to make sure that everyone felt the pinch of it all. "But¡ª"Malika began, her constant shaking in fear fucking with Jer''s head. It wasn''t what she had expected but now that she had gotten it, had loved this reaction. It was golden and she was enjoying this. "Trust me, alright?" Jer said and Malika nodded before she got up and walked outside. However as she passed beside Elodie, she couldn''t help but feel the raw rage and disappointment that Elodie Kane was harboring, and for a moment, Malika felt bad for her. Maybe she really did care about the Sicario siblings and now she didn''t even have anyone with her. Jer did wait till Malika was out of the room, before he rushed to Elodie, grabbing the woman by the neck and pinning her on the wall, the warning and anger in his eyes so raw that anyone could believe that Elodie was the one who had murdered Dominic Sicario and not Jer himself. He really was a piece of work. "Never scare my wife again or give her a reason to doubt me. And that little stunt you pulled. I''m only letting it go because you seem so hot and bothered by the death of Dom. "But that isn''t an excuse for you to try and kill my mate. Never try that again. Also what the fuck do you want here? I don''t have answers for you¡­ No, scratch that. "As the alpha, I don''t owe you an exnation for anything that happens in MY pack. Now clean this shit up and don''t show your face to me unless I summon you, alright?" Jer said and Elodie had just had enough of the man. So she released herself and swung at him so hard that she could feel her bones break. But she got the result she desired. Jeremiah was unconscious. Chapter 104: Your Eyes Tell [SICARIO] "Malika!!" Elodie called out to the protector who had been hiding by the door. She had been told to go away by Jer, but she had failed to do so because she wanted to eat their conversations and get to see what the hell was happening here. She wanted to understand what was going on and figure out if the conversation would have any effect on her ns, so she could make contingencies and get it all ready. "Huh?" Malika responded meekly, the pretend shock on her face making another appearance as she walked into the room and saw Jer unconscious. "Still ying meek, huh? Or you want to hide under Jer''s shadow and pretend to be everything he would ever want in a perfect woman no?" Elodie asked with a bored face and Malika just looked at her with a fearful face. Oh, but she wasn''t letting it go. "Oh, dear¡­ You killed my husband. What will I tell the people? What if they suspect that I killed him? Goddess, what am I supposed to do now?" Malika asked as she began prancing around the room. Jer looked terrible and he was going to feel the heat of the punch when he woke up. Malika was aware he wasn''t dead, but she was supposed to be the dumb one, the girl who couldn''t use her brains, and the girl who was married for that purpose exactly. Elodie stared at the woman before where and he could feel her blood boil. These two looked like the perfect couple with their stupidity making a show at a time when all Elodie wanted was answers for the shit that had just happened. "He''s unconscious and will be asleep for three hours, so drop the fucking act," Elodie said and meek Malika looked at the woman like she had gone bonkers. Surely, she wanted to insinuate that the acting protector was really acting, right? It seemed offensive, and meek Malika wasn''t about to have that. "You¡­ You hurt him. He''s your alpha and you knocked him out. How am I supposed to react to that? You even threw a vase at us earlier. You are a dangerous woman, Elodie¡­ "GUARDS!!" Malika said to Elodie before shouting thest part so people coulde to her rescue. The warriors were in the hallways and had definitely heard their luna calling but as Malika shouted, Elodie justughed sadly. She had never imagined that she would ever be in this situation and yet as she stood over Jer''s bruised body and stared at Malika, she felt like she was in some dystopian reality. All of this was what insanity looked like and it wasn''t pleading at all. "Are we really going to y the game of securities and insecurities miss luna girl? Do you really want to go there with me right now? Because I know a few things about you that could turn your marriage to this dumb fuck a dedicated mess of all time. "You don''t understand just how pathetic it all is," Elodie said and this time, meek Malika scoffed like she couldn''t believe this too. This was beyond her supposed thinking so she screamed for help. Like full-on screamed for help, making Elodie just stare at her incredulously. Goodness, this woman was crazy, but was she? "Help me!! Someone, please!!" meek Malika screamed her lungs out as she turned to her husband who wasying on the floor. However, one look into Elodie''s eyes and meek Malika knew not to try anything. The woman wasn''t even scared that there were guards at the door banging and wanting to get through. Elodie didn''t look like she gave a fuck about what meek Malika was doing, because she seems to know something else. "Shut the fuck up, and stop screaming like a lunatic you psycho," Elodie said and Malika smirked at her before she continued screaming. All of this was intentional. Because she wanted to see if Elodie would make the mistake of trying to fight Malika. Oh, but Malika wanted a fight. She needed to let out all the anger she was feeling at the moment. She had tried to reach Hawi again, but all her efforts had bore no fruits. Hawi had shut the mind links, all of thempletely and there was no way for Malika tomunicate with her or even Mbali. She wanted to know how Hawi was coping with the news of her brother''s death. It wasn''tforting at all and Malika knew that if she left Sicario again this time she wouldn''t be back on time to pretend to be the meek Luna that Sicario knew. So she was frustrated by everything. Her mistress wasn''t responding and she wanted to be there for Hawi. Sure, Rukiya wouldn''t definitely know a thing or two about how to help Hawi, but Malika needed to consume Hawi''s anger and let her mistress get some rest. But that was impossible. And it angered her even more. "Why? You want them to think I murdered my husband when I can''t even hold a knife? I can''t even fight to save myself and you''re here trying to make assumptions. "I don''t know what the fuck you think you have been doing or whatever you went to do away two hours ago. But I don''t want to be a part of your schemes," meek Malika said, frustrated Elodie even more. She had never met such an insufferable person and it made her feel like strangling the life out of Malika. But even if she wanted to, was she ever going to be able to? "You know damn well that that isn''t what I''m talking about," Elodie said as the banging at the Alpha''s door increases. The Warriors were getting angrier, and it was just a matter of time before they broke through and if they did, it wasn''t going to be a pretty sight for Elodie Kane. "Look, I get that you''re interested in my husband, and I''m sorry that he married me, a dumb woman who doesn''t fit into your standards. But I''m the pack luna now, and if you do anything to my husband, I will have to step in and be the alpha and trust me that won''t be pretty. "Now surrender while I''m still being nice. Your face makes me sick," Malika said but Elodie wasn''t even interested in all that. She had something else in mind. She wanted to know something, once that only Malika knew of and not this meek version of the woman. Goddess, she hated what she was feeling right now. "You bitch what did you do to me?" Elodie asked irritatedly making Malika let out augh before she continued screaming for help. Malika made sure to tear through her clothes and scratch herself, not to mention stopped her healing. Elodie watched in disbelief as Malika made herself look like the ultimate victim of Elodie''s violence and goodness it was insane. "You''re hurting me, please, stop, I beg of you," Malika fake cried as she let her tears flow and reddened her eyes to make her seem like she had really been hurt by Elodie. However, as the door flew down, Elodie asked a second question in Malika''s ears, one that got Malika certain that she had fucked up. "Why did you, and Hawi try to erase my memories today?" Chapter 105: The Protector’s Risky Choices [SICARIO] "You''re hurting me, please, stop, I beg of you," Malika fake cried as she let her tears flow and reddened her eyes to make her seem like she had really been hurt by Elodie. She was going to swell whatever this was for as long as she could and she didn''t care that she seemed more psychotic with every word that came from her mouth. She had a performance that was due and she was going to make it count. However, as the door flew down, Elodie asked a second question in Malika''s ears, one that got Malika certain that she had fucked up. It was a question so unexpected, given the events of the day, but Malika should have known better. "Why did you, and Hawi try to erase my memories today?" Elodie asked and Mlika stiffened, forgetting that she was supposed to be the weak woman who was saved from Elodie by the warriors. The protector stared at the wolf before her and for a moment she considered forcing a confession out of Elodie, but she knew that would confirm everything that Elodie was thinking, which she didn''t want. Malika was sure she only had two options; to y right onto Elodie''s set stage, or deny the facts with all that she had. She didn''t care that that would definitely make Elodie think that she was crazy, but with everything that was happening, Elodie Kane was sincerely not even on Malika''s list of people she needed to worry about. She still needed a way to get to Hawi and the woman who was before her wasn''t going to make it easier for her. So Malika decided to keep on ying. "I''m so sorry. Please don''t kill me. Please¡­ Whatever my husband did, please forgive him, please, Miss Kane," Malika said as her tears made a show. For the first time, Elodie found herself staring at a woman who was easily the craziest bitch she had ever seen. There had to be something else in the air because this surely couldn''t be the same woman who had been so strong earlier and the woman who never gave shits about anything save for Hawi. This wouldn''t be the woman who had been ready to kill her until ahwi stopped her right? But what if Elodie Kane was hallucinating? "Step away from Luna, miss Kane," the enforcer, Theo, said to Elodie in a voice that Elodie knew so well. Over the eyes, Theo had been promoted from the gates to the enforcer of the pack, and now that Dom was dead and the alpha way saying on the ground, it was Theo''s responsibility to make sure that Luna was safe and well protected. "Don''t tell me you believe the little bitch standing there. She is a fucking lying machine!" Elodie said angrily as she looked at Theo like she wanted to make Theo understand how dangerous Malika was. The odds were certainly not in her favor this time. Everything wasn''t looking good for her and the sooner she epted her fate, the sooner everything would be over and done with. Malika hadn''t be a protector by being weak and gullible. There was a reason she was ranked high on the list of the top protectors in the realm. She was perfect for the job and if Malika had to be a darn turtle, then if that was the only way to protect Awuor Hawi Sicario, then damn right she would do it without so much as a thought. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry," Malika cried and that seemed to get to Theo because his eyes got darker and he looked at his warriors and then at Elodie who was staring at Theo helplessly. She would never win this. This was Malika she was dealing with. "Get her out of my sight. I don''t know what she ends up getting with this, but get her out of here,'''' Theo said, and Malika let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, before she rushed to her husband who was on the ground. This useless bitch on the ground needed to die, and if Theo and the remaining two warriors haven''t been in the room, there was a chance that Malika would have taken Jer with her and taken him to Olyana thend beyond thend of the protectors. She would then torture him in ways that hadn''t been invented yet to the point that by the time she would be done with him, Jer could only think of one thing. The urge to end his life. And even then, Maika wouldn''t grant that because she would throw him in a cryo-freeze chamber and let the bastard freeze to near death, only to get him out for a while and throw him back there. Oh, but Malika despised Jer so much, and with her anger right now, she felt like she could probably bring down the whole of Sicario. "Please husband, please wake up. Please," Malika pleaded and Theo felt his heart shattering for the women who were bent over their alpha. She looked pitiful and the longer, Theo looked around the room, the more he was sure that this room wasn''t the best ce for the alpha and his luna to be in. Maybe they would transfer them to another room while the alpha healed. That was the only solution anyway. "Luna, please let us take him to the infirmary. You cane with us. He will end you when he wakes up. "We will deal with the mess Miss Kane created and we''ll also start the procedures for Dom''s funeral," Theo said respectfully as he held Malika and helped her up. Malika looked hopeless and she looked like she was the most heartbroken woman in Sicario and frankly, she was. Not because Jer was unconscious and certainly not because of Dom''s death¡ª ¡ªBut because even after all the chaos, Malika had been unable to reach Mbali and Hawi. This wasn''t right and she was worried about them. The fact that Hawi had been the one to close the mindlinks meant that Malika didn''t have the authority to open the links. Of course, she could open them but that would probably punish her in the worst of ways. "But my husband¡­ Will he be okay? Please don''t let him die," Maliak cried even though she could hear Jer''s breath steadying. The stupid bastard was awake and had regained consciousness. That little tart was alreadymunicating with The in the links to make sure Malika was safe. "He is a little hurt, but he will be okay, Luna," Theo said and Malika looked at her once again, and then at Theo before she made her choice. Maybe Hawi would punish her forever for what she was about to do, but Malika knew that she was ready for any punishment. She would ept anything, as long as she found out what was with Hawi and why she had not responded. Malika was scared of Hawi, and rightfully so, because the woman was easily the cruelest wolf in the whole realm. Hawe Sicario was the fear of every creature in the supernatural realm. She was what many could call the bastard ruler without a heart. "Oh dear, I thought he w¡­ Then¡­ Y¡­" Malika said before intentionally making herself faint. She was on a mission and the dumbhead Jeremiah wasn''t the priority this time. "Luna¡ª" Theo tried but Malika had fallen unconscious. Chapter 106: Of Chats With Empty Vessels [SICARIO] "Oh dear, I thought he w¡­ Then¡­ Y¡­" Malika said before intentionally making herself faint. She was on a mission and the dumbhead Jeremiah wasn''t the priority this time. "Luna¡ª" Theo tried but Malika had fallen unconscious. She had gone so fast that it was hard to tell whether she wasn''t dead. Theo just stood there in shock as he watched the woman fall to the ground. "What the fuck are you doing letting her fall to the ground?!" Alpha Jer suddenly woke up, just in time to catch Malika whose body was iling around. It was quite the sight and Jer felt bad for his wife. He had never imagined that she would faint easily like this and because of him. But now that he could see that she was affected, he made a mental note to never stress her out. He cared for Malika and never wanted her to be hurt. Sure, they had agreed that the mating bond could be initiated earlier, but in her silence, Jer was falling deeply in love with her. It was like a hurricane of sorts and if Malika knew that, there was a chance that she would definitely use it against Jer in the worst of ways. "I''m so sorry alpha," Theo said but Jer just carried his wife to the guest room andid her there. He hated that this had happened to her and he knew how vulnerable she always was. And he hated himself for putting her into that situation. Carefully he pushed aside a stray strand of hair that had fallen on the protector''s face. She looked so innocent like she couldn''t do no evil, and the fact that Elodie had started a fight with her was something that he wasn''t going to forgive. "Oh, darling, I didn''t mean to stress you out," Jer said softly as he wiped the patches of sand off her body. He knew that she would wake up pissed but he also knew that she was always calm and that infuriated him even more. Elodie had dared to go after his very kind and harmless wife, and that didn''t sit right with him. There was no justification for that, but for the moment, Jer figured he could wipe her body and then dress her up in clean clothes. They had been married for a few months now, and while he could have had the servants to give her a change of clothes, he figured that he could just do it himself. The Sicario pce was so tense with the death of Dom and the arrest of the head alpha, Sicario, that he wasn''t sure there were people on his side anymore. But that didn''t worry him. "Get me a towel, warm water, and a change of clothes for the Luna. Be quick about it," Jer shouted to the warriors who were guarding the guest room. He didn''t care who brought it, as long as someone got him what he wanted. Gently, he undressed Malika, all the while feeling guilty for what he was about to do, but at the same time, he didn''t want to worry too much. It was strange, how he cared for the gullible woman in his bed, more than anything else. It was almost like Malika was slowly bing his lifeline and finally, that didn''t look anywhere near good for him. He had fallen in love with the devil and it wouldn''t end well for him. But then it wasn''t like Malika was about to wake up and strangle the life out of him, right? "Here, alpha," a warrior said as he left everything at the door, careful not to get in and get his neck wrung by the mad alpha for checking out his wife. "Thank you," Jer forced out before mming the door and walking back to where Maika was. He had managed to undress Malika to the point that she was currently just in her sports bra and her biker shorts, which Hawi had mocked for months and months. Hawi knew Malika and her clothes were enemies and the fact that Malika could wear anything more than a shirt and pants was even surprising to Hawi. However, when Malika agreed to get married to Jer, she decided to fit into the character she was about to y, a brainless woman from the rural and tiniest pack. A simpleton who was brought up in the ways of thend and knew what decency was. The biker shorts had been the one set of clothes that Hawi had never imagined Malika would ever wear. Hell, there had been times when Hawi had begged her to wear even a top. If Hawi was here with them, she could haveughed her ass off, but it was just unfortunate that the eldest Sicario child was not even ready to face her pain yet. She was still hiding in the shadows of the happiness he got for ying with the Greyson kids. Oh, Hawi. ''Poor thing,'' Jer signed defeatedly as he wiped Malika''s body. He could see that she had so many scars, but they didn''t look as deep, thanks to Malika''s mastery of weapons. However, to Jer, the few scars on Malika''s body seemed to tell him that the girl had gone through a rough life as she lived in rkson. They were tiny scars, most of which would easily be gotten in the woods when she probably affected firewood or even went to look for fruits. All the assumptions could have been really nice and kind if they hadn''t been made of Malika, the deadliest killing Machine that ever existed. All her scars were from battle and had healed pretty nicely, because of the magic that Malika had. Her magic could erase any and all scars and yet she had insisted on leaving her scars as her pride. However, when the mission toe to Sicario popped up, she made sure to make her scars look pretty and fill the performance she was to pull with the most studio of all alphas, and it seemed to be working, again. "I will protect you from everyone and everything that aims to hurt you, my love," Jer whispered sadly as he wiped Malika''s body. Well, he was being nice and all, but then the woman wasn''t even in her own body. The bastard was talking to an empty vessel, that was breathing slowly and was programmed to twitch every few minutes to make the people around her think that she was still in her body and was even listening to the dumbass confessions that coulde from Jer. They would have been important, but then to Malika, nothing was more important than Hawi''s well-being. And maybe that was also why she had gone ahead and possessed the body of a random young woman in the freends who was just going on with her day, who also turned out to be the Greyson kitchen mistress, Sherry''s niece, Nkatha. It was quite the coincidence that Malika hadn''t expected, but it worked in her favor. If anything, Malika didn''t give two shits about that, because the only thing that mattered to her, was Awuor Hawi Sicario. "Hello, Aunt Sherry," Malika cheerily greeted Sherry when she finally made it to the Greyson pack. She knew this could probably get Hawi to return her to Olyana, but then it was once again, a risk that Malika was willing to take. Chapter 107: The Cruel Game of Patience * Thank you for 500k views and 1.1k collections!! I couldn''t have done it without you guys woo hoo! Cheers to more. [GREYSON] "Hello, Aunt Sherry," Malika cheerily greeted Sherry when she finally made it to the Greyson pack. She knew this could probably get Hawi to return her to Olyana, but then it was once again, a risk that Malika was willing to take. It was the only way she could think of at the moment anyway. "Nkatha?" Sherry said excitedly as she looked at her niece. It had been years since they hadst seen each other and this was a nice reunion, at least for her and her niece. It had been a beautiful time, those days. "It''s been a long time," Malika greeted, before she caught a whiff of Hawi''s scent. The woman was dancing with the older kids even though it was almost ten o''clock in the night. She was happy. No, she looked happy and that was something that Malika didn''t like. She always wanted to see Hawi genuinely happy and her bastard ex had once again robbed the women of that. She knew that she was going to make a man''s life a living hell. "Yeah, it is¡ª" Sherry began before a ball suddenly appeared out of nowhere at high speed, and hit her niece in the face so hard that Malika fell to the ground from the impact alone. It was so tight that if Malika hadn''t been a strong woman, she could have screamed the living night lights out. She should have expected hostility when she came here, but he hadn''t expected that Hawi would know this sooner. Then again, there was a reason Hawi was her mistress and hermander. Well, this would be interesting. "Oh my goodness, Nkatha dear. Are you okay?" Sherry asked as she checked on her niece who had a broken nose. The pain was intense and Malika cursed herself for taking over a body so weak. What the hell was she supposed to do with it anyway? And how long was she supposed to endure the torture that was definitelying for her? "Sherry, pass me the ball, please!" Hawi''s voice came through and Sherry stood with her hands on her waist like she was getting ready to scold Hawi, but Rukiya suddenly showed up with a smile on her face. Sherry could tell that she was wearing a sad smile and thought that it was because of what Hawi had done. Oh but if only she knew what was happening with the little woman in their home. "Oh dear. She looks hurt. Please take her to the infirmary," Rukiya said just as Hawi showed up again and looked at Malika with eyes that asked her what the fuck she was doing there. They had rules and there was a reason those were to be followed, yet her protector was ying niece to an innocent woman who wasn''t even aware of what was going on right at the moment. "Damn, that looks so terrible. Is it my doing?" Hawi asked, the concern in her voice making itself known, though Malika and Rukiya could tell that she was seriously faking it. It was too much and could be known by anyone who knew Hawi so well but then she was also daring to say anything about what she had done; to try and reprimand her. She could give them hell in itself. Her anger about her brother''s death wasn''t dissipating anytime soon and she hated how she was feeling. Hawi yed around the whole afternoon, even at night she had managed to carry on. She had taken every chance to avoid Rukiya and yet right here she was in the same space as the woman she loved and the woman who was meant to protect her. "Weren''t you the one with the ball?" Sherry asked her patience almost at its limit, but only because she was mad that Hawi was ying toote into the night and making everyone else stay awake. Then again she hadn''t told anyone toe y with her, not even the warriors. If anything, the only thing she had done was apply with the kids and when it was time for them to go to bed, she had let them. She had stayed to y with the other kids though. "I''m so sorry, Sherry. I didn''t mean to hit her. Is she your visitor? My apologies. I will fix her up, just give me a second," Hawi said apologetically and Sherry looked at her with a knowing smile. Since Hawi had shown up, she hadn''t caused any trouble. If anything other than the first time They had seen her when she was in nothing but banana leaves, Hawi had proven to be kind and friendly, and most warriors were rooting for her and Rukiya. And it took a lot to get trust from an army like the Greyson army. "No, I''m fine thank you though," Malika said and Hawi smirked at her, something that Rukiya had seen. It was then that Rukiya realized that she needed to have a meeting with Nkatha, because she was certainly not who she was presenting herself as anyway. "Sherry, I need to talk to your niece. Formal processes," Rukiya suddenly said in her alpha tone and Sherry knew that even she wouldn''t be able to get her niece out of this. "Hawi, my office, now," Rukiya said and Malika held back a chuckle when she saw Hawi pout at her chosen mate. It was hrious how she had gone from wanting to kill Malika, to pouting because Rukiya had used the alphamand on her. Of course, thatmand didn''t affect Hawi, but Sherry didn''t know that. Maybe that was also why she was looking at Hawi apologetically like this was her fault. "Please don''t be harsh on Awuor, alpha. It was a mistake," Sherry said sincerely and Rukiya felt like she was being suffocated. Then again she needed to get shit done and her woman had been jumping on thin ice for a long time now. "I will decide on that," Rukiya said with a tone of disapproving finality before she walked back to her office while Hawi and Malika followed her like sheep. Sherry looked apologetic though, but she had stayed behind because her alpha hadn''tmanded her presence anyway. The walk to Rukiya''s office felt like a walk of shame, especially when Adolf joined in with worry on his face. Hawi looked at him and then the other warriors. And unlike the warriors who were excited to see how this would go and who even thought that this was because of their suspicions of Hawi, Adolf was wearing a sad pitiful face. It was a face that once again told Hawi that even he had been through what she was going through and that they coulde together and face their pain together. But was that really what Hawi wanted at the moment? "Your Highness," Mbali said, as she intentionally tripped Malika. It was something that she knew would get her in trouble and just as expected, Rukiya let out a sigh of frustration before turning to Mbali too. "Fucking follow me," Rukiya growled out lowly and defeatedly. She knew that this bunch of people would be the death of her, but she was hoping that she wouldn''t grow older before she could bear some kids for Hawi anyway. Though at this rate, there wouldn''t be any pups for the two of them. Because she would probably die from dealing with the women around her. Chapter 108: Sugar Rush Ride [GREYSON] Rukiya''s office was awfully far at night, maybe because they had been in the farthest field, when Hawi decided to show how kind she was to strangers she didn''t want to interact with. There were so many whispers among the wolves as Rukiya walked ahead of her barbarian woman. She could smell Hawi''s anger and emotional turmoil and she felt like this would take a lot. She wanted to understand Hawi, she really did. But then Hawi Sicario wasn''t the kind of woman who was an open book. Even in her grief, she was acting like the world was full of unicorns and pretty butterflies. She was not ready to face it all and that was going to be challenging even for Rukiya Greyson. "She started it!'''' Hawi said the moment they walked into Rukiya''s office. She didn''t even give them a chance to assess the damage on Malika''s new face. She wanted to find an excuse and what better way than to point fingers when she was the one in the wrong? Adolf looked like he wanted to be everywhere, but this room where two psychos happened to love each other and were now about to throw the dice on who was craziest. Perhaps he should have just stayed out of this, right? Well, that would have been easier if he wasn''t the Greyson beta and Rukiya''s best friend anyway. "Oop¨C" Mbali snickered and Rukiya gave her the stink eye, to which Mbali responded by raising her hands up in surrender. "Started it? What are you? Five? Four?" Rukiya asked as she looked at her woman. The fact that the beauty before her had decided to go all unhinged was making Rukiya wonder what else was going on in Hawi''s mind. Adolf and Malika stared at the duo like chaos was about to brew, but then they couldn''t leave because they had more pressing concerns about Hawi. They were worried sick for her and it was obvious that her ways of distracting herself could prove harmful to people. Or just Malika, right? "Fine. It was an ident. I threw the ball and it UNFORTUNATELY hit Sherry''s niece. I''m sorry alright? Now can I please go back to ying ball? It''s been a long since I was this free and with nothing to think about. "Pretty please, Ruru?" Hawi said as she stared at Rukiya with puppy eyes like that was supposed to make the woman budge. Well, in different situations, Rukiya could have let her be, but not in this one. There was more that they needed to work out and the longer Hawi postponed her grief and touch with reality, the longer it would take for her to cope with the loss. "Baby," Rukiya said as she walked closer to Hawi, the distance between them so close that they could both breathe each other in. Rukiya was fighting her desire to let Hawi continue what she had started earlier in the day, but she had to remind herself that this wasn''t the time for her to have deep and dangerous desires for the woman. But what if, right? Well, Ruru had to keep her mind in check too, otherwise, they wouldn''t solve shit¡­ well, she would finally get what she wanted and even more in bed, but this wasn''t the time for it. "Can I?" Hawi whispered huskily as she stared at Ruru''s full lips that were calling to her. It was like they were waiting for her to capture them with her lips. She wanted a taste, like a dying man wanted a drop of water. She wanted to run her tongue sensually on Rukiya''s plump lips and goodness, she was feeling her desire for the woman intensifying. "Can you what¡­ baby?" Rukiya responded, her voice equally lower and huskier. The tension between them was increasing and if they weren''t careful, they would be kicking their friends out of the room soon enough. "I¡­" Hawi whispered as she traced her hand on Rukiya''s face. Careful not to hurt her, but gentle enough to feel the sparks that were flying between them again. They reminded her of a love she had found in Greyson and she wanted to keep it. "Will you let me¡­" Hawi asked softly as she leaned closer to Rukiya, their heads almost touching. It was a dangerous position for the moment and the people in the room had already started feeling like they were thrid-wheeling this coupe. Maybe they coulde backter, right? Then again, none of them had the courage to get up and interrupt the moment the two were clearly having. "Of course, my love," Rukiya said as she mmed her lips on Hawi''s, iming the woman''s lips like this was the best thing that could ever happen to them. It was. But was it the right time? Hawi didn''t hesitate to return the kiss, even more fiercely, leaning into it, and letting herself get lost in the touch and feel of the woman she had sworn to love and protect. She loved it here. She loved being with Rukiya, and she didn''t want to leave. However, before they could both get engrossed in the kiss, Rukiya pulled away, their lips releasing a pop sound, making Hawi pout at her, clearly desiring more. She was high on Rukiya and wanted more. She was desperate for more and she even let out a low warning growl. It was one that Malika and Mbali knew so well, and they were already getting up to leave, but Rukiya raised her finger to stop them, while she was still staring into Hawi''s beautiful eyes that were calling her in. Malika and Mbali knew they didn''t have a choice, so they went and sat back down. But that didn''t even stop Hawi, as she leaned into Rukiya, once again, trying to reconnect their lips, but all she got was Rukiya''s finger on her lips. "I want more," Hawi whined and Rukiya looked at her tenderly, hoping that Hawi would be able to let her in. But then she had been around Awuor Hawi Sicario enough times to know that she wasn''t going to open up just because of a kiss. That was impossible in every way. "I know. And I will give you more," Rukiya said, stroking Hawi''s cheeks. She could see the hope in her woman''s eyes, and she wanted to actually give in, but would that be wise for the both of them, especially right now? "Mmh," Hawi nodded in response as she waited for the more that Rukya had promised. "But first," Rukiya said gently, before adding with amanding tone, "Sit your fucking ass down, baby. We have a meeting." "Wh¡­ B¡­ You¨C" Hawi let out, clearly not expecting to be shut down like that, but Rukiya Greyson had made up her mind. "Want me to help you to your seat?" Rukiya asked with a warning in her tone, and Hawi knew that this wasn''t the time for her to want a kiss. But she would get itter. She didn''t care what happened at this goddamn meeting. She was going to get that kiss, that much she was certain of. "I''m sat," Hawi said with a pout as she sat next to Adolf who was still trying to process what the fuck had just happened. Maybe he would need a few business days to get his mind in order because that was intense. **** [A/N] * Currently touching grass, see you Friday, sigh Chapter 109: The Broken Girls Mask [GREYSON] Silce. That was the only thing that could be heard from Rukiya''s office. Hawi had gone into silce; you would think she hadn''t be the one who caused trouble. It was deafing and if this were any other situation, Malika would have tried to reach her mistress. But she knew that she couldn''t, not ev if she wanted to so badly. Perhapsing to Greyson was the right idea, but was it told wh Hawi seemed to be plotting Malika''s murder in her head? "Who are you?" Rukiya asked as she looked at Malika who was currtly parading at Nkatha. The protector considered changing her mind about everything. She considered plugging in as Sherry''s niece, but she was ev better. She knew that she would be forced into a game of what-ifs and with Hawi, that was more than just a game. It was a dangerous one, a game that could result in more losses than Malika was willing to tolerate. There were limits that shouldn''t have be crossed, but the kind of games that Awuro Hawi always yed were more than cruel and could turn realities upside down. "I''m here for Hawi, Rukiya. I came because she wouldn''t talk to me. Seeing as Mbali is also here, I am assuming she also knows of what had happed in Sicario. Dom is dead, Hawi is shutting us out and she can''t go through that again, not alone. "And from the look in your eyes, you also ar''t sure how to face this with her," Malika said, getting straight to the point. She knew that Hawi was a ticking time bomb. She knew there was only so long that Awuor Hawi would be out here pretding and wh she got bored of pretding, she would go on a murder spree like the other times. For months, after her banishmt, Hawi had pretded like she wasn''t affected by her mother''s death, but she was the reason that Malika had buried more bodies than she had ever imagined possible in her career as a protector. Malika had to evtually burn some because there was a ce to hide the bodies. Sure had maintained a clean rep wh out there, but wh the night struck, Malika could see how raw the pain had be and for the past year, she had hoped that things would be alright. Though it seems like the universe was really on a roll with her. "And you Mbali, why are you here?" Rukiya asked, clearly not having the time to y games with the lethal warriors in her office. She knew them so well and she knew that they could easily pick up arms and there wasn''t a thing she could do about it. Maybe Hawi would, but th there were really high chances of Hawi pitting Malika and Mbali to fight to the death. "You st Adolf to Sicario and with everything that happed, I didn''t want anyone interfering with Malika''s mission. So I made hime back. With a little magical y here and there," Mbali shrugged like she hadn''t just admitted to manipting the beta of Greyson. Adolf was staring with his jaw on the floor. Truly, these wom were dangerous. "What do you want, Ruru? Am I ev needed here? I already apologized for hitting Sherry''s niece here. Malika in someone else''s body while hers is unconscious in Sicario. "I have nothing else to do today, so if you don''t have any official matters with me, I would like to be excused," Hawi said emotionlessly as she looked at the Greyson alpha. She wasn''t in the mood to talk about what she was feeling about Dom and she certainly wasn''t going to start signing up to Rukiya just because she had chos Rukiya. They still had a long way to go and if Rukiya insisted a little too much, there was a chance that Hawi would make a run for it and they would never be able to tell where she was. They would definitely feel the impact of her decisions, whether bad, or worse. There wasn''t any good left in Hawi, and Malika knew that too. "Hawi¡ª" Rukiya tried, though she knew that her woman was right. If there wasn''t an official mission for her here, th she could leave. She wasn''t in the mood to deal with her grief, and it seemed like she was nning on staying away from her frids for as long as she could. But how long was that? How long would it be, before it impacted her so bad she wouldn''t ev have a way out of it? "No, alpha Rukiya. Unless you are going to punish me for messing with your visit ev AFTER I apologized, th please get on with it. And if not, I will be on my way. "Malika and Mbali know what is expected of them, but if you need to talk to them too, I don''t have a problem with that. So make it clear. Am I needed here?" Hawi asked sternly, this time staring at Ruia in the eyes, while hers were as cold as hell. "You can leave, if Nkatha epts your apology," Rukiya said defeatedly. It would take her a long while before she got through to Hawi and she was trying to prepare herself for that. But would it ever really be ough? "Great. I am sorry I hit your face with the ball. I should have just grabbed your soul and st you to the alleys, or the deepest and darkest pits of hell itself to the point that the devil would question your tire existce. "However, I won''t do that. Because that will be useless anyway since you ar''t ev in your actual body. So what do you say? Apology epted or not?" Hawi asked as she looked at Malika who was already shivering before Hawi. It wasn''t because of the tone that Hawi used, but because her words that were slicing through Malika like this was the cruelest thing they could manage. Perhaps there was a way to get Hawi to op up. But would they really? "Yeah. Apology epted," Malika said and Hawi turned to Rukiya as if to tell her that there wasn''t anything that needed Hawi''s presce here anymore. Awuor Hawi had made her choice and it was going to be hard to tell where she would be headed this time. The only question being, would Rukiya Greyson ever get past Hawi''s wall of dial? Would she ever be able to make her woman face her reality and walk with her through the grief? Oh, but it was a lot and they needed to be careful with how they handled hair. "Great. I''m leaving and of you follow me,'''' Hawi said as she got up and dusted herself. She had be dirty, but Rukiya didn''t mind that, ev as they had locked lips earlier. She was more worried for Hawi than what was happing a her. "Mistress, wait," Malika said and Hawi just ignored her. If Malika wanted an audice, th she would have to wait in line, no? "You want to tell me that Elodie remembers everything, hmm?" "Yes, but h¡ª" "She is my best and most loyal frid. Of course, I would never leave her vulnerable to magic. No amount of magic will ever work on her, for as long as I live. And I don''t n on dying anytime soon anyway. "Go home Malika, wherever that is," Hawi said dismissively as she walked out. Chapter 110: If I Didnt Have You [GREYSON] "She is my best and most loyal frid. Of course, I would never leave her vulnerable to magic. No amount of magic will ever work on her, for as long as I live. And I don''t n on dying anytime soon anyway. "Go home Malika, wherever that is," Hawi said dismissively as she walked out. "The fuck you just say?" Malika asked angrily as she wt after Hawi. this wasn''t a conversation she wasn''t worried about having and in her anger, Malika used her magic to stop time, so that it would just be her and Hawi. She may have switched bodies for a momt, but one thing about protectors was that their magic wt with them, no matter what body they imed. It was a norm and so Hawi wasn''t ev surprised at that. "Are you deaf or what?" Hawi responded dismissively and Malika looked at her mistress like the woman needed to get some brain restructuring. "Oh no, I''m not deaf, your fucking highness stringing along on a grief chariot. I just needed to hear what you just fucking said, so I would have a reason to kick your ass," Malika said angrily as she whipped out her sword and got ready to attack Hawi. She knew her mistress was stressed about everything, but Malika had se Rukiya. She had se how the woman had be so worried and pressed about what was happing. She knew that no one would ever be able to go against Hawi and get away with it and she knew that the woman was looking for a battle. Malika was certain that that was why her mistress had be cruel to Rukiya, in the hope that Rukiya Greyson could say something, anything that could piss Hawi off ev more so Hawi could trigger a war. However, Rukiya had be the opposite of what Hawi was expecting, and her ability to remain calm about Hawi''s cruelty was something that pissed Malika off. Someone needed to gage Hawi, to remind her that they wer''t her emies and that she didn''t have to be cruel to them, especially Rukiya of all the people. It was unfair on all gs and Malika seemed to have gott tired of it already. "Nice try. Why are you so bothered anyway? Thest time I checked, you wanted to kill her. Or perhaps you wanted to screw her giv you were fucking her with your eyes the whole time, no?" Hawi said carelessly, like she was not in the mood to y games with Malika. Hawi knew she was being so cruel, but this was the only thing she wanted. Malika could either fight her or leave, and that didn''t exactly seem like the best option for her right now. "You little shit. I guess that''s the same way you are blocking Rukiya from reaching out to you, again, no? Oh, I''m sorry, it must be tiring being the one with a million problems but with a girlfrid who fucking understands you, right? "Oh to be you and really nice, I guess that''s why you were ying in the field checking her out discreetly no?" Malika said as she conjured a sword and threw it at Hawi, who was finally showing signs of being pissed. Malika had triggered something in her words and Hawi was ready to kick some ass. Her eyes had gott darker, and her ws had grown longer. She didn''t look like she wanted to conjure a weapon, probably because she was a weapon herself. Seeing the change, Malika smirked at her mistress, as she got ready to gage with Hawi. This was deserved and no matter what happed, Malika wouldn''t have any regrets. At least she was sure of that much. "For someone who doesn''t know shit about emotions, you sure know how I feel about Rukiya, right?" Hawi said as she threw a punch at Malika who skillfully dodged and jabbed at Hawi, who also dodged. It was a battle of pros and the longer they fought, the more it felt like they were faster, stronger, and more efficit. They were not getting any hits on each other, a reminder that these two were the best of warriors. It was an interesting fight, because no matter what each of them did, the most contact they made with each other, was their arms hitting each other, and their bones, breaking and healing faster than anyone could blink. It was an insane fight, but was giving up. "At least I know she cares ough to try and work things out with you. What have you done for her other than make her feel like an insufficit mate. If it wer''t for the blood oath, are you sure she would have stayed with you?" Malika asked and Hawi paused instantly. This was not what she had thought of, ever. She had done a lot of things and most of the time she had assumed that she was doing it for Rukiya. But now that her protector was telling her that truth, Hawi felt like she had be a dick to Ruru. She should have be better, but how was she to do that wh she had just left the room like a kid throwing tantrums? Was Rukiya really tired of her? Oh, but Hawi hated what she was thinking about at the momt. It was haunting the fuck out of her, but she wasn''t ready to admit it, so she figured she could continue this, perhaps that would make her feel better. "Oh really, says the one who doesn''t have the courage to admit she has feelings for someone she doesn''t know how to deal with yet," Hawi said and in retaliation, Malika threw a ball of magic at Hawi''s face, causing a slight tear and a bleed that healed faster. "You don''t know that," Malika said before adding instantly, "You need to grieve Hawi. Dom is dead, your people need you. Your father¡­ He needs you." "Yeah, right, they need me so much they decided to die on me ev after abandoning me. What an excellt way to show they cared," Haiw said angrily as she rushed to Malika and pucked her rib so hard she could feel her knuckles hurt. "Fucig fight back!!!" Hawi shouted at Malika who hadn''t ev blocked the punch wh she could have easily done it. It was not what Haiw was expecting and it frustrated her. "Hawi¡ª" Malika tried, before she portaled them into Rukiya''s office, locked the door, and undid the time stop. Hawi was raging. "No. You don''t get to advocate for them. Not Papa and certainly not Dom. Pa fucking faked his death before. He fucking lied to me. I mourned him for months, only to realize he faked his death! "An¡­ And now¡­ Now you tell me that D¡­ That he is murdered by Papa, of all the dumb creatures out there? My brother is strong, he can hold his own, he may be an ass, sure, and he makes me want to kill him sometimes, but he wouldn''t go down easily. "I fucking trained him to be the best warrior, so I refuse that he wt down because of Pa. It just doesn''t add up and you know it too. You go to know they''re faking it. I know it, my brother is stronger than Papa. "They''re faking the death to get me to go home, but I won''t," Hawi said desperately as she paced a the room. She hated what she was feeling, how everything wasing down in a span of a few years, that this could be true and she wasn''t ready to ept it. "I am not going to go back there to mourn again. I won''t. Not this time. If he is dead, th he can bury himself but I know he isn''t dead. He can''t be. Y''know, they fucking abandoned me. They left me alone, and without a shoulder to lean on. "He left me wh I needed him, and now he dies? That''s absolute bullshit. I''m not buying it, and if you know what''s good for you, don''t believe it too," Hawi said, her tears showing. "I guess my work here is done, Rukiya. Please take care of her," Malika said as she watched Ruru rush to Hawi and pull her into a hug. "Yeah, I will," Rukiya said, as Malika and Mbali both created two portals to take them back to where they had be. Adolf figured he wasn''t needed there too, so he left. "Ruru¡ª" "I won''t let go, I promise." Chapter 111: Besides, No Rules Were Broken, Right? [SICARIO] "I will protect you from everyone and everything that aims to hurt you, my love," Jer whispered sadly as he wiped Malika''s body. He looked so distraught it was heartbreaking. He had never expected that Elodie would have tried to harm his woman, and frankly, he was raging. His anger was a little too much, because the skies outside were already darking. It was like he was slowly losing control. "Alpha, the skies¡ª" Theo said as he stood outside the door. The alpha had told them to stay put and it was getting a little difficult to do that with the heavy storms and the rain that had started hitting hard. "Get yourselves to safety and leave me alone," Alpha Jer said to Theo who just sighed. He had gott used to the man and he knew what that meant. So Theo st away the warriors, though he had remained in the hallways, just in case the alpha would need anything. But th a heartbrok alpha who was crying over an empty vessel couldn''t be so bad, right? Well if only that was easy. If only, because Jer looked like he was about to lose his mind ev more. Meanwhile, his very dear mate, was on her way home and had just bid Mbali goodbye, not to mtion erased any and all memories of anyone who had se Sherry''s niece in Greyson. She had managed to erase Sherry''s memory too, so it seemed like everything had gone well. Hopefully, because Rukiya and Afold still had vivid memories of that. Perhaps Malika had left them with those so they would be able to understand Hawi better, right? ''I hope he isn''t creepy with me,'' Malika said wh she reached Sicario, curious and hopeful that the bastard she had be married to didn''t try shit with her. It would be a little too hard for her to exin why his face was punchable, especially if he was hovering over her, crying. The sight that met Malika was one that purely disgusted her. It was shameful and she wanted to smack this alpha so hard, he would never wake up again. But she also had to remind herself that they needed to get to the bottom of everything and that her mistress was waiting for answers. Funny how Hawi was the one saving Jer''s life right now. Oh, but the bastard needed to be thankful for Hawi, because otherwise, Malika would have found a way to make his death one that no one would ever remember. And if she had to make them remember, she would nt very horrible memories of Jeremiah that they would want him dead themselves. Perhaps Malika could just do that, right? Giv that Hawi was already trying to mourn her brother, one that she didn''t ev know that Jer had be the one to kill. What the fuck was she ev going to do if she knew that? ''Maybe if I kick his ass a little it won''t be so bad, right?'' Malika said as she looked at Jer with a sinister smile. She was still not in her body, but her abilities as a protector were always with her wherever she wt. Jer was saying sweet words to Malika''s body, making Malika want to puke, really. She hated that this man was crying over a woman he had just met barely a month ago, and yet he hadn''t ev shed a tear wh his mate had supposedly died. Instead, he had hoped on the bandwagon of horror and chose power. ''It wouldn''t be so bad, right?'' Malika said to herself before she transformed herself into Hawi, and materialized, right beside her body, something that made Jer to stare at her like this was something else. She could see the shock in Jer''s eyes and it was obvious he was froz because he couldn''t believe that this was happing. And it was th that Malika figured if she could live with this man, th she would have to y a few horror games with him. Besides, Hawi had said she could do anything to Jer except kill him, because this man right here was the prey of her mistress. "You look so fucking dumb crying over a weak bitch you just met months ago. What about me, Jer. Why didn''t you trust me? Was I so brok that you wanted me gone too?" Malika asked, her impersonation of Hawi so perfect and more than haunting. She was currtly in Hawi''s ripped gown, and the bloody crown, and she looked like Hawi on thest day that Jer had se her. Hell, the stch of burnt feet was also filling the room bit by bit, making this whole thing so realistic that Jeremiah felt suffocated. "She isn''t real, Jer. She can''t be real. She is dead. My Hawi is dead," Jer said, hisst statemt making Malikaugh out loud that the room shook. It wasn''t a happyugh, it wasn''t the kind that she had with Hawi during their merry times. This was an angryugh, a disappointed one, and more than anything, it was theugh that reminded Jer that he was all shades of fucked. He wasn''t going to get out of this one anytime soon and he needed to brace himself for that. Th again, in a world where hosts were xistt. Who would believe that the alpha was seeing ghosts? Who wouldfort him if his closest ally was in the dungeons and the woman he had fall in love with was lying on the bed supposedly unconscious? "Is that what you tell yourself each time before bed? Or maybe that is what you try to believe? Perhaps I should wake your little darling here and tell her what you really are. "Her naive mind would surely burst with the thought of your betrayal, don''t you think?" Malika asked and Jer stared at her, with an angry face, though the fear was evidt. The guilt was also there, but Malika wasn''t interested in Jer''s guilt or apologies of whatever the fuck the man did t make himself get going. Malika was interested in his doom ande hell or high water. She was going to make sure her mistress got her justice and that Jer got the worst d of any possible hell hole. "She''s not a part of this, Awuor. Let her be," Jer said and Malika snickered angrily. This man had some nerve being all protective of her wh he had failed her protector. "Let her be? Of course, I''ll let her be. Think of this, as a gift from your betrayal Jer," Malika said, summoning lightning and striking her body with it. She knew it wouldn''t do shit to her since she was immortal and easily the most powerful like Hawi, but that was something Jeremiah didn''t know. And Malika was determined to make him feel dless pain and torture. She would never forgive him. Never. "I''ll see you a, Jer. And I wish you and your mate the best," Malika said before she dematerialized and wt back into her body, just in time to let out a low painful whimper, while the duvet Jer was covering her with, instantly caught fire. ''Fuck! I finally get to have some fun with the greedy bastard,'' Malika said to herself, before she wt to sleep, leaving Jer crying like the dumb piece of shit that he was. Chapter 112: Come With Me, Please [GREYSON] After her outburst with Malika, Hawi had gone silt in the arms of the woman she loved. It was almost like she was in her head, something that was so peaceful, and yet at the same time, it was more dangerous than hell itself. Rukiya didn''t know how to deal with this version of Hawi. She was always used to Hawi being chaotic, being the one on the battlefronts, being the one who instigated things, or being the rebellious one. But for two weeks Ruru had be met with a mute version of Hawi. Sure, there had be times wh Rukiya wondered if Hawi ever sat still and not caused trouble, or ev jumped in front of the fire for once. However, now that she was having that, she was worried for everyone. On some nights, the skies would rumble and there would be lightning for a few hours on d, without any rain. On others, the sun would shine so harshly, that anyone would think that summer had really be determined to turn Greyson into a desert. However, this wasn''t just something that was felt by the Greyson pack alone. The whole realm had be going through it, and many thought that it was dark magic. But was it? "Here''s her food alpha. I worry that she might not want to see anyone other than you," Sherry admitted dejectedly as she handed her alpha Hawi''s food. Most of the food that had be st to Hawi by anyone other than Rukiya, had always be returned untouched. It was like she didn''t want to see anyone other than her mate and ev th, she didn''t say a word. "Yeah, I''ll take that. Thanks. Has she gott out yet?" Rukiya asked, ev though she already knew the answer. There were times she worked a Hawi, ev though she was met with a dejected nk face. It was emotionless all the time and that got Rukiya worried. She was scared that her woman had shut down, and that wasn''t exactly the best of things for her at the momt. She missed her mate. She missed the rowdy and chaotic Hawi who always had mtal breakdowns. At least that Hawi was expressive. "No, not yet. We only see her wh she gets out to see the sun but that is just it," Sherry admitted and Rukiya just sighed, before she nodded at Sherry hopefully, th walked with the food to her chambers. Expectedly, she found Hawi where she always was. In bed and staring at the walls like there was art on them. Only that the walls in Ruru''s chamber were nk. "Hi baby," Rukiya greeted as she walked in. She knew Hawi could smell her rosy sct and she had noticed Hawi''s still shoulders rxed wh she got in. But she still had to announce her presce, in the hope that Hawi would say something, anything. She was okay with Hawi suddly wanting to kill people, but th wasn''t that what Rukiya had be hoping for for the past two weeks? At Rukiya''s voice, Hawi turned to look at her mate, her very beautiful mate. Wordlessly, Hawi got up, and rushed to Rukiya, taking the tray from her hands and putting it on the side table, before hugging Rukiya. It was what she always did and Rukiya had be hoping that today would be any differt. But it wasn''t. "I see¡­ You hav''t eat. Come, let''s eat," Rukiya said wh she pulled away from the hug gtly. She had be expecting a stoic face, but th wh she was met with a smile, she raised a curious brow. This was the first reaction out of the usual that she had gott out of Hawi. Was the brok alpha finally making peace with her brother''s death? Was she finally going to make an appearance at the funeral? What was going on in her mind? What was not happing? Oh, but Rukiya had so many questions, most of which she knew wouldn''t be answered today, again. "Here, have a seat," Rukiya said, pointing at the seat she had pulled for Hwiw. She knew it was going to be a silt meal once again but that was okay because maybe this was Hawi''s way of dealing with her grief. "I need to leave, Ruru," Hawi spoke for the first time, making Ruru stare at her like something was amiss. Granted, she had always wanted to be the one to hear Hawi speak again, but this right here wasn''t what she had had in mind. It was like she was catapulting again and goodness that was crazy. "What?" Ruru asked. "And I might need you toe with me¡­ If it''s not too much trouble," Hawi said after a long silce of staring at the food before her. She looked like she had be thinking a lot about this ad now that she was finally airing her thoughts, Rukiya Greyson wondered which part of the world this was. It was so differt and she couldn''t dy that it was easily the most unexpected of them all. "Huh?" Rukiya voiced again, clearly not expecting that she would be offered a chance to go with her. "It''s not linked to the blood oath, don''t worry. I¡­ I just need you there with me, please," Hawi said, pleading in the d, and that got Rukiya curious. She felt like she was walking on eggshells a Hawi and she was worried she would ask the wrong questions again. "Where are we going?" "It''s not dangerous¡­. I don''t know how to do this. I have never done it before and every scario I have thought of, if I go alone, always ds up in disaster. I tried to think of other possibilities but that didn''t make any sse. "I know it sounds crazy what I am asking, but I can''t do this alone, or with Malika because she is in Sicario. You''re the only one I trust with this," Hawi said and Rukiya raised a curious brow at her. This was new;pletely new and the fact that Hawi trusted her ough to want her to tag along was something out of the ordinary. But that didn''t answer Rukiya''s ton of questions. Of course, she knew that she would follow Hawi everywhere and anywhere, but a heads-up on where they would be going would really do her a lot of good. Rukiya Greyson hated going on blind, but it seemed like with Hawi, everything was always going to be like a blind mission, but was it? "Hawi¡ª" Rukiya said swiftly as she looked at her woman, who was staring at her gtly like she was scared Rukiya would say no. Of course that was her expectation, so she spelled it out before Rukiya could ev voice it. Maybe that was to make her feel better about the shit she was feeling, but what if? "You can always say no. I don''t mind. It''s just that I don''t want to put up any walls betwe us, and I promised not to just up and leave like that without telling you I was leaving," Hawi said and Rukiya sighed. This was going to be hell. "Where are we going th¡­. Can you tell me that?" Rukiya asked gtly as she held Hawi''s hands like she was worried Hawi would lock her out again. Oh, Ruru. "Sicario. To my brother''s funeral." Chapter 113: Of Course, She Knew [GREYSON] "Where are we going th¡­. Can you tell me that?" Rukiya asked gtly as she held Hawi''s hands like she was worried Hawi would lock her out again. Oh, Ruru. "Sicario. To my brother''s funeral," Hawi said as silce befell them once again. However, it wasn''t the heavy silce of despair, but this time, it was the silce that came from Rukiya not believing that Hawi was ready to face the truth of it all. It had be two long years of Hawi being in exile and she hadn''t made a meaningful decision that involved her home or ev mtioned that she would be going back. It was almost like she was okay withmissioning Malika on missions to Sicario and all she had to do was pretd that she didn''t have a home, and herst name had never be Sicario. Hawi had be on the bches for so long, and Rukiya had a feeling that this wasn''t just about them going to mourn Dom. there had to be more to this and only the goddess would be able to tell what the hell was in Hawi''s mind at the momt. This was crazy, and that scared Rukiya for a momt. Ruru was sure she wasn''t just invited out of loyalty, but because Hawi truly needed her there it wasn''t to help her to war, but probably to help her be in shape to keep her within the borders of sanity. If Hawi ever crossed those borders over into her insanity th there would never be a realm to live in. That much all the races were sure of, since the time Hawi had ascded the Sicario alpha throne. Oh, Hawi. "I¡ª" Rukiya began, cursing herself wh she noticed the face that Hawi was wearing. It was one that was trying to exin to Rukiya that she didn''t have toe, but goddamn, why the hell was she ev stammering right now? Wasn''t she Rukiya fucking Greyson? "You don''t have toe, Ruru. It is just a request, and lie I said, it has nothing to do with the blood oath, so you don''t have to wor¡ª" "I''lle, baby. I promised I''d follow you to the ds of the earth, and be your executioner, love. I intd to keep that promise, no matter what the universe throws at us. "We can talk about thatter, alright?" Rukiya said as she cupped Hawi''s cheek with her hands, staring into the deep dark eyes that had be empty for the past two weeks. It had be heartbreaking for her, seeing Hawi like that, but she also knew that there wasn''t a thing she could have done more than what she had already managed to do. The rest was always going to be up to Hawi and right now, it seemed like Rukiya''s decision was a good one. "Yeah, let''s eat th," Hawi said and wt to look at her food. She was trying to think of a better way that she would get into Sicario. Of course, she was the wolf and had so much power that no banishmt could hold, but ev th, she wondered if her father would want to see her or if there was a chance that her father had banished her for her safety and not because she had killed her mother. Hawi wondered if there was a chance that she could still get her father to trust her. Hawi had so many questions and in the past two weeks, she hade to the conclusion that her father hadn''t be the one to kill her brother. Sior Alpha Sicario may have be a working father, but he had loved his childr with his heart. He adored them so much that he wouldn''t just wake up and decide to murder his only son in Sicario. It was just not possible and as Hawi looked at Rukiya, she couldn''t help but wonder if her woman already knew that Dom had be murdered by Jer. "Do you have a lot of work today?" Hawi asked as she looked at her food, like she didn''t want Ruru to be suspicious of her but wh was Awuor Hawi never suspicious in her silce anyway? "No. You want something?" Rukiya asked earnestly. "Yeah. I was hoping to spar with you in the gym or the training gs. It has be long since I sparred and well Malika is still unconscious in Sicario so she can''te. "I may have also warned Mbali against setting foot in Greyson unless she was with Malika, so yeah," Hawi said nonchntly as she ate her food like it was the most normal of things. But th Rukiya seemed so excited about Hawi wanting to spar with her that she didn''t ev think that this could easily be something else. Well, there was a reason for her to hope that everything was going in the right direction right? "Sure, shall we?" Rukiya asked and Hawi didn''t hesitate to get up, ev though she had be eating. She wasn''t in the mood to eat honestly because she was still racking her brain on the hows of what had happed back home. It was crazy and she refused to believe that her strong brother, who had the Viking blood in him, would be tak down so easily by a measly warrior she had be mated to and one who had gone up the ranks because of Hawi. It just was just not making any sse to Hawi. As they made their way to the training gs, the farthest one from Greyson, Hawi had made sure to ignore the stares she was getting from the Greyson wolves. She knew it was not strange, giv she had be living like a zombie on theirnds. She may have be a visitor, but her silce had made them wonder if the world was on its way to the d, because Hawi Sicario was never the kind to be calm and quiet. It just didn''t suit her. "They look healthy and rxed. You did well, Ruru," Hawi said as she looked a Greyson. She could sse that the Greyson wolves were feeling free ev with her state like that and frankly, she was thankful for that. It had never be her inttion to make them worried but th there were just some things that she had to do on her own, without having to rely on anyone. Because at the d of the day, she was used to being alone without depding on anyone. "I try, thank you," Rukiya responded proudly. Rukiya Greyson wasn''t worried about Hawi harming her, but damn, anyone in her currt position could have started asking questions. Either love did blind people, or Rukiya knew it was time to let her woman loose and let her do whatever she wanted without feeling like she was trapped in reason. "Ruru," Hawi called out softly, wh they reached the training gs. Before Rukiya could respond, Hawi punched her in the throat, chest, and abdom before tripping her to the g, with Rukiya nearly hitting her head on a stone, though Hawi was fast ough to cushion her, and be the one who got hit with the damn stone. "I should''ve guessed this was about fucking Jeremiah killing your brother. You truly are the alpha of alphas, baby," Rukiya said with a smirk before she somersaulted, getting off Hawi. Chapter 114: Just A Regular Day In Greyson [GREYSON] For hours, Rukiya and Hawi sparred, though as they continued their little fight, their wolves both got agitated and they ded up fighting for real this time. It was a mix of growls, and angry punches, most that could have easily killed a regr wolf. However, these two wer''t regr wolves. Rukiya had be watching Hawi this whole time and while their wolves were fighting like cats and dogs, Rukiya could see that Hawi was trying her best not to let out her beasts. She could tell that Hawi was holding back a lot, and that worried her. She may have be the Greyson alpha, one of the most powerful and one of the many alphas whose scratches were countable and had actual meanings, but right now she was battered and bruised. Ruru looked like she had be invited to the devil''s dinner and had managed to survive just because the devil himself had found that her life was worth holding on to. And yet ev in her state, Rukiya could tell that Hawi hadn''t gone full on with her. It made her pity anyone who was stupid ough to anger the brok girl who wasn''t ev trying to fix herself. "Hey¡­. Hey stop," Rukiya said wh she realized Hawi was beating herself up for everything once again. It had tak her weeks to stabilize the woman and get her to trust her and right now, if Hawi wt back to that shell. There would never be a way out, at least not for Hawi anyway giv she had mastered the art of fighting herself. It was rough and easy at the same time. It was like there was a pandora that Awuor Hawi wasn''t ready to op and yet this same pandora had so much chaos it was tempting for the wolf to get out and just face it all on her own. Over the weeks, Rukiya realized that it would take her a while to actually get Hawi to believe and understand that this wasn''t a war she was fighting on her own. It was something she was still working on, but with Hawi''s desire to go to her brother''s funeral, there were just so many things at stake. "I should have be stronger, Ruru. I should have fought the drugs or whatever the hell they had giv me. I should have not lowered my guard just because I was in my part''s suite. I should have be better. "And yet ev to this day, I have prov useless to my brother, the only family who could look at me and say something reasonable. I lost him too, Ruru," Hawi said as she punched the nearest tree, making the dead leaves fall, while the birds flew away. This wasn''t the time or the pce for any of them to be, and it was slowly dawning on them but goddamn. "No. You don''t get to do that. Do you want to go to war? Fine, I will give you the whole damn Greyson army. Hell, I will mobilize other armies from other packs and ev call in any and all favors from the worst of the worst just to get you what you want. "You want to rest, th fucking walk with me and get to the damn bed and get a rest. Do you want to go to Sicario? Ev after everything? Th I will lead the way there. "But what you don''t get to do, what you are not allowed to ever do, is to me yourself for something you had no control over. I don''t care if it rains shit in Sicario. I don''t care if they have the angels on their side, we will deal with that wh we get there. "What you must do, what you will do right now, is to get a grip, because you, baby, are going home. You are going back to Sicario to turn your brother and I will follow you to the ds of that damn world. "Until th, get a fucking grip and get up. We have a mission to get to," Rukiya said, shaking Hawi as if trying to snap her out of her hellhole. There were days wh Rukiya wished that Malika was here, and this was one such time, but th Malika was busy ying mind games with Jer and making the man believe that he was seeing ghosts. Malika was doing a pretty good job, because frankly, half of Sicario was sure that their alpha wasn''t of sound mind, and they med it on the fact that their Luna was still unconscious. Funny how that Luna was busy making their alpha look like a fool everywhere in Sicario. Well, Malika had promised soft Karma anyway, right? She was just keeping her word and goodness, was she good at it? "I don''t need an army, Ruru. I can get one on my own," Hawi argued and Rukiya just pulled her into a hug, making the woman stop pacing. It was the only way because if Hawi continued like that, th they would d up being ev more bloodied. Sure, their wounds had started healing, but goodness, they were covered in each other''s blood like they had both be desperate for this release. "I know that. I know you are the alpha of alphas, and I don''t care about that or your damn position. What I give a shit about, is how you are doing. "I want my woman back and if I have to go to Sicario and chop off some bastard Jeremiah''s head to get it, th damn right, I wille along. "Now you and me, we need to get a fucking shower because we look like sacrifices that escaped the stupid altar. Are you with me, Hawi?" Rukiya said as she pulled away from the hug, Hawi''s tinum hair now covered in blood lingering on her face. "I love you," Hawi whispered softly as she looked into Rukiya''s eyes. "And I you. But first, we need to get to the Sicario funeral, because we both know that if we get on with this, we will go on for days and we don''t have that much time on our hands alright? "Chin up baby, we have a man to kill and a pack to ughter," Rukiya said before letting out a dark chuckle. Hawis'' brutality was definitely rubbing off on her and it was scary. but perhaps that was also why they were the perfect match for each other, right? "Let''s go home, Ruru," Hawi said and Rukiya smiled heartily, ignoring the blood on her face and the mess they both were in. Hand in hand, they walked back into Greyson, just like they had walked by earlier, only this time, they looked like shit. They looked like they hade from a ughterhouse. Anyone who met them made sure to make way for them, because as dangerous as they were and as responsible as they both were for the Greyson wolves, there was really no telling what they would do, if someone tried to fuck with them. It was a giv and it was haunting as hell, but hey, that was the only thing keeping them sane right? "Helloo¡­ hi, people¡­ You guys look healthy, be well. Hello," Hawi greeted awkwardly as she waved at the Greyson wolves who were staring at them and Sherry just sighed, while Adolf shrugged at the wolves as if to tell them that this was what he had to deal with every single day. Chapter 115: A Whole New World [HAWI] "I can''t believe I''m back here," Hawi whispered wh they got to the gates of Sicario. They had be on horses for the better part of their journey, which was half a day, and walked the remaining route there. Adolf and the Greyson warriors had tak Hawi and Rukiya''s horses and hid them well, just like they had be forced to hide. Their alpha had told them that this was a mission that only needed Rukiya and Hawi to handle. It was crazy, giv everything that had happed with the two just the previous eving, but no one was counting, right? Besides, it was already morning, so the worst that could happ was fatigue, but th with Hawi''s determination, fatigue was a pleasure that she couldn''t afford right now. "It was just a matter of time, love. Evtually, you would have toe home, whether for vgeance or to get the truth of what happed th," Rukiya said lovingly as they stared at the huge ck gates that stood betwe them and Sicario. So much had changed over the years, and Hawi could see that there was a new formation of soldiers on watch. Theo had clearly be giv a promotion, while the number of warriors on watch had be reduced. It was a dangerous decision, on the reigning Sicario alpha''s part, giv that Sicario was known to be a fort. But th with Dom and the Luna dead, and now Alpha Sicario was imprisoned in the lost dungeons, not to mtion his daughter who had be a banished mess, it was safe to say that the house Sicario was one that was cursed and one whose future was undetermined. It was hellish in every way and shameful for a ce that had be known to be the best of the best. "These warriors are stupid. The Sicario magic should have already ssed us standing at the gates, ev with me invisible. But look at them, going on with their lives like this is the only thing they can do. "I would pay a shitload of gold just to see anyone go to war with Sicario. Or maybe I should just call the rksons for a batt¡ª" "Easy there, warrior. We are here for a burial and nothing else. Well, technically since I''m the only one who can be se, I must seemposed, but your anger is not making it any easier," Rukiya said earnestly. She looked like she was conversing with a ghost and maybe that was also why the Sicario warriors hadn''te much. but Hawi was right. The once-tight security had be bt and now all that remained was a shell of what Sicario had cone be. Hawi wouldn''t be shocked if they didn''t ev make weapons anymore, and that would be a terrible thing, because th there would be no way for Sicario to protect itself and its people. Goodness, this was frustrating. "All I''m saying is this is absolute bullshit. My family worked our asses off to make Sicario a powerhouse and what it is now, is a shitload of crap. Sicario oming second? That is ev a biased ranking. "I would rank this pack tth or ev fifteth, giv the security protocols right here," Hawi said angrily, the disappointmt clear on her face and Rukiya understood her. Back wh Hawi was the alpha, no one could ev get as close as t meters to the Sicario borders without risking their lives. It was like a fortress, one that everyone wanted to be in and one that no one was stupid ough to try and invade. Yet right now, Hawi could see a pack that she could invade without ev her army. It was disappointing on so many levels that it was making Hawi want tomit murders just to prove a point. "Hey shitheads, we''re here. Op the damn fucking gates you tattering bastards!" Hawi shouted at the warriors and Rukiya facepalmed. The impatice and disappointmt Hawi was giving was making her look crazy, especially since the warriors finally looked at the gates and saw an alpha who didn''t ev have an voy. It was strange, especially for a powerful alpha like Rukiya. Thankfully, Adolf was nearby and he rushed to where Rukiya was, as if to tell the Sicario warriors that they still had an army somewhere ready to bring their gates down if need be, but would these warriors ev be worried about that? "They sure took their sweet time with the gates," Hawi said angrily wh the gates finally oped five minutester. Rukiya looked at her woman, liking the angry version of Hawi, and yet at the same time, she couldn''t help but worry about the security of Sicario too. It was just impossible for a once-powerful pack to be reduced to this. It just didn''t make any sse to anyone. "Hawi¡­ be nice, we''re supposed to be guests," Rukiya reminded, and Hawi just scowled while Adolf looked at the Sicario warriors. He didn''t want to start a fight with Hawi right now, especially giv that Hawi was still angry. It would make the whole visit a fiasco and frankly, they wer''t ready for that, not this time. "I''m just saying I could kill them all in under three minutes and ev have the time to leave and disappear before they could ev rally back up," Hawi shrugged carelessly. "Hello, alpha Rukiya, what is the reason for your visit to Sicario?" Theo asked, from being the warriors. It seemed like the warriors had be waiting for Theo to show up, which was stupid ording to Hawi. Well, there would be a lot of things today that would make the woman want to take out as many warriors as she could and Rukiya would just have to put up with hermtary, if she didn''t want to look crazy. "You sure took your sweet time," Hawi murmured and Rukiya responded fast, to cover up the murmur. "We havee to pay our respects to beta Dominic Sicario. It is unfortunate what happed to him, and we would like to honor him onest time. He may have be a pain in the ass, but he was a good warrior, and a responsible one. "I did joy fighting against him in wars," Rukiya said earnestly, and for a momt she expected Hawi to make her rude and snarkymts, but instead, Hawi stayed silt as she looked at her best watcher. Theo was one of her best warriors and that was also why she had assigned him to the gates. Because with Theo at the gates, no one would ever get closer to Sicario without risking their heads. He was well trained though it seemed like right now, the warriors had cked a little and that was disappointing to Hawi in so many ways. "Okay, pleasee on in. Do you have any luggage? Is this a one-day visit? Seeing as you do not have any luggage?" Theo asked and Hawi felt like a proud alpha th. She had trained him well and he was asking the right questions. "No, Theo. We will be staging for the burial; As for our luggage, the Greyson warriors are camping nearby so after this, Adolf and I will be back out here, as we can''te with the whole army to Sicario. "You know the protocols wh an alpha leaves her home g right?" Rukiya asked. "Of course. That makes sse. As usual, I will have to ask you to leave your weapons at the gate here. This is a time of mourning and we certainly don''t want it to be a time of war. There are other pack leaders within the premises too. "You will see them," Theo said, while Hawi zoned out. She had missed her home for years and now she was standing here in Sicario, feeling and breathing the air from her home. It was just so surreal and she wished that she could have done better, or ev managed to protect her family. However, as she looked a, carelessly following Rukiya and Adolf to the pack house where the alpha and the Sicario luna were, Hawi wondered what could have happed if her brother and her mate hadn''t thirsted for power. She wondered what her home would have be like, if she hadn''t be exposed to the betrayal. It was a cruel reality, but one that Hawi knew she had toe to terms with. "You''re here?" Elodie asked suddly, snapping Hawi back to her reality. She really was home, but would it ever be worth it, or ev feel like home again? Oh, but the emptiness was more than obvious. Chapter 116: Home Was A Person [HAWI] "You''re here?" Elodie asked suddly, snapping Hawi back to her reality. She really was home, but would it ever be worth it, or ev feel like home again? Oh, but the emptiness was more than obvious. Elodie Kane looked like shit, butpared to Hawi, she was way better and she knew it. That in itself made her feel like her heart was about to shatter into thousands of pieces again. Seeing Hawi here was surreal and Elodie could just hope that everything would be alright. "Yes. I am here to pay my respects to the fall beta. I havee with my beta, Adolf," Rukiya said and Elodie stared at her, clearly wondering why the hell she hadn''t mtioned Hawi, yet Hawi was standing there. Looking a, Elodie was quick to realize that no one other than her and the Greysons could see Hawi, and that once again got her wondering if this was a fridly visit. Frankly, Elodie was somewhat d that Hawi was there, because only she could tell what the hell had happed to Malika. It was notmon for a protector to be out for that long and maybe that was why Hawi was here, right? "Ah, I see," Elodie responded before she turned to look at Theo and the skeptical warriors. "I''ll take care of our guests. You get back to your posts, and make sure to be on high alert. We will be expecting more dangerous alphas, though the most dangerous one is standing here with me. "Now go," Elodie said, not leaving room for anyone to ev ask questions. Theo looked at Elodie, and he knew that everything would be well, though he was siltly praying that Elodie didn''t do anything crazier than she was already doing with Jer. It was hard ough hiding from the visitors that Elodie was determined to turn Jeremiah into a turkey barbecue every second sheid her eyes on the man. It was chaotic, but who wasn''t unhinged in Hawi''s circle? "Alright. We will take our leave th," Theo said as he made way for the visitors to make it in. "How are you?" Elodie asked and Rukiya raised a brow at her, like this was easily the most unexpected of questions. There wasn''t a day that Elodie Kane had ever cared ough to ask Rukiya anything, not ev if she was in dire need, and yet right now she was making conversation with her? Was this good progress or was this one of the dless hallucinations that Rukiya was certain she was in with how things had turned out? "I am fine thank you. This is strange... Are you sure you are okay?" Rukiya asked and Elodie wasn''t ev looking at her. It was th that she realized that the greeting wasn''t ev hers in the first ce. "How are you, sister?" Elodie asked again, this time making sure to mtion her sister so that Hawi would know that she was the one that Elodie was addressing. "I guess I shouldn''t be surprised you can see her," Rukiyamted and Hawi just smiled at her mate. "How are you?" Hawi asked, as she looked at her sister. It had be a while since they had be civilized with each other. Frankly, Hawi missed her sister so much that she felt like he needed a breather from everything. Perhaps that was also one of the many reasons she hade back to Sicario. Hawi had nothing tethering her here, and ev though she had family, after everything that they had done to her Hawi would have be right not to want toe to the burial and yet she showed up. "I''m just trying to cope with your absce. Meanwhile, your protector decided to stay unconscious for two whole weeks, not to mtion Jer is very convinced that you are haunting him. "That man is an embarrassmt to everyone in Sicario, but we keep his psychotic outbursts as our dirty little secret," Elodie sighed as they walked toward her house. She knew that it would raise questions, especially giv they had never be known to be frids, but th Elodie was ready to fight anyone who dared to say a word about the arrangemt she was making right now. She just didn''t give a shit about anything th. "Malika? She is here," Hawi said and Elodie, Rukiya, and Adolf looked at her like she had gone bonkers. This wasn''t what they had expected, but goddamn, Hawi being out of her mind this early home was never a good thing. "Sorry, what?" Elodie asked and Rukiya just stroked Hawi''sp gtly as if to ask her if she was really okay. "She really is here. She looks like me though," Hawi said and realized that her frids were getting ev more confused. So she materialized, at the same time that an excited Malika did, with a sheepish smile, as they stared at her with worried looks. "I''ll just ask what no one is going to. Does Sicario have a mtal hospital where we can take our loved ones who are mtally unstable?" Rukiya asked with a straight and worried face, one that ev Adolf was sharing. Elodie herself wasn''t sure what to make of the sight before them. Of all the things, seeing Malika in Hawi''s regalia wh she was banished was certainly not it. It triggered so many memories that she wanted to bury and yet at the same time, these clothes were the reminder that Jeremiah wasn''t supposed to ev be the alpha of Sicario. They were the reminder that no matter what happed, forgivess was never going to be an option. "Oh hi, Rukiya. You look thinner than thest time I saw you. I guess you have be suffering while I was having fun. Don''t worry though, ites with the job description, though in your case, it''s more like a trapping oath you made. "You''ll be fine in a hundred years or so... By the way, Mistress, how do I look?" Malika asked, not ev hesitating to turn a so Hawi could take in the worst memory of all time. However, Malika didn''t think of it as a terrible memory. She thought of it as the one tool she had sessfully deployed, one that she had managed to use to make Jeremiah a whole mess, and goodness she was joying it. "You look perfectly unhinged, but the kind that makes you my person. Can we go and tormt him now, please?" Hawi asked knowingly, and Rukiya looked at Malika, like she was ready to beg, with her life, just so that Hawi couldn''t get into this. Rukiya was familiar with everything Hawi, and ev worse, she was aware of what Hawi and Malika would do; the heavs knew that it was notforting at all. "If you promise to tell me his worst nightmare so we can trigger it and have fun," Malika said and Hawi just fist-bumped her protector, making the trio in the room start regretting what hadn''t ev happed yet. "Hold on¡­ I need to mask your sct so we don''t have to deal with suspicious people, give me a second," Malika said as she cast a spell on Hawi, who stood there dutifully, and before they knew it, Hawi and Malika were gone. "Goddess have mercy on Jer''s soul," Elodie prayed, as she slumped on the seat and Rukiya raised a brow at her. "Oh please, you don''t really think they will go all Christmas and shit with him, do you? They are a disastrous duo, and the worst that can happ, is already happing. The two of them always share one brain cell wh they are angry. "Let''s just wait for the results of their madness, aye," Elodie said and Rukiya sighed knowingly. It wasn''t going to be easy, being here with Hawi and Malika causing chaos, but that didn''t mean that she would forget what she had reallye for. "You have a point. Anyway, I saw Hawi''s torn drawings back in Greyson, and she drew some gory things that got me worried for her, more than the person she is targeting," Rukiya said wh the duo had disappeared "She is Hawi. She rarely draws, but wh she does, th everything she draws is gory, Rukiya. You''ll evtually get used to it," Elodie sighed casually like she wasn''t ev surprised. "Not like this," Rukiya said before Adolf handed her his bag that had the drawings. "This is bad, like really really bad. And the one person who can control her is already on a crazy mission with her. Just great. How about we eat ourst supper? Anyone?" was all Elodie could say wh she saw the drawings. **** [A/N] * Me to Elodie: "Dramatic much? ^-^ " Chapter 117: Quite The Alpha, Right? [HAWI] "She is Hawi. She rarely draws, but wh she does, th everything she draws is gory, Rukiya. You''ll evtually get used to it," Elodie sighed casually like she wasn''t ev surprised. "Not like this," Rukiya said before Adolf handed her his bag that had the drawings. "This is bad, like really really bad. And the one person who can control her is already on a crazy mission with her. Just great. How about we eat ourst supper? Anyone?" was all Elodie could say wh she saw the drawings. "What does that mean? Adolf, who was new to the whole setup asked as he looked at his alpha and the psycho woman who happed to be Hawi''s best frid. Some bonds were questionable but right now, the only thing that mattered was that Hawi was okay, right? "Hold that thought, I hear amotion outside," Elodie said to the two who were ready to hear what she had to say about the damn drawing and why she was so bothered by them. At that, Rukiya, Adolf, and Elodie stepped out to see what was going on and sure ough, there was amotion outside. There was a crowd forming, one that was not sure what the fuck was happing, especially with the frown and shock on their faces. Rukiya looked at Elodie as if to tell her that this would really be a good time for her to start exining what the fuck was going on. They hade to a damn funeral, not a circus station, and they were waiting to hear what Elodie was going to say about this. Perhaps it would prepare them psychologically for the chaos that was to be expected, right? Or maybe, just maybe there was a differt way for them to get through this, right? Maybe the world was starting to look greyer than usual and they all wanted to be a part of it at the d of the day, right? Maybe they were still processing the death of the beta or ev the fact that Sicario had be the one to kill his son as imed by the alpha. But was that really what they would have to deal with today? "Wee to Sicario, Alpha Rukiya," Elodie said tiredly as she watched the sight before them with disgust on her face. This was what they had all be going through in the past weeks and she had hoped that he would have stopped because they had visitors, but no. He just had to go on ahead and make their pack into a mess that couldn''t easily be cleaned. This was an embarrassmt that would take a while to clean up and Elodie was seriously considering her options right now. If it hadn''t be for her sister and whatever twisted n Hawi had in her mind right now, Elodie Kane would have eliminated that mess of an alpha, ages ago. But she had to be patit because they had visitors. "Seems like you have your work cut out for you," Rukiya said as she patted the woman''s back gtly. She knew that this was not going to be going away soon and she could tell that because Hawi and Malika had made themselves invisible for everyone. It was just a matter of time before they all figured that Jeremiah wasn''t fit for office. But th who would seed them? The woman who was lying unconscious in their room right now? Or the tired alpha''s sister who wanted to drive a sword through the reigning alpha? "Hold on, where is Malika?" Elodie asked as she looked at the chaos kely. Malika had be wearing Hawi''s regalia, but right now, Elodie couldn''t see her. "They should be together," Rukiya said, making sure to lower her voice because she knew just how absurd their statemt would sound to anyone who didn''t have the con of whatever the hell was happing with them right now. Perhaps there was a way out of this, right? Well, there was always an easy way, but Hawi was owed suffering so she wasn''t going to take Jer''s death as the price for that. She would ruin them. She would burn down everyone who had betrayed her and she wasn''t going to step back. That much she knew and was certain of. "No it''s just Hawi," Elodie said and Rukiya looked at her woman who was ying invisible yet taunting Jer in every way that she could. This right here was something that Rukiya wanted to watch, but she had a reputation to keep and the Rukiya that the realm knew wasn''t always smiling at misfortunes. "I guess we both have our work cut out for us. Malika wt back to her body, she should be out here any second in her body. Prepare to act shocked, Eldoei, unless you didn''t take acting sses," Rukiya said nonchntly as she readied herself. Elodie, on the other hand, just sighed, while Adolf reminded himself for the gazillionth time to never cross Rukiya. This woman was scary as hell and perhaps he wanted to always remind her best frid, because that was the safest he could ever be with her, right? "Yeah, I am ready. Wh do we step into the circus?" Elodie asked, clearly understanding what Rukiya was suggesting. This was wild but th what other way was there for them? The reputations of both packs were at stake and there was a Luna who was supposedly not aware that her alpha was the bastard. This was their chance to prove to the people of Sicario that Malika rkson may have be a smiling machine, but she was a woman who would protect her husband''s dignity no matter what happed. This was showtime. "Hawi says now," Rukiya said and Elodie stood there as she waited for the whole thing to begin afresh. Of course, Jer was busy running a, trying his best to hide from his mate who was haunting him and ying games with him, but that didn''t matter to Hawi. This wasn''t ev close to what she had nned for everyone who had hurt her in this goddamn pack. "What the hell is this?" Rukiya suddly boomed, snapping Elodie into character. She looked pissed and very disappointed and her best was right behind her as they walked over to where Jer was standing with Hawi beside him. "Hat the fuck is this? How could an alpha be this disrespectful towards us? We left ournds toe and mourn your beta, with your people, and yet the only thing we have be forced to witness is a high-grade circus led by the alpha himself! "What kind of shit is this? And who the fuck is in charge here, now that your alpha is a stupid fucking mess? Goodness Jeremiah, what the fuck happed to you, man?" Rukiya asked loudly, ignoring the gasps a her. She was making sure that everyone heard her voice and it took everything in Hawi not to fold under her. Awuor Hawi Sicario loved a bossy Rukiya and was contemting continuing the chaos with Jer or going to her suite with Rukiya and reminding her that she was hot as hell booming like that. ''Goodness Hawi, tone your horniness down. I shouldn''t have to deal with this wh you both are close,'' Malika whined in the mind link and Hawi just shrugged like it wasn''t a big deal. ''Oh, please, look at the pot calling the kettle ck. We both know if it were Elodie, you would have already asked me for permission to disappear,'' Hawi responded only for Malika''s blush to make a show. Hawi stood there for a momt, making sure topletely disappear from Jer''s sight, because she wanted to focus on teasing someone else, her favorite protector who had also spt her time teasing Hawi any chance she got. This was Hawi''s turn, oh but Malika knew she was screwed, ev as she pretded to be hurt, and walked through the pack house doors, looking like she had tak the beating of a lifetime, and everyone who was seeing her pitied her. Well, Malika did look like shit at the momt. ''Fuck, you''re down so bad for her. Should I introduce the two of you, since she seems to have a thing for you too? Maybe you can call me wh you both kiss and make up? Or you already did while Ruru and I were in Sicario?'' Hawi said and this time, Malika shut off the links. She couldn''t deal with Hawi''s teasing and needed to focus on her grand trance for the brok wom and the hurt lUnas association. Oh, but this was good. Chapter 118: Someone You Loved... Love [AWUOR] "Please ept my apologies, alpha Rukiya. I will take good care of my husband. Meanwhile, Elodie and Theo, lead the visitors to the waiting hall. I will be there soon. Pardon my husband for this," Malika said as she looked around her. She knew that the mess was big, and while she wished to make an even bigger mess, she knew that there was only so much that she had Hawi could y this out. It didn''t matter what they were up against, because at the end of the day, they would want a better Sicario. Well, at least for now, since Hawi hasn''t exactly decided on what she would do with Sicario once her vengeance was done. "Yes, Luna," Elodie and Theo both responded at the same time before they walked away with Rukiya and Adolf, not to mention the other pack leaders who came to mourn with Sicario. This wasn''t what Malika had expected, but she needed to step up, if she was going to take over Sicario and hand it to her mistress, after all, power was always the family, right? ''Should I keep taunting him?'' Hawi asked when she saw everyone leaving, while Jer stood there wondering when the hell he had be this shell of a being. His wife was back and looked like shit. She had been unconscious for two whole weeks and when she had woken up, Jer hadn''t been there by her side, and goodness was it haunting the man. He wanted to have a perfect image of himself for Malika, regardless of what happened, and seeing her this tied, made him feel like he had failed. His agony was sincere, but if only it meant shit to the two women who were debating whether to keep making him appear crazy or not. ''Of course. I don''t want to be stuck with him taking care of him when I could look at Elodie the whole day and just be happy,'' Malika whined and Hawi snorted, making Jer turn to her. Hawi was visible to just Malika and Jer, which made it even more interesting. "You really have a reputation of ruining people who love you, don''t you alpha Jeremiah?" Hawi spitefully said to Jer who instinctively stood in front of Malika; as if that was supposed to protect the protector, from the woman she was meant to protect. What kind of fuckery was this? "No. Don''t harm her. I didn''t do anything to you, or for you to be this bitter and angry. It''s not like I sent you to kill your mother. Leave me alone with my wife," Jer shouted, his voiceing out in tired cries, while Malika internally facepalmed. Jeremiah had had the roughest of weeks, when Malika was taunting him and pretending to be her Mistress. And now that the real Hawi was here, Jer was not going to stand a chance at anything. If it was sanity, he could as well bid it farewell, because that was something that was going to evade the man for a long time, as long as Malika wanted to be with Elodie, which was always. Oh, Malika. "Are you okay, husband?" Malika asked lovingly like that was supposed to pass for the show, when in real sense she wanted to be asking that to Elodie who had been dealing with Jer and running the pack while her husband was ying hide and seek with his sanity. Granted, it was Malika''s fault, but then it wasn''t Malika''s fault that Jer was nothing like Elodie, or even that Hawi hadn''t received justice for all the wrongs that Sicariomitted against her. She had a right to be angry andsh out, and Malika was determined to make it make sense for Hawi, no matter what chaos they ran into or steered. "Yes, I am. I won''t let Awuor hurt you no matter what she does. I will protect you with my life," Jer said and Malika held back the urge to puke her guts out. This man was a piece of work and she wasn''t going to take this any longer. So, Malika looked around to see if there were people around them as they walked to the pack house. She knew it would be suspicious if she broke his bones or even threw him against the trees, but right now she was really considering it. However, she also knew that she had a part to y, a ploy to keep running and that as dependent on her remaining the clueless Luna, yet the woman had to protect her husband. ''Mistress, save me from his whining before I remove his heart from his chest, please,'' Malika said and Hawi let out a sinisterugh as she walked towards Jer and started making crow faces, as if that was supposed to help Malika. ''I''ll do anything you want, please,'' Malika pleaded again and this time, Hawi looked at her skeptically. There was a list of things that Hawi wanted and that she knew Malika wouldn''t do, unless shemanded her, but the most important one wasing back towards them in the form of Elodie Kane, the psycho''s best friend. ''Anything?'' Hawi asked again, like she wanted to be very sure before she told Malika what she wanted. ''Anything you want, Mistress. Even the cringy things just don''t leave me with this man,'' Malika pleaded in the mind link, and it took everything in Hawi for her not to burst outughing. ''I have just the perfect solution for you. I will put Jer to eight hours of sleep, and in return, you and Elodie¡ª'' Hawi said as she made hand gestures of lips mating. Malika knew this wasing, but she hadn''t expected Hawi to bargain with this right now. It was crazy, but then she couldn''t deny that she had been thinking of Elodie from the moment she hade to her mission in Sicario. It was a given and Malika knew that somewhere in between, there was some sick loophole that allowed her to have a mate. Granted, if her mate and her Mistress were both in danger, she would always save her Mistress first, but that didn''t matter right now. ''I told you you''re one horny soul, Mistress,'' Malika sighed. ''Girl, I''m not the one with sexual tension with Elodie. At least Ruru and I have tried to make contact, have you and Elodie tried that? Or you''re so worried that she would kick your ass if you tried shit with her? ''Are you a coward, Malika?'' Hawi taunted, knowing so well she was challenging the most powerful and the beast protector in all of history. Perhaps when it came to matters of the heart, Malika was just another girl in love, or a woman who wished for things that she couldn''t actualize no matter what happened. ''It''s not sexual tension. It''s just tension. I kicked her ass a few weeks ago, you know that too,'' Malika defended and Hawi just stared at her, while Hawi made swings at Malika, so Jer would be the one defending her. It was a circus on its own, but certainly one that Hawi didn''t think she would get the answer from Malika that fast. "Holy fuck," was all that Elodie could say, when she felt Malika''s lips on hers, and the sparks of their very evident mate bond. "What?" Jer asked and Hawi knocked him out making sure to erase the memory of everyone who had seen what just happened. Chapter 119: A Better Time? [AWUOR] There was a list of things that Hawi wanted and that she knew Malika wouldn''t do, unless shemanded her, but the most important one wasing back towards them in the form of Elodie Kane, the psycho''s best friend. ''Anything?'' Hawi had asked again, like she wanted to be very sure before she told Malika what she wanted. ''Anything you want, Mistress. Even the cringy things just don''t leave me with this man,'' Malika pleaded in the mind link, and it took everything in Hawi for her not to burst outughing. What Malika hadn''t noticed was the fact that her crush was closing in on them and that their current situation was solely turning into one that even her heart wouldn''t be able to handle, especially if Hawi kept teasing her. But then she had made the choice and of this was the price she had to pay for Jer being out for eight hours, then Malika would do it without a doubt. "Holy fuck," was all that Elodie could say, when she felt Malika''s lips on hers, and the sparks of their very evident mate bond. "What?" Jer asked and Hawi knocked him out making sure to erase the memory of everyone who had seen what just happened. "Hold on. Why? What? Wh¡ª Holy shit what the fuck?" Elodie shouted as she looked at Malika who was seriously blushing while Hawi was having the time of her life, being invisible to everyone save for Elodie and Malika who were out there. Elodie was not sure what to feel about the kiss because she loved the sparks, she wanted to feel them again, but she hated the way their first kiss had been. She had always thought it would be under better circumstances, when the woman she liked wasn''t sharing a bed with her sister''s ex-mate. It wasn''t the most ideal of times, but goodness, Elodie didn''t like what had happened. "I''m off. Thank you Hawi," Malika said as she disappeared into the pack house, probably to get her husband to bed, and then go deal with the visitors who hade for the funeral. There were so many things they needed to sort, but it was obvious that Malika''s mind was going to be preupied with the taste of Elodie''s lips on hers. Malika wanted to do it again. She wanted to breathe her in again. She wanted to be closer to her at all times and let the world blow up into chaos while they had the time of their lives. But then she was here on a mission. One that she couldn''t abandon. A mission that was way more important than her life, because only if this mission was done and dusted, would the realm be able to get their white wolf back and lead them to wars that had waited thousands of years. There was a lot at stake and Malika couldn''t help but sigh defeatedly. Her life was getting moreplicated and with Hawi''s dares getting riskier by the day, Malika knew she had to find a way around that, otherwise, she would be the one facing the wrath of the impossible. "What the hell was that about?" Elodie asked when she saw Malika disappear. She knew that Hawi had to have had something to do with this, but then before she could even get an answer, Hawi disappeared, leaving Elodie with a lot of questions. For some reason the warrior wolf felt like she was just a pawn for the little games between Malika and Hawi, and while it wasn''t exactly what she hoped for, she couldn''t deny the fact that she still felt Malika''s taste lingering on her lips. And she loved it. "I''ll go pay my father a visit and try to see what happened. Be careful out there, Malika," Hawi said to Malika who was getting dressed for the asion. She could sense that Hawi''s tone had changed and it wasn''t the normal one they had just been using earlier. "Alone? Are you sure about this? Are you even ready for it? Don''t get me wrong, Mistress, but it''s my duty to assess the damage first before you can go in, without me you might be getting in danger. "We both know that the world needs you more than me, you can always be assigned a new protector, Hawi, but the white wolfes once in every thousands of years. "As it is, we have a lot of battles waiting for us at the end of your vengeance and if we didn''t make it through, then we could as well go back to Olyana and surrender," Malika said, her tone matching that of Hawi''s. She knew that this time Hawi meant business. Granted, it was not going to be easy for her to look her father in the eyes, given everything that had happened but Hawi also knew that there were two ways to get the answers on what happened to Dom. One of them was to torture Jer into admission, which really sounded like the perfect n. But then that was also a n that could backfire terribly on them, given Hawi was still a daughter of thends. The second option was to go and try to see for herself in her father''s memories what had happened. Sure, she could have gotten the answers if she checked Jer''s mind, but she just couldn''t do it. She just wasn''t ready to see what other skeletons were in Jer''s closet. "I am sure of this. I will do my part, and you do yours. Make sure the funeral is over by the time Jer wakes up. That gives you eight hours, but I need you to make it four hours. Spin whatever is left of the weak Luna facade and get the leaders out of here. "Get Rukiya out of here, and do not tell her anything about this. I don''t want her worrying, or ming herself for whatever decision I make. If she insists, tell her I can always use the blood oath to get to her. "As for Elodie, you need to decide if you want to pursue her now, orter. Unlike Rukiya who bound herself to me with a blood oath, Elodie won''t be as understanding, especially since she has a duty to Sicario and to me. "Elodie could abandon Sicario, but she won''t let her initial n to get me back home through the front gates go nd. That means she could resist any and every n you present to her about leaving Sicario. "So you have to think very carefully about what you will do with her. And don''t break her heart in a terrible way, or I mighte for your neck, since she''s the only person I have left in my family and even circle," Hawi said and Malika looked at her worriedly. She had not expected this shift from the happy moments they had had, but then she also knew that Hawi wasn''t always going to hide under the facade she had held on to for so long. Eventually, she would have toe out of her shell and face the world. But was this just her being ready to face the world? "That sounds awfully like goodbye, Mistress," Malika spelled out, worried that it would be true given she had never been wrong about Hawi and her thoughts. Awuor Hawi was aplicated woman and even in herplicated state, Malika had learned to deal with her. "Because it is, at least for a while." Chapter 120: Forgive Me, Daughter [AWUOR] "That sounds awfully like goodbye, Mistress," Malika spelled out, worried that it would be true given she had never been wrong about Hawi and her thoughts. Awuor Hawi was aplicated woman and even in herplicated state, Malika had learned to deal with her. "Because it is, at least for a while," Hawi said. "Okay, Mistress. I will keep the mission going. Just don''t get yourself in trouble," Malika said, even though she could already imagine the scoff Hawi would give her. Awuor Hawi was always in trouble, no matter what her intentions were. It was like she always found a central point to gauge her troubles and right now, the only thing that was holding her back was the funeral of her brother. Malika had long known that Hawi hadn''te to Sicario for her brother''s funeral and even goodbye. She could tell that Hawi was still mad that her brother had been a part of the dumb mission to ruin their family and even death was too good for him. Awuor Hawi was here because she wanted to be sure that her father had truly made that mistake or if this was a crime being pinned on her father. She had her suspicions but that didn''t matter because she was here finally and she would get the answers she was seeking herself. No one woulde in her way and she would burn anyone who tried to stop her along the way. "I won''t. If I need you, I will call for you. Until then, rest assured, keep the mission going. Our time is running out and we have to make sure everything goes as nned," Hawi said and Malika just nodded, before pulling Hawi into a hug. She was aware of how delicate the situation was and while a part of her wanted to smother her mistress, Malika could tell that so much had changed. She wasn''t going to deny it because she knew that this was long overdue. "See you soon, Mistress," ika said and Hawi just nodded before she disappeared from her protector''s sight. This was going to be the greatest challenge she faced alone and she couldn''t deny the fact that her life had changed so much because of it. Perhaps when she was done, she would finally be able to breathe and let herself live, right? Finding the dungeon where her father had been kept in wasn''t hard for Hawi. She had run these dungeons for as long as she could remember and she had even improved the security of this ce making it an imprable fortress. It had been made so that her prisoners wouldn''t ever think of escaping, but she had never imagined that her father, the man who had helped her fortify it, would be the first person to be kept there. It wasn''t fair, but life hadn''t been fair to her either. ''It never changed, huh?'' Hawi thought as she walked closer to where her father was. The stench of blood had dried on the dungeon''s walls. The w marks all over, were a reminder of who she had been with these people and of how she had dealt with the chaos that she had been in for years. She had been the ultimate alpha and she had sold her soul just to make sure that Sicario was safe. And yet even then they hadn''t hesitated to ostracize her. They had taken everything away from her, and now it seemed like life was determined to take whatever she dreamed of her faith in her home and her family. Maybe she had gone wrong in hoping, but couldn''t that be her dream? The one dream that she got fulfilled? What of the realities that she had lived in for years? What of the burdens she had carried for years? What of her fate and faith? Life wasn''t going to be easy, and for the first time in so long, as Hawi walked through and found herself at the door of her father''s dungeon, she genuinely didn''t care who did what and it hurt. She was here for her retribution and if her father was going to be the first case, then she would make it known regardless. "Hoomph," a sound came from within the dark dungeons, reminding Hawi that she hadn''te here for the memories. She didn''te here to recall the impossible. Of course, it was still a wonder how she had gotten through the gates of her fortress. But that was the thing. She had built this fortress. It was hers from the very beginning and nothing would ever be able to take that away from her. She had worked hard for it, and had made it a reality. "Hello, father," Hawi greeted as she turned toward the dark dungeon. Even with her werewolf sight, she couldn''t see well. But he also was aware that her abilities as the white wolf had improved and she could easily cast a spell here and light it up. But she wasn''t in the mood for that. She wasn''t ready to see her father face to face. Thest time the man had looked at her, his eyes had been filled with rage. There was no telling what he would think of her this time. "Hmm," Alpha Sicario groaned out in pain as he heard his daughter''s voice. He had prayed for days like this, for his little girl to find her way back to him. Of course, he had done the worst to her, but a part of him always hoped that his daughter was stronger, that she was always a fighter. But even fighters sometimes got tired. Fighters got worn out and Hawi was so close to that point. The only thing that was anchoring her to this side of life, was the fact that she was desperate to find her mother''s murderer. She was desperate to know what the hell had happened that morning. She had heard her best friend''s version. She had heard the versions of the people of Sicario. She had heard Luna Razia''s version of the plot against her and her mother. Hell, she had heard her own different versions over and over to the point that she hated herself for everything. Some versions excused her, while others were versions that condemned her for being a terrible and unthankful daughter. She despised that truth. Whatever the truth was, because for two years, she had been thinking of what could have happened. For two years she wondered what the hell had happened and yet for two years, she had remained the broken girl who didn''t understand shit about a truth everyone was sure she did. What if she was innocent? But what if she was guilty? How was she supposed to exin herself? "I see you''re as weing as usual," Hawi said, the spite in her voice triggered by the countless times she had been tricked by her father even then. She had a feeling that her father had known that she was alive, but when he had yed dead a few years ago, Hawi was convinced that her father still spited her. Because what kind of father dangled his death before his little girl like some sick twisted Halloween trophy? "Forgive me, daughter," Alpha Sicario forced out, before Hawi felt someone hit her with a rod on her head, making her lose consciousness. This time she didn''t fight the darkness. She gave in to it, willingly. Oh, Hawi. *** [A/N] * H, I wanted to give you guys a heads-up. This book will be joining the premium/locked chapter service soon. It''s a pay-to-read, chapter service... A girl''s gotta eat, sigh. I hope you guys stay, gracias! Chapter 121: Caught In The Middle? [AWUOR] "Fuck, where am I?" Hawi asked when she regained consciousness. She wasn''t sure how long she had been out, but she knew it had to be a really long time, given she couldn''t feel her body. It was like everything had gotten numb and her world was once again, an extended prison. "Shit," Hawi winced when she tried to turn and felt a de cut her arm. She still wasn''t sure where she was, but one thing that she knew was that she was still in Sicario. Perhaps it was the olden dungeons, or maybe she was still in the same dungeons with her father but someone was ying games with her. She couldn''t see in the dark and couldn''t feel her legs. However, even then, Hawi risked being cut by the de that seemed to be a little too d to have a taste of her, as she tried to estimate whatever she was in. It didn''t take her long to know that she was in a jail cell, one that only had enough space for her to stand. And yet she was sitting. That could exin the pain she was feeling and the des that were constantly hitting her. She was in the Sicacrio dungeons, and more specifically, her father''s favorite torture chamber. It was something that Hawi had seen her father build for the worst of the worst and yet right now, she was in it. Perhaps her father had never truly forgiven her for the death of her mother, right? And if that was so, then why did he wait for Dom to die for him to act on it? Or perhaps her brother wasn''t even dead and she had been lured to this ce? Hawi had so many questions, most of which she wasn''t sure she was ready for their answers yet. She had gone through so much but right no. she wasn''t thinking with her emotions or even the pain she was feeling. She was more clear-headed than ever, even as she forced herself to stand up, the crunching sound of her bones breaking made her cringe. But she had endured worse. Perhaps the beatings she had forced herself to take over the past few years were eventually spying off. But was this something that her friends would agree with? Was this something that Malika would sit by and watch on the sidelines? Was this what Hawi was letting herself be into? And what if Rukiya came after her? Well, this was one that he had to face alone, because she could dent everything but everyone out there couldn''t. Everyone except malika. Granted, she could have called Malika for help, but she knew Malika had to make sure that the whole madness in Sicario was dealt with properly. "Well well well. If it isn''t the prodigal daughtering back home. I must say I never expected you would show up for me when you heard I died. That was a trick well yed by Jer you know," Dom suddenly said. Instead of Hawi letting out a gasp of shock, she just stared boredly at her brother standing outside her dungeon, smirking t her like he had won some damning jackpot. Well, he had in a way. He was finally having his sister who had eluded death, right there with them in the dungeons that she had helped fortify. Maybe caring did make her weak, but was that something that surprised Hawi anymore? "Impressive, right? You both could feel that I was alive, because I let you. When I cut the mind links from Sicario on that rejection day, I intentionally left my links with the three of you open. I knew that I would someday get to this point. "So how about greetings, Dom? Why don''t you be nice to your sister and say hello in the right way, huh?" Hawi said and the younger Sicario kid justughed at her, before the realization dawned on him and his father who was just calmly walking by. He looked as fit as a fiddle, standing there and healthy as fuck. There was never anything wrong with the alpha and Hawi just stared at them with a nk face, like she was still waiting for her brother to formally greet her. She didn''t give two shits about the greetings, but right now, she wanted to strangle them both. She wanted to make them feel a little bit of pain for thinking they could outsmart her. "For someone trapped in that jail, you sure have a mouth on you," Former Alpha Sicario said and Hawi looked at her leg that was slowly taking the hits of the de that was constantly cutting her like it was some damning ritual. "What can I say, I was born of the best," Hawi said and she heard a chuckle that seemed too familiar for it to be a mistake. She could have sworn she was hallucinating. However, she didn''t pay attention to it, because he knew it was a possible distraction, especially given how familiar the chuckle was. She could have sworn she had heard it before, but then she still needed to be sure, though she didn''t want to be yed. "You know I have a mole in Sicario,'''' Hawi stated casually. "Of course. Besides, who would have thought your mole would do the job and get you to us?" Dom said and his father just nodded at his son like it was the best of things. "Well good luck finding them," Hawi said, knowing so well that Malika could easily murder her brother and her father without so much a second thought, let alone putting in any effort. She knew Malika could take care of herself and she was proud of her protector, so she wasn''t even worried about anything. Because Malika was her ultimate killing machine. Her protector could burn the world if Hawi so requested, and if she pointed her at Sicario, then Malika would turn the once-great pack into a mass grave without thinking twice. Hawi knew that, and she trusted that. "Oh, but we will. She spies all over. Though now that we think of it, it could be Elodie, since she suggested that we banish you. The rejection was her idea, and she seemed too rxedtely. "Unlike the other times when she was always sad and curing us out," Dom said and Hawi let out augh. These people had to be high on something if they thought that her sister could easily be manipted by anyone. Elodie Kane was the most emotionless butch that Hawi had met, and these people knew that too. Perhaps they were trying to make Hawi crack. But would they? "Wow. Who would have thought that Kane would be at the forefront of it all?" Hawi asked in an unsurprised tone as she watched her father and her brother team up. She had expected them to be on the same side. After all, they had been birds of the same feather, right? But would that exin the chuckle that came through again? Hawi could tell that the person who was chuckling constantly was familiar and she wanted to put a name to the voice, but then maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was In her head. However, was it a coincidence for the second time? "Anyway, do your worst." Chapter 122: The Fault In The Stars [SICARIO] "You can do this," Malika whispered as she stared at her, who was unconscious on the bed. She contemted leaving Jer here and taking over Sicario, but she wasn''t ready for that responsibility, especially when her mistress was on a deadly mission, one that Malika was sure Hawi would do whatever it took to make sure she won. It wasn''t going to be easy for them both and Malika knew she had to make the tough call. She was alone, without Hawi. She was without anyone''s support. She couldn''t rely on Elodie, because then it would seem like she was on good terms with the woman who was supposed to be against her. She couldn''t rely on Rukiya and Adolf, because that would prove that the rtions between Sicario and Greyson were intact when they weren''t. Well, they were but with what had happened earlier, Malika knew it would be logical for Rukiya to start threatening to pull out of the treaties with Sicario. If anything, Greyson was the strongest pack at the moment and they didn''t need anyone, especially Sicario that was a mere shell of what it had always been. ''What if I make the wrong decision?'' Malika asked herself as she paced around the room. She wanted to kill the man before her, but she was also smart enough to know that there was more to Dom''s supposed death. No one had seen Dom since the day he died. If anything, only the warriors who had found him had dered him dead and spread the word to the warriors. They had shared images of what the beta looked like through their mindlinks and frankly, that had been a convincing one. Malika had looked at them using Elodie''s mind link, and if she didn''t know better, they had to be fake. They just didn''t make any sense. It was like a staged urrence and she needed to get to the bottom of it all before her mistress was in danger. Such was the life they were living. ''She will understand. She always does,'' Malika said before making the decision that could have her friends staring at her like she had gone bonkers. Hell, she wasn''t even sure if Hawi could approve of this. But then Hawi had sent her here. Hawi had trusted her to make the tough call and Hawi had trusted her with whatever the hell was happening. She was Hawi''s protector and her main focus was just Hawi. ''Please forgive me, mistress,'' Malika said before she undid the spell she had cast on Jer and brought him back to his senses. She did it in a discreet manner, that even he didn''t know that he had been under a spell, because the first thing he did was to hug Malika so tight and kiss her cheeks. It was something that meek Malika had not experienced and Malika considered punching the man. However, she had to remind herself that this was a mission and she had to do whatever was needed to get the job done, even if it meant dealing with Jer and his crazy ass. "Sire?" Malika spoke meekly as she looked at her supposed husband who was holding her tight. The urge to squeeze her so hard that his bones would break and reduce the man to a puddle of blood and bones was very intense, but once again, the white wolf''s protector had to remind herself that she needed to find out what Hawi was up to. ¦Ñ-§à%??#§ñ-§Ö?-!§¼+¦Ã-% She didn''t care that the damned pack needed her and that there was more to be done. All she wanted to know was where Hawi was. What Hawi was doing and how Hawi had been coping. These were more important than what she was seeing and fuck everything else, Malika was sure she would ruin this man''s face. "Oh, baby. You''re awake! I''m so sorry for everything that happened to you. I''m so very sorry," Jer said sincerely. However, the sincerity in his voice made Malika want to melt his face and burn his trachea. She wasn''t sure she could keep up with this act because this man right here was testing her patience in all the ways to hell. She would ruin him and she would do it gleefully. But until then, she was a meek Malika. Meek Malika was supposed to blush at anything Jer said. Meek Malika was supposed to be weak and more than anything, meek Malika was supposed to be scared and submissive. "Sire¡­ You''re hurting me," Malika said in a meek voice, making sure to add an ounce of fear to her tone. She knew it was pathetic, but what other option did she have? "I''m so sorry. I really am. Please forgive me," Jer said and it took everything in Malika not to smash his face on the wall and make pudding with his insides. Perhaps she was this mad because she had felt Hawi''s pain, right before the damned woman closed off their link as if to keep Malika on mission. Her mistress was in trouble and she was here ying catch with a man whose lungs could make good food for the dogs, oh Malika. "I¨C We have visitors, sure. They are waiting for us out there. I came to find you, so please go before they think I''m keeping you here," Malika said with a pout, as if she was suddenly mad at the man. Of course, it was something that Jeremiah wouldn''t ever understand, but then they didn''t have the time to go through all that. What Malika needed was for the bastard to get out there and make sure to put on whatever show, because if he didn''t, then Malika would murder him right there and then and take matters into her own hands. It wasn''t that hard for her, especially with her patience dwindling. She would make this man pay for anything and everything that Hawi was going through. That much Malika was certain of. "Please forgive your husband, my love. I won''t do it again. I won''t hurt you. As for Elodie, I will make sure she doesn''te close enough to hurt you again. I will protect you, always," Jer said as he pulled back from the hug and kissed Malika on the forehead. Thankfully, kisses on the lips were something that he had promised to do only when they were fully mated. At least he was sensible enough, because if he took away the sweet taste of Elodie''s lips off of Malika''s lips then there was no telling what Malika would do. She would probably go back and kiss Elodie out of anger and make the whole situation into some shitshow, that would drive her into jumping to the murdering bit of her mission a little too early. Well as tempting as that was, they had things to do and a white wolf to seek. "It''s alright. It''s not like I''m that important anyway. Let''s go to the funeral, I told them that you would lead it," Malika said dismissively and Jer felt a pang in his heart. He felt like he had hurt his woman like he needed to make up for it. However, would there ever be a chance that Malika would look at Jer as a person other than a tool that she wanted to use to regain the Sicario power and give it to her mistress? "I love you, Malika. So much." ***** [A/N] * Author dies of cringe and disgust. Chapter 123: The Dotting Alphas Beloved [SICARIO] "I know," Malika said as she looked at her husband. He looked so sincere and she had to look like she cared about him. Jer''s deration of love was no longer surprising because as much as that hadn''t been the goal for Malika, she knew that the man was true to her. It was quite an unfortunate turn of events, but it was something that Malika would explore to the fullest. She didn''t care what happened to the man before her, as long as her mistress was okay. As long as Hawi was fine, nothing else would ever matter. "Let''s go, shall we? We can talk about everything elseter, please, husband," Malika added and Jer stared at her softly. He had been used to her calling him husband and that was the motivation he needed to get ready for whatever was waiting out there. Perhaps he was that insanely obsessed with her, or maybe he had seen her in pain and unconscious for weeks and he just wanted what was best for her. However, would he ept it if she told her that he was the worst thing that could ever happen to any woman or man? Would he be pleased with that? "I''m ready, my love. Come, let'' go," Jer said excitedly as he held out his hand for Malika. Letting out a sigh of relief, Malika let him hold her hand, but she made sure to look at him with eyes that reminded him that their little argument back there wasn''t over. "I''m so happy you woke up, baby," Jer said and Malika muted him. She could see him rambling and honesty, she wasn''t interested. Together, they walked from their house to where the other pack leaders had assembled. There was a lot of unrest, which was understandable since they hadn''t expected Jer to be in such a state. It was crazy and no matter how they looked at it, none of them was ready to face the reality that the Sicario alpha had probably gone bonkers. The road there was empty, as warriors had managed to push their people back to the houses. It was bad enough that the alpha had decided to embarrass them on the very day that all the alphas hade to join them in mourning, but perhaps there was more to it, right? "Husband, wait," Malika said right before they went in. She looked like she had something to say, something that could determine whether they did this together or if it was even worth it. So many questions hung in the air as the silence took over where Malika and Jer were standing. "What is it?" Jer asked worriedly, as he looked around to see if there was any reason for concern. Theo was out there with the warriors standing guard and other pack warriors were also at the door, watching and waiting to see if the Sicario alpha would make a fool of himself again like he had earlier. It was the kind of embarrassment that Sicario wouldn''t recover from. However, as they looked at Jer all cleaned up and in his regr poise, it was easy to say that the man had been ying games with them. Of course, that was a possibility, given they were here for a funeral. but then who were they even to trust? "Are you sure I shoulde in there? I mean I''m not even fit to lead a pack. Let alone be a luna. I have no clue what is expected and I''m afraid I could be a disappointment to you," Malika said and Jer cupped her face with his hands, before staring into her eyes. She hated it when he did that, but she could tell that this was just something she had to bear even for a while. Oh, but she couldn''t wait to be rid of the man who was so close to her. Perhaps she could stuff him in one of the endless dungeons in Sicario, right? "You are my wife, Malika. My Luna and anyone who thinks otherwise, can get up and go home. I refuse to hide you in the shadows. What you do not know, I swear I will teach you, my love. Trust me," Jer said reassuringly as he kissed Malika''s hair. He knew she was stressed out and he could see the anxiety in her eyes. To him, Malika was worried about not being good enough, while in reality, Malika could smell her Mistress. The scent was stronger in this hall, making her wonder if Hawi hade to this side, but then she also knew that Hawi wouldn''t have hidden herself from Malika. ??§â?#§Ô*?-§Ö$§á?!?-# The protector had the eyes that could see the invisible, especially if it came to the wolf assigned to them. Her magic had special powers, through as she sniffed she realized that Hawi''s scent was all over the ce. It was strange, given Hawi had told her she was going to the dungeons. The dungeons of Sicario were far south. Unless there was a special dungeon that Malika didn''t know of. That was something she would have to look intoter. "But what if they don''t want me beside you?" Malika asked defeatedly. She looked so unsure, and anyone could have believed that Hawi''s killing machine was suddenly worried about eptance by amunity of wolves that had been the root cause of her mission in the first ce. "Then I will fight for you. I will defend you with all I have and don''t have. I will protect you, always, Malika. Now chin up baby, we got a funeral to deal with," Jer said and Malika stood there in shock. This man was something else. How the fuck was this man the same one who had abandoned his mate in her time of need? Was this the same man who had hurt Hawi and even taken over her power? What the fuck was the man on? Oh, but Malika was pissed off. Anyone would think that Jer was simply moving on, that this was him embracing a new chapter in his life. But then to Malika, she hated this. She saw this as the cruelest thing that could have ever happened to Hawi and she wanted to avenge her mistress. The man who had left her without so much as a goodbye, the man who had cast Hawi aside was also the same man who was professing his unconditional love for an assassin sent to groom him and snuff him out in the end. ''Wow. The fates must have really never been ready for Hawi, huh?'' Malika sighed defeatedly as she felt a stray tear fall from her eyes. She couldn''t understand how people changed that fast and she wasn''t sure she wanted to be in that position. At that moment, Malika wondered if all the people in Sicario were like Jer. She wondered if Elodie would cast her side too if she decided to ept the mate bond. Malika wondered if her bond with Elodie was something that she would have to let go too. It was a cruel thought for her, but she couldn''t help it. It wasn''t daily that she was hit with the rare truth that mortals were never to be trusted with anything. Well, werewolves lived for a thousand years at most, but still they were mortalspared to the protectors and that hurt a lot. "No one deserves to see your tears, Malika. Not even me, my love," Jer said as he wiped Malika''s tears that had fallen. "No one deserves to see your tears, Malika. Not even me, my love," Jer said as he wiped Malika''s tear that had fallen. Of course, he wasn''t sure what she was ''crying'' about but goddamn, he didn''t want to see it there. He liked her happy and he was hoping to make her the happiest woman to ever exist. What a promise, yeah? "I''m sorry," Malika said, as Jer pulled her into a hug, though her apology was directed to Hawi, wherever she was. No one deserved to go through what Hawi had gone through; so when Malika pulled away from the hug, and walked with Jer into the hall, their hands entwined, Malika swore to never let Hawi go. She swore to always be her guardian and the one who protected her, not just because of her job description. But because Hawi deserved to be loved. She deserved to have someone in her corner, however terrible everything was for her at the moment. And Malika was determined to be that shoulder that Hawi could rely on in any situation. "Alpha Jer?" a voice greeted, interrupting the two love birds. Chapter 124: Of Brave Warriors And Ruthless Alphas * Surprise!! * Also, this might be a rumor, but I think we might start getting FREQUENT updates seeing as the date for going premium ising soon. Again, it''s just a rumor hihi. [SICARIO] "Alpha Jer?" one of the alphas greeted as they stared at the man before them who had just walked in with his wife. He looked nothing like the psycho they had stepped out to watch barely ten minutes ago. The man before them was different,pletely different. Instead, he was the version of Jeremiah that they were all familiar with. The alpha that Sicario loved. The alpha who had promised to bring Sicario back to its former state, after the apparent tainting by itsst alpha. Jeremiah Warner was the alpha who had promised to clean up every mess Hawi had made. But then that was something that even he couldn''t clean up. It hadn''t been Hawi''s mess in the first ce, which made all of this just a stunt to anyone who knew what was going on in Sicario. Then again, no one was counting, right? Hawi was formidable, and only an insane person would go against her, even in death. Perhaps Jer was willing to risk that, given the determination on his face. Either he had to be the dumbest person in the realm or he just didn''t care about it anymore. "Hello, Alpha Nico. Nice to see you," Jer greeted as he walked to the podium where his elite warriors were waiting. They had set up just one seat for Malika, since she had been the one toe and address them as she had mentioned earlier. However, now that Jer was here, one of the people among the warriors cast a spell and another chair showed up, surprising everyone. It wasn''t something that they would have expected in a normal Sicario and frankly, it got the pack leaders antsy. No one had known that Sicario had a warlock and now it seemed like there truly was one. If they had had this woman from the beginning, it would have been easier for them to tell if Hawi had been the one to kill Luna Eni Sicario. Malika wasn''t surprised to see that. She had known that for a man like Jer, one so desperate to get into power, he would definitely do whatever it took to make his dream a reality. She was disappointed, sure, but she had proven herself right. At least now she knew she would be using her magic to make their lives harder; she would make sure to remind them that they took the first risk and they had attacked her first. She wasn''t going to be kind to them and her motivation was scary as hell. "I see you''re back. Jeremiah. How long are we supposed to sit pretty and wait for you and your new wife to settle? Also, where is the body we are to view? Or is this just a wake for a man we haven''t seen yet? "Is there proof that he is even dead?" Rukiya asked, her cold voice slicing through the room, stunning everyone. She sounded pissed at the man and she had every right to. What she had just witnessed was something that Hawi could havemitted instant murders for. The sheer betrayal was beyond what Rukiya had expected and honestly, it was pissing her off. What the hell was even this? Just like Malika, Rukiya made a mental note to not hold Hawi back in case she wanted to use her magic to kill everyone who had wronged her. Hell, Rukiya would be the catalyst for it all, if that was the case. She would do everything in her power, use all her connections, and call in every favor if it meant getting justice for the woman she loved. "Alpha Rukiya. As graceful as always. I know you have questions, but they must wait, until I sit my queen down," Jer said sternly and Rukiya just rolled her eyes at the man. He was a bastard and he deserved everything Hawi was preparing for him. Jer was daring, which seemed brave for someone like him. However, deep down, he was worried about what was going on in Rukiya Greyson''s mind. The woman was always quiet and if she had a reaction, then it had to be serious and mean more than met the eye. The Sicario alpha could tell that there were going to be some difficulties with Rukiya yet even then, a part of him hoped that the Greyson alpha would respect their treaty with the Greysons. They had all worked a little too hard to make sure that Sicario had the backing of Greyson and Jer couldn''t lose that just because the woman was daring and crazy. It was her normal state so he just had to get through the chaos. He would be fine eventually, wouldn''t he? "Make it quick. We have packs to run instead of spending our time watching you yap about the woman who murdered her mother. Unless you are talking about some other queen. Last I checked, Sicario only had one queen, the banished psycho, Awuor Hawi Sicario. "But hey, feel free to correct me if I''m wrong," Rukiya said and the alphas in the room instantly prepared themselves for an attack. They knew that Rukiya Greyson was dangerous and they knew that something had to have triggered the woman for her to be that loud at a damn funeral. Or maybe she was just tired of what she was hearing and the chaos she had witnessed outside, right? "Well," Jer began, with a strained voice as he looked between Malika and Rukiya. He could tell that Malika was harmless and that Rukiya Greyson would probably try to attack Malika. So once again, he decided it was a really good idea to profess his undying love for his woman in front of everyone, again. "Malika Warner is my queen and the reigning luna of this pack, Alpha Rukiya. In my absence, she has every right to run the pack and make sure everything runs smoothly. I know you''re used to the rejection, Awuor, but this is the new order. "I even saw you at my wedding, didn''t I?" Jer asked and Malika held back the urge to snicker. These two were disastrous, but she loved what Rukiya was doing. Hell, if she had the power, she could join Malika. Elodie, who was also watching on the other end, just let out augh as she watched Jer and Rukiya banter in front of so many pack leaders. It was crazy, but then wasn''t Rukiya Greyson the mother of crazies? "I was at your wedding, but you called her your WIFE. Anyway, get on with it. We have wasted enough time here since morning. We have other issues other than assembling here to mourn when you are high as fuck," Rukiya said and everyone stared at the woman in shock. She was picking a fight and it was obvious. Hell, she wasn''t even hiding it anymore. The pack leaders knew that Rukiya was right, though the way she was going at it was just world and unhinged. This was supposed to be a funeral wake though if they weren''t careful, it would turn into a full-scale war, especially with the Greyson warriors at the Sicario gates. "As my alpha was saying, alpha Rukiya. The Luna is here, they are all here. Now if you would be so kind as to shut up and let everything proceed as nned, we will not waste your time," Elodie suddenly said and everyone let out gasps. Chapter 125: A Warriors Not-So Baby Steps [SICARIO] "As my alpha was saying, alpha Rukiya. The Luna is here, they are all here. Now if you would be so kind as to shut up and let everything proceed as nned, we will not waste your time," Elodie suddenly said and everyone let out gasps. Of course, Adolf was ready to snap necks, but Rukiya knew what this was and she loved it. She knew this was her chance to redeem Elodie and make sure that Jer reinstated and trusted her. They needed Elodie on the inside if they were going to dismantle the leadership of Sicario. Elodie being vocal at this point was to make sure that everyone heard her as one of the key warriors in Sicario. That would remind them that there was indeed someone who would be on the side of the luna, in case things went wrong. They all knew how essential that was, especially for a Luna that came from a pack so weak, like rkson. "You have been waiting with us, Warrior Kane. You have done a better job than your alpha has. I hope he sees that and gives you a potion. Perhaps the beta position now that his beta is dead," Rukiya said and Malika let out a gasp. What the fuck was this turning into? Of the people she had expected to stand up for her, Elodie Kane hadn''t been one of them. Sure, there was an understanding between them and with what had happened outside earlier, but in front of these people? That was wild, even for Elodie. And for the first time, Malika was worried for the warrior. She knew how dangerous it was to challenge Rukiya Greyson on any level. Rukiya may have been nicer to Malika, but Malika knew so well that it was because of Hawi. Without Hawi, Rukiya would have not even looked in their direction. Hell, she wouldn''t even have brought an army and put them a little too close to the Sicario pack, just in case they needed reinforcements. Going against Rukiya publicly like this, was something that would raise questions, and Malika knew that Rukiya''s wolf would probably feel challenged. It wasn''t the intended purpose, but they needed to fix things. And perhaps that was also why Malika figured she would step up and change things. Because at least she could be able to fight Rukiya Greyson and win. Elodie wouldn''t and that was a risk Malika wasn''t willing to take, not with the woman she was slowly falling in love with. "SILENCE!!!!" Malika bellowed right before Jer could say a word. He was definitely going to try and threaten the warrior or he would try to turn the situation in their favor but frankly, Malika was done with the circus that was staring at her. She had gotten tired of the banters and was losing her mind sniffing Hawi on everyone. She hated what she was feeling and the fact that everyone here was thinking that this was some get-together was driving her nuts. She needed to find Hawi, instead of being here, getting paraded like some trophy that didn''t mean shit to her. If they didn''t shut up, then she would make them, which was what Malika was already thinking of. She was pissed and done with them. "No one asked you toe, Alpha Rukiya. You came because of the treaty. You could have sent a warrior or a representative. As for you, warrior Kane. It is good to defend me and the alpha, but some people are just not worth the time. "Learn when to shut up," Malika said angrily and Jer stared with a wide jaw. He had never expected this. He had always seen his mate as someone who was kind and soft. No one had prepared him or even the Sicario visitors for what they were seeing. Then again, a frustrated protector with no idea what was happening to her mistress was one who wanted blood. If they weren''t careful, Malika would unleash her fury on them and they wouldn''t even have anywhere to run to. Elodie was staring at the woman who had spoken and it took every ounce of self-control for her not to jump Malika. Sure, she was aware that Malika was agitated because of her inability tomunicate with Hawi, but her voice had been an absolute turn-on. The warrior made a mental note to piss off the woman she liked a little more, because then it would lead them into some skinship. But was that really something that Elodie was to think of at the moment? Well, that was a nonissue as Elodie herself found herself staring at Malika in awe, instead of staring at her with a grim face like she had been doing earlier. Then again, some things were never going to be easy to exin, and Elodie would find it easier to sleep with Malika than understand what the hell was happening at the moment. One thing she was certain of though, was that an angry Malika was hot as fuck. "Anyone who feels ufortable being here to mourn the Sicario beta, I believe our gates are open. You can make your exit peacefully, without turning a funeral wake into a bantering session. "One more banter and I swear to the goddess, I will rip off your treaties with my bare hands. Try me," Malika added with a smirk, as she watched the silent room. No one said a word. "Baby, are you okay?" Jer asked when he noticed Malika falter just after her dare. It was strange, but then he couldn''t wrap his head around what was happening anyway. Malika had put her head between her hands like she meant to show that she wasn''t feeling well, so Jer helped her take a seat, while he called Elodie to check on her. It was quite a turn of events, but everyone here could tell that Elodie Kane was the new Sicario beta. It was clear as day. "Yeah, I''ll be fine," Malika responded meekly as Elodie held her hand, before they all looked at Rukiya with knowing faces. The game was on, and hells be damned, they would do what they hade to do in Sicario. MVLeMpYr-unofficial-chapter And so, for the next three hours, they spent talking about Dom and reminiscing the beautiful memories they had with the man. They didn''t talk of him as Hawi''s brother or even the alpha''s son. But as the man who had helped Sicario be what it was today. There was grief and sadness by the time the wake was over, but at least they had let the anger out of their chests. "Thank you all foring. You may leave and today will never be forgotten," Jer said though Rukiya could tell that that was a statement meant for her. Then again, Rukiya Greyson was a woman with nothing to lose. She had a powerful army, and an army that made many cower. Rukiya had the greatest of alliances with almost every pack in the realm and she wouldn''t be affected in the slightest way if Sicario decided to withdraw. She wasn''t even worried about that. And the fact that she was allied to the white wolf and her killing machine of a crazy protector, summed it all up. Greyson was untouchable regardless. "Jer, I didn''t mean to hurt her... If you give me the beta position, I can swear on my life to never leave her side and be Luna Malika''s protector¡­" Elodie said to Jer. ***** [A/N] * It''s my birthday! Thank you for continuing the journey with me since we began this book. I really appreciate it. * I might be growing a year older, but I''ll give y''all a birthday special spoiler. We might be getting grey hair soon, from what''s about to happen. * Prepare yourselves mentally and more than anything, keep y''all hair dyes closer lol. Chapter 126: Of Time-Ticking Bombs [SICARIO] "Alpha¡ª" Elodie called out to Jer, as the pack leaders walked out. The wake had ended and she didn''t want to be on the wrong side of Jer. Sure, she didn''t truly care, but she had a show to keep going and she had to give her best performance. Perhaps that would cement her position in the pack and even get Jer to change his mind about the empty beta position. Elodie had been eyeing that position earlier, though right now, she wanted it,e hell or high water. There was no clear reason as to why she was so desperate about it, but just like her sister Hawi, Elodie Kane never did things for the sake of it. "Thank you, for what you did earlier. I never thought you would stand up for her. I can make you the beta, but only if you promise to be loyal to the luna and protect her like every beta is expected. You will make sure she is safe and well-served whether I am around or not. "Can I trust you with that, Elodie?" Jer asked and Malika raised a brow. Malika knew how this would end and she loved it, even though she was looking at Jer skeptically as if to ask him if he was sure about the decision he was making. It may have seemed a calm decision, but it was a dangerous one at the same time. Making Elodie the beta was a decision so crucial, that it would be irreversible, and Malika knew that from the onset. She had been around wolves long enough to know the consequences of everything that went on with them. Once made a beta, the only way someone could be demoted was by death. That meant that if Elodie was the betta and Jer someday wanted her gone he would be tempted to kill her and that was a terrible idea, given Malika''s interest in Elodie. "What I did earlier was stupid, Jar. It was in the moment, and I really didn''t mean to hurt her. I didn''t understand how Dom could be dead in such a short time. I was in shock, but I will take full responsibility for what I did. "If you give me the beta position, I can swear on my life to never leave her side and be her protector. I can promise to always be there for her.I will always defend her and take good care of her. "I know you will too, but what I mean is if you give me that position then I will do whatever it takes to make sure she doesn''tck," Elodie said sincerely as she looked at Malika. She loved the protector''s rainforest scent and being this close with her, it was making her feel a lot of things. Elodie Kane had never thought she would ever want to protect anyone more than she wanted to protect Hawi. However, as she stood there beside Jer and Malika, she could see the one person she would protect with her life, the one person she would go to war for, and the one person whom she would stand up for, even if it meant going against Hawi. Perhaps Elodie was crazy for that, but she was a woman in love, a woman who wanted to protect that which was hers, and more than anything, she was a woman fighting her self-control, and trying her very best not to grab the woman beside Jer and elope with her. Oh, but Elodie Kane was going wild from breathing Malika in, and her wolf was struggling to get control. If she wasn''t careful, she would be breaking Jer''s neck in the process, which wouldn''t end very well for her. Well, with Malika on and by her side, she would definitely be safe. But then there were so many things that were attached to that idea and Elodie had to think straight. ''Bloody bastard gets to be with my woman,'' Kane thought to herself as she felt her wolf getting antsy. However, she couldn''t deny what she was feeling at the moment anyway. She hated that Jer was holding Malika''s hands. Elodie hated that Jer got to see Malika all the time. She hated the idea of Jer going home to Malika. It was not sitting right with her and for a moment, she was shocked at how possessive she had gotten of a woman who could clearly protect herself. Now that she was getting a close-up look on Malika''s face, Elodie realized that Malika still had smudged lipstick from their kiss earlier. It was strangely calming to her and she loved seeing Malika in that state, really. Of course, Jer probably assumed that it was because of Malika''s fear and outburst, but that was Elodie''s doing, and boy was she so proud of it. She had expected Malika to fix it, but seeing her there with her smudged lipstick was a reminder to Elodie that there was more to the both of them than met the eye. Perhaps Hawi had been right about these two and there was something there right? "Damn," Elodie whispered and Malika smirked at her knowingly. Jer, who was still thinking that Elodie was worried about her fate in Jer''s hands since Jer was back, looked at Elodie, with soft eyes, as though he was telling Elodie, that there wasn''t much he was going to do to her. Oh, but if only Elodie Kane cared what Jer thought of her, especially now that she was having the pleasure of watching Malika bite her lips invitingly. If they weren''t careful, the both of them would end up on a bed before the evening ended. That much was certain. "I am d, because I can only trust you in the pack right now. Dom is dead, the alpha is in the dungeons, and the list of people I trust has been officially reduced to three. I hope you won''t betray me, Elodie. "You can have the role. There is no need for a ceremony since we are in a funeral wake," Jer said and Elodie just nodded in understanding. She loved what Jer had done for her. Now the only thing she needed him to do for the both of them, was to leave. "I will be at my best, I swear it, Jer," Elodie said and Jer believed her. Well, he had known her for a long time and if there was anyone he was sure wouldn''t hesitate in protecting the woman he loved, then Elodie Kane had to be it. Oh, but if only he knew that Elodie was epting the role for herself, so she could spend more time with Malika. "In that case, your first task is to take care of her right now. I have to go talk to Alpha Rukiya and sort something out before we trigger a war that is unnecessary," Jer said and Malika held onto his hand, like she wasn''t ready to let him go. Elodie let out a low growl, though she looked around her as if she was trying to sense any danger, even though the danger she wanted to be gone, was right there with them. As if she wasn''t aware of what Elodie was doing, Malika held on tighter to Jer, making sure to move closer and closer to the point that Elodie just couldn''t take it anymore. Before Elodie could say or do something she would regret, Jer spoke up. "I''ll be back as soon as possible, baby." Chapter 127: Was It Bad To Hope? [SICARIO] "I''ll be back as soon as possible, baby. Elodie will take good care of you. If she tries anything, I will kill her without asking questions. She knows that already. Trust me, okay?" Jer said and Malika tugged onto him even more tightly, making Elodie want to puke. She was getting tired of Jer threatening her life and she was sick of watching Malika hold on to the man tighter than her lifeline. Anyone would think that Jer was the only reason Malika was living, making Elodie want to ruin the alpha herself. Elodie had never thought Malika could be like this, but then they both knew that this was an act that Malika had perfected for this man. It had to be made real because of the current circumstances, and she would do whatever it took. But that didn''t excuse the feeling that Elodie was feeling right now. Perhaps they could skip to the end which was probably the only good part in all of this, yeah? "Please don''t be long¡­ And dear husband, I know it''s not in my ce to warn you of anything, but be wary of that alpha Rukiya. She looks like a lot of trouble," Malika said and Jer just smiled at her reassuringly. Jeh was proud of how she had stood up earlier and was convinced that she hadn''t made the wrong choice when he epted Malika as his Luna. He just had to coach her a few more times and she would be the perfect luna for him to run Sicario with. "Be well, my love. Elodie won''t harm you and she will take care of you, no matter how long my discussion with Alpha Rukiya is. And make sure to eat, okay?" Jer said and Malika nodded like the trophy wife she was supposed to be. It was just a matter of time, and she had to be patient. Oh but her patience was something that even she was getting shocked about. What the hell had she be and when the hell had they both gotten to this point with each other? "I¡ª I like being around you, husband," Malika said and Elodie snickered. If the ground would open and swallow Jer right now, Elodie would be the first to push the man in and make sure he didn''te out. But she had to hope Hawi gave her that chance because this man was testing her patience in impossible ways. "Both of you might kill me with your sweetness to each other. Please Jer, go. I will take care of her until you''re back for her alright," Elodie said shooing Jer away. She just couldn''t take it anymore and she had just been punished a week ago. It would be crazy if shended in the dungeons again, and this time for actually killing her alpha over jealousy. stay-updated-with-MVLeMpYr "Fine. She''s mine, Kane. Protect her and feed her," Jer said heartily, it was almost possible to see the hearts in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, bye. See you around," Elodie said as they watched Jer leave. With Jer gone, the assembly hall was technically empty. Everyone had left, even the warriors. The atmosphere was rxed as they all took in the reality of Dom''s passing. There was a grave for them to visit besides the former Sicario Luna. Perhaps that would be the best sce for the people of Sicario, given Dominic Sicario was a good beta to them right? Maybe this right here was a good rite of passage. But was Dom truly dead? What was the assurance that this wasn''t just some sick game between former alpha Sicario and his son, trying to see how long they would hold out? However, even if that was so, there was just no reason for the father and son to be ying games, seeing as they already knew Hawi was dead, right? Unless they had suspicions, but then Malika had covered her bases well that no one, however perfect they were, would ever know that Hawi was alive. Unless there were untapped bonds between the Sicario family members. And if that was so, then Jer himself had been bested, given he didn''t have a clue of how true that could be. "Hello, Luna Malika. Seems like it''s just you and me, again," Elodie said as she looked around as if to make sure that there was no one who would listen to their conversation. She had so much she wanted to say, but she wasn''t sure where to start. Perhaps the ''hello'' seemed like a good start for them and the tension between them. "Yeah, what''s up, beta Elodie," Malika greeted in the same tone and Elodie sighed. This woman wasn''t going to be easy to deal with. "How is your day?" Elodie asked and Malika groaned this time. She looked like her mind was elsewhere, and certainly not rted to whatever the fuck Elodie Kane was interested in. "There are other dungeons in Sicario, right?" Malika asked not even focusing on the small talk that Elodie was trying to make. She knew Elodie would ask about the kiss and her lipstick and frankly, Malika wasn''t in the mood for that discussion. She had held on enough with the damned meeting earlier, but right now, she was running out of time. She needed to get to Hawi, before anyone did, and make sure that her mistress was safe. She was never one to fail her mission, but the longer Malika knew Hawi, and how unpredictable the woman was, Malika wasn''t even sure they would be able to make it to the stage where Hawi was crowned the ruling wolf, given her white wolf status. The white wolves were technically the heads of the werewolf kingdom. Sure, the realm had leaders and whatnot, but no one ever sat on the werewolf throne other than the white wolves. Over the years, many white wolves had sat on the throne and let the power get to their head to the point that they had to be killed by the protectors as a way of keeping the realm safe. And frankly, the same was expected of Hawi. However as the years had passed, the Protectors of Olyana had begun trusting Hawi. They had seen how raw her anger was and how she had never thought of her power. Her main aim to get back to Sicario was purely vengeance and justice for her dead mother and that was admirable of her. Perhaps it was also why Malika had been told that Hawi would be protected by the protectors no matter who she crossed while in her quest for vengeance. "What did you mean?" Elodie asked, worried that Malika was researching dungeons to go and do something evil. But even if she was, Elodie had no capacity to stop her. If Malika wanted a blood bath, then the only one who could stop her was Hawi. Just Hawi, who was conveniently out of reach at the moment. Perhaps they would have to figure out a way around this, right? "I don''t know if you''re ying dumb or if this is just some way for you to avoid the discussion. But I need to know, E. My mistress is in trouble and I can feel her presence in this room, even with everyone gone. "So, tell me, where are the other Sicario dungeons? There must be a few hidden somewhere for you guys to take your prisons, no?" Malika asked. Elodie wasn''t sure if she was supposed to be ttered that Malika called her E or if she was to be worried that Hawi was in trouble again. What the fuck was going on with them today anyway? The day that should have been good had slowly turned into the madhouse they were in and it wasn''t pleasant, at all. "Are you looking for the former alpha, Sicario?" Elodie asked worriedly. She could sense the tension and this time; she was smart enough to read the room and ask the right questions. Besides, if she did well, there was a chance that they all would have their happy ending. However, was that a given? "No, E. I''m looking for my Mistress. I haven''t heard from her since she locked the mind links. The only thing I felt was her pain, which she had blocked, but I guess it was too much if the pain broke the barriers and got to me. "Before you ask me if I can track her, I can''t. Shemanded me not to use magic to track her. So, the hidden dungeons, do you know where they are?" Malika asked. Chapter 128: Something Happened, Didnt It? * Happy new month of November! [SICARIO] "No, E. I''m looking for my Mistress. I haven''t heard from her since she locked the mind links. The only thing I felt was her pain, which she had blocked, but I guess it was too much if the pain broke the barriers and got to me. "Before you ask me if I can track her, I can''t. Shemanded me not to use magic to track her. So, the hidden dungeons, do you know where they are?" Malika asked Elodie, her face making it seem like she was a little too close to killing someone. Elodie looked at Malika, the worry on her woman''s face making her realize that losing Hawi wasn''t in the cards for the both of them. She could see that it was more than just about power and loyalty, and whatever it was, Elodie would work on making sure Malika got what she wanted. "The other dungeons are built in the tunnels under Sicario. But even if we found an entrance to the tunnels. There is just no way to get to her on time. That ce is a literal maze. Only the Sicarios knew how to navigate them and as it is, they are all either dead or imprisoned. "Jer also knows his way around the tunnels, but as you can see, Rukiya is about to punch his face into tomorrow if he isn''t careful," Elodie said, adding thest part since she saw Rukiya ring at Jer like he was wasting her time. Rukiya Greyson was something else and perhaps the one person who could help her figure this out. But then would they be able to rely on Ruru''s bond with Hawi or even the oath that Ruru had made to protect Hawi? "If I start a search today, how long would it take me?" Malika asked, ignoring thest bit of Elodie''s sentence. Frankly, she couldn''t give a fuck if Malika ploughed Sicario using Jer''s face. She would help herter on, but until then Hawi was her greatest priority at the moment. "If you go with a marker, then it could take you a year at the very least. Those dungeons areplex to find. They need a lot of expertise and given Jer has a switch on his side, there is a high chance they used magic to tamper with the directions. "Which also means the maze is near impossible to solve, for someone who has never been there," Elodie said and Malika let out a frustrated low growl. Of the things she had expected, this certainly wasn''t it. She would have been okay, if she hadn''t felt Hawi''s pain and that was haunting her even more. She needed to get to Hawi because if she didn''t, then there would be worse repercussions than she would ever be ready to face. Patience was always Malika''s thing, but right now as she started pacing around Elodie, constantly clicking like the world was about to end and there wasn''t a thing she could do about it, Malika''s patience had clearly taken a leave right then. Oh, Malika. "I don''t have a year, shit," Malika sighed angrily as she continued her pacing. She was already regretting not stopping Hawi when she locked the mind links. Perhaps she would have been able to tell what was happening to her mistress. But would she have the time for that? "What will you do now?" Elodie asked, the worry on her face making a show for the hundredth time in minutes. If there was a way she could have helped, then Elodie would have but then she had no idea how the dungeons worked and with Jer''s power and new confidence, something else was at y. "My job," Malika said before she rushed out of the hall and went to where Jer and Rukiya were standing. Elodie was quick to follow her. "I''m sorry but can I talk to you? Woman to woman?" Malika said to Rukiya who was staring at her skeptically. It was unexpected, and to many who hadn''t seen them together, it was a weird interaction. The urgency in Malika''s voice was something that Rukiya hadn''t expected, but now it had gotten her attention and the both of them knew that only one woman would ever get Malika that unsettled and irritated for her to pull her protector-face. "Baby, I got this," Jer said, ready to defend his woman, but Malika simply forced a smile at him. "I am your luna, husband. She questioned my legitimacy. I think this is something only a woman can do, given she is a woman. Let me try and fix it. Besides, Elodie will be beside me all the time, in case Alpha Rukiya thinks of harming me," Malika said and Jer looked at her worriedly. He hadn''t expected this. The fact that his wife was suggesting being left alone with the most dangerous woman known to him was wild. But then, who was to tell Jeremiah Warner that the woman he married, the woman who was smiling at him, could kill him with just her mind? "Are you sure?" Jer asked again and Malika had to remind herself that she was just a weak luna. Oh, how this man was testing her patience on all ounts. If he wasn''t careful, he would be the reason another funeral wake took ce in Sicario today. "Let her, Jer. If it gets heated, I''ll call for backup. You said you trust her, perhaps you should let her fix this," Elodie said and Jer looked at her with a worried face. Of course, he was worried, but the three women standing with him weren''t in the mood to listen to his worries. "Call me if you need me¡ª" "I will, husband. I will," Malika said reassuringly before she threw herself at Jer, hugging the man tightly like it was what she had been yearning for. "If a strand of hair on her head goes missing¡ª" "She''ll be fine. Besides, alpha Rukiya must already know that she''s outnumbered right now," Elodie said, like she didn''t know that the Greyson army was in the woods waiting for a signal from their alpha in case shit went sideways. "Fine. Don''t stay too long," Jer said before leaving. "Goodness isn''t his face punchable?" Malika asked once she was sure that it was just her, Elodie, and Rukiya "I could bring him back, we check," Elodie said and Rukiya sighed. They were psychos and they had long epted their fate and their reality, even though on some days, they were determined to make their fates worse. Did they care though? "Something happened, didn''t it?" Rukiya asked as she looked at the frustrated protector before her. Malika was always the mostposed person she had ever met and right now,posure seemed to be a thing of the past for the protector. "I can''t reach her, Rukiya. And there''s a thousand dungeons in the tunnels. And she''s hurt. I don''t know what else to do. I can''t use my magic because the witch we saw earlier will track it to me and blow my cover," Malika said frustratedly as she paced around. "Malika. Slow down. And stop pacing, you''re making me nervous," Rukiya said. "If I don''t pace, I''ll start dropping bodies," Malika said angrily as she looked around. "On second thoughts you can keep pacing. Perhaps she didn''t want you distracted. Hawi does that a lot of times," Rukiya said "You seriously don''t believe that, do you?" **** [A/N] * I vote they kidnap Jer and torture the information about the dungeons out of him. Surely it can''t be that hard for three psychos, right? Chapter 129: The Art of Patience & Tolerance [SICARIO] "I can''t reach her, Rukiya. And there''s a thousand dungeons in the tunnels. And she''s hurt. I don''t know what else to do. I can''t use my magic because the witch we saw earlier will track it to me and blow my cover," Malika said frustratedly as she paced around. She was mentally worn out and was so close to losing her mind. If Hawi got hurt, Malika was painfully aware that she would be in trouble, not just with Hawi, but with the protectors of Olyana too. She would have failed the one mission that she was given and the break time that the protectors had given Hawi from her vengeance would be removed. That would trigger a chain of so many unfortunate events, given that Hawi was especially crazy on all fronts and with anger issues. "Malika. Slow down. And stop pacing, you''re making me nervous," Rukiya said as she looked at the antsy protector. She couldn''t deny that Malika was expressing what they all were feeling, but then if Malika herself had a bad feeling about this, if the protector was this worried for a woman who was supposed to be invincible, then what else would Rukiya do? She loved Hawi, she would worship the woman if that was what she had to do to get Hawi to live the next minute. She would do whatever it took to make sure Hawi was safe, and even the devils around knew that too. However, here and now, as the three women stood there trying to discuss whatever they could think of Hawi, they couldn''t deny the fact that time was going by so fast and it would not be in their favor if they didn''t manage to figure it out by morning. That was how intense everything was. Oh, how they wished to have Hawi screaming at them. Anything but the silence they were getting from the woman. "If I don''t pace, I''ll start dropping bodies," Malika said angrily as she looked around. She was desperate and her blood was getting hotter by the minute. The alphas were already leaving, the werewolves wereing out of their homes and Malika looked like she wanted to be everywhere but here. She just didn''t know what the fuck she needed to do right now. Who even built a maze in the dungeons? It''s not like the powerful warriors of Sicario could ever be bested by anyone, even their leaders themselves, right? After all, aside from Hawi, everyone else was no match for the brave warriors of Sicario, the same warriors that Hawi had trained herself. "On second thoughts you can keep pacing. Perhaps she didn''t want you distracted. Hawi does that a lot of times," Rukiya said, trying to make herself believe that Hawi was okay and that she wasn''t worried. "You seriously don''t believe that, do you?" Malika asked and Rukiya smiled at her in reassurance, as if her body was not registering whatever the fuck they needed to do. But that wasn''t it. Rukiya knew what was happening to and with Hawi. She could feel it all, the pain Hawi was feeling, even though she wasn''t sure if it was self-inflicted by Hawi or not. Perhaps that was also why she was trying to be on her best behavior, trying to be whatever the hell people were when they were trying to be sane enough among their friends. The oath she had bound herself to Hawi with was already acting up, and Rukiya Greyson could feel the de cuts that Hawi was experiencing, she could feel the splitting headache, and more than anything, Rukiya could feel her breath shortening. She knew that was because of Hawi''s pain and boy did she want to go and find the love of her life. Rukiya could feel the burn of their bond, a bond that they had initiated before they came to Sicario, and boy was it hurting her so terribly. Ruru was painfully aware that Hawi was most probably dying and she was holding on, counting on the fact that if she kept her sanity, if she wasposed, then Malika could figure out where the dungeons were and then they would go and help her woman. That was her only hope out of this, because she didn''t know the dungeons well, and if she acted on her anger and showed them her anxiety and cruelty, she wouldn''t be able to find Hawi on time, and that was too expensive a gamble. So, she waited and listened to Malika and Elodie with hope. A lot of hope. "Maybe Rukiya is right¡ª I can call you Rukiya right?" Elodie said to the Greyson alpha who looked at her as if to tell the woman that this wasn''t the time for them to bond. They would definitely have so many days and hours to bond, just not when Awuor Hawi was in danger. "Only for as long as you don''t betray Hawi or break Malika''s heart," Rukiya said with a shrug and Malika raised a brow. What the fuck did the woman even mean by that? Oh, but Malika and Elodie both knew that so well, they just weren''t ready to admit it to anyone save for Hawi who had her ways of making them admit they liked each other. But that wasn''t the current focus, right? "Great. So, the thing is, Malika says that Hawi went to look for her father in the hidden dungeons. And those dungeons are always located under the pack. There are thousands of tunnels all over Sicario. "Given how big our pack is, it''s hard for anyone who hasn''t been there to know where the man is. Hawi is familiar with thendscape and she went to her father. If she is hurt, there is a chance that she will meet other people there. "But then the only person who should be in the Sicario tunnel dungeons is just the former alpha," Elodie said, trying to exin as simply as she could, given Malika was already functioning on overdrive. She wasn''t sure if this was what they had signed up for, but this was fucked up on so many levels. Maybe it was time for her to ept the help the protector n had offered her the first time they learned of who she was going to be protecting. From the day Hawi had been born, the protectors knew she would be a piece of work. Her very existence would cause chaos and a strong protector would be needed. That was why the protectors had assigned Malika to the psycho-alpha of alphas. However, they also knew that there were very high chances that Malika would be overwhelmed and right now, they seemed to have been right because Malika was losing her shit in silence. If Rukiya spoke about Hawi''s pain then it would be game over for everyone in Sicario, because the protector would turn thends upside down and cause more trouble than what was expected once Hawi took over. "So Hawi is in danger?" Rukiya asked like she hadn''t heard Elodie and her theories. Well, Rukiya knew that Hawi was in danger, she just wanted to hear them say it, so she would try and convince herself that she wasn''t crazy for feeling the extreme pain that Hawi was feeling and still staying silent about it. "We think so, and we don''t have a way of reaching her," Elodie added. "I''ll find a way to reach her and then I''ll let you both know. Hawi created amon mind link for us all, so we can use that formunication," Rukiya said before turning to Malika, even though she had tried the mind link earlier and got nothing, just like Malika herself. They were all locked out by Hawi and if they weren''t careful, they would lose more than just their minds today. "Don''t rush into anything, protector. If you fuck up, we both lose her, and we don''t want that to happen alright?" "You have three days to find answers, after that, I will use my magic, even if it exposes me," Malika said before he walked away from the two women and went to the packhouse. Her mind was boggy and she needed to think clearly because otherwise she wouldn''t function. Well, three days was a lot of time, not to mention, both Malika and Rukiya knew that Malika wouldn''t wait for three days. It was probably the worst lie that Malika had ever told Rukiya, but it wasn''t like they weren''t lying to each other to keep each other sane, right? "I guess I''ll see you around Rukiya," Elodie said lightly, though hopeful. For what, she wasn''t sure yet. But surely there always had to be a way around that, right? "Take care of yourself and Malika. She''s in love with you and chose you as her mate. Don''t hurt her, or I wille after you," Rukiya said to Elodie in warning, before she left too. Her departure left a shocked Elodie wondering whether she was the only one who didn''t see how Malika was in love with her. Was Warrior Kane emotionally dumb? ***** On the other side of Sicario was a duo that was busy with their own developments. "How is she?" -content "She looks so real, like Awuor would. There are so many simrities between her and my sister it''s creeping me out," Dom admitted as he looked at Jer who wasn''t even fazed by it. "Your sister died. I felt the bonds breakpletely. That only happens when someone is dead. Plus, if she were alive, she would havee to seek answers about your mother. "This woman came to the dungeons a little too conveniently when we were at your supposed funeral wake, Dom. Rx," Jer said and Dom looked at him like the man had gone wild. But what if he had? **** [A/N] * Not sure if I should be scared of a calm Rukiya or Malika simply being agreeable. Chapter 130: Not About Angels [AWUOR] "Wow. Who would have thought that Kane would be at the forefront of it all?" Hawi asked in an unsurprised tone as she watched her father and her brother team up. She had expected them to be on the same side. After all, they had been birds of the same feather, right? But would that exin the chuckle that came through again? Hawi could tell that the person who was chuckling constantly was familiar and she wanted to put a name to the voice, but then maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was In her head. However, was it a coincidence for the second time? "Anyway, do your worst," Hawi said as she looked at her father and brother. She was angry, fuming, and even wanted out of there, but she was also Sicario to know why her family had faked Dom''s death. It wasn''t a daily routine in the Sicario family and Hawi could tell that there was more to this. She knew her brother way better than anyone did, and she knew her family that well too. Granted, she had been unable to understand why they had done that to their mother but there was no denying the fact that everything that had led them to this point, just didn''t add up. People never changed overnight and no amount of convincing would make Hawi believe the farce that was before her. Was it a farce though, or was Hawi just desperate to have her family back, now that they all were in the same ce? Was that what it would take for her to get justice for her mother, a woman who had fought tooth and nail to protect their family only to be betrayed by the same family? "You''ll see, once we find the mole we are looking for," Dom said confidently as he looked at his sister. The young Sicario wasn''t sure whether to be happy or sad that Hawi was alive. He was conflicted on so many things but then he wasn''t about to divulge that to the woman he didn''t even believe was his sister. Months after the supposed death of his sister, Dominic Sicario had mourned for her, he had mourned for the sister he loved and looked up to. He had mourned for the sister who had been there for him. He mourned for the girl who had stood by him even when he was in trouble. Granted, they had sibling rivalries, but that never got to the point where Dom wanted Hawi dead. He had always wished her all the best. He wanted his sister to win, but then when she killed their mother, she had broken a piece of him that wanted her home. He had been distraught when Hawi had been banished, but he had felt the worst when his sister died. Seeing her here was just more than what he could take, but he wouldn''t show that to Hawi, especially since he wasn''t certain that the woman before him was the same sister he had felt had died. That would be too cruel, even for him, a man who had loved his sister with all of him. However, that also raised the question of what he was doing when their mother was murdered by his sister. Were Hawi''s findings the truth? Then again, what did Hawi find, other than being forced into different realities, like someone was willing to pay a huge price to get her out of the Sicario businesses? Someone was hiding the truth about what had happened to Eni Sicario and that was the one thing Hawi had long concluded even though he always kept hoping for better days when the truth woulde before she got her revenge. "Have a good chat with the de there, sis. Must be nice dying anding back. Papa and I will have some fun watching from a distance," Dom said as he sent his sister flying kisses before he followed his father out. "These damned bastards," Hawi said angrily as she tried to position herself in the chamber. The des were messing with her but she knew she had to be strong enough to know what the fuck had just happened. Her brother was supposed to be dead. There was a whole ass funeral wake for the guy and yet he was here. Of course, she was also painfully aware that her brother wasn''t the man he had grown up with, but what else was there for her when she was trapped? She had felt Malika and Rukiya try to re-open her mind links with them, however, she hadn''t let them. She couldn''t, not when she was in such a state. If only she knew that Rukiya was feeling every bit of pain that she was feeling. Oh, Hawi. "Heard that!" Dom said and Hawi just snickered. Some things never did change with her brother. ***** Leaving his sister''s mini-prison, Dom walked to the farthest end of the prison. The one ce the prisoner who was worth a lot sat in. It was a dark section of the dungeons, though that didn''t seem to matter to the young Sicario. The prisoner in the farthest end was as a man in his mid-forties, a man who had objected to everything Dom had been doing his whole life. He looked like he would choose death over this, but then that wasn''t the kind of mercy that Dom was interested in. Before Dom could say a word to the guy, Jer showed up. He looked like he had been having some businesses to attend to, more like Dom''s wake and whatnot. But with the break he had taken from the girls, he had the chance to finallye and see for himself. Dom had mind linked him earlier about the appearance of Hawi and for a movement back there, Jer had been charred shitless. He had made sure the woman didn''t have a way toe back home and yet she had managed toe back. Oh, she was wild, but was she? "How is she?" Jer asked when he reached where Dom was. He had been curious to see for himself the woman who was parading as his mate, to the point that even Dominic Sicario had been worried for himself and his sanity. He already had his suspicions that Dom was probably seeing the same hallucinations as him. But then there was also a chance that Hawi was really there with them. Oh, but he had to see it for himself to believe that they weren''t in some dystopian reality. content-source-MVLeMpYr "She looks so real, like Awuor would. There are so many simrities between her and my sister it''s creeping me out," Dom admitted as he looked at Jer who wasn''t even fazed by it. Well, he had seen her a few times and if this was the same situation then he needed to make a choice. Hawi hadn''t been violent when she had shown up to Jer, but goddamn, Jer wasn''t even sure what was real or not at the moment. However, even he believed that it was impossible for Hawi to ever show up to them. The dead always stayed dead, but that didn''t seem to be the case with both of them and it was worrying. "Your sister died. I felt the bonds breakpletely. That only happens when someone is dead, dead, and very dead. Plus, if she were alive, she would havee to seek answers about your mother. "This woman came to the dungeons a little too conveniently when we were at your supposed funeral, and she hasn''t made any demands yet. How crazy and unreal can this get?" Jer said and Dom looked at him like the man had gone wild. It all just didn''t make any sense, but it was crazy at the same time, because it was a hard task believing that they were not seeing things. "You''re not insinuating that she wanted something from Sicario?" Dom asked and Jer stared like he knew something the supposedly dead beta didn''t know of. It was strange, really, on so many fronts, but hey, this was them trying to reason with their peanut brains, right? "There is no way we can tell that right now. I have a feeling she is using magic to conceal who she truly is. My mate was unconscious for weeks, and she suddenly regained consciousness. And I have also been seeing versions of Awuor like some long bell. "It''s crazy. The woman I have been seeing, the woman I even saw before Malika regained consciousness, is way different from the one we captured and brought here. They are nothing alike," Jer admitted, introducing Dom to a part of his life that no one had known of yet. It was like he was breaking barriers and choosing to trust Dominic Sicariopletely. Sure, it was risky, given the man had betrayed his sister, but then they had dirt on each other so that wouldn''t be hard for them. If anything, they trusted each other to screw people and especially Awuor Hawi. That had to be worth something at the end of all this. "Well, it seems like we have to keep visiting her so we can tell what the hell is going on. I went with Theo to her, and made Theo look like our father, but then she wasn''t even surprised. "The sister I know would have brought down the damn door if that meant getting to us. Remember when Awuor sniffed us when we were at our mother''s funeral? She was so angry even then. "My sister and vengeance go hand in hand. She wouldn''t have held back like that woman did back there. What the fuck does she even want with us?" Dom asked frustratedly. ***** [A/N] * Dom KNEW Hawi sniffed them??? Well this is getting.... unhinged? shitt Chapter 131: Its Been A Long Time [AWUOR] "Well, it seems like we have to keep visiting her so we can tell what the hell is going on. I went with Theo to her and made Theo look like our father, but then she wasn''t even surprised. "The sister I know would have brought down the damn door if that meant getting to us. Remember when Awuor sniffed us when we were at our mother''s funeral? She was so angry even then. "My sister and vengeance go hand in hand. She wouldn''t have held back like that woman did back there. What the fuck does she even want with us?" Dom asked frustratedly. He was right to wonder, really because Hawi had changed a lot over the years. The only difference was that she had grown more lethal and was dly parading in the pretense of a soft woman, a kind woman when all she wanted was to rip her brother''s neck off. It would be soforting to her and that was a truth that even Dom knew. So, what the hell was he to make of this? And would Hawi keep locking out everyone she cared about, while on her mission to doom? "Whoever she is, she certainly had something to do with Malika being unconscious for two weeks. I need to be able to protect my mate, otherwise, nothing will be worth it, not even the power I worked so hard to get from your sister," Jer said defeatedly. He didn''t want to think of Hawi, because he knew that the longer he thought of the woman who had been tormenting him all that time, the more she would be real. And if she ended up being real, then he was so certain that he would be first on Hawi''s hit list. That much was a given. No one would ever be able to save Jer when Hawi finally came for him. That was probably one of the reasons Rukiya was slowly enduring Hawi''s pain on the other side of the pack. "You seriously love that brainless woman, huh?" Domughed at Jer''s stupidity. He couldn''t however spell the stupidity out, because he knew Jer would be mad at him. However, even the blind could tell that what He had done had been crazy. He had gone for a woman from the worst of the worst packs, a woman with no power and one who didn''t even know how to act; like a damn trophy. Meek Malika was an embarrassment to many and to Dom, she would never be the ultimate Luna. There was just no one who would ever match up to the alpha Hawi had always been; even Dominic Sicario knew that. "You wouldn''t know, man. I love her so much it makes me feel like I''ll lose my brain. You are not to touch her no matter what happens. May Malika must be protected at all costs," Jer said as he watched the man behind the dungeons. He truly cared for Malika, even though he didn''t know that his love for Malika would probably be the worst thing that ever happened to him, especially if Hawi gave Malika the go-ahead to be the one to deal with Jer. The skies would mourn for months on end, once Malika would be done with Jer. Oh, but he needed to pray really hard, but then it wasn''t like Hawi would be forgiving either way, right? "I wish you all the best with that. At least this one you can control. Awuor was unpredictable as fuck. She could burn down the world just to make things right. "Oh, and make sure to be on alert, we don''t know what the woman back there could do, just to try and prove to you that she is my dead sister," Dom warned Jer. He was aware of the repercussions of dealing with Hawi or even trying to, for that matter. Dom knew his sister so well that he was sure the skies would turn green if Hawi so-wanted them to. But perhaps even he was counting on his sister''s ability toprehend right from wrong, yeah? "I''m not scared of her. If I managed to take down your sister, the alpha of alphas, I have nothing to worry about," Jer said proudly like it had been an easy feat to take down Hawi. At that, Dom stared at the alpha before him, and he was taped to tell Jeremiah Warner that he hadn''t been able to take down Hawi. No one could take down Hawi and that was something they had known from the beginning. Dom knew something and he wasn''t about to let it out to Jer, because instead of responding to the man, he changed the subject, like he had done listening to the pathetic alpha he had chosen to side with. Well, his choices sure did have consequences and alpha Jer was that one consequence that wouldn''t ever be good for him, or anyone, ever. But what if they were wrong? "Why are we here?" Dom asked, turning to the prisoner before them. He was a familiar face, one that Dom would have loved to interact with over the years, but then the universe and the tidings of fate haven''t given them that chance. So, all they had to go by was just the emptiness and the nk stares that yielded nothing in the end. But was itfortable enough that they could see each other? "We have to check if your father knows anything about Elodie acting up. That bitch is giving me a hard time. She even popped up and tried to save face today," Jerined before he went on to tell Dom how Elodie had saved Malika and him. discover-stories-on-MVLeMpYr It was all so crazy and perfect. A little too perfect, if it got the reigning Sicario alpha to notice. Even then, would Jer manage to convince Dom, when the man was looking at his father who was beaten, bruised, and broken courtesy of Jer himself and the warlock they had chosen the side with? Funny how Hawi was too much a force to be reckoned with, to the point that they had done everything humanely and supernaturally possible to make sure that she had no reason toe back home if ever she was alive somewhere out there. "She really wants to be the beta, huh? And why would you let her protect the woman you love?" Dom asked, even though he wasn''t interested in listening to a love-struck Jeremiah. It was just a waste of his time, but then they were on the same side, so he needed to be supportive and shit. "She is the perfect fit for the job. Besides, she attacked Malika because she thought I killed you. I don''t know what goes on in that woman''s head. I wouldn''t even want to think about it right now," Jer sighed as Domughed at the alpha''s reasoning. If that was the same brain he was using to run Sicario, then Jer could as well surrender himself to the mad woman in their dungeons who looked like Hawi, right? "Kane came after YOU? Because she thought you killed me? Damn, that woman must be out of her mind or something. She doesn''t like me, and would rather fight me than fight for me, and yet she came after you for me? "I''m not sure if that should make me feel special or worried for my life," Dom said and Jer just punched him. It was not an easy thing to do, and the longer he was around Elodie, the more Jer got concerned with what the woman wanted. At least this time she had been clear about the beta position. But how long would it take before she changed her mind and started thinking of something else? "You''re already dead in her eyes you little fucker," Jer reminded the young Sicario who seemed to have forgotten he had a wake earlier. "If you put it like that, then it seems I still have a chance with her," Dom said, ignoring what Jer had just said. "That bitch likes women, bro. The day she tells you she wants you, just run," Jer said and they both burst intoughter, especially since that was the turn of the matter. It was hopeless for them. "Hello, Papa, you look so worn out," Dom greeted the man they had been staring at in the dungeon. The former alpha, Sicario. The real alpha anyway. Chapter 132: Someone Just Like You * Double update woo! We might be going premium next month prepare thyselves lmao [AWUOR] "Hello Papa, you look so worn out," Dom greeted the man they had been staring at in the dungeon. The former alpha, Sicario. Dom may have been here with his father but he hadn''t ever oncee to see the man. It was like they didn''t have any other rtionship, which was questionable since the man had been forced into that dungeon for his alleged murder of the song that was staring at him. "He must be going out of his mind. He tried to escape fifty times in the past week alone. Your family is nuts sometimes," Jer said as he looked at the distraught alpha in the dungeons. He looked so beaten and bruised. The Sicario alpha was covered in dried blood. His face was scarred, his throat bruised and he had dark marks all over him. He looked so terrible it was hard to even tell that this was the same man who had been in power, the man who had fathered Awuor Hawi Sicario. He looked like he had been to hell and back, and he would always belong there for some reason. Oh, but the alpha was broken, both literally and mentally. He couldn''t even handle hearing what his son was saying, because he hated the betrayal. He hated that his son had betrayed him, of all the people in the world. Well, if Dom had betrayed Hawi, who was his best friend and sister, who was his father, right? Or maybe that was supposed to be an exception for some reason, yeah? "I wonder what he will do if he hears we have caught a woman who looks like my sister," Dom said as he roughly tapped the bars of the dungeon his father was in. He knew that this wasn''t fair for the man, but then he had known too much. His father had found out about their horrifying truth, which made it even harder for him to be killed. His father had learned things that they weren''t ready to share with the world, ever. Maybe that was not reason enough for a son to want his father dead, but with greed in the mix, there wasn''t much left to be considered anyway. Life was shit and he wasn''t going to try and y the good soldier, because even he knew that it didn''t suit him. "He''s probably hallucinating. Perhaps we should drag his ass to that woman, right?" Jer said and Dom just nodded in agreement like that was the best idea that he had ever heard in a long time. It was crazy, what the both of them were more than willing to do, the lengths to which they were more than ready to drag the former alpha to. They knew he couldn''t protest because, with a broken trachea, there was just no way he could say shit, not to mention he didn''t even have a tongue. Alpha Sicario was on his own and in the worst of ways, which didn''t make his life any easier. "Alright, let me open the door," Dom said as he grabbed the keys from his pocket and opened the door that was staring at them. "Hey papa, we have your daughter. Your Hawi is back," Dom taunted and alpha Sicario just groaned. He had been going crazy the whole time he was locked here. The alpha had had the displeasure of watching his son fake his death and him taking the me for it. If they hadn''t used magic to suppress his abilities, Sicario would have straight-up murdered his son. your-MVLeMpYr-source He couldn''t fathom how he had raised such a monster. He had always hoped that Hawi was somewhere out there or that Hawi woulde home and fix things. But if he knew that his daughter was back, would that relieve him? Would it make his life better? Would it benefit him in any way? And more than anything, would it give the poor locked-up alpha hope that life would be better? There was so much he had been dealing with in here, but he couldn''t everin. "He won''t speak. But let''s take him on that little tour," Jer said and Domughed, staring at him after. He knew the man was weak and a part of him wanted to pity his father, but he wasn''t in the capacity of that. He hadmitted one too many crimes against the house of Sicario that he wouldn''t ever be able to fix. He was also certain his father would never forgive him for what he had done. So, he chose to go along with it. If anything, Jer loved power and he wanted to be in charge. Granted, Jer seemed to be in power, but Dom was the one calling the shots. In the end, Jeremiah Warner subscribed to a lifetime role of being the Sicario household piper. Perhaps it suited him well, yeah? "Are you sure? He could be a nuisance to us," Dom said and Jer just stared at him like he wasn''t serious. Well, the argument didn''t make any sense because they had been nning this for months and months. Now that they were so close to eliminating the final pawn on the chessboard, they couldn''t be backtracking. They couldn''t just let everything fall apart like that. "Dude, we don''t have enough time to be ying games with him. Get in there and bring him out," Jer said as he stood outside the dungeon. He was scared of going into the Sicario alpha''s dungeon because he knew for a fact that the alpha wouldn''t ever forgive him. He knew the alpha was still strong and would try to hurt him if he went in there. This was also why he had insisted on Dom, because the alpha may have been angry, but he would never harm his kids. Maybe that made him a soft alpha, but wasn''t it with that soft nature that he had managed to nurture the craziest alpha to ever exist? "Fine whatever," Dom said as he fit into the dark dungeon and used his werewolf sight to see his father. The lighting was dim here, but it was enough for him to get a good look at the man who had cared for him since before he even knew himself. Sighing, Dom held onto his father''s arm, gently like he was afraid he would harm the man. He was delicate with him to the point that anyone would think that he still cared for his father, but then the Sicario alpha knew better. His son was nothing but an imbecile. As Dom helped his rebelling father up, he couldn''t help but notice how weak the alpha had gotten. He couldn''t even get up on his own, and his arms were fractured. However, it didn''t take long for Dom to realize what had happened, and boy was he pissed. "What the fuck happened to his legs?" Dom asked worriedly as he hid the concern in his voice. He also didn''t want to show that he was pissed off because if he showed it, he wouldn''t let Jeremiah live and he needed to see the end of the project he had betrayed his family for. That was probably the only reason He was alive but would it change the betrayal? "We broke his legs because he was constantly trying to escape. Is that going to be a problem for you?" Jer asked, hitting a tone that left no room for questions but Dom didn''t care. He never thought he would see him after this week, and that disgusted him and made him angry. It was like his father had been reduced to whatever the hell this was. But was he any better than the in Luna Eni Sicario? "If I''m the one carrying him to that fake sister then yes. Help me out here," Dom said angrily after a long silence like he was contemting what to say and how to react because he couldn''t let himself twist Jer''s neck. He however couldn''t do that today, even though with every word that came from the man''s mouth, Jer was slowly thinking of teaching Her a lesson. Defeatedly, Jer sighed before they both helped the alpha up and walked him to the one where Hawi was. "Hey, sis. Look who I brought. I figured if you were real you''d already know that the man I came with earlier wasn''t our father. "But not to worry, we''ll open the door so you can see father dearest," Dom''s voice interrupted Hawi''s empty thoughts making her look at Jer nkly, though what she saw made her want to quit the pretense and go to her father. What the hell was even this and how the fuck had things escted this much? Chapter 133: The Costly Slip-Up... But Was It? [AWUOR] "Hey, sis. Look who I brought. I figured if you were real you''d already know that the man I came with earlier wasn''t our father. But not to worry, we''ll open the door so you can see Father dearest," Dom''s voice interrupted Hawi''s empty thoughts. Awuor Hawi Sicario didn''t say anything, even when the door to her little prison was open. Instead, she just got out and stood on the side, like she already knew that this was what they had expected of her. So much was going on in her head. Hawi was trying to connect one too many dots whirring in her head. The man she had meant to hate was standing there, in silence, looking at Hawi like everything was just fucked up. He didn''t even have the desire to live anymore. Alpha Sicario had changed a lot. His eyes that once had life, were empty and lonely. His heart was clearly broken, and he looked worse than anything Hawi had thought possible. The father she knew had always been a warrior with a strong spirit, but the man before her was different, new to her even. She hadn''t thought there woulde a day when the great Sicario would be looking like a warrior who had suffered through all the seasons of war. He was in terrible shape and Hawi felt her heart sink into her stomach. This wasn''t what she had expected, but then at this point, it was safe to say her brother was more than willing to prove to her that not everything was what it seemed. "You must really be desperate. Is he the mole you went to look for?" Hawi asked coldly as she took in the appearance of her father. She could smell his natural woody scent, something that broke her heart. Malika was right. Her father was held here. Her father was being tortured and had no way of getting out; and now that she looked at her brother who was alive and well, Hawi knew that their father had been innocent. There was more than met the eye with these two and how she wished she could make things better for him. "Well, what do you think, huh, Hawi? Anyway, we broke his legs so he couldn''t run away. How''s that for the worst?" Dom said and Hawi almost broke her facade. Her brother had be something else, not to mention Jer was smiling sinisterly like he knew something the Sicario siblings did not. He was too calm and seemed to be enjoying whatever interaction the brother and his supposed sister were having. "Oh yeah?" Hawi said absentmindedly, as she thought back to Rukiya''s words from two years ago, a conversation that she should have paid more attention to, and one that should''ve been an eye-opener to her and everything else she had experienced. But was Hawi toote for this realization? ******* [shback, Two years Ago, The Sicario Gates] "You don''t get it, do you? I am saving you because my mother made a promise to yours, the promise to save you even if it meant for yourself. If it were me, I wouldn''t have wasted my time. "Consider this me doing your mother a favor and keeping her promise with my mother," Rukiya bit back angrily before continuing, "Did it ever ur to you why your mother didn''t tell you about your brother''s ploys? "She already knew you were powerful, so why would she sacrifice herself for you? Why would she give up everything for the daughter who could defend herself? Think Awuor, think! "I would like to believe you are not dense, so please, think," Rukiya said when she had freed her arm from Awuor. She could tell it was a rough topic for the woman, but if he was nning to go back to Sicario and face off with her family. "You don''t know shit," Awuor growled at Rukiya who was just staring at her with a bored face now. They were both stubborn, but somehow their goals were simr. Whatever they were doing right now, was because of Luna Eni. It was like they were trying to make do with whatever they had to get through the fact that she was dead, but did that even matter now? Awuor was hated by her people. Her brother and mate had gotten what they wanted and her father, he had given up on her. Maybe Awuor was giving up on herself too and that''s why she so desperately needed to go back home so that they could lock her up before she went insane in the freends. "Listen, Alpha Awuor, I know your mother sacrificed herself for you. I know she could have used her powers as Luna and stopped her son and son-inw from doing the unthinkable but instead, she sacrificed herself. For you. "Whether you like it or not, your mother is dead and it is on you. So, you can either waltz in there in the pretense of seeing a grave that is well preserved, or you cane with me and find ways to get the answers you need. "The real answer as to why your mother had to die just so you white wolf would be activated," Rukiya insisted, pissing Awuor off even more. She was however telling her the truth that she wasn''t ready for what, though? It wasn''tmon for Luna to be friends, but to befriend Luna who people were looking down on because of her husband was something else. Eni knew what she was doing, and she had been a friend to Razia till the very end. thanks-for-reading-on-NovelBin "If that is too much for you, if you think that was far-fetched, think of the punishment your father gave you and how bizarre it was. If he was going to banish you, why not strip you of your alpha positionpletely? "Why let you walk out with your crown and power? Why warn you to never create a pack or they would kill your new members? "It just doesn''t make any sense because packs are meant for people to move on, and even the goddess would deny you that, so why did your father tell you not to? Why not close off the mind links between you and your people all this while then? "I agree, the punishment was bizarre, but if your father truly believed you killed your mother, he would have made you a feral, not an alpha without a pack¡ª" "Because he expected me to find my way back home," Awuor said, realizing hitting her so hard that she was in shock. Rukiya looked at the packless alpha, and hoped that she now understood what this all meant. "You have to find out why the alpha would do that, and why he wants you to go back home, when he knows your idiot of a mate is the temporary alpha of the pack. If you still want to break the gates of Sicario, then you can go ahead to Alpha Awuor. "However, at least try and think of the sacrifices your parents have made. Sure, they were not so conventional about them, but they did it in a manner that would allow you to identify yourself. You survived in the freends where the rogues roamed. "You survived the gas Adolf released. You survived the clog of penance. You survived a lot of things, and if you wanna ruin it, that''s your choice alpha. "At least my mother and I tried to keep you sane," Rukiya said to Awuor, before she began walking back home, with her call for bananas not slowing down anytime soon. She had to keep up the act and she had to give the banished alpha a choice. Maybe whatever Rukiya had said was true, but did that matter now? * [End of shback] **** ''Shit, Ruru was right?'' Hawi asked herself as she looked at her father. This wasn''t the way she had thought she would meet the senior alpha but goddamn, what the hell had just happened? "Hey, are you even listening to us, Hawi?" Dom asked when he noticed that Hawi was just staring at her father with a nk face. ''He''s never called me Hawi,'' Hawi thought to herself as she turned to her brother, the realization dawning on her a little too hard, as her heart shattered to pieces. Her real brother was dead, definitely murdered. Whoever this was... was an impostor. **** [A/N] * Do you think Jer killed the real Dom? * Is Dom really dead or is Hawi holding onto straws? * Why is Jer constantly smirking? Chapter 134: Did Family Mean Something? [AWUOR] ''Shit, Ruru was right?'' Hawi asked herself as she looked at her father. This wasn''t the way she had thought she would meet the senior alpha but goddamn, what the hell had just happened? "Hey, are you even listening to us, Hawi?" Dom asked when he noticed that Hawi was just staring at her father with a nk face. ''He''s never called me Hawi,'' Hawi thought to herself as she turned to her brother, the realization dawning on her a little too hard, as her heart shattered to pieces. Her real brother was dead, definitely murdered. Whoever this was... was an impostor. "Dammit, what the fuck happened to you?" Dom asked again and this time, Hawi heard him right. He had once again called her Hawi, instead of Awuor like he used to. Maybe Hawi was overthinking. Besides, if her brother was dead, then she would have truly felt it. She would have felt the true rage that came with losing someone so close, just like the rage she had felt when her mother died. "Maybe she finally realized that she isn''t ever going to defeat us," Jer said with a dark chuckle, while Dom wasn''t sure if that was truly the reason for the nk stare his sister was giving them. Thinking back to the previous instances, Hawi could tell that it all happened. The man before her had clearly been in these dungeons for the longest time, asionally being shown off to the public as some trophy. Her father had changed when she left home and Hawi felt her heart shatter for the thousandth time. Her father had no power in Sicario. He was just another man who had happened to be unfortunate enough to be hated by Jer and Dom. Her father never stood a chance against them. He suffered because of her because he had been protecting her and as Hawi watched her brother and her ex work together to make their father''s life hard, Hawi swore to burn them all. "How the fuck am I to know if this is not another magical illusion. Seems like you''re so good at it, don''t you think?" Hawi asked boredly as she looked at her brother. How the hell had Dom changed so much? Power sure did corrupt, but Hawi couldn''t wrap her head around the fact that her brother, the man who loved their father even more than Hawi loved her father, was the one who was fighting the man. It was just impossible. Dom and Sicario had been the inseparable father and son duo. Of course, when Sicario chose Hawi for the leadership, Dom felt left out, but then he epted it. Everything had been so fine and their rtionship had been good. So how the fuck had such a dedicated man changed this much? How had he gone from the man who respected and loved their father, to a man who wanted his father dead, and bragged about it? "You really are a piece of work, even for an impostor of my dead mate," Jer said and this time, Hawi let out augh, one that was too familiar. She couldn''t believe she had once considered the dumb fuck before her as a good mate. Love sure did blind. "Impostor, huh? Well, you might be right. I may be an impostor, but someone had to be the Hawi that Sicario needs, not this madness you have turned the pack she worked so hard for. "Wherever Awuor is, her soul must be turning in her grave for the disgrace you have brought upon Sicario," Hawi said, trying to maintain her neutral tone but the urge to smack her brother and Jer into the afterlife was a little too intense. "What do you want?" Jer asked and Hawi looked at her father. She could tell he was in so much pain and figured that while they were close, she would try to do at least one good thing to show her father that she was alive and real. It was risky, but it was something she needed to do for her sake and whatever was left of her sanity. Perhaps it would give her hope, but wasn''t she hoping for a little too much at this point anyway? ''Papa¡­ I''ll heal you. I''m so sorry for the mess I dragged you into. I really am sorry, papa,'' Hawi said to her father when she seeded in creating a mind link. The protectors and Malika had taught her to create instant mind links when they were in enemy territory. "For starters, I want you to find a way to make this old man believe that I am his daughter. Then, I want to be part of your ruling of Sicario. I don''t wantnd or even need the power. "But since you asked so nicely, I want a seat at the adult table. Otherwise, I''ll tell the person who sent me, that Dom is alive. Before you start threatening me with murder and making my life hard, I was sent by the lycans¡ª "¡ªMore specifically, Jabali Lihle, or as you know her, Mbali. I''m immortal so you technically can''t do shit to me, without risking wiping off Sicario from the maps of the realm," Hawi said so casually to Jer, while looking at her father who''d shut his eyes. He was in so much pain it was agonizing to watch. Hawi hoped that her father would open up and let them chat. She wasn''t sure what the fuck she was expecting, but the fact that everything had led them to this point, had to mean something. Besides, there was no telling when she would see him again. This was just her hoping that her father would ept her proposal. ''Papa please¡ª'' Hawi asked again in the mind link and the alpha let out a cough, though it came out as a groan since he didn''t exactly have a functioning tracheal in the first ce. However, that was enough for Hawi. At least her father was alive. His subconscious was active; now all Hawi needed to do was wait. "You''re asking a lot for someone far from home," Dom snickered. "And you''re breathing a little too fast, for someone who is supposed to be dead. Who knows, perhaps the magic I used on you is finally catching up, eh?" Hawi said knowing so well that it would fuck with him. -official She had known her brother so well and she knew it was easy to mess with Dom and make him believe that he was dying. There wasn''t a creature in the realm that feared death like Dominic Sicario. Perhaps that had also been the reason Hawi hade to her brother''s funeral, to see for herself, because she knew her brother had to have been scared of death. She hade to send him off well and give him sce. But now as it was, she should have just snapped his neck herself. ''I know you don''t trust me, papa. I know you don''t even believe that it''s me. Hell if I wasn''t the white wolf, I wouldn''t have believed it too,'' Hawi said in the link and her father looked up, this time, opening his eyes to his daughter for the first time in forever. Oh, the relief Hawi felt was so immense. He finally recognized her. "You''re crazy. You don''t get a seat at the table," Jer said with a tone of finality. "Then don''t me me if Malika starts acting bipr¡­" Hawi tormented, knowing it would screw with Jer''s mind. Chapter 135: Booked A Dance With A Ghost * Hii! Ie bearing gifts ... Not the chapter content though... you might want a few cups of coffee / caffeine doses, a handkerchief or popcorn - depending on how this chapter makes you feel. It gives me a little bit of both though. * Anyway back to my gifts, I''ll be updating thrice a week from next week until the end of December and then January 1st, 2024, we start off with 4-6 premium chapters a day until the end of the book. * Have fun!... or Hugs... *evilughter ***** [AWUOR] thank-you-for-using-NovelBin "You''re crazy. You don''t get a seat at the table," Jer said with a tone of finality. "Then don''t me me if Malika starts acting bipr. You know, like one moment she''s the Malika everyone knows, and the next, she''s this powerful woman, definitely possessed, since normal Malika doesn''t even know how to brush her hair perfectly. "But hey. I''m not fit for a seat at the table right?" Hawi tormented, knowing it would screw with Jer''s mind. "What?" Jer asked, thinking back to the strangemanding voice Malika had used when she silenced the whole room earlier. It was not normal and he was worried for his mate. Maybe he was just not ready to think that Malika could be that powerful, but what would he do when the truth was staring at him in the form of Malika''s sword? "Ooohh¡­. So, she has started acting strange. That is just perfect for me. I just have to get her to anger the most powerful bitch in the whole realm and everything will be fine right? "I bet Rukiya Greyson wants to mop the floor with your dear Malika''s face right now. I wonder what Elodie will do if she is faced with saving her Luna from Rukiya and saving herself from Rukiya Greyson. "Do you really think your new beta would go against that psycho, Rukiya, for a Luna who can''t do shit for herself?" Hawi added and Jer was getting more and more worried. Hawi was making guesses and she didn''t know what was happening out there, but then she had yed enough maniption games in her lifetime to know how Jer''s mind worked. She also knew that Malika would be bothered since she had felt Hawi''s pain earlier. It was all just the perfect mix to drive the alpha crazy. But did Hawi even care about that, especially now that she was trying to understand her father? ''Hawi?'' Sicario finally responded to his daughter whose attention instantly shifted to him, muting out all the voices that were around them. It had been two years since thest time she heard her father''s voice and there was a safety that came with it. It made her feel like she was never going to be alone. There was a kind offort that only a father could give and staring at her father right now, Hawi knew she would be okay. Besides, her father always knew what to do, and say to her. ''Papa,'' Hawi said softly to her father who was in terrible shape. She wanted to hug him and let him know that she would be winning the battle for him, that she would free him even if it was thest thing she would do. ''Let me heal you Pa. We don''t have much time, but I can fix you,'' Hawi said, as she looked at her father''s sunken eyes. He was tired and that much was obvious, but Hawi also knew her father was sick of the pain he was feeling. ''I''m fine, child. You''ll need your energy in theing days. Where is your protector?'' Sicario asked as he studied his daughter. His little girl had grown up and he was a proud father. He loved her so much he could protect her if he had to. But then he had done his best when he handed his child over to the protectors of the realm. They were the only people he was sure would protect Hawi. Granted, they would probably protect Hawi for their selfish reasons, but they would protect his child nheless. ''Handling issues on the surface. She''s currently married to Jer,'' Hawi said and her father looked at her like he was about to have a heart attack. Hawi had so many things she needed to say to her father, but she needed to first get him out of there. ''I''m sorry, I failed to protect you, my little Hawi,'' Sicario said dejectedly as he hadpletely failed the mission. But then his little girl was here, alive and well. She was still as powerful as before, so there was no reason for the alpha to doubt, but what if there was? ''No, papa. She''s married to Jer because of a n we have in ce. She''s doing it to protect me. Don''t worry, she would die before she lets anyone harm me. I''m fine, Pa. You didn''t fail,'' Hawi said sadly, and reassuringly. ''And Olyana?'' ''Yeah she took me there for training,'' Hawi said curiously, not understanding where this conversation was headed. They would have a lot of time once out of here, so what was the point in hurrying, right? ''Then I can die peacefully,'' Sicario said as he eyed the de that was poking Hawi. the determination on his face was scary and Hawi didn''t pick-up right-on time, because she just stared at him, wondering what the fuck the man meant by that. The first thing Hawi wanted to ask was whether her father was sick, but then even with his broken trachea, Malika''s magic would be able to heal him and restore him to his original state. ''What?'' Hawi asked, only to be pushed roughly to the side, as her father grabbed the spinning de and thrust it into his heart, shocking everyone.Of the things Awuor Hawi had expected at her first reunion with father dearest, his suicide hadn''t been it. "Noo!!!" Hawi screamed in anger and frustration as she saw her father die right before her. Her scream created a huge st and the dungeons began crumbling. Everything wasing apart. However, that wasn''t important at the moment. She looked at her father, as the blood spilled from his body, till he fell lip, dead. Hawi had been in shock and hadn''t yetprehended what the hell had just happened. One thing that she knew of, was that this shouldn''t have happened. Her father shouldn''t have died like this. Not when she had finally connected the dots and hade to save her. Her anger that she had when she came to seek her father out for her brother''s murder was long gone, and in its ce, was the fury of a raging white wolf. Oh, but Awuor Hawi was mad. "Dude, you want to bury us alive here?" Dom asked as he looked at her. ''I''ll never forgive you for this, ever,'' Hawi defeatedly whispered, as she looked at her dead father. "A seat at the table. Do I have it or not?" Hawi asked angrily, as her eyes turned red, and her white hair began turning red from the anger she was feeling. She was furious and wanted blood. "What the fuck was that?" An older woman showed up when she felt the tunnels crumbling. The empire they had struggled to build under her was crumbling, but the woman at the center of it all hadn''t even started tearing them apart. "The bitch wants a seat at the table, Ajuoga," Dom said and the woman just chuckled darkly as she stared Hawi down. "Who the fuck is she to demand a seat at the table with me?" Ajuoga asked and Hawi stared at them. There already were sharp des forming from her father''s blood and she wasn''t even doing anything. It was her anger and her magic that were doing the subconscious construction. Her father''sst breath, reying in her head, was the straw for Hawi as she started pushing the des and spikes toward the trio before her. She was done ying nice with a bunch of people who had worked so hard to take both her parents from her. She had deserved a family and yet her brother had managed to take that too for her. Hawi wasn''t going to forgive them, and she wasn''t going to forget what happened here. Hell, the entire realm would remember what it meant to cross Awuor Hawi Sicario. Until then, she still had a bargain to strike. "A seat at the table," Hawi growled out as she watched them squirm in realization. To them, she was just another powerful Lycan, one on a mission and one who had failed her mission. "Are you crying? For a man you were sent to retrieve? You must be crazy," Jer said casually as he pretended like he wasn''t affected by what he was seeing. But he was, and Hawi could hear his heartbeats beating so loudly in his head. "I can smell your fear, Jeremiah Warner," Hawi said as she made steps towards them, the tears from her eyes clouding her sight, but she knew that there was only one thing she wanted right now. Vengeance. *** [A/N] * I justpleted the book that was before this one, so you all got my undivided attention keke. I''ll see you guys more frequently. * Also like I mentioned before, I''ll update 4-6 premium chapters starting in January. * For those who don''t know what premium chapters means, it means that the chapters will be locked and you will have to spend a few coins to open the chapters, since a girl''s gotta eat and pay for wifi lol. * You don''t have to worry about the book being iplete, I''ll stop updating only when we reach the LAST chapter. * I hope to see you guys then, and thank you for the support. Cheers to many more Hawi adventures. * Also it''s about to get real MESSY. * Adios! Chapter 136: Betrayal’s Awfully Familiar Face [AWUOR] "Are you crying? For a man you were sent to retrieve? You must be crazy," Jer said casually as he pretended like he wasn''t affected by what he was seeing. But he was, and Hawi could hear his heartbeats beating so loudly in his head. "I can smell your fear, Jeremiah Warner," Hawi said as she made steps towards them, the tears from her eyes clouding her sight, but she knew that there was only one thing she wanted right now. Vengeance. "Ajuoga, do something!!" Dom said when he realized how dire the situation was. Things were getting a little out of hand and he hadn''t expected this. Well, he hadn''t expected a whole lot of things and more specifically his sister''s doppelganger showing up was definitely on top of the list of the unexpected. Whatever was happening, Dom knew he was fucked and he needed to think of a way out. And the warlock with them was definitely it for them, or their doom. It all just depended on whatever the hell they would do and how fast they were. NovelBin-the-story-tform "She can''t beat me, BROTHER. She can never beat me, because no one has ever defeated me. No one. A seat at the table, or I kill you and take the entire table for myself. Decide fast," Hawi said as she red at them. She knew she sounded obsessed with whatever that table was, but it was the only way for her to get into the specifics of the horrors that had happened in Sicario on the night she found her ws retracting from her mother''s neck. It wasn''t something easy for her, but then losing her father right in front of her, had been thest straw for the Alpha who tried to lead a normal life in exile. "You''re crazy, woman. You''re even blending into my sister''s identity? Oh, you''re crazy, really crazy," Dom said and Hawi chuckled darkly. Her brother hadn''t seen whatever she was about to do yet, and he was already fretting. What a coward. "Stop being this reckless, woman," Jer said as he looked at the woman before them. Hawi had sted some of the ice particles tinier so they were breathing it. With her magic, she was protected, but as for the trio here, no matter what their answer was, the particles that contained her father''s blood and pain would be in their system and she would make sure to ruin their lives slowly. The blood particles were dangerous, given that these people were no match for Hawi''s magic or her father''s powers. That meant that she had simply concocted a breathable poison for the trio. The kind of poison that would eat their insides ever so slowly and take them out. It was the poison that would never have a cure because Hawi Sicario wasn''t going to be showing anyone mercy. "Fine fine. You can join us, goddammit. Please don''t use your blood rage on us!" Ajuoga said as she created a portal that was to take them out of the fingers and bring them back to the pack house and more specifically the alpha''s office. It was a quick escape from the crumbling dungeons that had gotten worse with every breath that Hawi took. It was almost like she was so done with them and was determined to take them out. Ajuoga knew something, a possible reality that would snap the best friends back to life and turn them into whatever the hell Hawi wanted. Perhaps she would escape first. Right? "The blood rage?" Dom asked worriedly. He had never heard of a blood rage, but he had a feeling it was the kind of rage that wouldn''t do any of them any good, especially with where they were. No one ever mentioned the blood rage in the books he had read, but then it had been a while since he paid attention to the books. His sister''s leaving had made it a little hard for him to concentrate on learning more. However, what if the warlock with them was just bluffing to make it seem that they were scared when they weren''t? What if they were pulling Hawi''s leg? But then with the states they were in and the dead Sicario Alpha''s blood forming thicker des, it was a long shot. "Yes, go through the damn portal already, this ce is crumbling for fucks sake," Ajuoga said to the duo and they didn''t waste any time in going through. They needed to be safe for their ns to work, and if this woman was as dangerous as the warlock was saying, then they needed to be out of here as soon as yesterday.The passage for Jer and Dom was easy. However, when the time came for Ajuoga to go through the portal, Jer wed his hand, making it bleed, before he shook his blood through the portal, making it impassable for Ajuoga. No one ever went through a portal that had been tainted by blood, especially if it wasn''t blood that had been seen before the portal was created. Jeremiah Warner had just betrayed the warlock who could have helped them on the other side, but then it seemed like he sacrificed Ajuoga to distract Hawi froming after them. However, who was to tell the dumb alpha that there was nothing on the face of the earth and even the heavens that would stop the bloodbath that wasing for them? "Nooo!!!" the warlock screamed as she watched the portal she created disappear and even burn her hands in the process. She had been betrayed by the same people she had betrayed Hawi for. Hawi, who was watching the whole thing, just let out a dark chuckle as the warlock''s eyes widened. The poor woman knew she was down for and knew that no matter what would happen, she wasn''t going toe out of this alive. The dice had been cast and the two friends had cast her aside, south gigs that weren''t even surprising to Hawi. "It''s just you and me, now, Nana," Hawi said as the ground shook. The woman before her was their house warlock, a woman her mother had trusted and loved like a sister. Ajuoga had been one of the key advisors on Luna Eni''s team. She had been treated and given power, yet as it was, she had betrayed Hawi and the house Sicari, for people who wouldn''t even have her back when the battle came to. It was like she had been wasted and nothing she did would ever change that. Then again, Hawi was not going to think of that. The only thing she saw when she looked at the woman before her, was the audacity the bitch had to betray the one woman who was also way pure at heart, a woman who had spread nothing but love and light in the entire Sicario. Thinking of her mother made Hawi want to kill this woman quickly and easily, but would she grant Ajuoga that mercy? Or any mercy for that matter? "What?" Ajuoga asked and Hawi justughed angrily, before she directed all the des towards the woman, making sure to stab her with as many as possible. She used so much force that he could see the woman''s blood sputtering, but Hawi didn''t care about that. "Oh, you''re not going to die from this, Nana. Not yet." Chapter 137: Nothing To Live For Anymore [AWUOR] "What?" Ajuoga asked and Hawi justughed angrily, before she directed all the des towards the woman, making sure to stab her with as many as possible.She used so much force that she could see Ajuoga''s blood sputtering, but Hawi didn''t care. Betrayal always had a price, and torture was just an additional package that Hawi had been so kind to add to the subscription. She would make sure that this woman experienced the worst of it all. "Oh, you''re not going to die from this, Nana. Not yet," Hawi said as she cast a spell to temporarily stop the ce they were standing in from being buried in the rubble. Seeing her father in the distance, Hawi pulled her father''s lifeless body towards her. Her broken heart was making her lose bnce and sight. She wanted to cry out, but she knew she couldn''t, not while she was standing in front of this woman. Hawi refused to give in to the pain and let the woman seed in seeing her tears. She wouldn''t let her. She had to fight for what was hers, and more than anything, she had to fight herself to make sure that this woman didn''t see her crumble. "Who are you?" Ajuoga asked worriedly like she didn''t know who could have had such rage. She may havee to the party a littlete, but she had been smart enough to know that Hawi was experiencing the white wolf''s blood rage, something that only happened to the chosen white wolves. Hawi was the only living white wolf of her kind. . Or maybe the woman knew but she was hoping that it was false. Maybe she was hoping that the girl she betrayed hadn''te to murder her in retribution. Oh, if only wishes were that sacred for her. If only. "It''s me, nana. Awuor Hawi Sicario. Y''know, the little girl you used to sing for? The one you pampered and shit? It''s me, the girl after you, the one who just realized that all this time, you betrayed us. "You could have done anything except betray the one family that took you in, trusted you, loved you, and even protected you when the warlocks wanted your head. But hey, you just had to be the root of the chaos, no? "Tell me, Nana, why did you betray Papa and Mama?" Hawi asked and the woman before her stared at her with wide eyes. It was more than obvious that Ajuoga had expected Hawi to be alive, but right now, that didn''t matter to Hawi. She was fuming and her hair was so close topletely running red. If all her hair turned red, then she would be unstoppable. She would be the monster that many hadn''t seen, and her role as the white wolf would be handed over to another generation in the next thousand years. However, Hawi had more pressing things than those. She needed answers. Hawi wanted her answers and this bastard woman would give them to her. "Awuor?" the warlock, Ajuoga asked and Hawi just stared boredly, before asking the same question, seeing as this woman was pretending to be hard of hearing. Maybe she was, given that the sound of the other crumbling tunnels was filling the space and the sist was slowly filling where they were. Even then, Hawi had only one desire; she would get it,e hell or high water. "Why? Why did you betray my family? Why did you help Jer? What the hell was this about? Did you kill Ma and frame me for it? What the fuck happened?" Hawi asked angrily as she pressed the des in Ajuoga with her magic. Oh, but Hawi was so mad she could have chopped this woman in seconds. She couldn''t understand what was so good about betrayal that the woman had chosen it. She could have lived a happy life, one that didn''t have any hurdles. Ajuoga could have been made the high warlock when Hawi took over as the white wolf. She would have had more power than was possible, but then she had chosen betrayal, and boy did it break Hawi''s heart even more. Betrayal truly hurt because this time, betrayal had a familiar face, one she had dared to love and gotten her heart shattered. "Even if I tell you, you will still kill me, Awuor. So, what''s the point?" the woman said before she used whatever was left of her magic, to grab one of the des and stab herself in the neck, resulting in her bleeding to death. It was crazy, but then there wasn''t anything else Hawi could do other than watch her heart break for the hundredth time again. Perhaps this was what she had been reduced to. Maybe this was who she was to be; a lonely girl in a world where people were happy, a lost girl in a ce where there were so many. Her heart couldn''t take it anymore. The betrayal, the anger, the pain, it was all too much for her. "Noo!!!" Hawi full-on growled as the woman who had the probable answers died right before her. She had been so desperate and yet once again, the universe was mocking her desperation by making her lose more than anyone would in a little pan. It was clear that she had lost her brother for the second time too. Earlier, Hawi had hoped her brother hadn''t been real, but there were things that only Dominic Sicario could do, and Dom had proven them in the little time that Hawi had been with him in the dungeon. It broke her already broken heart, but what else was there for her anyway? It wasn''t like she could turn to the skies and ask for help, when the goddess was screwing her over and again. "I''ll burn them all," Hawi said defeatedly as she wiped her tears while watching the dead woman next to her. She hated this. She had lost her, a woman she trusted, and at the same time, she had lost her father and brother. There were only so many losses that she could take. But then again, on the brighter part of her downsides, Hawi no longer had anything to lose. She was alone,pletely and utterly alone with no one to call her family. Malika was her protector; Rukiya was her sworn army leader. Perhaps it would remain so for a while, though Hawi knew that they wouldn''t let her fight this alone. Hawi was done thinking that people cared, because her nana had just broken thest piece of her humanity. "Aaahh!!" Hawi cried out as she watched the ground crumble around her. She wasn''t even trying to save herself this time. The ground was shaking so hard that even the skies had joined in. "I''m so sorry, papa. I''m sorry I didn''t trust you enough. I''m so sorry," Hawi said as she hugged her father. She hated goodbyes, and yet the fates were forcing her to say goodbyes over and over again. "I guess I''ll just join you and Ma," Hawi whispered defeatedly before she removed the barrier that was preventing the tunnels from copsing on her. She had nothing to live for anymore. And so, with onest apology to her father, she let the ground crumble on her, crashing her in the process. Awuor Hawi would never be seen again. The white wolf was dead. Chapter 138: The First Sign of Danger * Happy New Month / Seasons Greetings!! Apologies in advance for the possible heartbreaks, and destruction in the near future. [SICARIO] Leaving Sicario, Rukiya Greyson could feel her heart constrict even more. She could feel Hawi''s pain intensifying, and she knew it was just a matter of time before she had to share with their friends that she could feel Hawi''s pain. Even though Rukiya promised herself she would tell Malika at ater time, given Hawi was in this much pain, she was certain wouldn''t have to wait for three days anymore. She needed to get her affairs in order, but what was there to be sorted when everything was slowing? ''What is taking them so damn long?'' Mbali, who had been waiting outside the Sicario gates, thought to herself as she watched the alphase out and leave. She had been hoping to get a sighting of Hawi, but when she saw Rukiya and Adolf, she figured that these two would make do. Maybe there would be an easier exnation that didn''t want her ruining people''s lives, not that Mbali would mind it anyway. "Where is Hawi?" Mbali asked suddenly, making Rukiya lose her bnce for a moment. "Goodness woman, do you want me to die too? Why the fuck are you even here and what the hell do you mean by where is Hawi¡­ my goodness, you scared the shit out of me, fuck!" Rukiya shouted as she tried to control her voice. She had been so cooped up in her thoughts of Hawi, she almost forgot that she had Adolf to help her this time; or even that she was not going to be alone in this pain. She just needed to find Hawi, and that had distracted her a lot, to the point that she had been scared by a whimsy Lycan warrior. "You didn''t answer my question, Rukiya," Mbali said casually as she waited for Rukiya to catch her breath. "Hey, Adolf. I see you''re looking fit as a fiddle. Your Alpha must be training you really well, huh?" Mbali added, before turning to Rukya, again. "So, where is she?" Warrior Jabali Lihle looked different, way too different and when Rukiya finally managed to catch her breath, she wondered what the hell happened to the warrior. It was almost like Mbali had been living under some stone and had managed toe out of it because of something important. It wasn''t hard to guess why she was here, seeing as the first question Mbali asked instead of even greetings, was Hawi''s whereabouts. "Hello to you too, Jabali. How am I? Oh, don''t you worry, I''m doing really great thanks for asking. My people too, and they are doing so well. How can we help you?" Rukiya asked, the sarcasm dripping in her voice making Mbali facepalm. This wasn''t the time for them to be in that situation, given the skies were starting to cloud and the weather was going to be changing erratically in a few moments. "We both know we have other pressing issues to deal with other than greetings. Sorry, I did start with that though. Where is she?" Mbali insisted and Ruoya just sighed. This wasn''t even happening, so instead of stalling, she decided that she could just tell her what she wanted to know, seeing as there was an urgency in her voice. Perhaps that would lessen the hits of when they all realized that she had been feeling Hawi''s pain. "On a mission. She''s busy with something and told us to wait for her," Rukiya said as she walked towards her army and Mbali stopped her. She was avoiding any more questions and Mbali could see that. But then that didn''t even make any sense, because Hawi wasn''t the kind to just disappear in the name of missions. stay updated with m,v,l,e,m p _y,r Her missions were always monitored by Malika, something that they both knew hadn''t happened this time, making Mbali worry even more. "Did she tell you that herself?" Mbali asked hoping that it would be some way for her to know what was going on with Hawi, but one look at Rukiya, and Mbali knew that there was no hope for them with Hawi, at least not this time. "No, she told Malika," Rukiya said even though she was trying to remain calm herself. It wasn''t daily that she got to such a point, but then with Hawi, there was always something new. It was like the woman was unpredictable to the point that the only thing that surprised them was how Hawi had stayed alive all through this. She had mastered the chaos so well it seemed. "Oh, Hawi," Mbali sighed, the realization dawning on her in the worst of ways. She wished there was more she could do, but then she had to remind herself that Awuor Hawi wasn''t just a normal wolf, and they wouldn''t be able to look at all this from a normal perspective. Maybe that would excuse whatever terrible idea they were having at the moment, right? "Don''t be too worried. She''s safe. Besides, she wouldn''t lie to Malika," Rukiya said and Mbali wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe that Hawi was okay, but she just couldn''t. "I''ll find her myself," Mbali said as she walked towards the gates of Sicario. She was painfully aware that she was overthinking. However, a world in which all they knew about Hawi was just that ''she was on some mission'' wasn''t exactly a world that they would fight for. It was one that was on the verge of destruction, so the sooner they faced that possible reality; the sooner things would get better or worse. Whichever way, they would have prepared for it regardless. That was all that mattered, even when there was no hope. "Stop, Jabali. You will get her in trouble. Besides, Malika gave us three days to find Hawi, then she would intervene. Don''t you ruin my three days of thinking you barbaric Lycan," Rukiya insisted, even though she knew that her threats wouldn''t mean anything to Mbali. The woman was determined to get to the bottom of this and with what she was already feeling too, it wasn''t going to be good news from here on out. But what if? "Malika¡­ Where the fuck is Malika?" Mbali asked and Rukiya sighed before she grabbed Mbali and pulled her to the side. She wasn''t sure what this was about, but clearly, the woman was distraught. There was definitely more to this than they were seeing. "What the hell is happening, woman? Why the fuck are you so worked up? What is wrong? Is Hawi in trouble? Is that the reason you are so unsettled? Do we need to find her urgently? "Fucking say something Mbali!" Rukiya said as she looked at the woman staring at her. She was trying to hold her pain in, but if Mbali knew something, she needed to say it as soon as possible instead of them standing at the gates like mindless robots. "Hawi is¡ª" Mbali began before the ground rumbled, interrupting her. And then she knew that it was trouble. "What the fuck was that?" Rukiya asked and Mbali looked at her worriedly. "Please tell me you know where Malika is, Rukiya. The fate of everyone depends on her," Mbali said and the chaos began. The rumbling was not slowing down. If anything, it was like the whole of Sicario and the neighboringnds were shaking. "Come with me, let''s find her." *** [A/N] * Where do you think Dom and Jer are atp? Chapter 139: You Wouldnt Understand * thanks for 660k views, also we have a new cover woo! [SICARIO] "Hawi is¡ª" Mbali began before the ground rumbled, interrupting her. And then she knew that it was trouble. "What the fuck was that?" Rukiya asked and Mbali looked at her worriedly. "Please tell me you know where Malika is, Rukiya. The fate of everyone depends on her," Mbali said and the chaos began. The rumbling was not slowing down. If anything, it was like the whole of Sicario and the neighboringnds were shaking. Rukiya looked at Mbali, the desperation on the Lycan woman''s face making her wonder if this had to do with what Hawi had supposedly gone to do. For a moment, Rukiya assumed that her mate had found what she had gone looking for, but then if that was the case, the rumbles wouldn''t have happened. There was just no knowing whether it was a case of Hawi being Hawi, or something happened. "Come with me, let''s find her," Rukiya said to Mbali as they walked towards the Sicario gates. The warriors were confused, but then as Rukiya and Mbali reached the gates, the warriors didn''t stop them. If anything, they walked right in, because they would need all the help there was if there was something here. "Alpha¡ª" Adolf began, worried about his Alpha. He knew that this was a risky moment, but would Rukiya listen to him and wait outside like the others? Would she give up on her desire to see Hawi, for the sake of her mother who was expecting her daughter back in Greyson? "Not now, Adolf. Prepare the army. If I need you I''ll call you. Make sure my people aren''t worried because that would make them more antsy. We don''t want a war, at least not today of all the days," Rukiya and Adolf just nodded in slow eptance. "Yes alpha," Aldolf said as he watched his alpha rush back into Sicario. He wasn''t sure what was happening, but seeing Mbali there and worried, reminded him that there was only one person that Jabali Lihle would show up for. Awuor Hawi Sicario. Getting into Sicario, people were rushing to hide in their houses. There was chaos all over and while that was something expected, the hall that had been used for the funeral was sinking. That was something that no one had expected. That was also how Mbali knew that Hawi was at that particr point. The st she had created was way too much that it managed to seek the house with the strongest foundation in the entire pack. That house was always at the center of Sicario, but with its walls cracking. It wasn''t hard to tell that war wasing. "Try reaching Hawi, I''ll find Malika," Mbali said before she cast an invisible spell on herself and rushed toward the pack house. It was the only ce that the luna would be, especially with all that was happening. It didn''t take long for her to find Malika. Her invisible spell was something that hade in handy because as she made her way through the army of wolves that had stepped up to protect their Luna and save their home. When she reached Luna''s door, Mbali just hoped that Malika wasn''t in there with someone. But then when she walked in, she found her with Elodie; the same woman who had been a pain in the ass for Hawi and for their mission in its entirety. "What the fuck is she doing here Malika?" Mbali asked angrily before she materialized and let herself be seen. She already had her sword and des ready to chop off Elodie''s head. She despised that woman and she wanted her gone. Mbali hated traitors and to her, Elodie Jane was the worst of them all. If Hawi wasn''t going to do anything about her best friend of a traitor, then Mbali was going to volunteer and do it "Jabali?" Malika asked, clearly shocked that the woman was here. Mbali never left her station unless she had something important. Then again, it wasn''t like they always met up on light asions. "Is this what you''re doing now? ying nice with the woman who betrayed your assignment being here rxed with the same woman, the woman who should have stood up for Hawi but left her for the dead? Are you fucking kidding me right now? "What the fuck Malika? And you seem so rxed for someone who is feeling the rumbling on her feet. What the hell is wrong with you? What have they done to you?" Mbali asked angrily as she walked towards Elodie who had instantly stepped back. She had been helping Malika change because apparently, Malika was determined to sneak and go find Hawi. However, they''d been too close when Mbali walked in, making them both look like they were about to kiss. Something that didn''t sit right with Mbali. Sure, Mbali wasn''t interested in women and much less Malika, but the fact that this woman was here and rxed when all their ns were about to go off, was something else. "You''re a traitor. Did you try and do something to her? Did you drug Malika? Is that why she let you close? What the fuck are you even doing here? Is this some club for betraying Hawi? "The normal protector should have known by now that the woman she is to protect is slowly dying under the rubble. That the woman she is to protect. Her very addition is dying and she is here ying catch with you. "Maybe I should just kill you then for her to be level-headed. That is what you both want, right?" Mbali asked and she grabbed one of her round des and put it a little too close to Elodie''s neck. If she moved her hand a little, then the de would slice the warrior''s neck. That was something that both knew. However, Mbali didn''t care. She had despised Elodie for making Hawi''s life harder and she wished nothing other than pure horror on her. "I''m done, let''s go," Malika said when she was done changing. She wasn''t bothered by Mbali showing up here. Hell, she had made her decision a long time ago. And she wasn''t going to be there when Hawi died, because she was going to make sure that she would stand up for the woman. While Mbali was threatening Elodie, Malika had been changing. . "What?" Mbali and Elodie said as they looked at the woman who was in her full rotator gear. Hell, even Mbali had only seen the uniform on the other protectors, but all of that was in the books. However, right now, Malika looked so different. She was nothing till the Malika they knew both in Sicario and even outside. She looked like the warrior protector she had always been. "Whoever ising with me should hurry. But I must warn you. It''s not going to be easy and we might die down there. So, you can either stare at each other and make threats ore with me and find the woman we all care about," Malika said. Elodie stared at her like the woman was bonkers. She was supposed to be in here, with them. She was supposed to be protecting her. There were many guards at the door, so what the fuck was even this? "You do realize that this is crazy, right?" Elodie said and Malika rushed to her. "Look, E. I''m going after Hawi whether your army of mortal wolvese after me or not. If they try to stop me, I will kill them. You should already know that by now. Do what you used to make them believe that I am still here. "I don''t care how you do it, but Hawi needs me. So, you are going to be here ying whatever the fuck you want to. I don''t care what the oue is. "What I care about is the woman Sicario has betrayed more than thrice," Malika said as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved. This wasn''t the term for romance and she was simply going to ignore the way Elodie was looking at her. She needed to be focused and the only way to do that was to make sure that her woman knew what was at stake. "Fine go. I''ll take care of things here. And Malika, please save her, even if you have to save her from herself," Elodie said and Malika nodded right here Mbali created a portal that took them to where the greatest impact was. Perhaps they would find answers there, right? Chapter 140: Unavailable? Really? [SICARIO] "Oh shit," Malika gasped as she looked at the sight before them. This shit was so hopeless, to say the least. There was a great st that had taken down the entire tunnel system. It was certain that most of them were blocked, but then there was no way for them to get to Hawi. They couldn''t even hear the sound of their voice in here. Perhaps that was also why Malika opted to create a mind link, one that she would use with Mbali and hopefully, one that Hawi would join in before they werete. This was crazy and there was no telling what they would do if they didn''t find the woman. "She really took this ce out, I wonder what could have driven her to this point," Mbali said as they looked around. She wasn''t sure he understood what was happening here, but it was clear that given the extent of the damage, she had found some answers that weren''t pleasant to her. She had found something that had triggered her so much. "Let''s just hope her father didn''t do something stupid this time because if he did, I will kill him myself and face the consequencester," Malika said nonchntly it was scary. The longer that Mbali interacted with the people in Hawi''s circle the more she was sure they were all born psychos. There was no way that there were innocent kids at some point in time. Hawi''s friend always talked like humanity was just an annoying aspect that they had to keep up with and that was very terrifying. Then again, perhaps it was good that Hawi had found people like her. Because it would have been so crazy if there was more that had changed. "Hawi!!" Malika called out in the hope that Hawi''s super-hearing could help them. However, there was nothing. They were met with so many broken walls. There were piles and piles of stones and there was nothing that they would find there. Malika even tried forcing her mind-link with Hawi, the one that would definitelynd her in trouble. All she was met with was emptiness. Malika knew what that meant. She knew that it was what had happened, and she refused to ept it. So, she kept on searching, in the hope that she would find her mistress. This wasn''t how she lost her. She wasn''t going to let go, not like this. "I don''t feel her, Malika. Do you think she¡ª" Mbali asked worriedly. The sight before them wasn''t the most encouraging one and Malika understood her. Life hadn''t been all roses and unicorns for Hawi but this, even this was extreme for a girl who had only ever wanted the truth about that one morning. Perhaps it would take them a little longer, right? "Keep looking, Jabali. We have to find her. She can''t be. I refuse. That is not how this ends," Malika insisted, her voice breaking. She didn''t have the strength to deal with this, not right now, and not when she had dyed giving Hawi time. Well, as she looked at the mess, all Malika had was regret for not acting sooner, especially when Hawi had disappeared. "Help me lift the stones," Malika said and together they used her magic to lift the rubble. Each lift got them nothing. They could smell Hawi''s blood somewhere there but then it was just that. Even the dungeon she had been kept in had been reduced to rubble. There was no telling whether they would find her alive, and that was unsettling. "She''s not here, Malika," Mbali suddenly said after an hour of looking, something that didn''t sit well with Malika, especially since she was determined to keep looking for her Mistress. She wasn''t leaving without her. They had used their magic to help form a barrier but then it could only hold for so long before they were tired. She didn''t care if they would have to lift every grain of sand just to find Hawi. She had to. They had to, and that was non-negotiable. "Keep looking. We must find her," Malika insisted. This wasn''t how Hawi''s story ended. Not before she even took up the actual responsibilities she was born for. The fate of an entire race was in Hawi''s hands and they couldn''t wait another thousand years. That was too far, even for a protector who had lived through the empty years. "No, you don''t understand," Mbali said, trying to exin to the protector. "If you''re tired I''ll find her on my own. Even if I have to trade my life for hers. Hawi must live. I don''t care what the fates have in n for that poor girl. I will fight for her, even if I have to trade my life for hers," Malika said as she kept looking. She wasn''t going to stop. "Malika. Listen to me," Mbali said as she stood in front of Malika like she was about to give the protector a reality check. "Get out of my way if you''re not going to help," Malika insisted, her rage making Mbali feel like giving up on talking to Malika. Then again, she understood the woman so well. Times like these were crucial and if they wasted it with assumptions, then they wouldn''t be able to get out of their shells and actually get to know what was needed. "She is not here, Malika. She is not here, you understand? She is not HERE," Mbali said as she held Malika''s face in her hands as if to snap the protector back to thend of the living. It was heartbreaking seeing her that confused, but then it wasn''t like Mbali could ever ry get her to focus when all that Malika could think of was the missing assignment she had been given. "What?" Malika asked, confused. There were signs of destruction that only Hawi could cause, so what the fuck was Mbali on when she was saying Hawi wasn''t under there? They could smell her and there was no denying it. "Hawi isn''t trapped here, Malika. She is gone. We need to find her outside. We need to track her out of this ce because she isn''t trapped. She managed to get out in time, Malika," Mbali said and Malika looked at her skeptically. Nothing about the destruction under here screamed life. There was just no way she would have survived this. . The blood, the stench of loss, the stench of death here was too intense, and while Malika wanted to say that it was all because of the possible prisoners who had died in the dungeons, she couldn''t. She couldn''t hope like that, it would break her heart even more when reality came and hit her real fast. "Are you sure about that?" Malika asked as she stared at Mbali with worried eyes. Then again, she trusted Mbali, especially when it came to Hawi. It was almost like the woman was the only thing keeping her and Hawi from falling apart. It was crazy, but what else could they both do at the moment, right? "Very sure. If she were here we would know. Come. let''s get out of here," Mbali said as the rubbles increased, making it harder for them. If they stayed here any longer then they would sink too and no one would ever be able to find them. That would make the situation worse for everyone. "Stay invisible no matter what," Malika reminded. It was the only way to make sure they blended and searched for hair without being found. Besides, they weren''t exactly in the mood for contact with anyone, and not with the Greyson alpha that Malika was sure was waiting for them on the surface. "You too," Mbali said as she cast a spell that got her and Malika out of the rubble. They were returned to Malika''s bedroom, but then in seconds, were out again to where Rukiya had been. It all happened so fast. Rukiya had waited for Mbali toe back and when Mbali didn''t, she figured she would try and be patient to eat outside the Sicario gates, seeing as she wasn''t in the mood to deal with anything. "Where the fuck have both of you been?" Rukiya asked when she finally saw Mbali and Malika. They looked like shit, and they were angry, yet there was strange relief on their faces. For people who looked terrible and wet outside the Sicario gates, they are something. Thankfully they were only visible to Rukiya alone. "You can''t tell? Wow. I thought you were the smartest after Hawi," Malika said sarcastically as she sniffed around, as Mbali choked on air. *** [A/N] * I''ll apply for locked chapters on the 15th this month, hope to see you guys unlock, fingers crossed hihi Chapter 141: Descendants of The Red Sun [SICARIO] In the Sicario alpha''s office, the sudden arriNovelBinal of the alpha and his beta was something unexpected but thankfully, no one was in the room. If anything, it was like they had juste from a mission and were now taking a rest. The only problem was that they had a psycho who wanted to kill them, one who wouldn''t rest until she had their heads off; whatever her mission there was. It was a crazy time for them, but what else could they do? "That was so fucking slow, dammit. Why the hell did you sputter blood in the portal? You do realize she was the one who could help us sort things out?" Dom asked when they found themselves in the alpha''s office. He was worried about what he had done, especially now that they had no warlock to keep them sane, or so Dom thought. But even with a new warlock, Jer''s dumb state wasn''t going to be any better. He was always thest one to know things, something that he had decided for himself because he didn''t want to be burdened by the responsibilities that came with being an alpha. Logically he should have been the alpha, but instead, he had let Jer take his position, a sign of just how unready he was. "If you want to mourn the warlock, go ahead. That woman is the fake Awuor''s problem and a good distraction. Without her, we wouldn''t have been able to escape there especially now that your father killed himself, a weak move by the way. "Besides, we heard the rubble. There are no more entries to the tunnels. All the evidence is buried. No one will know shit," Jer said as he grabbed the bottle of alcohol on his desk and chugged it down. He had been so stressed about everything that we couldn''t think straight. He had a feeling that there was moreing, but he couldn''t spell it out, because then it would confirm his fears and honestly, he wasn''t strong enough to deal with that. "You heard the woman. What if she goes for your Malika?" Dom asked worriedly, and Jer stared at her like he wasn''t really in the mood for that. He couldn''t think about his woman being harmed by the psycho they had just interacted with. It was a huge risk and his Malika didn''t stand a chance whatsoever. It was like forcing a cat into the rain when there was a snowstorm in the mix. It wasn''t pleasant and Jer wouldn''t want to risk his Malika, his love. "Malika is as safe as she should be. She is with Elodie. That warrior won''t hurt my mate. She knows better by now," Jer said confidently and Dom just shook his head. This man was unbelievable. Did he even believe the wordsing out of his mouth if he was just talking because he could? The longer he interacted with Jer, the more Dom was sure this man ry had no clue about the magnitude of just how fucked they were. Jer was still grasping at straws when their sanity was up for grabs in a market that had psychos and psychos only. Perhaps choosing to partner with Jer was the worst decision he had ever made but was it too early for Dom to make that assumption? "You seem so sure for someone who had just been told that Kane wasn''t trustworthy," Dom said as he sat on the couch. He could feel his head spinning and he couldn''t think straight. There were so many consequences lining up for them, and Jeremiah Warner was still as dumb as ever. Dom had a feeling he would regret this, oh he definitely would. "That shit came from a woman who thinks she won. But where is she now if not buried under the rubble? Anyway, I need to catch a breath before I get to the Warriors. They must be worried sick of what is happening," Jer said and Done Justughed. He couldn''t believe this, but then he also headed to see how this would turn out. After all, what other option was there for him? He had already made his bed, it was only right that hey on it, right? "You wanted the alpha position. I will be resting here. Have fun alright?" Dom teased, knowing so well that nothing about their future was going to be fun. He just needed a minute to curse himself for siding with a useless fool. "You lucky bastard. Think of what we are going to do about Kane already. And that fake Awuor she seemed to know a lot. I bet we can be on the lookout for the Lycan warrior, Jabali Lihle. "If shees after us then we will know that the bitch was telling the truth. If she doesn''t then it could be just a trick by that woman to get what she wanted," Jer said as he breathed deeply. He was feeling like doing things but he knew he had to step up. Sighing, he opened the door and walked out to see the extent of the damned that had been done to his pack. Perhaps he would get to see what the other alphas thought of this. Everything on just was crazy, but not as crazy as the person staring at him in the hallway. Either he had drunk too much, or he was slowly understanding how screwed he was. And that wasn''t a good thing. **** [One Hour Ago] . "Where the fuck have both of you been?" Rukiya asked when she finally saw Mbali and Malika, outside the Sicario gates. The two had been gone for a while and Rukiya was already nning to breach, in case they didn''te back soon. Thankfully they were here, however invisible to the public, but goddamn, they looked like shit, were angry, and yet there was some unexpected relief on their faces. For people who looked terrible and wet outside the Sicario gates, they really were something. "You can''t tell? Wow. I thought you were the smartest after Hawi," Malika said sarcastically as she sniffed around. She was looking for traces of her mistress, seeing as there was only one woman that Hawi would go to, other than herself. "Tell me you found her, Rukiya, please," Mbali said as she looked around too, the hope in her eyes, dwindling as she looked at Rukiya who just shook her head sadly. She had tried to use the bond but it didn''t work. "Our mate bond didn''t work. The oath link was also blocked. It''s like she didn''t want us rushing in to help. I don''t know what the fuck is going on, and I need answers," Rukiya said defeatedly as she looked at the huge ck Sicario gates staring at her. "You both go ahead to where the Greyson army is. I need to check something," Mbali suddenly said and Malika and Rukiya stared at her questionably. What the heck was she even on this time? "What are you up to this time? Hawi wasn''t there. I would have known," Rukia said and Mbali just sighed. Of course, they were all desperate but what she was after, wasn''t going to take time. "Trust me. I will be out in seconds," Mbali said before she disappeared again, leaving Malika and Rukiya walking back to the Greyson camp. They didn''t have much of a choice but to trust her anyway. *** [Now] When she left the protector and the cruel alpha, Mbali had portaled into the Sicario pack house and more specifically the direction of the alpha''s office. She had a feeling that she would meet her desired culprits there. So, she wasn''t shocked when she saw Jer walk out like he hadn''t fucked up Hawi even more. Without hesitating, she rushed to the alpha who was sure he was seeing things, given he was seeing Mbali of all the people, who was currently his greatest fear. "Hello Jer. I believe you have something that belongs to me," Mbali said as she suddenly grabbed Jer and dragged him back to the alpha''s office, where she materialized. The warriors who were in the hallways staring at their alpha thought he was possessed and downyed his shocked shriek. They had seen their alpha act crazier than usual in the past two weeks and frankly, this wasn''t even surprising to them anymore. "Hello Dominic," Mbali said to Dom who had been excited when the door opened. He had been so ready tough at Jer for being a coward. However, seeing Mbali there, covered in the stench of the dungeons, and red dust, they knew they were fucked. ********* [A/N] * Applied for premium chapters today, lol because of the uing chapter mass release. I''m not sure if the mass release will be in Dec or in Jan. I guess it''s better to prepare hihi. * Meanwhile, prepare raincoats, perfumes, or air fresheners, the air is about to be real stinky and cruel. Chapter 142: A Final Straw? [SICARIO] "Hello Jer. I belieNovelBine you have something that belongs to me," Mbali said as she suddenly grabbed Her and dragged him back to the alpha''s office, where she materialized. The warriors who were in the hallways staring at their alpha thought he was possessed and downyed his shocked shriek. They had seen their alpha act crazier than usual in the past two weeks and frankly, this wasn''t even surprising to them anymore. "Hello Dominic," Mbali said to Dom who had been excited when the door opened. He had been so ready tough at Her for being a coward. However, seeing Mbali there, covered in the stench of the dungeons, and red dust, they knew they were fucked. "What?" Dom asked as he stared at the woman. Of the things they had both expected this woman was definitely not it. Or maybe, he had a feeling that she woulde, but hadn''t been ready for her to show up this soon. Well, he couldn''t be med, especially given how he had tried to downy the warnings that his sister had given him. Perhaps this was what karma would look like in a few months, right? "I will only ask once. Where is she?" Mbali asked, her voiceing off as sinister and cold. She wasn''t in the mood to y house with these two, especially given how they had messed up everything. Losing the Sicario Alpha didn''t mean much to Mbali, because the man knew the truth, yet still shunned his daughter in public. . Mbali always despised the alpha and Luna Eni''s approach to the threats against Hawi; she would always me them for what had happened, especially now that they had left Hawi an orphan and at the mercy of her brother and ex-mate. "Who?" Jer tried to downy the situation, but then even he was scared. There was only so much he could stall before reality knocked him out and his punishments began. Right now, he was regretting abandoning the warlock from before, because that woman could have helped them with this Mbali problem. But what if they could handle her on their own? Would it count? "I can hear your heart beating so erratically. If you want to y this game with me, trust me, that dumb mate of yours will pay the price. And before you say anything or even call your warriors. You will be pleased to know that I spelled her door. "Fuck with me and watch me turn your mate into a murderer. I doubt the werewolfmunity will be so happy that Malika rkson from the weakest of all the packs, murdered the best warrior in Sicario and even one of the best in the realm with just a table knife. "It would raise questions and you do know what that will do to your power, right?" Mbali dared to remind them, as she stared into Jer''s eyes. She was making this man know what his options were, and that right there reminded Jer of Hawi''s threat earlier. Perhaps the woman hadn''t been real after all, right? Maybe they were just a figment of his brain, but then the rumbling outside, the screams of horror, the people running around, the assembly hall sinking and the rain that was threatening to show really were proof that maybe, this wasn''t an illusion after all. "I''ll ask onest time. Where is she?" Mbali asked, the desperation in her voice hiding behind the anger she had. She hated what had happened and what this ce had made Hawi into. She just wished she would tell Hawi to abandon this band of dumb misfits and live her life, but then that also seemed to scare the hell out of them. "You don''t mean that," Dom said, like he was out of touch with reality. "For someone who faked his death, I could give you an appropriate death. Wanna try me?" Mbali asked as she suddenly strangled Dom with her magic. In times like this, she was so d that Lycans had their magic, because otherwise, she would just be a deranged creature out for the blood of her mistress''s enemies. She was so pissed. She had so many questions, but what irked her the most, was the memories she had seen under the rubble. She hated that Hawi had told them that she was someone else. And they had tried to kill her for that. Mbali hated that reality and fuck it was messing with her. The fact that she had only seen the memory of Hawi up until she stood at the door was messing with her. She wanted to know what happened. She wanted to know if Sicario had been a part of it. Mbali had so many questions, but for now, she used what she had seen to get some answers. Even if that meant strangling Dom to a certain death, one he wouldn''t ever be able to walk out of and in which even the afterlife wouldn''t be able to process his soul. "I could kill you and no one would even ask questions. After all the pack leaders came to attend your elite funeral, right? That makes taking you out of the equation the easiest. Which is it going to be, Dominic?" Mbali asked and they stared at each other worriedly. Turns out their fake Hawi was probably telling them the truth. What the hell were they to make out of that? Were they supposed to be d that Hawi was alive or were they supposed to start their penance because she was never going to forgive their betrayal? Then again, there was a chance Mbali was forcing that woman on them, yeah? "She came, and lied that she was Awuor, but she was clearly a fake¡ª" Jer began but Mbali''s re got him giving up. "I already know she isn''t the real Awuor. You both killed your sister when you left her to die in the freends with a rejection. Or don''t you remember? Do you want me to refresh your memory by talking to the afterlife? "Perhaps you would like it there with her, no?" Mbali said angrily, her frustrations making a show, now that she had realized these two were useless in helping her find out where Hawi was. It was a risky venture since, regardless of what happened, today marked the end of whatever peace could have reigned in Sicario. It was that simple given losing Sicario was something that they didn''t know how Hawi would react to, and that scared the shit out of Mbali. "Jeez, woman. Rx. We didn''t do anything. We just left her there to die. The ce was falling apart. We didn''t have the time to ask her what the fuck was happening. And Sicario killed himself. "Maybe he couldn''t handle the fake child who had shown up as his daughter. If you ask me, the man''s death was your fault," Jer said. "You''re useless to me. I hope to never see you again, because the next time I do, I will be choking you in your blood," Mbali said as she headed to the door. "A little parting gift from the woman whose whereabouts you don''t know," Mbali said as she blew some dust in the air. Chapter 143: Sticks And Stones Couldnt Break HER * First official premium chapter... Hi! [SICARIO] "Maybe he couldn''t handle the fake child who had shown up as his daughter. If you ask me, the man''s death was your fault," Jer said and Mbali stared at him wondering for the hundredth time how the fates had decided among themselves to pair this dumb head with a woman like Awuor Hawi Sicario. "You''re useless to me. I hope to never see you again, because the next time I do I will be choking you in your own blood," Mbali said as she headed to the door. "A little parting gift from the woman whose whereabouts you don''t know," Mbali said before she blew some dust in the air. She hadced them with poison too, though she made it so that it wouldn''t overpower Hawi''s poison. But just make it like a virus that would feed on the alpha and the forsaken beta for years. They would suffer for what they had done today. They would pay no matter what hell looked like for them. If the punishment had to be collective, Mbali just didn''t care anymore. She was too angry. "You''re crazy," Dom said and to that, Mbali just let out a sadugh. "I know. That''s why it''s raining blood in Sicario right now. You might want toe up with a better exnation for your people oh great Alpha Jeremiah Warner. "Your people are believers of the old religion and we all know what happens when it rains blood," Mbali said, her tone sad like she wished it didn''t have to get to this. But then two years in exile would drive someone nuts, especially when betrayal had been showing up in every corner of the house they struggled to live in peacefully. "What happened?" Dom asked sheepishly, the pride in his voice even as he breathed in more of Mbali''s dust. He was so oblivious, for someone who had been so confident earlier, but Mbali just snickered at how pathetic he seemed. Dominic Sicario was supposed to be the ultimate Sicario beta, the Sicario warrior who always helped his sister with the pack, when there was a crisis. . However, the man before Mbali right now wasn''t even close to the Dominic Sicario who was a part of the deadly Sicario siblings. Whatever was left of him, was just a shell of what he had once been and it was pathetic, really. "Not what happens, but what it symbolizes," Jer said, the realization dawning on him. He still wasn''t worried about the whole thing, because he believed that what he had done was right. If there was someone who needed to pay for this, then it had to be Mbali, because Jer was sure the woman had been the reason for the chaos. "What does it symbolize then?" Dom asked again, much to Mbali''s displeasure. Then again, it wasn''t like she had many options at the moment when the Sicario beta was looking like a pathetic piece of shit at the moment. "The rage of the white wolf. May the goddess have mercy on your souls," Mbali said before she disappeared and went to Rukiya''s camp, leaving behind a confused beta, and an Alpha who was determined to prove himself and say that this was all an illusion. Besides, there was no way they had angered the white wolf. No one in their pack had been the white wolf, or did they? "There are no white wolves on Sicario at the moment. Jabali is just being paranoid," Jer said as he looked out the window to be met with a blood rain just like the woman had said earlier. But a part of him wasn''t even worried because they hadn''t angered the white wolf. It was that simple, right? "Nope, there isn''t at the moment; but there once was, y''know," Dom suddenly said as he joined Her at the window. He looked like he had hopes and wishes for this ce but then what else could he do when this was their reality? "What do you mean there once was?" Jer asked worriedly. He hadn''t thought this far, but for the longest time, he had never thought that Sicario of all the ces would produce the white fold. Perhaps Dom was just disillusioned, right? Perhaps Mbali had gotten into his head and was making him make so many assumptions, and perhaps this was just something that was done to scare them. Jer was determined not to be scared, but then what else was there when at the moment the only thing he could manage was watch in sorrow as the skies bled blood on thends that had once been sacred. "The Sicario alpha did this," Dom said and Jer looked at the man like he was going bonkers. What the fuck was that even supposed to mean for them? "Me? I didn''t do this, and I''m the Sicario Alpha," Jer said and Dom looked at the man for the first time like this was the dumbest alpha to ever grace Scissor. Then again, Jer wasn''t wrong. He was a Sicario alpha. If Dom was to make a statement, he could as well spell it out for the poor man, right? It''s not like there was anything that they could do to stop the skies from bleeding and the lighting from tearing up the sky so harshly. "Is this the same brain you will use to run Sicario? I mean, no offense, but you did kill me and brought me back to life, in a dumber version to make yourself superior, but I never thought you would be dumber than my dumb version," Dom suddenly said, and Jer looked at him. The only problem was, the Dom that had spoken, wasn''t the same Dom in the room. It was like the original Sicario beta wolf hade back even for a moment, but would that mean anything? He had truly died, and the funeral had been for him. "What?" Jer asked as he looked between the two Dominics. One of them was in dark clothing, the Sicario beta''s signature dressing code, while the other one, was the fluffy Dominic, the brainless one that had been with him since they came from the dungeons. "There has only ever been one Sicario alpha fit enough to run the pack, and even the Selma. Trust me, you''re not even close to her," the new Dom said and Jer stared in confusion. How the fuck was this even happening? What the hell had he done for this to happen? "Her? You''re crazy. Malika isn''t even capable of this," Jer said and the new Dom just sighed like it was painful to watch the situation at the moment. "Y''know what, I''m going to take both versions of myself out of here. And if you use a warlock to bring me back to life I will kill you myself, Jeremiah. Also, since you''re too stupid to even think straight, or maybe you''re just used to warlocks running the pack on your behalf¡ª "¡ªI''m not sure which is which, but I''ll let you know. Awuor Hawi ising. She''sing for you, and everything you hold dear. Especially that Malika of yours. My sister ising to avenge us all, and hells be damned if you manage to get over her like thest time. "Have fun exining to your Malika dear what happens when my sisteres for her, because it''s going to be messy, Jeremiah. She carries with her the fury of the entire Sicario household. "Perhaps you should have taken her out first, given she''s stronger than all of us. Oh wait, you tried and failed. What a pity, I guess may the goddess have mercy on your soul, Jeremiah," Dom said. He then merged with the dumb Dom, and slit his throat, before his body began dissolving into nothingness. Perhaps he hoped that his sister would do them all the justice that they would never get otherwise. "No. Awuor is dead. I made sure of that. Dom is also dead. I killed him myself. I killed Dominic myself. I murdered him myself. Awuor can''t be a white wolf. She just can''t. I won''t let that happen. "I have to kill her again if shees. The rage of the white wolf means nothing. This is just a distraction, this ain''t real. This isn''t real. This can''t be real," Jer rambled on as he watched his whole world change before him. He was alone;pletely and utterly alone, with nobody to talk to and no one to be on his side. Perhaps this time, he would seek out the warlocks. But would they really want to help a man who betrayed one of them? Chapter 144: Be Without You Anymore [RUKIYA] At Rukiya''s camp, Rukiya was worried about what was happening, especially in Sicario. The entire pack was experiencing turbulent blood rains, while the surrounding areas were just normal, almost like nothing had changed the whole day. The alphas from earlier figured they wouldn''t stay in Sicario long enough to witness the chaos, and had made their exits as fat as they could. They knew of the blood rage, and wanted no part of the iing collective punishment. "Alpha, you need toe, fast," Adolf suddenly said to Rukiya who was staring outside, waiting to see if there was any news about Hawi. She had been staring in the direction of the Sicario gates like some miracle was going toe to her form there. Her desperation had been so obvious that her warriors were silently hoping that she got what she was hoping for. Granted, some of them were still skeptical about the Haru rtionship, but they were slowlying to terms with it. Besides, it wasn''t like Hawi had ever endangered their Alpha anyway, right? "Not now, Adolf. You can handle that," Rukiya said dismissively. She had so much going on in her head and she was choosing to trust Adolf with whatever the hell was going on. After all, Adolf was always her second inmand. "I don''t think she would want me near her," Adolf said looking so desperately at his Alpha like this was meant to exin the urgency of the situation to the woman. At Adolf''s statement, Alpha Rukiya turned so fast she could feel a pain in her neck. However, her pain didn''t matter at that moment. What mattered to her, was what Adolf had said, because there were so many things that could be fixed by that statement, especially if it was what Rukiya was beginning to think it was or meant. "Her?" Rukiya asked carefully as she looked at Adolf, silently praying to the goddess that the female in question was the same one that Rukiya had been waiting for. Oh, how she hoped so badly. "Yeah. She looks¡­ Y''know, I think it''s best if you see her yourself," Adolf said and that was all it took for Rukiya Greyson to walk with her best friend towards the possible hope. Honestly, the Greyson Alpha wasn''t sure what to expect at this point, because so much had already happened. Then again, she knew that Hawi was always full of surprises so this time it wouldn''t be surprising anyway¡­ right? "When did shee?" Rukiya asked as she hurried along with her beta. Her heart was beating a little too fast in her ears and her anxiety was spiking. She had to remind herself that she needed to be ready for anything. However, Rukiya couldn''t deny that she was hoping it was Hawi. She missed her mate, however unhinged she was. She missed the woman who gave her butterflies, who never failed to make her smile, whose ways of doing things were questionable, but one who would do anything and everything to see to it that Rukiya was happy. Oh, Ruru missed the woman who made her want to live her life again, who gave her a reason to hold on, and the woman who made her feel like she was never alone in power and that they could face everything together. She needed Hawi, perhaps a little too much because she was so close to losing her sanity from holding on to nothing in the name of waiting for three days. She just couldn''t take it anymore, and it had just been seven hours. "We''re not sure. She hasn''t said a word and we only knew she was there, when she unmasked her scent. She looks like she has had the worst of days," Adolf said slowly like he was trying to prepare his Alpha for whatever was waiting on the other side. "Oh goddess," Rukiya sighed, as she imagined just what she would meet. If the woman was Hawi, then Rukiya needed to catch a breath, because she was in for the unexpected that would make her question life in its entirety. "I''ll get you clean clothes, and warm water. You will definitely need both," Adolf said, making Rukiya raise a brow at him. Was the situation that bad or was Adolf just enjoying this? Then again there was concern in Adolf''s eyes, which meant that this wasn''t a prank that he would get tough about in the end. And that worried Rukiya. "Thank you," the Greyson Alpha said, not sure what she needed to respond with anymore. "Rukiya¨C" "What is it?" "Be careful. I know she won''t hurt you, but she seems to be in so much pain. We have both seen what pain could turn someone into. Just be careful, please," Adolf said, making Ruoya believe that she was headed to Hawi. That idea excited her and scared her at the same time. The descriptions Adolf had given her made her wonder if it was doomsday, but then just across the road, Sicario was experiencing heavy blood rains. Perhaps doomsday was friendly? "I will, brother, I will," Rukiya said as she and Adolf parted ways. She headed to where themotion was, while her best friend went to get her warm water and a change of clothes for the woman she was headed to. Getting there Rukiya was d she was right in assuming Hawi hade to her, and it made her proud that even at her worst, Hawi trusted their bond enough to show up to her, however crazy that sounded. It was home for Rukiya either way. However, other than her joy in knowing Hawi came to her, Rukiya could feel her heart sinking into her stomach. It wasn''t because of how bloodied her woman was or even what she was holding onto, but because she could hear Hawi whimpering. "Oh, my world," Rukiya whispered as she looked at a dejected Hawi. No one had ever heard Hawi whimper, not even when she was in so much pain that she was fading in and out of consciousness. Hawi had always been used to experiencing pain so no matter what was sent her way, she always came out stronger than before. But right now, she was whimpering as the tears fell freely from her eyes. She looked so distraught and defeated, she looked like she wanted to disappear and leave everything, yet at the same time, the rejected alpha looked like she was just a few seconds away from her murder spree of the day. Awuor Hawi looked terrible. . "I''ll take care of things from here. You can go back to training. Remember to be alert," Rukiya said to her warriors who were wearing sympathetic looks. Most of the Greyson warriors had known Hawi for her smugness. They knew that she would always conquer anything sent her way, but then the woman they were looking at right now, was different. Perhaps it was because she was hugging a dead Alpha Sicario in her arms, or maybe because the blood on her was her father''s and she was in shock from witnessing her father kill himself like it was nothing. It was hard, even for Rukiya herself, to exin and tell what would happen next, not with Hawi looking worse than hell. "Hawi, it''s me, your Ruru," Rukiya called out softly as she looked at the girl of her dreams sitting there covered in undried patches of blood. It was almost like she had bathed in a bloody bath but had to leave before she finished cleaning up. Her once-white hair was tangled in endless knots, and was red, way too red. Her face was covered in red dust, with her tear stains making hopeless lines on her face, only to reveal the blood that was on her face. Her clothes were tattered, revealing her broken skin and thickyers of ice shards embedded in her skin, that were melting at an agonizingly low rate. The white wolf had unhealed cuts and bruises all over her body. She was barefoot, with dislocated feet bones that didn''t seem to bother her too much, despite the excruciating pain she was feeling. Then again, nothing could hurt more than what she was feeling at the moment. She looked like she had been in a war with a thousand people and had managed to take them all out, barely leaving with her own life. Her breaths were rough as she looked at the man on herp, the man she had misunderstood so terribly. "Papa, wake up, please. I can fix this, us," Hawi whispered desperately, as her tears once again found their way down her face. Her hands were holding so tightly to her father who was lifeless in her arms, and was missing a few body parts. "Hawi¡ª" Rukiya tried again in the hope that she could help snap Hawi out of that shocked state. She had never seen anyone like this, in all her years of war. No one close to her had been like this, and even Hudhayfah, who was watching in the distance, felt his heart shattering at how broken the white wolf was, once again. She had lost twice in less than three days and that had to hurt like hell. "He killed himself because of me, Ruru," Hawi said, her voice so terrifyingly cold that for a moment, Rukiya could feel the tides turning. "Rukiya! It''s raining blood in Sicario. We need to be ready for the rage of the white wolf. If only I knew where she¡­ Was," Malika suddenly said as she rushed to Rukiya as she got closer, only to realize that her mistress was here. "Mistress?" Malika called out and Hawi looked at her, with sudden nk yet blood-red eyes. Chapter 145: Diamonds Dont Shatter, Beautiful and Battered * Diamond Hearts by n Walker - might break your heart, but we''re all in the same pot atp ?? [RUKIYA] With the blood rain, and Mbali still in Sicario, Malika knew she had to do something. Now that they had figured Hawi was probably alive somewhere, she knew she had to find her and make sure she was alright. Stay with m _v _l _e _mp _y _r. She had managed to push through the mind links and was met with emptiness, the kind that was so sad and had so much grief. It was like there was so much pain that for a moment, Malika faltered. She was supposed to be strong, hell, she always was, but grief had a way of crippling even the strongest. That was also how Malika knew that Hawi was feeling worse than she was and that she needed to find her Mistress. ''She''ll give me the answers even if I have to choke it out of her,'' Malika said to herself as she went to Rukiya''s camp. She had managed to figure out why Rukiya was being evasive earlier and it was because the woman was feeling everything Hawi was feeling. There was no point in her looking for Hawi, given she knew where the woman was and Malika wasn''t going to waste any time. She would find her mistress, and she would take away her pain, just like she always did. But perhaps a nicer approach would determine whether her dark thoughts of killing Rukiya Greyson in the worst of ways would be justified or not, despite the knowledge of Rukiya being Hawi''s interest ¡ª or it being a red zone for anyone alive or dead. "Rukiya! It''s raining blood in Sicario. We need to be ready for the rage of the white wolf. If only I knew where she¡ª" Malika let out in one breath when she saw Rukiya Greyson hunched in front of someone. The Greyson alpha looked genuinely busy and upied, given there weren''t even any warriors with her on this side. However, that could wait, because this time, Malika was going to use the blood oath against Rukiya, if she had to. "Huh?" Rukiya responded subconsciously as she turned to look at Malika, a move that got Malika to realize that there was no point in looking further anymore. The woman she needed was here, and that should have beenforting, so why was Malika scared? "¡ªWas," Malika said,pleting her sentence as she took in the sight of Hawi. In all her years serving the moon goddess and the realm, Malika had never encountered this much hurt. She had never imagined it possible for anyone and honestly, she finally understood why it was raining blood. It all made sense why the white wolf''s blood rage was so intense and unforgiving to the point that most of the wolves who were outside their houses when the blood rain began, were already nursing their non-healing wounds, thanks to the acidic nature of the rain. "Mistress?" Malika called out and Hawi looked at her, with sudden nk yet blood-red eyes. She knew what this meant and that even she, as Hawi''s protector, wouldn''t be able to stop Hawi from whatever she was going to do. "He was innocent. He spent his time in the dungeons because he cared for me a little too much. He shouldn''t have done that. He was supposed to be my father and guide, but now¨C" Hawi breathed out defeatedly. Anyone listening to her could have assumed that she wasn''t thankful for what her father had done, but maybe she just hated how the man had approached the situation. If she was that powerful then why did they need to protect her? Why did they need to sacrifice themselves for her? What use was their sacrifice when she was leftpletely and utterly alone in a world that was so cruel and harsh to her even though she was as innocent as everyone out there with their unknown fates? "Sorry, I didn''t do my job well, Mistress. I am at your mercy," Malika said shamefully, her head bowed, as her armor suddenly disappeared and she was suddenly clothed in the servant clothes that the executioners forced the guilty to wear before they were sent to hang. "Then go, Malika. Go be that little shit''s wife. Go save his life before my poison and Mbali''s poison kills him. Go make sure he lives," Hawi said and Malika looked up at her Mistress, wondering what the fuck the woman was on again. This was the right time for them to strike down Jeremiah Warner. This was the best time to show the wolves of the man''s ipetencies and bury him in the acidic rain so he would nevere back to life again and wouldn''t be able to go to the afterlife. This was the perfect opportunity to sacrifice Jer to the worst of the worst and yet Hawi was letting him go? Hell, she was fucking healing him? This had to be a joke and Malika was certainly not finding it funny. "You can''t be serious, mistress," Malika said, the disbelief so clear in her voice. Rukiya, who was with them was with Malika on this, but she knew better than to talk about it because before she was Hawi''s mate or even love interest, she was just a pawn for Hawi to use as she wished fit. It was a fate Rukiya Greyson had willingly subjected herself to, despite all the warnings and she wasn''t about to take it back, not that she could even if she so desired. The only thing she could do was try and wait it out, but at what cost? "If your mission is hard for you, I can always get Mbali to do it. She has some excellent shape-shifting skills. It would be a shame to lose you, after how hard you''ve worked beside me," Hawi said, her tone so chill. At that, Rukiya felt the hair behind her neck stand, and she wasn''t even the target of Hawi''s statements. Oh, this woman was scary when she wanted to, at least now Rukiya was finally getting a glimpse of what it looked like to have a broken Hawi. "Please don''t shut off your mind links this time?" Malika pleaded with Hawi, knowing how crazy she had almost gotten because of this woman. However, she wasn''t doing it for herself, but because she needed to know if Hawi was okay or not. "I won''t, not unless I''m fucking Ruru senseless," Hawi said, with a straight face while Rukiya choked on air. She loved the idea of Hawi fucking her but this was certainly not how she had expected to what this. "Careful love, I got something better for you to choke on. All you gotta do is ask for it, and I''ll deep-throat you as far as you want me to go," Hawi added and Malika was done listening. "Y''know what? I get the idea," Malikained as she stared at Hawi whose face was still nk and cold. The tears in her eyes were still finding their way down, and she didn''t even seem bothered by it. She was numb to everything. "I don''t even know why you''re still here when you got Kane wishing you were finding your way through to her ovaries right now," Hawi said, and this time, Malika just created a portal and went through it, leaving a shocked Rukiya and a broken Hawi behind. "Hawi, we can get Hudhayfah to perform his rituals," Rukiya said softly once it was just them and a dead Sicario that Hawi hadn''t let go of yet. "It hurts so bad I can''t breathe, Ruru. I¡­ I didn''t think it would hurt. I feel like my heart is exploding over and over, my chest hurts so bad. I thought I could handle myself, I¡­ I don''t want to feel like this, Ruru," Hawi said as she furiously wiped her tears. Hawi''s emotions were so raw that Rukiya was nearly taken aback by how vulnerable the strongest woman she had ever met had be. There were days when all Rukiya wished to see Hawi let herself be vulnerable. However, now that she was seeing her like that, Rukiya felt like going on a murder spree herself. She finally understood why Malika wanted to take out Jer and never let him live to see the next second. "I''m so sorry, baby," the Greyson alpha said as she sat beside Hawi, gently guiding Hawi''s head to her shoulders. "Tell me what to do, my love. Tell me what you want me to do and I will do it, no questions asked," Rukiya said earnestly. "Ruru¡­ Please take my pain away," Hawi said in a broken voice before adding. "Make it go away. I''m so tired of the endless pain." Chapter 146: I Still Belong With You [AWUOR] Endless pain. That was what Hawi had begged Rukiya to free her of, but how was the Greyson alpha supposed to do that, when each time she looked around, her love interest was fixing someone else? Rukiya knew what Hawi was going through was unfair and she wanted to go and murder Jer herself so she could put an end to this, but then the woman resting on her shoulders had always had just one motto. "Where suffering is owed, death is too good a mercy," Hawi always said. However, right now, Rukiya wished she could ignore her mate''s words and let everything take its course. She couldn''t handle seeing Hawi in so much pain and being helpless at the same time. Despite being one of the strongest wolves alive, Rukiya felt weak, given there was nothing she could do to take Hawi''s pain or even make it go away. It was too much even for her, and she wasn''t sure what would make sense. "Awuor! Rukiya!" Mbali''s voice bit through the quiet camp. She had juste from Sicario and Malika already told her where Hawi was. Malika knew she was not in a position to help, but she was sure Mbali could do something about Hawi''s situation. read more on NovelBinmp-yr Maybe that was also why she let Mbalie over even though Rukiya had wanted to be alone with her mate. Some things were beyond what was easilyprehensible and Awuor Hawi was certainly at the top of that list. "Jabali?" Hawi whispered defeatedly as she lifted her head from Rukiya''s shoulders and looked around. "Oh Hawi," Mbali said when she reached the duo and saw the state that Hawi was in. "Are you okay? Well, it''s a stupid question, but are you okay now? Are you hurt? Do we need to get you to Olyana? Why did Malika leave you in this state? Is Rukiya hurting? Is that why you can''t leave her side?" Mbali''s endless questions weren''t surprising to Rukiya, save for thest one. She couldn''t understand how a woman who had gone through hell and back would still be here because Ruiya was hurting. But was she? "What does that mean?" Rukiya asked while Mbali just stared at the tired and bloodied alpha. She wanted to say something, anything to make Hawi feel better, but she knew that nothing would make it better. "Let me take him home, Hawi. Let us bury him while you both take care of each other," Mbali said, ignoring Rukiya who was still not understanding whatever was happening with these two. "But¡ª" "If you won''t do it for him, then do it for Rukiya then," Mbali said and once again, Rukiya looked at the woman confused. They were all here for Hawi, because of the cruelty she had experienced. So how the fuck had this been turned to focus on her? "Hold on, woman. What the hell?" Rukiya asked, but Mbali wasn''t even focusing on her. It was almost like she was invisible, something that should have offended Rukiya but her endless interactions with Hawi and her crazy friends had taught her otherwise. "For Ruru? Why?" Hawi asked as she looked at her father''s remains on herp. She hadn''t known what to do or even where to go with them, so she settled oning to Rukiya''s camp. With the Greyson alpha, she felt safe. With her, she felt like she was home and with Rukiya, Hawi felt like every challenge was not that hard, and that she could conquer it all. Rukiya gave her reason to keep going, she gave her the desire to keep the faith and fight for herself and what was right. Rukiya was her greatest motivation, other than her intense desire for vengeance¡­ which also had Rukiya embedded in it somehow. "You haven''t seen the warriors around you both? Goodness," Mbali said, letting out a frustrated whine. "Come on Jabali. If you''re going to be here ruining our silent moments then at least tell us why," Rukiya said frustratedly, she didn''t understand a thing about what Mbali was saying and it was eating her up. "You two didn''t find it suspicious that Malika left without nagging? She never leaves that easily, yet she did, and even sent me, when she knew Hawi probably would have wanted to be alone. "For two of the most intelligent creatures in the realm, you both are thick-headed right now. Look around you, at how your warriors react, at how everyone is staring at the both of you," Mbali said. Hawi stared at her nkly as if to tell Mbali to leave if she didn''t have anything else to say. She wasn''t in the mood for a nagging Lycan really, especially when she was still processing the death of her father. It was ruining her from the inside and she hated it, but then what else could Hawi do, when she didn''t want to take out Jer that easily? "Take the body and leave," Hawi said coldly and Mbali just rolled her eyes at Hawi who was so done with her. "Listen, Rukiya. You should go to Greyson and not leave f¡ª" "I said leave," Hawi warned and Mbali took a in dramatic deep breath as she looked at the alphas before her. "Rukiya''s heat is starting, dammit," Mbali said and Rukiya choked on air, while Hawi burst out intoughter, despite the pain she was feeling. "Good joke. Now leave," Hawi said, her tone leaving no chance for Mbali to even say something else. She was in so much pain and this wasn''t the time for Jabali toe up with reasons for shit that wasn''t even possible. "You''re hurting, Hawi, I get that. But you''re not dense enough not to feel the desire that keeps pulling. Your blood rage has some side effects, Hawi, one of them being the instant heat trigger for someone you fancy. "Now if you don''t want to be with her, that is yours to decide, but I''m telling you right now, you will have an entire army of wolves lining up and ready to fight for a taste of Rukiya if you''re not careful," Mbali said softly. She knew this wasn''t the time for them to be thinking about the alphas being horny, but life itself hadn''te with a manual. There were so many things happening out of ce that they couldn''t control and the sooner they epted it, the sooner they would be fine. "You''re messing with me, right?" Hawi asked, the denial so obvious. She couldn''t deal with this right now. She was not even ready to say goodbye to her father and now she was being told shit about some heat she wasn''t interested in? "I am sworn to never lie to you, woman. Why the fuck would I bring up your intimate shit when you''re in mourning?" Mbali asked but Hawi was not ready for it. "No way. That''s bullshit," Hawi said as Rukiya gently got up. She could feel the changes in her body and knew Mbali was right. However, she could tell that Hawi wasn''t ready for this, so she wasn''t going to force her out there. "I''ll leave. The Greyson army will stay and give you the support you need, Hawi. I''ll be home, if you need me," Rukiya said and Hawi huffed like this was some sick joke. "You serious?" Hawi asked when she noticed the dejected face Rukiya was wearing, not to mention Mbali who was staring at the Greyson alpha pitifully. Then again, could she be med when she was bonded to an emotionally broken person? "Maybe you can''t smell her heat because of your current state, but it will only get worse, Hawi. Go with her, be with your chosen mate. Malika and I will clean up the mess here. Don''t lose the only good thing you have left because of denial," Mbali said softly. "I¡­ I can''t attend to her heat, Mbali. Not when I''m breaking from the inside, I just can''t," Hawi said defeatedly as she watched Rukiya go to Hudhayfah. She knew she would ask for a portal, but then what was Hawi to do? She didn''t want to be selfish, and she was being truthful with the Lycan warrior. She was not in the right mind to deal with her desires, much less those of another person. Hawi knew she wasn''t ready, not for any affection yet. "You don''t mean that, Hawi," Mbali said before adding, "you, went after her. I know you''re thinking it''s insensitive to be in love when you just lost your entire family, but what about her, Hawi? Isn''t she family? Is your love for her that weak? "Is she just an aid for your vengeance? Because if that is so, then you don''t need to go after her. However, if she means something to you more than the damned oath, then go Hawi. I have seen the both of you do the impossible together. "Don''t let your grief overshadow your love for her," Mbali said before taking whatever was left of the former Sicario alpha and walking away from a confused Hawi. "Ruru, wait, baby," Hawi called out. "You don''t have to, Hawi. I understand, and I''m not mad at you for this," Rukiya said earnestly, fueling the pain that was in Hawi''s heart. She had fought tooth and nail for this woman over the years that she wouldn''t fuck it up, not like this. "I''m sorry¡­ Let me make it up to you, just the two of us, please?" "Hawi¡ª" "I can''t lose you." "You won''t, Hawi. You never will. If you need time to sort things out, you do that, I''ll be waiting for you." "But¡ª" "Hawi¡ª" Rukiya began again, only for a fatigued Hawi to create a portal and drag Rukiya with her through it. Maybe there was hope for them after all. Chapter 147: Round And Round… Ends? * Hi! I wasn''t feeling well yesterday, but here''s yesterday''s update! Also, mass release of 5 chapters iing on 31st Dec woo! [AWUOR] "Hawi no!" Rukiya said as the portal opened. She knew that this wasn''t the best way out to deal with the situation, but before she could say another word she was already pulled into the portal with the broken woman. Rukiya knew there wasn''t anything they could do to make it all better because she had tried. Not once, not twice. She had tried countless times and in all that time, Hawi had locked her along with everyone out. The Greyson Alpha wasn''t asking to be Hawi''s priority, but even that didn''t seem to sit well with the woman who was not in her right mind. "We just need to escape, okay? We just need to stay away, to hide from them for a moment, Maybe the voices will stop. Maybe they will stop ming me for the death of my family. Just an hour is all I ask, Ruru, please," Hawi said as she paced around. She was back to the only ce she had ever felt safe in, which was strangely, the freends, the ce where it all began, or maybe the ce where their story had tried to take a turn and had taken the worst of it all. "Escape? Is that what this is? Are you escaping your reality because it hurts so bad? An hour? Are you fucking serious right now?" Rukiya asked, angry at the way Hawi was choosing to do this instead of facing things head-on. Rukiya hated what was happening to Hawi and with Hawi, but she also knew that the woman wouldn''t get anything done if all she did was run away. Granted, she was the strongest Alpha, but then what use was her strength when she was always down? What use was any of that when she was letting herself be wheeled along the facy of alternate realities, a cruel fate that seemed so unsure of what they would do in the end? Was this even about vengeance anymore or was Hawi just tired of everything? Was there a reason for her to hope or was this just a chance at an abnormal reality that neither of them could ever outrun? Rukiya was all soft for Hawi, but there were times when she even hated what the woman was doing, especially to herself. "You''re interesting, Rukiya Greyson," Hawi said, her eyes so cold that if Rukiya wasn''t careful she would probably be frozen from the intensity of the stress she was getting from the woman. It was almost like there wasn''t a thing that she could do other than hope to the goddess that Hawi would change. Oh, but she had changed, alright, and Rukiya was staring at it right now. Then again, would Rukiya budge this time? "Oh yeah? Interesting enough for you to fuck?" Rukiya asked before she realized what she had just said. The Greyson Alpha was mad at Hawi, but her heat was fucking her rationality up, especially now that all she could smell and think of was Hawi''s touch. It was almost like this was the only thing she lived for and wanted. Hawi controlled her even though the woman was standing there staring amusedly with an angry smirk on her face. Hawi was fuming because of what had happened and yet even she couldn''t get past the thick arousal that wasing from Rukiya. She wanted to feel it, to attend to it, to hold on to it and more than anything we wanted to reign in that damning arousal. "So, you wanna get fucked so bad, huh?" Hawi said with a smirk as she walked over to where her Ruru was. She was d this beautiful woman belonged to her, but at the same time, she was confused of what she needed to do. She wasn''t ready to deal with Ruru''s heat and even she knew that with heat woulde pups and she wasn''t looking to get any at the moment. Granted she had ns for that in the future, but right now, she wasn''t. All she wanted was her father back, but even that was an impossible mission for her. "No, I do not!... You''re changing the subject Hawi. This isn''t even funny¡­Y¡­ You need to focus on the issue at hand. You need to understand that this isn''t what you do daily. You should be aware of that, Hawi. Come on," Rukiya strained out as she stepped back. She didn''t trust himself around Hawi, which was wild because the only one Hawi trusted more than anything in the world, was the very woman who was stepping back because she wanted her mate sane and rational. Would that happen though? "I didn''t do anything, Ruru. I am here waiting for you to tell me what you want me to do. You don''t want me to mourn, or see me weak, or crying and pitying myself, even though I just watched my father kill himself and the fake version of my brother disappear, after betraying me. "Tell me, sweetheart, what would you want me to do, especially with your heat messing up my brains? If I can''tin about what''s hurting me, then you sure as hell shouldn''t step back from me¡ª "¡ªbecause guess what, Greyson, you are mine in every way," Hawi said, her voice constantly changing between soft, harsh, and lusty, though right now, she sounded possessive as fuck and was not in the mood to y hide and seek with Rukiya. She was mad at the world for everything that had happened to her, and the only distraction she could have been staring at her and stepping away. Hawi needed to forget. She wanted to forget because if she didn''t forget then the world would burn. She needed to pretend like it all didn''t happen because maybe that would allow her to be one with her sanity. However, with the way things currently are where she wasn''t sure she could hold her own for long. There was only so much she could pretend before her world turned upside down forever. "You know damn well that isn''t what I mean. I understand, Hawi. I really do, but you can''t always keep running, baby. You can''t always keep trying to escape because in the end, everything will catch up and you might explode. "I don''t want that for you, I need you to be sane I need you to fade this head-on. I will always be here for you, and you already know that," a frustrated Rukiya said and Hawi just smiled at her like this was just something they couldn''t get away from. But what else was there? Stay with m _v _l _e _mp _y _r. Reality wasn''t a walk in the park for the both of them and their lives were taking turns like it was a long game. Well, Hawi was tired of ying the game and instead of going on, she wanted to break the game and ruin it all. "You can always catch me when I fall, Ruru. You know how I loveying in your arms, don''t you, love?" Hawi asked sensually as she created a sudden barrier around her and Ruru, stopping the woman from running away. At the same time, she made it so that no one could see them or where they were. Hell, not even their scents could be smelled in the air, because Hawi didn''t want anyone to share in the thick arousing scent that her Ruru was releasing at the moment. "Seriously? You''re impossible," Rukiya sighed defeatedly as Hawi caught up to her. She was trying to make a rational argument, though even she was aware that this was useless. The fact that Hawi had dragged her to wherever this was, meant that Hawi wasn''t here to talk about the chaos in their lives. Besides, the woman had told her that it would be just them. They may have been workaholics, but this wasn''t not about work anymore. "Well, you did say I would explode. Care to keep me in check just enough times till I let it all burn?" Hawi asked, though it was more of a statement as she stared at the thick plump lips that sat pretty on Rukiya''s face. "I can''t, Hawi, not this time. I can''t go through that again. And if you push me away, I''m going to tie you up and make sure to draw you with me wherever I go. Just you know that I won''t leave you alone," Rukiya said with a pout as she tried to be mad at the woman before her and failed miserably. "Ruru¡ª" "Don''t shut me out, Hawi, please." "Well, I was thinking of something else." "Wh¡ª" "There, there, love. Let loose." Chapter 148: Her Dangerous Euphoric Hobbies [AWUOR] Standing so close to her mate, Hawi couldn''t think straight. Her mind was foggy and she was stuck between mourning her dead and fucking her mate senseless. Maybe it was insensitive of her, but then even she knew Rukiya would always win over her grief. She could let her grief be on the side because she wanted something else. She couldn''t quite remember thest time their scents had been this thick around each other and she loved it. Hawi could smell her mate''s arousal and while it was driving her to act, she wanted to reign in it. She wanted to breathe in more; she wanted to get as much of Ruru''s section as she could because she was hungry for it. She wanted Rukiya in ways that would bring the sex gods to shame, but she had to remind herself that this wasn''t the right time for the both of them. She knew Rukiya Greyson was still stuck on some fantasy of having a special first time, and like aw, Hawi was determined to follow that unspoken rule. She would make that first-time special, but until then, she would find a way to ease them both into a release, one that didn''t have them curing out the world. "Ruru¡ª" Hawi whispered desperately as she pulled Rukiya closer to her. She was addicted to the woman, like a drug to the point that even when she was Ruth in the dungeons, there was only one ce she was sure she would find her peace ¨C next to her Ruru. Maybe she was giving the woman too much credit, but she couldn''t deny it this time. Rukiya Greyson was her bane and she was painfully aware of it too. "Don''t shut me out, Hawi, please," Rukiya said. However, Hawi''s mind was elsewhere, especially with one hand draped around Rukiya''s waist, while the other, was tracing her physique, graciously ignoring the fact that Hawi looked like a walking dead. They were both also ignoring that Hawi''s hair was turning into a darker shade of red, something that Rukiya had gotten to learn; it was the reminder that Awuor Hawi would be unstoppable, even by the fates. She would be a murderer on the loose and she would probably lose herself to the pain and agree she was feeling. It was something the sacred Rukiya, but even Ruru knew when to not push. "Ruru¡­" Hawi called out to her mate sensually as she pushed her closer, so much so that their lips were touching each other she could feel Rukiya''s breaths on hers, and boy did she love how shaky they were like Rukiya was trying not to let herself be. "I think it would be best for the both of us," Hawi said, as her lips brushed Rukiya''s gently with every word that came from her mouth. The tingles were enticing, not to mention the sparks they were both feeling. It was dangerous and yet at the same time, it was a beautiful moment for the both of them. "I don''t know how to live my life without you anymore Hawi," Rukiya whispered against Hawi''s lips before she let out her tongue to lick her lips that she was feeling dry up. The again, that simple act got her tasting Hawi, and reminding her of just how fucked she was. The rebellious woman would be her undoing, not that she wasining. But what was she supposed to do then? "Oh baby¡­ I can teach you how to," Hawi said as Rukiya whined against Hawi''s lips, as she leaned her body so close to Hawi that there was literally no space between them. She had long submitted to Hawi, and she wasn''t ever going to let go, not when all she thought of was Awuor Hawi Sicario, even when she didn''t need to think of Hawi. "Nu-uh," Rukiya grunted against Hawi, as she gently ran her tongue along Hawi''s lips before she let her hunger for Hawi take over and began nibbling, and biting the lips she hadn''t tasted in the past four days. She was like a starved mate and she would take what she wanted. "Well, I was thinking of something else," Hawi said when they pulled back from a kiss that had been so expressive, one that got them letting each other in, letting themselves share their emotions. All this while, Hawi was finding her way down Rukiya''s pants, as she cupped Ruru''s groin with her hands so tightly that Rukiya could feel herself spasming in Hawi''s hands. It was just a touch, but it already got her begging for more. "Wh¡ª" Rukiya asked when she felt Hawi cast a spell with her hand that had been holding Rurur tightly, as a shelter shower dup form w where and suddenly they were in a beautiful wooden cabin, on a huge twelve-by-eight bed. She always knew how it was a piece of work, yet each time the woman managed to shock her even more. The cabin was beautiful, the brown walls were weing, and the beautifulmps that were lighting it up made it seem like the both of them were on some dream vacation. The white sheets on the bed made Rukiya blush a little as she thought of her heat and how much desire was in Hawi''s eyes. She thought it would be messy by the time the night ended, but that wasn''t an issue for her. After all, they had been putting it aside for a long time, right? "You really didn''t think I would touch you like that for anyone to see, right?" Hawi mused as shey Rukiya properly on the huge bed, and ripped through the Greyson Alpha''s clothes before the woman could even spell out Hawi''s name. It was all so sudden and Rukiya was confused. She wasn''t sure if she was to be shocked or happy that they were finally alone, away from the prison gays of everyone and magic in itself. "You¡ª" Rukiya said, only for a clothed Hawi to hungrily im her lips like they were the only thread left in Rukiya''s sanity. She didn''t hesitate to run her hands along Rukiya''s body, determined to worship the Greyson Alpha''s body. Hawi''s lips on Rukiya''s body had been the Alpha''s greatest desire, and even as her kisses ran from her lips to her neck, to her nipples, before they settled on her abdomen while her fingers worked their magic on her body. Hawi worshiped her mate''s body, and while she stayed clear of Rukiya''s throbbing clit, she knew she would do whatever just to have a taste. "There, there, love. Let loose, baby," Hawi said when Rukiya arched her body for the tenth time as she begged Hawi to touch her in the one ce that the woman had stayed clear of. "Please," Rukiya begged. "Not yet, Ruru. Tell me, love, what do you think I should do about my current predicament?" Hawi asked as she nibbled on Rukiya''s right nipple, gently biting and forcing her into endless bouts of pleasure that weren''t making it any easier. Even then, Hawi didn''t mind. She knew she would have to do something. Granted, she had always done whatever she wanted, but just this once, she wanted to know what Rukiya would want with her. If Rukiya wanted her to not avenge her fallen, then she would have to make the hardest choice ever. However, if the woman agreed, regardless of the oath, she would do whatever it was to make sure that by the end of the day, she came home to her. "Pred¡ª " Rukiya forced out, but her voice faded into moans as she felt Hawi trace her abdomen, drawing tiny circles and flowers. "Come on love, tell me something, you know I trust your judgment. What would you wish for me to do?" Hawi asked knowing so well she was forcing the woman into a corner. She was trying to see if Rukiya could think rationally with her desire pooling between her legs. She could feel the slicking out in bouts and she wanted to touch her, but she had refused. "I''ll kill you for this," Rukiya said defeatedly as she arched herself desperately. Hawi just smiled at her, before she let her fingers circle Rukiya''s swollen clit, as if that was ever going to be enough. "I know. But tell me what you want me to do first." "Fuck," Rukiya drawled out, before adding, "Burn them all, Hawi. Burn them all." "Good choice sweetheart. I guess it''s time for your reward, baby, huh?" Hawi asked, as she grabbed one of the endless pillows she had conjured with the house, and put one of them under Rukiya''s waist, making the Greyson Alpha lift up a bit. Hawi didn''t hesitate to spread her mate''s legs as wide as she could before she began eating her out like she had waited an eternity for all of this. Oh, but she had, and Rukiya knew she would feel it all this evening. "Give it to me, please," Rukiya whined momentster when she had had countless orgasms just from Hawi''s mouth. She wanted more, she needed more, and Hawi could give it to her, but would she? "Your wish is mymand, love. However, I can''t burn them all if I give you what you want right now. Just bear with me, a few more weeks and you''ll have everything you want with me and from me." "Then burn them all first," Rukiya said even though she knew she was giving up her high at the moment. But she knew in the end, it would be worth it. "Rest well love, we have a pack to bring down when the sunes up." *** [A/N] * All I''m saying is, Rukiya''s better than me coz I wouldn''t give it up for a world to burn lol. the world can go f itself if it means getting THAT Chapter 149: And So It Begins * Merry Christmas! Iunched a privilege meant for next month, sigh, so I gotta update 4 chapters today then 5 on the 31st... please bear with me with the slow release of the day... Happy holidays! [AWUOR] "Is everything ready?" Hawi asked as she looked at the army that had presented itself to her. When she left eight days ago with Rukiya, she had no expectations from anyone. If anything, she only knew she would be back soon enough before Mbali even buried her father. However, when she came back, twelve hourster, she was met with an army so huge she felt like she had been hallucinating. It was almost unreal, seeing the eighteen thousand warriors rally up and be waiting for her. She thought it was all some sort of a game, but then as she looked at her protector, her killing machine ¨C Mbali, and the Greyson beta, she knew that it wasn''t an illusion. Rukiya smiling from ear to ear also reminded her of the possibility that this was just a n by the woman she had fallen in love with. "The Lycans are ready, on yourmand, Hawi," Mbali said, her weapons at hand as she led the rkson warriors. They were supposed to be the weakest pack, but all of that was just a face for the Lycans to blend in with the regr wolves. The lycans were dangerous, not just by name but because they were easily the devil''s allies in any world. In this one, they were Haiw''s allies, which made it all easier for the banished alpha to get her vengeance. They were here to make sure the alpha got whatever help she needed, however barbaric the requests would be. They were, after all, her assigned killing machines, led by Mbali herself. "The Greyson army is ready on yourmand, Alpha Awuor," Beta Adolf said, the pride in his voice as he looked at the woman who would be leading them. They already knew this was Hawi calling onto the oath Rukiya had built them by, which made them Hawi''s team by default. If Hawi decided tomand them to kill Rukiya Greyson, the warriors wouldn''t be able to resist. They would kill her and mourn their alphater. Thankfully, Hawi didn''t seem to be the kind to want that for the woman she loved. "Your protector is reporting for duty, Your Highness," Malika said respectfully as she bowed for Hawi, an act that everyone else followed, including Rukiya. Hawi knew that this was almost impossible. She had nevermanded an army this huge into war. Eighteen thousand men and women were replying to do whatever their leader wanted and they also knew how unhinged Hawi was, which made it even creepier for Hawi. She had been used to people shunning her, but maybe, this right here was her ultimate army. "The camps are set, alpha Awuor," Riley, the leader of the rebels from Sicario said as she bowed before her alpha. She never epted her to be her alpha and her team was on the same side as her too. The rebels were in charge of setting up camps for the warriors as the others trained the division ofbor had been something that Hawi hadn''t thought possible, but then there they were. "Sorry we werete, alpha, we had to help the rogues clear the mass grave sites," Hudhayfah said, trying to catch his breath. The past week had been hectic for them all and they are just d that it was over. The rogues had been displeased with how Sicario had been running and even volunteered to join the banished alpha in getting the rightful heir on the throne. This was more than just them installing haw there. It was more than justing from the shadows to support the one woman who would kill them and feel nothing after. This was about them showing up for justice. So many things had gone wrong in Sicario and someone needed to clean the mess. And if Hawi was going to do that, then they would help her regardless. "Are all team members ounted for?" Hawi asked again and they all let out cheers of agreement. "What of the mobile and on-camp medical team? Is everything set for emergencies and quick fixes?" Hawi asked, as she still took in the sight before her. There was just no way that she, the banished alpha, had managed to gain these many allies. "Everything is set, alpha," Rukiya said as she bent the knee for her mate and mistress. She loved submitting to Hawi throughout his time, she was submitting to show that she was respecting themander-in-chief of the greatest army to ever exist. "Good. We leave in ten minutes. Dismissed," Hawi said to the warriors who didn''t object. They had been training for this in their respective capacities for years now and now that they were called upon to serve their new mistress, they knew what to do. Hawi, Malika, Mbali, Riley, Rukiya, Hudhayfah, and Adolf stood beside Hawi as their warriors lingered around, excited to go into the darkest of adventures against a pack that had an unstoppable army. It was not what he had ever imagined for her people in Sicario, but then she knew that this was something they had to do regardless. She had to put things to rest and face her reality. She had to be ready to start over because this wasn''t who she was. She had promised to be better, but as Hawi looked at the people around her, she knew there wasn''t much that she could do. Maybe if she still had her soul after all this then she could consider the definition of better. But until then, things had to be done. "Malika, you have to leave before we do. It will take us six hours to get to Sicario. That should be enough time for you to prepare that dumb husband of yours for his first of many losses," Hawi said, her tone neutral. There had been days when she thought about the day she would walk back into Sicario and get her vengeance. In those days she always imagined her father''s face staring at her in surprise as he watched the girl he had banishede home for their blood. She had always imagined Doming tough at her foring against the entire Sicario army of her own, given that she has trained the warriors to be the most lethal bunch of them all. Hawi always thought of the smiles on Elodie''s face as the woman took in her appearance. She always believed that her best friend would forever have faith in her and would be on her side. Maybe she had been wild for thinking that Elodie would always be there to support her. Hawi had had so many thoughts of how she would take out Sicario on her own. She had promised them a lifetime of suffering, destruction, and vengeance and she would keep it. However, with the new tea she had just gained, she couldn''t help but feel lucky. She wouldn''t have to fight the war alone. She wouldn''t be walking into the most dangerous ce alone and that wasforting. She had a team that knew they could die but was stilling with her nheless. "Yes, mistress. I''ll see you guys in Sicario," Malika said thoughtfully as she hugged her mattress for the first time since they had met. Malika couldn''t remember if they had ever hugged and this was a whole moment for her. She always valued Hawi, always wanted her to be happy and right now, she was getting just that. The Protector was determined to make sure that Hawi had a life after her vengeance. She wanted to see the bright smile that Hawi wore when she was beside Rukiya and she wanted the both of them happy. Granted, the war would end in so many different ways, but one thing was certain. Malika would do whatever it took to make sure Hawi had a happy ending. The woman had suffered one too many times and she wouldn''t let it ruin her. "Be careful, Malika. Don''t strain yourself too much, and don''t break character," Hawi reminded for the hundredth time and Malika just sighed as she pulled back for the hug. "Yes, mistress. The same applies to you. Remember you are not alone in this war. You have eighteen thousand souls ready toy their lives for you. Please remember that, all right?" Malika said and Hawi just nodded in understanding. "See youter, Mistress," Malika said, creating a portal to Sicario and going right through. Chapter 150: Quirky Temptations On A Date? [SICARIO] While Hawi''s army was six hours away from Sicario, the Sicario alpha had no clue. In fact, he was preparing to go on a date with his Luna, the woman who had been through so much and one who never abandoned him when she should have. Jeremiah Warner was dumb in love with Malika, and that in itself made him either the greatest fool or the best lover. He didn''t mind whatever was going on because today was about his wife. His sweet Malika rkson, the woman who had done the impossible for him. The woman who had been by his side despised all that happened. His whole mind was filled with Malika and maybe he was crazy for falling so deeply in love with a woman who would kill him without a second thought, but this for him was what love looked like. For him, love had a face and that was Malika rkson or rather, Malika Warner, his sweetheart. "You called for me, Alpha. What is it?" Warrior Elodie said as she walked into the Alpha''s office. The past week she had helped with cleaning up the pack after the blood rain that had gone on for twelve long hours. It has easily been the longest day in the lives of the Sicario wolves, especially since most of them had no clue as to why they were getting the blood rage. Of course, they didn''t know that the same wasn''t happening to other people or even other packs, so they didn''t have anything to worry about. Perhaps that exined why they were sox despite the situation they had been through. "How do I look?" Jer asked and Elodie stared at the man like he had finally lost his mind. Why the hell would he call his beta only to ask her about how he looked? Was he losing his mind or was the pressure of running the pack alone for barely a week finally getting to him? There were so many questions but Elodie knew she had to be patient. She needed to be this man''s beta. She needed to be on her best behavior even if that meant being herself. If she broke character the guy would be suspicious and that wasn''t something he wanted to happen, especially not with Jeremiah Warner. "Like shit. Why, what''s the asion? You never ask me about your preferences. What changed?" Elodie asked, a bored look on her face. She couldn''t believe that this was actually happening; hell, she could volunteer to die than be here. "I''m going on a date with Malika¡ª" the alpha said and Elodie choked on air. "I''m sorry, what?" "A date. Y''know the one that couples go to?" Jer asked nonchntly as he looked at her like she was going bonkers. Maybe she was but did that matter at the moment when the woman she was insanely in love with was leaving with this bastard? "Like that?" Elodie snorted as she took another look at the man before her. She was trying to hold her disgust back at the thought of this man going on a date with her Malika. She couldn''t imagine his lips on Malika''s lips. It was pissing her off. Hell, she would wipe Malika''s lips with everything possible if it meant getting Jer''s taste off of her. But then again, that couldn''t be a problem because right now, if Jer went on that date and kissed Malika, he would be tasting what was left of Elodie''s kiss with Malika earlier. "Yes, is there a problem?" Jer asked as he walked over to the walk-in closet in his office and checked himself out in the mirrors. He didn''t see anything wrong with him. If anything, the Sicario Alpha felt like he was in his best attire today. He wore a blue tux and looked hot as hell to anyone in the world. Hell, if Elodie hadn''t been madly in love with Malika, she would have told the Alpha that he looked so food and fuckable. However, she couldn''t do that ¨C not when she didn''t want Malika looking at this guy twice. She couldn''t think of them together. It would kill her. "Oh man," Elodie shook her head disappointedly as she looked at the Alpha. She went on to describe everything that could be wrong about what the Alpha was wearing, making it seem like the man was doing too much and woulde off as desperate to get into Malika''s pants. That part, however, was ironic, because she had been in Malika''s pants just before she got to this office. *** [Two hours ago] When Malika portaled back into Sicario, she found Elodie Kane in her chambers, waiting for her. She hadn''t expected it, but then she wasn''t the least bit bothered by that because her mind was filled with her assignment. She needed to make sure that the invasion was a sess and that she did her part as the pack luna in making the worst out of the worst today. It was still morning so it wasn''t going to be hard, given she had a long time. Six hours was a lot either way. "Look who decided toe back home. Tell me, love, how was it out there?" Elodie asked as she sat up on the bed she had been carelessly sprawled in while she waited for Malika. She had been here for a while and Malika could tell by how Elodie''s scent had filled up the room. It was pleasing to her nose and her mind couldn''t help but think of what they could do with the remaining hours. If the world would end today, then Malika would have wanted to have Elodie beside her unfortunately, there was the truth that haunted the both of them. One was the pack beta and one was the rejected Alpha''s best and undefeated weapon of all time. "Saw a lot of pretty wolves. I think I might consider mating three more to have my fun," Malika said as she stripped naked, and burnt her clothes with odorless magic, erasing any clues of where she had been. She couldn''t lead this bunch to where Hawi was, because then she would have failed. Granted Hawi had thergest of armies at the moment, but the fact that there could be a possible breach would get them all riled up. Malika knew that standing naked before Elodie was not a good idea, but the temptation and the curiosity were getting the better of her. In all her life Malika had never been challenged and maybe this was just her wanting to get some good time, but it was still dangerous either way. If she got what she wanted, she would probably be out of it for days and weeks, but then she had to be ready for Hawi''s invasion, so she was taking risks, right? Or maybe this was just her trying to be a good person, a normal woman, someone who wanted to know whether there were any limits. But what if there was? What would she do then? Would she hold the fort or would she make a run for it? "Oh, really now?" Elodie asked huskily as she instantly got off the bed and walked to where Malika was standing unbothered, as she checked her drawers for a change of clothes. Chapter 151: Youve Never Been To Heaven... [SICARIO] "Oh, really now?" Elodie asked huskily as she instantly got off the bed and walked to where Malika was standing unbothered, as she checked her drawers for a change of clothes. Malika knew that now that the battle had begun, she needed to be the submissive mate and ask Jer for the impossible, something that would keep the man distracted. She needed to make sure that the Sicario wolves were caught off guard and more than anything else, she needed to make sure that she looked so fragile that the Alpha would not want to let her out of his sight. And she knew just the perfect set of clothes to do that job. "Tell me, where were they?" Elodie asked possessively, her tone making Malika smirk knowingly. She loved teasing Kane and given that their rtionship was pretty new, she was aware of how jealous the woman could get. It was Malika''s relief from the stench of war that was slowly filling the Sicario air. Perhaps at the end of the day, they would be all winners, although Malika knew there was a higher probability of one side losing so terribly. She couldn''t think of that at the moment though. She had a date with a bastard Alpha to go to. "Of course. I have lived a long life, and I know I can''t be satisfied by just one wolf. You offered yourself, so that means I gotta find a few more. I also have my needs and I doubt you''re good enough to satisfy them. "Perhaps I could involve Jer just to be sure because I would hate to be this naked and unfed. That would be so disappointing," Malika sighed, adding thest bit so simply like that was the easiest thing for her to do. She knew that she was being a bitch right now, but she just didn''t care anymore. Elodie Kane was here for her pleasures, and Jeremiah Warner was the key assignment. If Kane wanted to be a distraction then she wouldn''t stop her. If anything, no one ever said no to pleasure, right? "Is that why you stripped naked for me? To get my attention?" Elodie asked as she leaned closer to Malika. She loved the beautiful mango scent that got her wanting to have a taste. She just had wishes, but what if the woman gave in? Would Kane take that chance and jump right in? Would the Sicario beta be able to do whatever she wanted or would it just be another fail for their cursed rtionship with the unexpected? "Careful sweetheart, I can smell your arousal. I have a date to go on with your alpha," Malika said casually as she swayed her hips while she scoured through the closet for clothes. She was inviting Kane, letting the woman know she could make a move even though she had a feeling that there wasn''t much Elodie could do. She wasn''t counting on even a kiss, until she felt Elodie''s presence behind her. Maybe she had been too quick to assume the beta would be timid, right? "A date? What the fuck, Malika?" Elodie asked as she stared at the protector''s beautiful back with lean hips and milky skin. There was just no way someone this perfect existed. The woman naked before her was a walking temptation and the stupid-ass alpha was going to have a taste? That shit was driving Elodie crazy, and if she wasn''t careful she would alert the warriors outside of her desire to keep the Sicario luna to herself and take her far away from the prying eyes of men and women. She wanted a world just for her and Malika and goddess, she was tempted to create it at the moment, perhaps they would be free there to do whatever they wanted, no? "Maybe it might have slipped your mind, Kane, but let me remind you that I am your Alpha''s wife. His luna. If he wants a date with me, then I will show up. Who knows, he might give me a release," Malika said as she kept on looking in the closet. Elodie looked at Malika, her body moving with every push and pull she made in the goddamn closet. The temptation to shove Malika in there and do with her whatever she wanted was intense and Elodie wasn''t sure her sanity could be of any use to her, not when all she wanted was this woman and she could feel the pulsing in her pants. She would cum just from looking at Malika''s back and goodness she wanted it. It was insane, but she loved it and wanted to explore more of it. "A release, huh? Is that what this is about?" Elodie asked disbelievingly. She couldn''t quite understand that the woman had agreed to a fucking date because of a release, when she was always around, ready to do whatever the protector wanted and however she wanted it. Was that not enough for Malika? Was there more she wanted? Was that why it was getting pretty hard to be in the same ce as her these days? "Well, if you must know, Meek Malika is supposed to worship her husband, to be there for him, to want the man, to not function without Jer. And if Meek Malika wants a date with her husband, then even the fates won''t deny it," Malika said casually. She was mentioning her dumb version as if that was meant to make Elodie feel any better. Still, the bastard would definitely try to get a kiss from Malika. He would try to sleep with her, which was driving Elodie crazy because Malika was hers to love and fuck and do whatever. She just didn''t want Jer touching her woman. Maybe Elodie was going feral, but wasn''t Malika her enabler this time? "Stop," Elodie stranded out when she smelled Malika''s arousal. It was so new to her and it was unexpected. The thick mango scent was making Elodie feel like she was on herst straw. She couldn''t do this, not if Malika didn''t want them to end up fucking, because that is where Elodie''s mind was at. She hated sharing and if Jer had to take her woman, then she would screw her first and make sure the only thing Malika could think of was Elodie thrusting in her over and over, like it was some shit show for the horny. That was what Kane wanted. Elodie wanted her throbbing cock in Malika''s pretty cunt and hells be damned if this woman didn''t stop teasing and making her mad with thoughts of Jer, then she would do just that, even if it meant unleashing the fury of the wild protector. She would dly die by Malika''s hands if that was what it took to stop the woman from giving Jeremiah so much as a kiss. "Why? Not liking the way I''m practicing to get him to bed me? Come on love I thought you were better than that," Malika said and Elodie let out a warning growl. She hated every mention of Jer and the only reason she wasn''t out there killing the man, was because Hawi had a sinister n in mind. That was Elodie''s only constion at this point. "Stop doing that, Malika," Elodie said when she felt Malika lean into her from the back, whining her naked waist against Elodie''s groin like she wanted something. Elodie had already grown hard and there was a huge tent forming in her pants. "Fuck you," Elodie growled. Chapter 152: Of Wants And Acceptable Sins [SICARIO] "Stop doing that, Malika," Elodie said when she felt Malika lean into her from the back, whining her naked waist against Elodie''s groin like she wanted something. Elodie had already grown hard and there was a huge tent forming in her pants. "Jer wouldn''t tell me to stop. He would give me what I want," Malika said nonchntly like she was talking about the weather and not the man that even she hated with a passion so strong the world would bend if she released it. "And what is it that you want, Malika?" a frustrated Elodie asked, when she felt Malika lean into her even more, positioning her ass on Elodie''s groin, ignoring the possible dangers of what she was attempting to do. Shit could go to hell real fast and there wouldn''t be anyone to pull the plug and stop them. Or maybe this time, they didn''t want to stop and wanted to get into it, yeah? Well, if that was it, then they were in for a long morning¡­ Or not. "Jer wouldn''t ask me what I want. He would find out on his own. Goddess, I miss his lips on my body," Malika said, lying through her teeth. She hated Jer''s touch. It was like a burn on her body and it triggered her in the worst of ways. If Hawi hadn''t told Malika to court Jer and pretend to be the man''s wife, Malika would have long invented new ways to drive Jer crazier than the time she had pretended to be Hawi''s ghost and haunted the poor man for months. "You''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?" Elodie asked as she tried to keep herposure. Malika knew she hated every mention of Jer, especially when they were in their own little space that didn''t have Jer with them. "I am married to Jer. Of course, I want my husband to want me. Besides, he has done so much for me. Even married me despite the strains of the contract. Y''know he kissed me today¡­ "Well, he initiated the kiss, but the thing is, he kissed me today. And I loved it," Malika said, rubbing it in even though it was a clear lie. And the fact that she was aroused herself made Elodie want to bend her over and fuck the protector senseless. She wanted to do away with Jer from their lives, but it was an unfortunate time for the both of them. Maybe they would find a way. Maybe Elodie would find a way. She had to. There was no other option left for her right? "Fuck you," Elodie growled and Malika just chuckled knowingly when she found the clothes she was looking for but chose to tease the woman behind her. "Jer will definitely do that after the date," Malika said, continuing her farce as the meek Malika. She knew she was stressing the warrior out, and testing her patience, but then the protector was loving every bit of it. "I hate you, goddammit," Elodie said as she roughly grabbed the clothes Malika had chosen for the date and threw them on the floor before turning the protector towards her. She then wrapped a hand around Malika''s neck, and mmed their lips together, something that got Malika smirking. She always won with Kane and she loved it. She liked it when Kane manhandled her and did shit with her. It was relieving in every sense and it made Malika''s desire pool in her cunt even more. That was what she wanted. For Elodie to take control. For Elodie to punish her in the way that only she could, and it seemed like she would get what she wanted after all. "Oomph¡ª" Malika tried to make a sound, say something, anything, but the rough passionate kiss between the two of them was making it a little hard for her to make a coherent sentence, let alone the desire that was bubbling beneath her. "You''re mine, you hear me?" Elodie growled possessively as she broke the kiss, and hungrily began peppering kisses on Malika''s milky skin. She loved the taste of what she was getting and she loved how Malika''s body was responding to her. They may have still been standing, but feeling the huge tits on her chest, and the smell of desire inly hitting her was everything Elodie wanted at the moment. She wanted to live here, with her, and hopefully, she would get her chance, because this was perfection. "I am Jer''s. I am his wife," Malika said, keeping the charade as her meek version, something that annoyed the fuck out of Elodie Kane. Malika was intentionally driving the woman nuts and she knew it. "Mine. Just mine and mine alone. Fuck, I''ll kill him if he touches you, like I do," Kane growled out as she took Malika''s left nipple in her mouth while she kneaded her right breast so roughly that Malika let out a whimper. Elodie could have sworn it was the sexiest sound she had ever heard from anyone. She could spend her days listening to Malika whimpering in pleasure and letting her do what she wanted with her body. She loved this woman it was fucking with her. "You wish¡­ I''m his wife," Malika said defiantly, holding back her moans. She loved what Elodie was siding with and white Malika was always the dominant in every lifetime. This time, she wanted to see what her new partner, Elodie, would do. "You can be his wife or whatever the fuck you want to be, but you''re mine, baby. Mine to touch, mine to kiss, mine to¡ª" Elodie said as her hands trailed down the protector''s abdomen, before settling on Malika''s cunt, leaving her speechless. For someone who had been naked for a while now, Malika had a warm cunt, that seemed to be begging for Eldie''s attention, especially the cleanly shaven mound, almost like Malika knew she wasing to get railed by the mate she had chosen. "I only want to be his," Malika said as she watched Elodie''s hands make a stop right at her mound. They were still standing but goodies, Elodie was losing control. "I see. You wanna go out on a date with him, no?" Elodie asked, as she traced her tongue on Malika''s tits that she had brought together like she wanted a taste from both tits at the same time and boy was she loving the nipples that had hardened in her mouth. "I can''t ever say no to him. He treats me so well, you should consider joining us some time," Malika said with a straight face. That was undoubtedly Elodie''sst straw, because she dragged Malika to the bed, pushed her on the bed, and climbed over the woman who wasn''t even resisting. If anything, Malika was amused. Her mind was foggy with desire but she wanted to see if the warrior had it in her to test all the limits they had. Perhaps they would today, yeah? "Then I''ll make sure to ruin you for him today," Elodie said. Before Malika could give her another snarky response, Elodie went down on her, spreading the protector''s legs as wide as she could, before kissing the protector''s cunt that was throbbing with desire, and leaking slick. "For someone who keeps talking about that dumb fuck, you sure are wet, baby. Or is that for him too?" Elodie asked. Chapter 153: All I Want… Is You * And With that, 2023 ends!!! I''m grateful we all made it... see you next year [tomorrow hihi] * Mass release of 5 chaptersbegins! I''m d we made it yoh! [SICARIO] "For someone who keeps talking about that dumb fuck, you sure are wet, baby. Or is that for him too?" Elodie asked, as her left hand traced circles on Malika''s pulsing cunt. She could smell the thick mango scent on the protector''s pussy lips, and it took every ounce of self-control in Elodie for her not to carelessly ram into Malika. Her right hand was still hooked on Malika''s tits, cupping, pinching, and ying with them. She could feel Malika''s nipples get harder under the feel of her fingers and she was loving it, not to mention the soft whines and whimpers that the protector was releasing. It was a magical moment for Elodie, a dreame true because she had yearned for this more times than she could ever admit out loud. Her fingers were teasing Malika''s entrance, while her mouth peppered kisses on the beautiful mound of flesh staring at her. She loved this, even as she traced her tongue along Malika''s clean mound. Her kisses resulted in more whines from Malika, making Elodie feel like she was in a literal heaven, however simple it was. "Seems like you''re a smart one, Kane. That is the most intelligent thing you have said in the past¡ª" Malika said before she suddenly felt three fingers in her wet cunt without warning, instantly shutting her up. Malika hadn''t been touched in years, or rather she had never looked at anyone in the past two hundred years. She had been spending her time fighting wars, running the protectors, and keeping them safe. Granted, many had wanted to pleasure her or be pleasured by her but she hadn''t been interested. She had a lifetime to explore anyway, but the moment she set her eyes on the rebellious Kane, she knew she would get her regardless. She just didn''t think that she would be the one to be fucked first, and not Kane. And that was driving her insane and at the same time, it was interesting to her. Maybe this time, she had really hit the jackpot with her interests, no? "Holy fuck, E!" Malika moaned as Elodie just chuckled as she let her teeth graze Malika''s pussy, even as the protector arched herself like she wanted more. Moving her fingers in Malika, Elodie let her ride it out, desperate to have a release. "You were saying something, love. What was it again?" Elodie asked as she looked at Malika who had arched her back desperately like she wanted more. Elodie was pumping her fingers into the protector, her paces so rough and fast while her tonguepped at the woman. She loved that the great protector, the woman who was so good at killing, was reacting to her fingers like this. It was a huge turn-on for Kane and she could feel her pants get wet with precum. She wasn''tining though, despite the strain she was feeling, she wanted to free her shaft, but it was too soon. "Fuck¡­ your fingers¡­ shit, I want more. Harder, faster¡­ Please E," Malika strained out, when her eyes locked onto Elodie''s¡­ The dark desire in them turned the warrior on even more. They were both on a desperate high and on a limited time that it was almost annoying to think of. They had so much to do, so much to explore and the time, it wasn''t favoring them. "Come now love, if you don''t answer me, I won''t let you cum," Elodie said and Malika let out a low warning growl, as if that was meant to get the warrior to give her the much-needed release. However, Elodie Kane wasn''t one to be rushed. If anything, at Malika''s growl, her fingers stopped moving, even though they had found the protector''s g spot. Her tongue casually rested on the protector''s mound, like a processor that had been stopped, and Elodie was staring at Malika with a smirk on her face. She didn''t do anything, even when Malika let out another growl, and arched her body so that she could get more from the woman, but then would she? "Another growl, and I won''t move,'''' Elodie warned as she lifted herself up, so her face was inches away from Malika''s face, while her hands were still in the woman''s cunt, not making a move, and it frustrated Malika so badly. "I¡ª" Malika began. However, Elodie shut her up with a sweet, soft, and gentle kiss that fucked with Malika''s brains, because Elodie could feel the woman''s cunt throbbing on her fingers, begging for a release. Their kiss was passionate as if Elodie was determined to erase any thoughts of Jer that were in Malika''s mind. Elodie knew that Jer was just an assignment to Malika, buttely she had been seeing Malika look at Jer differently, like the man was the love of her life. Malika had been staring at Jer warmly, with love in her eyes, with desire in them and that was not sitting well with Elodie. She hated that. She hated the fact that the woman had never looked at her like that and yet the dumb Alpha gotta have it set off what seemed to be forbidden to her. It drove her nuts and boy did she want to kill Jeremiah Warner every single time. "You were saying something earlier, my sweet protector. You taste so heavenly baby, but I wanna listen to you. Remind me, love, what was it you were saying again?" Elodie asked, as she stared into Malika''s dark eyes, loving how the desire in them was so intense. Elodie could see want in Malika''s eyes, and it wasn''t for Jer or anyone. The want in the protector''s eyes, was meant for her¡­ Just her and no one else and boy did that make her so happy. She could easily do anything for the woman right now, because she was finally sure that the only one the protector wanted was her. Granted, the eyes Malika was giving her were filled with desire. However, there was something else, something that Kane hadn''t seen Malika look at Jer with and it was like a little promise, the reminder that even in hell, she was the protector''s choice, which was perfect. But she wanted to say something. "You have a date with your husband, my love. Tell me or we will stay in here like this, and he will find us in this position, with you covered in my scent and the most interesting part," Elodie teased as she nibbled the protector''s lips. "My fingers are dripping with your juices in your cunt. I would let you state more of yourself, but you haven''t been a good girl, baby," Elodie added, as she licked Malika''s swollen lips. "What if I want us to say like this?" Malika teased and Elodie''s eyes widened at the tempting offer. It was one she couldn''t refuse and she wasn''t going to be prudent and lie about her wants for the women. "Then hees and finds us in this state, and your mission will be fucked," Elodie said with a sinisterugh and Malika just stared at her. "Please¡­" Malika trailed off, her desire making her lose her mind. She couldn''t hold back anymore, especially when she could feel the tingles that came with Elodie''s fingers in her cunt, not to mention the bulge that was pressed on her, making her want to stop the teasing warrior and ride herself on Elodie''s cock. "Please what, sweetheart?" Elodie asked as she kissed and gently bit Malika''s neck, the part where she would mark her. She wanted toy im on her right that instant but Elodie knew there would be suspicions. However, that also didn''t seem to matter to her at the moment, because she wanted Malika. "Ngh¡­ Move them. Harder¡­ Deeper¡­ Fuck¡­ Ple¡­ Please fill me up," Malika begged, and Elodie almost choked on air. She had never imagined that the woman would want that but goddamn, why was it driving her nuts even more. "Oh baby," Elodie cooed, before she kissed Malika again, like their lives depended on it. "Well then, baby. Your wish is always going to be mymand," Elodie said as she moved her fingers in the protector''s cunt, increasing the pace so fast as Malika let out moans. "But only because you begged so nicely," Elodie said as she kept fucking Malika with her fingers, before kissing Malika so roughly like she wanted to swallow her mate''s moans. She was going crazy with desire for this woman and she loved it. "As much as I want to hear you moan and ride it out, I don''t want anyone hearing your voice out there¡ª'''' Elodie said and Malika used her free hand to cast a spell that blocked all sounds from leaving her chambers. "Fixed." Chapter 154: The Astronauts [SICARIO] "As much as I want to hear you moan and ride it out, I don''t want anyone hearing your voice out there¡ª'''' Elodie said and Malika used her free hand to cast a spell that blocked any and all sounds from leaving her chambers. She also made sure that no one would know that Elodie was in the room or even when the woman had gotten in. It was their pretty little secret. All she wanted was her pleasure and this woman was foreign to give it to her. "Fixed," Malika moaned as she began moving her body against Elodie''s fingers, arching her back and pushing her body to meet the warrior''s fingers. She wanted more. She needed more, and when Elodie pulled out her fingers from Malika''s cunt, Malika felt empty. "Empty¡­ It feels so empty, I want¡­" Malika whined desperately, hungry for more. Elodie took that chance to look at the most dangerous woman alive casually on her bed, begging for more from her. It was like a dream, especially given the woman was untouchable and yet she had let Elodie of all the people touch her. It was crazy and beautiful at the same time. So much so that as Kane stripped, she couldn''t help but paint the image in her head over a hundred times. She didn''t want to forget this moment, she couldn''t let herself forget. "You want this?" Elodie asked, when she finally pulled her pants down, revealing her huge cock that was dripping with precum. Malika stared at the woman who was showcasing for her and the only thing she could think to spell out, was a "fuck." She always knew that Kane had a massive cock and knew that it would be pretty good, but she hadn''t imagined that she would be begging for that huge cock when she was alreadyte for a date with Jeremiah Warner. This was crazy, wild, and more than anything, Malika wanted it inside her. So as Elodie grabbed her shaft and teased the protector with it, by swinging casually, letting Malika know just what would go into her, Malika could feel her lips drying. Oh, she was definitely changing for Elodie and she loved it. "Yes¡­ All of it, in me. Please, E," Malika begged hungrily as her hands tried to reach the warrior''s cock, but Elodie pped her hands away, as if to remind her to be patient. But then what was patience when Malika was high as hell and wanted a taste of that? "Anything for you, baby," Elodie said as she went back to Malika, before her lips made contact with Malika''s pussy lips. Shepped at them, taking long licks like her life depended on it. She loved that Malika was so wet and ready for her, and she loved how tasty the protector was. Oh but Elodie knew this was a different kind of heaven. "More¡­ I want more, E. please, more," Malika begged, as she arched her back again, and this time, Elodie sank her tongue into Malika''s cunt, fucking the woman into her first orgasm, with just her tongue. She loved it so much, even as the protector moaned her name in differentnguages, something that Elodie was always learning. Of course, she knew some of thenguages but goddamn, she loved that she was able to get the great protector writhing beneath her. It wasn''t apetition, nor was it an achievement, but it was a pretty special moment for the both of them. "You taste so divine, baby. It''s a pity we are on a timer because of your date¡ª" Elodie said and Malika grilled as she struggled to sit up. She pushed Elodie''s fingers out of her, then grabbed Eldie''s thick dangling cock and lined it up at her entrance, as if to tell the warrior that this wasn''t the time for pleasantries and regrets. "Fuck. Me. PLEASE!!!" Malika cried out desperately, the twitching cock at her entrance having her yearning for more. However, her desperation faded into relief when she felt Elodie''s cock push into her gently. "Shit, you''re so fucking tight, baby," Elodie said as she tried to go slow but one move from Malika and her ass was on her balls, with her cock filling up the protector. Elodie was worried about hurting Malika, but the protector was greedy for more. "Fucking hell that feels so good," Malika cussed as she orgasmed, again, despite the warrior not doing anything yet. "Shit, you''re taking me so good baby. Fuck," Elodie said as she began thrusting in slow paces, careful not to hurt the protector. "Move, E, please move," Malika begged again and this time, Elodie grabbed one of the pillows on the bed. "Ass up, sweetheart," Elodie said and Malikaplied effortlessly as Elodie put the pillow beneath her, lifting her so that their groins were literally attached to each other. Oh how she loved the feeling. "Does your husband fuck you like this?" Elodie asked as she thrust into Malika, her slow paces finally gaining momentum, while she grasped the protector''s waist to keep them glued. She lived for this moment. She loved this kind of high. It no longer felt forced or rushed. This was just two women getting off on each other, letting themselves dominate each other, and boy did they love it. "Harder, E," Malika cried out, and Elodie spanked her ass, while their hips pped hard against each other. The protector lifted herself up, following the pleasure that the warrior had forgiven her. She had wanted more and she was finally getting it. Oh, how she loved that she was being filled up. She loved the thrusts that were making her mind foggy. She loved that in this lifeline, Elodie Kane was the first fuck she had had in over a hundred years. Malika marveled at how perfectly her body was responding so well to Kane''s thrusts. She loved that their bodies were in sync, and five orgasmster, Malika was spent, but she still wanted more. "More¡­ I want more¡­" Malika begged, as her slick and cum leaked from her cunt that was filled up to the brim. She could feel Elodie''s thrusts growing deeper and faster, and Malika could have sworn that the woman had punctured her uterine walls as they both orgasmed over and over. However, that wasn''t an issue because she had wanted this. "That was intense, damn," Elodie breathed as she slumped to Malika''s side. Elodie''s cock was still in Malika, loving how Malika still clenched around her. If they didn''t have othermitments, she would have continued. They were still horny like rabid dogs but they had to catch a breath. "Baby, you look sleepy. I''m all for fucking you all day, but I have a feeling you came back on an important mission. You need to rest first, sweetheart," Elodie said when she felt Malika push herself against her, riding whatever was left of their endless high. "I''ll be fine, just give me more," Malika begged again and Elodie sighed. She could see how sleepy Malika was getting and she was certain that the day would be longer for the both of them. "How about this, baby? I won''t pull out, but you must promise me you''ll rest. I''ll stay with you until you wake. What do you think?" Elodie asked as she kissed Malika''s sleepy face. "Moreee¡­ Don''t go, E." Chapter 155: Fucked, Filled, And... Fractured [SICARIO] "How about this, baby? I won''t pull out, but you must promise me you''ll rest. I''ll stay with you until you wake. What do you think?" Elodie asked as she kissed Malika''s sleepy face. The women were spent and they were both covered in cum and sweat. It was a beautiful sight, and Elodie once again reminded herself that this was the best day ever for her. She enjoyed every bit of it and it made her so happy she was sure she would be deranged if they didn''t stop. "Moreee¡­ Don''t go, E," Malika said, her voice fading as she slowly let sleep take over her body. "I won''t go. I''ll stay till you wake up," Elodie said, kissing Malika''s wet lips. "I love you," Malika whispered sleepily as she finally gave in to sleep. However, her words stuck to Elodie like a dream. This was more than she had expected, but then again, she hadn''t expected that Malika wouldn''t stop her, much less that she would be balls deep into the woman''s cunt like it was her new heaven. "And I love only you, baby. Only you," Elodie said reassuringly. She then pushed herself up, and snuggled Malika, so they were coddling. Goddess, she loved this dangerous woman. An hour and thirty minutester, Elodie made the hardest choice she would have made for that moment. She woke Malika up. "Hey, baby, wake up," Elodie said softly as she gently woke her mate up. Sure they hadn''t defined their bond ever since they saw each other, but after what had happened, there was no denying that they were bound, and had epted each other. "What time is it?" Malika asked as she woke up to the scent of her arousal, cum, and the fulfilling feeling of Elodie''s monster cock inside of her. She could feel her cunt sore, and her body was so worn out that she couldn''t even feel her limbs. "Thirty minutes to your date," Elodie said softly as she pushed a stray strand of hair that had found its way to her protector''s pretty face. Malika looked properly fucked and she smelled like it. It was satisfying to watch the result of her hard work and Elodie wanted to be there for a little longer. She wanted to stay and let the day pass them as they were in their bed, doing whatever they wished to. However, while Elodie spelled out the time for her, all Malika could think of was Hawi being four hours away from attacking Sicario. She knew Hawi would burn it all down and she needed to see to it that the bastard husband was distracted. Malika waste already, and needed to get going, because the palm depended on her too. She had to be at her best. "Shit, I should get going," Malika said and Elodie held her closer like she wasn''t ready to let the protector go. However, she noticed that there was more to Malika''s words, something that got the woman trying to get out. Elodie could see the woman panicking and this wasn''t how she had nned to wake her up. Of course, there had to be more pressing issues than both of their desires but goodness, they needed to fix it all and soon. "Oh¡­ you didn''t¡ª" Malika said surprised that Elodie had really stayed plugged to her. Granted she had felt it earlier, but her mind wasn''t on the fucking they had been enjoying but instead on the tragedy that was inbound in literally four hours or less. "Well, someone asked me not to leave," Elodie said softly. There was no mockery in her tone, just sincerity and pride that she had been loved by the Protector and that this woman had let her in. It was not something Kane could think of easily because the woman she had just bedded was no ordinary woman, a reality that she kept reminding herself of, to convince herself that she hadn''t really been dreaming of this. Then again, there was a chance that Malika had been stressed with the war and had needed a release, that Elodie had been way too avable and had given to her with a little ease than she had nned, right? "How are you feeling?" Elodie asked. "Fucked, filled, and fractured¡­ I think?" Malika said and Elodie stared at her worriedly. "Fractured? Where? Show me¡­" Elodie said as she gently pulled her cock out of Malika, the plop sound reminding them that Malika was still aroused and Elodie was still hard. Cum was dripping from Malika''s cunt and it was inviting Elodie, again, but she was still worried about Malika being hurt. She hadn''t meant to hurt her, hell the deities also knew that. If she had hurt Malika then she would have nursed her back to health and made sure that things were okay with the woman. "Just kidding. I loved every bit of this," Malika said, as she kissed Elodie''s forehead in reassurance. She didn''t need to have the woman distracted too. Someone had to be rational even for the remaining hours of peace that the Sicario wolves would have. "Malika¡ª" "I''m not hurt, E. Even if I was, My powers already exhaled me. You don''t have to worry," Malika said. "No, Malika. I don''t want to be the cause of your pain. Don''t tell me you have powers to heal you. I shouldn''t hurt you. I can''t see you in pain, and I can''t survive causing you any pain, sweetheart," Elodie ranted as she checked out the beautiful naked woman with perfect curves on her bed. "E¡­ look at me, love. I''m not hurt, okay? See¡­ I''m fit," Malika said as she got up and turned around so that Elodie could see for herself. "Fuck," the warrior said as she took in Malia''s appearance. She loved what she had done and if they had time, she would do it again. Then again, her mind was still trying to wrap around the fact that malika had called her love. "Okay. But I want to do something for you. Come back here baby," Elodie said gently and Malika looked at her confused. Elodie''s cum was still dripping down Malika''s creamy thighs, tempting the warrior to have more, but she had to practice restraint, otherwise none of them would be able to leave this room in the time they had. It would be a great inconvenience but perhaps pleasure before duty? "What?" Malika asked as she sat on the end, only to be shocked when Elodiey her on the bed, and began eating her pussy, again. Malika knew this was going to be a long day for her, and it wasn''t just because of the woman who was smacking her ass and eating her cunt, while fingering the hell out of her, despite the fact that she was covered in both their cum and sweat. "I¡­ You¡ª'''' Malika tried to let out, as she felt her thighs shake at another orgasm. She was so fucked out and yet her body wanted more. Then again, she couldn''t me anyone for this. Elodie was a master in what she did. She knew her way around Malika''s desires and was feeding it to her in every possible way. It was like Elodie was made for this, or that their bodies were made for each other. "Shhh, baby. I''m just cleaning you up. I''ve always wanted to taste you after a good fuck. Let me," Elodie said as she licked Malika and sucked her juices like they were the fluids of her life. Elodie was worshiping her woman, like the masterpiece that malika was. They hadn''t had enough time to explore other pleasures but as she licked Malika clean, Elodie made a mental note to take care of her beautiful Malikater like she needed to. Malika didn''t protest anymore. She knew there was nothing she could do other than let Kane eat her out like she was her food. Besides, Malika could only think of Kane right now. She wanted the woman to fuck into her again, and drive her insane with every long thrust into her uterine walls. She wanted Elodie to fill her up, again. "There there," Elodie cooed when she heard Malika moaning her name, again. This was a dangerous cycle, but it was one they were willing to explore. Maybe that was also why they fucked again, thrice, before finally forcing themselves toe back to their reality in which there was a waring. ''Three hours fifty minutes, Malika. Be ready,'' Hawi''s voice was heard in Malika''s mind link, bearing the protector back to her senses. ''Yes, Mistress,'' Malika responded as she slumped back on the bed. She was extremely worn out. Chapter 156: Death Was A Better Choice Than Him [SICARIO] [NOW] "Goodness, woman. What the hell do you want me to wear to our date then?" Jer asked and Malika asked again. She had made the poor man feel like this was a terrible idea. "Malika is a simple girl. If you dress like that, she will be intimidated, and I doubt you want your little mindless Luna crying on your first date, no?" Elodie said and Jer seemed to be thinking so much into it. He never wanted to hurt Malika and that was a weakness that Elodie had also learned. She would without a doubt explore itter but until then, there was just no way this bastard was going to be dressing up to meet her woman ¨C the one she fucked senseless in the past two hours. It wasn''t going to happen, at least not on her watch. "Actually, you do have a point," Jer said before he checked his office closet and got out some light clothes for their date. Ever since the blood rain, there had been whispers in Sicario, but today he was choosing to focus on his woman and his woman alone. He didn''t care about anything else. Maybe this was his way of getting back on his feet, right? "Now you look better," Elodie said even though Jer looked like some kid who had never stepped into a ballroom and seen how beautiful women were. Perhaps this was truly fitting for the personality Malika had been parading around for them, right? "Okay. Wish me luck," Jer said, satisfied with how he looked. He would charm his beautiful wife and make her feel loved. Perhaps today, he would get a kiss from her, right? "Well then, whatever the hell people wish for each other. I wish you that. Is there anything you need from me?" Elodie asked, not wanting to be in the same room as Jer anymore. He was giving her mixed signals and she couldn''t be here, not right now. "Nothing. You can leave and go have fun. You might actually get a wife in the process," Jer said and Elodie snorted at him. Oh, he had no clue what he was talking about at the moment, and that in itself made it a beautiful surprise. "Yo¡ª Holy fuck," Elodie said, making Jer turn to look at her. He couldn''t understand what could have prompted that, but as he followed Elodie''s line of sight he couldn''t help but think the same as the woman. "Holy fuck indeed," Jer said as he stared at the beautiful woman standing at the door of his office. She looked so damn gorgeous it was almost a dream for Jeremiah. There was just no way that he had managed to score her, right? "Is it too much?" Malika asked meekly, her eyes trained on her husband who was drooling already. She couldn''t look at Kane, given her pussy still hurt from their little exercise earlier. However, that didn''t mean that she didn''t need more. "Oh, sweet goddess, nothing is too much. It''s perfect. You¡­ You''re so perfect, my love," Jer said, as he focused on Malika, not even realizing that Elodie had decided to leave the two of them and use the other exit. "I¡ª Thank you," Malika said, as a blush rose up her cheeks. She looked so beautiful in a long bodycon cowl neck ck dress, with mule heels. Her hair was rolled into waves and her makeup was on point. If it hadn''t been for her voice, anyone could have assumed that Malika Warner was a goddess on her own. It was no wonder that Elodie had excused herself. She was fighting the urge to take Malika there and then. "It''s so tempting toplete the mating right now, sweetheart," Jer said and Malika hid her syringe. She could only think of Elodie calling her that and it had been beautiful. However, hearing it from Jer''s mouth was disgusting and it made her want to change into some baggy clothes for this goddamn date. But she had to remind herself that this was all for the distraction, and it seemed like she would manage it without putting in so much effort. "Thank you," Malika said with a blush as she looked at her feet, like she didn''t want to look Jer in the eyes. She was his Luna, but here she was just the girl who was meant to be in love with him. She was the girl who had fallen head over heels for him and whose world revolved around him. Oh, but Jer was falling deeper. "Come, love. Let''s go to that date before I end up doing things that will stop us from leaving this office," Jer said sincerely and Malika let out a shy chuckle as she raised her head. "C¡­ Can I kiss your cheek?" Malika said meekly, and she smiled helplessly at Jer. "Oh love," Jer said before he captured her lips in a soft kiss. He was gentle with her, like he didn''t want to ruin her lipstick but at the same time, he was practicing restraint. He couldn''t bring himself to imagine how beautiful his woman was and boy was it fucking with him. "Let''s go, my beautiful," Jer said when they pulled apart in a kiss that Malkia had agreed to, even though she was imagining Elodie''s lips on hers. The protector was whipped for the Sicario warrior and it was no secret that she had made up her mind when it came to Elodie. All they had to do was win the war for Hawi and then everything would be fine. Perhaps it wouldn''t be for long, right? That morning was beautiful for the love birds. The date was simple, like Jer was trying to see whether Malika would love it, and she did. At least her meek self did. She looked so happy throughout like she wouldn''t hurt him if he tried to look in the direction of Hawi even once. ''How far, Hawi?'' Malika asked in the midline when she couldn''t take it anymore with the date she had been forced to go to with Jer. She had been absent-minded the whole time and worried about Hawi. Knowing the woman, she was probably thinking of a way to sacrifice herself and if Hawi did that, Malika would kill Her and everything this bastard held dear. Then again, it wouldn''t give Hawi closure, which was the only thing Malika wanted for her. She needed Hawi to have closure because the woman needed it and if ttening Sicario was it, then she would lead the way. ''We''reing, Malika. I didn''t change my mind. don''t worry. How''s your date with Jer?'' Hawi asked, teasing thest bit like it was supposed to make Malika feel a little bit better. But then it was just chaotic for her. ''I would choose death over a date with him again,'' Malika said as she mirrored their date to Hawi who ended upughing at her misery. Jer was babbling about the ns he had for Malika and to any normal woman, they would have been beautiful and worthy ns. They were ns to make sure Malika had everything she needed. The Sicario Alpha talked like he would give the world to Malika which was true, but what world would he give to the woman who was determined to destroy him to bits? Maybe that was insane of him or her, but it just didn''t matter. ''Well, don''t die yet, Malika. We''re here. But we attack at nightfall,'' Hawi said. Malika let out a breath of relief. She had never been this excited to kill people and right now the fact that Hawi was around, and she had endured this long ass date for that, made her feel like it was worth it. "Thank the goddess," Malika breathed out and Jer just smiled heartily at her even though that was a response for Hawi. "I am so happy that you belong with me, my dear Malika. Tell me love, do you have any ns for your future that you would want me to help you out with?" Jer asked. Malika stared at him wondering what the fuck this man was bbering about. She hadn''t been paying any attention to his bbers previously so she was a little out of the loop. So, she spoke the only thing that she could think of at the moment. "I will follow you wherever you go, dear husband. I trust your decisions for me," Maika said and Jer leaned in for a kiss. "I love you so much," Jer said and Malika just leaned in and kissed him. Perhaps onest time, right? *** [A/N] * The physical description of Jer and Malika''s date venue was quite insignificant... so I didn''t give it attention as much... sorry. But you can picture a beautiful hotel with an arcade ?? Chapter 157: Hell Hath No Fury [SICARIO] "You had better have a good reason for interrupting my time with my wife, Theo, or you will be the first dead body of the day," Alpha Jer said as he looked at his enforcer who was staring at him tiredly. The man was panting and he looked like he had seen the devil himself. He looked like he couldn''t take another moment of life and if his alpha didn''t listen to him, he would choose to die in that instant. Jer and Malika were currently at an arcade in a hotel outside of Sicario, a choice that Malika had given the elephant earlier. It seemed like a weird proposal, but the Alpha trusted his wife and trusted her instincts. He only wanted to make her happy. The whole reason for the date was to make Malika feel better and right now, as they were ying in the arcade, it made sense that the Alpha was disappointed that They had made it to this point. "Alpha¡­ SHE''s back and killing our people," Theo said and Jer scoffed before he realized what his enforcer had just said. "Who the fuck is killing our people?" Jer asked, carefully as Malika looked at him with worried eyes like she didn''t know what they were talking about. "The Sicario heiress," Theo began before correcting himself. "Awuor Hawi Sicario. She is back, and with the support of the impossible factions. She is in Sicario with an army of thousands of warriors who are tearing through our people like paper. "We haven''t been able to hold our defense and we need you both. We need you, please Alpha." Jer looked at Theo, wondering what the man was high on. However, the longer he looked at the warrior, the more he was sure that this man was being truthful with him. There was raw fear in his eyes, his hands were shaking, he looked disheveled like he had had a one-on-one with the devil himself. Theo looked so scared it was worrying Jer. And the fact that he hade to where the Alpha was, meant that he had to havee on his own and couldn''t send anyone. Perhaps this was an illusion? "Slow down, Theo. Are you sure you saw Awuor Sicario?" Jer asked as he started to realize the magnitude of everything. It was all an illusion to him. Thest time he had imagined Hawi was when he was back home and even on the day of Dom''s wake. He had sworn he saw her. Then again, the woman they had left in the rubble looked a lot like Hawi but he hadn''t believed it perhaps this was just his subconscious ying games with him. But why now? Why at this moment? "Go back, Theo. I aming right after you. Go defend the borders and make sure they don''t get in," Jer said and Theo looked at him like he had lost his mind. What the hell was this? The alpha hadn''t paid attention to him and frankly, Theo couldn''t me him. So many had been shocked at the realization that Hawi was alive; it wasn''t something that urred daily and that scared the living daylights out of them. Perhaps their alpha would find a way out of this, right? "Yes alpha," Theo said before he shifted into his wolf and made his way back to Sicario. "Wh¡ª" Malika began as she trembled while looking at the alpha. Meek Malika looked scared of Hawi and rightfully so, because everyone knew Hawi''s reputation. Everyone in Sicario had been telling Meek Malika of what a beast Hawi was and how powerful the woman was. She had heard the rumors and now she was married to that woman''s mate. What the hell would this mean for her? "She''ll kill me. She''ll not let me live. She will definitely kill me. You said she was dead. You said she was not in your life anymore. She is alive. You lifted. You married me when you had a mate. "You¡­ She will definitely kill me," Meek Maika began crying her heart out as she looked at her husband who was wearing a heartbroken face. Jer looked like he wished to fix this but a part of him could tell that even he wasn''t sure what this was about. There was just no way that Malika would be involved in this. He couldn''t let his wife be hurt by the devil who hade to their home. "Baby¡­ look at me. I need you to listen to me very well," Jer said and meek Malika stared at him with raw fear in her eyes. She looked so scared and helpless. She looked like all the rumors had gone on to her head and that shit was driving Jer crazy. He had promised to give her a better life, keep her safe, and now the only thing he could do was keep her away. He loved her too much to lose her and maybe that made him a stupid man, but he had made up his mind. "She''ll kill me," meek Malika sobbed, bringing the attention to them. All this time it had just been the two of them on their word but as they walked away from the arcade after Theo''s disappearance. But now reality was hitting them a little too harder than expected. "Malika, no¡­ Focus on me, baby. I need to go back to Sicario to see if I was telling the truth. But I can''t take you with me, sweetheart,'''' Jer said and Malika stared at him with teary eyes, like she was really scared of being left out there. "But¡­ I¡­ She¡ª" "Just listen to me, love. I need you to go to the humannds, and stay there. We have associates and they will know you at the border. Go there and tell them I sent you, for reasons that can be spelled out, okay? "I wille for you, my love. If Awuor is back, then Sicario is doomed and I don''t want you to be caught in the crossfires. I need you to listen to me, my love. Can you do that?" Jer asked and Malika stared at him, still scared. "She''ll kill me. She''ll kill me. She''ll kill me," Malika rambled as she began pacing, making Her lose his mind. He knew he had pressing things to attend to but he couldn''t leave, not when his mate was in this state. "Baby¡ª" "They said she was vengeful and dangerous. That she wanted to burn Sicario. Now she is here and I am married to her husband. She will kill me. She will ruin me for you,'''' Malika said and Jer roughly ran a hand through his hair. He then grabbed Malika by the neck and mmed their lips together, instantly shutting her up. He kissed her, but he could smell her fear and it was messing with him. He loved her so much it was breaking him. So, Jer made the only choice he could at the moment. He knocked her unconscious and took her back to the hotel, booked a room for her for three months, with everything catered for then left her with his credit cards and everything that would keep herfortable. Then he left for Sicario. "I''ll kill her like I did her family," Jer swore under his breath as he left Malika heard him. So she justughed at the Alpha. No one could beat Hawi''s rage. No one, and he would find out soon. "Hello, Mistress." *** [A/N] * And the 2023 seasones to an end woo! We did great this year, see y''all next year. ~ With love, Author-nim Chapter 158: Of Endless Maybes On Homeground * Happy New Year Woo!!! [HAWI] Standing at the gates of Sicario, Hawi watched as her warriors roughly breached. This was the one ce she had always considered home and her safest ce, before tragedy struck. It was meant to be the best of ces, the one ce that gave her sce and made her feel like there was no problem with being different. She had fought wars for this home and yet now here she was, standing at the gates of that very home, with an army of eighteen thousand who wanted blood and on her behest. It would be the blood of a people she once considered family and the blood of the very people who had cast her aside without a second thought. Maybe she was bitter. Maybe that''s why she hade to this point instead of trying to work things out with the elders. Maybe she was too broken to see for herself what was good and what was bad. And maybe, just maybe she didn''t see the painting holding on anymore. These people had taken out her entire family for different reasons and none of that made it any moreforting, perhaps that''s why she stood on the side as she let the angry warriors who had followed her, to ruthlessly slice through the unexpecting Sicario warriors. It was a beautiful sight yet at the same time, it broke Hawi''s heart. The past few years had been hectic for her, but she hadn''t imagined that she woulde home to burn them all like this. Granted, she wanted revenge, but she had hoped that maybe, just maybe as she exined her vengeance, someone would step forward and take credit for her pain, and then she would deal with one person. But that didn''t happen. Instead, she had heard the endless rumors about the house Sicario. The one house that had given this pack its lie. She had heard the worst of the worst from the rumors and finally, that hit had fucked her up even more. Maybe that was enough to exin her passive state at the moment, but would it also exin the fact that she had two swords sheathed on her back, a gun in one hand and another sword in the other? Would it give her enough closure? And would she be able toe to terms with the possibility thating home like this would unleash a pandora she wasn''t ready for? "Hey baby, you okay?" Alpha Rukiya asked as she noticed her mate was standing still at the gates. Everyone else was already in and the cries of the wolves could be heard. It was music to their ears, but Hawi hadn''t even been focusing on that. It was like she had been stuck in a moment, where there was nothing good that coulde out of this. Hawi had seen the friends she made over the years turn the tables and take lives like it was nothing. Children would be coteral and while Hawi wanted to feel bad for the kids, she knew so well that it was better like that. "Yes. I am okay. It''s just unreal that I''m back here and armed to the teeth," Hawi said once thest of her warriors went in. She loved what she was seeing but it got her worried at the same time. She was okay with being the devil. She also was aware that the things that would happen beyond the Sicario walls, would haunt many for endless years. It would be the longest war of all time, not that she cared but hey, she was just sharing her traumas, no? "Come on love, let''s go. This isn''t the time to think, baby. We need to do this once and for all," Rukiya said, as she grabbed Hawi''s hands and ran with her into Sicario, growling so loudly that everyone in the pack could hear them. Unlike the endless times she tried to run away from Rukiya and failed, Hawi didn''t fight the bond this time, she didn''t try to pretend that she didn''t want this. Instead, she breathed in a sigh before she embraced her reality. Maybe she was crazed, but she knew that she had to focus on the pain that this ce had caused her. She would focus on the loss of her father, a man she hadn''t even been able to mourn properly because she had been preparing for war. Maybe that was insensitive and unexpected but then it wasn''t like there was anyone who would being to save her. This ce had taken everything from them and she would take everything from them, including their lives and their identity. "Kill them all!!!!" Hawi shouted as she tucked her gun in, returning her sword to its sheath on her waist. She then pulled the two swords that were on her back, the most dangerous of swords that she had spelled with angry magic over and over. She had poisoned the swords to the point that one scratch from the sword would kill anyone in literally seconds. She had made sure the poison was so concentrated that it wouldn''t even give the attacked a chance to breathe theirst. They wouldn''t be able to make coherent sentences with that. Oh but Hawi had nned this for long and right now, she would let it all out. "For the Sicario household!!!" the broken alpha shouted and her warriors responded with excitement, even though their swords were already covered in the blood of the people they had attacked. It was a beautiful sight, a sight that got Hawi smiling ear to ear. "For Luna Eni!!" Hawi shouted and once again, how people cheered on, as they struck their victims like it was the simplest thing to do. She had gone bonkers but at least, this time, no one would be shunning her. If it was magic, she had the magic of the old times, given she was the white wolf. She had Mbali, Adolf, and Rukiya on her side, even if Malika hadn''t arrived yet. Malika had been on a date with Jer, doing what she had been assigned. And it was just a matter of time before she came back. But Hawi wasn''t worried. They all had their duties and they would attend to them at that moment. "This is for my family," Hawi said to everyone whose head she chopped off, or sank her twin swords in. It was like a new mantra for her, reminding everyone that they were dying because of their disloyalty to the House Sicario. It was one thing to distrust Awuor Hawi, but it was another to sit in silence as her brother and father were murdered. It just wasn''t fair and Hawi would make sure they never forgot that even when they reached the afterlife. "Goddess, it''s been a while since I felt blood on my hands, and goodness, I''m loving it," Mbali said happily as she finally got to Hawi. Mbali had gotten in with the warriors alongside the Greyson leaders and the endless warriors. It was perfect, more than they had imagined and the smile on Mbali''s face was proof of it all. "I''m d you love it,'''' Hawi said as she blocked a sword from one of the Sicario warriors, before dragging the man with her magic and thrusting her swords into him, instantly killing him. "When is Malikaing?" Mbali asked, loving the way the wolves were dancing to their tunes. "Soon. Go on, spare no one. I don''t care if you have to take out the kids too." Chapter 159: I’m So Glad You’re Here [HAWI] "When is Malikaing?" Mbali asked, loving the way the wolves were dancing to their tunes. "Soon. Go on, spare no one. I don''t care if you have to take out the kids too. No one was kinder to me,'''' Hawi said to Mbali who just agreed instead of trying to reason with her as usual. Jabali Lihle could see that Hawi''s eyes were slowly growing darker and there was no point in telling the woman that the kids were innocent. This was something they would deal with if they got out of this alive¡­ They just didn''t care anymore. "Alright. And you should be careful too. This ambush is going on well as it is. Don''t let yourself be distracted, Hawi. We are here to kill, not to get emotional and shit,. Think Of it as an assignment to butcher them all, alright?" Mbali said. Hawi just stared at the Lycan warrior like that wasn''t already what they were doing at the moment. Maybe it was crazy, but Mbali knew the moment Hawi got emotional so many things could go wrong and frankly, they couldn''t have her hair turning red. Perhaps that''s why Mbali was insistent on them being focused. Mbali knew she could convince Hawi to turn her humanity off, but that would be dangerous for everyone, especially given how Hawi was always unstable even with her humanity on. That was a risk that Mbali wasn''t going to take. However, if push came to shove then she would do it, for the sake of their mission. "Yes, Mother. Go on, I''ll try to reach out to Malika and see what is keeping her away, seeing as we can see Theo here already," Hawi said and Mbali snickered before adopting Hawi gently on the back and leaving. She could only hope that this would be alright with her. "Malika," Hawi said as she tried to reach out through the mind link. She didn''t want to keep her focus on one ce especially now that she was surrounded by people who were fighting back. The Sicario warriors hadn''t known who she was, thanks to the white hair she was adorning, and the war ink on her face, not to mention the fact that many of them had assumed she was dead. Maybe they figured that this person fighting them was just another person who wanted to be like Hawi. But then no one would ever rece Awuor Hawi Sicario. It was just impossible. The sooner they epted that, the sooner their terrible lives would end without so much pain, right? "Hello Mistress," Malika responded. Hawi let out a happy smile, even though she was swinging her sword and ripping through any Sicario wolves that she ran into. She loved how the war had turned out and boy did she feel safer now that Malika was responding. Granted, she didn''t need to feel safe here given she was in charge, and with her mate, but Malika was her protector. And even though Hawi never really showed it, she always thought of Malika as her guardian. Malika always had her back, even in the craziest of moments, Malika always told her to face things and if it went haywire, she would always be there to smoothen things out for Hawi. She loved Hawi like a sister and even more like someone she wanted to see happy. So it wasn''t shocking that Hawi was strangely smiling from ear to ear in a ce where people were screaming with pain from their organs being ripped out of their bodies, or even from the fact that they were being attacked by Lycans, of all the creatures. "You¡ª" "Oh,e now, Hawi. Don''t tell me you''re getting shy on me right now," Malika teased and Hawi just breathed out a sigh. It was not normal for her to be in this state, especially because of Malika, but this was her letting herself be human. "You wish. Where are you?" Hawi asked as she stopped to look around her. She could see bodies falling, mothers screaming, men grunting, and children lying on the ground with their bodies covered in blood. "Look behind you,'''' Malika said. Hawi instantly turned to see her protector in her full gear. Malika looked so beautiful and perfect that if she wasn''t here for war, she could have been in a museum earning gold from people who just wanted to see her beauty. Her ever-long and untied hair was currently in a tight bun, that''s not even a hair that seemed out of ce. Her usual golden attire was gone and in its ce was a ck leather uniform set for the greatest warriors out there. Malika looked like she had won endless wars, even this one even though she hadn''t even started yet. Hawi felt relief coursing through her veins as she rushed to hug Malika, a sight that got Malika confused because she was certain Hawi never let herself be weak. But then this was different, this was just the white wolf being relieved that her guardian had made a show, it was something that made her feel at ease because she knew nothing could ever go wrong whether Malika was with her. "H¡­ Hi," Hawi breathed out, and Malika just pulled her into a hug, before they pulled apart. "You look different, Hawi. Don''t tell me you were scared I wouldn''te?" Malika teased again and Hawi rolled her eyes, like there weren''t people getting beheaded around them. She didn''t care about that, not even Elodie who was staring in shock. "Are you sure your brains are working right? Because this is the first time all your thoughts about me are wrong," Hawi said and Malika just chuckled. She understood Hawi best and she was just happy she was here. "Oh, I''m thinking well alright. I''m just d that this time, you didn''t get to do this alone. You finally let yourself lean on others and that''s beautiful, Hawi. "I could kill them all with a snap of my fingers, but I have a feeling you want to feel, their blood on your hands, yeah?" Malika said loving this ''normal'' side of Hawi. She never thought it possible, but then pain had a different way of making things happen. Perhaps this time there would be better oues for them all right? "You''re crazy. Let''s get fighting,'''' Hawi said, as she pulled back from the hug and patted Malika''s back as if to tell her that it was game time. Then again, it was always game time for Malika, even when she was sleeping. Right now, she was on duty and boy did she love it too. "For Hawi!!!" Malika shouted as she ran into the crowd too. She didn''t care that many were staring at her confused, especially the Sicario warriors who were trying to fight their enemies but were losing. The Greyson warriors are well trained and the fact that they had been training daily made it even better because these warriors were highly skilled. The Sicario warriors had been getting training too, but with Dom and Hawi gone, no one could teach them the best tactics of war. Right now, they were just trying to stay alive, which was pathetic, but it was like Hawi''s army of psychos cared anyway. "Awuor¡­ You''re alive?" Chapter 160: No Known Triggers… Right? [JER] Hearing the cries of his people, Jeremiah Warner was pissed. He had never imagined that anyone would be brave enough to attack Sicario. It was just unheard of, and the only unhinged person who could have done this was dead. There was just no way that this was happening, especially for a day that had been too perfect with his little mate. Here and now he sure hoped that his Malika was at the hotel, hidden, just in case someone wanted to use her as coteral. It wasn''t his greatest idea, leaving Luna without warriors to keep her safe, and not even Elodie, but then what else was there for her to do? It had all been done in the spur of the moment. He could deal with thatter. But right now, he had to focus on the chaos outside of his office. "Who is attacking us?" Jer asked the elders who hade to the office to seek a solution. There were so many tears hitting the ground outside, just like the blood that had spilled and was still spilling. It was all just so crazy and unexpected, that it hurt. "The Lycans, the Greyson warriors, the rogues, the rebels, pretty much it feels like the entire team is fighting us. Tell us, Alpha¡­ Did you do anything to piss off the Lycans and the Greyson warriors? "Rukiya Greyson has always been a girl to follow rules, so to see her attacking us like this is crazy, I''m assuming she sought the help of the Lycans. What the fuck did you do to anger them like that?" one of the elders asked. Jer let out a warning growl. He wasn''t in the right mind obviously, but even then, he couldn''t think of anything he could have done to trigger whatever the hell was happening right now. Sicario was being ughtered and he had no clue what the hell had triggered it. Perhaps that made him an ipetent Alpha, but what was he supposed to tell the elders who were staring at him waiting for his answer? There was just no way that he could be doing this right now. It wasn''t making any sense to him. "Nothing, okay! The treaty with the Greysons had been respected since time immemorial. There is nothing that we did to them. We have been at peace for years, it just does not make any sense that they coulde at us like this. "Beta Kane says there are almost twenty thousand of them. Where the hell did they even get such arge army? What the fuck is that? Or did someone piss them off andid the me on us?" Jer asked as he paced around. Jeremiah knew that his warriors needed him to join them in the fight, but he couldn''t step out when he didn''t know what he was fighting for. He couldn''t defend his people from shit he wasn''t even aware of. Granted, he was going to be going out there but he needed to be certain if this was about some treaty that had been dishonored, or they were just being attacked for the sake of it. "The Greyson kid knows what happens when wars are randomly triggered. She faced that shit firsthand with her useless father. She couldn''t be doing this just for the sake of it. Besides, Greyson is way too big for them to be wanting more. It just isn''t adding up. "Think, Jeremiah. You have been making a lot of dumb decisions ever since you stepped up to the throne. It makes me wonder if you really are a great fit for the Alpha position. "Do we need to relieve you of the position and look for someone better?" another elder asked and he growled at them. But they weren''t even fazed. Their children were dying out there for no reason and it wasn''t easy for them. They could feel the mind-links being cut at a high rate. It was haunting. It wasn''t what anyone would consider normal and their being here was just making it harder for them. No one had known of the attack. It was like therge army had just popped up on the Sicario gates and now they had to deal with it. What the hell were they supposed to make of it? "And where is the pack Luna? She should be here with her people. What happened? Did she finally tuck her useless tail and make a run for rkson at the first sign of danger? What is even going on here?" another elder asked cruelly. Jer felt like his world was smoking on him. It just wasn''t making any sense to him, but he was slowly figuring that out. Having his Luna here would have been distracting, and empowering at the same time, at least he would be in the mood to prove to Malika that she would be safe. But then there was no way of proving that if Sicario was losing warriors like flies. "The Luna is not here, and only because we were out when this happened. I couldn''t risk bringing her back when she was that weak. Besides, what use will she be here when she is not even able to protect herself? "As for me making bad decisions, keep your fucking judgment to yourselves. You all refused to support me when Awuor was banished. Instead, you and Sicario decided to abandon me to my fate. "Dom was the one who sided with me and tried to help, but only because he didn''t want his family''s legacy tainted. You all sat back and watched and now you are acting like saints when you have been the most useless bunch of this council," Jer growled while pacing. The cries outside were fucking him up. He had never thought that the strongest pack could be reduced to this, it was disheartening and he wanted to go help, but not yet. He had to find a way out of this. Perhaps he could try and talk to Rukiya, right? Maybe she could exin why the fuck she was attacking Sicario unprovoked, right? Then again, with Rukiya, when she got to the battlefield it was impossible to reach out to her and make small talk with her. She would kill first and talkter, but he loved his life. Oh, how useless an Alpha he had be. "So you''re admitting that you gave us the most useless Luna, huh? We warned you against that rkson girl. We told you she was bad news and told you that she wouldn''t be useful to the pack, but you went on and married her for love. "Wasn''t that why you took out Alpha Sicario too? He warned you against inviting death to the doors of Sicario but you didn''t listen. Hell, even Ajuoga, the same warlock you had killed, warned you about Malika. "Look at what is happening now. Death has broken the doors of Sicario and it''s iming even the children. Is this the Sicario you wanted for your people? Is this the Sicario you wanted to make known to the realm? "You are a shame to all the Alphas of Sicario, Jeremiah. We really shouldn''t have let you take over the Alpha position," another elder said and Jer could feel the room closing in on him. They couldn''t abandon him, not like that, right? Chapter 161: Decisions, Decisions, Alpha Warner [JER] "We warned you against that rkson girl¡­ You invited death to the doors of Sicario¡­ Even Ajuoga, the same warlock you had killed, warned you about Malika. Look at what is happening now. "Death has broken the doors of Sicario and it''s iming even the children. Is this the Sicario you wanted for your people? Is this the Sicario you wanted to make known to the realm? "You are a shame to all the Alphas of Sicario, Jeremiah. We really shouldn''t have let you take over the Alpha position," another elder said and Jer could feel the room closing in on him. They couldn''t abandon him, not like that, right? There was just no way that they were ming the misfortunes of this pack on the woman he had loved right? It was not within any reasonable boundaries and Jer was getting irked. "That''s my wife you''re talking about. I don''t care what you say about me, but another word against my Luna, and I will march you out there myself and let the invaders kill you. Don''t tempt my fury, old man," Jer threatened. "How else can you exin this situation then? They obviously came because they knew we had a Luna who couldn''t even lift a sword. With Sicario and the entire house Sicario dead there is no one capable of holding them back and even you know it. "Our once-powerful pack was pushed seven ranks below what it wasst year. We are clinging on number nine on the list of the strongest packs. If that doesn''t make you wonder what went wrong, then you are crazy. "I want no part of this dumb meeting. I would rather pick up a sword and defend our home than listen to you," the elder said, before he walked out of the meeting. He was followed by a few more elders who were not pleased with how the situation was currently. It was only then that Jer saw the magnitude of the mesh had been in over the years he had failed to keep up with the tradition and keep everything the same. Instead, he had focused on Malika and Malika alone, sure, he wasn''t ever going to leave his woman, but then he couldn''t let her be med for all of this. He would tell the elders that his wife wasn''t the reason death was known at their doorstep for the third time in just two years. He would make them understand that there was always more to situations and maybe, he would find out why the hell his people were being attacked. Sighing, Jer changed into his warrior''s clothes, picked up his twin swords, and made his way out of the pack house. He would save his pack and he would get some damn answers. "Wait for me, my dear Malika. I wille for you my love," Jer whispered determinedly as he made his way through the empty Sicario hallways. He had been expecting to see more people in the hallways, but there was none. Everyone was out there fighting and he was the only one in the pack house. When he got to the door, Jer was surprised to see that the door was locked or rather, it was bound by magic, and he couldn''t get out, now it made sense that the Sicario wolves would seek shelter in the safest house in the entire pack. The Sicario pack house was built for invasions. It was built with endless underground bunkers that were well stocked with food for the entire pack for at least ten years. However, in their time of need, none of the Sicario wolves could get through. "Fuckk!!" Jer shouted as he banged the door as if that would keep it hope, instead he watched in sorrow as the invaders slit through his people like they were nothing. He watched as everyone he cared for in this pack was hit by the cruel warriors. He wanted as his people fell for the swords and even magic of the Lycans. He watched helplessly as his people were reduced to nothingness. "Alpha, please save us!" the Sicario wolves cried out to their Alpha. But there was nothing Jeremiah could do. He couldn''t even hear them. He was staring at them, trying to hear what they were saying, but he could only make out a few words. He however could see them beg him for help. Jer was helpless. He couldn''t do shit. He couldn''t even save his own people despite being their Alpha. "They look beautiful like that right? Getting yed left and right, yeah?" A voice interrupted Jer''s misery as he turned to look at the awfully familiar woman she had been trying his best not to remember. This woman meant bad news for him and he knew it, but right now, he couldn''t be any more thankful that the woman was a warlock. But then he knew that her help came at a great price as always, but would he leave his people like that? "Save them and I will owe you my life," Jer said to the warlock who just smirked at him. She had heard that statement one too many times and finally, she was already used to it. This man hade to her one too many times, only to disappear on her like there was anyone who could be better than her in the art of magic. "You chose Ajuoga over me. I warned you but you didn''t listen. Tell me, Jeremiah, how did it go with the elders? Did they tell you that your Luna was the reason death was at your door?" the warlock said and Jer turned to her with disapproval on his face. He was going through enough already and he didn''t need to deal with this woman too. Jeremiah had been getting enough shit with the elders and if she wasn''t going to help him out, then she didn''t need to be taunting him about the only choice I had ever been sure of. He had genuinely fallen in love with Malika and if they made him reject her, he would reject them instead. That woman was his, no matter what anyone said. Oh, Jer. "I see you''re here tough at me. Excuse me while I try to figure out how to get out of here and save my people," Jer said to the warlock who justughed at him like he was way toote. However, even if he was, if she managed to open the pack house doors, he would be able to get most of the innocents in the pack house and save them from the invaders. It was hectic, but it was worth trying. "If I help you out, what do I get in return?" the warlock asked like she hadn''t heard him the first time, and he stared at her disbelievingly. Of course, he should have expected this. No one ever really helped him out without asking for something. Jer knew it was a dangerous proposal, but what else could he do now? He had people dying out there who needed him to stand up for them and he needed to find his Malika. "Whatever you want, but you must not touch Malika. If anything, you must protect my Luna, only then can we have a deal. We both know how strange and demanding your requests can be, especially since thest one got me killing Eni." Chapter 162: The Realm’s Puppet [JER] "I see you''re here tough at me. Excuse me while I try to figure out how to get out of here and save my people," Jer said to the warlock. "If I help you out, what do I get in return?" the warlock asked and he stared at her disbelievingly. "Whatever you want, but you must not touch Malika. If anything, you must protect my Luna, only then can we have a deal. We both know how strange and demanding your requests can be, especially since thest one got me killing Eni," Jer said. The warlock justughed at him. She was doing that a lot and Jer was getting irritated. However, he couldn''t exactly let the woman know because she had the power to get him out of here and save a few of his people. That was the only thing in Jer''s mind. "You were sloppy with that job, and it got many people named. SHE shouldn''t have been implicated, because she could have been our ally, but you fucked up. If you fuck up this time I will kill your precious Malika," the woman said and Jer growled at her. This warlock really didn''t understand what he was saying, right? Perhaps he needed to punch some sense into her, but then he didn''t have the luxury of time, his people were being ughtered like dogs out there. He needed to be ready for whatever the warlock wanted him to do. Maybe then he would be able to choose his people, right? "I''m not in the mood for an argument. Besides, what''s done is done. And you don''t touch Malika. If you touch her¡ª" Jer said before he realized that there wasn''t a thing he could do to this warlock. He was at a disadvantage on so many fonts but what else could he give the women for her to trust him enough to let him out of this damned house? "Y''know what? Fine. I will do whatever you want. Can you please undo the damn spell then?" Jer said and the woman smirked at him in response. "Not so fast Jeremiah. Besides, your invaders don''t look like they n on killing the entire Sicario today. They will have to talk to you at some point in the day. You need to be patient, young wolf," the warlock said, angering Jer even more. There was just no working things out with their woman, was there? But then he was the desperate one, so whatever she had to offer him, he would take, even if it was for him and his people. "What is it? Spell it out. We both know I will have no choice but to do it either way," Jer said and the woman nodded in approval. "Fine¡­ The oracle changed. Rukiya Greyson is our target now. Make sure whatever happens, you kill Rukiya Greyson, or your sweet little Malika dies," the warlock said. Before Jer could even try to make the woman understand that Rukiya Greyson was impossible to kill, the woman undid the spell on the doors and disappeared, leaving Jer standing there frustrated with his swords in hand. He couldn''t believe that this was happening to him. That woman had gotten crazy, killing the entire Sicario family and now she was demanding that he kill Rukiya Greyson. When would this end? Defeatedly, Jer shook his head before he turned to his people. "Save yourselves!! Run into the pack house and save yourselves. They will not be able to enter the pack house. Run, Sicario Wolves, Run!!!" Jer shouted at his people. The Sicario wolves let out sighs of relief to see their Alpha. Those who could, made their way into the pack house, dragging with them the injuries they could carry. It was a race of life against life and they had to save as many as they could. So the wolves made their way to the safest ce in the huge pack. They went in through windows and doors that were opened for them. It''s a heartbreaking sight, especially when Mbali, who was leading the Lycans, ordered everyone to take a step back. Sure, some of their warriors had fallen by the swords of the Sicario warriors, but the damage they had done to Sicario was irreparable. Hawi''s team waited and watched with amused faces, as the wolves rushed into the pack house. There were so many that most of them died from the pile of dead bodies that had formed. "Cowards!!!" "Look at them! For a pack that''s supposed to be at the top, you sure are pathetic!" The insults continued, even as the warriors ignored them and rushed to safety. Some of them were wounded and couldn''t find their way, so they just gave in to their fate on the battlefield. If that was where they would die, then there was no point in trying to fight for something that wasn''t going to take them anywhere. "Run! Ignore them! Save yourselves!" Jer continued, ignoring the stares he was getting from the huge army. He couldn''t care about it. All that he cared about was saving his people, then he would think of ways to kill Rukiya Greyson. Jer knew he was on a timer and while he wasn''t sure how long it was, he could tell that he needed to do it soon. But how was Jeremiah Warner supposed to kill the strongest Alpha alive, at least to them, now that they didn''t know Hawi was still alive? Or did they? "Well, well, well. If it isn''t the Alpha with a pathetic mate. Where Is that little baby of yours? Perhaps we could have a chat with her. The little shit that got your pack on this state. "You know if you didn''t let your Alpha make stupid decisions, perhaps you could have found a reason to keep yourselves saved. But hey, look at you, without any defenses, and yet you get a mouth on you. "But hey, no one is judging," Mbali said with a sinisterugh as she watched Her and his people. She could see Elodie heading to her Alpha and she just smirked at the woman, oh she didn''t know what she was in for, right? "You will not talk to my Alpha like that. You are the worst of the worst. Attacking us without having a good reason to do it. Why the fuck would anyone even attack a peaceful pack in the name of pleasure? "What happened to the treaties? You people are twisted, perhaps jets like that Alpha of yours," Elodie said. Hawi chuckled at the back. "Go, Kane. Leave I''ll deal with them," Jer said and Elodie looked at him like he was insane. "You want me to leave you with this bunch of animals? Do you even know what you are? They are even targeting our Luna, what will you do about that disrespect?" Elodie asked even though she wanted tough at Jer for being stupid. "Just go. It''s pointless. If they had a good reason, they could have sent a letter first, but they didn''t," Jer said and this time, Hawi let out augh. Jer could have sworn he was going crazy, especially when Hawi stepped forward and the entire army bent the knee for her, leaving her standing for him to see. "Jeremiah Warner¡­ Or should I call you, the realm''s puppet?" "Awuor¡­ You''re alive?" Chapter 163: Hello Old Friend? [HAWI] "Jeremiah Warner¡­ Or should I call you, the realm''s puppet?" Hawi greeted with a smile like she didn''t have an entire army bowing to her. She always had that effect and in her voice, she instantly took a few steps back. He looked like he wanted to be everywhere but here it was silly now that he was thinking it was just another episode of his again. He couldn''t disappoint his people like that, because even he knew that there was a lot at stake. If he was rendered mentally unfit right now, then his people would lose hope, which was too expensive. Besides, just like the warlock had said earlier, he realized that this battle wasn''t going to be a one-day thing. He needed to be ready for when they came back. Oh they would, and he could tell, from the way the warriors lifted their heads and started going through a portal that Mbali and Hudhayfah had created. Of course, they took their dead with them, like they already had a burial site for their fallen. This army was prepared for anything and everything, and Jer could see that too, perhaps that''s why he was scared when he realized that this wasn''t an illusion. His rejected mate was here, and undead. Awuor was standing in front of him with a smirk on her face. She was staring at him as if she was trying to figure him out, and Jer felt like he could faint anytime from now. He knew her so well and he knew she would never forgive his unwarranted rejection. "Awuor¡­ You''re alive?" Jer spelled out while Elodie stood at attention like she was waiting for Her to tell her to do anything. It was understandable who fought beside Jer, like her responsibilities demanded. "In the flesh. You really look like shit, little mate,'''' Hawi said and Rukiya let out a low growl that got Hawi chuckling. Someone was jealous, even though she knew He would never look at Jer in the same manner. It just wasn''t possible. Hawi could see Jer freaking out, like he always did when he was into trouble and that thought made the white wolf snicker, even as she walked around Jer and Elodie who were staring at her with curiosity on their faces. The fact that Hawi was covered in blood and was there with them made them realize that this woman wasn''t here for peace. But wasn''t that obvious to anyone with eyes at the moment? "Why are you here?" Jer asked, ignoring the gasps of the Sicario wolves who were in the pack house, watching their former Alpha stand there before them. Hawi looked as pretty as always only this time, she had white hair that was now stained with the blood of Sicario warriors. She was still in her element as their strongest Alpha and they couldn''t deny the relief they felt when they saw her. Sure, they could tell that she had chosen to side with Rukiya, but they couldn''t me the girl whose entire family had been ughtered. There was just no way to do that withouting off as pricks who didn''t care about the woman. "Ruru told me she wasing to war with Sicario and I figured I''d stop by and say hello," Hawi said casually, saying she wanted to be the leader of this war. She looked so perfect and innocent even as she stared at her with conniving eyes. The Sicario Alpha couldn''t read her anymore because he couldn''t see through her. Her eyes were dark and sinister but Jer was just still trying to wrap his head around the fact that the woman he thought was dead was alive. He couldn''t deny the relief he was feeling too, because this meant that he didn''t screw up entirely, right? "Why?" Jer asked and Hawi scoffed. "Why what? Why am I alive, after you rejected me and left me for the dead? Why am I back and fighting alongside someone who came to invade what was once our home? Why am I back after my entire family was ughtered by you? "Why am I here despite my brother''s wake being just a week ago? Why am I here despite my father dying by the same des you are bound to be with? Come on man, I thought you had brains," Hawi said with a disappointed scowl on her face. Jer stared at her, wondering why the hell shit had gotten to this point. The fact that Hawi mentioned the des for the tunnels made Jer stare at her even more intensely. It was almost like he was getting an epiphany but then there wasn''t a thing that he could do to fix it, because at the end of the day, the only thing that he could do was wait for his fate. Elodie, despite knowing everything, couldn''t help but feel a pang in her heart. She was never going to get over the fact that her best friend was betrayed by her home or even the fact that everyone had reced Hawi a little too fast. It was reality that was scaring her but at the same time, it was a reality that got Elodie angry. If she wasn''t loyal to Sicario, she could have easily switched sides and helped Him destroy their home. But then she had to be on the inside. Warrior Kane had to live and let live inside Sicario. She would find a way out of thister on. But until then she had to be the dutiful beta to a man who knew nothing of love and loyalty unless it was about his Malika dearest. "It was you, in the dungeons?" Jer spoke after a while. He wasn''t sure what the fuck he needed to do to understand this better, but he could tell that shit was never going to be the same. If Hawi had seen her father kill himself, then Jer was certain that this was revenge for what had happened. This was vengeance for the pain that he had kissed her, but what if she didn''t know that it was him? What if she didn''t know that he was the bastard behind everything? But then again, Mbali was here with her, which could only mean that Hawi knew. "Dungeons? Which dungeons? Are you nuts?" Hawi asked and Jer stared at her confused. Why the fuck would she not know of the dungeons when she spoke of the des and the Sicario Alpha taking his own life? Oh, but he was confused and he wasn''t sure he would make it out of this alive. There''s only so much that he would try and do, but even then, there was no guarantee that all would be well. "Fuck. Forget I asked that. Anyway, why are you and Rukiya here? I don''t remember going against our treaty with the Greysons. Also, Lycans being here too is insane, given we have never had anything to do with the Lycans," Jer started as he tried to think of the possible answers, but as usual, he was nk. There was just no way he could figure this out on his own and he needed to know what Rukiya had been thinking when she came here to trigger a war. "I warned you not to touch what''s mine, and you did. So here we are, Jeremiah Warner." Chapter 164: Defeated? Nah… Don’t Think So [HAWI] "I warned you not to touch what''s mine, and you did. So here we are, Jeremiah Warner," Rukiya said, as she got closer. Behind her were Adolf and Mbali, casually watching the mess unfold. Malika had left and would be back soon, given she needed to find a way to y victim and be the stupid Alpha''s wife again. It was not the best of shows, but she would be happiest when the Alpha went bonkers. It was amon goal and she would do whatever it took to see to it. "What the fuck are you even talking about, Rukiya? Why the fuck would I touch what''s yours and what the fuck is yours that I touched?" Jer asked like the Greyson Alpha was incredulous at the moment. Maybe everyone in this realm has gotten a little crazy over the past few years, yeah? "The Sicario family, Jeremiah," Rukiya said and Jer choked on nothing, while everyone else let out gasps, including Hawi. None of them had ever thought Rukiya wouldy im like this, but they seemed to be forgetting just how dominant Rukiya Greyson was. "I''m sorry, the WHAT??" "The Sicario family. Is that too much for you toprehend? Alright, I''ll break it down for your little witty head to understand, no?" Rukiya said and Adolf began coughing a little too hard, but Rukiya wasn''t going to stop this time. She knew Hawi, and she knew it was either Ruru who spoke or Hawi did, and if Hawi did speak, many hearts would be broken and lives would be reduced to an insurmountable nothingness. It just couldn''t be done, not like this. "Alpha, I''m not feeling too well," Adolf said and Rukiya looked at him, then at Mbali. She knew this was just a ploy, but then it wasn''t like she was about to blow the roof on anyone. So many things had happened over the years and this was their chance to fix it. They all knew that with the first leg of the war done today, there was no stopping. Perhaps that was encouraging because they were a few months or years closer to getting Hawi a chance at a normal life, a life that didn''t have betrayal or anger written all over it. They were all here for Hawi and they wouldn''t stop. "Mbali will take care of you. You can go, I will take care of things here," Rukiya said and Adolf snickered before straightening himself up, much to the amusement of Hawi''s team. "Never mind, I am healthy and well," Adolf said and Rukiya chuckled. "This isn''t as funny as you all think. What the hell do the Greysons have to do with the Sicarios? Is this some sort of game for you? Is this your vengeance?" Jer asked, having no time to keep up with the antics of this crazy team. He could feel the pain of his people, the anger that they were feeling especially seeing their former Alpha side with traitors. There were mixed feelings and honestly, it was getting worse by the hour. "She''s trying to be modest, Jeremiah. I am here with this team. And Ie for retribution. Everything you have ever loved, everything you ever wanted and gotten, every little dream that you have ¨C "Every ounce of power that is running through your veins, and every single ally that you have made in my absence or presence, I will take from you. Just like you took my family away, I will rip you apart limb by limb in the worst of ways. "By the time I will be done with you, no one will ever remember that there was an Alpha called Jeremiah. They won''t know of your existence or your betrayal, but many will tell stories of the dumbest Alpha to ever live on this side of the realm. "I am here to return the favor you all did me, and just like you destroyed my family, killed my parents and brother, I will kill you all. Today was just using to see how you were doing, and I wasn''t even shocked. "You know what that means, Warner. You''re losing and I will make sure you don''t get to breathe a second breath, by the time I''m done with you," Hawi said, her voice so chilly that the weather changed with her mood. Hawi was changing with everything, but that didn''t matter, because she was going to ruin them all. She had promised them vengeance and destruction when they had forced her banishment, and she would keep that little promise. Jer looked at Hawi, amusement written all over his face as he looked at the best mate he had ever gotten. With Hawi, Jer never needed to work. She always did the heavy lifting and shared the credits with him because she didn''t want him to be a useless fuck among their people, but this time, it was like she had changed her mind about it. Perhaps that should have scared Jer, given how powerful the woman had gotten and the king of the army shemanded, but instead, he justughed at her.. Literally like it was the dumbest thing he had ever heard from anyone. Threatening Sicario was crazy of Hawi, but then that would have been so, if the woman threatening Sicario didn''t know the ins and outs of the pack that was once hers, one she hade to tten without remorse. "So, your little feelings were hurt when daddy abandoned you and banished you, then your brother died, or natural causes, your fathermitted suicide and the only thing youe back with is retribution for the most useless house in the pack? "You must be unhinged, Awuor. You really must be unhinged,ing here with this army thinking we wouldn''t fight back," Jer said as heughed at Hawi, making sure to walk towards the woman who was just staring at him with a nk face as usual. Hawi''s demeanor was terrifying, but her seemed to have gotten used to that demeanor because now that he knew why she was here, he seemed to have gotten his confidence back. It was insane to some extent but it was the kind that gave him the chills he would never admit to. He was losing his mind, but here, standing with Hawi, he would try to assert dominance. Maybe he would be able to get the most powerful woman on earth to submit, right? "For someone who murdered her mother, you have some gutsing here with an army of savages to help you out. Tell me something, sweetheart, didn''t you get enough love from the rogues out there for you to make a home with them¨C "Or did they abandon you because you''re as crazy as everyone knows? Perhaps they didn''t want to hear you crying and begging for attention in the night for dreams that were probably not even dreams, right?" Jer taunted. He looked at Hawi like he was trying to gauge what it could have been that had gotten her the support of the entire Greyson army, an army he had never been able to get toe to even the celebrations of Sicario. It was insane and a truth that was driving Jer crazy. He couldn''t think of the possibilities and standing next to this white-haired woman, all he could think of was that he would always lose. Chapter 165: Not On My Watch [HAWI] "You sure have a mouth on you, Warner," Rukiya said in warning, but Jer ignored her. His main focus was Hawi and he was determined to bring down the woman''s walls. Perhaps he was thinking that Hawi woulde back to him, and beg him to help save Sicario, or maybe he was hoping that he could give Hawi the impossible answers and make the Alpha forget what had happened. Perhaps he was crazy for this, but he was an Alpha at war against the most wonderful woman. He had to try, right? No matter how low he went, yeah? "Oh, Awuor, Awuor, Awuor. Perhaps you came here because your conscience is eating at you for being the most useless Alpha that Sicario ever was, right? "Did it ever ur to you that your father, rest his suicidal soul, made you Alpha because he wanted you to die in battle and for someone worthy to take up the Sicario throne? Did that ever cross your pretty little mind, or were you as dense as we who truly knew you, already knew? "Come now, sweetheart, standing here with pride when you weren''t even able to get people to love you and create a pack on your own. How pathetic you stand with your little friends," Jer tsked, like he was giving his valedictorian speech. He was going to put an end to this and the Sicario wolves were listening to the whole conversation. They were curious to know Hawi''s answer, but listening to Jerughing at Hawi, they didn''t know if this was right or wrong. She hade to attack her own, but was it right for their Alpha to be doing this to her? What the hell is she supposed to do, instead of standing there, listening to Jeremiah like some pastor at a damning church? "Careful, Jemiah. Your head is starting to look like a good trophy for the Sicario gates and bound by magic, hmm?" Mbali warmed and Jer just chuckled darkly. He wasn''t even going to waste time exining himself to them. He had been there and wasn''t in the mood for more threats. The only threat he had ever seen was Hawi, and right now, he was convinced that his little speeches were getting to humble her. He would shame her just enough for her to pack up and leave, right? "Do your little friends know your psychotic tendencies that you couldn''t control even before your parents and warriors? The little nightmares that got you up at night? Or the endless nights you couldn''t sleep? "Or how you trained overtime because you couldn''t sleep to avoid your nightmares, or they just found you a cruel useful little thing for them? Do you know how bad a person you have to be for rogues, of all creatures, not to want to associate with you? "¡ªThe useless creatures that take in anyone and everyone who seems broken? Or you thought the cruel rogues out there were so scared of the great Awuor Hawi Sicario who spent her life on the battlefield rather than home? "You sure are something, little mate, you are something. But tell you what, why don''t you and your little band of psychos pack up and leave before you end up choking on your own blood, huh?" Jer said. Rukiya had just had enough of it. She couldn''t stand there and listen to Jer disrespecting her mate. The fact that Hawi was just standing there listening to this broken record and failure of an Alpha was pissing Rukiya off. She wanted to sew his mouth shut, really. "Another word and I kill you for that, Jeremiah," Rukiya warned and Jer turned to the woman, like he was ready to give her the excuse of a lifetime, just like he was doing with Hawi. Perhaps the woman would talk some sense into his rejected mate, right? "Brave of you, an esteemed Alpha to be standing here with this crazy woman, who was abandoned by her own people because she murdered her mother. Or is she training you to murder yours too? "How pat¡ª" Jer began, however, before he could finish his sentence, he felt himself suddenly shacked by thorns that held him tightly in ce, with some tearing through his skin and into his body. They were traumatizing long and huge. So huge that Hawi herself stepped back in shock. This was beyond what she had ever seen, and judging by Mbali''s surprise Hawi could tell that this wasn''t Hawi''s doing. Hudhayfah was not cruel enough to do this, which meant there was only one person who could be this pissed at Jer''s rant. The protector. Malika. "And very, brave of you to be pointing fingers when your new target is Rukiya Greyson. Tell me something, Warner, did she who gave you those dumb orders, also tell you that Rukiya Greyson is not to be touched, or even that Hawi, is not your regr wolf? "I doubt she mentioned that the white wolf will be having a protector, or that her protector will without a doubt be your worst nightmare, huh?" Malika asked and he stared at her in shock. There was just no way that this was possible. There was just no way that everything he had heard about the rumors had been true. However here and now, he refused to take the me for something that he could pull himself out of. The only question being whether he would ever be able to survive Malika''s torture methods. The universe was a lot of things but fair and that was something Malika had long learned. Perhaps that was also why she was staring there with her clothes covered in blood and her previous attire, staring at her like this was the worst little shit she had ever seen. Of course she had distorted her voice and was using the usual protection voice that protectors were trained to use. Protector Malika''s scent was masked, not to mention the simple fact that everyone was unable to see her face, because ording to the rules of the protectornd, only those the protector wanted to see their face, while their protective mode, could be able to see the faces. And right now, Jer was not on Malika''s bingo card. She would ruin him without thinking twice and she would love every bit of it. "Oh great, so the dumb bitch also has a protector to defend her. You really never get to fight your own battles, Awuor, do you? Or they are just scared you couldsh out and the world would be at your feet on a puddle of blood, no? "Maybe that is also why they are scared of looking you in the face because they worry you might be the worst thing they ever saw. What a pity," Jer mused. One of the thorns pierced his hand through and through, as the size slowly increased, and the poison constantly made it seem like Jer was truly about to lose himself to all of this. Malika didn''t mind because this man had had his chance to apologize and instead he had been a bitch to the one woman she cared for. "You sure are something. But let''s y your game, right? The game of our weak loves, I hear you like attacking the weakness of my Mistress, so how about we try and see if your Luna can survive it?" Malika said casually. Jer almost broke his neck at the mention of his lovely Luna. Oh, he was always going to be so whipped for his Malika badly. Chapter 166: The Game of Hearts [1] [HAWI] "You sure are something. But let''s y your game, right? The game of our weak loves, I hear you like attacking the weakness of my Mistress, so how about we try and see if your Luna can survive it?" Malika said casually. Jer almost broke his neck at the mention of his lovely Luna. Oh, he was always going to be so whipped for his Malika badly. He had promised himself he would let Sicario burn for that woman and while it was an insane choice, he knew he wouldn''t care about the repercussions. Jer would always go over and beyond for the woman he loved and he wouldn''t hesitate. "Don''t you bring her here just to prove to yourselves that you''re in power? You are a lost bunch, a group of misfits trying to force their way back into a pack that had nothing to do with them," Jer said like he wasn''t being poisoned by the thorns around him. He would die for his Malika, even if the world was ending and it was an admirable really. Mbali and Rukiya were fighting snorts and chuckles at Jer''s statement, because they knew what was happening. They knew that Jeremiah would bepletely shattered if he realized that the woman he was ready to give up the world for was the one poisoning him at the moment. And that made this game of hearts even more fun. "Bite me," Malika said as she created a portal, and someone who looked exactly like Jer''s Malika came through, looking like shit and emotionally disheveled. She looked like she had gotten through the worst phases of torture and like the entire world was crashing down on her little back and she had no way out. Oh, but Jer''s Malika looked so expectedly terrified, especially when she felt herself being dragged on the ground by the women who were there. They were staring at her like she was some sort of food, and goodness, it was crazy on all ounts. "Hello, sweetheart. What''s your name?" Malika asked the woman she had just dragged out, like it was the most normal of things. "M¡ª" the woman began just as Rukiya spoke. "You sure you want your people watching this? Because we could prove to them all the endless ways your Luna is a useless shit that doesn''t know the first thing about ruling, much less running back. "I could get into the specifics but you are useless yourself, so I guess birds of a feather, huh?" Rukiya spoked and Jer could feel his heart beating a little too fast as she struggled to look in the direction of his people. He knew the elders were also watching for something in the pack house and in that moment he regretted provoking the woman here then again, it wasn''t like they had been here to make merry with him. They had their own goals and they would get to them,e hell or high water. This was just the beginning of a beautiful and long engagement. Perhaps they would call for a ceremony too, right? Maybe it wasn''t all bad, right? "You wouldn''t dare," Jer said even though he was outnumbered and everything else was not in his control. He hated this, but he would let the woman that had been banished do this to him. Perhaps he was taking Hawi''s silence for weakness because once again, he took a jab at the woman who was staring at him with a bored face. Hawi had spoken her peace and she really had nothing to add. She was here for retribution and if Jer wanted toplicate that for himself, then she wouldn''t mind; besides, her friends would always love a little fun messing with people. So much had happened and she just didn''t have the time to chat. She was still mourning her father and the familiarity that came with home. "Oh really? Why wouldn''t I? When you murdered my Mistress''s mother just for your power here in Sicario? I bet you would have a better exnation for all that. Should I open the doors to that pack house, yeah? "Maybe I should ask the surviving wolves of Sicario what they think of the man who murdered the most beloved Luna of all time? Maybe they will grant you more mercy than I have, no?" Malika asked, as she looked at the door that separated the Sicario wolves from their Alpha. In just one snap Malika could bring them all down. She could reduce them to ashes and ruin them without feeling anything. But then she had to follow Hawi''s lead and she had to wait for what her mistress wanted. Granted the goal was the same, but she had to. "Hu¡­ Husband?" the woman presenting as Malika said, her voice shattering as she looked around. She was genuinely horrified and the fact that he wore Malika''s clothes that Jer had left her with was even more horrifying. Soon much was going wrong, and yet he wasn''t trying to do anything. "Don''t worry, Malika. They will not do anything to you. Awuor won''t let them. She hates having innocents brought between battles," Jer said confidently as he looked at his ex-mate. Either he was being stupid or he was choosing to ignore everything that had just happened. The fact that the entire Sicario was covered in bodies, most of them dead, should have been the first red g, but he was not even focusing on anything right now. "But the dead bodies. Some of them are you people, husband. What happened here? Why¡­ why would they attack our home? What happened to us?" meek Malika asked and Jer felt his heart shattering. He had always promised his mate that Sicario was safe. He had always been sure that life would be better, but right now, as he watched his mate be this weak and before his ex-mate, Jer wasn''t sure he wanted to give in. He was standing between his Luna and his people and frankly, that wasn''t the bargain he had dreamed of, not to mention his cruel punishment that was tearing through him like he was just another experiment for them. "Tell her, Jer. Tell your sweet useless Luna what happened and why this is happening. Why don''t you exin to your Luna why we chose toe to Sicario instead of other packs that could be easiest to concur like rkson, hmm?" Rukiya stated. Jer struggled against the thorns, and even as they tore through his skin, he was relentless in his fight. He was hurting, but he hated to be the one to break his wife''s heart. He didn''t want to see her me herself for things that were not her fault and he wanted to save her from the horrors of death. "No¡­ Please, no," Jer whimpered as he looked at his wife. He could only imagine what the poor woman was thinking and he hated it. All he wanted was to see her happy, to make sure that she got everything she wanted and yet here she was, in the middle of a bloodbath, with people who were demanding a revtion that would shatter Malika''s heart. He just couldn''t let them do that to her. "Kill me if you must, but please, don''t hurt her. Please, don''t hurt my Malika, please," Jer begged. Chapter 167: The Game of Hearts [2] [HAWI] "Tell her, Jer. Tell your sweet useless Luna what happened and why this is happening. Why don''t you exin to your Luna why we chose toe to Sicario instead of other packs that could be easiest to concur like rkson, hmm?" Rukiya stated. "No¡­ Please, no," Jer whimpered as he looked at his wife. He could only imagine what the poor woman was thinking and he hated it. "Kill me if you must, but please, don''t hurt her. Please, don''t hurt my Malika, please," Jer begged, his words taking everyone back. The most selfish wolf wasying his life for his woman. And that too in front of the entire Sicario ¡ª dead and alive. "Well, this just made it interesting," Hawi spoke as she looked at Jer, who was relentless in his fight for his freedom. He was getting poked and slowly feeling the pain of the poison. It was just a matter of time before he fell limp, but then that didn''t matter to him. All he wanted was his Malika. He was a man in love and he was fucked over it. "Awuor, please. Let her be. Save her from this mess. Just please, if you must, please erase her memories of this horror. I will do whatever you want me to do. I won''t even look at Rukiya Greyson to kill her as I expected of me. "Please, for her, please save her the pain of all this, and I will be at your mercy," Jer begged and Malika felt her heart warming at Jer''s request. If this man wasn''t the bastard he was, she could have felt a little loved because of him. Well, it was obvious he loved her, but then that came at the expense of so many lives. It just didn''t make any sense and it was a cruel thing for them to even think of. Jer had ruined so many lives, yet he refused to add one more to the long list. "Sire, the warriors, they¡ª" Theo suddenly said as he reached the group that was with their Alpha. Theo could see the pack Luna on her knees and the Alpha shackled in thorns not to mention he could see his former Alpha standing there covered in blood which was obviously from their warriors. Theo was in shock as he looked at Hawi. he never imagined this would be possible and he could see that there was already a dilemma here. Loyalty was never an issue for the Sicario warrior knights but right now, as Theo looked at Hawi, he wasn''t sure whether to be d that she was alive or sad that she showed up just to fight them. Then again he couldn''t me her. Sicario had taken everything from her and if she was there for retribution, Theo wouldn''t question it. Hell, he would do the same if he ever suffered a loss as big as the Sicario household had suffered. Perhaps there was just more that could be done for them right? "Alpha? You''re alive?" Theo said as he dared to walk towards the rejected Alpha. He was astonished at how much she had changed and she looked like the best of the best warriors. He loved that this was happening. Of course, hering back, but then he had so many questions as did the entire Sicario pack, but did he have the right to ask Hawi any questions? Would it be right for him to do that? "Stay back, Theo. We have more pressing issues than seeing your former Alpha alive," Rukiya said and Theo just snorted dly as he smiled from ear to ear. Well, turns out he was one of the people who was d Hawi lived. "Spare her, please, Rukiya, and whatever the fuck this protector is. Please spare my Luna," Jer pleaded, and that got Theo out of the bubble he was in. The situation was more dire than he thought so he rushed to stand beside Elodie, ready to defend whatever was left of Sicario with his life. "Your husband killed all of these people here. He was the reason we came and attacked because your husband touched what he shouldn''t have. Your husband, sweet Malika, caused my mate pain, and seeing you here, makes the perfect opportunity for me. "But don''t worry, your turn is here now, because we are done with the first house of the attack on Sicario," Rukiya said to meek Malika who shared between Jer and Rukiya, like she was trying to understand what the truth was. She was confused and rightfully so or that was what Jer needed to see. But either way, this woman was ying her part so well it was already appealing to the Sicario warriors who are unable to get out of the pack house to defend their Alpha and their home. "But¡ª" the woman said and Malika snorted. "Here''s the thing, Malika. If you kill your husband, we will leave. We won''t attack Sicario again. If you kill him, we won''t have a reason toe after Sicario, because we will make sure that you are protected and the remaining warriors. "Our battle is with Jer and the forces behind him, the forces that make the lives of innocents difficult. So do it, Malika. Kill your husband and save the entire Sicario," Mbali said and the woman looked at her as if to ask if this was a part of the job. She had been dragged here to y meek Malika and her memories were fucked with so she could be the perfect Malika. Honestly, she was so convincing that if Elodie didn''t smell her scent on the real Malika, Elodie could have assumed this meek woman was the same woman she had fucked earlier. "You want me to kill my husband? Haven''t there been enough deaths here?" the woman cried out and Jer could feel whatever was left of his heart shattering to endless pieces again. He hated the tears on Malika''s face. He hated the fact that he was there and there wasn''t a thing he could do. He had even begged them to take his life instead of leaving her with these mental scars, but they had refused. Oh but Jer felt his worlding down on him and this time he was worried he would never survive. "Of course. Kill him and we leave. Fail to kill him and we take away that other thing," Mbali said and the woman freaked out. She wasn''t sure what other thing Mbali was talking about and frankly, the temptation to kill her for the sake of peace was intense. It was a shit show that much was certain but the mess was already here and there wasn''t a thing they could do to fix it. Perhaps at the end of the day, they would have to face their new reality, no? "Hold on. What other things will you take from her? She''s already hurting, what else do you want with her?" Jer said, his anger forcing him to struggle against the thorns. He could feel his body slowly numbing and was convinced he was dying. And even if she did, he couldn''t die if his Malika was hurting. He just couldn''t. "Oh, you didn''t know? She''s carrying your heir, Jeremiah," Adolf said so casually. "Now hold on dude¡­ I''m WHAT?" the real Malika asked, and Hawi facepalmed. Chapter 168: The Game of Hearts [3] [HAWI] "Of course. Kill him and we leave. Fail to kill him and we take away that other thing," Mbali said and the woman freaked out. "Hold on. What other things will you take from her? She''s already hurting, what else do you want with her?" Jer said, his anger forcing him to struggle against the thorns. He could feel his body slowly numbing and was convinced he was dying. And even if she did, he couldn''t die if his Malika was hurting. He just couldn''t. "Oh, you didn''t know? She''s carrying your heir, Jeremiah," Adolf said so casually as he looked at the Alpha who had no clue what was going on. Well, he couldn''t be med. A lot was going on in Sicario and there wasn''t even time to process it. "Now hold on dude¡­ I''m WHAT?" the real Malika asked, and Hawi facepalmed. "You lie," Jer growled and the woman presenting as Malika looked at him with tear-stained eyes as if to tell her husband that this was nothing but the truth. Then again, Jer couldn''t be med for thinking it was a farce because he had neverid with Malika, not that he could remember. He was always drunk when he came home, a train that could have gotten him into trouble more than once and seemingly, it did. "I''m with my child, husband. Our child. Our little Warner, a son," the woman said and Malika choked on air. She couldn''t believe this, so she turned to Mbali and Adolf who had yed that part a little too smoothly. "When was anyone going to tell me that I was pregnant?" Malika mouthed to Adolf and Mbali who just stared at her then at the sky like they had no clue what she was talking about. Of course, there was no pregnancy, but Jeremiah didn''t know that. If anything, he more than considered that he couldn''t think straight. The stench of his dead people was slowly sifting through his nose and the crows feeding on them were ruining his sanity. He couldn''t take this anymore. No one ever told Jer that this was going to happen, hell no one prepared him for the possibility that he woulde back. At that thought, Jer red at Elodie who suggested the rejection. He knew he was a little toote with that, but then the woman was wearing a perfectly crafted shocked face, like she didn''t know of this either. "W¡­ We have a child?" Jer asked and Hawi sighed. "How long is this shitshow going to continue? Anyway, Jeremiah, I told you what I came for, and I am leaving now. I bet you will see me again. Be wary though, because the next time Ie, you won''t need to be tied up like that. "Let''s go," Hawi said, adding thest bit to her misfits who were a little delirious from the shit show they were witnessing. There were so many things that could have happened today, but she was choosing to see how her team would handle this. Granted, her notice started and now that Jer knew she was alive she wouldn''t need to hide anymore. She had no reason to, and her cruelty was no longer going to be a secret to their lot. "Please don''t hurt her," Jer begged as he looked at the woman presenting as Malika. He didn''t care what Hawi had to say. The only thing that mattered to him was his wife, his Luna, and the love of his life. He wanted nothing more than her safety and it was blinding him. "Oh me? I won''t hurt her. Like you said, I wouldn''t dare to hurt innocents, Warner. But I said nothing of my mate," Hawi said with augh as she walked away with Adolf, leaving Rukiya, Mbali, Malika, and the woman presenting as Malika behind. She didn''t want to know what Ruru wouldn''t do, but she had a feeling that it was not a good thing. There was just so much to expect, given her friends felt her fury more than anyone else and they knew just how much pain Hawi had experienced over the years. They would defend her even if it was thest thing to do and this time, all Hawi had to do, was watch, from a distance before she got bored and left. "What the hell does that mean, Awuor!!" Jer asked as he tried to wiggle his way out of the thorns but there was nothing he could do. He was a lost cause this time, and maybe that was the best thing that happened since the war. "Well, well, well. What do we do with your pregnant wife? How the fuck did you not know you were expecting a kid? Unless you breed her when you are drunk and she can''t fight you off¡­ "Tell me Jeremiah, did you force yourself on your pretty little wife?" Rukiya asked and Jer looked at her horrified. He would never do that to his Malika. He would never intentionally hurt her, but what was he to make of this? If his wife was expectant, then she was the father, seeing as his Malika would nevery with another. She was loyal to her husband, her bastard husband. "He didn''t¡­ Do that. He didn''t know. It was not his fault. I¡ª I went to him, he didn''t know please don''t fault him for that," the woman said and Malika choked on air. She would never sound like that, but then as she looked at the woman, she remembered that they had programmed her with the same settings that had been set for the character she had been ying beside Jer for years now. What the fuck was this then? Was this what she looked like around her supposed husband? "Aww, how sweet of you to defend him," Rukiya said with disgust and Elodie stared like she didn''t understand what the fuck was going on. Of course, she loved the possibility of Malika being with a child, given their sex session earlier, but even she, the protector, would never let anything hinder her mission for Hawi, not even Elodie. Elodie was very aware that if Malika had to choose between Elodie and Hawi, then Malika would choose Hawi without a second thought. Even then, the idea was exciting. "Anyway, your mate is a bastard, and, unfortunately, you have to pay for his mistakes. A life for a life, sweet Malika," Mbali said with pride, before she started choking the woman, making her lose her bnce even though she was still kneeling on the ground. Jer''s Malika was still unsure of what was happening and the fact that she was here paraded, made her wonder what Jer could have done to this bunch of psychos for them to drag an innocent woman into their shenanigans like this. "What? I don''t understand," the woman said as she looked at Mbali who was just staring at her with a grim face. This right here was a punishment for Jer, and at the same time, it was a punishment for the woman who hade here. This woman was a nameless prisoner of the rkson pack for years and finally, she had found her use. Her sins were far too great to be forgiven but perhaps this time, she would make up for her wrongs by taking Malika''s ce, right? "May the goddess forgive you," Mbali said to the woman, before she cast a spell that tore the woman''s womb, and forced a fetus out, leaving her with his jaw on the ground, again. Chapter 169: The Game of Hearts [4] [JER] If there was a time when Jer needed the warlock who had made a bargain with him, then it would be right now, when he was watching his Luna clutch her womb that was closing slowly, although a fetus had been forced off of it. It was the cruelest of things that the man had ever seen and the fact that he was still chained to the thorns, drove him nuts. There was just no way that this was real. This had to be some illusion because the amount of cruelty was too much for an evening, much less under the moonlight that was watching them like it was the greatest aspect of life itself when he had lost more than he had bargained for. "You promised nothing would happen to Malika!!!" Jer cried out, when he saw Mbali smirking at him, before she cast a spell on Elodie and Theo, so they were transported into the pack house, where they wouldn''t be able to set foot out of. It was cruel, and even as Jer mourned the innocence of the woman he loved unconditionally, the world was still staring. Everyone was watching him mourn and the misfits were cheering for it. "Well, she lied to you. This is what you get for trying to harm someone way more powerful than you. Goodbye, Jeremiah. I hope to see you a week after the burial. You can only hope that it''s not burials, seeing as there''s just a fetus out here. "Hope that your warlock can fix your wife or you will cost your wife her life. Don''t worry, though, this isn''t thest of lives from your kin we will be taking. One by one, your family will drop and we will enjoy everyst bit of the blood from their bodies. "Until next time," Mbali promised, as she stared nkly at the woman who was unconscious with an open wound. It wasn''t going to be easy to see her like that, but this was just karmaing for Jer, taking away everything that he beheld dear. When the mission had begun, no one had imagined that Jer would be this hopelessly in love with Malika. Sure, they assumed they would be together for the pack, but the progress had been perfect. Perhaps it was the universe''s way of protecting the girl who had been wronged by many. Maybe at the end of the day, life wouldn''t stay as nd, right? Especially now that Sicario was filled with the stench of their dead fallen and those who died because their injuries were not attended to time. "Nooo!!!" Jer cried out, as he watched Mbali, Malika, and Rukiya walk through a portal and disappear leaving behind a trail of bodies in their wake. It was messy and crazy but more than anything, Jer was losing and that was the best thing that could have happened. "Please, save her. Please," Jer begged helplessly, his eyes swollen from crying too much and begging, only for no one to listen to him. The Sicario Alpha was having migraines from the prison and he could feel herself giving in to the darkness, but he had to stay awake for his Malika. While Jer was suffering for a woman who wasn''t even his, Malika knew she had to keep up with the act. She knew there was still work to be done and seeing as Hawi hadn''t lost it with her earlier, she was d they were making progress. Maybe that was why she didn''t hesitate to change into what she had been working with, ready to take over the chaos at Sicario. It was the only way for them to keep up with the game of hearts, but goodness, it was a cruel game, a game that broke even the hearts of those who were leading the ys. "Are you sure about this, Malika?" Hawi asked for the hundredth time. She was all for Malika''s protection, but she could tell that all of this was taking a toll on her and it was just a matter of time before Malika was down with fatigue. Malika had been working overtime and in just one day she had had the best sex of her life, went to a damning hotel for a date only to be abandoned because of an attack, came back to war, killed at least three thousand Sicario wolves, and was told she was pregnant, now she had to go back and be the woman without a fetus. It was a lot and Hawi felt terrible for her. Then again, Malika had to do her job otherwise Hawi would be in trouble and they had all agreed to do the heavy lifting for the woman, since they were determined to let her heal from her pain first. It was quite the healing form though. "Yes, Mistress. I need to be back before midnight, because at midnight, I should be fast asleep, otherwise, I''ll be useless to you for the next two weeks," Malika said and Hawi looked at her with a raised brow. Two weeks was a lot of time and for Malika to say it so casually, she''d have to have done something to make it that long. "You did it. You two actually did it!" Hawi said, the realization dawning on her before she began running around excitedly, like she wasn''t covered in blood or hadn''te from a bloodbath. Perhaps she was losing her mind this time, right? At Hawi''s excitement, Rukiya, Adolf, Hudhayfah, Riley, and Mbali rushed into the tent that Hawi was in to see what this was about. Meanwhile, Malika was staring at Hawi like she wanted to disappear, even though it was impossible now. "Yes, she did it!!" Rukiya and Mbali joined in, ignoring Malika''s eye rolls like this was the best thing that happened to the woman. "Hold on, she did what?" Riley asked, confused by the chaos of the tent. The excitement was a good thing, but without an expansion, they seemed like lunatics, especially Rukiya and Mbali who were simply joining the bandwagon. "I don''t know, but seeing Malika this distraught and Hawi happy, something food must have happened to Malika," Rukiya exined, before she realized how that sounded. And then she grabbed Mbali''s hand and stopped her from jumping around. "I think¡­ I think we should not¡­ Umm.. I think we celebrate Malika''s devastation," Rukiya said, shaking her head as if to exin to Mbali that it wasn''t the time for it. Then again, Hawi was still smirking at Malika. "Yeah, that seems like a good idea¡­ Yup, very good idea," Mbali said as she gave Rukiya an awkward thumbs up. "Is it always this messy?" Riley asked Adolf who just stared at the tent ceiling as if there were answers there. Perhaps they would find a few in the end, right? Well, thanks to Hawi they are now too deep into Malika''s business. "This is better than normal, they are actually their best versions today," Hudhayfah said casually before he took a seat in the tent, paying no heed to the chaos that was going on right now. It had taken him a while, but he had gotten used to this bunch of crazies, now he just had to wait it out and see what they would do. "So, what are we celebrating?" Riley asked, seeing as no one was giving her good answers yet, or even reasonable ones. "Malika and Elodie finally fucked," Hawi said excitedly while Riley stared like she was lost. Surely there had to be a few loose screws in this squad, right? Chapter 170: Please Don’t Take Her Away [JER] "Russel, please!!" Jer led for the umpteenth time. The darkness was consuming him at a faster rate than he had thought possible and frankly, his world was done crashing on him. If he lost his woman, he would lose everything. He couldn''t free himself and the weather had gotten terrible, it didn''t help that all the wolves inside the pack house had already been taken to their underground bunkers, so there was no one looking out for him. Not even his own warriors. Standing alone in the battlefield, Jer called out to the only person he hoped could help him. She had promised that Malika wouldn''t be hurt, so she had to be around, she had to have known how this shit turned out. "You promised she wouldn''t be hurt. You promised me, please, save her," Jer pleaded again before a cloud of fog suddenly showed up, making Her release a sigh of relief. He knew how she always showed up and frankly, he was d that she wasing for him and his mate. He was desperate to see Malika alive and it was breaking him to see her in that state. Of course, Malika had alreadyforted her squad and taken her rightful position, at the time that she was disoriented with tears. The woman she had had rece her earlier was reduced to ashes and in her ce with an open wound that couldn''t be started was Malika, the real Malika. She even let Jer feel her fear and smell her scared scent even as she yed unconscious for a man she hated with everything she had and didn''t have. "My, my, my. How the mighty have fallen," the warlock from earlier said as she walked through the mist, which instantly faded the moment she was standing close to Malika''s torn body. "Fuck, your ex is brutal as hell," Russel, the warlock sighed as she took in the sight before her, she had never seen someone be treated this cruelly, but then it wasn''t like they were up against foes who knew what humanity stood for anyway. The band of crazies could do whatever the hell they wanted and no one would question it because they were indicated by their leader''s pain, a pain that could have been avoided. "Please save her. The baby is dead but please don''t let my Malika die, please," Jer begged again, as his desperate voice filled the atmosphere. He could hear Malika''s weak whimpers and grunts and fuck it was messing with him. Jeremiah was the Alpha of one of the strongest packs in the realm and yet right now he was nothing; just another mate watching the woman he loved fade. He wouldn''t let this happen to her. He would trade his life for hers of their need for it. "You love her so much, don''t you? The woman who brought death to your doors?" Russel said as she kneeled to examine the mess that Mbali had made. It was cruel, inhumane, especiallying from a woman who would probably want kids in the future. The scene was messy, and the fact that so many people had been taken out there was still unsettling. "With everything I have and don''t have. Can you save her?" Jer asked as he stared at his beautiful mate. She was his only bane and everyone was slowly learning that. This woman was his weakness, something that made him an easy target, but he wasn''t worried about anything, as long as she was safe. "I think so," Russel said before she cast a spell on the thorns poling Jer and they faded, while Jer puked his guts out. The poison had fucked him up, but he was okay to go. If anything, he had puked it all out and would be better if he got some rest. "I said her, not me, please, Russel," Jer insisted and the warlock just sighed, before he began casting a series of spells on Malika. Meanwhile, Malika''s mind was focused on the crazy squad she had left at the freends camp earlier. **** "So, what are we celebrating?" Riley asked, seeing as no one was giving her good answers yet, or even reasonable ones. "Malika and Elodie finally fucked," Hawi said excitedly while Riley stared like she was lost. Surely there had to be a few loose screws in this squad, right? Riley hadn''t been with them for a while but seeing the calmness on Adolf and Hudhayfah''s face, she knew that they had seen worse situations than this. All she had to do was conform to the situation and all would be well. "They finally did¡­ it!" Rukiya began before she realized she seemed crazy and slowed down a bit. "Are you all done teasing me? It''s not like y''all don''t fuck, right?" Malika asked and Rukiya looked at Hawi, as if that was a question meant for the leader of all these crazies. Perhaps there was a good reason for that, right? "Nope, we don''t," Hawi said and Rukiya just pouted before she spoke. "But we will soon enough, I want her babies, so it''s just a matter of time before we get into it. Before you ask, we''re patient because we have to make sure the environment for our pups is the best, given she''s my mate. "And if she breeds me, I''ll be with pups on the first try. She could try to pull out though, but with her stamina, it''s a long gamble¡­ I''m rambling right? Fuck I should shut up, or Hawi could shut me up with a kiss or something else," Rukiya said. The tent went silent. Completely and utterly silent like there wasn''t a sign of life there. Her words had managed to get the entire squad silent and the boy was in awkward silence. "I''m avable anytime you want me to fill all your holes, sweetheart," Hawi said and everyone let out groans of disgust and disapproval. "There is a whole hidden tent for you if you want to do it, just don''t tell us the hows. I haven''t eaten since morning and thinking of you two¡­ Y''know what¡­ I don''t want to hear anyone talk about fucking right now. "I want to know what happened with Malika and Elodie," Mbaliined before Hawi snorted like it was just another day for them. "They fucked," Riley said and Mbali let out another series of groans while Adolf and Hudhayfah suddenly found the tent structure interesting, judging by how they were talking about it. "I need to go back guys. Yes, we fucked and yes if I don''t get onto that woman''s body, I will be asleep for two weeks and you will have to do the work without me¡­ which could be dangerous for all of you since only I know all the possible counter spells for whatever magic the bastard has on his hands. "So will you let me leave or will you continue talking about my sex life with E?" Malika asked her friends who were a little too curious about the details. Of course, she could tell them but she knew they would tease her with it even on the battlefield. It wasn''t something she could put past them. "Sure, sure. Be careful though. And keep your mind link open at all times. If you need us, Malika¡ª" Hawi said, her voice stern but warm as she looked at her protector. "I know, Hawi, I know. I''ll see you guyster, alright?'''' Malika said before leaving through the portal. Chapter 171: His Broken Lifeline [JER] "Is she¡­" Jer trailed off, scared of what was waiting for him. The warlock had tried to patch his Luna up as best as she could. She had given her the breath of life, but his mate was yet to wake up. His Malika''s eyes were still closed, her hands stained by the blood of her own fetus, her chest that had been ripped apart was now swollen, like she was just another person on the battlefield for the alpha to consider mourning at ater time. It was as if she was just another body for the endless mass graves that would be dug in Sicario by morning. But that wasn''t it for Jer. She wasn''t just another person. To him, she was a lifeline filled with love, a lifeline he would do his very best to protect and a lifeline he would bargain with the devil himself to protect. "Dead? No, she isn''t. But she will be, if the attacks continue. Your wife is a strong Luna, despite being a weak person. I expected her to run from the battlefield, but she stayed beside you, despite everything. "She shouldn''t havee back to you, but she did, and tried to make it better. She lost her child, your child in the process and you must do well to be kinder to her. She is your most prized possession, Warner. "Now I told you I wouldn''t touch her, but I would always be avable to patch her up either. Just know that until you kill Rukiya, your Luna''s life will forever be in danger. It is not I that makes the rules, Alpha, but the oracles," Russel said. Jer wiped his tears away, he had cried for his Luna for the longest time, he had mourned her and now here she was. He had given her a lot of pain and it broke his heart, the man who believed in no one. He loved her, he cherished her, and knowing that he had slept with her while drunk was trying him, but watching Russel burn her fetus on the ground,pletely destroyed him. But he would be strong, for her. He would smile if that was what was needed to keep her sane. Oh, he was hers in every possible way. "Wh¡­ What did I do when she woke up? What should I do to protect her?" Jer asked as he watched his womanying on the ground. He hated this with everything but he would be better for her, he would fight for her, he would burn everyone for her. If he had to lose Sicario just to be happy with her, then he would do it, without a second thought. She was everything to him. "Careful Alpha. She is something special. I don''t know what it is, but she is a powerful Luna. She will rise when her timees. She will rule Sicario and nothing will stop her. Have faith Alpha, your queen will live. "That should be enough constion, right?" Russel said and Jer just nodded thankfully. He had noticed that the warlock had mentioned his Luna''s rule but never once mentioned whether they would be together by then. But that was a non-issue for him. He trusted Malika and Jer figured she would run the pack way better than him. If she would live at the expense of his life then he wouldy his life for her. No matter what it took, he would always protect her and this time, he was fueled by rage, the rage of his broken little mate, the rage of watching helplessly as Mbali took something for him. He would pay them back tenfold, that much is a promise, for the sake of his Luna. He would lead his men into war, for the woman he loved and wouldn''t regret it. "As long as she lives, I will be fine. It doesn''t matter, even if my life will have to be traded for hers. Should I take her inside now?" Jer asked meekly, scared of even touching his little mate. "Of course, whatever you do with her. But heed my words, or you will lose her. You owe me Rukiya''s head, Jeremiah. I wille to collect soon enough, until then, this is goodbye, Alpha," Russel said before she disappeared, leaving Jer with his Luna, a woman he was scared of even touching. "I''m so sorry, love. I really am. I should have hidden you better. I should have protected you. I should have trained you. It''s just¡­ I thought we had more time, my Malika. I thought¡­ "I thought we could rule the world together someday, that everyone would see that the decision to uproot that family isn''t as terrible. But I was wrong, and for that, you paid such a hefty price, my beautiful," Jer said softly as he sat on the ground next to his Luna. He didn''t have the strength to lift her up, because he was equally as weak. He needed to regain his strength, but he couldn''t get that faster than he wanted to. So, he resorted to sitting on the bloodied Sicario grass floor and waited it out. Perhaps they would be better someday, perhaps the sun would shine brighter on them and maybe the moon would not break their hearts over and over again. "I always dreamt of making a family with a kind-hearted soul. I always prayed for someone who would understand me, someone who knew what it meant to be powerless, someone who understood the harsh decisions that people made. "I thought marrying into the Sicario household was it, but it didn''t make it any better. I was just a pawn for them to use whenever they saw fit. Each day came with assignments, some were crazy, but none more than the mere fact that I was just a trophy husband for her. "She never looked at me, she never tried to sit down with me. Maybe that''s why it was easier to reject her, to make way for another. I know this ain''t what you want to hear in this state my love but I am d I rejected her. "I would die for you, baby. No matter what happens in the future or now. Whatever happens, I hope you only have good thoughts of me, I will give everything to spend my life with you, but that seems like a dream now, love. "Maybe this is my punishment for everything I did to HER, maybe she will understand too, maybe she will know what I did and had reasons and where I came from. And if she doesn''t, then I willy my life for you, given her desire for retribution. "You are my greatest love, Malika rkson, and making you a Warner was the best decision of my life so don''t you dare die on me, baby. Fight, and fight. Come back to me, please," Jer said as he held Malika''s head on hisp, while he ran hands through her long hair. He had a lot to say to her, even if they didn''t have the time. His only wish at the moment was for it not to rain. However, as usual, no one listened to him, because when he was done wishing for no rain, it began raining. Maye he really was cursed, right? "I''m so sorry, and I love you so much," Jer said as he carried Malika into the pack house. Perhaps tomorrow would take care of itself, but until then, tonight, he would take care of her. Chapter 172: Blood In The Water [JER] Elodie Kane was jealous. It was the only way to exin why she trashed her entire suite and made a mess of everything that led to her chambers. She had seen Jer with Malika earlier, and she had smelled the beautiful scent of a mate she wasn''t meant to im yet. The woman had been in bed with her and yet as the evening pressed on, she was now in the arms of another, ying dead and listening to sweet nothings for a man she should have eliminated on the first day of her assignment, oh but Elodie was furious. "Fucking hell, Kane. What the hell has gotten into you?" Theo asked, as he watched the warrior continue the mess. He had seen the way Elodie looked at her and Malika and his first thought was that Elodie was jealous, but not because of Jer. Theo figured Elodie was jealous that Jer was with another, and she was acting out because she wanted to be the one the Alpha experienced hell for. It squirted the misunderstanding but it spread the woman''s allegations of a life that could end in an instant. "Why the fuck are you here?" Elodie asked angrily as she turned to look at Theo. Her hair was messy and her bloodied clothes from earlier just made her look like she was insane. Perhaps she had finally gone insane from seeing the kind of contact Jer had with her mate. Maybe she had finally lost it because the woman she loved was being held tenderly by another. Oh she hated Jer and if it didn''t wasn''t for Hawi, Elodie could have sliced the man''s head off. "The Alpha calls for you. He brought the Luna to his chambers and there is no one he trusts with her more than you," Theo said and Elodie red at him like she hadn''t understood a word that came from the man''s mouth. Of course she hadn''t. Her mind was foggy and her senses confused by the fact that the love of her life was ying house with another. It was fucking with her a little more than she would ever admit, but goodness, she wanted to be there for Malika. "But seeing you state, I guess I will tell him that you are busy and he can choose another maiden for Luna," Theo said as he headed to the door, but right before the door opened, a sword flew past his ears and hit the door. "Don''t you make another move,'''' Elodie warned and Theo raised his hands up in surrender. He knew the pack had experienced so many losses and he down there was a lot for them to take in, but as the Alpha''s lead warrior, he was certain he had to be there for when the Alpha needed him. At this time, he and Elodie were the only people the Alpha trusted enough with the Luna or even the pack. It was all soplicated and they had to agree that shit was never going to be the same ever again. "I''ll take a shower and you fucking wait there. If you leave this room, I will kill you, Theo," Elodie warned and Theo just nodded in understanding. He knew a lot was going on and he didn''t want to be alone after either. He wanted to pretend that today didn''t happen but the stench of their fallen ones benign stomped on out there was just too much. Perhaps there would be a way for them to get through this without more dead bodies, right? "Yes, ma''am," Theo sighed while Elodie went to take a shower. She may have been jealous of Jer and wanted him dead, but she couldn''t go to Malika looking like death. Granted the woman wasn''t dead or hurt, but she just had to show up looking better than the situation at hand. Perhaps that would give them all hope to live their lives after the madness, no? Walking down the hallways ten minutester, the two friends couldn''t help but watch in horror as theirradesid dead out there. The sight was one they would never forget and even then they tried to make it to the Alpha''s chambers in silence. Theo didn''t reach the chambers though. Instead, he went to the Alpha''s office where the elders were waiting. Maybe they would get something to keep the psychos away, even though there was a chance that Hawi wouldn''t care about anything. "Jer¡­ You called for me," Elodie whispered when she reached her Alpha''s chambers. She could see how disheveled he was and he was traumatized by all that had happened. He looked so lost and so broken, his eyes were dull and his face had fallen. His hair was all over the ce, not to mention his dirty clothes. His skin had puncture marks from the thorns he had been subjected to and his breathing wasbored. He seemed so out of touch with reality that when he had Elodie''s voice he felt like crying. She was the one person he could trust with his broken wife. It hurt that he couldn''t be able to stay beside her and it turned him that even at his wife''s greatest hour of need, he was useless. "They took out her womb, you know? She made them ruin her for me, made them tear through her like she was just some crazed puppet. She was innocent, she was always happy, but SHE took that from me. "She turned my Malika into this shell that I see now and goddess I want to kill HER so bad. I want to make her pay for all of this. I want to make her pay for taking my child away before it even frowns. "I want to kill her for enabling the psychos. I want to make them pay, Kane. I want them to feel the pain too," Jer said, his voice breaking and his throat so dry even as he ran a hand gently on Malika. He couldn''t believe that she was in this state. Her lips were crushed, her face looked so botched anyone would think she had a failed surgery. Her hands were scarred and her fingers had tears in them. She had experienced so much pain. Jer was mourning for the woman who meant the world to him. "We will make them all pay for this. We won''t forgive anyone, Jer. We won''t forgive anyone. I don''t care if she was my best friend, I will join you in burning them all," Elodie said, the sincerity and her voice betraying the joy she felt when she had seen Hawi. She had been so d to be fighting alongside her sister once again and frankly, she wanted to go and hug Hawi. But she couldn''t because this was some crazed game that they all had to y parts in, parts that needed to be punched up a notch higher with every show they seeded in putting on. It was cruel, but it was deserved and for that they wouldn''t stop, at least that much was obvious. "I don''t even know what I''ll tell her when she wakes up, or even if she ever wakes up. How do I tell the woman I love that I failed her a second time? How do I tell her that it will be okay even if we don''t have pups, when her womb was ripped from her? "Where do I even start, Elodie?" Jer asked, his head in his arms as he tried to think. But would it give him any relief? *** [A/N] * Hi! you waited for privilege for a while, no? No worries, just one final tier to go, and then the updates will go back to normal next week... couldn''t release them at once :( * I hope you guys are having a fantastic New Year 2024 Chapter 173: We’ll Be Fine, We Have to Be [JER] "I don''t even know what I''ll tell her when she wakes up, or even if she ever wakes up. How do I tell the woman I love that I failed her a second time? How do I tell her that it will be okay even if we don''t have pups, when her womb was ripped from her? "Where do I even start, Elodie?" Jer asked, his head in his arms as he tried to think. But would it give him any relief? The war had just begun and it was alone so long that life would probably lose meaning in the process. If Jer started giving up at this point then he would have nothing to fight for when the war ended, that is if he ever made it to the end. "We shouldn''t lose hope. They came and ambushed us, but then they retreated, as if to tell us to prepare our warriors. Now that we know they will being, we will be prepared, mentally and physically. "You shouldn''t worry too much, Alpha. We will be able to fight back, especially with our warriors," Elodie said confidently. She knew that it was a battle to the death the next time Hawi and her warriors came, but they had to be hopeful and fight back. This for the Sicario warriors, was a test of their resilience and they had lost on all fronts. It didn''t matter that they were allies and insiders. What mattered was that Sicario was losing, and Elodie was certain Hawi didn''t want to lose her home. It was a strange assumption. If anything, this was Hawi giving them a chance to save their home and rid it of the most ipetent Alpha. Granted, there was no telling what Hawi wanted, outside of the deaths of everyone who caused her pain either by spectating, or directly participating in it, but Elodie hoped that when this concluded, there would be some hope for them. "You sound confident in all of this, Kane," Jer said and Elodie just stared at him. She could tell that this was stressing him out, and a stressed Alpha would be a terrible leader for their pack. Sicario had a reputation to live up to and it was impossible that they let themselves be defeated to a pulp just because of one bad leader. Perhaps there was a different way to do that, right? "I know our army, Alpha," Elodie said as she walked to sit on the side of the bed where Malika was. She didn''t know what to do to console this man but she knew how to get him back to his fighting spirit. It was more than obvious that the ambush had forgotten him a little fucked up, not to mention the tant attempted milder of his luna. Jeremiah Warner was so close to losing his mind and if Hawi and her team just pushed a little more, he wouldn''t be able to do anything, as a matter of fact, the Alpha could probably opt for the easy way out. After all, there was only so much that a broken soul could do in war. "What does that mean, Kane?" Jer asked. "We were unable to fight back well, because most of our warriors were busy saving the women and children. We didn''t know there was an attack and there were so many vulnerable sock members outside. "That got us a little screwed because we focused on the innocents instead of fighting to save the pack. Then again, the innocents were saved, so it was a win. However, now that the boundary to the pack house is up, we have no reason to worry. "Sure, our dead are still sprawled out there but we can always bury themter, even if they would understand. But we will be ready for them next time, even if they choose to attack this morning. "That won''t matter because, after all, they promised they woulde back. And knowing Awuor, she will definitely want to keep her word," Elodie said, reminding Jer that her sister may have been an unhinged psycho, but she was the psycho who never forgot promises. It was a good thing when it came to her family but perilous for her enemies because she wouldn''t even think of forgiving them. That much was certain. Elodie wasn''t sure this would work on Jer, the little pep talk, when his wife was hurting in bed. Maybe she was trying to hold onto the impossible but then there was no way for her or Jer to know what to do if they didn''t join hands and do the thinking. Besides, there was only so much they could do with their hands tied. "The people are angry that we were attacked, and I wasn''t around to save them. They watched me beg for my Malika''s life and stay behind the doors when they were being ughtered. How the hell am I even to recover from that? "How do I exin to them that it wasn''t intentional for me to be trapped in the pack house? All of this is confusing and it makes me so angry that that isn''t anything I can think of that will make our situation any better," Jer said honestly. Elodie seemed to be the only one he could talk to about Hawi and the disaster that had happened, without worrying that the warrior could judge him or look at him differently. Perhaps he was a little too trusting of the woman, but they had history, a long history that revolved around wanting the best for their home. Perhaps that was what Jer was counting on; Elodie''s loyalty to her home. It was a faint hope, given she would be fighting her best friend, but Jer wanted to hope that this time, Elodie wouldn''t hesitate to fight, even if it was just for Sicario and not for her wishes. "Of course, our people are angry. You are our Alpha and you didn''t do much to help. I know that''s harsh, but it''s the truth. The whole tithing could have gone differently but then it''s already happened, so there''s no point in holding on to a broken past. "What you need to focus on is the people. They are more important than any council or any ex of ours who wants revenge and even if you might not want to ept it, they are more important than the luna. "Without the people, Sicario, or even its leadership, would not exist, and there wouldn''t be a need to shed blood while fighting for a ce that has houses and battlefields. I hope you understand what I''m getting at," Elodie said in the kindest voice she could muster. Jer looked at Kane in shock, almost like he couldn''t believe this was happening. The Elodie he knew could have already tried to fight him and board home roughly for what was happening, but then she hadn''t. Instead, she had been calm, standing by his side like the loyal warrior she was for Sicario. She could have jumped ship when she saw her best friend, but she didn''t, and maybe that was also something that got Jer curious. They had been best of friends and their bond had already passed for sisterhood. It wasn''t worth it that anyone could break through, so seeing this happening was strange for Jer, and perhaps he was right to be very suspicious, but what if? Would it really matter then? "Did you know she was alive all this time?" Jer asked. "Are you being serious right now? I''m here, with your wife, instead of being with my parents and family out there and the only thing on your mind is whether I knew the best friend I mourned for three years was alive? "Would I have mourned her that long if I knew? Would I have let you marry Malika if I knew that he was still alive and coulde back to take her ce on the Sicario seat? Would I?" Elodie asked, staring at Jer with disbelief in her eyes like she just couldn''t believe what Jer was asking of her. It was supposed to be impossible but then with Jeremiah Warner, impossible was just another way to remind him of the endless sins he coulde up with while trying to prove that shit was possible. He was a goner in so many ways and Elodie knew that. That could also exin the confidence with which she stared usatorily at him like she hadn''t now all this while about her sister. "I didn''t mean it like that. It''s just that everyone was shocked and was shocked by their shock, while you were more focused on fighting for our people and defending our home. It was like she was invisible to you or something," Jer said softly and Elodie sighed. She never thought the conversation could take this direction, but then she couldn''t me Jer. There were so many things that had happened in a span of very few hours, and they still needed to understand that. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I didn''t know. I wasn''t even sure how to react, given I was the one who suggested her rejection. If she finds out I told you to reject her, which may have probably triggered her death or something¡­ "¡­ You definitely won''t have to worry about me being a pain in your ass because she will definitely take me out. You know how she is, and she never forgives betrayals," Elodie said earnestly. Well, her statement wasn''t exactly true, but Jer seemed to buy it, because he just got up from where he was sitting and looked out the window, like he was expecting some new revtion or something. "Please take care of Malika. I''ll go to have a chat with the elder before I can meet our people, who knows what''s happened to them anyway," Jer said and Elodie nodded in understanding before the Alpha left. "You''re crazy." Chapter 174: Your Wish, Is My Command [SICARIO] "You''re crazy, you know that, right?" Elodie whispered to a sleeping Malika. She could feel her mate''s heartbeats slow down and she wanted to let her rest, after all, today had been a really long day on the battlefield for both of them. Now that she was this close to Malika, Elodie wondered what was going on in Malika''s head. She wondered if there was ever a definition of normal for her. She wondered if Malika would always put herself in harm''s way for Hawi. Granted, Elodie knew of Malika''s job description, but a part of her couldn''t help but pray that Malika would always be okay. She hated singing Malika hurt, and earlier today. She had seen a pang of hurt in Malika''s eyes, when Jer had started talking to Hawi indifferently. "I know I can''t talk you out of your job, but don''t care me like that next time, Malika," Elodie said softly as she held her mate''s hand. Despite being in war the whole day and probably for centuries, Malika''s hands were soft, and they seemed to give the feeling that this woman had never stabbed someone with chopsticks before. She looked so delicate, so untouched, so fragile in her innocence. She looked like she could go into extreme mourning if she witnessed a butterfly die. Oh, how Elodie loved seeing this version of Malika. That however didn''t make it any better, seeing Malika stitched up like she was a sack of potatoes. The scene earlier, where her womb was removed, was scary as hell. It made Elodie wonder whether the Hawi squad knew what humanity was. They had done the cruelest thing in front of so many and still managed to leave like they didn''t just traumatize an entire pack. So much had happened that needed to be exined in simple term. However, here next to Malika, Elodie was just grateful she was allowed to see her. "I missed you so much today, and I wanted toe drag you from Jer''s hands at whatever time you went on, I just didn''t know today would be an ambush day. I would have been better by you, kissed you longer, held you closer, and hugged you tighter. "Maybe I should have told you that I intend to mark you as mine when your mission is done and dusted. Or been courageous enough to let you know that I am in love with you, and not the kind of love thates with the mate bond, but a love that knows no bounds. "Maybe I could have made you understand that I would always, always love you regardless of the sides we fight for, love. Maybe this is me overreaching, but please, try and be safe out there even if your job is easily the most dangerous one please," Elodie whispered, even though it came off as a light whimper. She could feel her eyes closing on her, probably because she too was tired from the battle earlier. However, she wouldn''t let herself sleep, because she knew Jer coulde back any moment and if Elodie was asleep then he came back, he would probably think Elodie wasn''t good enough to take care of his broken mate. So Elodie held Malika''s hand, softly counting the number of times her heartbeats could be felt. She hoped that it would keep her awake, but the rhythm of Malika''s heartbeats seemed to be lulling her to sleep, which was the only thing that Elodie didn''t want right now. "Fuck. I need to stay awake, dammit," Elodie groaned, before she gently put Malika''s hand hats he had been holding, back under the nkets, and then walked to the open window for some fresh air. Perhaps the wind would be kinder to her enough and let her stay awake in the longest of nights for Sicario since thest battle that Hawi had held them on. Elodie stared outside the window only to see the dead bodies of their fallen. She reminded herself that she would lead the warriors in putting the bodies in one house, and when the war ended they would burn them all together seeing as there are thousands of dead bodies. There was just never going to be enough mass graves for the fallen warriors. It was a cruel reality, but this was what home had been turned into. "E¡ª" Malika spoke after a while. Elodie had lost track of time, but she could see that the sun was slowlying up. She was d to hear her mate''s voice and she wanted to wish for her, but she didn''t want to be seen as a desperate woman who was d her mate, who hadn''t even imed her yet had woken up. She wanted to ask Malika what it meant for them after the mind-blowing sex earlier, but then again, Elodie didn''t want to be insensitive, seeing as the current situation was more demanding for the both of them, being head warriors of their masters and mistresses. "You should still be sleeping, Luna," Elodie said as she looked out of the window still, and Malika felt like someone was toying with her heart. Over the years she had closed her heart and promised to never open it, and now, the first one she opened it to was probably not in the mood to look at her because of the battle they were both into. It was crazy what the war was doing to both of them, but then they were both helpless and couldn''t make it end. "Luna?" Malika asked with a scoff and Elodie turned to look at her Malika, her eyes cold like their rtionship was not something they could talk of, not to mention the fact that she was trying toe off as professional. But would itst when her heart was beating a little too hard because of Malika? Was she going to admit to this protector-killing machine that she loved hearing her name from Malika''s lips? Would an admission change anything for them either way? "The Alpha wants to meet the people and the elders. It''s been a few hours, so he should be back soon, Luna. Do you need anything? I could go get it for you," Elodie said. Her eyes and tone were passive like she hadn''t eaten this woman''s cunt like the holy grail, as if she hadn''t fucked Malika and orgasmed with her more than they both could count. It was crazy how time could turn things into shells, but was that what this was? "Yes, E," Malika said as she struggled to get up, before she slumped back on the bed. She had managed to tear her womb when she woke up, because she wanted to sit upright. Perhaps she had forgotten that she had subjected herself to this pain to make sure that someone kept the Alpha busy, but goddamn, it fucking hurt so back that Malika almost triggered her healing abilities and walked out of this damning shitshow. "What do you need, Luna?" Elodie asked and Malika felt the urge to throw up. What the fuck was going on with this woman? Or was this some sort of game that Elodie was ying with Malika? Well if it was a game., it wasn''t interesting and Malika wanted to tell that to Elodie. but at the same time, she wanted to see how long this would take. "Yes¡­ I think I tore my wound, and it fucking hurts," Malika groaned out, not letting herself focus on Elodie''s attitude. If Elodie wanted to y, they would y, but after Malika was well. She couldn''t do this anymore. But then she had to remind herself that she was here on a mission and she hadn''t exactly objected to Mbali''s sudden suggestion of her being pregnant. That shit was hell for her, and now she knew she had to live with Jer and y the hurt and broken Luna for a longer time. This game was exhausting and if Malika didn''t know what the oue would be already, she would have told Hawi to kill everyone to end the game, but she had to be patient, just like everyone else. "I''m sorry, Luna. let me check it and patch you up," Elodie said as she looked around the room, almost like she was looking for something. She then turned to the cameras in the room they were in, before she cut herself a little, and used her blood to block the cameras. It was a wild thing to do and Malika was staring with her jaw open, especially when she saw Elodie walk to the door and shut them from the inside. "What are you doing?" Malika asked weakly. She hated that this was happening and she wished she could have an amount of relief. "Relieving you of the pain, sweetheart," Elodie said and Malika breathed out a sigh of relief, especially when she saw Elodie''s smile brightening her face. It was something Malika had never thought she would love to see this much, but goodness, seeing Elodie''s smile made her feel human again. It was a beautiful thing for Elodie and Malika that Malika almost jumped, but she was still hurt. "You really are crazy, and yet you told me earlier that I was the crazy one," Malika teased, before she threw the nkets off of her, and cast a spell that returned her body to its initial state before all the madness had begun. Perhaps it was the only beautiful thing today, no? "You heard me?" "I''m immortal, baby. Looks like that is a concept that you will have to grasps differently," Malika said as she got off the end, and rushed to grab Elodie, smacking their lips together like they had been apart for years on end. "Woah, woah, low down, tiger," Elodie said when she felt the urgency of the kiss. "Give it to me," Malika begged "As you wish, baby." Chapter 175: A Chance At Sanity? [HAWI] Mornings in the freends had always been quiet, but today it was buzzing with life and a ng of swords. There were different things happening at the same time and more than anything, there was the need for reassurance. From the battlefield yesterday, Hawi had lost a thousand warriors and they were yet to bury them, given their warriors needed to be attended to and those that survived were to keep going. It was a cruel way to live but the war wasn''t king to anyone. In the meeting tent, Awuor Hawi Sicario sat thinking about what Jeremiah had said about her the previous day. She wondered if there was a truth to it all. Jer had said a lot of things and while she wanted to argue that it was for anger, Hawi knew it was. She wanted to make herself feel better, to pretend that the world was full of butterflies and shit, but she knew there was some truth to Jer''s statements. However, unlike the endless times when she had moped over that reality, today, she wouldn''t. In fact, today she would be living as the hours came by. She already had a war in her hands and she wasn''t going to let women cowardly form a nameless pack try shit with her. With that in mind, Hawi put on her smile like it was her armor. "Your smile is creeping me out, Hawi," Mbali said when she walked into the meeting tent and saw a happy Hawi staring at the entrance like she was waiting for a party to walk in. Of course, that hadn''t been Hawi''s intention, but her smile was creepy in a way. Mbali walked over to where Hawi was and began checking her out to see if there was something she had drank in the morning, because the Hawi she knew was not a morning person and could kill anyone if they so much as tried to breathe next to her. Perhaps the woman had changed? Well, Mbali wasn''t buying that, and yet she got more creeped out with every minute that passed, and Hawi smiled at her. It made her feel like she was being hunted even though she was certain she wasn''t the prey. "What a good morning, Mbali," Hawi greeted and Mbali started like there were a hundred things wrong. "Yup, not buying it," Mbali said as she walked out of the tent only toe back with the entire squad of leaders who weren''t sure what they were expecting, but then a smiling Hawi was already creeping them out too. "Did she kill anyone today?" "Are you sure she isn''t dead and smiling?" "Do you guys remember thest time she smiled?" "What did you do to her, Rukiya?" "If she doesn''t close those wide eyes and wipe that smile off¡ª" "Maybe she finally lost it." "Do you think we should call for Malika?" "Sicario is two days away." "We can portal." One by one the leaders walked in even though they made sure to sit a little farther from Hawi. Hell, even Rukiya wasn''t sure if this was a good time so she kept her distance. She loved Hawi with all of her, but not when she was smiling like the dead. "You are the reason for all of this. I shall collect your souls one by one," Hawi growled as her eyes darkened and she looked at her friends. She wasn''t sure what she was exercising, but a smack on her head by Mbali was certainly not it. "Oww, you''re crazy. Why the fuck are y''all overreacting just because I smiled? Goddess, I should smile more often then," Hawi said and they red at her like it was the worst thing that she would have thought of. But well, she was Hawi, right? "Good morning, Mrs. Creepy," Mbali greeted and Ruru just rolled her eyes at the woman. "My arm hurts but hey, good morning to you too. How are you and the teams doing?" Hawi asked as she looked at her friends. She knew they hadn''t had enough rest and she could tell by the bags under their eyes. However, they were warriors who had gone for a long war. They were used to such states and while Hawi didn''t want them to, she knew that she had to appreciate that little bit of their ufortable railings. At the moment, she was to give them the go-ahead and tell them whether they were to get ready to portal back into Sicario or if they would bury their dead first. It didn''t matter the order really because both would happen eventually, and there was no denying that. "They''re all good. You look different today, Hawi. Are you sure you''re all right? And I''m not talking about the creepy smile earlier. Are you really okay? Is there something we need to do for you?" Rukiya asked and Hawi just shook her head. "There isn''t much to be done at the moment. We just need to prepare for the next time we go to Sicario. Meanwhile, we will rest for three days and then get back up. Perhaps that should give us time to mourn our dead, and bury them," Hawi said. The leaders looked at her, wondering if that would make a difference. They were fatigued and most of them wanted to sleep, but then the war wasn''t kind to anyone. It was nice that Hawi knew that, but that just wouldn''t cut it. This was a war with the devils and they needed to match the energy, otherwise they would lose more than they would gain. They had trained for this for years and now that they were here, they wouldn''t back down even for the tiniest of moments. "Meanwhile, Mbali, you need to send word to Sicario. Tell them we give them three days to bury their dead. After that, we shall attack," Hawi said to Mbali who nodded in understanding. She didn''t understand why Hawi was giving them three days but then she was their leader. Three days was a lot of time for an army like Sicario, but then with the ambush, they would either bepromised or the Sicario warriors would be stranger than before. It was a gable, but that didn''t matter because Hawi had already made up her mind. She wanted Jer to understand that there was helling and there would be no mercy. Life in itself was crafted enough, but if they got their chances, they would do whatever was needed to defend their home. That was a non-issue for Hawi and she wasn''t even the least bit surprised at the stares her friends were giving her. It was almost like they were trying to see whether this was happening for real or this was just some damning illusion. "Are you sure about that, Hawi? Three days is a long time. They could already be nning to blow us up if we go there," Adolf said and Mbali just chuckled like Adolf didn''t know who Hawi was or even the amount of power that this army had. "We have Malika on the inside, you need not worry and from what I feltst night, Elodie is also on board with our ns," Mbali said confidently. This wasn''t going to be hard for them and for that, she was d. "What did you feel?" Riley, the leader of the Sicario rebels asked. Chapter 176: Life Has To Go On [HAWI] "Are you sure about that, Hawi? Three days is a long time. They could already be nning to blow us up if we go there," Adolf said. "We have Malika on the inside, you need not worry and from what I feltst night, Elodie is also on board with our ns," Mbali said confidently. This wasn''t foreign to be hard for them and for that, she was d. "What did you feel?" Riley, the leader of the Sicario rebels asked. "They fucked, again," Rukiya said and all eyes turned to Hawi. "I didn''t do anything. I may have been asleep and Ruru peeked," Hawi defended "If it helps, I didn''t see them¡ª" Rukiya said like that was supposed to make the whole situation very right. It was a crazed team and they sure had different types of normal but goddamn, it was going to be a long one this time. "Y''know what, can we please never talk about Malika and Elodie''s sexcapades? I''m already traumatized enough, man," Rileyined. Hudhayfah justughed at her. He had been with these crazies for over two years and while even he hadn''t gotten used to them, he knew it was going to be a long ride, especially now that the war was here. So much could happen and they would all see the crazies doing the craziest of shit just to keep the team lively. Not that he wasining, but goddamn. "Oh child, you''re in for a new type of normal with this bunch," Hudhayfah said reassuringly to Riley who looked at the others and saw them acting like this was normal. Of course, it was. What did she expect when bad met worse and they had an army? "So, what do we do in those three days?" Riley asked. There hadn''t been a n for them waiting for three days, so this caught her off guard. She knew that they would be attacking Sicario day and night, weakening their bases. However, from what she was hearing, it seemed like the most they could do was to try and make sure that the Sicario wolves herald enough for them to fight. She wasn''t sure how long the war would be, but one thing she knew was that the time was enough. With the resting intervals Hawi was permitting, thest warriors standing would definitely be the best of the entire realm, because there was just no way. If anything, the Sicario warriors were trained by Hawi for the most part. They just had to summon their training, right? Or maybe it was a good thing that Hawi wasn''t using Sicario Warriors as her main defense this time? "We rest and bury our dead. They may not be many but they mean everything to us. And make sure their graves are marked. We will not bury our harvest in unmarked graves," Hawi exined like the dead couldn''t bury themselves. If they wanted to, they could burn their dead using Hawi''s magic in seconds and that part will be taken care of. But perhaps this was not just about the things they could do, but what they needed. And rest was it. "Okay, Alpha. Can I be excused?" Riley asked. "Of course. Remind everyone to go to medical for a checkup all right, three days are enough for checkups," Hawi said to Riley. She knew that the wolves had been hurt and while she wanted to use her powers to heal them, she couldn''t. They were still in the first phase and if they got to thest phase and she was weak, then this war would mean nothing because she wouldn''t be strong enough to get to the end of the battle, which was a need for her. "Yes Alpha. See youter," Riley said as she left the tent to go and attend to her duties. "I''ll send word to Sicario, also be with the warriors," Mbali said before adding, "Adolf,e along," Mbali said and Adolf looked at her as if to ask what the hell she was to do with Mbali. The woman was the devil''s spawn and if she wasn''t under Hawi''s control, Adolf was certain she would explode on him. He didn''t what that and yet at the same time he had a feeling that if he stayed here he would be more traumatized by what would happen. "Why do I feel like we''re being left alone?" Rukiya asked when she saw Mbali and Adolf leave willingly. It was strange, but anyone with eyes could see that the two women needed to be together and this was just their barbaric friends giving them a chance at that. "Not really, Alpha. I just have to also leave and go to medical. I''m in charge of them, remember?" Hudhayfah said and Rukiya was convinced that they were avoiding them. It was too early for medical, beatitudes almost half the camp wasn''t even awake and they were to be treated, what a load of bull. "Of course, you do," Rukiya said before turning to Hawi who was smirking at the motions in the meeting tent. It was like everyone just wanted to leave them alone like they were up to no good. Or maybe at war because Rukiya and Hawi were the key factors in the war? "Do you have any clue why they all left one by one?" Rukiya asked even though she could tell that Hawi wouldn''t answer her truthfully on this particr one. "Nope," Hawi said, looking around the tent like she had just decided to study the structure in itself. It was the same thing their friend had been doing earlier so she didn''t think it could be as bad, right? "Are you sure?" "Yes. you heard them, Ruru, they have duties to tend to and we are the Alphas here, which means we also have duties to attend to, in private," Hawi said and Rukiya stared at her wondering what was going on in her head this time. "Oh, really now?" "Of course. Jer is working with a warlock, one who seems to be holding the cards for him, given he cried out for her when Malika was hurt. I believe that is connected to him wanting you dead," Hawi said and Ruru sighed. That was a sore topic for them and Hawi was probably already ming herself for it., Now that Rurur thought about it perhaps that was why she was trying so hard to smile for them earlier but then there was no need for her to burden herself on her own, when she had everyone ready toy their lives for her, right? "I thought he was bluffing, given he''s too weak." "It''s not something to take lightly, love. If he was that angry and wanted you dead, I assume someone is putting him up to it. He doesn''t have the balls toe after you, alone. "So that was a risk he took, a stupid one nheless, but there is no telling that he won''t try again," Hawi said "Well, he can try. I am powerful enough to ruin him and the entire Sicario in one sitting," Rukiya said angrily. She hated people who tried to kill her because they always failed and we''re always sloppy. "I know, but we just need to be sure. Perhaps Mbali can enlighten us more,ter," Hawi said "All right. And what do we do while we wait?" Ruru asked. "We go hunting. You owe me a good hunting trip, my beautiful," Hawi said and Rukiya nodded in excitement. Chapter 177: The Missing Puzzle Pieces [HAWI] "Are you sure we are in the right woods, Ruru?" Hawi asked an hourter when it seemed like they were lost. They had been here at the hunting grounds but it seemed like they were going in circles, or they were just too dumb to think for themselves. Despite putting pointers to guide them, the two Alphas were back to where they had begun, with zero sess with their hunting session. It should have worried them, but then they weren''t even in the least bit. If anything, it was exciting because this time they were hunting but without using any of their abilities. It was a weird challenge, but one that Hawi had said they try. They were to take a break from being super werewolves and be just normal people with nothing but their humans left to hunt. Perhaps their instincts could havended them in the direction of their hunt, but as it was, they were terrible without focusing on their hearing skills, or any of the werewolf abilities they had been gifted since birth. Well, it was a crazy challenge by two crazy women, it''s not like they expected the heavens to be d, no? "I was born and raised in these woods¡ª" Ruru began and Hawi rolled her eyes at her. For someone who was apparently born and raised in the Greyson woods and the woods beyond Greyson, Rukiya was doing a good job driving Hawi nits. There was only so much that the poor white wolf could take before she lost her mind and decided to go back to the camp.but perhaps there was a way out of this for them, right? There would always be a way, after all they were the best no? "Oh, really now, should I call you my woody Ruru?" Hawi said and Rukiya snickered. She wasn''t sure where the conversation was heading, but she wasn''tining, given this was their free time. They wanted to get away from the chaos of the war. "That would be true, if I had the great wood, but I don''t," Rukiya said before adding, ''Actually I do, because it''s on you, and you''re mine, so that¡ª" Rukiya said pointing to Hawi''s crotch ever so casually. "¡ªbelongs here," Rukiya said, pointing to herself, and Hawi let out a strained choke. Each day, she was learning something new with Rukiya Greyson and at this rate, this woman would be the death of her if she wasn''t careful. "Hunting¡­" Hawi began with a strained voice. She was trying her very best to remain sane, but it seemed Rukiya Greyson was after her sanity and she was winning so fast, goddamn. "We are supposed to," Hawi added as she tried to get a hold of herself. This was supposed to be their hunting tip but if they weren''t careful they would both end up in the grass in their wolf forms doing everything and anything. "Be hunting? Of course,e now love, we have deer to hunt aye," Rukiya said as she ran past Hawi, swaying her hips in the process, while Hawi seemed to have been such in time. She couldn''t believe that this was real. Hell, if someone ever told her that she would be this whipped for Rukiya Greyson, she would have taken them to a mental institution herself, but then here she was, smiling like a goat just because she could see her woman happy. Perhaps it really was the little things. "Yes, hunting. Just great. I''m not sure if I''m part of the hunt or if it is my heart that is being hunted," Hawi grumbled as she stretched her pants that had gotten tighter before going after a happy Rukiya. It was almost impossible to tell that they had been at war just the previous day, but then wars didn''t mean there were or hold back on their happiness, right? There was so much they needed to do, so much that had nned for and so much that she wished for the both of them and she hoped that she would have the time to do it, in the end. Life was beautiful and they had to appreciate that. "What exactly are we hunting?" Hawi asked when she realized that they had not carried any hunting tools. They were a little too far from the freends; while she could portal back and get them, she couldn''t leave her woman alone in these woods, especially in this time. Oh how Hawi hated the Greyson woods. She had never once recovered from the attack thest time she was in these damned woods. Someone had attacked Greyson because she was there and right now she was here again. With the war already gaining momentum, it wasn''t hard to tell that people would want her dead or even the mate she had gained along the way. However, that didn''t answer the question of who truly wanted Rukiya Greyson dead. Someone had gone over and beyond to make thest attack believable and now that Jer had sworn to kill Rukiya, Hawi knew it was no coincidence. Someone had been nning this for a while and the attack on Sicario was just the perfect ce for them to find the easiest way to take out Rukiya. It wasn''t something Hawi would live with, but goddess save the souls of those who wanted her Rukiya dead. "We are wolves, remember? We can hunt in our wolf forms," Rukiya said excitedly and Hawi took a step back. In their wolf forms, they would be most vulnerable. In their wolf states, anyone could kill them and get away with it, and in their wolf forms, Rukiya Greyson was the weakest, especially now that she was carefree. Hawi was a white wolf, which meant that she could win anything whether she was a wolf or a human or a halfling. But her Rukiya was different. "Malika,e in," Hawi whispered and her protector was in front of her, even though she was invisible to all eyes, this time, including Rukiya Greyson. Unlike the other times that she showed up even to Rukiya, Malika knew that there had to be something this time. "Yes Mistress, what is it?" Malika asked as she looked at a happy Rukiya. She couldn''t tell what could have worried her Mistress like that, but then this time Hawi had something she could lose and something that could make her lose her mind. Awuor Sicario wasn''t going to just sit back and wait for the world to take the only thing she valued more than life, not if she could help it. Perhaps it was just how not being a believer and shit, but that didn''t matter because right now, Rukiya Greysin mattered more than anything else. "Did you figure out which warlock helped Jer?" Hawi asked and Malika stared at her, unsure if this was really the best of times to be discussing this. Of course, she was the protector and she knew what to look for. With the way she was staring skeptically at Hawi, it was obvious Malika had figured out who the person was, but why was she holding back from saying it? Would it really be that bad for them? Then again, they were at war, so it wouldn''t make any sense for Malika to be holding back right now. "Malika, you need to talk." "Her name is Russel, or at least that is the name she goes by¡­" Chapter 178: Of Familiar Traitors? [HAWI] "Did you figure out which warlock helped Jer?" Hawi asked and Malika stared at her, unsure if this was really the best of times to be discussing this. Of course, she was the protector and she knew what to look for. With the way she was staring skeptically at Hawi, it was obvious Malika had figured out who the person was, but why was she holding back from saying it? Would it really be that bad for them? Then again, they were at war, so it wouldn''t make any sense for Malika to be holding back right now. "Malika, you need to talk," Hawi said when she realized that her protector had gone a little too silent. Even then, Hawi forced a smile while looking at Rukiya who was looking for a spot to hide their clothes. It seemed like the Greyson Alpha didn''t know Hawi would shift with her clothes on and shift back with the clothes in the same state, whiteout tears or anything that wasn''t there before. But that wasn''t the issue right now. A quiet Malika was, and Hawi was beginning to worry for her Ruru. "Wait for me, love. We need to sift together and find a ce where we can hunt before we head back to the camp," Hawi said and Rukiya just gave her a thumbs up, while Hawi was securing the words for any sign of werewolf traps. She knew there had to be some from the intruders of Greyson, but then those would be the ones that Rukiya knew of. What of the ones she didn''t know? What if someone had nted traps all over for the both of them and this was the only time they could get Hawi and Rukiya alone? "Her name is Russel, or at least that is the name she goes by," Malika said after a long silence. She knew it wasn''t going to be an easy one for the two mates but then when was it ever easy when it came to Hawi and Rukiya anyway? There was always a case to solve a murder to see through, and someone to take out. It wasn''t new. "Did you find her? And what information do you have on this Russel that could make her want Rukiya dead? I don''t think the Greyson alpha has even interacted with warlocks before. "She never spoke of any, even when I was with them in Greyson so it doesn''t make any sense. Besides, if they had a warlock in Greyson, the tragedy with her father could have been avoided. "It just doesn''t make any sense at the moment. Why is it so important for this Russel that Rukiya dies? What does she gain from it?" Hawi asked, clearly not in the mood to go in a circle. It would have made sense if the warlock that wanted Rukiya dead, went after Rukiya in Greyson. That would be understandable because Greyson was full of the strongest warriors in the realm. Perhaps she could have used Adolf to kill Rukiya and make it believable. It just didn''t make sense that they would use Jer, of all the idiots in the realm, toe after Rukiya. It didn''t add up and that was something Hawi needed to look into, because otherwise, it would be a long year for them. "She wants you," Malika said angrily and Hawi let out a chuckle. It wasn''t news that people wanted her dead, hell her family had wanted her dead too. So that wasn''t shocking anymore. Hearing that someone wanted her and was using Rukiya was just a far fetch. Besides, no one knew that Hawi and Ruru had been together until Rukiya mentioned they were mates earlier on. Today was the first time that Rukiya had mentioned it in public outside of Greyson, so it just didn''t make any sense. Perhaps they were missing something. Perhaps there was more they needed to pay attention to or maybe there was just another loop waiting for them to crash and burn. That wasn''t a scary thought, because Hawi wasn''t worried about herself. She was immortal and no one could ever get to her. "Oh great. So, she''s using Rukiya, who she didn''t know was my chosen mate until now? Come on Malika, there has to be something else. But first, use your magic to eliminate any and all traces of traps. "I have a feeling that she isn''t safe here, and I can''t have her lose her smile today, it''s just not what I need. I want her to be happy. That smile on her face is genuine and I n on keeping it like that," Hawi said. Malika then began checking the fields for any traps and boy were they many. "Someone is really determined to take her out, Hawi. Please be careful," Malika said as she eliminated the traps one by one. It was like the entire field was riddled with magical traps, harmless to Hawi, but to Rukiya, they were more than lethal. She would be out in seconds if she stepped on them and that was scary for a moment, because whoever did this, was determined to make sure they got what they wanted. It wasn''t right on so many fronts and Malika was pissed. There was just no way someone would want her Mistress''s mate to be gone like this. It was crazy and Malika felt like burning someone. "Hey. Calm down, the sun is already heating up more than it should. It will ruin the hunt," Hawi said to Malika who was still pissed. She just couldn''t understand why someone would be this brutal with Rukiya when the woman had been nothing but a good Alpha to her people. It was crazy and the more Malika thought about it, the more she was convinced that some people deserve to be burned without mercy. "I''m sorry, Mistress. It''s just that I don''t understand why they would be this determined to kill her. She''s a mere werewolf and doesn''t have any enemies that could be that obsessed with her, which makes it even crazy, because this Russel woman¡ª" Malika said, stopping herself just to let out a growl. She was angry that the mess was getting bigger and bigger and that her goal of seeing Hawi happy before she ascended the throne of the white wolf was slowly turning into a pipe dream. Malika knew what the job waiting Hawi demanded, and if she wasn''t happy before she went in, then happiness would never be a guarantee for her, ever. It was a truth that she had seen over the years and while she never really cared about the others, this assignment was important to her. Maybe because for the first time she had found someone she rted to so much, someone she wanted to see happier than herself and boy was it making her a mess. Maybe, it would all be okay by the time Hawi had her vengeance, but at this rate, if Malika didn''t act, she would lose her friend and mistress. "I understand, Malika. What did you find out about Russel?" Hawi asked as she tried to calm her protector down. She was all for going on a murder spree with Malika, but today, she wanted to see Rukiya happy, no matter what it took. "I know her scent from Greyson. She is someone from Greyson." Chapter 179: No More Worrying? [HAWI] "I understand, Malika. What did you find out about Russel?" Hawi asked as she tried to calm her protector down. She was all for going on a murder spree with Malika, but today, she wanted to see Rukiya happy, no matter what it took. "I know her scent from Greyson. She is someone from Greyson. She tried to mask her face but I got a glimpse of something on her neck. She had a scorpion tattoo on her neck, and it seemed to be covering a long scar. "I''m assuming she used the tattoo to hide the scar. If I find her, I will kill her with my bare hands," Malika said, the promise in her voice so clear that she wanted to be out there alreadymitting the murders. Maybe she was insane for this, but what else was there for her to do other than protect her Mistress? Malika was a loyal one and an angry protector at the moment. "The only one I know with a scorpion tattoo in Greyson is Luna Razia. She doesn''t look the least bit like a warlock, much less want her daughter dead. That is absurd," Hawi reasoned and Malika looked at her with a disappointed face. Of course, Malika knew Luna Razia too, but not from Hawi''s perspective. She knew her form long before she was introduced directly to the woman. However, she didn''t want to imagine that Luna would hurt her child. Right now, Malika was fueled by anger, and anything she said could erupt into a series of unwanted situations frankly. That would be the most dangerous of things that she would have done ever. She had to be sure before she pointed hands, and made sensible choices. "Well then, I shall be on the lookout for the Russel woman in Sicario. But I must tell you, Mistress, I don''t care who Russel will be, I will kill her for being a menace," Malika said earnestly and Hawi nodded in understanding. She knew what Malika meant and honestly, she wanted to do it, but she couldn''t because she had to let them help her. Malika looked like she wanted to go to Greyson and get the answers herself. She always despised traits so finding out that someone was after Hawi and that they were from Greyson of all the ces was unsettling and made her mad. She couldn''t believe how easy it was for people to shift sides as if they hadn''t probably shared the same table with Rukiya. It led Malika to ask endless questions whose answers she was certain she wouldn''t find any time soon, though she needed them. She had to find that woman. She needed to find that woman, if not for her mistress, then she would find her to make sure that no one ever came and interfered with her mission. It was already enough that she had to share the bed with Jer. If she had to be tolerant of another creature, she would lose her mind. "Are the traps all gone?" Hawi asked, trying to distract Malika from the dangerous and murderous aura that she was emitting. It was understandable of Malika and Hawi wasn''t going to judge her for being this mad. However, they both understood how powerful they were and how terrible the repercussions would be, especially now that the skies were slowly changing and the weather wasn''t nice, at all. "I''ll check again," Malika said as she did a second sweep of the hunting area before confirming it to her mistress. She knew Rukiya was probably getting suspicious given Hawi had been standing there for a while now. But then it wouldn''t be long before they got to that point, right? "Yes, they are, Mistress. I also cast a protection spell on both of you just to be sure. I wouldn''t want anyone hurting you, Mistress, the world will definitely not be a pretty ce for that person," Malika said casually, like she hadn''t threatened anyone who tried to think of Hawi differently. Well, there was no denying that at the moment anyway, given how pissed the protector was. Hawi had been tempted to tease her about her rtionship with Jer but she could tell that this wasn''t the time for it. However, she was also genuinely worried about Malika. The game they had yed the previous day wasn''t a kind one and there were mental scars bound, especially when the womb was removed from the supposed Malika. It wasn''t something easy for anyone to watch and the possibility that there could have been a fetus in there wasn''tforting at all. Hawi wanted to ask Malika if she was okay, and how she was doing. She asked if the protector had gotten any sleepst night. Granted, she had felt something change in their bond, but Hawi didn''t want Malika using that as a direction. It was dangerous for both of them and they needed to be awake. Even with all that, Hawi figured this wasn''t the time. So, she let it be. Perhaps she would ask Malika the next time, right? "Thank you. You can go back to Sicario. In case of anything, let me know all right?" Hawi said and Malika nodded, before she bowed and left the two mates. "You were talking to Malika, weren''t you?" Rukiya asked when Hawi reached her. The white wolf considered lying to her mate, but she figured that sooner orter, they would have to have this conversation. Besides, they were at war, and keeping secrets would be a dangerous gamble for the both of them. It was easier for them to make sure that they got to live their best while trusting each other and not hiding. "Yes. She came to give me a status update on Sicario. Seems like Mbali''s letter already reached Jer and they are doing the necessary," Hawi said as she cupped Ruru''s cheek. Hawi could see herself in Rukiya Greyson''s beautiful eyes and unlike the other days when she wondered what Rukiya thought of her, today, he was happy that he was where with her. She was d that she had someone to be beside her no matter what happened. What had happened in Sicario would take a toll on them and with Jer being a maniptive idiot, Hawi was ready for when the Alpha tried to strike a low blow again, like earlier before. Perhaps she was a little too ready this time. "Okay.e along then, let''s go hunting," Rukiya said and Hawi stared at her shocked. Usually Rukiya would ask about it, but today she was awfully quiet about it and for a moment, Hawi thought she had done something wrong. But what had she done this time? "Did I do something?" Hawi asked and Ruru smiled at her. "Not really. I trust you. Besides if it had anything to do with me, you would let me see Malika, but you didn''t. I trust you, Hawi. That is enough for me to go on with," Rukiya said earnestly as she kissed Hawi''s forehead. The whole of that day, Hawi and Rukiya spent hunting in the woods. They came across different animals, but at the end of the day, they chose to carry to the camp three deer and a little bunny that Rukiya had begged Hawi to let her take care of. Of course, at the end of the day, whatever her Ruru wanted, her Ruru got, so Hawi didn''t object. "I think my mom wille to the camp." Chapter 180: A Mother’s Miracle Love? [HAWI] "It''s time to party!!!!" Hawi shouted when she and Ruru reached the camp. They looked so tired and spent, but they had happy smiles on their faces. Their warriors looked like they were already used to the madness of these two women, so they just stared as if they were waiting to see some crazy shit dropped on them.They were slowly learning the madness that was Hawi and Ruru. Perhaps it was for the best, no? "Who did you guys kill?" Mbali asked as she looked at the duo skeptically. At the moment, Hawi had cast an invisible spell on their catch of the day, so everyone who saw them was already thinking they had lost their minds and perhaps they really had this time. "Not who, but what!! Look we brought us food, everyone can have a bite¡­ or it can be a gamble, firste first serve," Hawi said and Rukiya facepalmed. There were seventeen thousand warriors in this camp and they had the tiniest catch ever known to any hunter and she was already pitting their people against each other for deer? Damn. "Don''t listen to her, everyone please go on with what you are doing. If you listen to her, you might lose your hair in the process," Rukiya said before she covered Hawi''s mouth with her hand while dragging the woman to their end. Of course, after leaving Adolf with their catch of the day. Perhaps this was the best decision, right? "I was being nice¡ª" Hawi tried to argue when they got to the tent and Rukiya wasn''t about to listen. "Get in there and take a shower baby. You reek," Rukiya said and Hawi outed at her like she didn''t want to, at the same time, she needed to. "Come join me, it will be more fun if there''s two of us," Hawi suggested. Rukiya straight-up snorted at the idea. It may have been a good idea, but it was a ludicrous one. There was just no way that the two of them would be sensible if they showered together. Even if they did that they would take a long time, not to mention there''s a chance that they would do the unexpected and then they wouldn''t be ready for the next round of battle. It was a long gamble, yet Hawi was ready to take it on. "Yeah, yeah. Get in there woman and clean up," Rukiya said as she pushed her mate into the showers, ignoring the sparks that had lit them up. Perhaps this was just the beginning for them, right? "My mom ising to see how we are doing, given the camp is near Greyson, I hope that won''t be a problem," Rukiya said to Hawi who was more than ted. She loved Luna Razia and if the woman wasing then she needed to be at her best. "Nope. Besides, it''s not like she''ll want to not kill me when she realizes she wants to kill you, right? Easy life there. Fuck I should clean up already," Hawi said ad Rukiyaughed at her mate. The woman had always known what she wanted and yet Luna Razia scared her. Then again, there wasn''t a soul that wasn''t scared of their mother-inwing to them for putting their child in danger, right? "Easy for you to say. She might even ughter me. Your mom is scary, you know that," Hawi argued and Rukiya justughed heartily again. She knew her mother loved Hawi and Hawi being worried was just her overthinking. "Well then, you might want to clean up well, because we haven''t seen her in three months Hawi, who knows what she will do to the both of us," Rukiya teased. That was the final straw for Hawi, because she grabbed her mate and pulled her into the showers. If they were going down, then they would go down together. After all, it was what mates did, right? That evening, Hawi and Rukiya joined their army at dinner. They may have been sold for the day, but Hawi knew that the warriors needed to see them together. They needed to have a moment and share at least an evening with them. To many, that would seem insignificant, but then it was what their world needed. They needed to have a united front, one that could help motivate the warriors especially now that they had lost their friends. Hawi and Rukiya were yet to visit the graves and they would do thatter, but tonight, they would eat and make merry with their team. Maybe then they would be each other''s shoulders, right? "I smelled deer," Luna Razia suddenly said in her voice, making everyone get up and bow to her. She was respected in Greyson so seeing her here was something that the warriors cherished. This to them was a sign that they were disposable. "Mom! You came¡­ I didn''t know you liked the stench of war," Rukiya said as if she was trying to tell her mom to go back and note back. Then again, Razia had once been the pack Luna and she knew just how hard a battle could hit the warriors after a battle. "I am not going away, Rukiya. Sit your ass done and pass the barrier, someone!!!" the Luna said and the warriors cheered on, loving the partying spirit of their Luna. They loved her no doubt, so seeing her here with them was motivating. "Alright, pass the beer!!" Rukiyaughed as they made merry into the night. For hours the lot of them enjoyed the night, dancing, singing war songs, telling tales, thinking of all the good things they had back home. It was a memorable moment for them and they loved being here. They wren''t alone, but the fact that they were together was making them feel like others. This was the greatest war of all time, then again, wasn''t it just that? "I''m sleepy. I''ll go to bed first," Hawi said, excusing herself. She was d that everyone was happy but her eyes were already shutting down. She needed to rest otherwise she would be useless to them. "Do you want me toe with you?" Rukiya asked, genuinely worried for Hawi, but she stopped her. It was pointless anyway, given that the Luna was still here and Rukiya would definitely end up being there for her mother. "Nope. I''ll be fine Just make sure you control the number of beers that the Luna has, because we don''t want Greysoning after us for making their Luna drink silly, baby," Hawi said and Rukiya rolled her eyes at Hawi. She understood Hawi, so she just let her mate go. "Goodnight sweetheart," Rukiya said as she kissed Hawi on the lips, something that Hawi reciprocated and Luna Razia let out a prolonged cough, one that got the peopleughing at the two mates. Atst, someone was telling two inseparable mates off this time, yeah? "Take care of my mate, Mbali. A scratch on her hair and I will kill all of you," Hawi said and she meant it. However, Mbali just smiled shyly at her and watched her leave. On her way to their tent, there was a slight wind, and Hawi whined, as she turned her head so she could avoid it, but in the process, she saw something she never thought she could see. A beautiful scorpion tattoo. It was covering a scar. And it was on Luna Razia Greyson. Chapter 181: Give A Little Time To Me… [JER] "How is she?" Jer asked Elodie. He had been wavy from his wife the entire night and she was ashamed of even going there to meet her. He was the sole reason she was in that state and frankly, that scared the hell out of him. He had worked his ass off and now it seemed like all his desires were slowly fading away. The previous night with the elders, they had openly shunned and med him for the chaos that happened in Sicario. He had tried to exin to them that he didn''t know Hawi was still alive but none of them listened to him. They hated him and even kicked him out of the council meeting. He had wanted toe home to Malika, but what hope was there for him toe to? His wife was writing and there was no one who wanted to see him in Sicario. He was meant to go to the wolves and check on them, but with the criticism from the council of elders, Jer knew that his people were not too happy with him, especially now that Hawi was alive. However, here and now, standing before Elodie, he hoped that Jer was some good news for him, right? "Jer¡ª" Elodie began and she could see the Alpha panicking. She knew he was ming Hansel and this time she wasn''t going to ease him by telling him that it wasn''t his fault. All of this was his doing and even if they don''t like it, theta dh to face that little truth. It woulde to them in the end and he needed to face it. "Please, Kane. How is she? How is my Malika?" Jer asked and for a moment there Elodie felt like she had betrayed her Alpha but sleeping with his wife and fucking her senseless into the night. Sure, Malika had begged for it, but it didn''t make it any better. She had betrayed the Alpha and there was no point in denying it, not that she would ever tell that to him. If anything, this was between her conscience and her alone. "I don''t know how to exin this, really. But it seems like her wound haspletely healed. However, we both know that''s just the physical aspect. She may have healed, Jer, but you know more than anyone, that she is fucked up mentally. "I tried my best to take care of her, but at some point, you will have to go to her and face her. She is your wife, after all. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll go see if my parents are dead or not," Elodie said as she bowed to her Alpha. She could have been reeking of Mallika, but Jer simply assumed that she had been given the Luna somefort. He trusted Elodie and he knew Malika was always going to be safe with her. So clearly he wouldn''t think or ever imagine his dear wife, moaning Elodie''s name when she was getting dicked, all right. "Fuck," Jer cursed as he tried to punch the nearest wall, but the nearest wall was attached to his chamber which meant that his wife would what him and probably be scared again. He couldn''t deal with that, not anymore and it was clear. Sighing, Jer knew there wasn''t a ce he could get at the moment. He could either man up and go to his wife or stay outside and watch as the wolves picked up their dead and pushed them into trolleys. Russel broke the spell that protected the pack house and the wolves could once again move freely, with the only problem being that there was nothing good about that freedom. The wolves were scared shitless and most of them were mad that their people had been reduced to human waste like that. Of course, many still don''t understand why Hawi was even back but then so much was expected and they couldn''t even get as much. "Husband?" a weak Malika called out and Jer turned her head so fast in her direction. She was currently standing in the hallways staring at him. He could feel his heart beat increasing as he took in the sight of his battered mate. Sure, she had healed but then there were some scars that even time would never be able to heal. It was crazy, but it was what they had been reduced to. Nothing could ever make this right, not even the unconditional love He had for his wife. "My love," Jer whispered, scared that she would not want to see him or even wanna be with him. He couldn''t really me her for the situation at the moment, but goodness, it was driving him nuts. He wanted to hear her talk but at the same time, he was worried that she would kick him out and abandon him just like the rest. ''Stupid Alpha,'' Malika thought to herself as she used her powers to hear what Jer was saying. It was one of her many abilities but she never used them because she wanted to know what it meant tomunicate with people. However, now that she read his mind, she was certain she would never do it again. She didn''t want to die so early of cringing. She hated the way Jer thought of her and goddamn, it made her mad, so mad that if Hawi didn''t summon her earlier, she would have ripped him apart. "What happened?" Malika asked her tone going soft as she looked at her husband. Away from her spite, Malika could tell just how much the war had hurt Jer. He looked like a strange runner. His eyes were dark and he had bags under them he looked like he had been to hell and back yet at the snow time his hell was just beginning. He looked hopeless looking at Malika like he noted to reach out. So Malika did the inky thing she could. She rushed to Jeremiah Warner, throwing herself in his arms despite the way she despised him. She had mastered that art, as disgusting as it was to her. "I''m sorry I scared you," Malika apologized and Jer just pulled her into a hug. He loved holding he because with her he felt safe. Sure, he''s the one with power buting home to his Malika made very fight worth it. He just wasn''t sure if thest night was going to be worth it, especially now that he had lost her womb. "No, my love. I am sorry for what happened to you yesterday. I know an apology doesn''t even begin to cut it but I hope you can forgive me. I will be better. "I will do everything possible just to keep you safe my love, even if I have to side with the craziest crazies I ever met," Jer said softly as he kissed his mate''s hair. He loved her so much. He loved her to the point that he would make a deal with the devil for her. "The warlock who saved me?" Malika asked meekly as she held on tighter to Jer. "Yes. But she is just one of the seven. They told me to give them Rukiya in exchange for protecting you and keeping you safe, and I will do just that. No one will ever hurt you baby, not even Awuor," Jer said confidently and Malika nodded in understanding. Chapter 182: Either You Do It… Or I Will [JER] "The warlock who saved me?" Malika asked meekly as she held on tighter to Jer. She needed more information and for the looks of it, he would give it to her regardless. He wanted to gain her trust and make her feel like this was just some phase of their lives. "Yes. But she is just one of the seven. They told me to give them Rukiya in exchange for protecting you and keeping you safe, and I will do just that. No one will ever hurt you baby, not even Awuor," Jer said confidently and Malika nodded in understanding. She wasn''t sure what Jer meant by the seven but she would askter on, when she was weak or apparently weak. But for now, she needed a distraction, especially with Hawi almost approving the letter that Mbali was to send to them. "I wish there would be no war," Malika whispered against Jer''s chest. She knew she was wishing for the impossible but what else could she do when right now she was Jer''s meek wife? She was supposed to be scared and so far she was doing so well keeping up the act. It was a matter of time before she proved herself to be the greatest actress of all time, given she was a key factor in the war itself. "It will end soon, my love. It will. I won''t let anyone hurt you again," Jer said as he pulled from the hug and walked Malika to their bedroom. Malika had long cleared the smell of sex in the room and Elodie had reprogrammed the camera in this room, so there wasn''t much to be seen. If anything, anyone on the other side of the cameras was seeing a different feed. but then no one was there anyway. Given everyone was hidden away and only the warriors were out there collecting the bodies of their friends. "Husband¡­" Malika began, as she looked at Jer. "What is it, love?" "Why does she hate me so much?" Malika asked and Jer looked taken aback. He hadn''t been expecting this, but then a part of him already knew he could always avoid the subject. At some point in the day, she would have to answer her properly. This was not just about him anymore but about the girl in his arms, the woman who had given up everything for him and for Sicario to have a reputation. This was about her too, the weak girl from rkson who was promised power and peace. All she had seen was war and more war. There was no way for them to deal with this. "What?" Jer asked, as if to try and buy himself more time, but then what was the point? Everyone had made it clear that they tolerated Malika s their Luna because Sicario needed a Luna. They were being nice to her because she was what their Alpha had decided on, and they didn''t have an option. They don''t have the voice to condemn her or even tell her to leave because otherwise, they would have sent her away themselves. This wasn''t just about peace and love anymore. This was about the chaos that came with Jeremiah and whether he would face it and deal with it instead of deflecting and seeking the help of people who were no good to them or the realm in its entirety. "Your ex-mate. She came. I saw her. Why does she hate me so much? Why doesn''t she want me here?" Malika asked as she faked her tears. She didn''t want to show them this early, but then as it was Jer was already aware that his wife was mentally broken and there was more that he would have to do to make her believe that Sicario was safe and even more that her ''parents'' were safer in rkson. This was a long battle and she would milk the water it took. "No baby, she doesn''t hate you. She would never," Jer said, even though he felt like he was a fool for trying to convince a woman who had been hurt by the same woman he was saying wasn''t a problem. The woman hade to war and he was still defending her? Oh, but Malika was mad at that idea. No wonder Jer was a terrible mate for Hawi. This man didn''t know the first thing about love, but was that true or was Malika just a little too bored in Beijing in Sicario and wanted to go on and spar with Mbali or even make fun of Hawi and Rukiya? "Then why did she just stand and watch while her friend took my child and womb away?" Malika asked meekly, her voice going so soft and almost mute as she stared at her nonexistent tummy as if that was supposed to make the women show up. She knew this was a low blow, even for her but then she had to do what needed to be done. Jeremiah Warner was the devil''s aplice and they needed to find who the fucking seven were otherwise they would never get to the bottom of all this. "Malika¡ª" Jer said, as he tried to exin but what would he do to make it all better? His wife was traumatized and still hurting from the emptiness that came with that fact. It was like a part of her had been taken out and she would never get it back. Would Jer give his Malika the closure she needed? Would he ever be enough for her even if he had to score all the limits of humanity? "You''re defending the woman who took my child, husband. She took our child and your hero, the next Sicario Alpha. She was a critical part of our family. I can''t even bear kids for you, so what use am I to you? "She did it before the Sicario wolves, which means they know that I am not able to give the pack an heir, so what use am I to a pack of strong wolves if I can''t even do a thing as simple as carrying your pupils?" Malika asked frailty as she scooted away from Jer and onto the bed. She hated this, and frankly, she felt for the personality she was acting as. If someone ever took her womb like that, Malika would go on a murder spree, but then again, no one would ever be able to touch her. She was powerful and insane not to mention she was one of the best protectors in the realm. Still, the idea gave her goosebumps. She was tempted to ask Mbali where she had gotten that idea because damn, it was fucking so many people up. "No, baby. I am not defending her. I didn''t know she woulde. I didn''t even know that Ruiya woulde here. I didn''t know and that makes it even hard, because everyone has been dependent on me, and I don''t know what the fuck I am to do! "What should I tell you, huh? That I will find her and try to kill her for you? That I will strangle the life out of her? That I will avenge you?" Jer asked frustratedly "Yes!!! She took something from me, so you must take something from her. You heard of Rukiya? She called your ex her mate. That has to be something!!" Malika shouted seeing as Jer was raising his voice at her. "It''s not that easy!" "If you won''t do it, then I will." Chapter 183: You Are Worth Every Sacrifice [JER] "You''re defending the woman who took my child, husband." "No, baby. I am not defending her. I didn''t know she woulde. I didn''t even know that Ruiya woulde here. I didn''t know and that makes it even hard, because everyone has been dependent on me, and I don''t know what the fuck I am to do! "What should I tell you, huh? That I will find her and try to kill her for you? That I will strangle the life out of her? That I will avenge you?" Jer asked frustratedly. He was trying to make things work but at this rate, he would lose his mind before he even got to the bottom of everything. Hawi showing up had shocked him too and she hadn''t counted on that. Sure, she had messed his family up, but the Hawi he knew was dangerous, easily more dangerous than the rulers of the realmbined. And that was when she was just a regr world. Now she was a white wolf and Jer knew that she had a protector around here because since birth, every wolf was taught of the white wolves and their protectors. Jer wasn''t sure he could handle Hawi''s protector, much less Hawi herself. Granted he would try his very best but even he was hoping that his best really was the best because he didn''t want to lose his Malika. He loved her. He adored this woman. He hated to see her cry but he had made her cry. He had broken her heart so many times in just twenty-four hours and he wasn''t sure if there was ever a way for him toe back from that. The previous days should have been a happier one, just him and his Luna on a date, enjoying whatever life gave them and yet it had turned so disastrous that Jer couldn''t believe that it had happened. Yesterday''s urrences looked like nightmares and the Alpha was shopping to wake up soon, but then there was no waking up from this. It was as real as it could get and the sooner they faced it, the sooner he could try toe up with a way out. But was there a way out? "Yes!!! She took something from me, so you must take something from her. You heard Rukiya. She called your ex her mate. That has to be something!!" Malika shouted seeing as Jer was raising his voice at her. Malika looked frustrated and she was. She was a woman without a woman, and while her husband was staring at her confused or even shocked that she had a voice, she was determined to prove that meek Malika would also have something. And that meek Malika wasn''t just a carpet for people to step on. If Jer couldn''t get a handle on his psychotic ex, then maybe meek Malika would step up, right? But it was a crazy situation, and Jer was right to be shocked. He had never heard her like that. She was always talking with her voice low, and just now, she had shouted, and stared at him with so much anger in her eyes that she was scared for a moment. It was like he had created a monster, but wasn''t that what his precious Russel had done when they failed to protect meek Malika? "It''s not that easy!" Jer insisted as she got up from the bed and began pacing. He had spent the entire night going over everything that had happened and even to this point, he wasn''t sure what could have triggered such cruelty. "If you won''t do it, then I will," Malika said, her voice cold and so threatening that Jer had to stop pacing and look at his broken wife again. He couldn''t believe this was happening. He had never once fought with his wife and now it seemed like she was way beyond the limits of her pattern etc. But he couldn''t me her, she had endured far worse than any normal woman would. She had been patient with him and all she got in return was a shattered heart, a heart that knew nothing and a heart so empty. "What?" Jer asked as he walked closer to his Malika. He hated seeing her crying. He hated how desperate he had gotten her. He had promised to protect her and never make her cry but here they were with her tear-stained face and messy hair like she had been dying slowly. "You heard me. If you won''t go after that stupid ex of yours, if you won''t avenge me and child, then I will do it. I will go to those seven you talked of. Even if I have to sell my soul to them, I will. "If that is all I need to take that woman down, I will make her parents feel that they made me feel. I will burn them all and no one will save them so think carefully husband, because I could take your army from you. "Remember I am just the Luna who they watched be ripped apart. As it is, the statistics will favor me. I may be weak, husband, but I''m not stupid. Clean that mess husband, or I will clean it for you ¨C "¨CAnd I will take your pack while at it," Malika warned angrily as she wiped the furious tears from her face. To say Jer was shocked would be an understatement. He had never expected his wife to do this to him. He had never imagined that she would be this angry, but even he knew that the soft ones were always the worst when they got angry and this time, Malika was that angry. His ex had taken something from him, something that she had held onto, something that she had endured and now there was nothing left. She had to fill that emptiness somehow and if attacking the Alpha''s ex was it, then meek Malika would do it. "I will do it, baby. I will do whatever it takes to get revenge for you. I will get my hands dirty for you, but you must promise me you don''t hurt yourself or think of going for vengeance on your own, please. "I can''t see you hurt again, I can''t. How can be the reason you get hurt, I love you too much to see you in pain, Malika. Please promise me," Jer begged as he carefully stayed on the bed and pushed himself towards Malika. He knew she was mad and had every right, but she wanted her to take care of herself. He would do the heavy lifting. He would protect her like he had sworn on their wedding day. He would do everything for her. "Husband¡ª" "Please, Malika. Please promise me. Swear on my life that you won''t go after her, sweat it, baby. Promise me you won''t hurt yourself because of this," Jer pleaded. He wanted her happy and he would try and make it happen, no matter what he had to do. "But¡ª" Malika began as she looked away from Jer. She was doing so well ying the weak mate and it was interesting how the Alpha was easily convinced, pathetic even. "Promise me." "I promise," Malika said after a long silence, before she leaned on her husband and continued the long charade of tears. "I swore to protect you, and that is what I will do. I swear it again, baby. I will do it," Jer said once he managed to put Malika to sleep. Chapter 184: The Visitor From Hell [JER] With his Luna finally asleep, Jer went to his office. He wasn''t sure his people wanted to see his face, so he didn''t step out to them. However, just as he got it, he was met with a messenger. Mbali herself. She was standing there with a grim face as she looked at the Alpha. She looked bored, almost like she had been waiting for the Alpha for a long while, when she had just gotten there. "What the fuck are you doing here? I could kill you for what you did to my wife. I will kill you eventually, why should I even bother sugarcoating anything? I wille after you and your ban of misfits and I will ruin you all," Jer said. Mbali let out a louderugh, one that echoed the empty and lifeless huge office, she coed seeing Jeremiah riled up and now that she could see his face, it was obvious he had been having a hard time. "That''s quite brave for someone who was outsmarted just hours ago. Are you sure you want to try shit with me?" Mbali asked with a smirk on her face. She was here to give her message and go back to the camp but Hawi didn''t say that she couldn''t have her fun while at it, right? "Your wife, how is he? Your Previous womb-less little Malika¡ª" Mbali taunted. Jer punched her but he missed because she teleported to a different part of the office, making the Alpha fall face-first on the floor, probably breaking a few bones in the process. Well, that didn''t matter to Mbali because she was enjoying the show at the moment perhaps that was what Jer should have experienced but then this was just the beginning. For every ounce of humiliation that Hawi had been exposed to, Jeremiah would feel it tenfold and Mbali wasn''t even joking about it. She would make his life a living hell, just like everyone on the Hawi squad. "Oops, you missed. You need to be careful Warner. You really don''t want to go out toyour people with a broken nose and a twisted hand, now, or do you?" Mbali asked and Jer could feel his nose cracking right as he got up and turned to Mbali. His hands were fine though and he looked at Mbali as if to ask her if she was being delusional. However, before he could say anything, Mbali twisted both his hands, making sure to break his bones a little more. The pain was immeasurable and Mbali knew it because she had once had broken bones and boy did she hate them. Thankfully for her, she was a Lycan and could heal faster, but Jer, was nothing. Granted, he was an Alpha wolf, but that only meant that he would heal in a day''s time. It was quite a pity though. "You think you can put me down? I will kill you," Jer said, rushing toward Mbali, once again, only for Mbali to use magic to put a stool in Jer''s path, once again forcing the Alpha to hit himself down. This was a ruthless game and Jer was insane for even trying to take a hit at Mbali. However, he wasn''t one to give up, because he snapped his bones back together and grabbed one of the seats in the room and liked it at Mbali, despite the immense pain he was feeling in his arms. It was like he was carrying the weight of the world on his own with no one to help. And the chair missed Mbali, expectedly, only framing the room even more. Mbali was enjoying this, and she loved how irked he was. "Come one now. Don''t tell me your weak pathetic mate fought with you because she has no womb. I did you a favor, or did you want to exin to the entire Sicario that you raped their Luna and forgot about it? "That is not a nice way to have kids. Besides she would have hated those kids and hated you as well. I doubt you wanted to turn that sweet little girl into a monster. Well, she is womb-less so there is nothing sweet about her, but you get what I mean?" Mbali taunted and Jer let out a pained growl. This woman was rubbing salt on his wounds and she was enjoying it. She clearly came to remind him that he would always be nothing before Hawi. He would always mean nothing to her, especially now that he had rejected her and that she had epted his rejection. So much was going on in Jer''s head, but the pines whimpering of his wife when he left their chambers was something that would forever haunt him. He hated how weak he had been with her and he hated that he had proven to be useless one too many times. "You know nothing about her. You don''t deserve to mention her name. I will avenge her, Jabali. I will make sure all of you pay for what you did to her. You will feel her pain tenfold," Jer said and Mbali justughed at him like a maniac. It was like this man was so dense and couldn''t understand the first thing about rtions. This was something he couldn''t win no matter what he did. It didn''t matter that the world was all butterflies and unicorns. Or even that the world was bloody and fucked up. Jer would never win, perhaps she just needed to remind him of that, right? "Oh yeah? I know she is a rkson wolf, one of the weakest packs in the realm. I know we killed all of her kin beforeing here. Damn, perhaps I should go and tell her that I killed her people with just a snap of my hand. "I should tell her how her parents creamed for mercy and didn''t stand a chance. Then again, you should know that, given Sicario itself didn''t stand a chance when we came here. "You know, for an Alpha leading a really powerful pack, your pack is useless and shouldn''t even be on the top ten lists of powerful packs. Hell, the rksons put up a little more resistance than your people did. "What a shame," Mbali taunted and Jer felt like crying. He had broken his wife''s heart again. How the fuck would he exin to his Malika that her kin were gone? Oh, that woman would certainly kill him if he so much as said that to her. Maybe he will stay quiet about it and wait it out. Maybe he would wait for her to find outter, right? "Hold on¡­ don''t tell me you n on lying to your Malika. You do realize she will eventually know that, right?" Mbali said even though it came off as a question. This was cruel of her but this was her job description. This man had hurt Hawi without thinking twice. Thinking of the scars that had been on Hawi''s belly, and the fact she had gotten them because Jer was busy sleeping with other wolves without rejecting Hawi, made Mbali furious. She was so furious that she grabbed Jer, and threw him against the wall like he weighed nothing at all, breaking the Alpha''s bones a little too fast and in ways that could make the butchers cringe. She was ruthless with him. "You can''t do that. You can''t tell her that. You cannot, I forbid you," Jer whimpered as he tried to get a footing. "How pathetic. You warriors can clearly hear you being beaten and none of them cares¡ª" Mbali said only to be interrupted. "Husband, what shouldn''t she tell me?" Chapter 185: I’ll Kill Her Myself [JER] "You can''t do that. You can''t tell her that. You cannot, I forbid you," Jer whimpered as he tried to get a footing. He was weak and frankly, if he were anyone else, he could have long given up, but he couldn''t afford to give up, not when he had a woman to live for. He had to fight for his Malika and make sure that she was okay. He didn''t give two shits about himself as long as she was okay. And if that meant pleading with Mbali not to hurt his women then he would do it without a doubt. He would crawl and beg like anyone in his state would. "How pathetic. You warriors can clearly hear you being beaten and none of them cares¡ª" Mbali said only to be interrupted by a meek voice in the distance. It was a familiar voice that got her smiling at Jer who was still pleading with Mbali to not tell her. Then again what was the point of that at the moment when it seemed like Malika had been her all along? "Husband, what shouldn''t she tell me?" Malika asked and Jer wished the earth could swallow him at that moment. He wanted to disappear and never reappear before her. He wants to make a run for it but where would he go when it was getting clearer that his Malika was also a target for his enemies? Would it make his life any better knowing his love was to back suffering because of him again? This was what pain and defeat looked like and Jeremiah was the perfect example of just that. "Baby¡­ I¡­ I thought you were sleeping?" Jer asked sheepishly as he finally got up even though his body hurt like a bitch. He couldn''t take this anymore. However, he didn''t have any options lying around for him to consider. "What is she doing here?" Malika asked again as she looked at Mbali, the woman who had ripped out a part of her that she would never be able to get back. Oh, how she wanted to lunge at Mbali right now. "I just found her and she began throwing me around," Jer said weakly and Malika held back the urge to snort. She would have never thought that Jeremiah would be epting defeat like this. It was obvious he was trying to shift her attention from what Mbali had said but would it really work? Would it be when Malika was staring at Mbali with familiar eyes while masking them for Jer not to see? "What?" Malika asked and Mbali snickered. "So you won''t tell her that we killed her parents? I guess you''re being a coward as usual. Anyway, Hawi sent me to tell you that you have three days to bury your dead and prepare yourselves to be worthy opponents in the war. "She won''t go easy on you but I think you already know that given the results from yesterday, and she says you might want to get your precious Malika off her battlefield because she won''t forgive anyone this time," Mbali said to her face-palming. This woman was a disaster to him and he would make sure to eliminate her first. Now he had a lot of exining to do to his wife who wouldn''t even want to look at him again. It was like everything is going from bad to worse in his life and all because of his greed for power. It was all haunting him instead of making him happy. What kind of hell was this? "What is she saying, husband? What about my parents? Wh¡ª" Malika asked weakly and Jer wished he could disappear for real this time. Everything was not getting better. It was one misfortune after the other and that was fucking with his mind. What was he even supposed to do about this? How was he tofort his already broken wife? Was there anything he would be able to do to keep her safe? "Russel please," Jer whispered and Malika looked at him like she couldn''t believe he was doing this to her. There was nothing good that Russel woman would be able to do to her and she hated it. That woman would only cause problems really. "You¡ª You want her to¡­" Malika began but she didn''t finish her sentence because the warlock was here and the boy was Malika in shock. Of the people she had been thinking of as Russel the warlock helping the dumb Alpha. This one certainly wasn''t it and when the fuck was this woman ever a warlock? What kind of fuckery was this? If Hawi knew this she would burn Greyson with everything and everyone in it, and Malika would dly help her. "Malika Warner¡­ Nice to finally meet you," the warlock greeted and Malika stood there dumbfounded. If she wasn''t acting as meek Malika and hiding everything about her, she could have struck this woman down. This was betrayal worse than what anyone could think of. The fact that this woman was demanding for the death of Rukiya Gregson was absurd in all ways. Unless she wanted Jer to go after Rukiya so Hawi would defend her, then she could do something to Hawi? What was with everyone trying to kill Hawi? Was she too powerful to trigger this many enemies by just being born? Jer''s existence itself seemed to be a problem to many in the realm and Malika couldn''t understand just why people were so pressed. "You¡ª" Malika began and Russel looked at her as if to ask if they knew each other. It was almost like she was dating Malika to say something, anything that could let the woman know that she knew her. It was now what they are used to and honestly, it was upsetting on so many levels. Malika could feel protector rage showing up and she had to fight everything in her not tosh out at this woman. It wasn''t going to be fright, not to mention if sheshed out at the woman, then she would have failed her mission, which was something that Hawi wouldn''t ept and would be a long session for her in the protector council. Even then, she wanted to wring this woman''s neck and fold her up like a ck of clothes only to burn her up. Oh, how Malika was disappointed and angry. Was betrayal really something that people took pride in this much? "I see your wife is in shock Jer. What happened to her this time and why did you call for me? I was in a council meeting," Russel said and Jer sighed before he looked at his tired wife. He just wanted her to get some rest and he enjoyed sleeping it off. The news about her family was too much for her and him and honestly, he couldn''t imagine what she was falling through. He couldn''t even begin to imagine, seeing as they were at war. "Do it. Let her sleep until the war ends. I can exin everything to herter. I just can''t handle seeing her hurt again. Please, Russel," Jer said and Malika looked at the two of them incredulously. Of course, that was an advantage for Malika seeing as she would be out of her body and rip through the Sicario warriors feely, but she wanted to know more. "Wh¡ª Luna Razia," Malika pleaded and Russel, or rather, Luna Razia cast a sleeping spell on her. Chapter 186: The Mission Continues [JER] "She knows me? Interesting," Russel said as she looked at Malika''s limp body. She was currently lying on the couch in Jer''s office. She looked so tired and defeated and frankly, Jer knew he had made the right choice for him. There were so many things he wanted to say to his Luna, but he didn''t have the time or the energy to do that when he was busy with the pack responsibilities. He hade to get some air but with Mbali showing up and giving them three days to bury their dead Jer felt like this was his chance to strike ck. He wouldn''t wait for Hawi to attack them. He would march his army to them. "You''re the Greyson Luna. Of course, she knows you. She''s a nerd and spends most of her time reading books and you''re her favorite role model. Funny how that turned out for her. Anyway, enough about my wife. "Tell me, can you help me lead the battle to their camp? You are Rukiya''s mother, surely you must know why she came at us," Jer said and Russel justughed. She had known these questions woulde from the moments she had seen her daughter with Hawi. Perhaps it hade too soon, or toote, but it didn''t matter because the result was still the same as the oue would be. "They are in the freends, camping there. They will strike your camp in three days and Hawi won''t be so forgiving this time. I know that girl and the anger and power she holds is insane," Russell said and Jer looked at her like the woman was crazy. They weren''t here to talk about her and Hawi. They were here to talk about their winning strategy, which was very much needed because he couldn''t stand it when Sicario saw blood again. First, it was the blood rain and then the attack on their pack. Those weren''t things to be taken lightly and the sooner Jer understood that, the sooner he would be able to find a way out, otherwise this would just be a shitshow that he would be running or running away from anytime soon. "Why do you want to kill your daughter? You do realize that is insane? Als o what the fuck did Rukiya mean by Awuor being her mate or even that she was at war with us because we attacked her mate? "What the hell was that about?" Jer asked as she sat on one of the seats that Mbali hadn''t broken with her madness. His body still hurt and while his wolf was starting to heal him, it would take some time. He didn''t have time though. Maye when they were done with this discussion, he would ask Razia to heal him. If anything, she was the reason he was in that state, right? "Because that is true. My Rukiya is Awuor Sicario''s true mate. The mate that should have been by her side from the very beginning," Razia said and Jer looked at her like there was more exnation needed. There was just now when this woman was saying that he, Jeremiah Warner, was never truly Hawi''s mate, right? It was impossible. It wasn''t making any sense and it sounded so absurd. "If you want to kill your daughter just do it, don''t use the sacred mate bond I had with Awuor, however messy it turned out, to justify your killings," Jer argued and Luna Razia justughed at the man. It was almost like he was new to the dynamics of magic and what it could do to bonds. Then again, Jer wasn''t the kind to believe things easily. "Is she not your real daughter? Is that why you are obsessed with killing your child? Was she her father''s daughter from another mother? Is that why you want her dead?" Jer asked, rumbling even though he felt so much pain with every word that came from his mouth. Mbali had really done a number on him and if he wasn''t careful, he would lose his mind. This wasn''t how he had nned his days, but then there wasn''t time that he imagined falling apart because of a damn mate bound, but here he was, mated to another who wasn''t even awake. Oh, how she was weak for an Alpha like him. "Oh,e on, Jeremiah. We both know you can use your brains better. You know my Rukiya. You know she never makes any decisions without thinking. You know how strategic she is and suddenly she is fighting Awuor''s wars? "You can do better than thinking like you have a peanut brain," Razia said and Jer stared at her as if that was supposed to make all of this any better. There wasn''t a thing he was understanding at the moment and it was fucking him up slowly. What was with everyone and the thousands of secrets they had? why wouldn''t life be just as simple as waking up and going to sleep? Then again,ing from someone who had murdered an entire family, that was a brave assumption, right? Well, Jeremiah wasn''t buying all this bullshit that the woman was representing him. It just didn''t make any sense and he was about to pretend that he understood any of it. "You''re confusing me even more," Jer said and Razia just sighed. "Well, in that case, the only thing you need to know is that I need my daughter dead. If you get down to it, I will kill your precious Malika. Also, just know that Hawi did something to my child; My Rukiya wouldn''t have acted like that. "I know if some blood oath that bound Rukiya to your ex-mate, who is her true mate, but bonds bed, and I need my daughter free of that," Razia said casually five she was out on the mood to exin to Jer the dynamics of whatever the fuck was happening. Jer would just have to meet them halfway, if he wanted to survive through this. Then again, maybe Jer did understand what she was singing and he just could not process it fully. The signs had been there, that is if what Razia was saying was true. Jer had betrayed his mate a little too easily. Killing her mother was the worst he could have done and yet he did it like it didn''t mean shit. He then imprisoned and tortured her father, not to mention killing her brother in the roast of ways. There were just so many things that pointed to him being a pawn in therger Game of Thrones, but He wasn''t ready to ept it. He just wanted to be happy with his Malika. "I did what you asked. So, make sure you kill Rukiya. As for whether it''s a good idea to go after them right now, I think it''s the best idea. They are rxing and are not ready for battle again until three dayster. "You should use that chance to strike and make sure your de goes through my daughter''s heart. I can y the mother who has lost a daughter, but I can''t bear seeing your immortal mate take the throne of the white wolf. "If she sits up there she will ruin us all," Razia said nonchntly and Jer swallowed thickly. He had never met a woman who wanted to kill her child this terribly, perhaps Razia was a few screws shy of normal right? What other exnation was there for her brutality despite being Rukiya''s only living parent? Chapter 187: More Apologies From A Useless Heart [JER] "I did what you asked. So, make sure you kill Rukiya. As for whether it''s a good idea to go after them right now, I think it''s the best idea. They are rxing and are not ready for battle again until three dayster. "You should use that chance to strike and make sure your de goes through my daughter''s heart. I can y the mother who has lost a daughter, but I can''t bear seeing your immortal mate take the throne of the white wolf. "If she sits up there she will ruin us all," Razia said nonchntly and Jer swallowed thickly. He had never met a woman who wanted to kill her child this terribly, perhaps Razia was a few screws shy of normal right? Because what other exnation was there for her brutality despite being Rukiya''s only living parent? No mother would be this determined to see their child dead and it was baffling to imagine that this woman was easily demanding her daughter''s murder because of fear for something they couldn''t fight. "You really are serious about killing your own daughter? Goddamn, woman, thank the goddess I am nothing like you," Jer said and Razia chuckled. Jer had just lost his kid and didn''t even know the gender yet here he was still trying to y god with Razia Greyson. "Whatever floats your boat. Remember this is yourst chance. If you fail us, we will have to look for another and we will kill your parents. You know¡­ The ones you hid in the humannds, while ying orphan here? "I know where they are and I have people watching them. If you deviate so much from the n, you won''t even have bodies to bury," Razia said and Jer froze. He wasn''t sure if he wanted to cry out loud or if he just wanted tough at himself for how fucked he currently was. There was no one who coulde to save him from the shit he had brought upon himself and he owned that. "Fine. leave now, I need to go to my people," Jer said. Razia smiled gently at him, making him worry again. There was nothing good that came from the woman and the fact that he was smiling at him was creeping him out in all the possible ways. It was almost like she was his angel of death and she could have been if Awuor Hawi wasn''t his biggest obstacle in getting to Rukiya Greyson. What the hell was he to do with this information? "They won''t resist you anymore. If anything, they already feel your pain and want to be of service to you. You can thank me by killing my daughter. I am making your path easy Jeremiah so you have no reason to fail," Razia said. Before Jer could say another word, the Greyson Luna left and went back home. There was no telling what was going on in her mind, but one thing that Jer was sure of, was that this war was insane. With Razia gone, Jer walked over to his sleeping mate. He knew what he had done was cruel, but then he had to make sure that she got enough rest. There was no agreement on how long the war wouldst and he didn''t want her to be coteral damage. His Malika was the most precious thing to him and he would risk everything for him, even his parents. At least that much he was sure of. None of that would matter if he didn''t have his Malika. "I hope you forgive me, my love. I really hope you someday understand that I would do everything to not lose you," Jer whispered defeatedly as he kissed his mate''s forehead before carrying her to the most secure room in the pack house, Hawi''s suite. It was strange really, that he had chosen Hawi''s suite for Malika, but Jer didn''t really have options. Hawi''s room was the most secure chamber in the entire Sicario. She had always worked on improving security measures that for years after she had left, no one had gotten in there. Hell, even to this day, Jer didn''t know what her passcode was, and wouldn''t exactly be seen breaking into the room of the best Alpha that Sicario ever had, especially now that he was married. However, right now, he was going to use magic to get in. the magic that Razia had cast on Malika. It was a one- time thing and the next time Jer wanted to get to Malika, he would have to look for Razia to allow him back in. Maybe he was taking a dangerous risk, but then he couldn''t have his mate die in the hands of his psychotic ex who apparently wasn''t even his true mate. What the fuck was not going on here? "I''ll be back for you soon, I promise. When the war winds down and everything is safe, I wille back, but until then, this is the safest ce I can leave you," Jer whispered sadly as he kissed his wife. Hey her on the bed, and covered her up with a duvet, as he turned the auto-air conditioner on. This would be enough for his frail wife and in that time he would fix the mess that he had made. With onest look at his wife, Jer walked out of the room without looking back once. But that was a good thing, because if he had looked back he would have seen Malika smirking at him. She had been tasked with finding a way into Hawi''s suite, but ever since she hade here, no one ever came here Now that her husband had awakened her in here, she would find what she had been sent for. Perhaps this was a good thing, right? "Damn, it''s been a long year, fuck," Malika sighed as she got up and started checking out the room. She was impervious to magic, so no magic would ever work on her. Not even Razia''s. Malika had pretended to have fallen asleep because she didn''t want to wait for longer, besides she really wanted to see what would happen if she yed unconscious and really asleep. She was a creature of powerful magic, but Razia didn''t know that. However, her pretense had gotten her into this very secure room, that no one had managed to. It was no wonder no one ever talked or mentioned this suite to her, not even Elodie, even though she would havee here. Malika looked around the room, careful to leave it the way she had found it. This room had the white wolf''s secret all over. There was an entire room in this suite filled with books that could be essed only by walking through Hawi''s front door. The room decor was dark, almost like it was always meant to be dark in here. The sheets, the walls, everything was dark, the only things that weren''t dark were gray and they were just the curtain sheers, which made it even more interesting. All in all, this pce was every goth woman''s dream, certainly not Malika''s. But it was a dream room for many. "Hawi," Malika reached out to her white wolf in the mind-link. She had felt Hawi''s mood change suddenly, but she figured it was probably just her being with the warriors since it was already evening. "Malika." "I am in your suite." "Did you know it was Razia Greyson?" "Fuck." Chapter 188: Sometimes Murder Was Justified [HAWI] Hawi needed all of this to be false. This couldn''t be real. The woman who wanted Rukiya Greyson dead couldn''t be the same woman who had given her life. It just didn''t make any sense because that woman was smiling at her, bidding her goodnight, and ready to watch her leave to the tent. She was going to leave her Rukiya with her mother. The same woman she trusted with all of her life, was the one to betray her. What the fuck had happened to the Razia Greyson that Hawi knew? However, did Hawi even know that woman really? Was it really good enough for her today that she was aware of the woman''s identity and what she was after? Oh, Hawi had so many questions and so much rage that for a moment, she had forgotten how powerful she was. It took her a while to realize the wind that had been blowing in her face, was a whirlwind she had created subconsciously. Her mind had been so foggy and she hadn''t been able to think clearly. And she had channeled her nature yet here she was in a whirlwind headed toward the team that was hers. Hawi looked at them, seated there while she stood in shock. It was almost like she didn''t know what the hell happened here. Could she trust the Greyson warriors with her friends? Could she filter out the good and the bad from this team, especially now that the Greyson Luna was here? Who was to tell her that Rukiya''s own team wasn''t going to turn against Rukiya? Hawi was frustrated, so she screamed in agony as she fell to her knees, crying as the rains suddenly poured down on the map that had been happy barely a second ago. Her emotions are overwhelming and she needed a different way to eat them out because she couldn''t use her powers on Razia and fiercer her into confessions as to why she was doing this. "Everyone, RUN!!!" Mbali shouted at the warriors as she and the Lycans joined forces to create a magical barrier for the warriors, so Hawi wouldn''t hurt them. They knew that this wasn''t the state they had been hoping for, especially for a woman who had their loyalty. They had never seen Hawi crash like this. It was like she was losing her mind. For the first time in a long time, Rukiya Greyson was scared of the mate she had chosen. She wasn''t sure whether she needed to go to Hawi, or if she needed to go beyond the barrier that Mbali had created between them. It was crazy really; all of this was so sudden and no one had been expecting Hawi to be in such a condition. "Rukiya!!" Mbali shouted as she tried to reach Rukiya, but she couldn''t, because the whirlwind was pulling Rukiya closer to Hawi. Mbali was smart enough to know that even though this was dangerous for everyone including Rukiya, there was only one person who could calm her down, especially not that Malika wasn''t here. "What is happening?" a scared Rukiya asked as she watched Hawi''s eyes flicker between ck, red, and gold before they turned white. It was an array of so many things and Rukiya noticed that with each eye change, there was a change in the atmosphere. There was eitherplete darkness or the fires were zing from nowhere or there were heavy rains, not to mention the water that was flowing down the stream was red in color. No, it wasn''t a blood rain but it was something that only Maika could exin. But Malika wasn''t here. Mbali desperately tried to reach out to Malika, but she couldn''t thanks to the magic that Razia had used on Malika, but there was only one person who could reach Malika and it was raining so suddenly. There were bolts of lightning razing down their camp and it was scary, thankfully, the magical barrier that Mbali and the Lycans had joined hands to create in saving them from all that. It was a hail Mary for them. However, this time the warriors were seeing first-hand what happened when Awuor Hawi wasn''tughing or cheering for them or fighting beside them. This woman was a wild tornado, if all it took was a hundred Lycans to help create the barrier and even then they still could feel the effects of the mess. Razia Greyson, was inside the barrier too, acting like she wasn''t the reason Hawi was in that state. Well to be fair, Razia didn''t know that this was because of her, she just imagined that something had upset the women and now her daughter was getting dragged in. Oh but this could have been the perfect chance for Her to kill Rukiya, but she would wait it out. "Please save my daughter," Razia cried out helplessly as if she wasn''t the one who wanted her daughter dead in the first ce. The confusion Rukiya was experiencing was top notch, she wasn''t sure what the hell was happening but she knew this wasn''t the time to question Hawi. So she let herself be pulled towards Hawi, who hugged her tight, like she was scared that her Rukiya would disappear. Hawi wasn''t going to let Rukiya go and the only reason she wasn''t getting Razia herself, was because Rukiya had helped her stand up, even though the whirlwind had turned into some sort of stop that was unbearable. This was a real mess. Two hourster, the storm had subsided, and Hawi had fallen on the ground, wrapped in mud and unconscious. She was whimpering defeatedly almost like she had lost something. Mbali liked the warriors and the Lycans before she walked towards the duo that was on the mud. Her Lycans would deal with the situation and help the warriors with whatever they needed. Meanwhile, Mbali would try to figure out what the hell was wrong with the psycho this time. "Are you alright, Rukiya?" Mbali asked when she got to a shocked Rukiya. Unlike the others, Rukiya wasn''t wet even though she was covered in mud. She was warm despite the weather being so darn terrible. Not a single strand of hair was missing from her head yet she had been caught in the crazy whirlwind. Her hair was in ce, but that didn''t take away the fact that she was not sure what to do now. Everyone on the other side was silently praying for her to be okay, while her mother dearest was praying that she would die so that Hawi would be stopped. But then how were they to stop someone who couldn''t be stopped even by the deities? "I don''t know. I really don''t know what the hell is going on. She''s whimpering and her heart''s not beating. I can feel her pain yet she is cold and war at the same time. I feel so disoriented and she looks dead and she is alive. What happened, Mbali? What happened to make her like this? Who did what? Where and when? Who do I have to go after?" Rukiya pleaded with Mbali as she tried to get Hawi up, but the woman wasn''t moving. It was like she was in some word crest. Oh, this was confusing as hell and the more they stared at Hawi, the longer and thicker the crust formed. Mbali tried with her magic, but it was useless. "Forgive me for this, Rukiya¡­ Also, if I die, take care of my Lycans, yeah?" Chapter 189: Of Unstoppable Forces and Dangers [HAWI] "Forgive me for this, Rukiya¡­ Also, if I die, take care of my Lycans, yeah?" Mbali said as she looked at a confused Greyson Alpha. There was no telling that the woman was probably panicking but then what was done was done. "What?" Rukiya asked, only for Mbali to show her Lycan fangs and bite down on Rukiya''s arm, and then let the blood drop on Hawi''s crest which was quickly closing up. It was a daring move and Rukiya''s wolf was already seeing this as an attack, and more than anything, the mad woman who had caused the chaos was staring at Mbali with dark eyes. "Yup. Like I said, if I die, take care of my Lycans. Also, you might want to kiss that crazy woman before she kills me, pretty please," Mbali said as she portaled back to the other side of the barrier. She knew it wouldn''t stop Hawi from walking in if she wanted to. There was a loud growl, one that Rukiya was now familiar with the madness, even though she was worried this time. There was no way to exin this. So, she just smashed her lips against Hawi''s given that is what Mbali requested. It was a strange way to go out, but then her Lycan wound was already exhaled, thanks to her body to Hawi, so there was nothing for Rukiya to worry about, right? "Ngh," Hawi whined against Rukiya''s lips as her eyes looked for Mbali who had dared to hurt the same woman she was saving from her very own mother. Hawi was pissed, but soon enough, the kiss got addicting and she returned it, which resulted in her gaining back control. However, she was looking for Mbali, who was mouthing apologies on the other side of the magical barrier. Well, Mbali hoped that Hawi wouldn''t cross over for whatever reason there was, but would that be enough for a woman who wanted blood so badly? "Hawi¡­ I¡­ I''m scared, Hawi," a defeated Rukiya said as she slumped on the ground beside Hawi, as she tried to understand what had just happened. None of this was making any sense and Hawi was trying hard not to look at Razia, in case she tipped the woman off. She didn''t need to trigger something that she couldn''t get out of because if she got up and went to Razia, then it would be obvious that the Greyson would no longer have a Luna and Rukiya would be aplete orphan. It was not what Hawi wanted. She knew the pain of losing both parents and she wouldn''t let that happen to her woman. She just couldn''t. "I''m sorry about this," Hawi said as she gently sat up and pulled Rukiya to herp, before she created a portal and disappeared through it, leaving everyone watching in confusion. Awuor Hawi was unhinged and she was proving it with every second that people got to know her. but then that didn''t matter to her, because what mattered was that her Ruru was alive. ***** "How often does this happen?" Luna Razia asked when she saw that Hawi and Ruru had disappeared. She was worried for her daughter, at least in front of these people who knew nothing of what she had nned for Rukiya. Razia knew that there was much to be desired of the greatest bond ever formed by the fates, but still seeing Hawi like that scared the hell out of her. She had never imagined that Hawi could be that powerful, much less to trigger all the 4 elements of the universe ¡ª water, earth, fire, and air. Awuor Hawi was a powerful woman and Razia wasn''t sure this would be an easy job, but he hoped it would beplete soon. There was just no way that she would ept a failure. She had worked so hard to get to this point. "Not often. It only happens when she is triggered. But thankfully, we have Rukiya. She is the only one who can calm her down when her protector isn''t around," Mbali said as she conjured a cup of coffee for Luna. Maybe that would calm the woman down and stop her from worrying about her daughter so much, right? Besides, it wasn''t like there was anything Razia could do if Hawi wanted her dear daughter ¨C not even an objection, given they were bound by a blood oath and a mate bond that was slowly forming. "Her protector?" Razia asked and Mbali looked at the woman skeptically. She was Rukiya''s mother. Howe she was unaware of a protector? This was strange, really strange, but then Mbali didn''t push. Instead, she assumed that there had to be a really good reason as to why neither Rukiya nor Hawi had mentioned that Hawi had a protector. She wasn''t going to question it, so she just pat the woman on her back and walked to help the warriors. By good luck, the magical barrier that Mbali had formed with her Lycans earlier had minimized the damage, but some sections of the camp were wet; Which meant that they had to build structures again. "I know it''s hard but let us do it, since we don''t have much time," Mbali said to the tired warriors who were groaning. They were tired from the previous battle and they were not aware that there would be such hell toe back to. Then sing, they couldn''t elect Hawi to be calm all the time, right? Especially when the morning had begun with her smiling at nothing creepily, no? "Alright, everyonee to this side of the border. It should be fast," Mbali said and the warriors dragged themselves to stand behind Mbali and the Lycans. Together they watched as the Lycans rebuilt their structures using magic, only this time, they were stronger and high above the ground, something that got the warriors chuckling. Mbali reminded them that there could be a tornado and they didn''t want to be swept away again. And so, for an hour, the Lycans did as necessary, while Razia watched in awe at the extent to which Hawi''s army was strong. The Greyson army was strong in itself. But the other warriors that hade to join Hawi made her wonder if there was anything that Hawi wouldn''t do. Now she finally understood why Eni had been so protective of her daughter. It still hurt that Eni hadn''t let her daughter protect her, but Razia wasn''t going to be tapping into her friend''s life. She just wanted to make sure that the mission of the seven was done and dusted, and that was solely on making sure that Hawi never sat on the white wolf throne. But with all these people under Hawi''smand, and with Rukiya Greyson too, not to mention the protector she had heard of, there was no telling what to expect. Perhaps it wasn''t too soon for her to drip whatever madness she wanted to do with Rukiya right? "There, everyone. You can go in and get some good rest. If it helps, we upgraded the nkets, because it''s a little chilly tonight. On behalf of Hawi and our core team, we apologize for what happened tonight. "I can''t promise that it won''t happen again, but the next time it does, please steer clear of her path. Goodnight everyone," Mbali said to the warriors who cheered in understanding. With that part of her job done, Mbali went to Hawi''s tent to seek answers. Chapter 190: Too Close To Home [HAWI] "What the fuck just happened Hawi? Why did you go all nuts like that? Who attacked you? Who did what? Tell me, who do I need to go after?" Mbali ran when she got to the tent where Hawi and Rukiya had been. When Hawi had portaled out earlier, Mbali knew it was just a show so people wouldn''t follow them to the tent. She had so much anger and if anyone followed her there she would have unintentionally killed them. Mbali didn''t understand where the sudden anger hade from, so she waited for Hawi to answer. Rukiya was sitting in silence, as shey her head on Hawi''sp, like herfort zone. She was worried for Hawi, but then since they came in here, Hawi hadn''t said a word. It was almost like she was in another universe thinking, talking, and trying to make things work on her own like she always did. Rukiya asionally heard growls, but she didn''t move because she needed to be here with Hawi. It was the only thing that was keeping her sane regardless of everything that had happened and was happening. "You need to say something. Everyone is worried for you. What triggered the storm outside? Why did you do that? Come on Hawi, tell me something. The warriors are here for you and if they are scared of you, then they won''t be focused on the war. "Tell me," Mbali said softly and Hawi just turned to look at Mbali. Her eyes were red from anger and pain. Her hair which had started to turn red earlier was nowpletely white even though it looked like she had experienced the worst of the worst. She was helpless despite being so powerful and it broke her heart. What was she supposed to make of this? "Tell then I''m sorry," Hawi whispered defeatedly and Rukiya looked at Mbali as if to tell her that that was what Hawi had been saying the entire time. She had been apologizing for ruining the camp, though it was probably because she wasn''t sure if she would ever forgive Razia if she went on with her ns. "We have a traitor among us," Hawi said and Mbali sat on one of the tables in the tent. Everyone here was on her side, everyone was loyal to her. Mbali had tested them and confirmed it herself. Hell, she had made them breathe substances so that anyone who wasn''t loyal to Hawi would drop down from a heart attack. And so far, the only dead were the ones who had died on the battlefield. So, it just wasn''t adding up. "I did the rounding up, Hawi, none of them is a traitor. You know how tough I am. What really happened?" Mbali asked and Hawi just sighed. How the hell was she to tell Mbali that this was because of Razia Greyson? How was she to start exining that the woman who had joined their campst was the traitor and that he''d probablye to steal their ns and give them to Jer for her attack? How was Hawi supposed to make it all make sense when she could feel her rage churning with each mentioned Razia in her mind? Oh, but she was angry about everything the woman was nning on doing. It wasn''t realistic and Hawi just wasn''t going to let it go. "Stay here with my mate. Don''t let her out of your sight, even if she goes out to meet her people. I don''t care if she is with her mother or her friends. Protect her with your life Mbali. I have things to attend to. "I will be back by dawn and make sure she sleeps and eats well," Hawi said in hermanding voice, making it known that there was no room for more maybes. She wasn''t in the mood really and she wasn''t ready to exin to Mbali why she was doing this. She knew it was unfair to her, but what else could Hawi do? It was already bad enough that she was pissed. If Mbali knew that Razia was the traitor, then hell would break loose. Hawi''s friends were psychos and while that was easy the best thing for a person like her, it was not good for anyone who crossword eh or made her angry. And she knew that Mbali would be fueled by her animal instincts if she knew the truth so this just wasn''t going to happen. "Yes, Hawi. I understand. And you be careful, ande back to us. I have no strength left to exin to Malika that something happened to you. As it is, I love this side of the realm, so let''s try to focus on keeping it stable alright?" Mbali said and Hawi just chuckled sadly. She knew how intense this was for all of them and each time she looked at Rukiya still on herp, Hawi felt her heart shatter. She hadn''t bargained for this. When she had ounted for traitors, she had considered everyone except Razia, because she assumed that Razia may have had an unspoken spite for Hawi but she loved Rukiya wholeheartedly. Funny how that turned out for her. It was unsettling and it angered her very much. Perhaps she really needed to attack a brother right? "Alright I''ll be back soon," Hawi said to Mbali before turning to her Ruru, a woman she was so madly in love with. "I''m sorry, Ruru. I know I have said that a hundred times in the past hour, but I really am. Whatever happens¡­ Please know that I did it for you, I will do it for you and I am doing it for you. Just you and you alone, Ruru. "I hate traitors¡­ and with Jer openly dering that he wants to kill you, I hope you understand that I don''t take lightly to threats on my beloved. I don''t care who it is that poses a threat to you, I will ruin them. "But for now, I need to find Malika and think, because there are things she has to do. I will be back soon, my love. And until then, please listen to Mbali. She means well for you, baby," Hawi said as she gently pulled Rukiya off herp and sat her upright. Rukiya had so many questions but even she was smart enough to know that Hawi wouldn''t be giving her any answers soon. So, she didn''t bother. She just watched in silence as her mate left the tent, and left her in the hands of Mbali, who looked between Rukiya and Hawi and sighed. She knew that there were things Hawi had to do, but even then, there was a distinct wish that Hawi would let her know. But then again, in their rtionship, Rukiya had learned that some questions were better left unanswered. If Hawi wanted to give her the answers, then she would get them, and if Hawi didn''t want to, then there was no point in Rukiya even trying to push. "Be safe please," Rukiya whispered in the hope that Hawi would hear her. "I will," Hawi responded softly and reassuringly. She knew her mate and she hoped that all would be alright. ''Make sure you keep an eye on Razia Greyson. If shees a little too close to Rukiya, kill her and ask questionster,'' Hawi mind linked Mbali, who stared at Rukiya with wide eyes. "Well, shit," was all Mbali could manage out as she tried to prove that Razia was the traitor. Chapter 191: Probably Too Many Loose Screws [HAWI] When she left the tent, Hawi wasn''t sure where she was heading. She had felt Malika tug at the mind-link for a while now and frankly, she was curious what her protector had for her. She wondered if the woman knew that Razia was Russel. Sure, Malika had found out that Russel was from Greyson, but that still hadn''t narrowed it down. And with Hawi''s endless questions about the security of her mate in the hands of the Greyson warriors, there was much to be discussed. So Hawi went down to the riverside. It was the only ce she knew of, where she could sit and clear her mind. So many things were worrying her and Rukia Greyson certainly topped that list. "Hawi," Malika reached out to her white wolf in the mind-link. She had felt Hawi''s mood change suddenly, but she figured it was probably just her being with the warriors since it was already evening. "Malika," Hawi finally responded blindly, like she didn''t even want to know what Malika had to say, when in reality, she was d she could hear Malika''s voice. There was afort that only Malika could give her. It was the kind that not even Rukiya, her mate would. Anyone would think of it as a motherly bond, given how Hawi had bonded with Malika, but she wasn''t going to think of it like that, because the woman was her guardian. "I am in your suite," Malika said excitedly. It had taken a lot of hard work for her to get there and she was happy to show her mistress that she had gotten what they needed. The entry to the suite was important because there were some things that Hawi needed from there. They were important and now that Malika was in there it was time for Hawi to say what it was that she wanted, and Malika would just give it to her. "Did you know it was Razia Greyson?" Hawi asked after a long silence. She had been contemting a lot tonight and the more she thought the more she wanted blood. The realization that Razia was after her daughter was not sitting well with Hawi and she hated it. However, a mother betraying their child was not in Hawi''s bingo cards. This was insane and it hurt for some reason. "Fuck," Malika responded as she portaled to where Hawi was. This time she didn''t need to hide because there was no point. If anything, she had reinforced Hawi''s suite with magic, they wouldn''t allow anyone to get in, not even Razia Greyson herself. She would go back thereter, when she was certain that her mistress was alright. "Hawi¡ª" Malika greeted as she pulled the Alpha into a hug. She could see that Hawi needed it and Hawi didn''t fight it this time. She really did needfort. Her protector knew how to read her well. "What happened?" Malka asked and Hawi indulged her in everything. She didn''t hold back and each time, there was a rumble in the sky, a reminder that they needed to go out there and force the answer out of Razia, but then what use would that be at the moment? "I thought I was the one who wasn''t in control," Hawi smirked and Malika just hugged her again, before they sat on the stores at the river bank. The winds were warm, strangely for a night that had been filled with disaster. "Well, tomato, tomato," Malika teased making Hawiugh a little. "So, what did you find in my suite?" Hawi asked as she looked in the distance like she wasn''t ready to talk about what had just happened. She didn''t understand her powers and her anger but she wasn''t going to remind herself of the mess she had be in one night, perhaps there was a better way out of this, or there would be an easier way out. But would Malika let Hawi have that when she was running away from reality once again? "We can talk about the suiteter. You need to talk to me. You have so much pent-up anger and there is no better opponent than me. Soe on Mistress, share your pain, won''t you?" Malika said as she dragged Hawi so she stood up. She then conjured their weapons so that each of them and their usual weapons. It wasn''t hard for them even as they began to spar. Their spars were dangerous, almost like real fights. Well, they were real fights, save for the actual desire to want to kill the other. That was how they trained themselves. "Will you tell her?" Malika asked as she swung her sword at Hawi who instantly missed. "I can''t. I haven''t even gotten her to ept being my mate. How the fuck should I start telling her that her mother is the one who wants her dead because of me?" Hawi asked as she used her baton to strike at Malika, who also missed, but swung her sword, almost hitting Hawi. It was a brutal spar, and if anyone was watching them, then they wouldn''t even dare to talk this time. "She loves you, Hawi. It is very obvious. I know you want to argue that she is doing this because of the blood oath, but what if there is really more to it? What if you are it for her? What then? Will you run away from her?" Malika asked and Hawi sighed as they kept on sparring. She had thought of this so many times. She had imagined a world in which Rukiya Greyson loved her for who she was and not for who she was meant to be. It was a wild assumption, but then it wasn''t like Hawi had anyone to tell her what love was and what it was not. Her entire family was murdered and all of them made her feel like they betrayed her. It wasn''t an easy thing for her and Malika understood that. "I don''t want to have hope, Malika. I don''t want to hope that she is in love with me, only for her to realize she was just loyal and thought she was in love with me because of the oath. I love her, I know that, and that is enough for me. "I don''t mind if she didn''t feel the same, but I can''t keep hoping for more. I can''t hope for more really, because what if my fears are true and she only likes me, or she thinks she likes me because of that oath? "I can''t ruin her life like that or even ruin her for her mate. I may be selfish in my love for her, but even I am selfish enough to know that she might not really be mine," Hawi said. Malika just stared at her, their spars were getting harsher, but in that moment, Malika stopped to really try and understand what was in Hawi''s brain. This woman was difficult to understand and it wasn''t new for her, but here with her, Malika wondered if there were more loose screws in Hawi''s head since thest time they had interacted. "Tell me something, Mistress, are you sure you don''t want Hudhayfah looking into your brain? I think you might have extra loose crews there. Everyone sees how much Rukiya loves you and YOU are the only one that doesn''t? "Make it make sense, woman," Malika signed exaggeratedly. but even then she was right. Chapter 192: The Girl of Her Dreams [HAWI] "Tell me something, Mistress, are you sure you don''t want Hudhayfah looking into your brain? I think you might have extra loose crews there. Everyone sees how much Rukiya loves you and YOU are the only one that doesn''t? "Make it make sense, woman," Malika signed exaggeratedly. but even then she was right. This woman was unhinged, a thousand levels of unhinged because there was just no way she was the only one who didn''t believe Rukiya''s love was genuine for her. Was she that broken? Had she really lostplete faith in love? "Is that why you won''t give her what she wants?" Malika asked when Hawi went silent. It was like he was talking to a fighting wall, which was strange, but wasn''t Hawi the strangest of creatures in this realm anyway? "What does she want?" Hawi asked as she stared at Malika as if she wanted more exnation on what the hell Rukiya wanted that she hadn''t given her. As far as Hawi was concerned, she was sure she had moved mountains just to see Rukiya happy. She had done anything and everything on the face of the earth to make sure her mate was happy. She would go to war for Rukiya and she would win it for Ruru, without a second thought, so she just didn''t understand what this was about. "Are you always this dense in love, or did you stop thinking when ites to Rukiya? Come on girl, I thought we agreed that our brains were important in battle, howe yours keeps loading when everyone else is on the same page?" Malika teased and Hawi rolled her eyes at the woman. Her protector was right, but she wouldn''t have it any other way. Malika always knew what to say and when to say it. Even though the situation was tense she was lighting up Hawi''s mood. Which was incredible really because the woman had been a messtely hours ago. "I have my brand, thank you very much. What do you mean she wants? Did she tell you something? Does she want anything? I could go get her whatever she needs even now. Tell me, what is it¡­" Hawi said. Malika dropped the weapons down, grabbed Hawi''s, and put them down, so she could see for herself whether her mistress was okay in the head or if they needed to schedule an appointment with Hudhayfa, or even better, the camp''s medical team. "You''re actually okay. Your eyes are fine, your ears work fine, your hands are okay¡­ Your nose too, and I bet your mouth eats just fine. Then howe you''re this dumb? Or are you a clone of my Hawi?" Malika teased and Hawi growled at her. The night would probably end without her knowing what to ask what Malika wanted. "She wants you to breed her, stupid," Malika said as she flicked Hawi''s forehead and the woman had the audacity to choke on air, as if Rukiya hadn''t leaked about her wood earlier in the day. Oh, this girl was something else. "Once you''re done choking you can let me know because I''m not leaving that topic. You already told everyone Malika fucked me twice, I don''t see why you shouldn''t fuck Rukiya and make it even. "So I can also tease the both of you," Malika whined and for a moment, Hawi was sure she was the one with the reced protector, because Malika would seriously consider their breeding apetition, right? Right? Oh shit. "As disgusting as it is to even imagine, so you''re telling me, you want me to breed Rukiya so you can tease me about breeding. Like Elodie did to you? Am I getting that right?" Hawi asked even though she could feel the disgust from the idea. Well, it wasn''t such a bad idea really but the way Malika was describing it made it feel like they were going on a breedingpetition, which wasn''t what was happening right now, or at least Hawi hoped not. "It''s not disgusting¡ª" "I swear on my mother, if you dare describe your fucks with Elodie, I will disown you." "That''s a little cruel, don''t you think? Swearing on your mother. How do you think she got you?" "Malika¡ª" "Rukiya wants you to fuck her, it is that simple. You keep giving her hope and you don''t get to it, and now you want to run away because Razia is a fucked-up mother and it''s making you think you will be s fucked up mate. "Trust me if you were that level of fucked up, I wouldn''t have epted to be your protector. But see, here we are, you are a good person, Hawi, own it. And fuck the girl for fucks sake¡­ that rhymed. Fuck for fucks sake. "Damn, I''m smart," Malika said as she fist-bumped the air as if to celebrate her new realization. This was the Malika Hawi was used to. The protector who wasn''t cold from the war or who wasn''t busy with the missions and getting her back gave Haw hope that they would always be themselves despite everything that happened. That was more than enough, save for her instance¡­ in a breedingpetition. That¡­ Hawi wouldn''t do it, but she would consider the rest. "You''re always horny. How do you even think like that?" Hawi teased and Malika stared at her with pride. "Elodie gives me what I want, anytime I want. Unlike you to your mate. All I''m saying is, go back to that tent, and fuck the girl''s brains out. If she ends up not being your mate, then nothing changes. "If you''re worried about getting her pregnant, you need not worry about that. When I first met you, I cast a spell on you. So, your seeds will only be special to the woman you mark. Like literally mark with your fangs inside her neck or shoulder or tits¡­ whatever you want to mark. "So please, by all means, don''t be holding back your pleasure because you''re scared of breeding her because she might not be your mate. If I were you and I had Rukiya interested in me¡­ anyway, thank fucks I have Elodie, because she fucks," Malika said, cheering on once again. Awuor Hawi was so done with her protector. This woman was high on something but whatever it was, Hawi wasn''t sure if it was the good kind or bad because Hawi was happier than before. Perhaps Malika''s crazy mind had done the trick, yeah? "Go on. How did we go from my suite to breeding?" Hawi asked, as if that would get her a sane answer from Malika. Well, she wasn''t hoping for much at this point, but a girl could hope, right? "Because I am an awesome protector. So, tell me, do you want me to go snuff Razia out right now or we should wait? Also, Jer is dumb fuck. I know you already know that, but he had Razia put a spell to apparently put me to sleep," Malika said, her tone telling Hawi just how offended she was at the mention of the spell. Hawi knew Malika hated having spells cast on her. They made her want to walk with a poster that imed she was impervious to magic so warlocks wouldn''t bother, but then it was pointless at this point. "The spell should have worked. At least my mind wouldn''t be corrupted by possible sounds of Rukiya moaning my name. Fuck you." "Elodie will do that," Malika said proudly, and once again, Hawi facepalmed. Chapter 193: She Knew Them All Too Well [HAWI] Talking to Malika got Hawi''s mind at ease. She had been so stressed out that she didn''t think she wouldst the night. However, with Malika here with her, she was a little too rxed. If anything, she felt like she was back to her normal self again. "There''s only so much you can run, Hawi," Malika said when they were done sparring. It was almost dawn and they both needed to get sleep. Malika had mentioned Jer''s n for an ambush and Hawi told her that he was always ready for such an ambush and that Malika didn''t have to worry. Of course, a part of Malika would always worry for Hawi, but she understood her well. "I just want to pretend until the war is over¡ª" Hawi said as she walked back to the camp. Malika was currently in her protector attire and her face was covered so Luna Razia wouldn''t be able to see her face. Her voice was a non-issue because the rules of thend demanded that the protectors only talk to their assignments. Malika was a natural bitch with a terrible attitude, so being mean to Luan Razia wasn''t a hard talk. If anything, she was looking forward to it a little too excitedly. "The war won''t be over anytime soon, Hawi. I know that because I have seen the hell that they want you to go through.. You can fight and you will definitely win, but don''t let your happiness fade while you wait for a war that will never end. "As long as you are the white wolf of the century, as long as you''re Awuor Hawi Sicario and as long as you reputation still scares people even though you have been off duty for a while, you will always have enemies. Some wille because they hate you for being the white wolf. "Some wille because they wouldn''t want to see a girl leading the entire race. Some wille to remind you of your banishment from home and use that to try and disqualify you, some wille to thwart your bonds because the mate bond is the only way to pull you down the rabbit hole. "Focus on your happiness Hawi. I will do the heavy lifting. Besides, we formed this team because we didn''t want you to carry the whole load. If this woman is a nuisance, I am sure Mbali could kill her in seconds, I would kill her too and you could eliminate her with just one stare. "She is at your mercy regardless. So don''t let her ruin your mood all the time. I don''t know what you n on doing, but I will follow you, into whatever hell you lead me into. I won''t mind, and I will protect you. "You can make reckless decisions, I will always clean up. Please remember that and let me do my job well, to protect you," Malika said earnestly. Hawi always knew that Malika loved seeing her happy, and while that was the hardest thing for her on most days, Hawi always tried to smile more, and be happier even when she felt like her world was crashing on her over and over. She would do it again, and she would keep in mind what Malika wished for her. It wasn''t that hard, but for a girl who had been so used to being let down, Hawi was right to be a spectacle most of the time. "I know. I''ll keep that in mind. You don''t need to worry¡ª" "Worrying about you and for you is the main reason I''m alive, Hawi, don''t take that away," Malika said and Hawi went silent. She wasn''t sure what she could say to that, because it was so unexpected. Perhaps she would be happy for Malika? Sad? d? Damn, it was hard to tell what she needed to expect this time anyway. "Well, how about we see how ready this team of ours is?" Hawi said and Malika looked at her, wondering what was going on in her mind. "What do you want to do?" "We spar, like we did earlier, but we take it a notch higher. Sounds good, no?" Hawi suggested and Malika stared at her before agreeing. There was no harm in that anyway, because they had to assess the readiness of this team in case someone ambushed them. "Alright. I need to change into vignte clothes then. Don''t you make fun of my attire," Malika said as she wanted Hawi, like she already knew Hawi would probably curl on the floorughing at Malika''s attire. Well, when Malika changed into her vignte clothes, it was safe to say that Hawi''s expectedugh would have been valid. Malka looked like a wannabe vignte. However, with a little help from Hawi, she looked as deadly as she was in her protector clothes. And then the intense sparring began, with full swords, and bats, and crazy weapons that made so much noise, especially web they jaded towards the camp. It was unexpected for the map but Malika loved the sparring. In fact, if they hadn''t sworn with Hawi not to talk, she would have teased Hawi and reminded her that she had a woman waiting t be fucked in the nearest tent. but then she didn''t, because they had to sell the act that they were being attacked. "Shit, someone''sing, everyone, be alert!!!" Riley shouted when she saw Hawi and Malika. She couldn''t tell that it was Malika because the woman had asked about her scent. Hawi on the other hand seemed pissed, thanks to the angry waves that were rolling off of her. She seemed so angry and it was scary for a moment there. Soon everyone surrounded them and was waiting for a chance to strike Mika down. Malika had also changed a few of her tactics, so they couldn''t tell that it was the protector that Hawi was fighting. It was an intense battle of wits and weapons kept being conjured aimlessly. The warriors shot their arrows at Malika, but their arrows bounced. If anything, some of them hit her, and Malika let out a loud growl of warning. Well, she was deadly with what she had to put on, but by the time her mission as Hawi''s protector was done, Malika would be teaching a masterss in acting because she had grown so good at it and so soon. "You shoot another arrow at me and I will burn this camp down," Malika said as she threw a ball of fire at Hawi, who equally there fired at Malika, resulting in a huge explosion that didn''t even seem to bother the two of them. The warriors were on the water and were smart enough to know that they couldn''t win this battle. Hell, even the Lycans knew that so they kept their distance and didn''t do anything. It was interesting though because they''re rioting was matched in strength and all the other abilities. The two women were watching each other so well that it was safe to say they were equals in this field, which made it even scarier because of the level of danger they were in. Hawi didn''t say a word, until she heard Rukiya''s voice. "Seriously? Right now? After the mess you both caused? Is this the time to spar?" Rukiya asked and the two sparring idiots dropped their weapons and stared at themselves, before Malika disappeared through a portal, leaving the entire camp surprised and Rukiya ring at Hawi. "Baby¡­ I can exin¡­" Hawi said. "Busted!" Mbali snickered but one look from Rukiya and she went silent. Chapter 194: My Little Happiness [HAWI] With Hawi gone, Rukiya was trying to get some sleep. She had tried to step out but Mbai had refused to give her space. Rukiya was smart enough to know that Mbali wouldn''t have been that protective if Hawi hadn''t told her something in the mind link. The more she noticed the people around her, the more Rukiya realized they were all geared towards protecting her. She was an Alpha with an army, an army so huge and powerful that she didn''t need anyone to protect her. Hawi already knew that and the Lycans too, but then her Mbali was insistent on staying. So, she didn''t object, instead, she curled up on the bed and covered herself up as she tried to think of the things that could have gotten Hawi riled up. Sure, Rukiya had a feeling that this was because of her, but she couldn''t rely solely on assumptions alone. She needed to have her facts. but then it wasn''t like anyone was willing to give her the answers she was seeking. She was gambling this out and honestly, that scared the shit out of her. How the hell was she supposed to get through this if her mate was all protective and shit? "If you need me, I''ll be here. I''m not going anywhere," Mbali reassured and Rukiya just nodded, seeing as there was no way for her to do anything without Mbali staring at her in the face. The woman was sensitive as fuck. She could even hear the insects whispering and that was creepy as hell, not that Rukiya would dare tell her that to her face. Rukiya had seen her remove someone''s womb and that was the reminder that this band of psychos was mental hospital worthy. For the next two hours, Rukiya forced herself to sleep. She couldn''t get any, because she was waiting for Hawi, but just when she was about to finally get to bed, she heard the nging of swords. They were harsh and it was pretty obvious that two people were fighting. From the whispers, she could know that this was about Hawi and someone else. Of course, it was dangerous for her, but she was a warrior and an alpha. She had been to war one too many times and didn''t need protecting for this too. However, Mbali wouldn''t let her leave. "She''s fighting with someone. So, you can eithere along or stay here. If you hold me back I will tell her you tried to hurt me and we both know that won''t end well for you," Rukiya threatened and Mbali just rolled her eyes at the woman. She was just doing her job and Hawi knew how loyal she was, so Rukiya''s threats wouldn''t hold for long. Then again, she had hurt Rukiya once to get Haw toe out of that crest, Mbali owed this to her. "Fine. But if it gets dangerous, you''reing with me. Are we on the same page?" the Lycan warrior said to the Alpha and she just grumbled a response. Of course, Mbali understood her very well. Rukiya Greyson was a leader and he had people out there. She would obviously step oute hell or high water, especially now that her mother was a part of the mess that was out there. "Alright, careful not to trip," Mbali said as she helped Rukiya out of the tent. She had the urge to find Hawin and ask her to dry this pce up but Mbali wasn''t sure it would work on a woman who was still trying to get through the night. It had been a really long night, no doubt, and if this continued she would lose her mind or one of them would break the barriers of humanity and shit. It was that dangerous. "Who is she even fighting right now?" Mbali wondered when she saw how quick the two of them were with their words. She had never seen Malika and Hawi spar so she was a little bit worried for Rukiya. This didn''t look like sparring even for a moment. It looked like a real fight and it wasn''t even encouraging to say the least. Whatever they were doing was negative and if they kept going at it, there was a chance that they would lose people. "You can''t be serious," Rukiya sighed as she put her hands on her waist, and a disapproving frown on her face when they reached where Hawi was fighting the other figure. She knew the figure so well and she wasn''t surprised that none of them was making any scratches on the other. Sure, they were brutal, but only because that''s how they did their shit. "What?" Mbali wondered as she looked at Rukiya. For a moment there she thought Rukiya was also losing her mind like Hawi but the longer she stared at the frown on Rukiya''s face, the more she was convinced that there were insane people in this world and they were in the same area with a few of them. Was that supposed to beforting? Would it make things better? The night had been shitty but would this make the night all beautiful and shit? "Seriously? Right now? After the mess you both caused? Is this the time to spar?" Rukiya asked and the two sparring idiots dropped their weapons and stared at themselves, before Malika disappeared through a portal, leaving the entire camp surprised and Rukiya ring at Hawi. She knew it was Malika because of how intense the war was, and there was only one person who could convince Hawi to be this crazy a little past midnight. And that was her protector. On one hand, Rukiya was d Hawi was rxed and was back to normal but on the other hand, she wanted to kill the both of them for ruining the sleep she had wanted for so long. It had been a long battle with her sanity and they had ruined it for her. Well, Malika was gone and Hawi was the only one standing there. The wolves looked at Rukiya wondering how she knew the two but then how was she supposed to tell her warriors that the two mutt-heads were used to sparring like that and that their sparring in the night was the best indicator that everything was good with Hawi? Well, she wasn''t going to be exining shit to anyone. "Baby¡­ I can exin¡­" Hawi said as she looked at her mate, the same woman she had been avoiding for some reason. Then again, even if she wanted to exin, where would she start from? The entire night had been a mess just like Ruru had pointed out and the least Hawi could do was to make sure that everything was alright. "Busted!" Mbali snickered but one look from Rukiya and she went silent. "Everyone show''s over. Go back to sleep, and prepare yourselves for battle at any time. Remember we attacked Sicario first and it''s only logical that they might try toe at us in the night. "Don''t mind these two idiots who ruin your sleep," Rukiya said as she walked over to Hawi who was staring sheepishly while the warriors waited to see what would happen. "You¡­ you''reing with me. Try resisting and you will mop the entire camp with your bare hands," Rukiya warned as she dragged Hawi by her ears back to their tent, and everyone gulped as they rushed back to their tents. "Yes, ma''am," Hawi said, surrendering herself. "Goodnight love birds!" Mbali cheered them on. Chapter 195: Of Forced And Untested Loyalties [JER] "Hello, Sicario. First of all, my condolences for the deaths of our friends, warriors, and families. The ambush took away people that we loved and I want to promise you that we won''t be ambushed again. "I understand the pain all feel and for that very reason, I want to give you all the chance to choose. If you can fight, but don''t want to, you can step back. However, if you can fight and want to join the battle, please set up the right side. "This is not to discriminate. I know most of us lost our entire families and it would be selfish to ask you to fight for our home, when you have nothing anchoring you anymore," Jer greeted his people who had assembled on the second day that Hawi had given them. He knew there were so many questions but that he would answer the mallter. They had things to attend to and with their dead already buried, there was only one way forward. Of course, Russel had kept her promise and had swayed the Sicario warriors with magic to agree to whatever Jer suggested. It was an unfair thing for the warlock to do, but he had to work his way into killing Rukiya Greyson. There was no other way to approve this because that was the only reason his Malika was alive. But what if Jer found out Malika was an immortal? "We will fight beside you, Alpha. Those of us who will remain here will do so to make sure that the pack remains protected. However, we have a question about what happenedst night. Do you know if that could have caused the intense weather changes? ''It is not normal that there are endless storms, the winds, the ground shaking and there were several explosions heard. Do we need to worry about that?" one of the warriors asked Jer. It had been a long night for everyone in the realm the previous night, but then none of them had an exnation for that. Granted, it was abnormal but what could he tell his people about that? How could he make them understand something that even he didn''t understand? Was that what he would be doing with his life this time? "That was from the minds. I suppose the rogues triggered a warlock and got to pay the price for it. Do not worry yourselves over that. Any more questions?" Jer asked as he looked at his warriors. At the back of the group of warriors, Jer could see Elodie and Theo. They had grim faces on, probably because they had bruised so many of their friends and families. It had never been easy to bury the dead, especially the innocents and children who knew nothing of the war. It was a triggering subject and Elodie was right to be in that state. She couldn''t imagine how the kids had not been cared for by the warriors slicing through them. It had been a truthless battle, on that one no mercy. What broke Elodie''s heart even more was the fact that the children that died, all had sword wounds. Some had their bodies detached almost like the warriors were determined to make sure the children never really survived that. Some of the children were molested and it was disappointing on so many fronts. Whatever had happened at war two nights ago was something that Elodie was never going to forgive. The kids were where she drew the line, perhaps that''s why she had a frown on her face and was ready to go to war if Jer gave the go-ahead. She would ughter the warriors for hurting the children. But would it make any difference if she learned that Hawi had told her warriors to do whatever they wanted as long as they''d defeated Sicario, even at the expense of the innocents? Would it make it all any better or would it make Elodie question everything she knew about their best friend? However, Elodie couldn''t use her memories of Hawi from the past years to gauge what Hawi was this time. The woman was created by pain, anger, and disappointment. She had changed because of her losses and there was nothing that Elodie could rte to with Hawi. Perhaps the battle was it, but other than that, Elodie didn''t know this version of Hawi very well and she needed to be careful. "Great. Now that there are no questions. I believe you already know what is expected. A retaliation. Tonight, we will attack the camp of our attackers. You must keep in mind that some of them have magic, but other than that most 0fn them are just like us. "Be your best and avenge our fallen. May the goddess be with us all," Jer said to his warriors before dismissing them. He wasn''t sure what he had expected. But the fact that they were totally submissive made him feel like so much of a file. He was the one Alpha who couldn''tmand his army, and had to use magic to force them into submission. He had turned the strongest of warriors into potato heads that followed him into whatever he wanted. It was a great risk, but the circumstances didn''t exactly leave him with a chance to exin why this was happening. He would apologize for itter, but until then he would sue them as he wanted. "Your magic is really working wonders, Jer. Is that what you were aiming for all this time? Making us all headless so we couldn''t object?" Elodie asked once it was just her and Jer at the royal announcement square. She was disappointed, really. Granted, she knew that this had to be done, but to take away his people''s voices like that and then pretend that he was giving them a choice, was fucked up. It was cruel., easily the cruelest of things, and yet Jeremiah Warner hadn''t seen any problem with that. If anything, he seemed motivated to go to war with them because they would never say no to any of his dead, however ludicrous they were. "I don''t know what you talk of," Jer denied and Elodie stared at him as if to ask him if they were kids who wanted to y the game of truths. It wasn''t going to end well for Her on any front, so the sooner they handled this, the sooner they would eat through it. "Oh, really now? So, you want to deny that the only reason I am the only unaffected wolf with your charm is that Awuor had cast an evesting protection spell on me, no?" Elodie asked Her who stared at her wondering what she was on about. Then again, he knew the kind of bond that Elodie One and Hawi had had. They had been best friends and more than sisters. They were everything to each other. Theirs was the kind of loyalty that no one would evere between. It had been like that for years, and only ever changed when Hawi murdered her mother, or at least that''s what Elodie was made to believe. With that Jer was certain that he had broken Elodie''s loyalty to Hawi. So, what would he do if he realized that this woman never changed sodas and was always loyal to Hawi and her home? "You need to prepare. We will be attacking their camp tonight, I hope you have no problems with that, Your Highness," Jer said dismissively before he walked cks to his office where the council was awaiting for him. Chapter 196: Malika Clarkson… Warner… Kane??? [JER] "Wait, Jer. where is Malika?" Elodie asked as she used her werewolf speed to stop in front of Jr who had dismissed her rudely. She didn''t mind that, but then she hadn''t seen Malika for the entire days, which was weird because the previous day, she had left Jer and Malika in the same room. She was curious to know what had happened to the woman and if the bangs she had heard were because Malika was getting hit by Jer or Jer was getting the beating of a lifetime for his Luna who was supposed to be weak. It was quite hrious to Elodie but she couldn''t think of that at the moment, what mattered was that she hadn''t heard Her call her to take care of Malika again. Granted she wasn''t a babysitter, but that didn''t matter because no matter what happened, he would never win this battle with Malika. "Safe. What is it to you?" Jer asked before realizing how rude that sounded. He was really being an ass this early in the morning and Elodie was not in the mood to deal with that. She had enough shit to worry about and mindless warriors to think of. "Oh yeah? Well, don''t call me again when you don''t know what you need to do. Or maybe you swayed her with your magic too for her to be brainless like everyone else? Wow, Jeremiah, you really must be the ultimate mate of the year. "Perhaps we should open a special award for you and your selfishness even with your mate. You are heartless," Elodie said as she looked at her Alpha. She knew this wasn''t right, but then as far as Jer was concerned, Elodie was just worried about Luna because she had spent a lot of time with the woman. It was not as bad, really and it was something that made them want to make things right. "I''m sorry, okay. I didn''t mean to be rude, Kane," Jer began as he frustratedly ran his hands through his hair. He was losing his mind with the pressure that Russel was putting on him, and honestly, he wasn''t sure how long he could hold out before his body gave up on him. As it was, he was slowly losing his mind because of the demands that were proving impossible to him. Maybe if he hadn''t epted to kill Luna Eni, all of this could have been avoided and there would be better ways. But then knowing Russel, there would always be someone to take his ce in the role and that person would have been powerful. Oh, how his greed for power had driven him into a pack with dead bodies on a daily. It was not a good legacy for him, but did he even have a legacy this time? "You do you, Jer. I''ll see you at the council meeting, unless you don''t want my input, seeing as everyone in the pack except me has already been brainwashed by magic to follow whatever you are to say to them," Elodie said as she raised a brown dare to leave her out. She was the Sicario lead warrior and the pack beta. She knew the dynamics of war more than anyone because she had fought alongside Hawi one too many times and they had won wars. That should have been an advantage to them, but there was no way it would work because Jer was quick to attack and not think. He was acting like he was possessed by a demon who only wanted one thing in particr. Rukiya Greyson''s death. "You shoulde, Kane. You''re my beta, and I apologize for what happened," Jer said and Elodie sighed before she walked in the opposite direction. She wasn''t in the mood to join the damn council meeting. She had just been hoping that the council members weren''t brainwashed too but as it was, they also were. There was nothing that Elodie could do for the council members. So she walked away in the hope that she could run into Malika being a menace somewhere. She had been hoping to see her somewhat, nowhere but she hadn''t and she was worried for her. "Fuck it, Malika, where the fuck are you?" Elodie whispered defeatedly. She couldn''t think of where the woman was, because she had checked all the chambers on the entire pack house and there was no sign of their Luna. It was almost like she had vanished and that was wanting. It made her question what Jeremiah was determined to do, to the point that he was making sure his Luna was very safe. Of course, Elodie considered Hawi''s suite, but even she knew that no one had managed to get through the security protocols set up by Hawi there. It was insane and over time they had chosen to leave the suite because there was really no point trying. "If he used magic on you I''ll kill him. Please, baby, let me know where you are," Elodie whispered frustratedly again. She wasn''t sure what she was hoping for, but then was it so hopeful of her to imagine that Malika would never be hurt by anyone''s magic. When the same woman had had her womb snatched out? It was a strange time they were living in, but none stranger than the stench of immense cruelty that filled the Sicario air. Elodie could only hope because that was all she could afford of a protector who was meant to be one of the most powerful creatures in the realm. "That''s actually sweet, if you think of it," Malika''s voice interrupted Elodie and it took everything in Kane not to jump the woman. She still wasn''t sure if Malika was invisible to everyone; she was visible to everyone. She wouldn''t be seen jumping on her Luna that excitedly especially after the chaotic ordeal. So she figured she could go behind the pack house while Malika followed her. Maybe that would give her a chance given there were no cameras outback. "Now, now, love. This is tempting. Don''t tell me you want to knock me up this soon," Malika teased and Elodie red at her, before she grabbed Malika by the neck and smashed their lips together. Kane was really hungry for Malika because the kiss was intense, it was a battle of lips against lips, tongues against torqued. It was almost like the warriors were scared she would never see the woman again. Malika could feel the desperation her little mate was having so she calmed her down using her magic, and slowly took away Kane''s worries. As much as she loved having the woman worry for her, this was a different kind. "I thought you left for good," Elodie said when they pulled back and she was staring into the dark eyes that were filled with lust. However today was no day for them to be breeding, so Malika just pulled her into a warm hug, reassuring her that there was nothing that would happen to the both of them. But she also knew Elodie needed to hear it from her lips. And be reassured. "I was in my mistress''s suite. That''s where your Alpha kept me. I hear it''s the safest room in the pack house. Don''t worry too much love, I am not going anywhere and if my mission is done, I will take you with me, of course, if you want me to," Malika said, correcting herself before she sounded like a barbaric possessive woman. "Of course, sweetheart, I do," Elodie said and while Malika wasn''t sure what that answered, she was d her mate was alright. Chapter 197: On The Wings Of Love [HAWI] "You need to wake up, my beautiful," Rukiya said as she gently tapped Hawi. It was almost noon and they hadn''t done anything substantial. Since they came homest night, with Ruru dragging Hawi by the ears, they hadn''t said a word to each other. Instead, they had silently gotten into bed, with a pouting Hawi being coddled by Ruru. "Five more minutes," Hawi groaned, holding on to her Ruru like she was scared someone would take her woman from her. She didn''t want to have negative thoughts this morning, so she focused on the warmth that she was getting from Rukiya''s full chest. Oh, how it was tempting to pull theced pajama down and have a taste of what she was forbidding herself, and yet wasn''t forbidden to her. She was putting a lid on her pleasures and it was driving her nuts. Perhaps she would try and open the lid today? "You''ve been saying that for the past thirty minutes, baby," Rukiya said as she ran a hand along Hawi''s tinum-white hair that was sprawled on their bed. Rukiya always wanted to wake up with Hawi in her arms and she wasn''t going toin, besides, this was the prettiest sight to wake up to. She looked so damn beautiful it was impossible to tell how crazy the woman in her arms was. Her beautiful lips were calling onto Rukiya, but the Greyson Alpha had to remind herself that they had to keep it steady. She couldn''t lose herself in a war like that. But would it help if she knew what Malika had told Hawi about them spending more time together and actually taking their pleasures a notch higher? Would she be happier about it? Would she encourage Hawi? Would she seduce the mother of crazies? It wasn''t hard to tell that they both desired each other hopelessly but they were both holding back. "I just want five more minutes with my Ruru," Hawi whined and Ruru just chuckled at that. She could already feel Hawi''s out even though she was bringing her face into Ruru''s full chest; it was a nice feeling, one that Rukiya wanted to hold onto for the longest time. "You sure, beautiful? Just five?" asked even though she knew it was a lie even if she agreed. "Just five," Hawi responded as she snuggled closer to Ruru, burning her face deeper into Rukiya. Her hands were cupping Rukiya''s ass, holding her tightly like she didn''t want to let go, even though they didn''t have enough time to be groping each other. "Okay baby," Rukiya said as she kissed Hawi''s forehead only to be met with a bright smile. Damn, it was something she would love waking up to daily. Perhaps when that was over, they would get to have more time together, right? Five minutes ended up being an hour offortable silence, of the two mates holding each other in their arms, enjoying the moment. They looked sofy together that if Mbali hadn''t walked into their tent to see if they were awake. They would have slept in for the entire day. "Go away, Mbali. Your voice makes my ears hurt," Hawi groaned before adding, "Ruru, please tell her to leave us alone. She''s a menace." "You need to wake up, love. Mbali has something important to say to you, it seems," Rukiya said as she pulled Hawi from her, making the woman groan and turn to Mbali with a deadly re. She had wanted to be held a little longer and the Lycan ruined it. "This had better be important, Jabali or I will break your neck," Hawi said, her eyes ring at the woman. If it had been someone else they would have lost their bnce and probably ran away, but then Mbali was used to this, so she was surprised or even shocked. If anything, she looked d that their Hawi was back, which was weird, because Hawi was sure she was wearing a death re right now. "Good morning to you too, young Sicario. It might be pleasing for you to know that the time is four o''clock, in the evening and you''re still sleeping. But since you look happy today, I will not tell Malika that you didn''t listen to her. "Now, are you ready for your warm-up, Mistress?" Mbali said sarcastically and Rukiya let out augh as she stared between the two. For extremely dangerous people, these two were charming in the morning, especially when Hawi grabbed her boot from the bedside and threw it at Mbali. "You need to aim better, Mistress. Ruru, you should give her more love in the morning, so she won''t be this grumpy in the evening," Mbali said as Hawi hurled pillows at her, and Mbali missed all of them. "Damn girl, your aim is getting worse daily. Are you sure you can breed Ruru with that aim?" Mbali teased and before Rukiya could say anything, the two women were out of the camp, running around after each other with magical balls. It was a crazy sight, but at least the warriors in the camp had gotten used to it, so they just watched in amazement as Mbali ran in circles with Hawi, only to make a stop at the meeting tent. "You tricked me you little fucker," Hawi said when she got in. but that didn''t stop her from forming a fireball ready to throw it at Mbali, only for Hudhayfah to stop her. "Okay kids, the tent can easily catch fire and this isn''t the time for you two to be ying with fire. And Hawi, you look like¡­ ehmmm," Hudhayfah said, unsure of what to add on to the alst it. He had a feeling that he would be the one getting sted if he wasn''t careful with this woman. "Like what, Hudhayfah¡­ say it," Hawi dared and Hudhayfah sighed before facepalming. "Look who''s here. Nice of you to join us, Alpha," Hudhayfah said and that seemed to distract Hawi, because she looked towards the entrance of the tent. She was expecting to see her Rukiya there but she saw Razia. "Be nice Hawi. You wouldn''t want to throw the fireball at your mother-inw, wouldn''t you?" Mbali said, even though her voice continued a slight reminder that they were in public and it wasn''t the best time for Hawi to be killing Razia Greyson, no matter how tempting it was. "Ugh¡­ you people are no fun. So, tell me, why did you wake me up this early?" groaned, clearly not like the fact that Mbali had woken her up, apparently so early in the morning. "It''s four o''clock, Alpha," Riley said and Hawi red at her, forcing her into silence. "Hawi¡­ Be NICE," Mbali said, spelling it out for the woman who just ground again. "I want my Ruru, is that too much to ask for?" "One Hawi''s Ruruing up," Rukiya said as she walked into the meeting tent with clothes for her semi-naked mate who wasn''t even bothered by her appearance. "Hello, mother. Hello, everyone. Please ignore my grumpy mate, continue the meeting," Rukiya greeted, as she walked over to Hawi, and dressed the woman up, before she sat on their usual seat, only this time, Hawi was sitting on herp. "Well, that shut her up real fast," Adolf said and everyone snickered while staring at Hawi who was smiling sheepishly as if that would count as an apology. "I called us all here, because Sicario ising for us here, and Luna Razia needs to go home," Mbali said. Chapter 198: Someone Like You Before [HAWI] "I called us all here because Sicario ising for us here, and Luna Razia needs to go home," Mbali said, her voice so cold that Hawi snorted at how cruel Mbali sounded. It was almost like she didn''t want to see the women in the same space as them and while Rukiya didn''t take offense, she knew something had to be going on. Now that she thought about it, Hawi was going to bedst night when the winds got her turning to her mother. And then Hawi lost control. Something was happening and it had to do with Luna Razia. Oh, Rukiya. "Sicarioing for us? That''s got to be some sick joke," Hawi added immediately as if that was meant to exin the snort. Everyone else seemed to buy it, but Rukiya wasn''t, she had noticed how tense her mother had be when Mbali spoke and it was new, especially for a woman who was smeared to be loved by many. What was her other hiding and what was it that had gotten her mate so riled up to the point of keeping Mbali next to Rukiya for the entire night, until that stupid spar? The Greyson alpha was curious and she wouldn''t stop looking. However, here and now, she would be the Alpha these people needed her to be. "Well, that''s all the more reason for mother to go home. You need to leave, mother. Tow patrol warriors will take you home and please don''t leave Greyson until you see use home when the war is ended alright?" Rukiya said, her voice stern as she talked to her mother. It was not the usual way she always did and Hawi noticed that, whoever she didn''t say anything, even though she had a feeling that her mate was being suspicious of them. It meant good for Ruru, but what if the woman found out the truth about her mother, would Hawi still hide it from her? "Alright. I guess it''s goodbye then," Luna Razia said before kissing her daughter goodbye and leaving. Mbali got up to make sure that Luna was leaving. Before she came back to the tent and they continued with their talks on the strategies for the night. There wasn''t much, given they were already prepared for any ambushes or random attacks. It wasn''t new to them and frankly, nothing could surprise them anymore. ***** "Awuor Hawi Sicario!!! Get out and face me!!" Jer shouted once he and his team made it to the camp. He could see the fires were burning but there was no one there. It was almost like they long disappeared and they had been tricked. But then Luna Razia had confirmed that they were there barely hours ago so they couldn''t be wrong about this. They hadn''t worked their asses off toe to an empty camp. "Mistress, should I shut him up with a ghost smack to the face?" Malika asked as she looked at Jer. Now that Jer was certain his Malika was sleeping in Hawi''s suite, it was easier for her toe and be there for her mistress without worrying about her remission beingpromised. It wasn''t that hard, and Elodie was also on board with them. "No, Malika. We are being nice today. We will just go there and kill him and make this a done case, right, Mistress?" Mbali asked like she didn''t know what the rules were. Jeremiah Sicario was to remain untouched until everything came down. He was to watch everything he loved be taken from him. He was to be there at every turn of every misfortune that befell his people, until he lost his mind. Well, Mbali was right to be excited because this Alpha was just making their lies a little too boring with the chaos. Perhaps they could shut him up for good. "Let''s wait and see what they do. Everyone is in position, yeah?" Hawi asked and all the leaders confirmed the positioning of their teams. They were one but they needed to understand if there was a team that had issues. It was then that they would try and figure out a way out of there, but then with Jer and his warriors here, it wasn''t as surprising. How this just served to remind Hawi to never take the Luna Razia lightly. A woman who wanted her daughter dead had to be unhinged in a different way, because there was just no way that this shit was happening. "I know you''re there with us! I know you''re scared, but maybe if youe forward, I will let you live with your lives. And be sure to remind Jabali that my wife isn''t here for her to pop another uterus¡­ "Do remind her that I won''t forgive her sins," Jer said with pride and that was thest straw for Mbali, because she stepped out from where they were hiding, and the warriors followed suit. "How about you tell her yourself?" Mbali asked as she threw her sword at her, but this time Jer missed. Of course, he did. If anything, he had the help of Razia Greyson. The woman had made him feel like he was invincible but they seemed to be forgetting the new reality that had long been there. The poison Hawi had made Jer breathe from the tunnels, and the poison that Mbali jihad made potent. It would kill Jer slowly without even him knowing. Granted, Razia''s magic was protecting the Alpha for now, but the poison had been there before Razia Greyson''s spells and that in itself was the reminder that no one needed to mess with the Hawi crew because they were the same type of unhinged. "Kill them all!!!" Mbali shouted and the warriors rushed to the Sicario warriors who seemed to be a little too many. Then again, that was a nonissue because Hawi had expected Her to reach out to their allies for this war. It only made the deaths more satisfying. All of this was going ording to Hawi''s n and boy was she loving it. Mbali was fighting Jer while Hawi and the other warriors were fighting the rest of the team. Malika was with Elodie, though it seemed like they were sparring instead of fighting. And even if they fought their hearts were one so there wasn''t an issue there right? "Burn them all!!!" Malika cheered as she cast a bomb spell and the damn thing towards the unexpecting warriors, they looked shocked that it was good because none of them had expected that the bombs would be real. Well, Malika Warner may not have been real, but Malika the protector was as real as the bombs that she was throwing there. And so, for the rest of the evening, the warriors fought, with Her trying to leave and find Rukiya, but he failed. He was trying his best which was understandable but then he was fighting against Hawi''s killing machine. There was just no way that he would get to Rukiya. "Now!!!" Jer shouted and suddenly there was a movement in the crowd, one that seemed to be charged at one person and one person only. Rukiya Greyson. Before Hawi could say anything, her mate was on the ground, with a magical de lodged in her heart. "Noo!!" Hawi screamed as she let the universe take over her rage and she rushed to her dear mate. Rukiya Greyson was dying. And Theo had been the one with the de. Chapter 199: No Way It Was Real… Right? [HAWI] If the storm of Hawi''s anger the previous night was bad, then this one was worse. It was like they were all on a different dimension of their own. It wasn''t just about the elements of the universe anymore, but the rage of the Lycans, the rage of the Greyson warriors, the disappointment of the rogues, and the anger of the Sicario rebels for what had been done to their Rukiya. Everything seemed to go so fast and in one hour, the entire Sicario army was down. It all looked so unrealistic, so heartbreaking that Jeremiah, Theo, and Elodie were the only ones left standing. Of the eight thousand Sicario warriors and allies, only the trio was left standing watching as her friends were either dead or mortally wounded and would be dead soon. The war zone was a different version of hell and the camp was filled with the dead. The best part of all this was that none of the warriors from Hawi''s side had died. Hawi and Malika had cast a spell on all their warriors to make sure they were affected and no one died, not even a soul. So, there were seventy thousand warriors of the Hawi squad and just three people lifting standing, and it wasn''t because they fought well. They were left standing as a message to the Sicario wolves. It was a dangerous thing because as they fell by the bads of the Hawi crew, the magic that Razia had used to sway them faded, and bit by bit they came back to their senses, and realized they had followed their leaders to war and their leaders were the only people who weren''t harmed. It was going to be hell for Sicario and that would definitely impact the pack itself. "Wh¡­ What the fuck happened? Wh¡­ where are they? What happened to my warriors?" Jer cried out in misery as he looked at the file of dead warriors once the Hawi team had moved over to one side of the freends. They were covered in blood but they were sure to remind the Alpha that it was the blood of his own people. "There, gather your injured and leave because if Hawies back and sees you here she will murder you. Run, Jeremiah, Run," Malika warned as she stepped forward to Jer who was still in shock. He had heard of the protectors and he could see one right in front of him. This protector looked familiar though, but Jer couldn''t ce where he had seen those eyes. Perhaps he was hallucinating fine moonlight and the first weren''t exactly a team tonight. The protector was wearing her blood attire, one that screamed vengeance for her mistress and yet Jer was standing there, with his beta and his enforcer. It was crazy what they had been reduced to but one thing was certain, Jeremiah was never going to forget this. He would definitelye back to seek vengeance for his fallen and that was what they were expecting. "Who are you?" Jer asked shakily, his voice so faint and his heart so sounded for the needless mind links that had been cut, he could feel more than three thousand of his warriors dead. It wasn''t normal for them, but then the next day, they had three thousand Sicario warriors dead too. Perhaps the number three thousand was significant? But would that matter right now, when he was with so many wounded warriors? "You know who I am, Warner. Leave before I change my mind and burn your wolves down. Trust me I won''t care about what it is that you do. And tell Russel and the seven, that their days are numbered. "If my Mistress allows it, I wille for all of you. You don''t want to test the rage of a protector, Warner. Leave!!!" Malika shouted at the clueless Alpha who stumbled upon his dead warriors and his undead. He didn''t know what he needed to do this time, because Razia had promised him that they would be safe. She had promised that his warriors wouldn''t be hurt, and yet they were going home defeated for the second time in just three days. Never in any history of war had the Sicario army been defeated let alone twice in three days. It was shameful and it was something that angered the warriors themselves. This was a terrible idea and yet they were here. Oh, but their Alpha had a lot of exining to do this time. "Is Rukiya Greyson dead?" Jer dared to ask as if that was supposed to make him feel better. Well, it had been his mission, perhaps that was why the magic had failed. Then again, there was nothing he could do even if she was dead. Rukiya Greyson had been on their mission and yet he hadn''t told his warriors. What kind of an Alpha let an entire army take at a young twenty-five years old? Was she that powerful? "Don''t ask questions whose answers will take away your life. Leave while you still have the chance, Warner. Leave," Malika said and Jer sighed. It was like Jer really wanted to die by her hands. Then again, it was an embarrassing loss for the Sicarios and maybe that was why Jer wanted an easy way out. It was insane really how he was still here despite being given a chance to live. Perhaps he wasn''t too strong for the pressure and wanted to crack, right? "Please. Tell me. Is Rukiya Greyson dead?"Jer insisted and Malika sighed. This man wasn''t getting it, no? "Pick up everyone, we are going home. The war is won!!!" Malika told the Greyson warriors, ignoring Jer who was pleading with them. He needed to know. He had to because then the fate of his entire pack depended on it. But was he worried about his pack or was he just worried that his Malika would die if he didn''t kill Rukiya. The n had been doing so well and Theo had used the enchanted de on Rukiya and that had to mean something. As the warriors walked away from the camp, there was a loud cry in the distance, a cry that shattered the hearts of many of the Greyson warriors. It was the cry of war, the cry of a loss, the cry that could only mean one thing since only one of them was injured. It was the cry of a broken heart and right then, Malika let out a loud howl as the Greyson warriors joined in. They howled in the direction of Sicario, tears freefalling on their faces as their howls held a promise. The promise of vengeance and destruction, the promise of what their leader had wanted. "She really is dead! Finally, Malika will live," Jer whispered as he watched the wolve''s crying out and Malika smirked in the dark. So, this was what it was about. Oh, how someone would pay the price for it definitely. "What happened?" Mbali asked, like she didn''t want to believe this, but there wasn''t anything she could do. There was just no way they had all been protected and the Greyson alpha hadn''t been. It just doesn''t make any sense. The same woman, the girl who had been loved by the worst of them, being dead was impossible. But was it really? "She is dead. Rukiya is dead, and Hawi disappeared," Adolf confirmed and Mbaliughed in shock. There was just no way. Chapter 200: So What, If I’m In Denial… * Cheers to our 2nd century!!! [GREYSON] "That is the most dangerous thing you have spoken since the day began, Adolf. Careful, you might join the dead Sicario warriors for such a lewd statement," Mbali said, the earning in her voice clear. They had been with the Rukiya barely for hours ago. They had fought the battle together; they were supposed to go back home together. There was just no way that the most loved woman was dead. It wasn''t real and Mbali was willing to bet her life on it. "Don''t mention that again. Take your warriors home If Hawi has disappeared she is with Ruru. I don''t know what you''re hoping for but they will be back soon. They always do, it''s what Hawi always does regardless of the state we are in. "So go, tell the Greyson pack that the war was won and that their alpha will be back soon," Mbali insisted as the Lycans stood beside her. The rogues had already left to go back to their homes. Their services were no longer needed because they wouldn''t be burying the dead Sicario warriors. It was not their cup of tea. As for the rebels they had conveniently disappeared when Hawi had, which made it even more suspicious. "Even Malika is not here, so Hawi just went on a little trip and will be back. Like I said, those words could kill you, Adolf heh," Mbali said as she got ready to create a portal for her warriors to go through. They had no business being in the freends anymore, so they would go home, and wait for an order from theirmander. It was always like that and this time wouldn''t be different. Hopefully, when Hawi came back, they would be having pups with Rukiya and the Greyson pack would see the light of the day even in the darkness that the realm was in, yeah? "Mbali¡­" Malika whispered as she looked at the Lycan warrior. "Well, of course, she would leave you behind if she left with her Ruru. Hawi will be back, I know it, she could never abandon us. She will definitely be back," Mbali said to Malika like she wanted the protector to tell them that the Grayson Alpha was alive. She had to be. She had to be alive and there was nothing else. There was nopromise when it came to that. Hell, Mbali would prove it to them. "Mbali¡ª" "Come on Malika, tell these warriors that Hawi will be back," Mbali said and Malika smiled at her reassuringly. "Of course, she never left Mbali. Adolf just didn''t see her well," Malika said, her voice so cold that Mbali had to look at Malika again. Then he looked in the direction that Malika was staring, and even though she could see it, she was not ready for that truth. She couldn''t ept it like this. They hadn''t fought so hard for Hai''s happiness only for it to fade in the distance. There had to be something else. This had to be an illusion in every way. "Hawi?" Mbali asked, unsure if she was speaking to her mistress or if this was just another magic trick by Hawi. She was so sure that the woman was pulling her leg and goddess, she hoped that this was just one of those times that Hawi did whatever she wanted. It had to be, right? "Damn girl you look different. Tell me something, have you finally decided that we are going to kill Her instead of leaving him alive every time? Is this why you''re wearing dark clothes? Goddamn, you look so beautiful. "Where''s Ruru? She should be right behind you, yeah? Rukiya! I promise I won''t babysit you again," Mbali said with a lightugh as she walked towards the Gresuon gates, she hadn''t even realized it yet but they were inside the Greyson pack. There were silent whimpers around them but she chose not to pay attention to them. Perhaps it was because she was sure they were ying some role. That was the only exnation, but when Mbali walked from the Greyson pack house at the gates and saw no sign of Rukiya Greyson, she let out a disbelievingugh. She couldn''t understand how they had fought tooth and nail only to fail. They had never failed. Their magic had never failed. This war is impossible for so many fonts. "You people are pulling my leg. You are terrible people. I''ll sit here and wait for Ruru, while you go on and do whatever the hell it is people do when theye back from war in Greyson. I''m telling you she wille home. "She is your Alpha after all. Or maybe they fought with Hawi? But then Hawi would be the one outside of Greyson and not the Greyson Alpha? Or maybe they switched, holy fuck what the hell?" Mbali was in denial, just like most of the Greyson warriors. It was impossible to slow the Alpha lightly like that. It wasn''t sane and eptable and frankly, it scared the hell out of the warriors. No one in their right mind would ever consider these, right? "Pop the ball now! Besides, if Ruru really left, Luna Razia would be here with you guys. Speaking of Razia Greyson, she should be able to answer me alright?" Mbali whined as Lycan begged her to ept the situation, but she couldn''t. She had never experienced this kind of loss. She had been to battles and more and she had never lost someone. So, this was a first for her, which is why she wasn''t ready for goodbyes and shit. The way Hawi was so calm was terrifying for a woman who always fought fire with fire. It was like Hawi had just given up on her mate, and that wasn''t fair. "Hold on, Hawi. You wouldn''t do this lightly. So what was at this time? Where is the anger, the pain and the thunder? Where are the storms when the whirlwind, the red rain, the blood rain, or whatever the hell happens when you''re emotionally unstable? "Where are they all? Don''t tell me your calm like this when Adolf is talking about your mate being dead. Come on girl, you can''t seriously believe him, right? If that''s true then let it storm, let it rain, let''s go back to Sicario, let''s burn them all down. "Let''s burn the entire realm and everyone in it down. Let''s go to the humans and burn Jer''s parents. Let''s do it. Let''s burn the world if this is what it has to be. Come on then, if she really is dead let''s go burn the entire realm and reduce it to ashes. "You can do that. I can do that. My fire with you could make the earth melt. And if we add the Lycans and Malika''s then we will be fine," Mbali begged. She was deteriorating and this was strange. Hawi had never thought Jabali Lihle cared for anyone but standing there with a distraught look on her face, Jabali Lihle was scared of the reality she was walking into. She was scared of losing Rukiya. She was scared of what the world would look like; without her, it was just impossible, hell she had begun liking Rukiya. "What is she doing HERE?!" Luna Razia''s angry voice interrupted Mbali''s hopeful rant. Chapter 201: Love Me And Let Me Go [1] [GREYSON] "What is she doing HERE?!" Luna Razia''s angry voice interrupted Mbali''s hopeful rant. "Hold it,dy. I know you''re in a tour pack but I am looking for someone. Tell Rukiya we''re here to see her. Tell her she needs toe to kick Hawi''s ass for me since I can''t do that without risking her protector''s anger," Mbali said and Malika facepalmed. This woman was nuts. They were supposed to be in mourning but Mbali was in so much denial that even Hawi herself wasn''t sure what to do with her. The strangest one was Hawi''s calmness. It was too suspicious and Mbali was right to be worried. But then there were times when the heart mourned in shock so much that there was nothing else left but silence and perhaps that''s what Hawi was doing right now. "My Rukiya is dead. And it''s because you all found a way to convince my child that dying for your cause was worth it. And now, I don''t have a daughter, my people don''t have an Alpha, and my warriors are kept from a war that wasn''t there to fight in the first ce," Luna Razia said and that shut Mbali up. She had been hoping for far too long; she knew grief was different for every person. It sometimes turned the loudest into the quietest and the softest into the beasts of a time. Thest time Awuor Hawi had this calm was when she had been banished for her mother''s death. She had not reacted and her face had been cold, perhaps that was the case here right? But Mbali was still unsure of this. She needed tough, but the red eye Luna before her was proof that this wasn''t false. "Where is Rukiya Greyson, Razia?" Mbali asked and this time, she used her Lycan voice tomand an answer out of Razia. It would have been considered insulting to a woman of Razia''s stature,, and it would have made her mad, or Hawi would have considered the disrespect too much andmanded Mbali otherwise, but she was busy being silent. "In the Alpha''s Memorial house. She''s dead and we''re preparing for her burial," Luna Razia said and Mbali let out a dark chuckle. So many stupid jokes in one setting weren''t fun, and she hated this, she would find it out on her own. "What happened to her," Mbali asked again and this time, her voice was shaky, but themand was still the same. She needed answers from this woman, even if it was thest thing she did while this close to Hawi. "She has a stab wound, from the battlefield. It was a poisoned de, meant to kill the white wolf and my Rukiya took the hit. Now she is dead. Do you have any more questions, warrior?" Luna Razia asked once Mbali stepped back, only for Luna Razia to p Hawi. Well, she tried to, but failed because Malika wasn''t letting her do it. "You might want to rescind that, Razia. Your daughter knew the risks of the blood oath she made. You knew it too, and she died for that very oath, I don''t see why you would be acting up like she wasn''t the Alpha. "As it stands, you''re not even the next in line for the alpha position. Adolf, right there, is in charge of everything. You try toy a hand on Hawi and I swear on your life, I will burn you with just a snap of my fingers. "Now I''ll let your hand free, but be careful, Razia Greyson. Careful about the enemies you make, for they might be the ones to teach you life," Malika said and Razia stepped back, especially after she saw Malika remove her mask. It was a dangerous move for her but then there wasn''t a thing she could do about it. She could have sworn she had seen this face somewhere. Knowing that voice and what she had said, made Razia wonder if she had seen this woman before. If this was Hawi''s protector, then she was fucked, and why the hell was she here too? "Arghhh!!!" Razia cried out and Adolf justmanded the warriors to go get some rest and be tight with their families. They had alle home and their dead were buried, so there wasn''t an issue. The dead warrior''s families would bepensated ording to tradition and they would have to live it though. As for Rukiya Greyson, Adolf knew there was no point in trying to hold back Hawi because she had every right to be here, seeing as the blood oath was bound to her. It Was only right that she was here. "Come along, Alpha Sicario. You can say your goodbyes tonight, and we can do that, tomorrow," Adolf said, ignoring Luna Razia who stood there in disbelief. Had she just been snubbed by her own pack Beta? What the heck was going on and why the hell were the Greyson warriors allowing this? Perhaps there would be an exnation and Luna Razia sure hoped there was a decent one because this was ultimate disrespect. So many things had happened in one night and she had a dead daughter and yet her beta was alerting the probable cause of her daughter''s death to walk in freely like this was some damning show for the world. Oh, but there had to be something. At first, Razia was sure there had to be an enchantment, because her warriors were loyal to Rukiya. They were everything Rukiya would need in an army so this was driving her nuts. "Luna, you need to get some rest," Shery, the pack cook, said to Luna as she helped Razia back to the pack house. The entire pack was still in choke form from what had just happened. They had never thought that he would be dead again in the main house of Greyson. Since the death of the first Greyson Alpha. Rukiya was a good Alpha and honestly, while the Greyson wolves were mourning her loss in silence, they were proud that she had died on the battlefield like a true warrior. They hoped that she would rest well, for she had fought for them in wars that many never survived. "My daughter, Sherry," Luna Razia whimpered. "Tradition demands that Hawi be the first to see her, Luna. She was Rukiya''s chosen mate and they were bound by an oath of duty. That is why Adolf chose her over you. Please understand Luna Razia. "This is not meant to disrespect you. It is obvious they are all in denial too. Just let them do their job, please," Sherry said to Luna who looked scared of this new role. She knew that there would be so many changes in Greyson because of this, but deep down she didn''t care about the changes. If anything, she was d that her daughter had died, because then she would be able to defeat Hawi. That was her main goal. And just like she had told Her, she would do anything to see Awuor Hawi defeated. If this was the price for it, then Razia Greyson would see to it. She didn''t care anymore. Besides, it seemed to work because she had heard Mbali earlier, trying to evoke an emotion out of Hawi and there was nothing, not even a desire to shut the woman up. "My sweet Rukiya," Razia mourned. Chapter 202: Love Me And Let Me Go [2] [GREYSON] "Hawi, you don''t have to do this," Malika said to her protector once they reached the memorial site. She could see Rukiya lying on the tform, her beautiful eyes closed and her body unmoving. This was crazy and Malika wished there was more that she could do about this. Hawi had made up her mind and regardless of what was going on Malika knew there was no other way out of this. "You know I do. They used a de meant to take me down. We both already know who is the culprit. If I don''t do this, they won''t stop, Malika. They will keeping until there is nothing left anymore. "You know this has to be done," Hawi said softly and Mbali looked at her, wondering what in the hell was going on. She hated that this had happened. She hated that Hawi had once again lost someone so dear to her, and she hated that regardless of everything they had still managed to fail in the most disastrous of ways. "Hawi¡­ is she¡­ Is she really dead? I know I was mean to her sometimes but I never expected that we would say goodbye this soon. What will life be like without her? She was the only pure thing in our lives, Hawi. "What do we do now that she left? Are we going to be the beasts we were meant to be in the beginning? Are we going to have no regard for humanity again now that she is lost? Is there anything worth fighting for this time? "Tell me, Hawi, can you use the breath of life or anything that is within your powers? Don''t understand how we were all protected and she wasn''t. She was our only link to humanity even though we never admitted to it. "She made us happier, hell she made you happier¡­ What the fuck is even this?" Mbali asked frustratedly. She was sick of thinking. She couldn''t breathe right because of how unbelievable this mess was. How they could get magic that could keep seventeen thousand warriors safe and fail to keep the only woman who mattered to their group safe. If she wasn''t careful, Mbali was about to walk herself to a mental institution. She was done seeking expansion because it was obvious that none would being, at least a sane one anyway. "Mbali¡ª" "Did you use her for the blood sacrifice? Was she just a vessel for us to win against Jer? Was she the reason you won? I mean we won? I don''t understand. She loved you, with everything, and I could tell you loved her so much. "You thought of her in your sleep and wanted her safe even if we were miles away from her. So howe this happened? Why was it so easy to take her out? I know, my questioning of my Mistress, mightnd me in trouble and I''m really sorry about that. ''Alpha, I just don''t understand. She is Rukiya Greyson; she is the best thing in your life and she just got taken out like that? Was Razia the reason for this?" Mbali asked and Hawi turned to look at her sharply while Malika facepalmed. There were so many ways of going about this but seeing Mbali have constant meltdowns just wasn''t it. It was driving her crazier than Mbali sounded and if this continued for a little longer, Malika would walk herself to hell just to escape this. "Come on you two. You really want Mbali to have her brain''s friend at this rate. I thought I taught you two to be nicer, smh," Rukiya suddenly spoke and Mbali was stuck between being relieved and punching the ghost back to the dead. "Tell me I''m not the only one seeing her, mistress,e on. Please," Mbali said and Malika held back the urge tough at Mbali. The longer they interacted with the Lycan warrior the more they realized that the big bad Lycan warrior was a softie on the inside. At least that was a redeeming feature, given the endless bodies that had been in by the woman, but still, it was a beautiful sight6. "Well, you''re a Lycan and you guys technically have the breath of life. If you ask me, maybe you identally breathed it into her?" Malika said and Mbali took a few steps to the farthest end of the memorial room, surely they couldn''t be serious at the moment, tiring? "Hold on¡­ The breath of WHAT now? Don''t you tell me that I woke up to the angry ghost of this Greyson kid, man. I wouldn''t want to die so soon. Is there a way to turn it off? I meant no offense to you Hawi and since you love her so much, but maybe it''s not really a good idea for her toe back as a ghost? "Dammit, she might haunt me for the endless times I was mean to her. Goodness, I should have been nicer what the fuck¡­ Someone say something!!! Hawi?" Mbali cried out and Hawi smirked at her devilishly like this was Mbali''s karma for having to be there all the time and being a nuisance to the two of them right? But then it couldn''t be, and did Lycans really have the breath of life? What the hell was going on? "You gave her back to me and now you want to take her back?" Hawi looked at Mbali pitifully and Mbali could have sworn she was very fit for that mental hospital that Hawi had been suggesting to her, maybe she was losing her sanity like this. "I¡­ WHAT? Girl, what did you just say? I swear you people are going to give me a heart attack and I hope the goddess forgives me for forcing this spirit back to her," Mbali said before she grabbed her long sword and positioned herself so she was close to Rukiya''s neck. Just one slice with her Lycan sword, and the werewolf Alpha would be dead, dead and dead. Hopefully locked in the spirit world forever, right? "I swear I''m not crazy, little spirit, I hope you forgive me for this when Ie to the afterlife, okay? It''s nothing personal, man," Mbali said as she swung her sword and Rukiya held the sword making Mbali look at her in shock. "Listen up girl, I''m leaving. I''m gone before y''all even have to start worrying about me," Mbali said as she surfed out of the room, leaving Malika and Hawi snickering like this was the best thing they had done on this crazy day. "What if Ruru runs after her and she finally thinks she is being haunted?" Malika suggested and Hawi fist-bumped her, before they turned to look at Rukiya who was staring at the two of them in disbelief. "Really now. You two know the poor thing is scared of ghosts and you use me to scare the hell out of her? You heard how she ranted and mourned. I swear you people are crazy," Rukiya said while the protector and the white wolfughed, hoping not to wake the Greyson pack. They had been so tired from the chaos that they wanted something to unwind, so they did this to Mbali. "Oh please, look at her still runni¡ª" "Finish that sentence, I dare you," Rukiya said to Malika who raised her hands in surrender. "Yup, that''s my cue to get Mbali back¡­ but you should have let us have more fun¡ª" "You''re still here?" Rukiya asked and Hawi disappeared. Chapter 203: Of Twisted Realities [GREYSON] With Hawi gone after Mbali, Malika stood at the memorial site while Rukiya sat as she watched the mess that had unfolded. This time she had heard it right, Mbali had mentioned that her mother was the one Hawi was protecting her from. It was cruel and Rukiya wanted to ask for more information. She had so many questions, really especially how she hade to be alive when she had been stabbed. Hell, she wanted to know why the entire Greyson was in mourning and she could feel their pain, not to mention hear their cries. It was a heartfelt moment but then Rukiya was alive and confused. The de had pierced her heart and she felt it stop. She had felt every ounce of the pain that came with it, and the poison she was sure wasced with j, so what was this? Maybe Mbali was right and she was a ghost? Damn, Rukiya wouldn''t think straight, so she shook her head as if to shake the thoughts away, but was that supposed to work? "What happened to me, Malika? I felt it. I felt the poison overtaking my body. Why is everyone including Adolf so sure I am dead? What the fuck is going on? And what did my mother do?" Rukiya asked as she tried to get a hold of herself. She was worried that things were escting. She was worried that at this rate she would not be left with anyone to trust. If her mother really was the one to make a deal with Jer to kill her then there was so much insanity than she had thought possible. "I think it''s best for my Mistress to exin it to you, Rukiya. Even I am still trying to understand what the hell happened and how it got to this point, not to mention why she is insisting that everyone feel your loss. "I know she is always crazy, but for you, she could turn the world upside down. I know by now I shouldn''t be telling you how I will ruin you in thousands of pieces if you break her heart, but please, Rukiya¡­ Please take good care of her. "She is our salvation and without her, we will be doomed to have chaos that won''t stop for years on end. An immortal life will never mean anything if we are always at war. You can stop that," Malika said as she looked at Hawi who was dragging a horrified Mbali. "If ever therees a time or day when you don''t feel the same way as she does, let me know and I will know what to do so she doesn''t hurt. You won''t be in any danger for saying no to her, that much I can assure you," Malika added softly. "I know, Malika. And I don''t think I can live without her. If I have to live a life without her, then I hope I never get someone else. She is everything to me, everything. And I know she is still convinced that this isn''t because of the oath, but it isn''t. "She has so many trust issues, so many people broke her heart while she was too young, and I n on fixing her up. It doesn''t matter how long it takes. And just like you said, she is important and we have to keep her happy. "The same applies to you too, Malika. I may just be a regr wolf, but for that mother of crazies, I could be anything. So, I hope you also don''t betray her, ever," Rukiya said with a toothy smile to Malika who was also smiling. Perhaps being on the same page was the start they needed. But then with Hawi''s skepticism, the two women knew they had to find a way to make Hawi believe and trust that people would really want to be around her, without the bonds. That they would genuinely like her without being attached to her magically. It was a probable chance at insanity, but it was one that her friends were more than willing to explore. It didn''t matter what price was to be paid, as long as she was happy. "Heyy, look who I found," a panting Hawi said as she held Mbali with a rope. Malika wasn''t sure where the rope hade from and frankly, she didn''t want to know. These two were wild on their own and here they were, doing the usual, which wasn''t even surprising anymore. "The ghost whisperer is back. Hello Mi," Malika greeted dly like this was the norm for the both of them. Rukiya facepalmed as Mbali looked at her like this was some sick joke. She couldn''t wrap her head around the possibility of the mess, but she should have known that as creatures of magic, nothing was impossible. "Listen, Rukiya, or Hawi''s Ruru, or whatever the fuck you havee back as," Mbali began as she tried to slow her breathing. She couldn''t run away, thanks to Hawi and her ropes, but maybe she could make her peace with this woman, right? "I know I haven''t been the nicest babysitter, but I hope you understand that whether alive or dead you are the best thing that happened to our group of crazies. And I really hope you are not dead, because I can''t stand seeing Hawi hurting again. "I know that''s selfish, but it is what it is. This little girl has suffered more times than she should have and if youe to hurt her, I will be the ghost whisperer and I will ask the goddess to give me one chance as a ghost, and girllll¡­ "The things I will do to you in the spirit world will never let the goddess give me a chance into the spirit world forever. She would probably spend her lifeline trying to make sure I stay alive. Anyway, I really hope you''re real. Please be alive.." Mbali said, her voice softening in the end. Malika looked at Mbali whose silent tears were showing. She was being for real? Damn, this was not what they had nned for. "Hey, Mbali¡­ She''s alive. We just want everyone to believe she''s dead, so we can get a handle on Razia and the Seven. I swear on Hawi''s life," Malika said and Rukiya smacked her arm as if to tell her that this wasn''t the time. "Oww, your hands are so harsh for someone who should be dead, woman," Malika whined and Hawi sighed. She was supposed to be the crazy one but each time her friend proved to her that there was a new level of insanity to be unlocked. "You''re real? I take back everything I said. You''re alive, so that was not meant for you. Those were words for your ghost," Mbali said as she wiped her tears and Hawi freed her from the ropes in the hope that Mbali wouldn''t make a run for it again. "Whatever floats your boat, Mbali. Care to give this lonely ghost a hug?" Rukiya asked and Mbali jumped at the chance, making them all breathe a sigh of relief. "So¡­ My mother really wants me dead, huh?" Rukiya asked and they all stared in silence. All this time, the Greyson warriors were still mourning, and to anyone who was watching the memorial site, Malika and Hawi were looking depressed as they tried toe to terms with the reality of a gone Rukiya. If anything, for them, Hawi was weeping uncontrobly. Chapter 204: Careful What You Ask For [JER] Standing on the battlefield as the Greyson warriors went back home, Jeremiah Warner was desperate. Nothing had gone as he had nned and he wanted to know if the Greyson Alpha was really dead. Granted, he had heard the howls in the distance, but until he saw the body himself, there was no telling if that was the truth. After all, Razia Greyson had proven to him one too many times that his Malika would be coteral no matter what happened. "What the fuck did you do?!" Jer shouted at Theo who was staring at the disappearing warriors. Razia had been clear with him from the very beginning. He had to be the one to do it. Just him and no one else. And if it was that Rukiya Greyson was dead and that too by Theo''s hands, his Malika was doomed. Jer was angry. He couldn''t think straight, so instead of listening to what Malika had told him, the young Alpha decided to take out his anger on the unexpecting warrior, who was still in shock. He couldn''t believe what had happened and he was very sure this was a cause for war. The Greysons would never forgive the Sicarios for this and Theo had ensured that. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry Alpha. I didn''t know what happened. One moment I was fighting the warriors with my des, and the next minute it was glistening with a fire and headed for the Greyson Alpha. "I swear I never wanted to kill her. Sure, I wanted to ask her why there was a war since you refused to tell us, but I didn''t mean to," Theo rambled as he looked at his furious Alpha. He had done something that no one would ever forget. He had cursed the entire pack to a fate worse than death. Now they would never know why the Greysons truly attacked them and the Greysons woulde for them full throttle the next time. It was a reality that was hitting Jer a little too fast. He was losing desperately. He wanted to win. He had intended to win when he came here. He had intended for his people to go home victorious, for his woman to be safe from every threat, and for his people to look at him as someone worthy of leading them. And now the only thing Jeremiah Warner had was shame and guilt, not to mention immeasurable anger for things he couldn''t control. He should have known that he wasn''t the only one the Seven had in the field, but as it was, he was already fucked. "Sorry? That''s all you got? Do you even know what you have done? You have condemned the entire pack to a cruel fate!!! You have made us the direct target of an unintended war!! We were supposed to win and make a truce. "We were supposed to¡­ To get this as a chance to redeem our home, our people, and my Luna and you just condemned all of us to whatever fate there is in the hands of the Seven!!" Jer said angrily and he went down on his knees. He couldn''t believe that this had happened. He had failed and Razia would being for Malika. Theo looked at his Alpha shocked at the deration. It was like the Alpha was iming they could all lose their lives, as long as the luna was alive. It made the enforcer ask so many questions internally, that they weren''t any good for Jeremiah. He was curious, and expectedly, the enforcer wanted answers, but he couldn''t get himself to ask them because then it would be seen as a sign of disrespect. Honestly, the man who had led them into war didn''t deserve their respect. This man had pulled them down as much as he could and yet he was here ying forlorn saint? This wasn''t eptable on any front, and unlike Theo who was scared to speak up, Kane wasn''t. "Don''t you think you''re overreacting, ALPHA? We went to war. Shit happens in war. They knew what they were getting intoing against us, and we knew what we were getting into, following you into war. "They started the war¡­ So why do you make it sound like we should have let them trample over our people? The way I see it, if Rukiya Greyson is dead, then that''s good for us. She came to war and she died on the battlefield. "Stop making it sound like we are expendable after the stint you just pulled. If anything, you should be exining what the fuck just happened and why we came to war barely a day after the attacks. "Hell, our dead are not even cold enough in the ground yet, or did you forget that? The bitch gave us three whole days. Three fucking days and yet here we are. What the fuck were you hoping for, huh?" Elodie asked angrily as she pushed Jer''s chest. She was done staying on the sidelines. She didn''t care what the fuck Jer was doing for his Malika or who he was to sacrifice, but if Jeremiah Warner was to take the Sicario army with him, he needed to step up like a real Alpha and stop being bitch about everything. Maybe he was right for this, but there was no way he was that pissed off because of one dead woman. Their people were dead and they had lost scores, but the Alpha wasn''t even worried about that. That was absolute bullshit and if it wasn''t that the man was their Alpha, Elodie could have challenged him. But then there were more things for them to attain. "I am the Alpha, Kane. watch your mouth," Jer warned and Elodie snickered angrily. This Alpha was a piece of work, if not a piece of shit for all that had happened, and he was still pressing on. Perhaps he couldn''t see the dead bodies in the field, no? Perhaps he couldn''t see the Greyson warriors and their smirks in the dark despite them having werewolf sight, yeah? Or maybe Jer was just a selfish man who cared only for his Malika and just that. Oh, how Elodie wanted to put him in his ce, but then that would mean ruining Malika''s mission, and that in itself would be the cause of her very own death, that too in the hands of the woman she loved. "MY Alpha? Do you even know what that means?" Elodie asked as she stared at the mess they had been left in. "You know what Alphas do, Jer? They step up. Alphas know when to pull back. Alphas don''t go to war with ulterior motives. Alphas know what the price for war is and Alphas, like you would want to call yourself, don''t sway their warriors with magic just so they can support them. "You are no Alpha, Warner. Perhaps you want to re-evaluate yourself and start thinking like an Alpha because otherwise, I will be the one to challenge you, and I know I will win. "Careful what you ask for Warner, the universe might just grant it to you," Elodie warned before she walked away from Jer, and started looking for survivors. That was the only thing she could do at the moment because otherwise, she would be like Jeremiah Warner tonight. "Theo, let''s check for survivors," Kane said. Chapter 205: The Union Vote of Power [JER] When he had agreed to take up the mighty Alpha position when his mate was banished, Jer had been d. If anything, he had felt like it was the greatest honor of his life. He had pride, love, and the loyalty of his people. They relied on him and trusted him. However fast forward three yearster, Jer wasn''t sure what was what anymore. He had spent the past year of his life obsessing over the woman he loved choosing her over and over even when everything was chaotic. He loved her with all he had and didn''t have. Perhaps that was the kind of love he had wanted from Hawi and now he could only give it, to let Malika know what love was. Or maybe that was what he had wanted the whole time, to be in a seat of power and make the decisions. Even then, why did it seem like all his decisions were wrong? "All I wanted was to make it better for us," Jer whispered sadly, as he looked for survivors. His warriors were furious with him. They disapproved of him and there was no doubt their allegiance was slowly changing. Jer should have expected that from the moment the wolves saw Hawi alive. Maybe it was a long stretch, and maybe he needed to be hopeful, but the result of it all wasn''t worth it. Soon enough Razia Greyson would being and he knew that he couldn''t get out of this without scratches. A price had to be paid, and he sure hoped it wasn''t the life of the woman he loved. He was selfish, but for her, he would be selfless. For hours on end, the Sicario warriors helped their survivors home. The camp they had attacked may have been in the freends, but it was a little farther from Sicario, which meant that the road back would be long and hellish for them. Everyone would see them for the failures they were. They had been beaten to a pulp and without mercy. Most of them had broken knees while some had all their bonespletely broken. It would take at least a month for them to be healed but was that enough time for them? "This is bullshit. If this is the Alpha we must be with, then I would rather be a rogue." "We were supposed to have the best strategist, but we got our asses handed to us because of an ipetent Alpha. I refuse to be a part of that mess." "The sicarios are dead. We can always choose another Alpha." "Alpha Awuor is still alive. She still has the right to the seat." "She can''te back because she was banished." "Her father is dead. No one is going to uphold the banishment. Even the council elders know the riff-raff we have for an Alpha is as useless as theye. Hell, even the luna seems wiser than the bastard." The Sicario warriors were venting and it wasn''t pretty. They were done with Jeremiah Warner and wanted to bring him to the books. To most of them, Jer wasn''t the leader to follow into a war. He wasn''t the kind to lead the well and they were slowly learning that. "Warrior Kane, you are our current beta. Do you think you can lead us well?" one of the wolves asked and Elodie, who had been silent in the training room, looked at them with shock on her face. She had expected them to be mad at Jer, but she hadn''t expected that they would want him as soon as they got home. It wasn''t like them to make cush decisions, but then Elodie understood them. She had no conscience in the Alpha and seemingly the entire Sicairos line of defense was against him.If the situation would have been different if they hadn''t been misused by the Alpha, and if they all didn''t want him gone. "Oh,e on, warrior Kane. You know he is fit to lead us. Just say the word. If you want to lead us to the next war, which is definitelying, we will support you. The entire battalion will be on your side. "If you want us to help you oust that useless fuck we have for an Alpha, then we will be there for you. You will have Sicario military support. All you have to do is simply say yes," Theo said angrily as he looked at Elodie. He was mad that shit had gone like this and how their Alpha was acting wasn''t even pretty. Any Alpha would always check on his warriors after the war, and here they were a little into the morning of the day after the war and none of them had seen Jerimiah Warner. It was like the man had forgotten he had an army he had blindly led into an unwinnable war, and he needed to talk to them. He should have understood the dynamics of power, but bit by bit, he was praying to them just how useless he was. That was uneptable. "Plotting against the Alpha is treason, and the punishment is death," Kane softly said to the warriors who let out groans. What part of their unconditional support was the beta not understanding? Of course, Elodie understood them. They were angry and rightfully so, but then filling Jer''s shoes wasn''t going to be easy, not when he had created such a huge mess and not when the in line for power was his luna. Perhaps they could try the Luna, right? "Not plotting against useless ones. The man couldn''t even lead us well, no wonder he had resorted to some magic to get us to leave our home and attack a camp. If I had the power, I would have strangled him with my hands," another warrior said and the rest cheered on. The morning was a dangerous one in Sicario and maybe Jer had long figured that out because he wasn''t seen for the rest of the day, not even the second day, row the third. It was almost like the Alpha had gone into hibernation. He refused toe out, fueling more unrest in Sicario. Time wasn''t a thing they had, and their Alpha had locked the mind link, so he had no clue what they wanted from him. He was in his world. "Are you serious right now?" Elodie asked on the fifth day, when she had checked the entire pack house for the man and didn''t find him, only to get him hurdled up against the door to Hawi''s suite, like some monk praying for the impossible. It didn''t make any sense, that everything was going awry against him outside, and all he could do was wait at Hawi''s suite. It was not logical and if Elodie didn''t know that Malika was supposed to be in there she would have throat the Alpha was losing his mind. "Is this it for you? Do you think you will get my sister''s brains transferred into your empty one if you lean on her door like some clueless wimp? Your people need you and you''re here wallowing in pity. The people need their Luna and you have yet to answer any of the questions. "What is going on with you? Are you stepping down from the Alpha position?" Elodie asked given she was done pestering him. "The warriors want you for them. Why don''t you step up? We both know you can do better than a wallowing pathetic Alpha, right?" Chapter 206: The Difficult Decisions [HAWI] [Five Days Ago] "What now?" Rukiya asked as she looked at Hawi. She knew that this hadn''t been the easiest of decisions and while they had been relying on Mbali''s shock to ease them into the intensity of the situation, it wasn''t as light as they imagined. Razia Greyson was a key suspect in her daughter''s apparent murder and that was something that no one would be waking up from anytime soon. It was the kind of chaos that no one knew of and honestly, it was scary. Malika looked at Hawi, their eyes shing in silent agreement, almost like there was something that needed to be done and that the rest of their team wasn''t supposed to know. But would it even work? "We kill me," Malika said and Mbali stared at the protector confused. There was just no way this group of psychos was right in the head. There had been so many deaths today, and they were still talking about another one. What the hell was not going on with them? "Oh, I''m sorry¡­ Your what now?" Mbali asked, her head in her arms as she tried toprehend the situation. Frankly, she wasn''t the only one worried about that development. Hawi was too, hell, even Rukiya wasn''t sure this was a good idea. "My death, Mbali. I need to die for the n to work," Malika added as if they hadn''t heard her the first time. And so, the other three women started talking andining at the same time, whining about what the hell was going on. They were slowly turning the memorial site into a space for argument, which was not pretty at all, given this was a night for them to be mourning Rukiya. But then the one to be mourned was the first to be in disagreement. Perhaps they deserved each other? "Can we please talk about something else other than losing one of us again?" "Which one are you going to die?" "What the hell do you mean ''which you''?" "Are we even on the same page?" Malika asked, tired of the endless bickering. At this rate, she would lose her mind and she wasn''t even back to the ce that needed her the most. These three women were driving her nuts. "NO!!" "Great. So how about we listen this time? Instead of acting like their mouths are running on a memorial site, no? Perhaps that shouldn''t make it easier for your little brains to grasp the conce¡ª not a word, Hawi," Malika said, as she looked at her assignment. "I wasn''t going to say anything," Hawi whined. "You totally were," Rukiya said with a smirk on her face. "I was not," Hawi insisted even though it was pretty obvious that she was about to start whining again. "Yeah, whatever gets you through the cold night," Mbali said to Hawi, before adding, "Speaking of cold, can someone please for the love of the goddess conjure me a nket or something? My feet are freezing and I feel my chest constricting." "Don''t you have magic for that?"Rukiya asked, rolling her eyes at the Lycan who could get whatever she wanted. "Aren''t you supposed to be dead?" Mbali said, while Malika and Hawi ooh-ed as Rukiya clutched her heart in disbelief. "That¡­ You¡­ Hawiiii tells Mbali to stop being mean to me, I''m not the one who wants to kill herself," Rukiya said with a pout and Hawi just facepalmed. She had never thought that there woulde a day when she would have toe between Ruru and Mbali. Granted, the two always had their moments but this wasn''t the time for the both of them to be meanies to each other. And now they were staring at Hawi, alms daring her to pick a side, then again which side was Hawi to pick when she valued them both? "Y''know what, how about we focus on the version that Malika wants to kill, yeah? And it would be better if she exins why because both versions are pretty functional at the moment, unless I''m the one who doesn''t understand what the hell is going on right now," Hawi said. Rukiya looked at Mbali showing her her tongue, and Mbali did just the same while Malika snickered before conjuring a nket for Mbali. She had almost forgotten that away from the danger that these women were, they were always going to be children at heart. It was a beautiful sight that she couldn''tin about, especially since they were covered in the blood of their enemies. Perhaps in every household, there was a need for this bnce however unhinged it was, yeah? "As I was saying before your¡ª'''' Malika began but then she noticed the trio was looking at her, daring her to say some sarcastic statement and perhaps they were right, because Malika did change her statement. "You people look at me like I''m a culprit or something, when I am innocent. Anyway, we need to kill my character in Jer''s life. As it is, he is obsessed with that meek Malika, and it is risking the lives of his own wolves. "I am all for vengeance but there is no better way to push Jer to the edge right now, than to take out the only thing he cares about, more than his parents. If we take me out, then he will have to find someone to me and right now, all the fingers point to one person and one person only¡ª" Malika began and Rukiya sighed. She had never thought there woulde such a day, but having been a warrior for so long and a leader too, Rukiya knew there were sacrifices that had to be made. Her mother was bing a risk to the entire n that Hawi had and even more to Hawi''s life. If that woman went on with her ns then the entire werewolf race would be taken out. They needed her distracted and perhaps she would lead them to her other band of crazies, or the ones she called the seven. No one knew what the ''seven'' meant or even what it was they did, but if they were anything like Razia Greyson, then they were dangerous. Very dangerous and needed to be dealt with, at least as soon as possible. And what better way than to use Jeremiah Warner as the bait, right? "My dearest mother," Rukiya whispered defeatedly. She loved her mother no doubt but then there was more at stake and she was bing a poison to all of that perhaps this was the only way, or not. But it wasn''t like they had enough time to think of another n, when there was limited time on their hands. They also needed to take advantage of the unrest in Sicario as it could prove useful to them. "Yes. If this is going to be hard on you, Rukiya, this is the time to get out. I know you think this is just us being maniacs again, but the white wolf has to be protected, and your mother is a danger to that. Trust me, if I am a risk to her, I would eliminate myself. "If Mbali was, then she would eliminate herself. The rules are clear, and if you were the risk, then Hawi would have to kill you herself, given you made a blood oath with her and only she can break that connection. It''s nothing personal, young Greyson," Malika exined softly. Chapter 207: Why Can’t You Hold Me [1] [HAWI] "My dearest mother," Rukiya whispered defeatedly. "Yes. if this is going to be hard on you, Rukiya, this is the time to get out. I know you think this is just us being maniacs again, but the white wolf has to be protected, and your mother is a danger to that. Trust me, if I am a risk to her, I would eliminate myself. "If Mbali was, then she would eliminate herself. The rules are clear, and if you were the risk, then Hawi would have to kill you herself, given you made a blood oath with her and only she can break that connection. It''s nothing personal, young Greyson," Malika exined softly. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy. Having one of them as a target was not something to toy around with and Malika knew that there were many others who would show up once Hawi took over officially as the white wolf. If the seven were foreign to be a problem, then she needed to start finding out a way to them as soon as possible, otherwise they would be stuck in a loop of the impossible. That wasn''t going to be an easy choice for anyone, and not at any time. "I am not good atforting people, Rukiya, perhaps that remains one of my ''redeemable'' traits. But I am telling you this early so that if you know that your mother died by my hands, you know why I did it. "She is dangerous, especially if she can use her own child to try and thwart the fates. That is a really bold step and Hawi already lost her entire family to her. I can''t let Hawi lose again. You are important to Hawi, so I won''t let you die. "But to do that¡­ To protect my Mistress¡­ I hope you understand and if you don''t understand, then best believe me when I say it is nothing personal. I like you, but I have a duty to the white wolf and the realm," Malika added. This was not going to be easy, but decisions had to be made. "It''s okay, I understand. What do we do about me? My mother thinks I''m dead. What should we do about that?" Rukiya asked as she looked around. She could see the Greyson warriors with bowed heads, facing her memorial site. She could see the silent tears falling down their faces, and it hurt her to know that they had to do this much before they got to the end of their path. Maybe there was a reason for this, a better purpose, something that could help her understand her mother. Maybe she would find it when they got to the end of the road, right? Hawi looked at her chosen mate. She knew that this wasn''t the easiest of choices for Rukiya and she wondered if it would have been easier for Rukiya if she wasn''t bound to Hawi. There were so manyplications and in moments like these, Hawi felt like she had ruined Rukiya''s life. "You''re ming yourself again, Hawi. Stop doing that," Rukiya said as she looked at her mate. "No, I am not," Hawi said defeatedly. The woman she had chosen knew her a little too well and while that was supposed to be scary for someone like her, she felt like maybe, just maybe she finally belonged and someone cared just enough times. "Don''t me yourself. I knew what I was getting into with the bond. Even if there was no blood oath, I still would have looked for you, Hawi. I fell in love with you, that''s why I went looking. I wanted you for me, so don''t you stand here contemting the options. "I made my choice, and I choose you. Whateveres with that, I will ept. For better and for worse, sweetheart, always, and forever," Rukiya said as she gently brushed Hawi''s cheeks. They were cold but that didn''t matter at the moment, as long as Hawi knew she didn''t have to me herself for everything that came by. They couldn''t have that and they needed to get past that. Granted, Hawi was always doing that, but then Rukiya had sworn to get her out of that me cage, always. And she was doing a better job with each turn of events. "I love you too, baby," Hawi said, staring into her mate''s eyes fondly, before kissing her forehead. Maybe she really hadn''t made a terrible choice going in with Rukiya, yeah? "So¡­ about the de that Rukiya was stabbed with, Hawi, you''ll have to remove it, once we leave. That way, it will be easier to convince Razia that you did it on your own. That you saved her daughter and brought her back to life. "She might not like it, but I bet she will do a good job acting. As for Mbali and I, we will build another camp, seeing as we told Her that the rksons are dead. The entire pack will be relocated, while we warriors will set up an invisible camp closer to Sicario. "That way, we can use magic to investigate the warriors even more and trigger them to the worst of states,., not to mention we can see how Jer keeps stalling," Malika said and Hawi stared at her protector. She had always known Mika was loyal and ready to go over and beyond for her, but witnessing it was time made Hawi feel like she was loved. Malika was proving daily that Hawi was worth fighting for, and she was not alone. "What are the Greyson warriors? They will need to know what happened," Mbali said after a long silence. She had been listening and frankly each word that the trip spoke, made her want to seek out Razia Greyson and torture the information out of her. But then she wouldn''t be that rash because of the stakes. Patience was something she wished she never trained for tonight. "I will handle them. They trust Rukiya, so they will trust me. Besides, Ruru can tell them that I''m the white wolfter on or tomorrow, it doesn''t really matter when whatever happens, we can handle the Greyson warriors," Hawi said confidently. She had been with these warriors to know how they thought and even if Rukiya wasn''t here with them, she could have already figured out what to say to the Greyson warriors. It wasn''t going to be easy, but they hadn''te this far just to quit. "But Hawi¡­ if Razia is one of the Seven as she ims¡­ and we don''t know who the Seven are or what they are capable of, other than the fact that they despise the white wolf¡­ who''s to tell that she can''t see through the facade we are putting on? "If she has magic, and it''s that strong, is there a chance that she can see us here now? That she can feel her daughter''s lifeline, or even know that we are pulling some prank here? I know I never worry about regr warlocks, but Razia is insane for this. "It takes a special kind of madness to want your child gone in the name of a greater good that could probably mean a greater loss for you. I don''t understand her and that''s scary," Mbali asked the question that Rukiya had been having the whole time. "Nothing can beat the magic of a protector, Mbali. Nothing. I let the de pass and hit Rukiya," Malika admitted. Chapter 208: Why Can’t You Hold Me [2] [HAWI] "But Hawi¡­ if Razia is one of the Seven as she ims¡­ If she has magic, and it''s that strong, is there a chance that she can see us here now? That she can feel her daughter''s lifeline, or even know that we are pulling some prank here? "It takes a special kind of madness to want your child gone in the name of a greater good that could probably mean a greater loss for you. I don''t understand her and that''s scary," Mbali asked the question that Rukiya had been having the whole time. "Nothing can beat the magic of a protector, Mbali. Nothing. I let the de pass and hit Rukiya," Malika admitted, and Rukiya and Mbali stared at her like she needed to exin more. There was just no way they went through that when it could have been avoided. "But¡ª" "I know what you think. If that de didn''t touch Rukiya we wouldn''t have known the deal was real. We wouldn''t have watched Jeremiah be that pathetic. It had to be done," Malika said in a tone that told them that if she had to make the same decision, then she would have. "Okay," Mbali said in understanding. There was something about Malika that creeped her out the more they knew each other and her powers. If she could do that to a woman the white wolf had chosen, what would she do to Hawi''s killing machine then? "Any more questions?" Malika asked and they just watched her in silence. Hawi however was staring at Rukiya, almost like she couldn''t believe the woman belonged to her. She couldn''t be med because each time, Rukiya felt like a dream to her. She didn''t want to lose this dream even to the creator. She couldn''t and if she had to ruin more than she needed to, then she would without a sedan choice. "Where will you be going from here then?" Rukiya asked and Malika just chuckled. "Anywhere and everywhere, young Greyson. Anywhere and everywhere. Just stay by our Mistress''s side and you won''t have to worry about using after you. If she needs us, we will be there in a blink," Mbali said as she gently patted Rukiya on the thigh. "Mistress, allow us to take our leave now. We have our work assigned to us already," Malika said respectfully as she bowed to Hawi. "Be safe out there, Malika. Now that you won''t be a Warner, I know it won''t be easy to control your anger. Let it out, we can always share the consequences," Hawi said and Malika justughed, before she hugged Hawi, a little too tightly. "What are you doing, Malika?" Hawi asked when their hugsted longer than she imagined. Thest time Malika had hugged her like that, she had taken Hawi''s anger and pain from the betrayal and banishment. She had absorbed it all. "You''re in pain from Razia''s betrayal. It''s my duty to make sure you are not in pain and to make sure that no matter what happens, everything pans out well. I should have taken your pain from your father''s death, but I couldn''t because you wanted to feel it all. "But you don''t need the pain anymore, Mistress. Not even from Greyson Luna''s betrayal; I will fix that for you. Besides, for that it is my duty to keep you sane, however crazy it all gets," Malika said, holding Hawi tighter while Mbali and Rukiya watched in awe and silence. They had never known what Malika''s job description was, but it meant taking all the pain, then this woman had one hell of a job, because Hawi was always in pain, one way or the other, almost like she was cursed to always be broken. Her heart was always shattered, her mind filled with so much anger, and her existence riddled with so many attacks. Then again, if Hawi was always that crazy when she wasn''t controlled by pain and anger, then there was no telling how dark the world could get if she let herself feel all her pain, or if Malika didn''t absorb her pain. "Thank you," Hawi whispered when Malika was done. "My life is meant for serving you, Mistress. It is my greatest honor, as a creature of magic, and as your protector," Malika said, before she broke the hug, and stumbled, making Mbali reach out to her. However, one touch from Mbali, and Mbali was also going down. "Shit, your body is hot and it feels like I just came in touch with thorns," Mbaliined and Malika just smiled meekly at Mbali. This always happened when she absorbed Hawi''s pain. It was always this bad, but then there had been a lot going on with Hawi. She had been holding too much in, and Malika had to take it all like she was meant to. This was normal for her, right? "I am not the original source of the pain, so you can imagine what my Mistress always holds in," Mika whispered as she tried to get her footing. When she did, she saw Mbali looking at her sadly, Rukiya looking at her pitifully and Hawi was looking at her proudly. That was what Malika hoped for each time. The pride. Hawi was proud of her and that''s enough for him as the protector to go on. It didn''t matter what else happened, because, at the end of the day, they would be a unit. "We''ll get going now, Mistress. Please get something to eat. And sleep well. I''ll see you soon and keep you updated," Malika said before she created a portal for Mbali and the Lycans to go through, making Mali stare in awe. Perhaps the protector job wasn''t an easy one and needed strong people. Really strong people, because if that was Mbali she knew she would have long quit the job. With onest wave at Hawi and Rukiya, Mbali and Malika along with their team left for wherever. "That was intense¡­ are you okay?" Rukiya asked once Malika and the Lycans had left. She could tell that something else was bothering Hawi. Maybe it was Razia Greyson again, but Rukiya wanted to tell her that she would deal with her mother. However, she wasn''t sure how to start with that. "Yeah, yeah. I should take you to your room," Hawi sighed as she looked at the timeliness left with Malika''s disappearance she would miss her protector, but then like Malika had said, they all had duties to their mission. "It''s cold here. Let''s go¡­ I''ll walk," Rukiya offered and Hawi snorted at her, making Ruru look at her like she had gone bonkers. Well with all that happened tonight, maybe she had. "That''s a no for you, sweetheart. You have endured enough for the night. I''ll carry you and you don''t have a say in that, unfortunately," Hawi said, her tone telling Rukiya that there was no more room for argument. Then again, it wasn''t like Rukiya would say no to Hawi holding her, right? "Okay, I''m ready for carriage, Your Highness," Rukiya said, making Hawi facepalm before carrying her bridal style in the direction of the Greyson pack house. "Where are you taking my daughter, Awuor Sicario?" Razia''s angry voice interrupted Hawi once she made it to the pack house and headed for Rukiya''s room. "Want to try stopping me from carrying my mate, Razia?" Hawi asked with a void tone, making the Greyson luna swallow thickly. Chapter 209: Shut. The Fuck. Up. [HAWI] "Where are you taking my daughter, Awuor Sicario?" Razia''s angry voice interrupted Hawi once she made it to the pack house and headed for Rukiya''s room. She looked like she wanted to beat the living daylights out of Hawi, which was interesting, because Hawi wanted to do the same to her for what she had attempted to do to her only child. It was incredulous, really. "Want to try stopping me from carrying my mate, Razia?" Hawi asked with a void tone, making the Greyson luna swallow thickly. "She''s my daughter. And you killed her with the damn oath you bound her with," Razia said bitterly as she walked over to where Hawi was. She looked like a worried mother and if Hawi didn''t know the horrible truth, she could have easily bought the act. "Oh really, Razia? You want to y the concerned mother right now? Are you sure you want to walk that road with ME?" Hawi asked, her nostrils ring as she red at the Greyson Luna. This woman had some nerveing to her like that. There was nothing that could stop her from ruining Razia Greyson, save for Rukiya who was in her arms, light as a feather, to the point that Hawi almost forgot that she had someone in her arms that she held dear. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? My daughter is dead, and you are here ying good mate. Perhaps I should have my warriors walk you out of Greyson. You bring bad luck to everyone you interact with. "You already spread your bad karma to my daughter and now she is dead and will nevere back to me," Razia said bitterly and Hawi scoffed. This woman was really tempting her patience at the moment, wasn''t she? Looking at Rukiya in her arms Hawi sighed before she picked up her pace and headed towards Rukiya''s bedroom. She wasn''t in the mood to argue with Razia, really because the woman was riding her up constantly and she was tempted to give in to her anger. Maybe she would, but until then she needed to make sure that her mate got some sleep. Rukiya had been with her on the battlefield and had earned the rest. She didn''t care about anyone else, and if someone tried stopping her, she would ruin them. "Aren''t you going to say something? The de was for you and it hit my sweet child. She stepped in because of you," Razia said and that was thest straw for Hawi, because she cast a spell on the girl in her arms, letting her dangle in the air, in a protective cube. Hawi then walked back to Razia, the woman who was dating her in so many ways. This woman had no right whatsoever to do this, and yet she had done it. She had ruined her daughter''s life. Hawi knew if the de had truly hit Rukiya, she would be dead, dead and dead. "Listen up, Razia. And listen well because the next time, I might just spoil your brains and feed them to your little wolves. The Greyson warriors are mine tomand unless I decide otherwise. They are bound to me through that oath you ry hate. "Which means, I couldmand the sweet warrior standing down the hall to kill you and I would do it without question. Don''t tempt my fury, because I might just use you as my first little experiment, you understand?" Hawi said to Razia, her face so close to the woman who was staring at her with equally cold eyes. Razia wasn''t scared of Hawi, and that was exciting for Hawi. She was suddenly interested in what would make Razia Greyson fold. If it was about the magic she had, Hawi could take it away, and make sure that she never went back to her pretty seven or whatever the hell that group was to her. "You wouldn''t dare," Razia said and Hawi chuckled darkly as she looked at Razia, running her hands in the woman''s hair, like it was some plush carpet for her, Hawi was slowly losing her mind with Razia and this woman needed to be very careful. "Come now, Razia. You seriously don''t want to tempt the girl who was shunned for killing her mother now, hmm? I may be innocent, but I have thought of that night countless times to finally understand why it was so easy for people to me me for my mother''s death. "Y''know, it hurts so bad, hell it still hurts that my mother dearest isn''t with us anymore. But then that is beside the point now, eh? Everyone knew I was crazy long before I knew myself, which is why, this warrior here, he is going to run his de on your arm and you won''t scream," Hawi said. Razia was so focused on Hawi that she failed to understand the woman''s worms. By the time she came to, there was a Greyson warrior, with a cold face staring at her, and holding her arm, with his de. The warriors tore through Luna''s shirt, exposing her beautiful arms. He then looked at Hawi with a smile, before he started carving a long line from the Luna''s shoulders, down to her right fingers. The warrior was tearing through his Luna''s arteries and making the blood flow so much. The worst part of it all, was that Razia Greyson tried to scream for help, but there was nothing. Not a sound. If anything, she looked like she was willingly giving her arm to the warrior who wasn''t even hesitating. She was fucked and she knew it, especially when she saw the warrior move to her other arm and look to Hawi as if to ask if she wanted Razia''s other arm sliced. There were bloodied footsteps where the warriors stood, and it made Hawi even more excited. "That''s enough warriors. You can go back to your position now," Hawi said with a smirk on her face as she looked at the blood on the floor, that wasn''t stopping, and then to Razia Greyson''s shocked face that wasn''t hiding the sheer horror. Finally, someone scared Razia Greyson, but maybe this was just the beginning of it all. "You were saying something earlier, Razia. What was it again?" Hawi asked knowing so well that the spell she had cast on the Greyson Luna was still in effect and she couldn''t talk for a while. It was obviously something that Luna Razia hadn''t expected. "Oops, my bad. Looks to me like you can''t talk. Perhaps we should keep you that way for a few more days, huh?" Hawi said sisterly before she looked at the de the warrior had dropped on the ground. It was pretty, covered in Luna''s blood and she wanted more. "Be a nice woman and pick up the de, Razia," Hawi said softly, with a beautiful smile like she was making m talk with her mother-inw despite the horror that Razia was shaking from. Then again, Hawi no longer cared. She would never forgive what Razia had dared to do. "Good. Slide down the wall, and hold the de tightly to your chest. Do not dare to move even if your blood flows and fills the entire pack house, alright? And remember to stay mute, or I will be the one to kill you for making me angry," Hawi warned. She walked away from Razia, took her mate, and walked into Rukiya''s room. Chapter 210: Let Me, Love, Please [HAWI] The following morning, Greyson woke up to the shock of their Luna mute and holding a de to her chest. To them, it was obvious that Luna couldn''t handle losing her daughter. It Was her way of grieving and they were scared for her. "She is deteriorating and it''s just the first day." "Her daughter was her lifeline, and now she is gone." "I hope she doesn''t turn out like the former alpha Greyson." "She is severely depressed, damn." The whispers were loud in Razia''s ears and they were fucking with her mind. She wanted to tell them that she was okay and that she hadn''t been suicidal, but the crazy psycho white wolf had forced her into this state. The only reaction she had when people passed her in the hallway was a soft defeated stare. She really looked like she was frustrated and worried about her ns. Their ns. The ns of the seven. If they knew that she was out of it, they would rece her and that scared the living daylights out of her. Perhaps she could try getting out of this, right? ''I can free myself,'' Razia thought to herself as she tried every spell she ever knew and none of it worked. If anything, it just made her feel worse because she looked like a maniac trying to stop herself from not slicing her other arm. It Was a wild sight and eventually, the warriors and her people began avoiding her. She looked like she had already lost her mind and would be changing people with the de she had in her hands. Sure, her blood had dried on the floor, making it even a miracle that she had survived the intense blood loss. Razia was weak and she had Hawi to thank for that. ''That crazy bitch,'' Razia said, cruising Hawi as if that would get her free of the chains. Outside the pack house, the warriors were sad about their alpha. They had received word from Adolf that Hawi had taken the alpha and was with her in her chambers. Hawi had told them that she would try and save their alpha even if it was thest thing she did with her life. The Greysons knew she was the white wolf, so they spent their days ying at the shrine and wishing the goddess that their alpha would be able to heal and that the white wolf would seed. They never once asked Razia about Hawi because they thought that Hawi was just like any other mate, and would be preupied with trying to get her mate back to them. It was a long shot, for the Greyson warriors, while for Hawi it was just a time for her to rest. When she had cast the spell on Rukiya, she had made sure to add a sleeping spell into it, which made the Greyson alpha sleep her brains out. She was so out of touch with the world that when Rukiya woke up five dayster, she couldn''t think of sleeping again. If anything, she had so many questions about what had happened especially when she woke up and released Razia Greyson was still in the same state she had been in for the past few days. "Why the fuck does she look like that?" Rukiya whisper-yelled at Hawi who was staring at her with a smirk on her face. She had just shown Ruru a vision of what her mother looked like and Ruru wasn''t sure the world was a better ce anymore. "She tried to fucking kill you. She''s lucky I love you so much, or I swear to the goddess I would have snuffed the life out of her and made her eat her shit," Hawi said as she plopped on the bed beside a shocked Rukiya. Of course, Ruru was worried for her mother, despite everything that the woman had done, but on the other hand she was worried for Hawi. She had seen Hawi at her worst and she could tell that this had easily been the hardest thing for the white wolf. "Hawi¡­ I''m fine. But you don''t look fine. Have you been sleeping well?" Rukiya asked and Hawi stared at her incredulously. Like she had forgotten the state they were in, but then the Greyson alpha wasn''t going to take a no for an answer. "I''m fine¡ª" "Don''t lie to me, sweetheart," Rukiya said sternly, the warning in her voice as she sat up beside her psycho mate. "Well¡ª" "Hawi," Rukiya red at her mate. "I can''t help thinking of what your mother will do now that she knows you''re alive. I may have given her just a taste of her medicine, but then it would agitate her even more and try to kill you again. It pisses me off and makes me want to kill her, but I can''t let you go through that pain. "I don''t want to live in a world without you, Ruru," Hawi whispered frustratedly while Rukiya stared at her softly and with so much love. "Oh baby¡­ You''ve been doing well so far sweetheart. How about you let me take over this time, huh? Let me take care of you," Rukiya said as she pulled Hawi into her,ying the wolf on herp like she was scared Hawi would break. "It''s a lot to handle, Ruru. It''s too much given that your mother is directly involved. I don''t need you getting hurt," Hawi voiced meekly. She loved being here with Ruru, in their own little world, a world in which there was no one else, but just them. But Hawi also knew that people wouldn''t stoping after her. Sure, she had made up her mind that she would stay with Rukiya as long as Ruru needed her, but she didn''t beat her to suffer because of Hawi. It was something that Hawi was determined to avoid, so much so that Hawi was forgetting that her mate was also one of the strongest wolves in the realm. Rukiya Greyson ranked second to Hawi alone, and that went a long way to show how powerful she was, and Hawi knew that. "And I don''t want you shouldering everything. Get some rest sweetheart, I''ll be taking care of you from now on. And don''t worry about me, I have our little team to help," Rukiya said and Hawi let out a sigh of relief. She was tired and she was d she didn''t have to pretend with Rukiya. Maybe that was why she wanted to protect the one woman who would understand her best, right? "Promise me you''ll be okay. I don''t mind having blood on my hands for you," Hawi said. Rukiya smiled at her mate, pinching her cheeks as if to remind her of what they had just talked about. Then again, Hawi couldn''t be med. She had grown used to being the one everyone relied on and having someone to rely on asionally felt strange, even with her friends. "I will be okay. I have you, remember?" Rukiya said, making Hawi smile at her. "Okay," Hawi said, giving in. "Perfect. Sherry will be here with food, and make sure you eat. If you need me, I''ll be in my study," Rukiya said warmly. "Even if I want a kiss?" "Anything you want, baby. Nothing, I will give it to you," Rukiya said as she gently kissed the barbaric psycho on her bed. Chapter 211: Rockets Pointed Up At The Star [JER] [NOW] "Are you serious right now?" Elodie asked the brooding alpha. She had checked the entire pack house for the man and didn''t find him, only to get him hurdled up against the door to Hawi''s suite, like some monk praying for the impossible. "Is this it for you? Do you think you will get my sister''s brains transferred into your empty one if you lean on her door like some clueless wimp? Your people need you and you''re here wallowing in pity. The people need their Luna and you have yet to answer any of the questions. "What is going on with you? Are you stepping down from the Alpha position?" Elodie asked given she was done pestering him. She knew that this man was hopeless and had grown so in thest five days. He looked so screwed and out of touch with reality, it was devastating to watch. "The warriors want you for them. Why don''t you step up? We both know you can do better than a wallowing pathetic Alpha, right?" Jer said defeatedly as he looked up at the beta that his people loved. He knew that she was the best choice for a recement for him and regardless of what happened, the Sicario wolves would be in the best hands if Elodie was to take over from him. At least he was sure she couldn''t be corrupted like him. "Is that what this is to you? You''re the alpha Jer. you and no one else. Why don''t you get the fuck up and act like one?" Elodie said disappointedly as she red at the alpha before her. She couldn''t believe that this was happening. Then again, she couldn''t me him for wanting some pace. The pressure was building up and it was all against him. There was only so much he could handle before he broke apart, especially now that he had no support system. "What do you want me to say, Kane, huh? What is it that you expect me to say or do? You think I don''t know I fucked up? You think I don''t know my warriors hate me and want me gone? You think I don''t hear the mind links filled with people cursing me? "You think I am not trying to find a way to make it make sense for everyone? What the hell would you want me to do? I am trying to think but then nothing seems to be working anymore! You want to know why I led us to that losing war, huh?" Jer asked with a painful chuckle. He looked like the world was strangling him and drowning him at the same time, and he was just trying to hold on and find a way to get back up with minimal casualties. But even if he managed to get back up, the damage had already been done. Elodie looked at the desperate alpha before her. She knew he would probably try to spin everything in his favor and she expected him to spin it all around and bring it back to trying to save Sicario from imaginary enemies. As much as Elodie wanted to hear the alpha implicate himself, she just didn''t have the time for that. She hadn''t seen Malika in five days and she had a terrible feeling about it. The war hadn''t been that nice and with Malika not evening to her, there had to be something else. "Honestly? No. I don''t want to hear more excuses from you. I came to look for you here because it was thest pce I could think of, having scoured the entire pack house and didn''t find you anywhere. "I imagined that something had been wrong with you, but you look alright to me, so I will be on my way. Whatever you want to do, you do it. You can either stay here and wait to borrow my dead best friend''s brains, with the illusion that you see her, or you can go to your people. "Whatever choice you make, I don''t care. Goodbye Warner, I guess I''ll see you around¡­ Or not," Elodie said, intentionally mentioning Hawi and her death in the middle because she knew it would get him thinking again. Jer watched as his beta walked away from him, just when he was about to exin. That in itself broke his heart even more because he knew that there wasn''t a thing he could do at the moment. Perhaps he could try and reach out to Razia, right? But how was he to do that, when they never had any channel ofmunication? The woman usually showed up and left as she pleased, not that Jer would have a say in whatever the hell the Greyson Luna did anyway. So, he stayed there whispering to his wife who was inside the former alpha''s suite. He hoped that Razia would free her, given that Jer had kept up his end of the bargain¡­ well Theo had, but potato, potato, right? Maybe that was worth it? "I''ll find a way to save you, Malika. I will definitely save you, my love. Please hold on for me," Jer said as he struggled to get up. He knew there was no point in him getting seated in front of Hawi''s suite. Sure, he didn''t want his Malika to feel lonely, but how was a woman who wasn''t even in the room supposed to be lonely because of him and his dumb decisions? It just wasn''t adding up, but hey he was the alpha in love wasn''t he? With onest look at Hawi''s suite door, Jer dejectedly got up and headed toward the Sicario assembly hall. It had been rebuilt when the tunnels copsed and even after the blood rain, but he never went back there. Granted, he didn''t even know the state of the pack he was leading but he would find a way right? Maybe they would give him a chance to exin, or maybe, just maybe, they wouldn''t dismiss him and force him out, right? Walking across the hallways, Jer could see the warriors in their uniforms, almost like they were not letting their guard down. They were manning the corridors, making sure that no one would be left alone. He also noticed that the pack members hadn''t gone back to their houses and instead were living in the bunkers under the pack house. They were huge bunkers, but this wasn''t what Jer had envisioned for Sicario. This wasn''t it. "Hello Theo," Jer greeted, when he ran into Theo. The Sicario enforcer didn''t even spare the alpha nce, if anything, he just walked past Jer with the warriors he was with. It was like the alpha was invisible to them, even though they knew he was there. But what was the point in having an alpha whose main agenda was his Luna and getting his people killed? He had fucked them over twice and Theo wasn''t going to let the same alpha fucked them over the third time. The man could have the alpha position, but the Sicario warriors would be running the pack. If Jer had a problem with that, he could take it up with the council that wasn''t even in the mood to listen to him. "Fuck!" Jer shouted as he rested his head between his knees in frustration. But even that didn''t earn him a nce from his people. They were so done with him. Chapter 212: Dance of The Broken Soul [HAWI] "Ruru, wait¡ª" Hawi said to Rukiya, stopping her from leaving. "What is it, baby?" Rukiya asked, turning back towards the woman she had tucked infortably. She knew Hawi was having a hard time letting anyone care for her, but Rukiya had insisted. They had gone to war for her, not because she had to be on the battlefield. She could as well stay back home and wait for the results of the war and they would still win the war for her. Maybe that was why Ruru was insistent on this, because she felt like she had been failing Hawi for a long time. "Razia¡ª" "Don''t release her just yet. Make it seem like her apparent depression is getting better, but do not release her," Rukiya said sternly and Hawi stared at her insistence. She knew this wasn''t the easiest thing for the Greyson alpha, and she wished she could help. But then she also had to listen to Rukiya and wait to see how things would turn out. Besides, it wasn''t like Rukiya Greyson would ever fail her, right? "Okay. Be well then," Hawi said before covering her head like a kid who finally got the chance to rest after the longest day. Well, that wasn''t far from the truth, because barely seconds after she said that to Ruru, Hawi cast a sleeping spell on herself. She needed it. "That''s cute," Rukiya chuckled as she walked out of her chambers, and locked the door. She didn''t want anyone disturbing her sleeping mate. Stepping out, Rukiya wasn''t sure what she expected this time. She had been out of it for almost a week and she had felt the rage and the anger that her people had felt the whole time. She felt their desperation and their prayers. She felt more than she thought possible and frankly, she felt loved by her people no doubt. However even with all that, she still couldn''t wrap her head around the fact that her mother was behind this, she wanted to go and ask Razia questions, but she couldn''t. Not withouting off as an user and that would make it even harder for her to understand what had happened. "Sherry, when Hawi wakes, prepare a shower for her and food. Make sure it''s warm and it''s one of her favorites. I suppose you already know that by now, or do you need a reminder?" Rukiya said coldly to the pack chef who was more than d to see her awake and well. "Alpha, you''re alive!" Sherry cheered and Rukiya just stared at her coldly, as if to ask her whether she was meant to be dead. "Ugh¡­ I''ll prepare the food. And I remember her favorites, excuse me," Sherry said, worriedly. Thest time she had seen Rukiya Greyson this cold was the time that she had been forced to be the alpha because her father was a menace and her mother didn''t want the seat. She had been young and yet she had handled herself with grace and sat upon the most dangerous of seats. Many predicted she would fail but then here she was several yearster with a sessful pack¡­ one that her mother wanted to sabotage. "Adolf," Rukiya called out to his beta through the mind link as she made her way to her office instead of her study. She wanted to be there and remind her people that their alpha was alive and well. She wouldn''t be doing more than that anyway. "Alpha, you''re awake, thank goodness for that," Adolf said and Rukiya didn''t say anything, Instead she waited for his excitement to die down before she spoke to him again. She understood him, but this wasn''t the time for a celebration. They had an enemy within these walls and they needed to figure that out without causing any casualties. "How are the warriors?" "They are all healed, thanks to Hawi. She fixed us all up. So, all is well. We were worried about you, and her. She hasn''t eaten in more than three days and might get sick. But now that you''re awake, maybe she will listen to you," Adolf said and Rukiya chuckled. She had never imagined there would be a day when Adolf would be this worried for Hawi, hell Hawi herself would call this a bluff. But then three years of being frenemies had probably gotten Adolf feeling soft for the woman they all oved. "She would kill you if she heard you say that," Rukiya teased. "Well, I''d die a happy man, since she''s been good to all of us... Like a blessing. We hope your union is filled with happiness for the longest time," Adolf said sincerely and Rukiya sighed at the idea. It was a beautiful one but would ite true? Hawi had been evasive with her and scared every time they got a little too close. Would their happiness ever be more than just a dream or would it be the dream that never saw light in the midst of the mess that was their lives? "Gather ten of your men. You''re going on a hunt. And take enough supplies tost you a week or two. It might be a while before you and that teame back home," Rukiya said and this time it was Adolf''s turn to sigh. She hadn''t even been awake for long and she was already assigning orders. "Are you sure about that, alpha?" Adolf asked, when the alpha walked into her office. He had been waiting for her day and night, hoping that she would walk through these very doors, and now that she had, he wasn''t sure he wanted to encourage it anymore. "Oh, you''re here already. That''s good," Rukiya said while Adolf just stared at her. She looked so tired and disheveled. She looked like she had had the toughest of squeaks when they had been to war barely a week ago. However, with the new development, Rukiya couldn''t help but wonder what the hell was going on with her and her people. She hated that reality and wanted to pretend that it wasn''t real, but Adolf''s words brought her back to that same point. "Alpha¡­ Luna Razia. What about her? Have you seen her? She had had a terrible week. It''s like she''s someone else and she keeps holding onto some de. We''re worried she might harm herself again, but she doesn''t let anyone touch her," Adolf said. Rukiya looked at her beta and from the way he was worried about her mother, it was obvious that he knew nothing of what her mother had done. How the fuck was she supposed to exin this to them? "I''ll see herter. You can go prepare your team. Let me know once you''re ready and I''ll give you the location and the task you need toplete," Rukiya said dismissively like she hadn''t just heard about her mother''s pitiful state. She needed to get a hold of herself and figure this out, because sooner orter there would be a storm and she knew it. "Tell the remaining warriors to train harder than ever and let Harry know that the dungeon needs to be ready for three of the worst prisoners. Tell him to reinforce them with magic and Hudhayfah can help with that too. "Tell him I want a prison that even I couldn''t get out of, even if I had magic," Rukiya said before dismissing Adolf. The alpha''s beta was worried for her, but he still followed hermand. Chapter 213: Of Unpleasant Unwelcome Truths [GREYSON] With her beta gone, Rukiya shut the door, before she went out to the balcony. Her office balcony gave her the best view of Greyson and all that was going on in it. She could see the warriors running around, probably ready to execute their alpha''s riders of their training. She could see Sherry and her minions cooking as fast as they could. She could hear Adolf seeking out the ten warriors she needed for her unspoken mission and she could see Harry''s face turn pale at the mention of what Rukiya had ordered. It was almost insane, but then given they had been to war and were barely back home, there was nothing that they could think would be impossible. However, there were questions, given it was not daily that this happened. Rukiya watched the children be merry, and run around their home like there wasn''t chaos already ensuing, she knew that this was momentary, and she knew that there was a bigger battle for them. "Took you long enough to show up," Rukiya said as she leaned on her balcony rails, waiting as Greyson sprung into life again. She had felt a whoosh of whining and knew that someone was in her office. However, she wasn''t rmed because this was a familiar scent, one she knew so well. "She didn''t want me toe until you stepped into the office," Hudhayfah said as she walked over to where Rukiya was. It was obvious he was worried for her mental state, just like so many, but then what else could he do for her other than try and make the whole situation bearable for her? Life hasn''t been kind to the young Greyson and now it was even getting harsher. "Of course, she did. She always takes care of everyone except herself," Rukiya sighed. "Maybe because she knows only you can best take care of her, even better than her protector. She loves you; nothing can triumph that," Hudhayfah said reassuringly. But Rukiya already knew that, she didn''t need a reminder on Hawi''s love for her. "What if her findings were wrong, Hudhayfah? I mean she''s my mother, it just doesn''t make any sense. Why would my mother want me dead? Perhaps Hawi is wrong this time?" Rukiya said as she ran and thought about her hair frustratedly, before turning to Hudhayfah. She had been hearing the same thing about her mother and honestly, it scared the hell out of her. She hated traitors and if her mother dearest was one of them then Rukiya wasn''t sure there was anyone on earth left for her to trust. This was breaking her, and making her wonder if maybe, just maybe her chosen mate was wrong. If they had been on opposite sides she would have assumed Hawi wanted her to fight with her mother but then as it was, there wasn''t a life Hawi valued more than hers. "Rukiya¡ª" Hudhayfah began, hoping to help the young alpha adverts and that in war anyone could be the traitor. He wanted to n that no one was to be trusted, not even the ones she trusted; because everyone always had a motive in war. but would he tell her that? "I call her my mother, Hudhayfah. My mother. She gave me life. How would she also want me dead, for something that doesn''t have anything to do with me? It just doesn''t make any sense and it''s confusing me," Rukiya said, her frustration so evident. She didn''t want to believe that her mother would be the one to do this to her, and not like this. However, the longer she looked into Hudhayfah''s hopeless eyes, the longer Rukiya realized that this was the worst truth she would have to face. "She loves you. I know that. There hasn''t been one that Razia fought for more than you," Hudhayfah said, like even he couldn''t believe what was happening. They had both seen Razia go feral just to keep her daughter sane and alive, so this just wasn''t making sense. "Exactly. So why this? What could have pushed her to do this? I know Hawi would never lie to me or use me for her purposes. Hell, I volunteered an army for her and she didn''t want them, so she just wouldn''t. Why would mothers do this to me?" Rukiya said defeatedly. All the answers in her head were leading her to more questions. "Fate, Rukiya. Fate is something that none of us can fight. No matter what we wish for, no matter how well we want things to be, we can''t outdo fate. Some things have long been written in the books, child. "So much hase to pass and you''re currently experiencing what is written for you and the rebellious girl you chose. She is your bane, Rukiya, just like you''re her bane. That is something that even Malika can''t protect her or you from," Hudhayfah exined. Rukiya stared at her pack healer, like she was waiting for more. Surely, that couldn''t be the only reason their lives were constantly in danger, right? It just wasn''t adding up. If they were each other''s bane, then wouldn''t it be that they killed each other? "How does my mother fit in with whatever you just said, Hudhayfah? What role is she supposed to y in the greatest mess I ever found myself in?" Rukiya asked for an ice song, the elder sighed, before he helped the girl to a seat on the balcony. "You will have to sit for this one, child," Hudhayfah said and Rukiya stared skeptically. "You''re scaring me," Rukiya said earnestly. "Trust me kid, this wasn''t how I thought I would divulge this to you. I thought I could defeat the fates and save you from the pain, but it seems like everything I do, nothing can ever work for the ns. Nothing. Hence here we are," Hudhayfah said, and it took everything in Rukiya not to scoff. "You sound like an oracle now Hudhayfah. I didn''t know healers could be that insightful into fates and shit. But I''m listening," Rukiya teased and Hudhayfah let out a longugh. He knew she was trying to understand but at the same time she was scared of what she would hear. "There is no werewolf king in this realm, Rukiya. There never has been a need for a king, because the realm has always been under the protection of the protectors and the white wolf," Hudhayfah began and Rukiya rolled her eyes at him. Of course, there wasn''t a king, she had only figured that out, but what was Hudhafah telling her that now? Besides, the kinship system had been abolished and the protectors had taken over long before they had been born. "Everyone knows that. It''smon knowledge. So why tell me this now? What does my mother even have to do with that? It''s not like she can be king or anything that you think she can be, right?" Rukiya asked. Hudhayfah let out a sad chuckle as he looked into the distance, like he was trying to figure out a way out of this, one that wouldn''t with Rukiya hurt and broken-hearted. He really wanted to see the girl happy and he was hoping for the best for her. "Exactly¡­ But your father, Draffin Greyson, was murdered for colluding with the rogues, to bring down the werewolf king." "No¡­ That¡­ No, Hudhayfah, no." "I''m so sorry, child." Chapter 214: Born of Lies? Hate? Love? * Long Chapter Alert [GREYSON] "There is no werewolf king in this realm, Rukiya¡­" "Everyone knows that. It''smon knowledge. So why tell me this now¡­" Hudhayfah let out a sad chuckle as he looked into the distance, like he was trying to figure out a way out of this, one that wouldn''t with Rukiya hurt and broken-hearted. He really wanted to see the girl happy and he was hoping for the best for her. "Exactly¡­ But your father, Draffin Greyson, was murdered for colluding with the rogues, to bring down the werewolf king," Hudhayfah spelled out carefully, like he was scared of what his word would do. It had been seventeen years since Alpha Draffin''s murder and it was safe to say Rukiya had tried so hard to forget the horrors she had been told of her father. She never mentioned her father anywhere, because everyone knew that her father was a traitor to the werewolves. It was something that haunted her to this day, but she had learned to cope with it. If anything, it was the only reason she had struggled to work so hard so people wouldn''t think of her as her father''s daughter. Rukiya had tirelessly worked day and night to clear the Greyson name and bring it back to glory, not to mention the fact that she fought hard to create a name for herself and finally she did. She had managed to let everyone in the realm know of her as Rukiya Greyson, and not alpha Draffin Greyson''s daughter. It had taken a lot of effort, and now she was hearing things that didn''t make any sense to her, and was the worst of the gut punches she had ever received in her life. Hell, it was worse than what she had heard of her mother. But then the worst part of it was that she knew Hudhayfah would never lie to her, and that broke her heart even more. What the fuck was she supposed to do with this? How the hell was she to deal with this situation when she wasn''t sure what it meant for her? "No¡­ That¡­ No, Hudhayfah, no," Rukiya whispered disbelievingly as she got up and began pacing. There was never a king. Her father''s death had been the worst of them all, the most brutal of the murders. It was the murder that shook the realm, the murder that got people believing that whatever Alpha Draffin Greyson had done, had to be very sinister, and yet here she was learning of a possible conspiracy? "I''m so sorry, child," Hudhayfah said as he sat on his seat and he waited for Rukiya to take in what she had just learned. Her father was murdered and clearly, it was for the wrong reasons or maybe Hudhayfah was saying this to distract her from the fact that her mother was a traitor. "Maybe¡­ Maybe you got it wrong, Hudhayfah. It''s impossible that everyone turned their backs on that reality. I was young and even I knew that there was never a king, so howe everyone in the entire realm didn''t question my father''s death?" Rukiya asked, as she tried to breathe. These were the times she wished she was with Hawi, but then her mate had been holding the fort for so long. She had to hold on for the both of them, but fuck what the hell was this even? How the fuck was she supposed to take in the possible truth? "Rukiya, I think you and I both know that reason right now. I assume you changed because you found out your mother''s truth, didn''t you?" Hudhayfah asked and Rukiya turned sharply to him., as if there was already a fire in her eyes. She was hungry for information, but then she had so many questions that kept on breaking her heart with every turn. It was almost like she was cursed to be this broken by everyone around her. It all was so confusing and if she was to be frank, she hated this. The power, the desire to rule, the ability tomand armies, Rukiya Greyson hated it all this time. She couldn''t believe that all this time, while she was putting her life on the line with her warriors, someone was busy betraying her. "But¡­" Rukiya tried but then the look on Hudhayfah''s face told her that there was more than she couldprehend at the moment. "The girl in your bed may be rebellious, Rukiya, a devilish nutcase even, but she tells the truth about the Razia we know. Razia changed from the moment she found out that you were the child who would mate the white wolf," Hudhayfah said as Rukiya stared into the distance. He knew this wasn''t going to be the easiest thing for Rukiya Greyson but then the girl needed to know who she was up against in this long battle. Her mother was a force to be reckoned with and just because she had been smiley and shit, didn''t mean that she was dormant. "Now what, Hudhayfah? My mother wants me dead for no reason and I just have to sit tight and wait for her toe at me for this? I have to be the patient, understanding daughter and alpha for my people, while I haven''t the slightest clue who my mother truly is? "Is that what you want me to do? Because all of this is frustrating. All I ever wanted was to be a good alpha to my people, and be the girl my mother would be proud of. I wanted to clear my father''s sins and now it seems like there is even more to that. "Who should I trust, Hudhayfah? Who am I? Why are so many people determined toe after me for no reason? Even if Hawi gives in to the mate bond eventually, I will always just be another substitute for her. "What the fuck is that supposed to make me, Hudhayfah?" Rukiya asked frustratedly, making Hudhayfah look at her disappointedly. He couldn''t believe that Rukiya was thinking of herself as a substitute. It was never what her fate was from the very beginning. "You are no one''s substitute, young Greyson. You never were, and never have been. You were alpha, because that position is yours, and you are the wild girl''s mate, because that is who you are. Yours was a bond created long before we even existed. "Your mate bond is the best thing that this realm could ever get, so do not ever think of yourself as a substitute. You are more than that, young Greyson, no matter what anyone tells you. And I doubt the wild girl would appreciate it if she heard what you just said about yourself. "Sit, let me tell you a tale of the worst or even the best decisions fate ever made. Even though there were gray lines along the way, lines that got blurred because of external forces nheless," Hudhayfah said and Rukiya sighed defeatedly. She was not sure if there was anything that could help her understand what this shit was about her mother, but maybe since it was Hudhayfah and he looked like he needed to say something, she would listen to him, yeah? So begrudgingly, the young Greyson sat back and watched Hudhayfah with her heart in her hands. She couldn''t understand shit anymore and the fact that her mother thought she was so easy to betray was messing with her. Maybe that was what she hated the most or maybe it was the simple fact that all this time, despite the little truths, she still wanted to believe that deep down, her mother wanted the best for her. Rukiya was desperate to believe everything except that her mother was the devil herself. That her mother was just doing that because she wanted Hawi out of Rukiya''s life. Then again, if she wanted Hawi out of Rukiya''s life she just had to tell Hawi and the woman would make the choice and leave, obviously. So, she didn''t understand what the need was for all these extremes and they were upsetting her big time. "Alpha. We''re ready. What is the mission?" Aldo suddenly interrupted the duo, barging into the alpha''s office only to find Rukiya looking like she had a lot of things going through her mind, which was true, but she didn''t want Adolf distracted. That would be way too costly. "Hold on¡­ what is happening, Hudhayfah? What is wrong with the alpha?" Adolf asked when he saw the tired alpha. She was different from how he hadst seen her barely twenty minutes ago and that in itself was a chase for rm for him. "I don''t have to leave Alpha. What happened to you? Who do I have to kill? Is Hawi okay? Did she do anything? Is she in danger?" Adolf asked, knowing that only Hawi could force Rukiya into such a corner. Adolf had never seen Rukiya break down for Luna Razia so it wasn''t surprising that her own mother wouldn''t have been the reason for her sudden fatigue. However, that didn''t change the facts. This was a crucial time and if Rukiya needed him then there was no point for him to leave, right? "I won''t lie and tell you all is well, Adolf. But if you go on this mission and do what is expected, my worries will have reduced significantly. Can you please do that for me?" Rukiya asked even though she already knew what Adolf''s answer would be. "Over the cliff, alpha. Wherever you need me, I will be there. So, what is the mission?" Adolf asked and Rukiya walked back into her office, and then checked some of the papers including a map there before handing them to Adolf. "Go to this spot on the map, you will meet a set of familiar faces. Whatevermand they give you and your crew, think of it as an order by me. Travel safe, Adolf," Rukiya said before dismissing a worried Adolf. He could tell that nothing was alright with his alpha, but if this was what she wanted, then he would do it without question. She could order him into a fire and he would dly walk in there without asking why he needed to be burned. The Greyson beta could only hope that she would be fine without them. Rukiya Greyson was important to them in so many ways and they loved her wholly. "Hudhayfah, please take care of Alpha," Adolf said on his way out and Hudhayfah gave him a thumbs up. "Of course, son. I will," Hudhayfah said and Adolf bowed once again and left. "Do I look that terrible, Hudhayfah?" Rukiya asked once Adolf was gone. She had seen the worry on her beta''s face and frankly that only made her more worried because there was just no way that she looked so terrible, right? "Come, child. Let us get this over with so you know what decisions you need to make and why," Hudhayfah said and Rukiya walked back to where she had been sitting. She had a feeling that today would be long for her. Chapter 215: Of Warring Destinies [1] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] Staring at the kid set before him, Hudhayfah knew he had to take the risk. There was a lot that he could tell her, but he wasn''t sure her mind was ready for the endless string of disappointment that came with Razia Greyson. He knew it would change her perspective of her mother and finally, that wasn''t the intention of all this. He simply wanted to give her an insight on what to expect and the enemies that would be after her, for as long as she was standing beside Hawi all the time. Maybe it would be best for Hawi to let her go, but then RUkiya Greyson was in love so there was just no way that would happen. So with one more sigh, Hudhayfah started off, from where he had left before Adolf interrupted them. This time he hoped that there would be a better way to exin to the young Greyson that all of this was never her fault and that if there was one person who could take out Razia Greyson, then it would be the wild girl in her bed. "I''ll need you to just listen without any interruptions, Rukiya. You can ask your questionster and you must promise that you won''t throw things around. It will be distracting to me and I might be taken off course, yeah?" Hudhayfah said. Rukiya looked at the healer and she wondered what it was that he had to say and how intense it had to be for him to tell her upfront that there could be messes that triggered her. But then she needed the truth, so she would wait, right? But would it really be worth it? "Okay. I won''t do anything," Rukiya said and Hudhayfah just nodded understandingly, even though he hoped that she would be able to keep her cool through all of this. It would be a little too hard for her, but she had to wait it out. ***** [Twenty-Five Years Ago] Just like every other mother out there, Razia Greyson was an excited new mother. She had dreamt of this day for years on end and when she met her mate, she was happy that her dream had closed in on her. It was something she had prayed for four years. So, when the nurse brought her child to her, she was happy. "Congrattions, Luna Razia, she''s beautiful," the pack nurse said to Luna who was smiling from ear to ear. It had been a long day in the delivery room, but if she had to do it again, she would. She loved the kid in her hands so much it was moving her to tears. "Oh, there she goes, crying again," Alpha Draffin teased with augh when he saw his Luna''s tears free fall. They were tears of joy, tears that made her happy that finally, she was a mother and she brought life into the world. "She''s so pretty," Razia said as she wiped her tears, looking at her child with warm eyes of appreciation. She may have been tired but the kid in her arms made it all worth it and for that she was grateful. "You can hold herter, dear. You need some rest, the nurse will take her back and then bring herter, hmm?" Alpha Draffin said and Razia hazily nodded. She was tired, way too tired and she wanted to rest. But she had wanted to see her child. So, when the nurse took the baby barely minutes after handing her over Razia felt a sigh of relief and excitement. She had a child. However, in the process of taking ck the child. The little hat that was on her head fell and Razia stilled. "Oh, my apologies," the nurse said as she scrambled to get the hat and put it back on the kid. "Her tattoo is perfect. I guess we are the parents of the white wolf''s mate, my dear Razia," Alpha Draffin said with pride as the nurse walked away with their kid. However, Razia wasn''t sure what to do anymore. She had been so happy about her child. She was d that she had a kid, and really wanted to be with her for a long time. But then the tattoo her daughter was born with wasn''t the greatest reminder to her. Instead, it was like a curse that thrust her back to the harsh reality of their worst fears. At least hers and her brothers'' worst fears. She refused to believe that her child, the baby she had loved from birth, was going to be the same reason her family was shredded. Surely fate could not be that cruel to her, right? "Fuck," Razia cursed as she clutched her heart in pain. She could feel her heart ripping to shreds because of this new finding and it broke her heart to think that her child was going to be the very reason her family was no more. "Are you okay, my love?" Alpha Draffin asked and Razia just nodded as she hugged herself on the bed. She looked tired and Alpha Draffin figured that she didn''t want to see him. If anything, she had been inbor for hours, so she deserved the time alone. "I''ll be out the door if you need my love," Alpha Draffin said and once again, Razia felt her heart shattered. She loved Draffin. She wanted to live with the man and she was happy with him. But how was she supposed to exin this to him? How was she to exin to her husband and the mate she loved that their child would most probably be their doom? Her mixed emotions got her bed shaking and it was in gentle waves, but Razia knew what that meant. Her own magic was stirring up so she would go and do whatever was necessary, and in this case, it would be for her to kill her daughter. Maybe if she killed her while she was still young, she wouldn''t have to deal with the pain of mourning a grown child, right? Razia was born in a family of warlocks, more specifically the shadow warlocks. He was a warlock hybrid, and she had hidden that fact for years on end because she didn''t want the Greysons to think she was a danger to them. Sure, she really was a danger to them, but maybe if she stayed with the werewolf Luna they needed, none of them would ever get to know how true she truly was, right? Well, she could fool everyone, but she couldn''t fool the Greyson healer, Hudhayfah. "Razia, are you okay? Draffin said you needed to get some rest and he went to the pack. But I heard shaking. Tell me, child, were you the cause of it?" Hudhayfah asked as he looked at the frail woman on the bed. He had long known that she had magic and he had kept quiet because the woman had not done anything that they needed to worry about. If anything, their lives had been smooth without magic, so there was no cause for concern, right? "How would I cause shaking when I just gave birth, Hudhayfah?" Razia asked irritably as she looked beyond Hudhayfah as if to try and see if someone else was out there but she couldn''t see anyone. So, she rxed. "You are a Russell warlock, child. Of course, your magic would have to bring back the energy you used to birth the white wolf''s mate." Chapter 216: Of Warring Destinies [2] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "You are a Russell warlock, child. Of course, your magic would have to bring back the energy you used to birth the white wolf''s mate," Hudhayfah said and Razia stared at him nkly like she couldn''t believe all of this was happening to her. "You knew." "Of course, I did, as the high warlock and whaler of Greyson," Hudhayfah said as he sat next to Raiza''s bed. He could see how conflicted Razia was, and he knew it was because she wasn''t ready to lose her child. Hudhayfah wanted to say something, anything, but even he knew that the fates couldn''t be changed. The destinies had already made their choice and regardless of what they chose, nothing would ever steer off the path that had been forged long before they were born. "Now what? Are you going to tell Draffin about it?" Razia asked. Hudhayfah chuckled. She was so pissed that hearing Hudhayfah''s chuckle felt like he was mocking her. But then there wasn''t a thing she could do because this man was more powerful than her. He had a lot of magic and he had experience, not to mention he had the books of spells in his head, from practicing magic for several years. Perhaps he would help her find a way out of this, right? "As long as you don''t hurt your daughter, you and I won''t have problems. Besides, there wille a time when you will have to tell Draffin about it. It is your choice, Razia. Do not force my hand, child, we both know that we have a role in fate''s demands," Hudhayfah said. Razia looked at the whaler and she felt like he had gut-punched her. But then again, his little treat could have worked if she was alone, there was a reason she and her brothers were called the shadow warlocks. The shadow warlocks were the cruelest of warlocks and not even the protectors would ever be able to deal with them. Perhaps that''s why they had grown stronger and more vile over the years. They hadmitted a lot of crimes to the point that there are rumors that the existence of the shadow warlocks was the reason the moon goddess had created the white wolf, because only the white wolf would be able to eliminate the warlocks. Together with her mate, the white wolf would restore the bnce to the realm, a bnce that had been upset by the damned Russels. "You can leave now, Hudhayfah. Do whatever you want, but as long as I am the child''s mother and as long as my magic runs through her veins, I will decide what biomes of my child. "In refusing to let my daughter be a ve for that wolf," Razia said, making Hudhayfah let out a sigh. He had known that this wouldn''t be best, but he sure hoped that the love Razia had for her daughter remained unchanged. Besides, there was no telling whether the white wolf would be here sooner orter. Perhaps they had misinterpreted the books of the old, right? Oh, but if only it were so. Hudhayfah knew there was a lot to be dealt with and hopefully, Razia didn''t mess them up because then she would be coteral damage on the long preparation for the wolf that would save them all from extinction. "Be well, Razia. Your child will need you as her mother," Hudhayfah said as he walked out, leaving a very frustrated young warlock in bed. "Perhaps the oracles were wrong. It is impossible,'' Razia sighed once Hudhayfah left. For months since she had been let out of the hospital, Razia didn''t look at her child. In fact, she hated the kid so much that every time the servants brought her child to her, she would scream at them to leave her alone and take the kid with them. "Razia, she is our child¡­ How can you not love the baby you loved when you brought her to life?" Draffin asked one evening when he was at dinner with his wife. She had been avoiding him, but then he was the Alpha and she was his Luna.There were responsibilities that they both had to make sure were attended to because otherwise, Greyson would crash. Besides the packs around them we''re growing stronger, more specifically the Sicario pack. They needed to be at the top always but with Sicario fast-rising, Draffin knew he could either make an enemy of Sicario or he could ally with them. It wasn''t that hard, but then with his wife acting like a cavewoman, there was no telling what else he could expect from his wife. But then, Draffin was understanding of his wife. He had learned and knew that postpartum depression was a thing. "Is that what you want to talk about right now? I am hungry and I am eager to attend. If you don''t want to eat, you can leave the table," Razia said begrudgingly and her dad just stared at her sadly. He loved her. Razia was his lifeline and he couldn''t understand why this was happening to them. The woman he had loved was good, but then the woman before him was different, she looked like she could do anything and everything, except attend to their daughter. "You never gave her a name, my love. I understand the depression is hitting you, but we cannot continue like this. I promised you that you would be the one to name her. "At least let me know what to tell the world when her first birthdayes up, since it''s in a few weeks," Draffin said and Razia felt her breath hitch. She had been out of touch with reality for almost a year. She wondered what her baby looked like, and what the world referred to her as. Of course, most just called her young Greyson, because she was the Alpha''s daughter. But even the girl wished to know what her name was. The only problem was that her mother wasn''t ready to see her. "What? A year?" Razia asked, like she heard it wrong. The kid couldn''t have grown that fast, right? It would be harder for her to kill her father after that long, and the fact that her brothers didn''t know that their niece was going to be their doom wasn''t even helping. "Yes, my Razia. It has been almost a year since you gave Greyson the prettiest heir to exist. But she cannot remain nameless and you know it too. Our daughter is destined for great things, seeing as she has already started her de work," Draffin said and Razia choked on air. Perhaps her husband was being delusional, right? There was no way a baby that wasn''t even a year old was able to do de work, much less even hold a de, and why the fuck were they giving her daughter a de in the first ce? "Why the fuck is my daughter having a de, Draffin?" Razia asked angrily as she stared at her husband coldly. Surely this man was not being serious at the moment, no? "Well, I don''t know what else to do. You''re her mother, you won''t see her. So, I took her with me to training. She is a Greyson, she can live without her innocence, Razia." Chapter 217: Of Warring Destinies [3] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "Why the fuck is my daughter having a de, Draffin?" Razia asked angrily as she stared at her husband coldly. Surely this man was not being serious at the moment, no? "Well, I don''t know what else to do. You''re her mother, you won''t see her. So, I took her with me to training. She is a Greyson, she can live without her innocence, Razia. You and I already know that. "She is the next Alpha, this is what she will be doing in the future regardless. You can''t just ignore that just like you need to pretend that we didn''t have a child who needed her mother. "Hudhayfah is not the child''s mother, for him to be caring for your daughter like his. You need to step up as her mother," Draffin said to his wife who is clearly not going to take that well. He knew it, but he wasn''t going to apologize for it. "Rukiya," Razia said after a long silence. She may have not wanted to associate with her daughter, but at least she could give her a name, right? "What?" Draffin asked, confused. His wife was the only one capable of making him that confused. It was almost like Razia had a switch that could fuck him up each time. But then he had to be patient and wait it out, perhaps this was just a phase, right? "Our daughter''s name is Rukiya Greyson, Draffin. Like you said, she is strong and is rising up a little too fast. That name fits her. Now please can we continue eating?" Razia said and Draffin just nodded. The name was a thoughtful one and he loved it. "Rukiya Greyson, my sweet little angel," Draffin mused with pride. Rukiya''s birthday cake was in a few weeks and her mother was there stiffly. She looked like she was angry all the time and with her father having her best day, Razia decided to try out her magic with her daughter. "Rukiya!" Razia called her child for the first time since birth, and all eyes turned to her. There were mixed emotions with most of them being relief. The child rushed to her mother, excited to be with her. Razia watched her daughter hurry, her strength so impable and her abilities too much for a baby her age. If Razia didn''t know any better, she would have assumed that her baby was three years old or even more. Granted, that would leave her with the guilt of never seeing her daughter after so long, but then she would be a proud mom nheless. As her daughter ran to her, Razia did the cruelest thing she could. Her daughter was close to her birthday cake, and someone suddenly stumbled next to the cake, bringing the huge thing sow, and having the decorations catch fire. Of course, Razia went hysterical over the apparent ident, but she guided her daughter rightly, walking her out to the hall to save her. The fire was eventually put out, but Hudhayfah had seen what Razia had done. So, when the party ended, he went to warn her. "You are so desperate to kill your child. Razia. It makes me wonder what Draffin will say about it. You should be the mother to your daughter, but you are hellbent on killing her. Is that what this is about? "You do not want her to be the white wolf so bad that you use your magic against your daughter, who by the day, you already blocked her magic? What the heck is wrong with you? "Is murder the only thing in your mind?" Hudhayfah asked and in anger, Razia sted a fireball at him, injuring the warlock. She was mad that he just waved her off like that despite the magic that she had sted him with, she hated how casually he was staring at her like it hadn''t done anything to her when he was bleeding. She wanted to be in control but Hudhayfah being this calm was taking the thrill out of it, so she stomped away, like a kid who couldn''t get what she wanted. However, Hudhayfah sted her and blocked her from leaving. "Quite brave, aren''t you, Razia? What would Draffin say if he revealed that you were a warlock and much less one of the shadow warlocks? I bet that will sound very interesting to the man who''d dedicated his life to you and your daughter. "Life has to go on, but no one said anything about you taking the life of your daughter. If you don''t want her, Greyson can raise her. She is our upside after all," Hudhayfah taunted and Raziashed at him. She thought this was stupid and she thought that this would cause so much chaos, but she just didn''t care. Her brothers showed up when they felt her use her power and they stared at her with Hudhayfah, wondering when the hell Razia had gotten involved with the man. It is so out of order and it felt like a taste of the forbidden. "Razia, what the hell is this about? You realize you are in Greyson and they might recognize you?" her brother asked and Razia growled at him in warning. "Oh, I see you didn''t tell your brothers that your daughter is the white wolf''s mate, the same white wolf meant tominate all dark evils like you in the real? "This has gotta be interesting," Hudhayfah chuckled and the Russels looked at their sister, betrayal written all over their faces like they hadn''t expected this from their sister. But then how the fuck was Razia to exin that shit to them? There was never going to be a better time for her to step out and tell her brothers of the misfortune that had befallen them and the fact that one key to their doom had been Razia''s womb product. "Your daughter is that devil''s mate? What the fuck, Razia? Why didn''t you tell us? It''s almost been a year and you never said shit about your child being our doom!" her brother red at her usingly and she just shook her head. "How the hell did you want me to star? Huh? What was I supposed to do, huh? Tell you that hey, brothers., you know the oracle we have been fighting since mom and dad passed on? "Well, that oracle might be true because my womb just carried the very thing that would doom us! What the hell was I supposed to exin it in? "Don''t you stand there and re at me when you have been busy, only the damn goddess knows what and I have been stuck ying wife," Razia said angrily and her brothersughed at her this time. It was almost like they knew something, something that their sister was not telling, something that could make it a little harder for their mission to continue. But then did it matter, when Razia was already fucked in all the ways to hell anyway? "You wanted to be that man''s wife. You are his mate, but we told you we could mess up the mate bond, and you refused. You said he was too good and didn''t deserve to be lied to, and now here you are, fucking with us about your daughter. "Where is that little thing? Perhaps we can kill her if you don''t want to do the horrors¡ª" "I''ll kill her myself," Razia said. Her brother chuckled. Hudhayfah facepalmed. And in the distance, they heard a gasp. Chapter 218: Of Warring Destinies [4] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "You wanted to be that man''s wife. You are his mate, but we told you we could mess up the mate bond, and you refused. You said he was too good and didn''t deserve to be lied to, and now here you are, fucking with us about your daughter. "Where is that little thing? Perhaps we can kill her if you don''t want to do the horrors¡ª" "I''ll kill her myself," Razia said. Her brother chuckled. Hudhayfah facepalmed. And in the distance, they heard a gasp. "Great! Someone heard us," Razia''s older brother said as he looked at his frustrated sister. Hudhayfah knew who it was and he hoped for his own sake, but he didn''t show up because this group was crazy as hell. It would take a lot of convincing to make them believe that there was no one on the other side, but it was a risk that Hudhayfah had to take. Life itself was full of disappointments and risks anyway, right? "Easy there. There are a lot of people in the pack because of young Rukiya''s party. You wouldn''t want to ager the fosters, now would you?" Hudhayfah said and they red at him as if that was supposed to make him cower. "Well, we can consider that, if you don''t say anything about our sister and her abilities. If you say nothing of her, then the girl lives. Your pretty little toothless Rukiya, she will live, but if you say something, then we will kill her in seconds," Razia''s brother said and honestly it was sickening. However, Hudhayfah just nodded before he left them. This wasn''t thest time that the brothers would try to kill the kid, and that the mother would attempt to eliminate her child, but then Hudhayfah had hope. Perhaps it was stupid of him, given the current circumstances but then he was counting on Razia loving her daughter more than she wanted to kill her. He had seen the conflict in Razia''s eyes and that was hoped to Hudhayfah. "What did I hear?" Alpha Draffin Greyson asked Hudhayfah the next morning when everything had settled. The previous night, Alpha had taken his daughter and they had slept in the guestroom. Of course, most of the pack members knew nothing of that, and Razia herself wasn''t even bothered by it. But Hudhayfah knew Draffin had been the one when the Russels had spoken. He couldn''t me the Alpha for wanting to save his heiress. This girl was his lifeline and everything to him and now that he was realizing his Razia was a probable nutjob, Alpha Draffin wanted to keep his little girl safe in all the ways that he could. "Draffin¡ª" "Please, Hudhayfah. You cannot lie to me too. You know she is important to me. She is my Luna for fucks sake, and we are bound to be the parents of the white wolf''s mate. What the hell was that?" Alpha Draffin insisted and Hudhayfah sighed beforeing clean to the Alpha. With every word that came off the Hudhayfah''s mouth, Draffin was certain the universe hated him. How could his mate give him a heiress and be the one who wanted the heiress dead? It just didn''t make any sense, but even he could agree that they needed to protect the little girl. And so, for the months and years that followed, Alpha Draffin and Hudhayfah made it their mission to make sure the girl was safe. They protected her even when there were little idents meant to harm her, when there were warriors who died in the woods because they listened to Rukiya. Of course, it was normal for the Greyson warriors and they died with pride, but deep down, alpha Draffin didn''t like it. His wife had gotten worse over the years and he was worried that the woman would lose her mind. Bit by bit, the Alpha kept his wife away from the Luna duties, for fear that she would try and use that to harm their child, but then whenever let his daughter know who her mother was. For Rukiya, Razia Greyson was the mother of the year. Her mother loved her and cared for her, at least that''s what she saw and Alpha Draffin was never going to bust his daughter''s bubble with the cruel truth. "Can you cast a spell to protect my little girl, Hudhayfah?" Alpha Draffin asked Hudhayfah when Rukiya was twelve years old. He had realized that his Razia had grown crueler and he needed to do what he indeed did to make sure that his Rukiya was safe. Of course, to the entire Greyson and Rukiya, the pack was okay. There was nothing they needed to be worried for and the Alpha appreciated that they had managed to pull that. However, even he could tell that his wife was getting restless with the way her daughter kept on surviving. It was not what Draffin had hoped for, but he was a father first and he loved his daughter. "I already tried, Draffin. All My protection spells are useless against their spells. She is a shadow warlock and that makes her strong, or not to mention she has the backing of her entire bloodline. That is not something that can easily be broken. "The only one who can break that, hasn''t even been born, or if she has been born, there is no telling where she is. All of this is crazy," Hudhayfah said and the Alpha sighed before he looked at Hudhayfah in amusement. "She?" Alpha Draffin asked, like he wanted to do what for himself. It was already strange enough that the Greyson Alpha-in-line was a woman and now she would be having a female mate. It was interesting. "Yes. All white wolves are female, because the magic that runs through females is stronger and more portent. Women are known to handle everything sent their way and be of clearer minds. "Will that be a problem for you?" Hudhayfah asked when he saw the Alphaugh amusedly. Every word that came from Hudhayfah''s mouth should have discouraged him, but the Alpha couldn''t help but think of how ironic it was that this was happening to him and his family. Maybe they really were doomed, right? "Not really. The females have more potent magic, and my Razia is using herbs to take out our child. How ironic," the Alpha said defeatedly. He couldn''t grasp what this meant and frankly, it was pissing him off. For years, he had been patient but it seemed like everything just kept going from bad to worse and faster than he could everprehend. "Draffin¡ª" "It''s nothing, Hudhayfah. I am at a crossroads with the women of my life and now I have to watch one of them kill the other. I know my Rukia and I know if she learned of this, she would kill her mother. "I know her temper and that is a burden that I cannot put on my daughter. I know the Russels areing for me. Sooner orter, it will be my head on stake or something., No one knows what will happen to me, but I know that ising. "I have thwarted the for years on end. Just promise me, Hudhayfah. Promise you will keep my daughter safe, and make sure she finds her mate, the white wolf who will put an end to this madness," Alpha Draffin said and Hudhayfah felt his heart break for the good Alpha. Chapter 219: Of Warring Destinies [5] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "Draffin¡ª" "It''s nothing, Hudhayfah. I am at a crossroads with the women of my life and now I have to watch one of them kill the other. I know my Rukia and I know if she learned of this, she would kill her mother. "I know her temper and that is a burden that I cannot put on my daughter. I know the Russels areing for me. Sooner orter, it will be my head on stake or something., No one knows what will happen to me, but I know that ising. "I have thwarted the theme for eyes on end. Just promise me, Hudhayfah. Promise you will keep my daughter safe, and make sure she finds her mate, the white wolf who will put an end to this madness," Alpha Draffin said and Hudhayfah felt his heart break for the good Alpha. He knew that this couldn''t be easy for the Alpha and he hoped that he would find a way around it, because otherwise he would hurt for a little longer than he had hoped for. Then again, when would such a heartbreak be sorted out when he was never going to see himself losing any of his failures? There had been days when Alpha Draffin had considered having a second child but then he wasn''t sure he wanted another child as Razia''s target. Sure, he already knew that Rukiya was the only chosen one, but he couldn''t handle having his children turn against each other because that was what he was sure Raza would do. The woman was crazy, and Draffin was desperate. "I will keep her safe, Draffin. But why does it feel like you want to go against the shadow warlocks on your own?" Hudhayfah dared to ask, and the Alpha stared at him, before he looked at the tiny photo of his daughter on his desk. There was only so much he could hold out. He couldn''t help thinking of the consequences of everything, but even then he had never thought his lovely Rukiya would be the price of his love. This was too cruel, even for him. It wasn''t what he had thought of and frankly, he couldn''t take it anymore. "No matter what happens, keep my Rukiya safe. You can leave now," Alpha Draffin said and Hudhayfah contemted staying a little longer, but then even he knew that it was pointless. There was nothing he could do to change the Alpha''s mind and the only thing now was to hope that the universe wasn''t as cruel to the Alpha. Maybe all of this would be better, right? After the chat with the Alpha, Hudhayfah was on the lookout for any changes. He knew that Razia wouldn''t stop to get what she wanted and I was worried for the Alpha. Rukiya saw her father fewer timespared to the previous times. It was like his father was pulling away. asionally there would be screwups apparently by alpha Draffin and Rukiya would have to clean up the mess. It was a hectic fete for Rukiya. However, she faced it head-on because she was the next in line. But then even she got tired of cleaning up after her father. And Alpha Draffin could see how fatigued his little girl was. So, he did the only thing that could keep his daughter safe. "Hello, my love. Do you have a minute? I would like to talk to you about our Rukiya. I am worried about her," Alpha Draffin said to his wife. She was currently in their bed chamber and she was seated on the bed, deep in thought. The Alpha was tempted to ask what it was about, but he knew that her daughter''s demise would be part of it. It was risky for him but he couldn''t stay on the sidelines and watch Razia ruin his daughter. This was about his child''s reputation and not a long gamble on how to do what and when. It was not how it was supposed to be, and they knew it. "Sure, what has she done this time?" Razia asked, her voice passive like she wasn''t talking about her only child. Over the years Rukiya''s hair had grown longer and so the kid didn''t know of the tattoo on her head, but her mother knew. She was haunted by that little horrifying birthmark on her daughter''s head. Granted the hair hid it well, but Razia''s anger was never going away. "She hasn''t done anything, Razia. Have some faith in our chi¡ª" Alpha Draffin began but the luna was not in the mood to listen to him. "If you came to talk about the girl who behaves like a boy then please, spare me. She shouldn''t be hunting or ying with swords, Draffin. She''s a little girl who needs to know what life means and her life is definitely not on the battlefield. "You keep training our child like she is going to some invisible war and I''ve had it with both of you. If you are wondering why I pulled back, it''s because I don''t know both of you anymore. "You''re not the people I knew," Razia said and Alpha Draffin scoffed angrily at his wife''s statement. She had to have some nerve describing his daughter like that. The daughter he was fighting tooth and nail to protect from the woman who was criticizing them. Alpha Draffin was losing his patience, and maybe that was the final nail on his findings. "Oh yeah? Tell me, Razia. When the hell did you ever be a mother to our child? The kid doesn''t even understand you. You are like some robot for her. All she has to do is wake up and go train. "Granted this wasn''t how I pictured my daughter would be, but then you and I know she''s born for greater things. You might sit here and deny it all you want, but our daughter is linked to the white wolf," Alpha Draffin said angrily before he looked at his wife with soft eyes. Perhaps he would be able to get through to her, right? "Do you really have to keep trying to kill our child with your magic, Razia? When does it end? Please, let me know. When will you stop targeting your own daughter and trying to end her?" Draffin asked and Luna Razia sat up. Of the things she had been expecting from the husband she now considered whiny, this was not it. She looked around as if to find a way out of this, but even she knew that there was no way. The only option was that she eliminated him. She loved him, but then she couldn''t do that to her daughter. The same daughter she was hell-bent on eliminating. If Draffin knew that she was a shadow warlock, then it meant that the pack would soon know. She knew she had pushed him to this point, but what else could she do when the rules were clear? "Is that supposed to appeal to my motherhood? You and I both know that she is one-half of the white wolf. If that bitch is allowed to grow up, then she will eliminate my kind who practice dark magic. It may be new to you, but the Russels don''t appreciate any threat to their lives. So, tell me husband, what should I do with you now that you are a nosy one?" Razia asked as she cast a spell on her husband, one that changed the Alpha''s scent from the usual Woody scent, to a stinking rogue scent, making Alpha Draffin an instant rogue. Chapter 220: Of Warring Destinies [6] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "Is that supposed to appeal to my motherhood? You and I both know that she is one-half of the white wolf. If that bitch is allowed to grow up, then she will eliminate my kind who practice dark magic. It may be new to you, but the Russels don''t appreciate any threat to their lives. So, tell me husband, what should I do with you now that you are a nosy one?" Razia asked as she cast a spell on her husband, one that changed the Alpha''s scent from the usual Woody scent, to a stinking rogue scent, making Alpha Draffin an instant rogue. "What the fuck did you just do?" Alpha Draffin asked as he looked disbelievingly at the woman he had been mated and married to for so many years. There was no way his Razia was this cruel, at least not to him who was trying to protect the fruit of their love. It all just didn''t make any sense to him. However, he should have known already that Razia Russel was always going to do whatever benefited the shadow warlocks and she couldn''t have her dear mate and daughter fucking that up for her. She had worked so hard to make sure they were protected but perhaps this time, she had to make the difficult decisions, right? "Come on Draffin. We both know that the only way you can defeat me is to be stronger, but you never were stronger. The moment the kid was born with that tattoo, we both knew that murdering you and her was inevitable, right? "Maybe you should have let me kill our daughter at a young age, because then it could have been exined as an infant death and not whatever the hell this has grown into. If you ask me, you pushed my hand, my dear mate. "You knew what the stakes were and even then you paid no heed to it. You insisted on protecting that abomination and never once let it go. This, my dear husband, is what many call karma. "But then no one will know because as it is, Rogues are attacking Greyson and they are ruining it because of your apparent leadership. I bet it will be fun exining to sweet Rukiya that her father was the leader of the rogues this entire time," Razia said coldly. She hated that she had to do it like this and she hated that she had to watch the shock in the man she loved. She wanted to pretend that this didn''t happen. She wanted to pretend that her husband didn''t know she was a shadow warlock, but she couldn''t. Razia had to do this, for herself, for her brothers and for their legacy as the shadow warlocks. They were the bnce the realm needed and not the shit show that the realm had been introduced to in the name of the white wolf. She was never going to let that happen, and with her husband being rogue, she would ruin her daughter''s soul and make her leave the power quest and just be another wolf in the pack, yeah? "You can''t do that to our child, Razia. You know how this will destroy her. If you just, then make up anything, just pull the rogues from Greyson. Make it seem like the rogues are looking for me and they changed their mind. Please. "Don''t ruin the Greyson our daughter loves. If your mission is to break her heart, then ruin me for her. Ruin my reputation, but don''t break her soul like that. There are different ways to break her soul, just don''t use Greyson as a weapon against our child, Razia, please," Alpha Draffin said and his mate towered over him, with an unpleasant look on her face. She wasn''t sure if she loved that even to this point, Draffin was determined to protect their daughter, or if she hated how much they both loved Rukiya so much they wanted to do everything to keep Rukiya safe. Razia was hurting her husband because it was the only way in her head, that she would protect her daughter from the myth of the white wolf and the deities. It was supposed to be that simple, but then here and now, her heart was shattering on their behalf. She hadn''t nned for this, but goddamn the universe was a mess that even she couldn''t control. Maybe she had to do this, for their daughter, right? "How interesting. You still worry about the child I will kill without you, huh? But since you''re my mate, the one I love so much, I will grant you that one wish. Please don''t hold it against me, Draffin. "Up to the end, I hope you know I loved you and our child with everything I had and didn''t have," Razia said and the alpha just smiled sadly at her. Alpha Draffin knew her and she knew how her brain worked, which was also why her exnation didn''t hurt him. If anything, it reminded him that beyond everything, there was a sign of hope for her daughter and her mother. "Will you take care of her? Please don''t leave her side when her soul is crushed. I am not asking you to help her be the alpha. I just wish that you would let her know what it means to have a mother. "Love our daughter Razia, and you can do whatever you want with me. I will not fight you, sweetheart, not ever," Draffin said and Razia scrunched her nose at her mate. She hadn''t expected that she would be this emotional over shit that didn''t make sense to her. However, then she understood Draffin best, the man was a sucker for family and it wasn''t surprising that even to this point, Alpha Draffin was determined to protect his family in the only way he could. "If that is your wish, then sure. Don''t fight it. I will let them believe that you went with the rogues to fight the king. You know you must die for your daughter to live right?" Razia asked and alpha Draffin stared at his mate softy. It was breaking his heart that things hade to this, but if this was what he had to do to save his daughter, then he would ept his fate dly and wouldn''t fight it. There was no point after all, besides, this was for Rukiya. "If it''s any constion, Draffin, in another timeline, we would have been the happiest family. We would have had the best of the best and maybe we would have explored the dynamics of family and survived everything. "I hope you truly understand that this has to happen like this, and I hope you forgive me, my dear mate. I love you," Razia said as she cast a spell that would make the alpha into a terrible feral rogue, one that would maul at anyone and anything. She knew that the spell would also kill him in less than an hour, but she apuded his strength and defecation to their family. Maybe Razia was right. In another world or life, they would have been the happiest. Perhaps this was her chance to be the mother RUkiya needed, right? "I do understand," Draffin said. "Then I promise I will keep our daughter safe, as long as I need to," Razia said as she watched her mate break through the windows and disappear into the woods. "Mama?" Chapter 221: Of Warring Destinies [7] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "I do understand," Draffin said. "Then I promise I will keep our daughter safe, as long as I need to," Razia said as she watched her mate break through the windows and disappear into the woods. "Mama?" Rukiya called out to her mother making Razia stare at the door, worriedly. She hadn''t imagined that her daughter woulde to her at this time, but then there were rogues outside and her father was nowhere to be seen. "What is it, girl? It''s too early for me to hear your voice," Razia grumbled as she used her magic to clean the space so it wouldn''t seem like she was a part of the mess outside. She knew it was a matter of time before her daughter came, but not this soon. "I''m sorry, mama, but can I get in?" Rukiya asked and her mother just growled in warning. Making her daughter back off. "Oh¡­ I won''te in then. Have you¡­ Have you seen Father? He is missing and there was a group of rogues looking for him," Rukiya exined and Razia facepalmed, when the hell did her daughter get this smart? "I have been here all morning I doubt I know whatever the fuck your father does in his spare time. Don''t look for me. You can find him on your own. And don''te back here," Razia said cruelly and her daughter just sighed. To Rukiya, this was normal. Her mother was always treating her like shit, and her father was always trying to make her feel better after that. But right now, Rukiya knew something was amiss. There was a shift and one so sudden that she felt the winds get knocked out of her. It was like it needed her attention but she wasn''t sure what it was. Maybe her mother was right, there was no point in standing there waiting for nothing. "I''m sorry, mama. Have a good day," Rukiya said, her footsteps fading in the distance while her mother just stood near the window as she stared into the distance. She knew that her husband was definitely fighting for his life and she hated that this happened. She hated that Draffin had let his life be the price for their daughter''s life. Razia knew she would be lonely without Draffin and that pissed her off. All she had wanted was happiness and her daughter had taken that from her. The news of Alpha Draffin spread fast across Greyson, and with the shadow warlocks upsetting the bnce of the realm, everyone easily believed that the alpha died because of his involvement with the rogues. The exnations came and spread quickly and it was nothing like what they had imagined, but then no one could ask shit, because they were under a spell. Rukiya could fight it, but she didn''t know what power she held then. And the fact that her magic had been locked didn''t make it any easier for her. So, like everyone, she became part and parcel of the reality their mother had created, one that tarnished the good alpha''s reputation and one that made the good alpha into a devil that no one wanted to interact with, not even the memories. The rumors were harmful to Rukiya even as she tried her best to keep Greyson safe. Her mother never came forward even after her husband''s death. She never attended the funeral and never bothered to say hisst rites. She was truly grieving and she hated everything that Rukiya did. She med her daughter for her father''s death for years on end, and Rukiya knew that nothing she did would ever get her in her mother''s good graces. It was a horrifying truth, but it was one that she was sure she had to ept. Besides, it wasn''t like the world would wait for her to get over her mother''s hate for her, right? Life had to go on and Greyson had to move forward. It didn''t matter that her heart was broken every single rejection from her mother, but then what else could she do anyway? She had to fight for Greyson. She had to fight to make Greyson better than what the realm knew of. Unlike what Draffin and Razia had expected, Rukiya didn''t fall apart because of the greatest loss she ever experienced in her life. Instead, Rukiya spent her life trying to prove that she was nothing like her father, the worst of traitors. It wasn''t the easiest thing for her, distancing herself from her father in public, while in private, in her chambers, she cried the night away, watching the word go by, while she was stuck mourning her father, for the good man he was. Rukiya knew things didn''t add up about her father''s death but she never raised questions, because then it would be like she was challenging the highest power in the realm. It was cruel, and it broke her heart one too many times. A few months after the passing of alpha Greyson, Luna Razia stepped out, but only because her best friend, Eni, hade to pay her a visit. She had missed her and hoped that this would give her a break from all that was happening. Eni was already mated and married to the Sicario alpha, the same pack that rivaled Greyson. Rukiya had by then done her homework on the alpha there and it was safe to say that she liked their daughter, the fierce Awuor Sicario. It was a harmless attraction, and Rukiya never paid too much attention to it. However, her mother had been watching. With Eni''s visit, Razia Greyson knew that fate was never going to leave her be. Razia knew that the world was never going to stop going round, just because she had killed her husband, because her best friend hade to her, with news that the younger Sicario, the girl everyone was scared of, was the white wolf. Razia had begun noticing her daughter and she knew that Rukiya was somewhat attracted to the wild Sicario girl. Granted, she couldn''t exactly walk over to Rukiya and ask her if she really liked Eni''s daughter, but Razia hated this new reality. She had worked her ass off to keep the fates on the sidelines, but then she had failed, because her daughter was attracted to her mate, her chosen mate, one that the fates had prepared for her since time immemorial. To Razia, it wasn''t fair, especially when she realized that her dutiful alpha of a daughter would asionally sneak out of the Greyson pack, just to go watch the younger Sicario fight. She hated that her daughter was mesmerized by the very reason she had killed her husband. So, over time, Razia started growing closer to her daughter. She hoped that maybe, if she was a good mother to Rukiya, her daughter would let her in. And it worked. Rukiya had always been alone and now her mother was suddenly showing interest in her. Her mother was advising her, giving herpliments on her work, and frankly, the young alpha was high over the moon finally her prayers were being answered and her mother was liking her. But at what cost? Chapter 222: Of Warring Destinies [8] [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] Razia''s rtionship with her daughter was growing steadily and she was relishing it. But just as her rtionship with Greyson did her powers and her to see the wolf girl on the other side of the realm it was a risk for Rukiya, but one that she embraced. However, things only got worse between the mother and daughter. Razia was mad that her daughter wasn''t letting go of the idea of Hawi in their home, no matter what Razia did. The woman med her daughter for Draffin''s death, made Rukiya feel like all of this was her fault, which was true, but at the same time, she made it seem like the girl was an ungrateful little shit that didn''t appreciate whatever she had done for her. It was a long period for the young Greyson alpha. She hated what this had turned into and she believed her mother over time. She med herself for her father''s downfall and her mother made sure to press it in her head to the point that Rukiya believed it. Maybe she was weak for that, but her mother was powerful and unhinged on so many levels. Razia was not going to stop. And she was pushing her daughter to the edge of the cliff. If Adolf didn''t exist in the girl''s life, then she would be long gone. As her daughter wasn''t giving up on the Sicario girl, Razia went to her brothers for help. She was sure their methods wouldn''t exactly be the best, but she knew that only they would help her out with ease and keep everything going. "That child of yours is bing a pain in our asses, Razia. There is still time to kill her without her bonding with the Sicario girl," Razia''s elder brother, Atticus, said as he looked at his sister and their brothers. There were so many risksing along and they hated that they would be in growing danger. "What about Awuor Sicario? Can''t we just kill that girl and not my daughter? Besides, there isn''t much Eni can do at the moment, seeing as she is determined to keep her daughter''s identity from everyone¡ª" Razia began, and her brothers chuckled. "Except you," Atticus scoffed at his sister and her line of thinking. "Exactly. We can do away with her this early and get this all over and done with. No one will need to know and I''ll be consoling andforting Eni soon enough. Eventually, her pain will fade off and her loss will be something she gets ustomed to. "Come on Atticus. You know this is the easiest way out for us," Razia said as she looked at her brothers. She wanted to save her daughter and she wanted to eliminate Hawi. It was the only way that things would make sense for her. She couldn''t afford to lose her daughter and her husband again. It was like going through the cycle of grief over and over and over. And she was bound to lose her mind sooner orter. Maybe if the universe was kind to her, she would know what to expect, but goddamn, all of this was fucking with her mind. "That''s an interesting line of thought, Razia. However, you don''t think the girl the fates have been waiting for for over a thousand years could be killed that easily huh? She is the saving grace of this godforsaken realm and she is the true danger to us. "No de, no matter how powerful, can eliminate her. Your daughter, on the other hand, is the only way for her to thrive or lose her mind. So, unless you can keep your sweet Rukiya out of the way; "¡ªAnd make sure that she doesn''t mate with the Sicario girl, the mission stays and your daughter dies. I''m sorry, sister. But this is nothing personal, you should know that," Atticus said and Razia could feel her mind going awry with everything. She couldn''t believe that she would lose again. What the hell was she supposed to do other than hope to the goddess that everything would be alright? There was only so much she could hope and pray before everything fell apart. And it was alling apart so fast that she hadn''t even had time to breathe. "What if¡­ What if we find a mate for the Sicario girl? We have magic, we can forge the bond. My daughter wouldn''t be Awuor''s mate if the girl is already mated to someone else, right? "A man specifically, so it seems like my daughter will never stand a chance with the wild girl. What do you guys think?" Razia asked and her brother chuckled darkly. Their sister was desperate and knowing Razia, they knew she would do whatever it took to make sure her daughter lived. She was trying to thwart the fates, but maybe, just maybe, this time the fates would let them be, right? "Are you serious right now? The white wolf getting another mate, and that too a male? Damn, Razia," one of the brothers said with augh. The desperation was eating Razia out and they could see how fucked up she was getting with every minute that passed. They wanted to feel bad for her, but then there was nothing that could be done to save her or her daughter. Then again, there was no harm in trying, yeah? "Yes. None of the books only talk of the white wolf''s mate being female. Besides, we can make it seem like he is the only mate she can get and spread the rumors about the white wolf having only one true mate and no second-chance mates. "That will make our work easier," Razia exined and it made sense to her brothers. "Alright, sister. The cards are in our hands. Make sure this shit works or we wille for your daughter," Atticus said. Razia just nodded before she left and went to look for a recement for her daughter. She refused to lose Rukiya and if she had to fight the fates for her then she would definitely do it. If she would lose this fight then she wouldn''t lose jets because she didn''t try, but she would lose because she tried and couldn''t win. That was much better than anything she could think of then. In her desperation, Razia went to the freends and found a rogue kid on the street. She didn''t give the kid a chance to defend himself, but instead, she gave him an offer that no one would ever let go of. It was a dangerous offer, but Jer was desperate to get off the streets and have a home for himself, which was also why he didn''t have a problem with the shadow warlocks manipting the white wolf''s mate bond and having him rece Rukiya. The only price Jeremiah Warner was to pay for the new life he had gotten for himself and his family that had been shipped off to the humans, was that he would do as he was told, regardless of who he was pointed towards. All he had to do was obeymands and he would be safe along with those he loved. Everything was going on well and even when Hawi was crowned the Sicario alpha, there was nothing out of the ordinary, until there suddenly was. "Kill Dominic Sicario," Luna Razia said to Jer six years into the deal. Chapter 223: You’re Perfection, My Only Direction [GREYSON - HUDHAYFAH] "Kill Dominic Sicario," Luna Razia said to Jer six years into the deal. It was the first order and one that shocked Jer himself. Dominic Sicario was dangerous. He was bad, the kind of bad that even the universe was scared of. Perhaps he was the better sibling because he may have been the devil, butpared to his sister, Awuor Sicario, Dominic was a beautiful unicorn. Even then he knew this was the worst of the worst. But then again, he had made a deal and he needed to respect it. Perhaps this was the end of the road for him, but what else would Jer do? He was being pitted against the crazy if crazies. "If he kills me, please don''t kill my parents, please," Jer pleaded and Razia scoffed at the man, they had trained him in the best of ways and yet the bastard stillcked in endless ways. Maybe it would have been better if she had chosen someone else? "Every investment must yield profits on this side of the world, Jeremiah. If you won''t kill him, we will take the things you love the most, starting with your dear mother who just got herself a job as a professor in the human university. "It would be a shame to lose her this early, seeing how her students love her. Don''t lose, Warner, or will lose more than you bargained," Razia warned and Jer sighed as he looked at the woman who was daring him with the impossible. "Wait, Russel. We both know that Dominic is stronger than me. He could kill me and Awuor would just forgive him. It would be considered an ident, or a fate in a war that no one could save me from. "Going after Dominic is a terrible idea, the worst even," Jer exined and Razia looked at him. She wondered whether the Sicairos were that strong. She wondered if Dominic was truly an easter bunnypared to her sister. However, with the information they had gathered, Razia knew Jer wouldn''t be this terrified for nothing, perhaps Eni had really raised the craziest of families. Maybe this time, she would be the target, seeing as she was their backbone. "Eni Sicario," Razia said as he looked at Jer. "What?" Jer asked, clearly not understanding where this was heading. Anyone with a mind could tell that Eni Sicario was the one target that could bring the world crumbling on its feet. She was the one woman who would result in centuries and centuries of war, no matter who the perpetrator of the war. With her was the pain and power that came with being a Sicario and the mother of the white wolf. It was the rage that made things impossible and possible at the same time, yet Razia was making that suggestion. If he killed Eni, he would be dead before he even managed to make shit happen. Everything and everyone he loved would be murdered in in sight and no one would ever step forward to save him or his family. This was a "Look¡­ I know my life means nothing to you, but surely you cannot point me in the direction of the one woman who could doom the entire realm! That family is full of crazies hiding under the cloak of power. "There is Dominic, the dangerous beta, then there''s alpha Sicario, and there''s Awuor Hawi. Surely you can''t be that blind, Russel. They won''t rest if anything happens to their mother. Eni holds the damn family together, and you already know that!" Jer was trying to argue sense with the woman, but she wasn''t listening. Well, she knew the dangers that existed, but then it was better than having to kill her own daughter, better than having to be the one who ruined her Rukiya. "Now you''re making more sense. Eni is the backbone of that family. Now you find a way to take her out, and I will stop going after our parents. If Eni dies, you will have peace. "My dealings will just be with you, and you alone. Tell me if you think that is a terrible idea. Your parents, or Eni Sicario. Either way, someone''s parents must die," Razia said before she left. Razia just hoped that Eni would someday forgive her for what she had done. Life wasn''t exactly giving her that many options. She had a pack to help her daughter with and she had to make sure that Hawi crumbled so that she would never rise. With Eni gone, the family would disintegrate and then everything would be back to normal and they would have thwarted the oracle, right? Expectedly, the n was set in motion when the Russels cast a spell on Dom to make him go berserk, when his mother passed on. It was nned so well that everything would fall on the shoulders of the girl who didn''t know about her powers or herself. It would be easier to me Hawi, and given how Razia had seen her Rukiya self-destruct because of her father, Razia hoped it would be the same for the Sicairos. It was a sad thing for her to do, but then she had to fight to save the one thing her Draffin sacrificed himself for. "Okay," Jer agreed. He didn''t have that much of an option anyway. Everything did go as they wished for, and even better, because they hadn''t expected that Awuor Hawi would be banished. With the white wolf out there, alone and heartbroken, shattering with each passing day, Razia was sure they had averted the oracle. She could breathe easily and watch as the girl fell apart bit by bit. Maybe that made her a monster but then her Rukiya was safe and unaffected by it all. So, when the white wolf''s protector showed up, the Russels weren''t bothered in the least. They knew that nothing would ever bring back the spirit of the defeated wolf. They had seen Hawi fight battles and they knew that her defeat would affect her in the worst of ways, so theyid low and watched from a distance. What they hadn''t expected was for Rukiya Greyson to be the one who reached out to Hawi, and even bonded with the white wolf in the name of a blood oath. Blood oaths were permanent and could only be broken when one of the oath makers died. The worst part of it all was when Rukiya had genuinely fallen in love with Hawi. It was then that the warlocks knew that there was no waiting for Razia anymore. The oath had been made and their hearts were bound by love, the most powerful thing, stronger than even magic in itself. They had lost the war and the only way for them to get back on track was to make sure that Rukiya was dead, seeing as Hawi couldn''t ever die. "I believe you know what you need to do, Razia," Atticus reminded his baby sister who was defeatedly watching in the distance. She couldn''t believe that twenty-five years of fighting the oracle had proven that they wouldn''t ever win. "My Rukiya, Atticus," Razia said to her brother in the hope that she would change his mind, but even she knew it wasn''t possible. They all knew what the stakes were when they went in. So many years may have passed but the truth remained the same. The white wolf was a danger to them. "She must die, Razia." "I know. I''ll see to it," Razia said dejectedly. Chapter 224: Crash Landing On You [RUKIYA] [NOW] Listening to Hudhayfah got Rukiya wondering who her mother really was, the woman she knew was different, but then she couldn''t even defend her because as it was, she was doing her best to make sure her daughter was dead. It was already noon by the time Hudhayfah was done with the harshest recap for the young Greyson and Rukiya was in shock. She wasn''t sure she wanted to see her mother anymore and it was upsetting on so many fronts. On one hand, she wanted to go and help her mother out, to tell her that Hawi wouldn''t hurt her again, and at the same time, she wanted answers wherever Rukiya knew that Razia wouldn''t be open to giving her any answers. No matter what she did, she had never been enough for her mother and with Hudhayfah''s statements, it seemed like the whole thing was just a farce for her mother and her damned brothers to get power. But what use was power if she lost everything and everyone? What the fuck would Razia be doing with her brothers once her daughter and mate were gone? Would she embrace the reality that they were in or would she keep fighting the truth? Rukiya had so many questions and the worst part of it was that Hudhayfah wouldn''t be able to answer most of them, because they were questions for her mother dearest, the same woman who despised her. Perhaps, if she really understood what the fuck was with her mother and her persistence, then she would be able to save herself and keep Hawi protected too. It would be better that way, right? "Your father, Draffin, was never a traitor, Rukiya. He loved this pack until the very end. He had been the best of the best alpha''s and frankly, the only reason I started in Greyson was to make sure that his dream for you lived on. "He gave up his life to protect you, so I promised to keep you safe. Sure, with the white wolf and everything, you are the safest woman on earth and I shouldn''t be worried, but still, I chose to be here with you. "I don''t know what you will do with your mother, but just know that her brothers are the worst of the worst creatures to ever walk the realm, and if your mother doesn''t kill you, then they will do it themselves. "The wild girl has grown more powerful over the years and is a threat to them with each passing day.Anyway, I have to leave now. Whatever you decide, may the goddess protect you, alpha," Hudhayfah said before getting up and leaving a confused Rukiya. She couldn''t believe that this kind of shit was happening. She could feel herself raging, so she walked out after Hudhayfah and went back to her chambers, where Hawi was still sleeping. Rukiya looked at the beautiful women on her bed, still tucked under and so peaceful and innocent that it was impossible to know that she had gone through all those horrors because of her. She wanted to apologize to Hawi because of what her mother had done to her family. She wanted to go to Sicario and make Jer pay the price for a deal so shitty. She wanted to make Jer feel what it truly meant to lose someone he loved. Rukiya wanted to break Jer''s bones and burn them into ashes so no one would ever trace them. She had lost so much in the hands of the Russel warlocks and even as she watched her sweet mate sleeping, Rukiya couldn''t help but wish for better times. She wished they were happier and didn''t have psycho for a mother who wanted to ruin them. Rukiya couldn''t help the ache in her heart with each breath that Hawi took and it took everything in her not to walk to her mother and strangle Razia Greyson. "I love you, Hawi," Rukiya whispered softly as she kissed Hawi''s lips softly. Sure, she knew Hawi was asleep but she couldn''t think of any other thing that could calm her down. The beautiful girl on her bed was a better distraction for her, even in just that moment. When she pulled back, Rukiya knew she had to make the tough decision, but she wasn''t sure her n would work. So, she walked back to her office, locked the doors and then stared at the window as if she was expecting someone. "Hawi is in danger, Malika. Please, help me, please," Rukiya whispered, her voice shaky and her breathing distorted as she made a dangerous gamble with the universe. She was the white wolf''s mate so she was counting on the protector showing up on her call. It was something that Rukiya had read a long time ago, when she wasn''t even sure the white wolf or protectors existed. However, now, she needed to see Malika and have a chat with her. "I swear to the fucking goddess of it is Razia, I will kill her," Malika said when she suddenly popped up in RUkiya''s office, though a portal that Rukiya wasn''t even going to ask about because even she wasn''t sure this would work. Malika was already on her way to the door, when Rukiya stopped her. "Hawi is fine, Malika. I just needed to have a chat with you," Rukiya said tiredly, and the protector stared at the woman like she had lost her mind, surely that had to be the case, right? Because there was just no way that Rukiya was doing this right now, yeah? "You? Are you fucking serious now, Kadin?" Malika asked, her Turkish ent making a show as she literally red at Rukiya who was still seated on the couch with her head between her hands. [* Kadin = girl (GT)] However, the Greyson alpha looked so defeated and stressed out that Malika had to step back into the room. She didn''t like what Rukiya was doing honestly, but the girl seemed to be going through worse than she was. "What is it¡­ what happened to you, Rukiya? Why are you in this state if Hawi is fine?" Malika asked, confused. She was no longer mad that Ruru had summoned her like that, instead, she was worried about her, which wasn''t surprising anyway. "Hudhayfah," Rukiya began and Malika sat on the nearest couch as she stared keenly at the Greyson alpha. "He told me everything, Malika," Rukiya spoke even though it came out in a defeated whisper, almost like a whimper and Malika let out a sigh. She knew this day woulde but the fact that Rukiya was knowing this on her own was heartbreaking. "Oh¡­ That''s unfortunate but fortunate at the same time¡­ Don''t mind me, Ruru, I''m not good atforting people, if that was why you summoned me here," Malika said earnestly. "I know," Rukiya chuckled sadly and Malika just watched her as she sat upright. "Which is why I called you here," Rukiya added. "I don''t know what you expect of me, Rukiya. I know I will kill your mother, no matter what happens, you can dy it, but it is inevitable. The sooner you ept that, the sooner it will be easier for you, if I''m being honest with you," Malika said and once again, Ruru chuckled sadly. "I know that too." "Then what do you want with me then?" "I want Hawi to bear my mark," Ruru stated sincerely, before adding, "and I need you to make it happen." Chapter 225: For Me, It’s Only One… Hawi [RUKIYA] "I don''t know what you expect of me, Rukiya. I know I will kill your mother, no matter what happens, you can dy it, but it is inevitable. The sooner you ept that, the sooner it will be easier for you, if I''m being honest with you," Malika said and once again, Ruru chuckled sadly. "I know that too." "Then what do you want with me then?" "I want Hawi to bear my mark," Ruru stated sincerely, before adding, "and I need you to make it happen." Malika got up from her seat, her eyes never leaving Rukiya''s. She had long known that there were crazy people in the world they oh so unfortunately shared, but she never imagined that she would have to interact with this many of them. Looking at Rukiya, Malika was waiting for her to say that this was some sort of a prank or even that there was nothing that they could do about it, let alone dismiss the idea as absurd, just another thought, as usual. However, Rukiya didn''t budge. If anything, she was looking at Malika as if to tell the protector to make up her mind and fast before things escted. Then again, weren''t they already escted like this? What version of the universe were they living in? "You really want her to kill me eh?" Malika asked after a long silence. She was done processing the statement and frankly, her conclusion was still the same. This woman was crazier than the crazy one she had been assigned. "I know I asked for the crazies, trout good goddess, I didn''t ask for all of them at once, eh?" Malika shed as she looked up at the ceiling as if she wasmunicating with the goddess herself. And even if she couldmunicate with the women, she had a feeling that in this one, she would have to fight to save herself from the mess that was inbound. It was not something easy and Rukiya needed to understand that. "You''re immortal, Malika¡ª" "And so are you, Kadin. So are you¡­ But hey, let''s sacrifice the protector who has just gotten her sweet loving mate, now, eh?" Malika whined and Rukiya rolled her eyes at the woman. "Aren''t you being a little too dramatic?" Rukiya asked and Malia stared at her, the pout on her face telling Rukiya that they could drag this on for as long as they could and the answer would probably stay the same. Then again, what else was Malika supposed to do? This was just so sudden and unsettling for her. She had never thought that Rukiya would be the first to ask this of her, but now that it was happening, what was she to do? "Do you even understand what you are asking of me and how dangerous it is?" Malika asked, as she sat on the farthest couch away from Rukiya, as if she was scared that the woman would convince her to join the madness. But wasn''t she already going to do it if she was asking this many questions? In her years of knowing Maika, Rukiya knew that Malika''s ''No'' always came instantly. Especially if she wasn''t going to do shit, but here she was, stalling, which meant that she was contemting, and that could mean well for the Greyson alpha. "It''s the only way. If she bears my mark then no one can take her from me and no one can make her believe that I don''t want her. I get that we are well past the stage of making her understand that I''m not leaving her ever. "However, as long as the chaos unravels, as long as my mother is in this shit show, and as long as there are always going to be people she can lose, we both know she would be the first to jump ship, if that means saving all of us. "I don''t want her saving me, Malika. I want to fight them, for her peace. I want to win this war for her, and I can''t do that if she is scared that I will leave every time," Rukiya said softly. Malika facepalmed. If only Hawi was easy to deal with. If only Hawi didn''t have abandonment and family issues. If only Hawi didn''t have trust issues. Everything would have been so easy if the girl hadn''t been broken one too many times, but then she had and here they were probably going to mark her when she was out of it and she could burn the entirety of Greyson out of rage. What the fuck was she even supposed to make of this? "She will kill us, Rukiya. She will kill me," Malika said and Rukiya stared at her softly. "At least we shall have saved her by then. Isn''t that what you and I are here for? The blood oath and the protector''s role?" Rukiya asked angrily and Malika sighed defeatedly once again. The longer she was around this stubborn bunch of people the more she was sure she would die of a heart attack, that is if she didn''t walk herself to a mental institution with how crazy they were driving her. "What''s the n then? Because she is asleep, but her senses are active. And don''t even think of getting me to numb her. You can''t mark her and not let her feel it, Rukiya. That would be the harshest thing you would have done to her," Malika said. "She''s my lifeline, Malika. Of course, I want her to feel it too. But we will have to be fast. You will need to cast a spell on her, one that will let her arch her neck for me to mark. If she bears my mark then she will not have to worry too much," Rukiya said as Malika stared at the women. "When the fuck did you learn all that? Last I checked you were always fighting in wars and shit. There''s just no way that you could have gotten all that information in so little time," Malika asked and Rukiya just smiled sadly at her, again. "I took the initiative to find out all there was to the woman I loved, love, and will always love, before I went to seek her out, Malika. I put in the effort so she wouldn''t have to walk on eggshells around me," Rukiya stated proudly like it was the best decision of her life. "Damn girl. Anyway, let''s head there. And no, you don''t get to serenade her or whatever the fuck people do when they mark each other¡­ actually on second thought, you can''t mark her neck. "You can only mark her there when she is conscious, allows it, and she has taken over the crown of the white wolf in the realm. If this is about creating or triggering the mate dong, then her wrist will do," Malika said, making Rukiya smile sheepishly at her. "I knew that already. I was just waiting for you to confirm it," Rukiya said and Malika didn''t say a word, other than hold the woman''s hand and portal them into Rukiya''s chambers, where the wild girl was sleeping peacefully. "Are you sure about this, Greyson?" "With my life, Malika. With my life." Chapter 226: You’re Perfection, My Only Direction [RUKIYA] Malika knew Rukiya was feeling guilty for everything she had lost. It was expected given the infodump she had gotten from Hudhayfah earlier, however, even she knew that it was not a simple thing to do. She wanted to talk the woman out of it, but Malika had a feeling that this would only agitate Rukiya more. The woman wanted peace and that was something that wouldn''t be easy to get, not with the weight of the world pinning down on her and Hawi. She would just have to face the truth of the matter and at the end of the day, maybe it would all get better. "You can only mark her on the neck when she is conscious, allows it, and she has taken over the crown of the white wolf in the realm. If this is about creating or triggering the mate dong, then her wrist will do," Malika said, making Rukiya smile sheepishly at her. "I knew that already. I was just waiting for you to confirm it," Rukiya said and Malika didn''t say a word, other than hold the woman''s hand and portal them into Rukiya''s chambers, where the wild girl was sleeping peacefully. "Are you sure about this, Greyson?" Malika asked a second time. She wanted to be sure that Ruru wanted this, because the consequences would be crazy. Even though Malika wasn''t telling Rukiya that Hawi had marked her the first time they met, she knew she had to be there to try and discourage Rukiya in this. Maybe it would make it easier for the Greyson alpha to feel like she had some control on who she could choose for her mate, when in reality, there was never a choice. She was Hawi''s, no matter what the fates decided, and no matter what Rukiya felt. Ruru was born specifically for Hawi and if Hawi didn''t exist, then Ruru wouldn''t be there with them. It was a haunting truth, but one that would keep the bnce and encourage the Greyson alpha, right? "With my life, Malika. With my life.," Rukiya said confidently, and Malika was done trying to take her out of it. It was one thing to be in danger, but right now, there was nothing they could do. Razia Greyson was a danger and Rukiya had already epted that. "Alright then. In that case, I''ll just increase the potency of the spelling spell. But once you bite her¡­ Run, Rukiya, run. I can deal with everything, but you can''t," Malika said. Rukiya wanted to roll her eyes at the dramatics, but she knew Malika was being truthful with her. The stakes were always going to be high when it came to Hawi and the sooner they realized that, the worse it would be for them to find their permanent spot in life. "Okay. Let''s do this," Rukiya said as she pushed the duvet on the side just a little to show Hawi''s left arm that was draped over a pillow. Hawi always hugged a pillow when she slept and when she was with Rukiya, Ruru was always like her pillow that made her feel safe. The little things about the girl in this bed made Rukiya''s heart ache for her. She was so good a person and yet her trials were always by fire. Perhaps Ruru would take care of this one for her, right? "You ready?" Malika asked once she cast the spell on Hawi. The wolf girl looked so calm right now, like she did know that her mate was about to bite into her hand, but was that it really? Granted, there were chances that she really was asleep because she would have tried to save Rukiya, as she always did, but what if? "Goddess save us all," Rukiya said as she gently pulled Hawi''s wrist to her, closing her eyes as she sank her fangs into Hawi''s waiting wrist. At first, she was scared, but the moment her fangs prated Hawi''s skin, it was like Ruru couldn''t stop herself. She could feel the sparks running through her body, making her feel so many things in one go. She could feel the relief Hawi was feeling in her sleep, but she could also feel the restraint that Hawi was having, not to mention the fact that she felt a new mind link open between her and Hawi. It was strange really, given the official mind links only ever opened when the two marked each other. However, Rukiya didn''t question it, even as she felt Hawi''s blood drip slowly on her. She wanted to stay here like this for a little longer. Maybe she was in awe for even thinking of that, but then her thoughts were filled with Hawi, just Hawi. She sucked the blood that was seeping from Hawi''s wrists and it seemed to unlock more than Rukiya Greyson would have expected. Ruru got insights into memories that she never thought she would ever face. The memories of a little girl, memories of her father and her mother. Memories of when her hell had broken loose. She got the memories of the pain her father had gone through; it was all so intense that if she didn''t have the power she had, Rukiya could have long dropped dead. But then here she was. "Rukiya, you need to stop and pull back," Malika said when she saw Hawi squirm in her sleep and gently pull her wrist. It seemed like the n was slowly failing and would get them into more trouble than they already were in if anyone saw them like this. Ruru looked at Malika, as she showed Malika her fangs that were stuck in Hawi''s waist, holding them in ce like they were not supposed to leave. It was not what Rukiya had expected but she didn''t feel too bad about her fangs getting stuck in Hawi''s wrist. "Fucking hell," Malika sighed before she turned her attention to Hawi, who was sleeping soundly, her wrist closing up. Rukiya wasn''t panicking in any way, she just held Hawi''s wrist in her mouth as she tried to think back to the endless times that he had never had her memories. She had realized she had been missing memories and now all she had to do was to sink her fangs in Hawi and she would get them all back? What kind of logic was that? "Hawi, you need to rx. You''re not in any danger and your hands closing on that particr fang is dangerous for both you and I, Mistress. Come on, unless you want to exin to Rukiya that you had someone else bite into your wrists instead of her? "I bet that would be interesting to watch. She would definitely kick you out of the house and let you sleep in the cold for cheating on her," Malika whispered softly to Hawi. Anyone would think they were having a normal conversation instead of one that was using Rukiya of something that she hadn''t done yet. It was hrious though, because Rukiya felt Hawi''s wrist muscles loosening and she was able to release her fangs from Hawi''s hand, only for them to close up instantly. Rukiya looked at Malika with using eyes, before she wiped Hawi''s wrist and Malika cleaned the blood droops on the sheet. They wanted it to be a clean job, but then how the fuck would they exin the moon mark that Rukiya had left on Hawi''s wrist then? "I told you to run, Rukiya. Leave. We can exin thister, when we are alive, and not when we are in danger. Come along; the only thing left is for me to unblock your magic''s focal point and you will be able to do whatever. "And by the way, why is Adolf taking too long to reach our camp?" Malika asked, making Rukiya roll her eyes at the protector. Which part of the endless questions was she supposed to answer? Besides, did Malika forget that Adolf was an actual wolf with a whole ass team instead of a protector who could just portal in and out of Greyson like she liked? "Youe along. The more you talk, the higher the chances of us being caught increases," Rukiya whispered, as she covered Hawi and kissed her on the forehead. Together, the two women left the room hurriedly, and thankfully, Hawi was asleep, or was she? With Rukiya and Malika out of Hawi''s room, the duo knew that there was a new smile for them to do. However, it seemed like Malika was in a hurry, because she grabbed Rukiya, pinned her on the wall, before she sted Rukiya''s chest with a ball of magic. It wasn''t hurtful but it was strenuous, because Rukiya clenched her teeth until Malika released her, making her lose her bnce and fall on one knee. However, before she would ask Malika anything, Malika created a portal and disappeared through, leaving Rukiya overly confused and standing there like shit had really happened. Ruru wasn''t sure what the fuck was happening to her or with her, but when she heard the door to her mother''s chambers open, the Greyson alpha shifted into her wolf and disappeared through the nearest balcony. She wasn''t ready to face her mother, and he wasn''t in the mood to pretend that it was all rainbows and sunshine with her. If anything, Ruru had barely just woken up after the mess Hawi had released her form earlier, and now, she needed to think. Perhaps it would take a little time, because as she disappeared in the woods, Rukiya could swear she heard her mother chuckle. But that wasn''t what shocked her. The only thing that shocked her, was her next words. "Your magic will make it easiest for me and my brothers to track you, my little girl. Congrattions on making my work easier." She was officially a target for the shadow warlocks. Would the warlocks win though? Chapter 227: Please Tell Me I’m Wrong [RUKIYA] Hearing her mother''s words didn''t stop her. Instead, Rukiya came back to the pack a little after dusk. Her people had been looking for her, but were unable to reach her. They wanted to wake Hawi but the woman was sleeping and none of them had the courage to go to Rukiya''s chambers to wake up her sleeping mate. It was all happening so fast, but when they saw their Alpha back home, the wolves rxed. "I think you should go for a run more often, Alpha. You have a pretty little streak of white on your hair. It''s really beautiful," Sherry said when Rukiya went to the kitchen to look for food for Hawi. She may have been hungry herself, but her mate had not eaten. She didn''t care if Hawi was still sleeping, she would wake her up and make sure that the wolf girl had her meal of the day. "Come on Sherry. Let the girl catch her breath. She has been to war and just came from her run. I doubt she wants to talk about her hair slowly running white or that it might be because of her crazies. "Who knows¡­ Maybe the little streak showed up because of all the stress," Hudhayfah said and Sherry stared at him usingly. Rukiya was already used to Hudhayfah and Sherry bickering whenever Adolf was away so this wasn''t even surprising to her. Hudhayfah looked at her worriedly, wondering if there was anything the girl needed, but from the looks of everything, Rukiya was still trying to sort shit out on her own. Her life was rapidly changing and she would soon find her central point; however, at this point, it was more than obvious that her entire life revolved around Hawi. Perhaps it wasn''t so bad, right? "It''s not my fault she does a lot at once!" Sherry said. Rukiya had the pleasure of watching her favorite people bicker in the kitchen as usual. This reminded her of the times when they would flood the kitchen because everyone wanted Sherry''s food and they couldn''t handle the demands from the Greyson wolves. Those were the days when Rukiya felt normal, when life was peaceful. Sherry and Hudhayfah had yed a key role in helping her get up when her father died. Her mother''s absence had been felt, but with these two people, it was almost like she had aplete and functional family. "Alright. You guys can continue bickering, but please don''t bring the pack house down, it would be hard to exin to our hungry warriors that they wouldn''t eat because of you two. Take care!" Rukiya said as she carried the bowl of food towards her chamber. She hadn''t checked what was there, but from the smell of it, it was delicious. She did not doubt that Hawi would love this. However, when she got to her chambers, she found the wild girl gone. The bed was empty and the curtains were drawn. Given it was dusk already, there weren''t that many ces to look for Hawi, seeing as she knew her way around the entire realm. Years of war had introduced the Sicario girl to many territories and Rukiya wasn''t sure she could feel this right now. "Did she hate my mark that much?" Rukiya whimpered defeatedly, as she settled the food on the table and began to look around the room. Surely she couldn''t have gone far, right? There was no way that she would leave her here and go anywhere, unless it was about protecting Rukiya. However, Rukiya was tired of being protected. She was sick of hearing the same statement over and over again. She was a powerful Alpha and she could handle herself. She didn''t need a babysitter and she sure as hell wasn''t going to ept one. "Dammit," Rukiya punched the nearest wall angrily, leaving a dent in it, when she was done scouring the room and found no trace of Hawi. The wild girl''s scent wasn''t even potent here which could only mean that she had left a little earlier. All of this just wasn''t fair. Rukiya felt like she was losing her mind. She had done everything that was expected of her, she had followed the rules, she had been a good Alpha for her people, she had kept her part of the bargain with the blood oath, she had done everything. So why did she always have to be the one suffering like this? Why was happiness so hard to reach when it came to her? Was this the fate she would have to deal with always? "Fuck!" Rukiya cried out silently, as she didn''t want to worry her wolves. There was already enough stress in the pack and she couldn''t let them feel her rage and her fucked up emotions that were over the pce. Maybe just this once, she would let her tears flow. It had been long since she felt this weak and alone, but today, everything was hitting her from all sides, and she had no one to hold her. The woman she loved had disappeared. The mother she trusted and loved was betraying her and wanted her dead. Her best friend was out on a ten-day mission and her healer was trying to distance people from focusing on the mess that Greyson was in, not to mention the fact that she had led her army against Sicario, and won, but was still expecting a retaliation. "Why do I always have to be the strong one?" Rukiya cried out in silence as she slid down the wall and hugged her knees, while she rested her head on her knees. She was sick of everything, really. Each day there was always going to be something and it was all taking a toll on her. She was tempted to make a run for it, but she couldn''t, because if she left, then her people would be vulnerable. They would feel abandoned, and if they ever found out about what Razia had done to Alpha Draffin, it would break them. Once again, the young Greyson was looking out for everyone. She was choosing everyone over herself, even though it was breaking her heart. Maybe, just maybe the universe would be kinder to her. She deserved to be loved without conditions too, right? She deserved to be hugged and protected, without having to live in fear of losing everything she held dear. Then again, as usual, it is just her on her own. She had hoped that maybe having Hawi close would keep her sane and keep her distracted from the pains that came with being the Greyson Alpha, but now she was alone, again. "You there?" a voice called out from outside her door and Rukiya sighed defeatedly. Duty was probably calling again, and she had to be the good responsible alpha, and respond. Everything was wrong with her life and it was ruining her along with everything she had. She was losing her focus and as she furiously wiped her tears with her shirt, she wished that she was just a normal wolf. Maybe she would have this much pressure right? Rukiya then got up, once she was sure her face was not as red. She then intentionally spilled some of the tea that was on the breakfast table on her shirt, to exin her stains. She then straightened up and went to open the door. "Yeah, what''s up?" Chapter 228: The Spark That Led Me Straight Into Your Heart [RUKIYA] "Yeah, what''s up?" Rukiya asked as she opened the door, only to stare strangely at the person on the other side of the door. "Hot mocha coffee for the girl of my dreams. Also, I think Sherry hates me after all the strain I put on her to make the perfect cup of cof¡ª" Hawi rambled on excitedly before she looked at Ruru, realizing how tear-stained her eyes were. "No¡­ I''ll kill her, I swear I''ll kill Razia Greyson today if she hurt you," Hawi said, dropping the cup of coffee she had gotten for Rukiya. She didn''t care about the spige, she would take care of thatter, after she was sure Ruru was okay. "You didn''t leave," Ruru said, when Hawi pulled her into a warm hug, holding onto her like she wasn''t ready to let Rukiya go. Well, Hawi was never going to be ready to let Rukiya go. The wild psycho girl wouldn''t be able to live with herself and it was a reality that she had long epted. She wasn''t about to y cat and dogs with her love for the woman anymore. The coffee she had gotten was to remind Rukiya that they would do this together and that they didn''t need to always be alone. But what she hadn''t expected was toe home to a broken girl. "What? Leave? Why the fuck would I leave you?" Hawi asked as she pulled back, gently kissing Rukiya''s tears away. She hated seeing Rukiya sad, and frankly, she had never seen Ruru shed tears like this. Hell, she couldn''t even remember if there was a time that Ruru had shed her tears around her or even alone. This was unsettling for Hawi and she wanted blood, someone''s blood. The blood of whoever was stupid enough to make her baby cry. "Did someone tell you I left? Did they make you believe I abandoned you? It''s got to be Razia. Did she do this? Why the fuck would she screw with your head? Oh, she will get it from me," Hawi said angrily. She continued to pepper kisses on Rukiya''s shocked face, before smashing their lips together. Hawi could feel the bitter taste of her beautiful girl''s tears and they got her angrier. She couldn''t believe someone would be that willful enough to try and hurt her woman, when she was here. Some people really deserved to be in pain. And so, as Hawi kissed Ruru, she used her magic to force Razia into her wolf form, on the other side of the pack house. It was a cruel thing for a wolf to be forced to shift. The entire Greyson could hear Razia''s screams, but Hawi was making sure no one would ever hurt her baby again. "I''m sorry, baby. I''m so sorry for all of this, love¡­ but I''m not sorry for this," Hawi said, and before Rukiya could ask about what was happening, Hawi sank her fangs into Rukiya''s neck, officially marking Rukiya Greyson as her mate. Everything happened so suddenly. The evening that had slowly turned into grey dusk, one that they had been sure was going to experience a lot of rain, suddenly lit up as the moon and stars hung low in the sky, shining brighter than anyone had ever thought possible. Anyone could see and count the stars and while they were any and endless, the Milky Way was evident. It was all a beautiful evening, as the realm was suddenly filled with excitement for an evening so perfect. The Greysons were outside, cheering for the change and enjoying the sight while their Luna was trapped in her werewolf form, in a pain so terrible, given the magic Hawi had used hadced the Luna with wolfsbane. If Hawi didn''t stop the magic, then Razia would be dead from wolfsbane poisoning. "I''m never letting you go again," Hawi said in the mind link that Ruru had opened earlier, as she pulled Rukiya closer to her, her fangs still deep into Ruru''s neck. As if out of their control, Hawi''s free hair suddenly transformed into a ponytail, allowing Ruru ess to the woman''s neck and like a fate they couldn''t stop, Ruru sank her fangs into Hawi''s neck too,pleting the marking. "Neither am I, my wild girl," Ruru said, as the air around them got warmer and windy at the same time. They were suddenly surrounded by thick and unexpected twirls of white and gold, as their scents merged into one, thick rainforest scent. The entire realm was experiencing the changes even in the humannds but that didn''t matter to Hawi. If anything, she wasn''t concerned about anything, the only thing that mattered was the girl in her arms. The girl she had promised to love and protect and the girl that was finally hers. Gently, the duo pulled their fags from each other''s necks, as their bite marks transformed into crowns, unlike what was normal for the regr wolves, the simple moon mark. It was all so beautiful and Rukiya wasn''t sure she understood what was going on around them. The wave wasn''t stopping anytime soon and she''d be lying if she said she wasn''t scared of what that looked like. Thankfully she had the psycho in her arms, who was smiling at her like she was her lifeline. "I love you, Ruru," Hawi said when they pulled back, not bothering with the chaos outside, or even the defeated whimpers of the luna wolf on the other side of the pack house. "I love you, so so much," Hawi said, as she watched her mate''s eyes brighten from the moonlight that was lighting up their room too. It was all so surreal and Rukiya Greyson needed to take a breather. She was bearing Hawi''s mate mark and Hawi was bearing hers. They were there for everyone to know that they had marked each other that the universe was never going to be able to pull them apart and more than anything, there was nothing Razia would be able to do to Rukiya, because this time, she was directly sharing Hawi''s life force. The eternal life force. "You marked me," Rukiya whispered, like she was scared that this would disappear, or even that it was just another dream of hers. She wasn''t ready to lose Hawi, again. She couldn''t handle it. Honestly, it scared her more than losing her life. "Is this real?" Rukiya added and Hawi just pulled her into a hug again allowing their merged scent to calm Rukiya down. She knew this was probably too much for the girl and she wouldn''t let her feel alone again. It didn''t matter what anyone did to them this time, no one would ever be able to use them to take each other down again. No one would ever be able to wield any power against the two of them and even the moon goddess knew that. There was so much ahead of them, but they would face it all together. "I don''t know, baby¡­ tell me, my beautiful¡­ is it real?'' Hawi asked, her voice so husky as she gently carried Rukiya into the room, making sure to lock the door. "Wh¡ª" "Come now, love," Hawi whispered roughly, her eyes coated with lust as she gentlyy Ruru on their bed. "I¡­ I wish it was real." "Your wish, baby¡­ Is always mymand, Jaberna," Hawi said, reconnecting their lips in a heated kiss, andpleting the mating in the process. * [Jaberna = My beautiful] Chapter 229: Of Twelve Fucking Days * Cheers to 850k views, 300k words, 1.9k collections and many more toe! Thank you [RUKIYA] Holding her mate in her arms, Hawi feltplete. She had finally managed toplete the mating bond and was ready to face the world with her beside her. She no longer had fears of losing the woman she was so madly in love with. She couldn''t remember how many days had passed but she could tell they had been in the Greyson alpha''s chambers for a while. She hadn''t even gotten any information on Malika and the mission. It was almost like everyone had given them a break from the mess that they had been in and lived in. For what felt like days, there was no disturbance; just Hawi and Ruru spending time together and enhancing their bond. It was quite sad, however, that all it took for Hawi to finally make the needed step, was Ruru''s tears. Oh, how Hawi hated seeing her mate broken. It reminded her of a time when everything came down on her and she was alone. A time when the only thing she knew was pain and just pain. A time when her entire being couldn''t handle the emotional trainwreck she had been trapped in. In those days, if she hadn''t met Malia or even Rukiya, Hawi knew she would have been doomed. Perhaps that was why she was not going to change this. If Malika didn''te for her, then she wouldy here in Rukiya''s arms, holding her like she was her lifeline. She would be there for her, in their own world and beyond. Hawi had thought of Luna Razia and the state she had left the woman in, but there was no empathy for her. If anything, the white wolf wanted to maul Razia apart. She would do it; it was something that she knew. However, here and now, she was choosing to be the mate her Ruru needed, just for a little longer before they had to wake up and face their reality. She loved Rukiya and hells be damned, she wasn''t going to leave her again. Never. "If you don''t open this door, I''m going to break it down!!" Malika''s voice tore through their ears as the woman shouted, while banging the door to Rukiya''s chamber. Maybe she had urgent things to discuss with the two women, right? "She''ll go away soon, don''t worry, we don''t have to open the door," Hawi whispered. She knew this time woulde, but she hoped it would take a little longer. But then they had been here for a while already anyway. "Or she''ll break down the door," Rukiya said, not even bothering to whisper. "You should listen to her, Mistress. Now are youing to open the door or should we break it down?" Malika asked again and Hawi sighed before she got up and went to one the door. "Why¡­ what is so important that you had to wake us up?" a very naked Hawi asked as she stood at the door and Malika stared at her nkly like she wasn''t even surprised that Hawi hade like this. "Don''t tell me you were still fucking her," Malika whined and a pillow flew past Hawi and onto Malika''s face, making the protector whine. She had heard the pillowing but she hadn''t expected that Hawi would duck at thest minute. Damn, traitor. "You were so excited for me toplete the mating bond with Ruru, and now that I''m enjoying it whilepleting it, you''reining? Come on, Malika, decide on one," Hawi said and Malika facepalmed as she rubbed her nose. "I didn''t say you were to spend twelve whole days doing it! Goodness woman, aren''t you tired? Your bones? Your body? All of you?" Malika asked worriedly. "My Ruru is notining. Y''know, the moon goddess was right to pair us both. We have a lot of tannins and we are insatiable. Even after you leave, we''ll get back to it," Hawi said proudly and Rukiya sighed before she got up and walked to the door. She couldn''t feel her legs from the endless mating the both of them had been doing, but it was safe to say she wanted to put an end to the topic of her getting railed over and over for twelve days. Honesty, she hadn''t realized that much time had passed, but then the stench of their cum and the smell of sex that filled the room and probably the pack house was saying otherwise. They were really insatiable, huh? As much as she loved seeing Hawi naked and exposing how endowed she was, Rukiya knew it was just for her alone, and not the protector who was busy staring disbelievingly at the two of them. So, she grabbed a shoal and covered up Hawi. "Thank you, Rukiya," Malika said as she pushed past Hawi and walked into the room, only to walk herself back to the door where she had been standing. Honestly, it was much better out there; at least the airflow wasn''t as corrupted as in that chamber. "I thought you wanted toe in, what happened?" Hawi teased and Malika stared at her disbelievingly. "I changed my mind," Malika said with an annoyed pout as she tended to her side to look at Adolf who had been silent the entire time. The poor man was probably traumatized by the information they had gotten out of their alphas. "You''ve been awfully quiet. And here I thought you would help me smack some sense into our alpha while I tried to reason with my mistress. What happened?" Malika asked Adolf who just shrugged and zipped his mouth in motion. "Great, another traitor," Malika said before she was interrupted by a frantic Mbali. "Did you find them? Are they dead? Goddamn, what is that stench? Who the fuck died in there?" Mbali asked as she rushed to where Malika, Adolf, and the two newly mated mates were at, and boy was she shocked. "Twelve days. Twelve whole days and you still can stand? What the fuck were you guys fucking in there? I know we said you couldplete it but goddamn, throwing the realm into night mode for twelve whole days is insane. "And there''s a rotten stench of coffee¡­ You people are disgusting," Mbali whined as she stared at a smug-looking Hawi. Oh, but she was proud of what she had done with Ruru, and if she had to do it again, she would. "As much as I would like to entertain you and let you know about our very active sex life, what do you guys want this early?" Hawi asked like she couldn''t believe herself that their friends had interrupted them. She had been having the time of her life and they ruined her fun. Surely twelve days of mating wasn''t that long, or was it? Well, it didn''t matter seeing as they had exhaled themselves each time they were worn out, yeah? "Rukiya, please open the curtains of your damned room and tell us what you see," Malika said and Rukiya stared at her curiously before she walked up to the window and saw the mess they had created. Life was going on around them, but everything was lit by stars and the moonlight. It looked like none of them had seen sunlight for a long time, but they weren''t exactly in the mood toin because they probably didn''t know why this was happening, right? "It can''t be that bad," Hawi said and Rukiya snorted. "Harry is cleaning his weapons¡­ He always does that at lunch hours," Rukiya said. "Okay¡­ I guess we should clean up?" Hawi trailed off and Malika just facepalmed. "Get out, both of you. There are other chambers in this pack house. Go clean up and meet us in Razia''s room," Malika said and Hawi stared at her mate before they began giggling, making Malika re deathly at them. "She''s definitely not going to let us go freely." "And my mother was in her forced wolf form." "I added wolfbane to her magic." "But her magic is useless when she''s in wolf form." "Exactly¡­ Which makes her a wolf risking wolfsbane poisoning." "But it''s been twelve days¡­ if Malika isn''t exaggerating, then she should be¡­" "Dead. I know. But she won''t die that easily¡­ it''s going to be a lot of fun." "Hawi¡ª" "She tried to take you from me, she MUST pay the price," Hawi growled and Rukiya sighed in understanding. She couldn''t argue with that really and she knew it wasn''t a good idea upsetting Hawi if they wanted to get everything sorted. "Alright, baby. Come, let''s go take a shower¡­ also how long will the darkness be?" Rukiya said to Hawi, before directing thest bit to Malika, seeing as Hawi was still cooped up with thoughts of making Razia suffer. "I''ll channel Mbali and clean up the mess¡­ so, at most ten minutes," Malika said. "Okay. we''ll get out of your hair then," Rukiya said earnestly while Hawi looked like she was about to march her naked ass into Razia''s bed chamber and deal with the woman like she had nned to. Hawi had been so patient with her, but Razia kept testing her patience. As they stood there Rukiya could feel a harsh wind, one that seemed to be sucking the life force around them. Malika looked at Rukiya as if to tell her that only she could stop Hawi when it came to that. So, Rukiya did the only thing she could at the moment. She pushed herself a little too close to the door, and lightly wed her arm, making her bleed. "Hawi¡­ I think my arm¡­" Rukiya said and Malika helped by making the scent of Ruru''s blood more potent than Hawi''s anger, instantly distracting the woman. It worked, because Hawi carried Rukiya and disappeared through a portal. Chapter 230: The Devil You Created [HAWI] "There wille a day, my sweet child, when someone will love you for who you are and you won''t have to change. Don''t be scared when that dayes, instead, embrace that love, because it will hold your happiness," Luna Eni had said to a sixteen-year-old Hawi on her birthday. "But mama, how will I know that? Is love the only thing that can get me happiness?" Hawi had asked, curious to know what her mother had insisted on her getting love and not even mentioning the alpha position she would be taking up that night. "No, my love. But Love will give you a reason to keep going. You will be an alpha soon and I know that with how extensive you have trained; you will be the perfect alpha and that will make you happy. But I talk of a different type of happiness sweetheart." "Like how I love Elodie?" "Yes, but better than that." "With Jeremiah?" "Maybe, my child, maybe. Come now, we need to get you into the ballroom. You can''t ditch your birthday party and who knows, maybe Jeremiah is your mate, my love," Luna Eni had said years ago. Hawi was fuming. They were currently in Luna Razia''s chambers and the woman was still in her wolf form. Oh, how Hawi hated her. This woman had made a mess of her entire life and she had known all that, thanks to the mating bond with Rukiya. When Hawi had marked Rukiya, the woman was still hurting from the reality she had just learnt for Hudhayfah. Her feelings were on the surface and everything she had learned was there for Hawi to ess. In her bid to know who would have hurt her mate like that, Hawi had peeked and she didn''t like what she had seen. However, she never acted on it, because she knew that Ruru had to be feeling the pain tenfold. To know that her mother was a damned traitor and that her father died for nothing, was too simr a script that had worked in the Sicario household and frankly, Hawi knew what that pain felt like. "You lied to us. You manipted everything and I''m supposed to let you go on with your life like it''s nothing?" Hawi asked, her anger turning into a dark chuckle as she looked at the grey wolf before her. Razia''s wolf was beautiful, so beautiful that it was almost heartbreaking to see her face covered in dried tears, and more that was flowing. She was in so much pain. It was breaking all of her and in the past twelve days, she had endured the worst. Her wolf was losing control and pleading with Rukiya for help, but then Rukiya couldn''t. She needed answers too and she was hurting. She knew this was probably insane, but then it wasn''t like her mother hadn''t tried to ruin their family more than once right? "Hawi, maybe you can let her have a relief for just ten minutes?" Malika suggested. Hawi looked at her protector with clouded angry eyes. She understood what Malika was saying, because, if the wolf was still in this state for a while, then she would die and their only link to the shadow warlocks could be ruined. "You''re right," Hawi said before she cast a spell to create a magical cage around the wolf. It was a tiny space, so tiny that the Sicario''s damned dungeon spaces were even bigger. This space was too tiny even for Razia''s wolf. However, no one knew what the fuck Hawi was doing, so they just watched in silence as Hawi fortified the little cage with potent silver, and fluoroantimonic acid, the most dangerous acid in existence since the beginning of science. If Razia were able to endure the silver on the bars, then she would never be able to survive the acid. Rukiya watched in silence as her mate forced her mother to shift back in that little cage that was rooted in the Luna''s chambers. She could see her mother''s bruised body, and it was obvious her blood was already poisoned. Razia''s veins had grown darker, because of the pain she had been going through. Razia''s human form was terrible. She looked like she hadn''t eaten in weeks and that was true. Hawi had made sure that the Greysons wolf forgot that their luna was in pain and instead, she made them enjoy the festivities that came with the mating. It wasn''t surprising that Awuor Sicario had a heart of steel, but goddamn, Razia looked like she was a skeleton. "Mother¡ª" Rukiya whispered defeatedly as she looked at her mother. She felt terrible for the woman, but then it seemed like Razia wasn''t sharing the same sentiments. The moment she regained her eyesight, the first thing Razia Greyson did was cast a spell and st it in the direction of Rukiya, her determination to put an end to her daughter who was already having eternal life forces, still standing. It was crazy what Razia was willing to do for her mission but instead of Hawi being offended she justughed at the woman''s attempts. She had known Razia had to be a little dumb, but she hadn''t expected that she would be this dumb. "You really are stupid, huh, Razia?" Hawi said as she walked towards the woman, before she held the bars so casually like she hadn''tced the damn thing with so much potent magic. Hawi could feel her skin burning, but it was a non-issue for her because she was used to the pain. She was more interested in Razia and her futile attempts at sanity. "I will kill you once I get out of here," Razia said and Hawi chuckled as she removed her hand from the bars and could see the dent that the acid had left in both her palms. She showed her palms to Razia who was taken aback by the sight. The woman before her was really and truly crazy for this. "You see, every time you use your magic, in here, it just makes your little jail potent and unbreakable. Of course, you will be fortifying it for me, but no amount of fortifying from your end will render it unmovable by me, sweet Razia. "And by now I think you already know that Rukiya bears my mark, which means that soon enough she will start growing more powerful, but never more than me. I am telling you this, just in case you start ying nice mother and appeal to her humane side. "Your daughter isn''t a devil like me, and I know there will be temptations like that. Which is also why the acidicponents Ibined with the silver, will keep increasing the potency, and thanks to the magic you just sted on them¡­ "¡ªThey will get more lethal. Even if my Rukiya wants to save you, she won''t be able to, Razia. So don''t bother with trying to be a mother to her. You lost that chance when you wanted her dead. "Anyway, I know you have questions and I would really like to stay and chat, but I have a certain Jeremiah to taunt. So, pardon me for sending you on a little trip outside Greyson, hmm?" Hawi said. Before anyone could say anything, Hawi created a portal and sent a caged Razia through it, leaving everyone in the room with their jaws on the ground. Maybe the screws in Hawi''s head had all gotten lost and she hadpletely lost it. Chapter 231: A Razia Problem? [HAWI] "Your daughter isn''t a devil like me, and I know there will be temptations like that. Which is also why the acidicponents Ibined with the silver, will keep increasing the potency, and thanks to the magic you just sted on them¡­ "¡ªThey will get more lethal. Even if my Rukiya wants to save you, she won''t be able to, Razia. So don''t bother with trying to be a mother to her. You lost that chance when you wanted her dead. "Anyway, I know you have questions and I would really like to stay and chat, but I have a certain Jeremiah to taunt. So, pardon me for sending you on a little trip outside Greyson, hmm?" Hawi said. Before anyone could say anything, Hawi created a portal and sent a caged Razia through it, leaving everyone in the room with their jaws on the ground. Maybe the screws in Hawi''s head had all gotten lost and she hadpletely lost it. "Great, we don''t have a Razia problem anymore. Anyone hungry? I am very hungry¡­ no offense my love, but eating you out for days got me famished. And as much as I would like to have my face covered by your c¡ª" Hawi began only for Ruru to interrupt her. "Great! The kitchen it is. Shall we¡­ My love?" Malika and Mbali watched in awe as Rukiya dragged a famished Hawi out of the Luna''s room like the mad woman hadn''t just sent her mother to a pce of no return. It was quitemendable really and it was worrying at the same time. Razia must have really wronged her daughter so much, if she wasn''t even bothered that her mate had been cruel to her mother hell, Rukiya hadn''t even asked where Hawi had sent her mother, like this was a new normal for them. Perhaps pain had a way of making even the beautiful souls into monsters and they had seen it firsthand with hawi. Now, they were seeing it again in Rukiya. It was quite the unfortunate fate, really but then what else could they do, right? "These two scare the hell out of me," Adolf said as he watched at the door that was slowly closing as if to remind them of what had just happened. He couldn''t believe what he had heard and seen and it was worrying. Then again, he wasn''t the only one worried about the sanity of the entire pack, especially now that Hawi and Ruru were in the madness together. Perhaps there was a different way out of this? Well, if there was, then it had to be elsewhere because this wasn''t it. "You and me both, warrior. Alone they are scary and now that they are one and the same, I guess prayers are the only thing we can turn to at the moment. Perhaps a prayer for Jeremiah''s lost soul would be appropriate too, right?" Mbali said worriedly. With nothing left for them to do in the Luna''s room, the trio walked out and followed the duo that had left initially. They really had to be hungry because when Malika and her team got to the kitchen, she found them eating casually. "Join us! Sherry cooked some good food! Also, the weather is nice isn''t it? I''m so d we stopped at noon. We should do this more often," Hawi said and Rukiya choked on air, making hawi pat her back gently. "Careful there sweetheart, I got something else for you to choke on. But then you were on it for twelve days. I really thought we could hit it for more than a week, but twelve days is wild. "I bet no one has ever broken that record yet!" Hawi said and Malika red daggers at Hawi who was staring at her with a knowing smirk. They had been a little too vocal for Hawi to make Rukiya and now that she had, it seemed like she would make them swallow their words and teases. Perhaps it was evil but then when they were telling the world just how unmated Hawi and Ruru were they had no problem then, right? "Mistress," Malika whined and Hawi let out a knowing chuckle. "We are eating, Malika. Or would you like to tell us what else you want to eat other than Sherry''s food?" Hawi said and Malika sighed defeatedly. She knew she wasn''t going to win this and there was no point in engaging Hawi. "Listen up you two. Another talk about my mating and you both will be walking the long road to the freends, and trust me, you won''t be using any of your magical abilities, or I won''t see any of you again," Rukiya spoke, her voice so cold as she looked at her mate and her protector. "You¡ª" "Wanna test that theory, hmm, baby?" "Nope, I''m all good." "Damn, you''re even scarier than Hawi," Malikamented and Rukiya red at her, forcing the woman into silence while Hawi was pouting like she had just been scolded by her favorite person. "Eat up," Rukiya said and Malika just nodded while she red at Hawi, while Mbali, Adolf and Sherry who had walked in just in time to see the duo get scolded stood there amusedly. Turns out there was someone that scared the white wolf and her lethal protector, huh? The lunch break had been needed, especially for the group of misfits, and as they assembled in the Greyson alpha''s office, it was more than obvious what this was for them and their missions. The realm had been brought to understand what happened when Sicarios went against the deadly Greyson pack and it was safe to say that Sicario had lost most of the allies they had in the war, as they preferred to stay alive than be mauled by the Greyson army. This was an undefeated war for the Greysons and an unwinnable war for Jeremiah warner; no matter how Jer wanted to put it, there was noing out alive for him. The world was spinning on and on and on and he wasn''t even a part of it in the first pce. Perhaps it would have been the first warning for him, but then he was Jeremiah, and he was with the confidence of the shadow warlocks. They woulde for him, right? Oh, Jeremiah. Earlier Adolf had told the wolves that their alpha was marked by the white wolf and the rejected Alpha, hence the intensity of the changes in the pack and they hadn''t questioned it. Most of them knew that being mated to the white wolf was special and while the humans on the other side of the realm were probably working their asses off trying to decode the sudden changes in the universe, the wolves knew. The entire supernatural realm knew it too and everyone was suddenly aware of the chaos that coulde. For some, it was relief, seeing as the white wolfing meant security, while for others it was fear, because that same white wolf was their doom. "What did you find out there, Adolf?" Rukiya asked her beta who had been out on a ten-day mission with Malika, before the phenomenon that got everythinging to an unexpected standstill. Granted, so many had stayed in-doors scared of what the reality meant, but Adolf and Malika had done their jobs so damn well. "There are six other shadow warlocks and we tried to round them up but the mating and the changes, clearly scared them off into hiding. They will stille out of hiding soon, but the focus is on Jeremiah and Sicario. "ording to the intel and our findings, the Sicario warriors are defeated and are not in the mood for war. Instead, they are nning a rebellion against their alpha, ming him for leading them to a war that could have been avoided. "The situation there is a little too tense and it''s cracked up. The Sicario warriors, led by Elodie and Theodore are demanding an exnation for the war and for their missing luna, given they haven''t seen Malika for over two weeks now. "Alpha Jeremiah Warner is not sure what he can tell them, because he hasn''t been able to talk to Razia. Malika forged some memories and made him believe that Razia killed her, so he''s a little unstable at the moment. "That should do the job and make the revolution begin from the inside out. As for the camp we set outside Sicario, everything is ready, the roads into and out of Sicario''s ten-mile radius are blocked. "No one can get in or out of that pce, except for the Greyson army. Elodie and Theo are heading the revision and she is a little antsy too. I guess it''s because of Malika but I am not so certain of that. "That is all from our mission, alpha," Beta Adolf said and the room suddenly went into silence. Hudhayfah had joined them and he looked proud of what Rukiya had done. He looked like a father who had watched her daughter grow so well and with Hawi beside Rukiya, Hudhayfah knew the great battle was officially about to begin. However, the mission in Sicario was also part of the process and had to bepleted sooner orter. "Malika," Hawi said, her tonemanding, and Malika bowed before she picked up from where Adolf had left. "Of course, Mistress," Malika began, all traces of the happy protector gone, and in her ce was a woman who was dutiful and ready to report to her leader of the findings out there. Chapter 232: Together, My love… Together [HAWI] "The fire wards are already set up around Sicario, and it will stop the wolves from even thinking of leaving. They are still inactive, but they will be when the clock strikes midnight today. "It''s just a matter of time before the Sicario wolves learn of it. Once they do, then Mbali and the Lycans will lead the attack and finish the job. The protectors have also crossed over and are on this side of Olyana. "They are however not to make a move unless they hear from me. I figured you would want to close the Sicario case first before embarking on what you were meant to do. That said, all armies are ready for the final leg of the Sicario war. "So, whenever you are ready, we are ready, mistress," Malika said as she bowed to show that she had concluded her presentation. She knew that Hawi had so many questions, but then if she wanted to know more all Hawi could do was just ask and Malika would be ready with the answers. The protectorsing over was the first sign that the beginning of the end was nigh and it was just a matter of time before everything fell into ce. And with Razia trapped in a portal whose destination only Hawi knew, it was safe to say that for an end that hadn''t started, it was peaking a little too loudly. "Good job, all of you. I know how harsh it has been with the war, and I think this is the time for Rukiya to take over with the Sicario case. She has a blood oath to reset and while she is my mate; "Her duties to the bond have toe to fruition, otherwise none of that will matter when we start the tasks ahead of us. Jabali Lihle, I expect that you will ord alpha Rukiya the respect and cooperation she needs for this war. "No matter what happens, make sure shees back to me, and if you screw up, then it will be game over for the entire realm," Hawi said earnestly as she looked at her best warriors. She trusted them to help Rukiya with everything, and she could see that her statement had caught Rukiya off guard. She hadn''t expected this, but then the faces of Adolf and Malika seemed to be having the same questions. If Hawi wasn''t apanying the woman she loved to war, then where the fuck was she headed? "Hawi¡­ what about you? Where will you go?" Rukiya asked and Hawi looked at her gently. She loved this woman so much but she was d that this time, Rukiya''s questions weren''t filled with the uncertainty that Hawi would note home to her; it was something that she didn''t worry about anymore. With the mating bondplete, Hawi''s ce was beside Rukiya and Rukiya''s ce was beside Hawi. "Malika and I have to deal with Razia. You''re the woman''s daughter and it will not be good for you to be involved in this part of the mission. That is why you remain with the Sicario task force toplete your duty to the blood oath, before we can start off as mates. "I love you, and you already know that, but I must remind you that no matter what happens out there, only when you sleep, will I sleep, love. So don''t worry. You are my home, and I happen to love that home with you," Hawi said as she held Rukiya''s hand, gently rubbing the back of her hand softly. She knew that this was going to be the hardest part of the mission, but then they already knew that going in, there wouldn''t be any easy steps. If anything, the easy day was yesterday, a truth that they had grown to learn with the days that had passed. "Promise me you''lle back to me," Rukiya said as she looked into Hawi''s eyes, disregarding everyone in the room. The woman beside her meant the world to her and if she lost Hawi, Rukiya wasn''t sure she could function properly. She wasn''t sure life would ever be worth living anymore. Hawi may have been the devil herself but she was the devil that got Rukiya''s heart beating right. She was the only reason Rukiya hadn''t broken down and had regained her focus there. Maybe they were good for each other after all, right? "I''ll always be with you. You''re my home, Ruru. It doesn''t matter that we will go our separate ways for now. You''re mine, and I''m yours, in every way there is in the world. Nothing is ever going to matter. "Besides, there is a good side to bonding with me ¡ª our shared mind link will always work whether we are in the same region or not. This means whenever you feel scared and alone, you can always call me and I will be there for you. "The world can wait for us, baby. We can do whatever we want, and with you, my world isplete. I hope you never doubt that. So yes, Ruru. I will alwayse back to you. I will always be there for you. "I will always, always be the one you can turn to regardless of the situation. I love you, young Greyson. So much it hurts to breathe, but it''s worth it, because I have you. Just you. You''re all I need, my soul," Hawi said earnestly as she kissed Rukiya lightly on the lips. She knew they were going on the dangerous segments, and she was painfully aware that it wouldn''t be easy. Even then, a part of Hawi hoped and prayed to the goddess that no one would ever hurt her mate, because then the world would burn, more than it was already burning in Sicario. She would turn the realm upside down just to show the deities how crazy she was and there wasn''t a thing that they would be able to do. "You''re my home too, Hawi," Rukiya said leaning on Hawi as she looked around only to see that it was just the two of them in the alpha''s office. "Where''d they go? Don''t tell me they think we''re going to¡ª" Rukiya began and Hawi captured her lips in a deep kiss, as she got up, closing the distance between her and her mate. It almost felt like goodbye, but none of them said anything. Instead, Rukiya just let Hawi hold her, and kiss her like the world wasing to an inevitable end. There was chaos awaiting them and no matter what happened they had to fight to keep their space and survive the mess. It didn''t matter that the world was a little grey most of the time. What mattered was that they were here, with each other and they would always be there for each other. "Is this goodbye?" Rukiya asked, her lips shaking once Hawi pulled apart from her. She wasn''t sure what to feel really. On one end, she was happy that he was mated to Hawi and the woman was never leaving, yet on the other hand, she knew that Hawi was always going to be Hawi and that if Hawi wanted to leave, no one would ever be able to stop her. "No baby. That is just to tell you that the Greyson wolves have been waiting for your speech since thest battle. Come along, they missed their alpha. And I miss watching you with them," Hawi said lovingly, before she kissed Rukiya on the cheeks. Goodness, she loved this woman. Chapter 233: I’ll Show You Grace [RUKIYA] Standing there before her people, Rukiya Greyson couldn''t remember thest time she had publicly addressed her people. She had been upied most of the time and only ever got to interact with the warriors. However here at the assembly hall, with all her wolves staring at her curiously, Rukiya couldn''t help but wonder if she had failed them. She was sure they wouldn''t tell her to her face, and it wasn''t because they refused her but because even they had seen the chaos around Greyson. Even then, Ruru wished that she hadn''t taken that long toe to this hall with her people. She knew they had so many questions that she would address her general statements before she gave them a chance at questions and answers. "Hello, Greyson," Rukiya greeted as she looked at her people. These people had willingly gone into war with her despite the fact that they were so sure some of them would never be back home. The mothers and father sent their kids after Rukiya to help her with her mission. They had been loyal to her, way too loyal and she swore to herself that she would do everything possible to make sure that they never once felt alone. She knew her people deserved honesty and as they responded to her, Rukiya knew that she had to do this,e hell or high water. They were her home after all. Besides, it wasn''t like even she wasn''t a part of the mess her mother had ever so graciously created, right? "You guys are looking a little too frail and hungry¡­ Have you had your dinner?" Rukiya asked as she looked at Sherry beside her. She knew the address would take long and it was just a matter of time before they lost focus and began thinking of their rumbling stomachs. It was something that would be involuntary and Rukiya wouldn''t be able to hold it against them. "Sherry?" Ruru asked as she looked at her pack''s chef. "The assembly call came before dinner. We can eatt¡ª" Sherry began and Hawi just smiled at the courtesy. She knew her people so well and if these people were anything like her Sicario wolves, Hawi was certain that they would not be focused. Hell, even she wouldn''t have been focused. "Allow me, my love," Hawi said with a knowing smile, before she closed her eyes and when she opened them the assembly hall had a long dinner table, with all sorts of food, literally everything that Hawi could remember seeing in the Greyson kitchen. At first, the wolves were skeptical about the food, but when Rukiya walked up to the table and served herself at the long buffet, they eagerly joined in. It was a show of good faith and a reminder that there wasn''t a soul in Greyson that the wolves trusted more than Rukiya Greyson. "Everyone, let''s eat first and we can talk about everything elseter," Rukiya said and the wolves nodded and cheered in agreement. They were excited for this and the fact that it was almost dusk again, made it easier on them. Two hourster, the entire Greyson was well-fed, and the children had already been put to bed. As for the assembly hall, Malika and Mbali used their magic to clean it up, and cleaned up the air too, so everyone could be focused. It was an activity that only took ten minutes before everyone went back to singing and waiting for Rukiya to address them. Alpha Rukiya had seen how her wolves were in awe of what the misfits had done and honestly, she was amused too. She hadn''t expected that it would be this fast, but then Malika and Mbali were something else if they weren''t bickering about everything. "Hello again, Greyson. Now that the dinner is done, allow me to make the first introduction of the night. We have been working with Alpha Awuor and her friends, but I never introduced them officially; "¡ªNot even when you let your sons and daughters follow me into a war that I had gotten us into. For that faith, I am d you were of service. However, I believe that in theing days, transparency is going to be very important, because of the things that will happen," Rukiya said and her wolves gasped. That was expected, because they honestly couldn''t remember thest time any Greyson alpha had addressed them and told them that there was an iing mess. It was not like they didn''t know of it already, but the idea itself was making them wonder if there was always going to be more. But then wasn''t there always more anyway? "Do not worry. This time, we will make sure everyone in the pack is aware of what is happening. And we will only need the Greysin army for this, into the entire pack as usual. Before you ask for their safety, do not worry. "We will be going to war with everything we got and that means that we will not lose, not even a strand of hair on our warriors. They will leave ande back safely, and unharmed. "They will probably be broader, and muscr, but that doesn''t sound so bad for our girls, right?" Alpha Rukiya said and her wolves let out amusedughs. Only the Greyson kid would be able to make themugh at institutions so tense. However, they would get used to it eventually so this wasn''t an issue for them. If anything, it was encouraging for them. They hadn''t known what to expect, especially with the radio silence from their alpha but now that she was here, they hoped they could get more information. "They love her so much," Malikamented softly as she watched Rukiya and her people. She could tell that her presence was calming for them more than anything she had ever seen. "They do," Hawi said earnestly. Rukiya''s current position reminded her of the time she had been Sicario''s best alpha. The girl everyone feared and loved at the same time, not to mention the girl they had respected. Everyone in Sicario had once revered Hawi, but now, all there was left of that bond was pain and immense darkness. The kind that could take a lot longer to deal with. It wasn''t exactly the best thing of all time, but Hawi wasn''t bothered by it, right? Well even if she was, there was no telling whether she wanted to be a part of Sicario once again. Perhaps they would figure that out once they closed both cases, and had the freedom of choosing where to go. If anything, just because a queen''s pce was burnt down and she was banished, never meant that she couldn''t go back home and rebuild it back up and be there for her people. Oh, but it was tempting. "With that done, please allow me to introduce our allies henceforth," Rukiya said, snapping Hawi out of her thoughts. She looked at Hawi before she realized that he had been in deep thought. ''You okay there, my beautiful?'' Ruru asked in the mind link and Hawi just smiled in response. "First we have Mbali, the leader of the Lycans, and one of the strongest warriors alive in our time. She is best with everything she does, from maniption to war. She is the ultimate killing machine and never misses. "She is a tad bit crazy, but we all know that is expected. Please, everyone, show some appreciation to Mbali, or as the realm knows her, Jabali Lihle!!" Chapter 234: Of Goodbyes & Savasci Knights * [Savasci = Fighter] [RUKIYA] "With that done, please allow me to introduce our allies henceforth," Rukiya said. "First we have Mbali, the leader of the Lycans, and one of the strongest warriors alive in our time. She is best with everything she does, from maniption to war. She is the ultimate killing machine and never misses. "She is a tad bit crazy, but we all know that is expected. Please, everyone, show some appreciation to Mbali, or as the realm knows her, Jabali Lihle!!" Rukiya said proudly. This wasn''t one of those days that she and Mbali would bicker, thankfully. Mbali didn''t do much, instead, she just got up and waved to the werewolves as if to tell them that that was all from her. She had never really been a fan of crowds. She was good at war and battle and honestly, that was more than enough for her. "Next, we have Malika¡­ Just Malika. She is Hawi''s chief warrior, and enforcer, and more than anything, she is Alpha'' Awuor''s protector. We all already know about the whispers of the white wolf, and their assigned protectors. "Well, Malika is Hawi''s protector. She is dangerous, but the myths already taught all of us better. It''s easier to stay out of her way, unless you''re going to battle alongside her, and not against her," Rukiya said proudly as she looked at Malika. She knew that Malika was about toin about all of this, but then she was way pastining because she had stepped into the realm and yed Jer''s wife. Honestly, there wasn''t a crueler podium than Sicario, right? "Hello¡­ Wolves. I''m Malika and I only have one rule¡­ ''Don''t piss me off.'' Otherwise, all is well. And I hope you guys heal from the shit you''ve been going through," Malika said earnestly before she looked at Rukiya to keep going. Hawi was holding back augh at how stiff her protector had been, you would think that Malika was some automated robot, but then with none of them expecting an introduction in the night, it was fair they didn''tbust. "Next, we have the Alpha of Alphas, the realm''s craziest psycho ¡ª not my words, the reincarnation of karma, the white wolf, and my personal favorite, my true mate¡­ Awuor Hawi Sicario ¡ª we''re mated by the way," Rukiya said and the wolves chuckled. They had noticed that Ruru had introduced Hawi differently than the others. With the others, it was just professionalism and obvious friendship, but with Hawi, she was more than just proud. She was in love and her voice was full of love not to mention she was probably shooting hearts with her eyes at Hawi. Ruru couldn''t be med though; she had gotten the woman that many could only dream of, the beautiful girl who got many on their knees. Perhaps she was better off as the realm''s craziest psycho, not that it mattered to Rukiya anyway. "Hi baby," Rukiya mouthed but her people heard her and aww-ed at them. They were a lovely couple and if the Greysons didn''t know just what Hawi had done to keep their Rukiya sane and loved, they would have concluded that Hawi was using their Alpha. "You make me sound like a saint," Hawi said and Rukiya kissed her on the lips before she let Hawi take over for a moment, while she watched her heart''s desire. Goodness, she was insanely in love with the wild girl. "Hello, Greyson. I don''t have much to say, other than thank you for taking good care of my girl. She''s my world, and I''m sure we all love listening to her. Besides, tonight is my baby''s night.e, my beautiful, continue the address," Hawi said softly. Mbali, Malika, Adolf, Hudhayfah, and Sherry were staring with open mouths at Hawi and Rukiya. This was definitely not what they had expected. Hawi had the chance to make a long ass speech and she solely focused on Rukiya Greyson? Oh, the deities were definitely working overtime. "They''re too sweet, fuck," Mbali whispered. "You''re telling me? I''m having a sugar rush, ma''am," Malika said. "I think this is going to be good for the both of them," Sherry added. "They make me wanna wish for a mate," Adolf said as he watched his Alpha. "Focus, kids," Hudhayfah reminded. "Damn," was all they coulde up with, before they focused on Hawi whose focus was on Rukiya. Oh, but the girl was whipped so bad for the Greyson Alpha. It was actually a beautiful thing to watch. The Greyson wolves were still in awe at Hawi''s statement; they had known that Hawi liked Rukiya, but they just never knew how much given the woman wasn''t exactly an open book, not to mention they had been to war countless times. However, here and now, they could only be thankful that the girl most of them had watched grow up in pain had finally found her little vige, one that would always fight for her and show up for her whether or not the Greyson wolves did. "Great, the instructions are done. Those three along with Adolf, and our healer, Hudhayfah, are my Savasci Knights. They have been working tirelessly to make the pack better and for that, we thank them. And of course, Sherry for feeding us and our army. "The main reason I called for this assembly was to let you know that we are going to be headed into war, and it''s not the kind of war that will be pretty. Many of you have noticed the absence of my mother dearest, Luna Razia. "I would have loved for her to be here, but mother dearest was proven guilty of killing father, some of our wolves and turning them into rogues, and for an attempt on my life; one was thwarted, by Hawi. "I know it is shocking, hell I wouldn''t have believed it myself, so Hudhayfah will share the details via the mind link once this is done. The war we are heading to is going to be the cruelest of all and couldst years on end. "That also means that the chances of you seeing me after this assembly have been reduced to a possible zero, as I will be leaving soon. I know it is sudden but we have things to do and we have to make sure Greyson is safe. "In my absence, Harry the guard warrior for the dungeons, and Sherry, our pack chef, will run the pack. They may seem like regr warriors, but they were both my father, Alpha Draffin''s high guards before they chose differentmitments in the pack. "Half of the Greyson army will stay home, and guard the borders even though we will be protecting the pack with magic and you will have everything you need. I expect that you treat Harry and Sherry the same way you would treat me, as your Alpha. "I trust them with everything, including my life. That said, I can only hope to see you guys again, once the war is over, and if ever it takes a little too long, please know that I loved you all, with all of me," Rukiya said, concluding her speech. She wasn''t sure what the hell she was expected to do, but one thing she knew of was that someday, when the deities allowed her, she would be back home with her people. It would take a while, but she hoped that all would be the same. At least in the construct of time, right? Oh, but there were so many maybes, even as Hudhayfah looked at Rukiya, as if asking her if he was to include the exnation for the long darkness earlier. The only thing she could do was say yes, besides, her people needed closure and if this was it for them, then she would let them have it. Even if it meant they would have to deal with it bit by bit. The Greyson wolves were still trying toe to terms with the truth, when Hudhayfah gave them insights into the chaos that was Razia Greyson, while Malika created a portal for them to go through. They needed to be out as soon as possible because otherwise, their people would hinder their goodbyes. It felt like they were stealing a loop into time, but what else could they do, when the world wasn''t exactly sunshine and unicorns? By the time they were done with the memory loop, half the Greyson warriors and Rukiya''s Savasci Knights would have already left home and would be camping out in the freends, as thest time. With onest look at her people, Rukiya went into the portal, hoping to the goddess that the sacrifice she was making would be worth it in the end. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy and he knew that there wasn''t a thing she could do to change it. The war had begun and she had to prove herself fit to be beside Hawi, or she would just be another mate for Hawi, a mate that was just there for formality and was never included in shit. It was going to be hectic, but what else was there? "Will you be okay, Ruru?" Hawi asked when they got to the freends. Their camp was on the other side of the freends, a part that no one ever came to, a side so hidden and out of touch with reality that it was impossible toe to, alone without fear of the unknown. "Of course¡­ Why wouldn''t I be?" Rukiya asked as she wiped a stray tear. Hawi just pulled her into a reassuring hug, while the rest of the Savasci Knights watched in silence. The war was bound to take a toll on them and they knew it too. Maybe in the end, it would really be worth it. Chapter 235: Hello, I’m Atticus [JER] For an entire week, Jeremiah Warner had tried to make it all make sense. He wasn''t sure what the hell was going on anymore but one thing he did know, was that he would give everything up for his Malika. Maybe that made him a coward for choosing one woman over a pack so powerful, but then with the circumstances, there was nothing left for them to do other than face reality. "Hello, I''m Atticus. We have not been formally introduced," the man in front of him greeted and Jer stood there wondering if he was in another dimension. There was just no way that in this time and hour, there was someone called Atticus, right? "My name should be the least of your worries, young Warner. As it is, you haven''t seen your mate for more than two weeks, no? I was sent to open this door for you, given my sister is indisposed at the moment," the man, Atticus, said nonchntly. They were currently standing before Hawi''s suite, the one ce that had Jer''s sweet little mate. He had waited to see the woman and if this was his chance to get to her, then he wouldn''t refuse it. At the end of the day, he was just another lover, someone who wanted was best for his mate but he wasn''t sure how the fuck to do it with all that was currently going on in the damned pack. No one had told him that this would be so hard, but then it wasn''t like he imagined that betraying the Sicarios would nevere with a price. The instructions had long been clear and he was painfully aware of them too. "Your sister?" Jer asked as he stared at Atticus. He was sure this man was familiar, but he couldn''t quite ce where he had seen him. It was already a madhouse in Sicario but maybe he was an ally? "Yes. Razia Greyson happens to be my sister. I understand that you had a deal with her and you failed to fulfill it, that is why she killed your little mate. I havee to open the door, to let you say your goodbyes; "And to collect on what was promised when you failed to fulfill your mission with Razia," Atticus said and Jer paled. Maybe it was because of the renewed reality that his Malika was no more or because another shadow warlock was with him. For years he had been dealing with Razia alone and it hadn''t been hard, but seeing Atticus and how simply the man had talked of his mate''s death He knew he was in for something that he would not like. The warlock before him was smug-looking and filled with scars despite the magic he had. Perhaps magic never really took away the scars of battle and it also seemed like Atticus was really proud of all his scars. "What?" Jer asked and Atticus chuckled. "I have heard rumors about how stupid you are, but I refuse to believe that you could be that stupid. How the fuck do you lead an entire pack like that then? Or what is it you ask of me?" Atticus said and Jer sighed. There had to be a mistake somewhere. There had to be something that he had missed out on, something that could help him save his mate, but why did it feel like the doors were slowly closing and the walls were gripping him a little too hard? The man before him was not the kind to make bad jokes, like his Luna''s death, but there was just no way that his Malika was dead. It just didn''t make any sense to him and he had to figure it out. "Can you open the door?" Jer asked and Atticus chuckled darkly like he was ying a game with Jeremiah Warner. There was nothing that the man couldn''t do, but like everything else, there was a price attached to this. "Of course. I can feel your mate''s breath slipping away. And while I can''t exactly bring her back to life, no matter how dark my magic is, I can however grant you a chance to be with her for a little longer. "You just have to do something for me, young Warner. With that, we could seal a new deal," Atticus said and Jer looked at him hopefully. He was desperate for the final moments and more than anything, he was desperate to figure out a way out of this. Surely his Luna couldn''t be doing, though? Theo''s de had hit Rukiya Greyson, hadn''t it? Or maybe there was something else? "Why is she dying? Theo killed Rukiya Greyson¡­ My Malika should be fine," Jer said with a pout while Atticus stared as if this man was the dumbest piece of shit that he had ever had to interact with. He had so many questions about the very existence of this young Warner, but more than anything, Atticus wondered whether out of all the people that they could have used for their endeavors, they just had to choose the most brainless of them all. This was our torture for him, and he hoped that he would be rid of this alpha once and for all. But until then, he had to y nice and wait for the right moment, before he could strike and get his wins. "You stupid boy. Your warrior did hit Rukiya Greyson, but she didn''t die, because she got mated to the white wolf¡­ Who also happens to be your ex, and given the oath you made with Razia was a blood oath, your sweet little mate gets to die. "Is that understandable or do you want me to break it to you in simpler ways? I don''t mind doing that, but there''s a chance that by the time I''m done with exining this shit to you, your mate will be dead, dead and dead," Atticus said. Jer wanted to think it was a ploy. He wanted to think that this man was fucking with him, but then even he had seen the skies for the past twelve days. He had seen how the universe had changed and he knew it wasn''t normal. More people were migrating away from the region than ever and it could only be attributed to the fact that a bigger war was headed their way. Some didn''t need to be a part of the war, while others just didn''t care. Everyone had a life to live and if the war came, they wouldn''t be able to live. And as much as being coteral damage in a war they knew nothing of seemed noble and interesting, it just wasn''t worth it to most. This was something that most of the wolves knew and they were already preparing for. But the only questions that lingered in the air were whether they would survive it, or if they would have to fight fire with fire. "What is the condition?" Jer asked, seeing as he didn''t have time for a history lesson. He had a mate to be with, even if it was for a few more minutes. He needed her, he would always need her and if this was thest time, then he would do whatever. "You kill Awuor Hawi." Chapter 236: A Muse For The Impossible? [JER] "What is the condition?" Jer asked, seeing as he didn''t have time for a history lesson. "You kill Awuor Hawi," the warlock said and Jer stared nkly at the man. Perhaps he wasn''t aware that the white wolf couldn''t be linked right? No one could do that; even if they could, there was just one problem. Hawi was the white wolf. "And here you were giving me a hero lesson. Are you sure you never knew that white wolves can never die?" Jer asked and Atticus chuckled. It was bing a creepy rabbit that scared Her a little. This warlock was insane, and Jer didn''t need to be closer to how to know that. For someone so sure about all the history lessons and how the white wolf was the shit in the region, he sure was missing a few pages. "I know that. But nature will always have a loophole. We have explored every loophole known and we will keep looking for more. But until then, you are the current loophole we have," Atticus said and Jer red. Even if Hawi wasn''t the white wolf, Jer knew he didn''t stand a chance with the woman. The woman was the devil''s spawn, and with all that happened over time, she would easily be the devil herself. Would it be with it though? "What?" Jer asked. "You ask that a lot. Is that the only question you can think of? How about epting my help to get rid of the woman who is slowly taking your pack away from you? You do realize the Sicario wolves already know that she is alive. "And that they won''t mind if shees back and leads them despite everything? Or are you too blind to realize that your people hate you even more because they saw their leader, their true leader alive? "The young Sicario is a danger to your alpha position and if you think I''m lying, then wait till shees back into Sicario, because she definitely will. She wille to avenge her parents and family. "All I want is for you to rid us of the trouble that is Awuor Hawi. you were once her mate, you shared a mark, and you know she loved you. Maybe you can reach out to that bit of her, and use it to draw her in, then kill her," Atticus exined. Jer wasn''t sure if this man was in the real world or if this was just some fantasnd for Atticus. In the few years Jer had known Hawi, he knew the woman would do whatever it took to get her vengeance. Jeremiah had watched Hawi y packs just because she didn''t like how they breathed. He had seen her ruin lives because she could and because they were enemies of Sicario who dared to threaten her people. Jer had seen Hawi make even the Lycans cower; creatures that were supposed to be the most powerful had been powered at the sight of the seventeen-year-old girl he had been mated to. Yet this warlock was asking the impossible of him. Maybe Atticus was right. Maybe there was a loop, but whatever were the chances that Hawi wouldn''t use his wolf skin as a carpet in the horse stables. Or even use it as a torture rag for her endeavors? "She scares you,'''' Atticus stated as he looked at an already shaking Jeremiah. Stay tuned to M|VL|EM|PY|R "Is Awuor Sicario that bad a creature?" Atticus added as he tried to ascertain that it was about the frail woman he had seen, that got the alpha son terrified. Then again, when you dine with the devil it is only safe to want to be on the safe side, right? "That boich is crazy. Borderline crazy. I have never seen a psychopathic devil like her, really. She beats all insanity, and ranks high above on the list of the impossible," Jer said to Atticus who was slowly finding this interesting. "Well, all I did was give you a chance to save your little mate and spend a few more minutes with her. If she isn''t worth the time, I won''t force you. I just wanted you to say goodbye to your little mate properly. "But I guess sometimes we all never get what we want, right?" Atticus said as he began walking away, something that got Jer screaming internally. Hawi was dangerous, Hawi would definitely kill him, but he needed to see his Malika alive. Even if it was for onest time. "Wait¡ª" Jer said, his voice pleading and Atticus did stop. Perhaps there was hope after all, right? "That''s new. Will you do it? I don''t care how long it takes¡­ As long as Awuor Hawi Sicario is dead, dead and dead. You do know how that works, right?" Atticus said and Jer ran a finger roughly through his hair. He wasn''t sure what to do anymore. Each day he was proving to himself that his life was nothing more than a circus. He was a hated and unloved man who was about to lose the only woman who loved him because he couldn''t kill the woman that wanted him dead. Life was a paradox, but for Jer, life was probably his greatest enemy. He hadn''t lived a minute since his Malika was trapped in there and his chance at seeing her was linked to the devil herself. "I''ll do it. I''ll find a way to kill her, just please. Please let me see my Malika. Even just onest time, please, Atticus," Jer said and the warlock smiled sinisterly at him, like he had expected this from Jer himself. "All right. A binding spell it is,'''' Atticus said but He didn''t say anything, instead, he stared at the door of Hawi''s suite while the warlock cast a spell on him, before slicing his hand, making Her bleed on the floor. He watched as his blood seeped through the tiles and disappeared into the ground, a reminder that this was a binding spell to the earth. He didn''t care though. Whatever was elf for him, was just his little mate. Perhaps when this was all over, he would be able to figure out what it really meant to be himself, right? The whole time he had been a puppet for the realm, being pushed left right, and center, and he never once had a break. Maybe with Hawi''s passing, he would be able to get a life of his own, he wouldn''t have to look over his shoulders again, he wouldn''t have to fight for his ce in society and he would live, for himself. "There, done. Remember, Jeremiah, you are bound to the earth, so whatever you do, don''t even think of not fulfilling your mission. I give you fifty years to kill her. If in fifty years you still fail, then it will be your blood for hers," Atticus said and we just nodded. He knew that there wasn''t a thing he could do to save himself. He should have known that epting help from Russel Warlock was always going to have a price that he would probably not be able to pay. But then it didn''t matter now, because they had him, again, at the price of his sanity. There was no telling what they would ask of him next but he hoped thatedy, the universe would remember him and be kinder to him. "I know," Jer said before adding, "Thank you," right as the door to Hawi''s suite opened. Chapter 237: An Alpha’s Greatest Loss [JER] Atticus disappeared the moment he opened the door to Hawi''s suite. Jer didn''t think too much of that; he was just d that the door had opened and he would finally see his little mate. It was supposed to be harmless until he saw a body. His Malika''s body. "No," Jer whimpered as he rushed to his mate, ignoring the door that would probably close and trap him inside here. He was scared and worried for his mate, but what he was met with, shattered his will to live. Malika wasn''t losing her breaths slowly, no. She looked like she had died days ago, and he had failed to realize the intensity of the stench. She looked so defeated, and like she had been trying to crawl towards the door. Jer wasn''t sure if this was just a game, so he summoned his beta who was sand at him. He knew it was a risk, but he hoped that a part of Elodie would understand him, seeing as they had both been part of Malika''s inner circle, right? "Please, Kane. Please," Jer pleaded in the mind links and Elodie sighed before she rushed to where he was. Thankfully, she got in right before the door could close and she dragged a table, to keep the door open. Hawi''s chambers were well protected and it was just a matter of time before the security measures kicked in. Elodie wasn''t sure what she expected, but they would think of thatter once they were out. "Come along, Jer. This room is about to shut itselfpletely," Elodie said and Jer looked at her pitifully. He wanted to protest, to say that this wasn''t fair, but even if it wasn''t for him, there wasn''t a thing that he could do about it. Not when he was risking his life and the warrior''s. He had a lot to do, but goddamn, he hated his desperation, and the way that he had been tricked by Atticus into a blood oath with the earth. It was crazy, how all of this was happening and he had no one to help him. It was like everyone else in his life was here to cause him more misery and see him fade into nothingness. It was a cruel fate, but a fate nheless. "She¡ª" Jer began and Elodie grabbed him by his hands and dragged him out. Thankfully, he was holding Malika in his arms when the door blew shut. It wasn''t what they had expected, but then it wasn''t like they would exin what the fuck had just happened back there. It made no sense to them. "Holy shit, what the fuck happened to her?" Elodie said just as she was about to catch her breath. She hadn''t taken a good look at Malika earlier but boy this wasn''t what she had expected. The woman looked like a very dead body. It was impossible to tell how long she had been dead for but the flows around her, and the stench she was emitting was on that tugged at Elodie''s heart. She wanted to think that this was HER Malika, but she knew that as long as Hawi lived, Malika would live; and she hadn''t heard any news about her best friend''s death. So this was not real. However, it got her questioning why the band of crazies had decided to take out their spy in Sicario. It was supposed to beforting, but Elodie couldn''t help but think that the storm was here already. Soon enough they would find out. "He lied to me. He said she was still alive. He made me make an oath when he knew she was long dead. He fooled me, Kane. That man fooled me," Jer cried silently as he held his Malika in his arms. The woman was long gone and her bones were starting to show. She looked so terrible and if this was what written bodies looked like, Elodie was already nning on getting herself cremated. This was hell for the alpha and Elodie knew it too. She had seen how genuine Jer had been in his love for Malika. She had watched him pamper his little mate with everything he had and didn''t. She had watched Jer live for Malika, breathe for Malika, and exist for Malika. Now that his Malika was gone, there was no telling what would happen. The universe was truly being a little too cruel to Jer, or was it? "Who, Jer. Who lied to you? And why the fuck is the Luna dead?" Elodie asked the shaking alpha. He was currently seated on the floor with his mate in his arms, holding onto her like she was his reason to live. Oh, but she had been his lifeline and more. She was easily the best thing he had and they had taken that away from him. They had taken his sanity with Malika and there was no telling what would remain of the alpha. Then again, when deals were made, they were meant to be respected, right? No one was above thew regardless of what the universe wanted. No one would make oaths and expected no consequences when they defaulted This was a lesson so hard for Jeremiah Warner and he knew that there was noing back from this. There was a kind of emptiness that lingered in his heart and being that made him want to disappear, but he couldn''t. "Razia said Malika would live if I killed Awuor. Theo beat me to it, and now my Malika is dead, and Rukiya haspleted the bond with Awuor. They''re probably happy,ughing at the man who failed to take them down," Jer said sadly and Elodie''s eyes glistened. She hadn''t been expecting that bit of news, but now. She finally understood why Malika had to be killed on this side of the realm. The bond waspleted and the white wolf was on a mission. They were nning attacks and that was nothing that Elodie could stop. Elodie could only hope that there was some bit of Sicario left when Hawi was done with her vengeance. Even then, it was still exciting. "What? Hawi and Rukiya? When the fuck did that happen?" Elodie asked, the surprise in her voice making Jer believe that his beta didn''t know shit about Hawi, when his beta was in love with the real version of the corpse he was holding onto. Well, fate was something I''m a bitch, wasn''t it anyway? "Yeah. Atticus, Razia''s brother, said it. He has no reason to lie to me anyway. You should be happy, your sister finally got with her true mate. She no longer has me to interrupt her bond, yeah," Jer said coldly, while his tears fell on the corpse he was holding onto. His heart was broken one too many times and honestly, he wasn''t sure if there was more he could take after this. There was nothing left for him and his heart was no longer working properly. "Well fuck¡­ I didn''t know Hawi liked girls," Elodie said as she looked at Jer earnestly. There were so many things that could have been done, but this was the cruelest of them all. "What now?" Elodie asked after a long silence. "We cremate my Luna and prepare for war. Tell the warriors, not to test my patience this time. I am the Sicario ALPHA," Jer said, his alpha wolfing out. "Yes, Alpha," Elodie said, giving in to the alphamand. Chapter 238: His Ultimate Downfall? [JER] War. It was supposed to be something that people stayed away from and yet in the past month, that was what the Sicarios had been forced to look forward to. It was almost like there was nothing better from a pack that had been branded best. The death of their Luna was a hard hit on them, and the entire Sicario had shown up for the cremation process. They had been there for the girl they had adored and the girl they had failed to save. They had been there to say their final goodbyes and make onest promise to their Luna. The promise of restoring Sicario to what it would have been long before the war had even begun. If Sicario had been in a good state earlier, then no one would have been able to get to the luna and much less, cause her so much pain. The fact that their Luna had been dead for long without them knowing had broken them. They were once the strongest pack in the realm and yet they had been reduced to a mess. This was embarrassing; however, they had made their Luna a promise. It didn''t matter what Alpha sat on the Sicario throne, as long as everyone in Sicario was safe and loved. It didn''t matter how long it would take. The only thing that mattered was that their home was back to being the home it once was. A pack so undefeated by many and one that people would be proud to call home. "Hello, Sicario. I know you hate me, but at this point, I frankly don''t give a shit what you think of me. As long as I am themander in chief of the Sicario army, we will avenge our luna and make Sicario great again. "I know you have questions about what is happening, given you have felt the impact of the magical fire wards around Sicario. It is something that is meant to trap us, and that ain''t a problem, because this time, we will fight. "We will fight for Sicario and for the glory we once had. It doesn''t matter whoes to fight us. We must win. If you think you can''t help us win the battle, this is your chance to step back. "The war is already bloody as it is and even if we fail to win, we must show just what Sicario is made of. This is also why the women and children are already relocated into the bunkers. "We need to¡ª" Jer said and the warriors interrupted him, booking his speech they had had with the Alpha. This man had led them to a blind war and now he was about to lead them into another in the anime of being the Alpha? "You''re no Alpha of ours!!" the warriors began and Jer stared in shock for a split second. He hadn''t been expecting this, not today of all the day. They had just cremated their Luna and now they were doing this? "I would be careful with whateveres out of that mouth," Jer warned and the warriors increased their chants by iming Jar was not their Alpha. They knew it was disrespectful to the Alpha, But what else was there? "I am your Alpha!!" Jer said and the warriors didn''t stop. Instead, they rushed over to where he was, cowing him and throwing profanities at him. He clearly hadn''t been expecting this, so he looked into the crowd, trying to find familiar faces. "Are you?" Elodie Asked and He stared at him wondering what the hell was going on. Surely she couldn''t be turning against him too, right? They were supposed to be in this together. They were supposed to face everything together, right? "What? You know that I''m your alpha!!" Jer said, his voice shaking from the chaos before him. He was scared of his warriors. He knew they were trained by Hawi and he knew they would kill him and feel nothing. He was here and alone. The only person who could have helped him gain favor was already dead, so there was nothing left for him here. But maybe, if he stood his ground, he would be able to keep them under control soon, yeah? "Our Alpha, is and has always been, Awuor Hawi Sicario,'''' Theo said and Jer red daggers at Theo as if to tell the enforcer that this wasn''t the time for them to be thinking of things like that. So many things had already gone wrong and if they went down this road, it would be risky for them all. It was not a good idea, But then that didn''t seem to bother the wolves. If anything, it made them even more proud. They were ready to stand up for the girl they had lost. It was a little toote, But then they hadn''t been the ones who had banished the woman. Theirmander at the time had and it wasn''t something they could fight then. Hawi was their home, the one person who understood them the most, and if the tables were turned, there was no denying that karma had finallye to make a statement so loud for Jeremiah Warner. "You wouldn''t fare," Jer said and Elodie let out a deep chuckle. "We didn''t make the rules, Jeremiah. You more than anyone should know that you were only made the Alpha because Sicario was too old for the position, and he thought it was best for you to do it. "Dom never wanted to be the Alpha; much less be in power. So, he stayed the beta, for you, so he could make sure you kept the pack running well. Damn, you sure did a good job at that. "You led us to wars against Hawi and lost them all. You must be proud of yourself as the Alpha. And now you want to send us to another war, just because Malika is dead? You''ve got to be screwing with us," Elodie snarled. She had tolerated everything but this right here, wasn''t it. There was nothing she wouldn''t do to make sure Sicario went back to what it once was, long before the dumb fuck before them had taken over for Hawi. It was easily the worst of the downgrades that had ever happened in Sicario. But at least there was a way for them to fix that, right? Maybe they would be able to get out of the shitshow if they eliminated Jer? "She is my mate! She is mine! That is why I am the Alpha!" Jer said and the wolvesughed at how stupid he sounded. Of all the defenses he could have used, he decided to make camp with the worst of them all. "Yours? You fucking rejected her to stupid head." "This bitch even went to get married to Luna Malika ¡ª rest her beautiful soul, and killed Malika¡­ of all the people he could have." "He trapped her in Alpha Awuor''s suite because she found out he killed her parents and some of the members of the rkson pack." "Yet he dares to call himself an Alpha." "Y''know it could have been easier to support you, if Luna Malika were alive and she was healthy. However, you tortured the woman, molested her, and had a baby with her only to stand and watch like a bitch, when that was taken from her. "Our alpha would never do that. So will you leave Sicario or do you want a royal escort?" Elodie asked and Jer knew he was fucked. Chapter 239: Of Loyalties That Never Changed [JER] "I am still the Alpha. No matter what you want to say. You recognize Malika as your luna, don''t you? She was my mate, if you need reminders," KJer said and the wolves stared like they were hearing things. This man was clearly so desperate that he was willing to make the battle out of nothing. He knew well that that wasn''t his position, But maybe if they knew why He was so willing to fight for that position they wouldn''t understand, right? "Fine. How about we put this to a people''s vote, instead of being sick freaks in this moment?" Jer said and Elodie stared at him like he and truly lost his mind. He couldn''t seriously be thinking he would win whatever vote there was, right? "Okay, great. What the fuck do you want a vote on, your royal highness?" Elodie said, his voice mocking her Alpha. She never recognized him, But then with all that had happened, everyone would always assume Jer was the Sicario Alpha. There wasn''t much they could consider because, at this moment, the Alpha was determined to split the Sicario army for his benefit. But would it really work? And if it did then what would they do? "The rightful Alpha. Me or that white wolf psycho who murdered her mother?" Jer said and the wolves let out gasps. Luna Eni''s death was one they had never really made peace with. Almost four years had gone by but the pain was the same. Her absence had left a dent in their lives, the kid that no one would ever be able to fill. It was the kind of pain that nothing would ever sort out for them and honestly, it creeped them out. The idea that Hawi had been proven to be her mother''s murderer was not forgotten. Maybe the wolves were angry, but what else could they do? Luna Eni was their hope and as much as they wanted Hawi back, she had taken Eni away from them. "You can''t be serious. You know she didn''t kill her mother. You more than anyone know the facts of that day," Elodie said, and Jer let out a knowing scoff. He was aware that this would be a low blow, but then he had been out of options for a while now. "Oh please. She was found with her ws retracting her mother''s neck. If she didn''t kill her then why did she plead guilty? The Awuor we know would never submit to what she didn''t do. So why did she submit? "Are you taking the side of a murderer who brought the entire Sicario crashing? Think of the alliances we lost because we had a murderer for an Alpha. We would have been stronger than Greyson, more powerful, and at the top as usual. "But she cost us that. If that is the same person you stand there and defend, then there is no difference between you and her. She was a murderer four years ago, and that has changed since. "If she was alive the whole time, why didn''t she contest her father''s decision? Why wait till her father was dead for her toe home? Besides, how the fuck would we know that she didn''t kill her father? "The bitch is the white fowl, an insane creature of anger and hate but yeah, let''s pretend it''s my fault for everything. You keep forgetting that Jabali Lihle, the warrior who tore our Luna''s womb out, was on your precious Hawi''s team. "But of course, I''m the devil here right?'' Jer said and the warriors went silent. Theta had been angry and had been antigen to usurp the man, But then what other option was there for them? They couldn''t take Hawi back given she was guilty of crimes against Sicario. Even if Hawi came to Sicario, and willingly walked through the gates without war, she would still be on a second trial to determine why she went to war with her people. She had been banished for good reason and she hadn''t fought back, without even thinking of what that would mean. She should have tried toe clean and clear her name, But Hawi hadn''t once bothered to do it. That in itself left Elodie in a demand she didn''t need the warriors to spell it out, for her to know that they would keep backing the dumb alpha they were given. It wasn''t something that they could pretend was real. This had happened and the sooner they came to terms with it, the better it would be for everyone. But what if there was another way to clear Hawi''s name and get her back her army, the one she trained with her blood sweat and tears? What if there was a shortcut that would work for them, would they explore it? Would they be open to facing that truth? Or would it be useless for Hawi, given she was soon to be the crowned wolf that ruled the entire realm? There were so many questions, but Elodie was sure she would never get her answers anytime soon, not like this. Funny how they had woken up to rebel against Jer only for them to fall right onto hisp defending him. "I don''t think there is a new way to vote. With all the truths, as much as we want to deny it, Jet remains the Alpha. We can''t have a murderer for an Alpha. At least the ipetent one might pull up his socks. "Alpha Awuor is crazy and psychotic and is easily the most powerful creature in the realm, and now. If she never bothered toe clear her name after all this time it is more than obvious that she wouldn''t be bothered to. "We need to move forward. The wards at the borders are keeping everyone out of Sicario, But only because we are a target for the Greysons. Rukiya Greyson is at the gates with her warriors. "It''s hard to tell what they want, really, But I donut it''s to make peace. So, before we lynch the only power we have right now, we need to be ready for when the Greysons attack us again, because they are ready to breach. "Everyone Should get some rest but stay alert. You all are dismissed," Theo said in his enforcer''s voice, making the wolves bow and leave. They knew that Theo was the one peon who couldmand the army and if he was on Jer''s side, then there was nothing that could be done by anyone, not even the beta, Elodie Kane. "You know she ising for your head. She knows you killed her mother. She knows about your dealings with the Russels. Why the fuck do you think Razia didn''t bother toe? "Because Razia Greyson is not even in Greyson, or with her brothers. She is missing, and while you''re dumb, I doubt you need someone to remind you of what ising. Don''t bother yourself with banishing me. "I quit, as your beta. I am loyal to Hawi, and won''t shift loyalties like Theo here," Elodie said as she put her weapons down, before she spoke words that would haunt Jer for the rest of his life. "Malika¡­ baby, I''m ready toe home," Elodie said and right there and then, Malika showed up with a smirk on her face, making Her stare in shock. "Took you long enough, sweetheart... Fuck, I missed you," Malika said as she captured Eldie''s lips with hers, ignoring the mess they had probably created. Chapter 240: One Last Time With Insanity’s Face * Please reload for the Edited version, thanks [JER] To say Jeremiah Warner was shocked would be an understatement. He was at a loss for words, as he watched his beta lock lips with the same woman that he could have sworn was dead. Standing there with Elodie in her arms, was the woman he had mourned and burnt. The same woman he was about to go to war for; the woman he had loved with all of him. This was not making any sense to him. However, before he could say anything, another portal opened, and from it came Awuor Hawi, and she was wearing a smirk on her face, like she had truly wanted to be there for this. It was a little too real. "Goodness Kane¡­ I didn''te to see you eating my protector out. You two break it up, or I swear I won''t mute my Ruru''s sounds," Hawi said and that was all it took for the two lovebirds to pull apart. That threat always worked like magic, because everyone knew how extreme the two alphas were when it came to their bedroom manners. There was nothing that screamed mannerisms when they were together anyway. "Mistress¡­ Is something the matter?" Malika asked, ignoring the protests that Hawi had just started. It was so unlike Hawi to show up like this and while they wanted to pretend that it was all sunshine and unicorns, they had to be careful. "Nope¡­ I heard Kane call for you and I figured you would reveal yourself. Besides I wouldn''t miss the shock on Warner''s face for anything. Anyway, now that I''ve seen his dumb face, I''ll go now. "You guys just made me horny. Thankfully I have someone to sort that out for me," Hawi said, while Elodie and Malika let out groans. They knew this was their punishment for mocking Hawi and Rukiya for the past two years, but then the mocking had helped them right? At least all that mocking was finally yielding results, however crazy they were. It didn''t matter that there was a war bound, what mattered was that they didn''t have to worry about their allies anymore. "M¡­ Malika? My love?" Jer asked carefully. He was scared of what the truth was and frankly, it was understandable. He had stayed in front of Hawi''s suite for this woman. He had waited for her over and over, hoping that there was something, anything. However, as it was, there was nothing left for him. He had burnt a body and it had been real for him. It had all been worth it for him, but then what else could he do now that Elodie was going with his Malika? "Your love? Are you still clinging to that word? Even after all you''ve seen? Let me guess, you wanna ask me if any of it was real, no?" Malika asked, her voice stone cold, that Elodie was d she wasn''t Malika''s enemy. If Malika addressed her like that, she would have curled herself up in some corner and cried her eyes out. This woman was scary when she wanted to be and that was something that Elodie was slowly learning. Elodie had already seen Malika bloodied and in action almost a year ago, but here and now, she loved what she was seeing. Maybe at the end of the day, there would always be something worth fighting for. "Was any of it real?" Jer asked hopefully and Malika sighed. Surely this alpha couldn''t be that stupid, right? Then again she had been with the man for over a year, surely she should have known what to expect by now, right? "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but then I shouldn''t be surprised. My sister was good at making people believe things. Let me guess¡­ she told the lot of you that she was a Malika too? "Probably from rkson?" Malika asked and Eldie looked at her in shock. For the first time, Eldie wasn''t sure what Malika was ying at. She knew the woman was vicious, but trying to make things easy for Jer was certainly not what she had imagined. The alpha deserved all the pain in the world, and yet here Malika was, trying to ease everything for him. What the hell was going on? All of this was confusing to an extent, but Elodie wanted to see how it would y out. The Malika she had met long before they fell in love or whatever they were at right now, was a cruel and vicious creature, one who loved messing with people, so this shouldn''t have been surprising, but why was it? "You''re her. You''re my Malika. Why go for Kane?" Jer asked and Malika just let out augh. She had wanted to be nice, but it seemed like she wasn''t really good at all of this. She didn''t believe in love, and shit. The only thing she had been doing was her job, but then she didn''t have the time and energy to exin that to a man who still believed that they had been in love. It was cruel, but it was the truth, one that they had to work through because, despite everything, they all knew that Jer had been in love. "I would very much want to stay here and be your good wife or whatever the fuck you saw in the illusion that I created, but if you must know why I did what I did, then I''ll answer that for you¡­ of course, if you want me to," Malika said. Jer watched Malika, and everything about her was the same. She may have been in her uniform, something that He could remember from the war but he still hoped that Show had forced her into this, It was the only way. But then again, the woman he had been in love with was a weakling from Sicario. A woman who couldn''t even hold her sword without feeling overwhelmed. That woman had been weak and had been desperate for protection. As challenging as it had been for them, he had vowed to protect that woman. But that woman wasn''t this one here. He could see it. Maika was nothing like his Malika, so what the hell had happened to them? "Why¡­ Why lie that you have a twin when all this time it was you? Why pretend to be weak? Why infiltrate our systems and use me for all the things? What of the wedding? Was any of it real?" Jer asked and Malika let out a sinisterugh. "R? That shit was absolutely real. The wedding that Hawi herself officiated? It was golden. Maybe I should have let here on you then so you''d be haunted by it all. But then you were busy with her father, no?" Malika stated, even though it was more like a question. She knew this wasn''t fair, but then Jer had been too cruel to the woman he had sworn to love and protect when they had mated. Who was to say that he wouldn''t have done the same to Malika? "You don''t mean that," Jer said and Elodie let out a snort. This dumb fuck just wasn''t understanding how screwed he was, right?Maybe he needed a therapist to spell it out for him, but then that was too kind for Her. "If it helps, it was all Hawi''s n. For me toe and marry you and infiltrate you. I must have done a good job because I got the entire Sicario mounting me. Damn, I should join actingpetitions. "Anyway, my baby called for me. But if you have more questions, please feel free to ask them the next time we see each other because I will be soon. Until then, good ridden, Warner," Malika said as he looked at Jer. Jeremiah Warner wasn''t believing that this was possible. He had endured so much for the sake of his wife. He had made dangerous deals just to see to it that his wife was safe and protected; yet all this time she had been working for the other side? This wasn''t how he had expected his day to go but it was safe to say Jeremiah Warner was angry and disappointed in himself. He hadn''t expected this, not even in his wildest dreams. Malika had been presented to him on a silver tter, a weak girl who he was sure he would manipte, and now he was learning that it was all just a ploy. What the fuck was their mission here anyway? Oh, but Jer had so many questions for Malika, but then his time was slowly fading in the distance and he was losing terribly. Thankful for him, the Warriors had long left, because otherwise it would have been a cruel shit show. "My Malika wouldn''t be that cruel. She was not cruel. You are not cruel. Is Awuor making you do this? I can fight her for you. Please, Malika, please. Tell me love. Tell me what you want me to do. "I''ll do it. I swear. I''ll do it," Jer said pleadingly and Malika sighed. She should have already left through the portal but she loved to watch how miserable Jer was. She had long known the man was genuine toward her, but that didn''t matter to her. She was a woman on a mission and she would do whatever it took to make sure Jer paid the price for whatever had happened to Hawi and for everything that he had done to amble the madness. "Kill Hawi for me. If you do that, then I wille for you. If you don''t, then you know her better than me. You know she won''t spare my life too," Malika said in a swift weak voice almost like Jer''s Malika, and Jer felt the breaths get knocked out of hisughs. "I wi¡ª" Jer began but before he couldplete his sentence, Malika and Elodie disappeared through a portal. Chapter 241 : Come Back Home... Hawi * Please reload for the edited version, thanks [HAWI] After the little show in Sicario, the Savasci knights and their leaders resorted to training for the final bout of the war. For two whole weeks, they had trained themselves while getting a handle on the magic that would be coursing through them. With the spell that Hawi, Malika, and Mbali had cast on them, none of the warriors would have fallen at the end of the day. That was more encouraging than anything, because at least they were certain that they would be going back home to their loved ones. It had been an intense session given Hawi trained with Malika, Mbali, Adolf, and Ruru at the same time. Anyone would think they were training to murder each other, as they were using real weapons and attacking each other for real. If the warriors didn''t know any better they would have assumed that the five of them were preparing to kill each other but that was beyond them. These four were lethal warriors and soon enough it was clear that Adolf had upskilled. Maybe the psychos he was training with were not so bad, right? Well as long as they were enemies, they were safe with each other and in the war that they were prepping for, they would be met with worse challenges. "Awuor, are you sure about this?" Elodie askedter that evening. She had been used to seeing Hawi fight but even she knew that her best friend was in a lot of pain. It was the kind that shattered hearts. She knew that it wasn''t going to be easy taking down Razia Greyson. Besides, the fact that Malika and Hawi were the ones going after Razia made it one of the scariest missions ever. It was unhinged. "Of course. I can''t keep running, sister. I can''t keep pretending that my life is never going to be normal again. I can''t keep putting everything off, just because I am desperate for a little touch with reality. "All of this started with me and I need to know why the fuck Razia really wanted me dead. I need to know what was so wrong with my existing that she had to take me out. Surely she could have waited, yeah? "If she hade after me directly, I wouldn''t have minded, sister. But she went after others. She betrayed her best friend, a woman who was loyal to their friendship. She went against everything sacred about friendships and didn''t care one bit. "I need to know what it was about mother that made her an easy target, and I need to know why the fuck Razia chose to befriend her. No one breaks their best friend''s heart like that. It just doesn''t make any sense. "Maybe I am reaching¡­ But I lost everything in their hands. A little more time and I would have lost you too, given you rebelled against her. I can''t keep losing the people I love, Sister. "If everyone were to leave me, I know you would still stay. And I need to make sure that you''re not hurt by being my best friend and sister. So, this is me going to get answers. I hope you understand that," Hawi said softly and Elodie just nodded. In all their time together, Elodie had known Hawi was a good strategist. She had known that the woman just never woke up and did things for the sake of it. Even the breaths she took were calcted. "Then you must promise toe back to me, Awuor. I can''t lose you in this war. I know this is probably crazy, but I can''t lose you, sister. I have been fighting for us since the very beginning and I understand that this is one you must do alone. "So I hope asking you toe back home isn''t too much, Sister," Elodie said and Hawi just stared at her softly. She used to hate affection, but then watching the cold Elodie Kane going soft for her like this, was reassuring. At least one of them was still in touch with their humanity. "I will do my best toe back home, Elodie. But sister, you must know that the forces we are up against is as simple as the Sicario army. Lives will be lost, and one of them might be mine. "If that happens, I need you to move on, and not me yourself. I need you to be happy with Malika or wherever you will eventually get mated to. Of course, we both hope toe back, but reality might be a little different," Hawi exined reassuringly. "That works for me," Elodie said after a short silence before pulling Hawi into a hug. They had entered the final phase of the Sicario war and the preliminaries of whatever he was waiting for her as the white wolf. It wasn''t going to be easy, but at least they both knew the consequences. "Don''t be too scared Elodie¡­ this is just like another war, right? We will win ande home to eat bush meat. Should be fun!" Hawi said and Elodie just chucked. This was simply Hawi trying to get her to rx and frankly, she appreciated it. After the little chat with Elodie, Hawi knew that it was time for them to go their separate ways. She knew it wasn''t going to be easy for them all, but then this had to be done. Malika had already geared up, given she and Hawi were leaving first. Rukiya Greyson was watching her mate in silence. She looked so proud of Hawi and so supportive of whatever the hell they would do over there. As much as it still hurt to know that her mate was going after her mother, Rukiya understood that this had to be done. She had spent the past weeks trying to make it make sense but then nothing ever made sense to them. It was almost like Razia Greyson had just woken up and deiced to fuck everyone up. They had to figure out the whys. It wasn''t going to be easy, but then this had to be done, and they both knew it. Maybe at the end of the day, they would be back home and celebrating. They wouldn''t have to worry about whatever the hell had happened out there. And they wouldn''t have to worry about how bloody their hands would have to be before they got to the bottom of it all. Maybe that would make it easier, and even if it didn''t, it was worth trying, right? "So this is it, my beautiful," Hawi said to Rukiya. She had been thinking of the best goodbye speech, but each time, she came up with nks, because everything in her head screamed the kind of goodbye that would break Rukiya''s heart. Today wasn''t about ruining the day for her woman, and she would try as much as possible to make it work for the both of them. "Yeah¡­ get us the answers alright," Rukiya said and Hawi just nodded in understanding. There was more they could say but they were leaving it all forter. Perhaps at the end of the day, they woulde back to it, right? "I will. Meanwhile, you take care alright? And I''ll see you soon. Very soon," Hawi said as she kissed her goodbye onest time. Maybe it would all get better soon. Just maybe. Chapter 242 : Someone New In The Game * I realized thest 2 chapters haven''t been fixed for some readers... please reload for the current version. or you can remove the book from the library and add it back to the library. it should be sorted. thanks. [HAWI] Going through the portal and leaving Rukiya had to be the hardest decision the wild girl had ever made in her life. She had been sure that there wouldn''t ever be a reason for them to go to war with different sides and yet here she was, leaving, again. It was something that had halted and while she couldn''t get Rukiya''s goodbye face off her mind, she hoped the goddess that trains through Razia Greyson would be way better for her. She needed the anger to keep her going, because otherwise, she would be lonely and distracted, not to mention she would be stuck in a loop in which she would lose things all the damn time. She couldn''t have that again. Her nightmares had fucked her up big time, especially when she finally held her father in her arms. That hadn''t been the reunion she had hoped for, but then it wasn''t like she had a choice in the matter. "Hawi¡­ where is Razia?" Malika asked as they kept going in circles in the portal. It was almost like they were not headed to a normal destination, which couldn''t be put beyond Hawi, seeing the rage with which she had thrown Razia then. "Sicario," Hawi said nonchntly, and Malika choked on the dust they were swirling in. However, before she could say something or even catch her breath, they were thrown into a room, and the portal closed. Malika had seen Hawi be crazy most of the time, but this right here was straight-up the craziest thing she had ever done. Of all the ces she could have taken Razia, her suite in the Scenario pack house was never part of Malika''s assumptions. There was no amount of crazy in the dictionary that could define this moment, and Malika could have sworn she had met the devil herself. Who the fuck was this woman, really, and what the fuck had they walked into? Well, it was easier to ask what the fuck Hawi had led them into. But then the woman wasn''t even saying anything. It was like she had finally shit up after the endless groans in the portal. Was this the new destination for hell? "Your suite? Your fucking suite? The same one which I was supposed to be dead in?" Malika asked and Hawi didn''t even bother answering her. If anything, the mad woman wasn''t even surprised they were here or even that someone had supposedly killed her. That wasn''t news to her, blood would be shed, and she didn''t mind whenever the fuck that would be. As long as she got to the bottom of her mother''s death. Over the years she had heard so many things that sounded true. Hell, even if they were true, Hawi was not going to give in until she heard the truth herself. And that was why they were here. In her suite, the most secure room in the entire pack. This room was more secure than the entire Sicario. "What the fuck are we doing here?" Malika asked and Hawi just stared at her as if silently begging her to shut the fuck up. The suite was just like Hawi had left it, save for fire disturbances that had Malika''s signature all over it thanks to the time that Malika had been sent to get into this suite and find answers. Then again, there was no point for that right now, because the owner of the suite was back in it and could get whatever it was she had needed before. However, did she have to be this creepy about it? "Cooking water¡­ what do you think?" Hawi said sarcastically when she suddenly moved her bed to the side, and cast a spell on the space that was left, only for three basement doors to show up. In her career as the protector and as someone who dealt with so many security issues, Malika had never met someone as unhinged as this one. There was no exnation for what was going on in her mind, so she simply voiced it, in the hope that maybe Hawi would be feeling kinder and help her out, right? "Who the fuck has three tunnels under their bed?" Malika asked and Hawi rolled her eyes at her protector. "Are youing or will you stand there admiring a room smelling like death?" Hawi asked and Malika sighed, before she stood on the side and Hawi opened one of the tunnels. Malika had so many questions, and she hoped that she would get her answers. This wasn''t what she had imagined when she had been assigned to Hawi, but then it wasn''t like her assignment was the easiest to deal with, right? Blindly, Malika followed Hawi through the tunnel she had opened, flinching a little when he heard how hard the tunnel closed behind them and the bed moved back to ce. It was almost like they hadn''t gotten or even pushed the best to the side. "Are we there yet?" Malika asked and Hawi let out a chuckle. "Aren''t I the one who should be scared, especially with all the people after me?" Hawi teased and Malika just growled lowly at her as if to tell How that this was different, but was it, or had Malika and Hawi grown so used to each other? "We''re here," Hawi said after what felt like ages, when they had just been in the tunnels for five minutes. The tunnels were well-lit, so they could see whether they were going. It was like a whole new world for them. "Holy shit," Malika said when Hawi came to a stop, and right before them, stood the woman that Hawi had pushed into an unknown portal, Razia Greyson. Now that she looked at Razia, Malika was sure the devil had nothing on Awuor Hawi. The underground bunker was beautiful and was fully-stocked, like Hawi had been readying herself for the apocalypse or even an epidemic. There were fully stocked freezers here, motorbikes, cars that fit every weather condition. There was even a bed, a huge one, that could amodate four adults and still leave some space. This right here was a mini-world on its own, and Malika hadn''t ever seen this. Expectedly Malika began wondering where or how the fuck Hawi had managed to get those huge-ass trucks under here. It just didn''t make sense, but then nothing about Awuor Hawi would ever make any sense. "Say hello to Razia Greyson, or the dumb fuck who tried to kill my mate," Hawi said, but then it took Malika a moment to realize that the statement wasn''t for her, but for the other prisoners under there. "Hello, Razia Greyson," the prisoners echoed as Hawi changed from the clothes she had been wearing, to lighter ones. She had braided her white hair when he hade down here, so it would be easier for her. Malika watched as Hawi changed into a ck spaghetti top, and ck tight pants, before a table suddenly popped, and on it, was every torture item she had ever thought of. It was so wild, that for a moment, Malika wondered if they were back in Olyana. "I missed you guys, so I brought you someone new¡­ Unfortunately, Razia won''t be staying with us for long, because she is a part of the team that killed my mother. So, you guys can say your goodbyester," Hawi said as she cracked her knuckles. Chapter 243: A Little Game of Truths [HAWI] "Say hello to Razia Greyson, or the dumb fuck who tried to kill my mate," Hawi said. "Hello, Razia Greyson," the prisoners echoed while Hawi changed. "I missed you guys, so I brought you someone new. She will be fun to watch and I think it will be motivating for you guys too. I know it''s been four years since Ist showed up, but at least I didn''t leave you dead, right? "Anyway, while I would love for you to interact for a long time with Razia, she won''t be staying with us for long, because she is a part of the team that killed my mother. So, you guys can say your goodbyester," Hawi said as she cracked her knuckles. She had been patient with herself and her quest for the truth and even though Razia was ring at her, Hawi Wasn''t going to stop. Until she got to the very bottom of all this. She had to figure it out. "I''ll talk to you guyster. For now, Malika and I will have some little fun with Razia¡­ you guys remember the rules, right?" Hawi asked and Malika stared in silence. She wasn''t sure what the fuck was going on here but she would watch. Maybe that would give her a hint into what they would be doing here. One thing she was certain of was that Hawi was pissed. She was angry and this time, she had someone she wouldsh out on. It was a beautiful thing, really and Malika loved this for Hawi. "Never look away or make a sound when the alpha is torturing one of us," the prisoners echoed. It was then that Malika knew what had kept the prisoners under her going even though Sicario itself was at war. They had been starved, but there was a venttion system that got them breathing in essentials. It was a type of tech that was out of the world and it was probably not even supposed to exist, but then with all the tech in Sicario, this was not news to her. Perhaps this was why everyone was scared of Awuor Hawi. No one in their right mind would keep prisoners surviving on vored air. This had to be the cruelest creature Malika had ever seen, but it made her happy at the same time, because Hawi had earned all the titles she had. It was no wonder that she was an easy choice for the fates. "Great. Watch and earn as usual," Hawi said as she walked over to where Razia was, in her little cage that had no space for her. Razia was easily suffocating in this hell hole but then would it be better for her to be free to mingle? Malika sat on one of the seats as she watched. She knew that this was for How to decide on and frankly. She wasn''t going to be doing much, unless Hawi asked for her help, which was a long shot, given Hawi could always handle herself. If the woman had kept this many prisoners under here for years without anyone asking questions, then there had to be more to her. Malika hadn''t been one to underestimate and that was also how she knew that she wasn''t needed for this mission. She had onlye along because she was her protector and nothing else. But maybe her turn woulde, right? "Hello, Razia," Hawi greeted the Luna again, this time she was standing so close to the bars that were coated with the world''s deadliest acid. It was clear that Razia had taken one too many hits before she realized that everything she did would hurt just her alone. This little cage was the only thing keeping her safe and it was just a matter of time before she no longer was here but what would be the price for that? "Do your worst," Razia said, as she stood still. Her body was covered in burns from the fluoroantimonic acid and silverponents. She looked so terrible but then didn''t matter to Hawi. "I haven''te here to torture you. You know, all this time, you have been here, the cage has been absorbing your magic, and making it easier for me to infiltrate your brain. I know that is not nice, but then I am also not a bad person. "See¡­ the thing is, I will ask questions and you will answer. For every wrong answer¡­ I''m not sure if you noticed it yet, but the tform your cage is standing on is metallic. So, for every lie, the lie detector will send a current of three hundred volts into your body. "Since you''re all for magic, I''ll exin it in magical terms. For every lie, your body will feel like it''s being burned by a Lycan fire. We know how those have gone in the previous years. Let''s spare each other the lies, right? "Anyway, the choice is yours¡­ I have all the time in the world," Hawi said as she grabbed a chair and sat on the right in front of Razia. All attention was on Hawi and Razia, like Hawi had demanded, and it was finally time to y the game. "We''ll have a test run, so you know what it means, okay?" Hawi said and Razia stared at her nkly, a bored face like Razia was certain that all of this didn''t scare her. But then would she be saying the same thing when Hawi began toying with her? Malika had seen Hawi be one with her wolf in the past two weeks and the rage that had surfaced, was not just for one person. There were so many links to it, and right now, Hawi was changing all of that. The times she saw her mother cry herself to sleep. The times she saw her father struggle to lead a pack, a task that shouldn''t have been hard. The times she watched as Jeremiah ran the pack to the ground. There were so many things that she had witnessed and hade to terms with, but losing all the people in her family had to top that list. Maybe Hawi would have a change of heart? "I''ll start with the simplest one¡­ it should be easy to answer, seeing as you''re not that bad a person. Did you kill my brother, Dominic Sicario?" Hawi asked and Malika let out an involuntary gasp. There was just no way that Hawi considered that a simple question. It just didn''t make any sense, unless Hawi was sure that Razia Greyson hadn''t been the one who murdered her brother. If that was so, then Razia wouldn''t be shocked by the electricity, right? Well, that was supposed to be rxing but it got Malika on the edge of her seat. Things were about to go south real fast and she had to be ready to clean up whatever mess followed. "You are crazy," Razia said and Hawi smiled with relief on her face. Maye that was a yes for her, but then it wasn''t an answer. If Razia was so confident, then she should have responded with a ''yes'', right? "Come on Razia¡­ this is a yes or no question. So¡­ did you kill my brother?" Hawi asked again. "No. I didn''t kill your brother," Razia said, only for her to be shocked by thousands of electric voltages at the same time. "No way," Hawi whimpered in realization. Chapter 244: Karma Was Always Familiar * Long Chapter Alert [HAWI] "You are crazy," Razia said, and Hawi smiled with relief on her face. Maye that was a yes for her, but then it wasn''t an answer. If Razia was so confident, then she should have responded with a ''yes'', right? "Come on Razia¡­ this is a yes or no question. So¡­ did you kill my brother?" Hawi asked again. "No. I didn''t kill your brother," Razia said, only for her to be shocked by thousands of electric voltages at the same time. "No way," Hawi whimpered in realization. This wasn''t how things were supposed to turn out, but then at this point, Hawi herself wasn''t sure of what was real or not. It was like the world hade together to make her a miserable person. But for what? Hawi looked at Razia, words stuck in her throat as she tried to get a hold of herself. There were so many evils in the world and while she was unapologetically one of them, a part of her always knew that she had been the one to kill Dom. Maybe she was even a little too hopeful when she came with Razia here. She had been expecting everything from the psychotic bitch, but an indirect admittance to the murder of her dear brother was certainly not it. Hawi couldn''t breathe. This confession was fucking her over and it was working a little too faster than she had thought possible. It wasn''t even dusk yet, and here she was, questioning everything she believed in over the years. Awuor Hawi could feel her chest tightening and she knew that she didn''t have to hold on for long before she realized that she was going into one of the lengthy panicky episodes. "No¡­ Look at me, Mistress. Look at me!!" Malika shouted as she rushed to Hawi, and tried to keep the alpha''s focus on her and her alone. It was hard for the woman, because this wasn''t supposed to happen. Thest time Hawi had had a panic attack was when she had been in the damned shelter at rkson. That was one of the most unfortunate times and Malika still med herself for not being there for Hawi. But then again, here she was, with the woman and she was going into shock. What was this even to mean? Honestly, it had been too long, and it had taken everything in Malika not to go after the ghosts of Sicario that were haunting her mistress. However, today, she wasn''t so sure about them anymore. What kind of toxic cycle was this for the young alpha? "Oh please¡­ she''s such a weakling for the white wolf. Who the fuck will she be protecting when she can''t even save herself. Look at her, a pathetic little shit in the fight for justice in a cruel world. "Makes me wonder how long it wall take before she finallyes crashing down. Don''t me the universe on this one. Even the blind can see that this little shit is a weakling," Razia mocked. Even then, Razia Greyson thought that it was easily the most dangerous thing she had ever tried.Messing with hair wasn''t going to be easy. And given the endless years of pain that he had endured, there was a chance that this was not even real. But what if it was? There had been some rtion given how quick Malika was toe to Hawi''s aid. "Oh yeah? How about I show you weakness?" Hawi said as she used her magic to draw Razia to the edge of her little cage, forcing the woman''s skin to be burnt by the acid coating the cage. It was all so sudden that Malika got pushed to the side, clearly not expecting Hawi to regain herposure that fast, but when there were high chances that Hawi had known what she would have to fight against. Awuor Hawi knew she wasing to a battle so personal to her, one in which her enemies would use all her weaknesses against her. She had been expecting that from the very beginning. She would have toe to terms with most of her demons and they wouldn''t be kind to her, not once. And Razia Greyson hadn''t disappointed her. "Holy shit, Hawi, stop¡­ you''ll fry her face!!" Malika said, rushing to try and stop Hawi from turning the woman in the cage to ashes, but then Hawi was stronger. Of course, Hawi would always be stronger, but damn. This was wild. "She deserves it," Hawi growled as her eyes slowly turned dark, but Malika wasn''t letting her. She couldn''t let Hawi give in to the darkness. As much as it was appealing to see Hawi be so ruthless, Malika knew that Hawi had to be in control. There had been so many regrets over the years and she didn''t need this to just end up venting another regret for the young alpha. That wouldn''t be fair for her, but then again, they were way past justice and fairness, or weren''t they? "I know¡­ But if you kill her, you won''t get the answers you need. She is the only one who can help us out. Jer is just a puppet, and we won''t be able to get to the shadow warlocks without her. Let her be, Mistress, please," Malika pleaded and it worked. "How''s that for weak, Razia Greyson?" Hawi growled as she mmed Razia one more time against the bars just to make sure that the woman understood what she meant. This was crazy, but then was there anything else that could be used to describe Awuor Hawi? "You little shit. When I get out of here I will screw you over more than you would ever imagine," Razia growled out, even though half of her face was burnt to a crisp. She looked terrible, and worse than a ghost. Razia looked like she had made an appointment with the butcher, but managed to lose her way before she got to her destination. This shit was fucked, and it was cruel. But then again, this was war, and Hawi was to get her vengeance. "Oh yeah? You might consider shutting the fuck up before your damned brains fall to the ground," Malika warned and Razia giggled, making Malika facepalm. This woman was insane on so many levels. Who the fuck even let out giggles when their lives were literally on the line? It wasn''t like this was some party that she would be able to get out of alive, right? Well, perhaps Razia was finally losing it. Perhaps she was way beyond salvation, and even if she wasn''t, no one would being for her. No one, and the sooner Razia Greyson knew that, the sooner she would be able to get her affairs in order. "Make me. You''re a coward who can''t even show your face yet you''re here speaking shit. What kind of protector are you? Muting your voice and hiding your face? Wow, you must be the protector of the year!" Razia mocked. Malika looked at Razia, before she realized that all this time Razia Greyson had been unable to see her face. Maybe that was why the woman was so confident. She had not been able to figure out who the other person was and for a moment, Malika felt bad for Razia Greyson. "Are you sure you want me to remove the making, dear Razia? Hawi may be kind to you, but I doubt you would wish her to be the same once you see my face. This is about to get even more interesting," Malika eximed while Hawi sat up. The white wolf was still fuming. She hated that she had just realized that there was more to the web of chaos that was Jeremiah Warner. She hated Razia Greyson with all of her might, even more than she hated the dumb fuck she had been mated to for years. This wasn''t how she had imagined spending the rest of her daybut goddamn, Hawi was pissed. Dom was a strong wolf. Dom was powerful, way too powerful even for thatme warlock, Ajuoga. Now it made more sense why her brother had been overpowered, and Hawi felt a pang in her heart. She wondered what her brother had been thinking on hisst breath. She wondered if her brother had been hopeful that she woulde for him. All the times Dom got in trouble. Hawi was always there to save him. She was always on time and she always made sure that no one hurt her brother. The fact that her brother might have called to her and she hadn''t heard him, broke her. She had been sure she was done being hurt, but Razia Greyson sure seemed to know just how to press the goodman buttons in her life. This woman managed her pain like she was some addict and how here Hawi was. Back to the same spot. With a ruined heart. "Of course. I have heard of protectors. I know you are going to kill me. Don''t you think it''s only fair for me to see whatever creature is under the blueberry mask? Unless you''re way too ugly to interact with the wolves. "I couldn''t me you for wanting to keep your identity hidden. If I was tasked with protecting the abomination of the century, trust me, I would have done the same. This kid will ruin everything, if she ascends to power," Razia said and Malika tsked angrily. The woman before the theme had friends so many lives and yet even at her worst pain, she could still think of hurting Hawi. It made even Malika wonder why everyone hated the white wolf so much. Surely even Razia had to have known that Hawi was the hope of the realm, right? There were dark forces that had gotten power in the years that had passed and if they were let to interact with the goddess''s creations then they would corrupt the creation and the goddess would have no other option but to burn down her creation. That wouldn''t be a good move, especially with innocents hidden among the rot in the society. However, it was not news that there was always a price to pay as there would always be coteral damage. If the rot increased and got to a point when nothing made sense anymore, a cleaning was bound. That was why the white wolf was here. Razia, having been a Luna, had to understand that, right? "I''ll ask you one more time, Razia. Are you sure about this?" Malika asked, knowing so well what her identity could do to the woman. No, she wasn''t pitying Razia Greyson, no. She just wanted to make the woman have the illusion of a choice. "Of course. Get on with it," Razia said. "Alright," Malika responded before she undid the spell and when she did so, Razia stopped back into her cage. "No way," Razia said in shock. "Hello again, Razia Greyson." Chapter 245: Nothing Scares You, Right? [HAWI] Here in these dungeons, time was without a doubt a construct that Hawi and everyone else had no clue of. They had been at this for maybe three hours, or two, it wasn''t easy to tell. Maybe there was more that they could use to approximate, but even then it was pointless.The woman they were after was too chill, like she was in some cycle, ying games with the lot of them. However, something seemed to change when Malika let her see her face. It was like they were witnessing history, the kind that could fuck up lives or mend them depending on the side they chose. There was pure horror on Razia''s face and that got Hawi interested in whatever the hell was going on in the woman''s mind. She didn''t want to imagine much, but then they wouldn''t be getting out of here anytime soon. They could as well spend their time ordingly, right? "No! This isn''t it. No. You can''t be real¡­ you died; I saw you. I saw you die. This is real. How this isn''t funny," Razia said as she struggled to catch a breath. She could feel her head spinning and she was losing control. Her feet were wobbly already and that was also how Razia knew that this had to either be the worst of her dreams, or that this was the cruelest of all realities. The woman before her should have been a myth, Razia had interacted with protectors, but none so unhinged like the one staring so smugly at her. The woman before her was worse than the devil himself and yet somehow fate had truly managed to pair her with the spawn of karma herself. What the fuck was this supposed to mean for Razia? How about the future she had been so sure she had? What the heck would happen to that? Oh, but Malika was a threat to everything she held dear and Razia wasn''t ready for her. Not like this, no. Don''t miss chapters on m v l e m p y r "Well, that got you trembling. You must really be scared of Malika," Hawi said humorlessly, while Razia fidgeted in the dungeon. The woman before her was supposed to be dead and by all ounts, after everything the shadow warlocks had done to Malika or tried to do, she was supposed to be gone, forever. This just made no sense to Razia. When Malika had said she would show Razia her true face, Hawi expected Razia to be shocked because Malika had been Jer''s wife. She had expected to watch Razia Greyson unravel at the sight of the woman she had saved. This was the woman who was supposed to be dead because of the oath that hadn''t bene fulfilled by Jeremiah. However, looking at the shock on Razia''s face, it was like she had seen something, or rather, someone she shouldn''t have. "I told you, Razia. I warned you against touching her. I told you and your brothers that I woulde after you if you broke her heart. And you did. I bet we''re doing this now, huh?" Malika said with a voice that got chills running down Hawi''s spine. Hawi wasn''t scared of Malika, no, but seeing the woman so calm as her words seemed to tear apart Razia Greyson was too new. It was like there was more to the woman than Hawi knew. "You came as Jer''s wife. I knew your voice was familiar, but I couldn''t quite put a finger on it," Razia said, ignoring the burn from the bars. The fact that Malika was here, was damning enough for her. She was in a kind of hell that wouldn''t let her survive, the kind that she would have to fight everything and everyone just to be safe. The only problem was that down here, no one cared about what Razia Greyson wanted or wished for. "So, what will you do to me now? Hmm? Will you let the scrawny little kid beside youmand you into this?" Razia asked even though she knew that this was ame attack, to nt her freedom. With Malika, however scared she was of the woman, Razia knew she stood a chance at life. However, with Hawi, and the anger she had for the woman, there was no telling whether Razia would end up as meat for the Sicario wolves, or if she would end up looking like ashes. There was so much that she still wanted to do, poor thing. "Unlike you, Razia. I have a reasonable Mistress. Her orders are mymands and we both know how good a soldier I am. Surely you don''t expect me to betray her because of you, right?" Malika said mockingly. She despised Razia but today was about Hawi and her revenge. Today was about Hawi getting her answers and if Malika had to help Hawi out then she would. But first, she had to let the little girl she had loved as a sister find her way through this. "Buckle up, Razia. This is going to be a long and interesting session. Who knows how long it will take? Also, I may or may not have hinted at your survival to Atticus. I pointed them toward the protectornds. "They will have a lot of fun today if your brother gets all cocky, hmm. Now why don''t you be a good girl and give my Mistress the answers she wants, and pray to the goddess that she doesn''t tell me the answers for her. "... because Razia, if she says it, then you and I know that not even a speck of dust on your clothes will be found lingering. Be nice and be good, I''ll be here for youter. We have all the time in the world, sweetheart," Malika said, winking at Razia. Malika knew Hawi had questions but frankly, this wasn''t the time for them to get to questioning each other''s past. If they made it through this, then they would talk about it over chat but until then it was work hours. "So, Razia¡­ sweet Razia¡­My mother-inw, Razia. Will you give me the answer I seek? The test phase was kind of a shocker to me, I have to admit, but then you more than anyone should understand, right?'''' Hawi asked with a neutral tone. Hawi didn''t care what the fuck Razia had to say to her, really. She had already made her peace with the fact that her family was lost and they weren''t ever going toe back home again. She had known that someone was pulling the strings with Jer, and now that she had confirmed it was Razia, she had no use for the woman. That in itself should have made it easy for her to do whatever she wanted with Razia and make her pay. However, that wasn''t why she had taken Razi. Those answers were frankly useless to her now that she had made up her mind and was after revenge. She didn''t care about justice. The world could go fuck itself if it hoped that there was so petty justice Hawi was hoping for. Hawi was back home for vengeance and vengeance only. And she wouldn''t stop until she got what she wanted. However, here and now, capturing Razia, keeping her away from her people, and making it seem like Hawi had really taken the woman for her vengeance ¡ª which was true ¡ª was just the perfect illusion that Hawi needed to create. "Fine¡­ what the fuck do you want to know?" Razia asked angrily as she red at an unbothered Hawi. It was interesting how fast the tables turned because right now, Hawi wasn''t sure if she wanted to feel bad for Razia or wring her neck really. "Why did you betray my mother? She loved you like her own. She trusted you," Hawi asked as she ted with a de on her hands. She was currently seated in front of Razia as if this was nothing to her. Razia stared at the girl before her, the girl owed by many, the girl who was also the reason for countless deaths. Hawi was a disaster for sure, but if Hawi was that bad for fighting for herself, then who was good for them? "She was avable," Razia said and Hawi''s de dropped from her hand. "What?" Hawi asked. "Why¡­ Are you deaf? I just told you Eni was avable. Is that so hard for you to understand?" Razia asked and Hawi sighed. Before today, she had been certain that there were lines that even Razia couldn''t cross, but staring at the woman before her, Hawi wasn''t sure if that was possible with Razia anymore. This woman was unhinged and Hawi could tell that she wasn''t apologetic about anything. It was a realization that didn''t make Hawi feel any better. If anything, it made her wonder if there was anything she could do to break the woman''s spirit. "My mother¡­ Sicario Luna¡­ Was it avable? What the fuck does that even mean?" Hawi asked and this time, Razia looked at her like the girl had lost her mind. However, that didn''t matter because Razia was overly confident. It was like she was certain that there was nothing Hawi could do to break her. That kind of confidence was dangerous and yet Razia wore her confidence like armor and that was what Hawi needed to get through. Perhaps Hawi would find a way right? "You know what it means already. I don''t even know why you''re bothering me at this point," Razia said and Hawi just chuckled darkly. "You''re right¡­ But does little Kurt know about it? You hid the horrible truth of your family from your little brother... I bet it would be awesome to see his face when he realizes that his older sister is nothing but a traitor, right?" Hawi asked and all the color drained from Razia''s face. Chapter 246: Make Me Believe You [HAWI] "You know what it means already. I don''t even know why you''re bothering me at this point," Razia said and Hawi just chuckled darkly. "You''re right¡­ But does little Kurt know about it? You hid the horrible truth of your family from your little brother... I bet it would be awesome to see his face when he realizes that his older sister is nothing but a traitor, right?" Hawi asked and all the color drained from Razia''s face. It was something that Hawi had expected but then seeing it happen, really was giving her a lot of satisfaction. Razia Greyson was a thorn in her life and she needed to be dealt with, along with her band of shadow warlocks. "Who the fuck is that?" Razia asked and Hawi just shackled. She knew that Razia was deleting but then that didn''t matter because no matter what happened, no matter how this turned out, Hawi would get her answers and everything she needed. "No one. Don''t mind me, I was just rambling," Hawi said and Razia red at her. Awuor Hawi never just rambled. This woman was the greatest cache of intelligence and if Razia was here, then she already knew what she needed. Hell, Razia also knew that too, but would it make any difference for Hawi who was always making up her mind about the woman before her? This woman had done so much damage to many people and yet she didn''t even have a hint of remorse in her eyes. What the fuck was she running on anyway? "Tell me something, Razia¡­ why were you so against your little girl mating with me? You can''t stop it now, but at least you can tell me what was so bad that you even sent your husband out to be murdered?" Hawi asked a pale Razia. She was starting to get used to seeing a pale Razia Greyson. This woman was a mess in so many ways. She was the kind of mess that many would want gone and yet as Hawi looked at her, she knew she could have a little more fun with her. There was always more to the citation and as Hawi yed the game of hide and seek with Razia Greyson, she hoped that Rukiya was already with her army on their way to Sicario. That was the whole point of getting Razia away. Hawi knew Razia would be a distraction to Rukiya, and if they were in the same space, then there was no telling what would happen, especially if Rukiya Greyson felt unsafe. It was just something that Hawi wasn''t about to explore, ande hell or high water, she would make sure that everything made sense for her Ruru. That woman was the only thing that mattered to Hawi. "Wherever you go, people die. You are the cause of so many deaths and you haven''t even sat on that damn crown yet. Did you know that another name for the white wolf was the werewolf queen? "Having such a murderous unforgiving soul at the werewolf queen''s throne is poison. It is the worst of abominations and yet even after everything, you managed to get there with the help of the devil you have for a protector. "I should have known that she wouldn''t let you be, but then you''re no longer my problem, Hawi. So many people areing for your head, and not even my sweet little Rukiya would be able to save you then. "They will kill her and then watch while your guilt makes you take your life. The cycle will continue, just as the endless cycle of white wolves giving up their thrones every thousands of years. "You''re easily the most unhinged of them all, Awuor. So, you are no longer an issue to me. Do with me what you must, but I must remind you that nothing you do will make it better. Nothing. "You will always lose¡ª" Razia said and in a fit of anger, Hawi broke the spell that kept the cage that Razia was in, intact. The spell allowed Razia to be free and yet at the same time, the woman was never going to be free. The prisoners in the dungeons let out loud gasps as the dungeons shook, reminding them of the mess that had happened when the dark Sicario dungeons had fallen apart. It was something that none of them would ever forget. However, here and now, they could only wish Razia well, because the woman was good at pressing the alpha''s buttons. It was just a matter of time before Hawi snapped and right now sure did look like a good moment for that. "I Know I bought you there as a distraction while your daughter went to burn Sicario. I really wasn''t interested in making you suffer, Razia Greyson, but it seems like you''re addicted to crossing lines. "So how about we get to know watch other better and drop the acts, yeah?" Hawi said and Malika pushed her seat a little back so Hawi would be able to deal with Razia on her own. The Sicario alpha was pissed. She was already angry enough that she had lost everything because of this woman, but standing there with Razia staring at her, Hawi knew she wasn''t good at forgiveness. She had been hoping to keep Razia alive and in the Sicario dungeons when the war was over but with every second that passed, Razia being alive was proving to be a nuisance to her, and Hawi hated business. The woman had yed a key role in taking everything from her and all that she had lost and Hawi was willing to let her have a pass because she was Rukiya''s mother, but then it seemed like Razia Greyson never learned. "You''re going to answer all my questions, Razia. And for every question you fail to answer, the lie detector won''t harm you, but I will definitely chop off a limb from you. So, you might want to be truthful with me this time, hmm?" Hawi said angrily. Her eyes had gotten darker and it was more than obvious that she was letting her rage control her. That was a dangerous thing and while it was tempting to remind Hawi that they were literally under Sicario, Malika knew this was long overdue. When she had seen Hawi start with the kinder questions and be a little too rxed, Malika knew it was just a matter of time before the woman blew up and barely six hourster in this dungeon they had managed to get to that point. Hawi was not even fuming at the moment. She was so angry that her body was moving on its own. With her hands wrapped around Razia Greyson''s neck, Hawi smirked, like she was measuring the length of the cor she would put on Razia. Nothing about this was normal but then no one down here was normal. Even if they hade in normally, the experiences here were bound to ruin someone''s life and sanity. That much was obvious. "Make me," Razia said, and Hawi chuckled before Hawi stared at her chest, casting a silent spell in her head, before three of Razia''s ribs suddenly poked out of her chest, making the woman scream. "Do we understand each other now?" Hawi asked and Razia nodded, but Hawi pressed harder on the woman''s neck. Chapter 247: Progress… Little Steps, But Still… Progress [HAWI] "Make me," Razia said and Hawi chuckled before Hawi stared at her chest, casting a silent spell in her head, before three of Razia''s ribs suddenly poked out of her chest, making the woman scream. "Do we understand each other now?" Hawi asked and Razia nodded, but Hawi pressed harder on the woman''s neck. She could feel Razia''s trachea and just a little more force and Razia Greyson would have a crushed trachea. Razia stared into Hawi''s eyes, her hands curling into fists yet for some reason she was unable to use her hands on Hawi. That was probably because Malika had bound Razia''s hands with magic, not to mention she had trashed all of Razia''s magic. Left alone there Razia was just another werewolf who hoped to be safe, but would that even work now that Hawi was done being nice or even ying the little game of truths and falses? Would Razia even survive this? "Ngh," Razia groaned in response and Hawi stared at her as if she hadn''t heard the woman. It was a cruel thing for her to do, seeing Razia was in so much pain. The ribs out of her chest looked strained, almost like they had just snapped. It was a sight that no one had expected, not even Malika herself, and yet like everyone on this side of the dungeons, Malika stared calmly. She was watching with intent and amusedly and she hoped Razia wouldn''t lie because Hawi was not a nice person. "I''m not sure if you just cursed at me, or if you said we understand each other. So I''ll break your hip bone just to be sure, right?" Hawi said as she released one hand from Razia''s neck and lined her hand next to Razia''s waist. Despite being a mother, Razia was fit as a fiddle. She was still a warrior, which made it easier for her body parts to be figured out real fast. It was heartbreaking really, but then Awuor Hawi didn''t care about what Razia wanted or wished for. The woman could decide to bark and all Hawi could do was just let out augh and encourage her to break even louder. It all just didn''t make any sense but then nothing would ever make sense to an angry Hawi. "Oh damn, I see it," Hawi said as she turned her hand into werewolf ws. They were beautiful white ws and her [par that was white made it all a sight to behold. This is perfection on its own, even though it was time to ruin someone. The white ws traced Razia''s waist as if trying to locate a particr bone. Hawi already knew where it was, but then she loved watching Razia bleed from the harsh brushes of Hawi''s ws. There was not a thing that Razia could do now, other than hope that this woman wasn''t as crazy. Well, that would have worked if the woman was someone else, but then she was Hawi, so there wasn''t much to even think of. "Ta-da! Found it!'''' Hawi said excitedly as she intentionally pushed her ws into Razia''s liver, puncturing the organ and making the woman release a low whine. Her eyes were already teary, probably because of the pain, but Hawi didn''t care. She had cured so many tears in the past. She had wished for salvation more than once and yet no one hade for her. Instead, the people she trusted had worked together to make her life even harder. It was already bad enough that she was used of murdering her mother but then going back to a home that didn''t have her entire family was something that Hawi hadn''t imagined. She had nned on clearing her name and proving to her father that she was innocent, but then she would never get that chance. She would never see her mother and father bickering again. She would never watch her father and brother y football with the warriors out in the field. She would never get to watch her brother and father run to her for safety from their mother, only for Hawi to join them in looking for safety. They had been a perfect simple family, one that thrived on love and faith, but then everything came down eventually. What had been home to her, had been turned into an illusion and she had been med for it all. Hawi knew it would take forever to get used to the chaos in her life but then she would never be able to find something to fill the emptiness left by her three favorite people. They should have been alive, but the woman in front of her had decided to ruin it all for her. "You sound healthy,'''' Hawi said as she dug her ws deeper into Razia, forcing the woman to let out a scream for mercy. Her screams only seemed to encourage Hawi, because the woman momentarily forgot that her ws were there for the hipbone. She was enjoying the grunts from Razia, so Hawi released her hand from Razia''s throat, making sure to maintain eye contact with the woman even as she screamed her lungs out. "Oh, Razia sweetheart, was that how my mother creamed when you and Jer used my ws to rip her apart?" Hawi asked, as she wed her free hand onto Razia''s right side, before she casually used her ws in Razia''s body, to list the woman up. There was blood. A lot of blood, and that only excited Hawi more. She loved what she was seeing and wanted to see whether Razia Greyson had enough blood in her to make a ''little pretty pattern. Malika watched in silence as Hawi yed around with Razia like a rag doll, with the once-powerful woman having nothing to defend herself. Razia was a wolf, but here and now she was just a human, with no abilities. She couldn''t even lift her hands to defend herself, not to mention shift into her wolf. He was helpless and at Hawi''s mercy. Which is not working out quite well because Razia was turning paler. Maybe she shouldn''t have been too quickly and let herself be in the cage that Hawi had put her in. At least in that cage, there was nothing like this. Hawi wouldn''t have trapped her like this. For a woman out of a cage, Razia Greyson never felt so trapped. Her chest was constricting and he could swear that her insides were filling with blood. Her punctured liver wasn''t even punctured anymore. The organ had been crushed to pieces. Hawi loved whatever she was doing, because each time Razia almost fell asleep, Hawi would head-butt her and keep the woman steady. Sleep was not something that a Razia would get, and death was probably the easiest and most merciful option for her. However, would that even work in Razia''s favor, when the protector was smiling creepily at her? And it was like Razia Greyson was just a ything for the two of them and there wasn''t a souling for her. "You didn''t answer me, Razia. Was this how my mother screamed for help? Tell me, and I will stop, at least for now," Hawi taunted as her clothes were now covered in Razia Greyson''s blood. Oh, but this was the most beautiful sight that Hawi had ever seen. "Sh¡­ She didn''t scream¡­ She never had the chance to," Razia said and Hawi roughly pulled out her ws from Razia''s insides, ignoring the blood she was losing. Chapter 248: Eye For Eye… Let’s All Be Blind [HAWI] "You didn''t answer me, Razia. Was this how my mother screamed for help? Tell me and I will stop, at least for now," Hawi taunted as her clothes were now covered in Razia Greyson''s blood. Oh, but this was the most beautiful sight that Hawi had ever seen. "Sh¡­ She didn''t scream¡­ She never had the chance to," Razia said and Hawi roughly pulled out her ws from Razia''s insides, ignoring the blood she was losing like it didn''t matter at all. Hawi didn''t care what happened to Razia, and the more she knew about what had happened that day, the more Hawi was sure mercy was for the weak. They hadn''t shown her innocent mother any mercy and she wouldn''t show them either. Staring at a faint Razia, Hawi was disgusted, to say the least. She hated the fact that this woman was a traitor in so many ways that it was impossible to even understand whether there was any genuine interaction whenever Razia was involved. This woman was poisonous and she was the kind that Hawi wanted to rid herself of. There wasn''t a thing in the world that would stop her but until then, she had to see for herself if the woman who had been so good at ying the good mother was this cruel. Surely there had to be another exnation for the mess, right? "Why¡­ why did you do it?" Hawi asked as she punched Razia in the face with her bloodied ws. She wasn''t worried that she would hurt herself in the process. Pain was something Hawi had always gotten used to. Whatever she was feeling here was no match to the pain she had held back for the past four years. A lot of time had passed and yet the emptiness had remained just the same. She wished for so many things, but today she wanted vengeance. She couldn''t understand Razia. How the fuck could someone be that fucked up just because of a notion that she couldn''t trust? Was that really all there was to this? Then again, if Eni had been down and Hawi wasn''t ruined, what was the main aim? Hawi knew there had to be more than just her mother being avable like Razia had said to her. It couldn''t be the only reason. Maybe Hawi was in denial because people betrayed their friends and families for far less. Even then, it wasn''tforting to know that this woman was behind it all. So many things were not adding up and the sooner she got her answers, the sooner she would be able to get this done. "I already told you¡­ what else do you want to what to soothe your ego, huh?" Razia asked angrily and Hawi stared at the bowman disbelievingly. Either she had a high pain tolerance, or this woman was nuts. She was bleeding and still she had the guts to talk shit to Hawi? Well, maybe she needed a therapist, but then would she even survive this? Razia had to be high on something. It was the only possible exnation at the moment. "Well then, you can hug your silence till the end, oh yeah?" Hawi said as she grabbed one of the protruding ribs and broke a bone, only to stab Razia with it, so close to the heart like it was the most normal of things. Malika wasn''t sure where they were headed but she could tell that Razia was in so much pain and needed a break. However, Hawi was also missed and was more than ready to put an end to the woman. But was that it or was Hawi loving the torture she was putting Razia through? "You little¡ª" Razia began, as blood seeped from her mouth. She was a mess and an apathetic one in every way, however even then, she was determined to piss Hawi off even more. She knew what buttons to press and Hawi was doing just that. The fact that even to this point Razia was keeping her silence was appealing to Hawi. What the fuck was in it for the woman to endure this much pain? Hawi knew she had been in pain more than once, but the kind that she was inflicting on Razia was worse than even when the Lycans had beaten her to a plump at her own request, however unhinged that was. Losing a rib was not easy, and having it poke so closely to the heart was enough to get someone''s soul out of their body and on the way to the afterlife. It was that crazy but Razia was holding on for some reason. "Maybe this will refresh your memory,'''' Hawi said as she grabbed one of the fluoroantimonic acid-coated silver bars and stabbed Razia with it in the thigh through and through, making the woman scream out, again. Her screams were filled with pain, but Hawi was just standing there licking her hands that were covered in Razia''s blood like she was some cannibal. She was insane for his rally and even Malika got up and took a step back. She wasn''t sure there was any more space left for her before she would hit the wall, but goodness, Malika hadn''t ever seen someone this bonkers. Each day, she realized that there was a new level of crazy to be unlocked in Hawi and it was frightening worse than hell. This wasn''t how the girl was supposed to be, but the pain¡­ oh pain. Pain could turn even the most beautiful of hearts into a shell of who they once were. That was what was happening here right now. And the fact that Rukiya Greyson wasn''t close enough to remind Hawi of what it meant to be humane was crazy. This was why the white wolf needed a mate, but then Razia had to just try and mess everything up. "Mistress¡ª" Malika began but Hawi didn''t even pay any attention to her, it was almost like the only thing Awuor Hawi wanted was to see Razia Greyson suffer. She loved seeing the woman so curled up like that, while her insides were burning with acid. Well to be fair, Hawi was brimming with rage too, so that was equal, right? But would it make it all any better when the hearts were being shattered like that? And what of Hawi''s heart? Was there anything left in there besides rage and revenge? "Don''t tell me you feel terrible for her. She said Mother was silent. Do you even know what that means? There''s a chance my sweet mother got to see the face of her best friend, as they ripped her apart. "It had to be the worst of her heart breaks, seeing her daughter unconscious while she was there, drying slowly. That hurts more than anything this woman could have ever done. "She should havee after me, but then she was too much of a coward to do it, and now, I don''t have no one. Everything I loved and had dear is gone. I won''t see her smile again, I won''t see my beautiful mother happy again. "And it''s this damned woman''s fault!!!" Hawi growled out in anger as she wed Razia''s neck just like her mother had been. Only that her wing didn''t kill Razia. "Make sure she doesn''t die, and make sure she feels all that pain," Hawi said as she walked out of the dungeon and headed back up to her suite. Chapter 249: Were You Only Imaginary [HAWI] Standing in her suite, Hawi was bombarded with memories she had held onto for years and years. She had tried to let them go, but there was something about these particr memories, something about the beautiful moments turning so effortlessly into a pain she would live with for years. Her memories had fucked her up more than once. They had reminded her of things she would never have again ¡ª things that were so close yet so far. She would never be happier with herplete family again, which made Hawi want to make Razia feel everything she was feeling. This was worse than the times when she would get people to beat her up just for her to be in pain, and feel something, anything. "Awuor! Mother ising! Hidee!!!" Dom always told her whenever Dom got in trouble. It was a habit and their mother never really went after Dom because she knew that Hawi never said no to her brother. They had been the perfect set of siblings and everything hade down on them. Looking at herself in the full-length mirror in her room, Hawi wondered if she had changed by much. She wondered whether her people would recognize her if she took her throne and walked herself to the Sicario throne room. She wondered if it would make all the difference. Hawi could see her eyes and how simr they had been to her mother''s. She was hunted by those eyes and eight times like these, they reminded her that she had someone to remember. Her mother always told her she had the temper of her father, while Dom was a daring kid because he had Hawi watching his back always. They were happy then. They had what people considered normal and yet in just four years everything hade down on the Sicario house. "Mother¡­" Hawi whimpered as she looked at herself. She wasn''t sure of what she was feeling anymore because her dark eyes had stayed and she could see the rage in them. Her hair was slowly turning into a mix of purple and red and frankly. She wasn''t sure what that meant and for the first time, she genuinely didn''t want to know. She was already a scared kid, she didn''t need to know just how many more levels of fucked up she was. So today she would pretend. She would pretend like it was just another day for her back home. She would pretend like she didn''t just w a woman apart in the dungeons. She would pretend like she wasn''tpletely and utterly alone in the great castle that had been her home for years. She would pretend about it all and maybe if she did pretend just for long enough, she would be able to get back the feeling of being loved and wanted by her family. "Pretend¡­" Malika suddenly asked as she looked at Hawi. She wasn''t sure what the girl was thinking of, but then she was smart enough to know that Hawi was no longer the twenty-three-year-old broken girl who had been banished. She was twenty-seven years old, and had so many scars now. She had so much pain hissing in her and she had too many scars both physical and emotional. She had suffered one too many times and perhaps the universe would give her a break, right? "Yeah¡­ Just for this day, I wanna pretend that everything is alright, like Sicario signed at war and like my parents never died. I want to pretend that it''s just a normal day and I get to see my mother''s beautiful smile, my brother''s mischievous look like he had no brain, and my father''s pride when he looked at us each day. "I want to pretend like it''s not just another day that Dom decides to use my brain to think instead of using his. I want to pretend like we don''t have to wake up early orte to anything and more than anything, I want to pretend, just today, that the world isn''t as cruel to us all," Hawi said as she turned and looked at herself. She loved what she was seeing in the mirrors. She was covered in Razia''s blood from head to toe, not to mention the fact that she was leaving thick footprints covered with blood, on her white tiled floor. She didn''t care about that today''s thought. All she wanted was peace, and the remainder of her home, and she would go for it. "What do you think?" Hawi asked Malika who was staring in silence, just like she had been the entire time. It was almost like Malika was invisible or else wanted to make Hawi feel like she wasn''t alone and yet at the same time, she wanted Hawi to lead a normal life. It was quite unhinged, what normal was to them, but at the end of the day, there wasn''t much that they could live for, regardless of what happened. "It doesn''t sound so bad. We all need a break from everything," Malika said as she walked over to the mirrors. She could see herself too, and boy were her eyes tired. Unknown to Hawi, Malika was always on a mission. In the times she was silent, she was always thinking of how to do shit elsewhere. It was like Malika was just some machine for Hawi and while Hawi wasn''t making her do any work, Malika knew it was something that she had to do on her own. If anything, Hawi was just her assignment. Her craziest in history, but still, an assignment she had grown to love and genuinely care about. Oftentimes Malika reminded himself that Hawi was not like the other white wolves. She wasn''t, and Malika knew it. This girl could do whatever she set her mind to do, even if it meant pissing off the deities and everyone else. Hawi had nothing left to lose. "I''m thinking of getting a buzz cut," Hawi said and Malika stared at the woman like she was insane. However, as if to encourage Hawi, Malika grabbed a scissor from the drawer and handed them over to Hawi. She knew that this was a weird way for the young wolf to cope, but then what else could Hawi do? It wasn''t like she was always going to lock herself up in this suite and avoid everything. She had to put herself out there and not always because of war, but because away from everything she was just agirl, one who still wanted to watch the world unfold. She was just a girl who wanted to get flowers and go on tours with her best friends. Sure, she was psycho, but even psychos needed a break from all the chaos, right? "Want some help?" Malika offered and Hawi let out a lonelyugh as she stared at the scissors in Malika''s hands. Her mother always was the one who took care of her. Her mother never made her feel like the world was a terrible ce even though that was the reality. Her mother had always been a good person, and she cared, probably more than she should have. And in the end, her mother had been betrayed. "Yeah, sure. Where do you want me to sit?" Hawi asked softly even though it was like she was trapped in some memory again. Chapter 250: Y’know… Honestly… Don’t Ask * Cheers to 250 chapters!! [HAWI] "It keeps growing!" Hawiined for the hundredth time since they had started the project buzzcut. She had been excited to see what she would look like with a new haircut, but then each attempt had either resulted in a broken scissor, or hair that wasn''t getting cut. It was almost like something was stopping Hawi from shaving her hair. She was so done with this right now. "And how is it my fault!?" Malika asked as she looked at the puddle of hair they were currently sitting on. They had agreed that they would sit on the ground while facing the mirror. Funny how they had done that just to get themselves more hair and have themselves covered in bloodied hair. This was insane and they were losing their minds. However, deep down, Malika knew that the white wolves would never be able to shave their hair, no matter what age they were at. In the past, Eni had been able to cut Hawi''s hair and let her live with it like that, because Eni had begged Malika to slow the growth process. Eni had wanted her daughter to lead a normal life. She wanted her daughter to be able to choose what she wanted and it was safe to say that Hawi''s hairstyles traumatized her entire family to the point that they literally pleaded with her not to touch a scissor again. But then Hawi was Hawi, and she loved seeing their faces whenever she came home bald, and sometimes she came home with hair that looked like she had been swimming in a sea of pink. "You tell me¡­ if there was nothing in those old books that you lived through, that taught you how to cut hair?" Hawi asked as she turned on Malika usingly as if this was truly Malika''s fault. "Girl¡­ You didn''t just¡­ Oh, you''re getting it from me you little shit," Malika said as she threw the broken scissors she was holding into the pile of scissors that they had conjured. They had probably used up all the scissors for the day in this mess. "Oh, please. You are the one who doesn''t know how to cut hair. Come, conjure another scissor, and let me show you how to do it! I''m telling you, my mother trained me well for this! I even used to shave Dom''s hair," Hawi bragged and Malika face-palmed. They had been bickering for the past hour and frankly, it was even a miracle that no one in Sicario had noticed the odd soundsing from Hawi''s suite. Or maybe no one really came to this side anymore because they just didn''t have anything to do here. "You? Scissors? My hair? Keep dreaming, sweetheart," Malika said before she got up and put some distance between her and Hawi who was staring at her mischievously, as if Hawi knew something that she didn''t. "Don''t tell me the mighty protector doesn''t just know how to cut hair, but she is also scared of cutting her hair. Who the fuck even cuts your hair for you then?" Hawi asked and Malika kept moving away from Hawi. She didn''t trust this woman with her hair and she knew that Hawi would make fun of her no matter what happened. They were chaotic each day and this was just another day for them, at least at the expense of their sanity, right? "We have a professional barber in Olyana, thank you very much," Malika said with a pout, and Hawi chuckled. Malika was currently wielding her twin des and pointing them at Hawi as if that were supposed to make Hawi scared of going to her. Hawi, on the other hand, had made a quick stop next to the bundle of hair that hade from her head. She could see the pretty tinum color of her hair lying on the floor, so she picked a bundle and spread it on the floor, so she could slide on it towards Malika who was staring in disbelief. "No way¡­ That''s awesome!" Malika said and this time, Hawi looked at her like she was the one who had gone bonkers. What did she mean by awesome? The mountain of hair or the scissors, or the blood in the room or the fact that they were insane? "I''m just saying the slide is going to be cool," Malika corrected and Hawi let out augh. "Have you ever tried this before?" Hawi asked. "Well, this may surprise you, but the other assignments were never your kind of insane, Hawi. They were what people considered normal and frankly, goddess rest their souls, but they were boring as hell. "With you, rules don''t mean shit and yet they mean something at the same time. You make things more fun even if you''re hurting and trying to forget. You didn''t let everything overwhelm you. "It''s admirable. Besides, you make protecting you more fun than just me standing behind you and yessing too everything you say," Malika said earnestly. Hawi just stared at her softly. They had been together for four years and Malika hadn''t once abandoned her. Perhaps she was always, right? Well, that would have to take a break because right now, Malika was intent on defending her hair. "Well, it''s because you''re fine to be around. You make my boring life worth living. Besides, we''re a team and we can''t function without each other. The least we can do is make this work for both of us," Hawi said as she stood on the hair shey, ready to slide. She looked determined, and anyone who could see them right now and even hear their conversation, would think that the both of them had gotten a little too unhinged and a little too far from what sanity was¡­ but then the reality was what they made of it, right? "Are you ready to protect your hair?" Hawi asked and Malika stared keenly. She was looking at Hawi''s leg cements and she raised the thought that she was about to be fouled. Well, she should have said something sooner, because by the time she spoke, Hawi was already on her way to her. "Hawi wait," Malika cried as she tried to avoid Hawi and the huge hedge shear she was holding. What the fuck did this woman think she was having on her damn hair, huh? A garden?? "What is it now?" Hawi asked as she made a stop right on time before she could slice off a chunk of Malika''s extremely long hair. If they were normal Malika would have had quite the long hair topete in a damn hair record. "Just wait¡ª" Malika said and Hawi red disapprovingly at her. "I didn''t just fucking slide and now I will have to line up more hair, and there''s no damn blood to slide on¡ª" "We can always go back and cut Razia up for more blood," Malika said casually, like it wasn''t the most unhinged decision they would ever make. Then again, the woman didn''t mean shit to them and they could have as much fun as they could. "You''re stalling," Hawi said and Malika pointed her twin des at Hawi who was holding the hedge shear on one hand, while she was resting the other hand on her waist like a disappointed gardener. "Nope, I am not," Malika tried to argue before adding, "Do you think Ruru and E have already begun heading for Sicario?" "Nice try," Hawi said as she slid Between Malika''s legs and cut her hair, making Malika scream out in disbelief, leading to known knocks on the door of Hawi''s suite. Chapter 251: You Are The Shadow To My Light [HAWI] "Is anyone in there!!" Jer''s voice came through the suite as he banged the food really hard like it was supposed to open. If they were normal people, Malika and Hawi would have been bothered and tried to find a way out of this, but then they weren''t. If anything, they were staring at each other, one with a pitiful face and the other with a face that screamed murder. Even then, the knocks outside didn''t subside, but then the women had more important things to think of, yeah? "You scream like a girl," Hawi said and Malika threw her des on the side as she dragged Hawi up, forcing her to stand next to the wall, her giant sheath still in her hands, like she hadn''t just chopped Malika''s old hair off. Oh, but it was a lot of hair and Malika is probably right to be murderous right now. However, instead of worrying, Hawi was smiling toothily like she had achieved something that no one ever had. Of course, she had. "Uhh¡­ hello? Do I look like a man?" Malika asked disbelievingly and Hawi gently patted her on the shoulder as if that was used to make it better. "Well, you don''t need to be sad. It will make a good addition to the mountain over there, right?" Hawi said as she leaned to the side to see her white hair that had piled up. They had messed up this suite, but then that was a problem for another time. "I''ll kill you today," Malika said and Hawi smiled before she ran off, making sure to get another chunk and Malika was done with her. "You didn''t have to make it so terrible!" "It will grow back, you''re immortal!" "You did not just y the immortal card with me you¡ª" "Aren''t you? Besides, look at how pretty it is," Hawi said as Malika tried to get her hair into her usual thick bun, but there wasn''t much left, thanks to Hawi''s rough cuts. Well, they had quite the bonding session, didn''t they? "Anyone there?" Jer''s voice called out in the distance and once again the women just went on with their bickering over whose hair would grow fast. By the time they were done, Malika was the one with a buzz cut. She looked different and damn pretty with it, but it was so new that anyone who knew her wouldn''t know her immediately. "Go open the door and scare that little shit," Hawi said and Malika rolled her eyes at her. "Great. Because I''m the one looking like a tired Hera the goddess, no?'' Malika whined. "You''re beautiful. Besides, Elodie will like the buzz cut on you. You look perfect, so very perfect," Hawi insisted as she made an okay sign with her hand. That was when Malika knew this woman was fucking with her. She had shaved years of hair and now all that was left wasn''t even fitting into her regr buns. "Mask on or off?" Malika asked and Hawi stared at her as if to ask where the mask woulde from. When they had left the camp for this ce, they hadn''t carried anything. It was just the two of them and the clothes they wore ¡ª which were currently bloodied, given they decided to say hello to Razia again in the past few minutes. This duo was crazy, another level of unhinged, but nothing could beat what Malika was suggesting. "I made a beautiful mask, right?" Malika asked as she grabbed a mask from the ground, only for Hawi to see that it was made of both their hair and the broken scissors. She wasn''t sure they had gotten this unhinged, but was it toote to seek help? "What?" "Do you not like it?" "Are you sure we''re not supposed to bemitted to a psych ward?" "Don''t you want to see the look of horror on his face?" "Well¡­" "Exactly, so which color should the hairy mask be?" "Red, white, and ck," Hawi said and Malika found a perfect mess of the colors and cast it on the mask. When she put it on, she looked like a low-budget Harley Quinn with a mix of Anakin Skywalker. "Great, I''ll go open the door he wants us to open badly," Malika said and right before she could pull the door open, Hawi stopped her, making her stare curiously. The n was going on so well, so why were they stopping? "That''s too easy for him. I say we make cackling sounds and hunting sounds, then you will send out an illusion of you¡­ the Malika he knows, and scare the hell out of him. He might die of a heart attack, but he will eventually die, so it doesn''t really matter," Hawi exined dly. "Alright, but if he punches me in the face, I''m telling you to Rukiya. I''ll tell her how you made me cut your hair, and how we failed. I''ll also tell her how you haven''t eaten since we got here, and how you were not exactly a nice person to me," Malika said. Hawi stared at her protector with disbelieving eyes. She couldn''t believe this woman had threatened her with Rukiya of all the people. That was easily the cruelest thing Malika could have done to her, given how protective Ruru was over Hawi. "You wouldn''t dare," Hawi said and Malika just shrugged at her. "Oh, yeah? You did cut off my hair. And she''s the only one who can kick your ass better than all of us. Wanna bet?" Malika stated, as she showed Hawi her tongue like they were ten years old. "Aren''t you supposed to be my protector or something? Why would you want Ruru to punish me?'' Hawi fake-cried, as she looked at a stoic Malika who was staring at the door as if to remind Hawi that they had a Jer to scare off. "Is that supposed to make me change my mind?" "I thought it would." "Well, it didn''t. Now get off, I have a job to do." "I''ll go," Hawi said, making Malika stop. Malika removed the mask off her face, before she looked at Hawi, all hints of mischief gone from her face. "What," Hawi asked when she saw Malika''s face change. "Hawi¡­ You''re not ready for that. You''re still hurting and we still haven''t gotten answers from Razia. If I let you meet him, nothing will be the same and we need toe at him with all the answers. "He won''t die, I already cast a life-force spell on him, unless the person killing him is you. But Hawi, you can''t go out there," Malika exined softly as she looked at Hawi who was staring at the huge door stand between Jeremiah and her. She knew Malika was right and as much as she wanted to say that this wouldn''t affect her, even she knew that she would be gravely affected. The man had killed her mother and she wasn''t even ready to process that truth yet. Razia''s exnations had fucked her up one too harshly. That much was obvious if they had spent the past few hours ying dress-up and games of haircuts. She wasn''t ready. "Fine¡­ you''re no fun," Hawi said and Malika just pulled her into a hug. This time, however, Malika didn''t absorb Hawi''s pain, she knew Hawi needed that pain and anger to fuel her, besides, Hawi had Malika to keep her sane just in case. "You wish. So, are we ready to do this?" "More than ready!" Malika said and Hawi ran to hide while she opened the door. "Boo hoo!!" Chapter 252: The Designated Devil [HAWI] "Boo hoo!!" was what Malika should have said when her illusion opened the door to Jer. However, when she heard what Jer said, she stood there staring at the man, like he was suddenly an object of the world''s ire. "Don''t worry, Malika. I will avenge you. I will, my sweet love. Once I kill Hawi, everything will be sorted and the fake Malika they brought to me will pay the price for it all," Jer had said and Malika watched in silence. She had known that there would be a hunt for Hawi, but the fact that Jer was this sure about killing Hawi, was not to be overlooked. The only way anyone would reach out to Jer was because of the initial mate bond that Hawi had. As dormant as that was, and as new as the woman''s bond with Rukiya was, there was no doubt that Jeremiah Warner could be a danger to Hawi. if they were no longer going after Rukiya, then it had to mean that they were desperate. And if there was anything Maika hated than Jeremiah Warner, was a desperate Jeremiah Warner. He was desperate and fueled by vengeance for a woman that never was his, a woman who would have killed him in the end. This was not something Malika hadn''t nned for and frankly, it pissed her off even more. There was just no way that the shadow warlocks would be this willing to use Jer for them again. Did they not value Razia''s life? "Open the dungeons Hawi," Malika said as she walked through the door on Hawi''s suite, ready to get down there and get more answers. She hated what the situation was and she hated that all this time, there were more enemies. Malika had been trained to assess risks and right now, Jeremiah Warner was a risk. A risk she had to eliminate in every way. There were only two options for Malika. To kill Jeremiah directly or to use someone who would kill his soul. The second option was more appealing than the first, but right now it depended on how much time they had. This was not good and Malika was running on rage. She didn''t care that there was a mess in the damn room, the only thing that mattered was Hawi. Hawi needed to live. She was owed a life. She needed to be able to be happy and gods be damned Malika wouldn''t let anyone steal that from the girl who was staring at her confusedly. She knew there were things to be considered but nothing would evere before Hawi''s happiness. Her safety was paramount, and this girl deserved to be happy after everything else. That was what Malika would fight for. "What is it, Malika?" Hawi asked as she opened the entry to the dungeons. "Who is it?" Malika asked Razia when she reached the dungeons. She grabbed Razia by the neck and mmed the woman against the wall, making sure to punch her thrice to wake the woman up. Razia was clearly in pain, but Malika didn''t care. She was way past rationality and frankly, that got Hawi wondering what the fuck Malika had seen or heard out there that had gotten her this mad. It wasn''t daily that Malika spiraled back into her former self, or rather her true self ¨C a protector who was willing to do everything and wanted to protect Hawi. That was a side of Malika that even Hawi was worried about sometimes. It was a brutal one, away from reality and humanity at the same time. It was the will of a soldier who would do everything it took to make sure that the one she was protecting wouldn''t be hurt in any way. "What the fuck do you even mean. I''ve been here, enduring whatever the fuck you and your psycho assignment have been doing. Don''t tell me someone beat me to killing her or nning her murder, hmm?" Razia said and Malika punched her in the stomach. She wasn''t in the mood for happy shit and the fact that she was still wearing the ridiculous hairy mask, was all that Razia needed to know that this wasn''t about to end well for her. But would Razia give the answers? "Who the fuck is supporting the street rogue kid you nted in Hawi''s life? Who the fuck gave him the assignment and the hint to fucking use the stupid mate bond toe at her? "Who, Russel? Who gave the fucking order?" Malika asked, her voice so calm that it was suddenly so chilly, as she pressed on Razia''s wounds. She looked murderous and determined, and when she grabbed the mask soundly off her face to reveal her dark eyes, Razia was scared, for the first time she had met Malika. She thought this woman was a bastard, but then standing here with her fist colliding with Razia''s stomach. This was the Malika that got people scared. This was the woman the realm feared and right now her only target was Razia Greyson. "I don''t know, okay!!" Razia said as she felt Malika grip her bleeding liver. Damn, this woman was brutal and it wasn''t news. But the fact that Razia was her current target made Razia scared for her life regardless of what happened. "You don''t know? You, Razia fucking Russel, want to tell me that you don''t know what your band of misfits is doing. I swear to the goddess Razia if you don''t tell me who gave the order I will kill Kurt," Malika threatened and Hawi let out a gasp. She had been listening to the fury and she hadn''t expected that her mate bond with Jer would ever make her vulnerable. She hated that she was still linked to the bastard in some way and was it screwing her over. Hawi wondered what would happen now, because honestly, she wasn''t even sure if she understood what was going on. Up until now she had no clue that the world she believed in was somehow tainted by secrets that she didn''t know how to handle. She was scared and yet at the same time, Hawi was thankful for having Malika in her life. So Hawi walked out of the interrogation. She went back to her room to clean up. She didn''t know what to do really and it scared her. "What? I already told you I don''t know shit. What the fuck do you mean you will kill Kurt?" Razia asked worriedly. She wanted to call the bluff and think that Malika was ying games with her, but Razia was smarter than that. "Kurt sweetheart, a few steps forward for your big sister darling," Malika said he told filed with ice as she watched with a nk face. As if summoned, a fourteen-year-old boy stepped out of the shadows, chained. He looked so scared and his hair had been cut. The kid looked like he had been to hell and back and frankly, it was heartbreaking. He was covered in wolfsbane, but he didn''t know it, but Razia could smell it. For the first time, she was thankful that her brother wasn''t a werewolf because then it would be chaotic. She couldn''t imagine watching her little Skirt going into shock for things that couldn''t beforted. "Russ¡­ What''s going on? I''m scared," the young boy said as he took in the sight of his battered-up sister. Razia looked like shit. She looked like she had died a thousand times in one day and seeing her brother there was the final strike. "It''s going to be okay, Kurt. It will be okay. You trust me, don''t you?'' Razia said to her brother who nodded in silence. Unlike the other Russel siblings Kurt was human, an experiment their parents had created and nted in a human woman. It took them a while to get by but when they did, Razia took him away and protected him all this time. Given the situation, Kurt was born premature, and even to this day, he wasn''t a healthy kid. He was what the humans considered autistic and it was heartbreaking. This wasn''t how things were supposed to be. This wasn''t how kids could be dragged into war and yet Razia had decided to take a chance on a kid Malika liked. A kid Malika swore to protect with her life. Having lived a thousand years, Malika knew the essence of life and fate, and protecting Hawi was the only thing that kept her sane throughout the years. And if Razia was going to take that away, Malika would fight. She would fight with everything, and whether it was a dirty or clean fight, that didn''t matter because the only thing that mattered to Malika was Awuor Hawi Sicario. "She''s lying, Kurt. See,... if she doesn''t tell me what I want to do, you will be forced to eat the poison apple and we both know how that went thest time, right? No one will save you, not even your older sister," Malika said, her voice threatening the child. She was way past pleasantries and fuck everything else, she would be the worst person in the world if she had to. She didn''t care anymore. Hawi was just it for her, and Razia wouldn''t take that from her. "Russ¡ª" Kurt began but Razia sighed, she wasn''t sure what Malika was ying at but the fact that Hawi wasn''t even there anymore, meant that Malika was in her protector mode, and would do everything to her and her brother. "I don''t know, Malika. I really don''t know who ordered the hit on Hawi this time," Razia pleaded and Malika just shrugged before she snapped Kurt''s neck, earning a forced scream from Razia as the boy fell down, dead. Chapter 253: What Needed To Be Done [HAWI] "She''s lying, Kurt¡­ No one will save you, not even your older sister," Malika said, her voice threatening the child. "Russ¡ª" Kurt began but Razia sighed. "I don''t know, Malika. I really don''t know who ordered the hit on Hawi this time," Razia pleaded and Malika just shrugged before she snapped Kurt''s neck, earning a forced scream from Razia as the boy fell down, dead. Razia looked helplessly at her fallen brother and she hated the situation. She wasn''t sure who had ordered the second hit on Hawi but the fact that her brother had paid the price for it angered her. She loved Kurt and she had sworn she would never hurt her and yet she had watched as her brother iled to the ground dead. Her werewolf hearing had gotten her hearing thest of her brother''s heartbeats. It wasn''t what she had imagined and that shit was fucking with her. Of all the things she had expected, this wasn''t it. Razia was heartbroken even as she looked at Malika, she knew this woman wasn''t done with her yet. "I''ll give you time to think, Razia. So, think and think hard, because when Ie back down here and you don''t have an answer for me, you will watch me bring your brother to life and I will kill him, again," Malika said as she pulled away from Razia. Malika needed to get that answer real fast because this was a matter of life and eternal torture for the girl she had sworn to protect. She wouldn''t let anyone take them back to the endless episodes of Hawi questioning herself. They had walked through fire and ice, through emotional turmoil that had gotten them tired and more than anything, had made them wonder if Hawi was the perfect wolf for the role. There was a time when they thought that Hawi wasn''t ready for it. Then again, a little more time with Hawi, and Malika realized that the girl was haunted by a lot of things. She had an intense fear of trusting and losing the few people left in her life. She had lost everything and she couldn''t lose anymore. Malika would fight fire with fire if she had to, because only then would she be able to make sure Hawi was not thrown back into that darkness. The only darkness Hawi was supposed to be in, was the one in which she relinquished her humanity. It was the only eptable one given they were up against the worst of the worst at the moment. Anything other than that would take the theme back to the drawing board, and at this point of the war, that wasn''t going to be good for the entire team. "What?" Razia asked, her tears free-falling from her eyes as she watched her brother, then at Malika. She wasn''t sure what the fuck had happened in the middle but this time she knew Malika wasn''t bluffing. "I''ll use the breath of life and exhaust his little autistic body until there won''t be anything left, and if you still insist, I will turn him into a werewolf and repeat the process, until you get me what I want. "You messed with a kid I cherish, you more than anyone should know what a mother would do to protect her child. She may not be my daughter, but she is everything good for this damned race. "So, think, Razia. And think hard, because the next time Ie back, you won''t just scream. You will rip your heart out yourself and I will put it back in. Don''t try to fuck with what''s mine, Razia," Malika said as she removed her hand from Razia''s neck. "Think," Malika said as she walked out, making sure to kick the dead boy''s body to the wall, and Razia could hear the bones of her little brother break into pieces from the impact of the hit. It wasn''t fair, but what was there for her? "Hawi," Malika called out when she reached her mistress''s suite. She knew Hawi had a rule about harming children but this was leverage and frankly, Malika was more than ready to take whatever her Mistress saw fit. Life hadn''t gone the way they had nned for and they were a little toote on the bandwagon to humanity. There was no reason for them to hold on to it, and maybe that''s why Hawi had left or maybe she had left. Staring around the rock that had e been filled with hair and scissors, Malika was met with a clean suite. It was almost like they hadn''t even been here to mess it up or even better about the damned buzz cut she was having at the moment. "Mistress?" Malika called out again as she listened for heartbeats. She wasn''t sure what to expect with Hawi, and with the way things were, anything was possible and she needed to be able to be there for Hawi regardless. "Are you done?" Hawi asked as she walked out of the showers, making Malika stare in relief. She had been thinking of so many things with how Hawi had left, but the fact that she was here and rxed, was actually encouraging. "You''re not¡­ I thought¡ª" Malika began but Hawi just chuckled. "Thought that I left? That I couldn''t handle everything? Come on Malika, you should know better than that by now. We are not here to make friends. Everyone wants us dead and the least we can do is get the answers before we head on with the massacre. "Did you get any answers from Razia?" Hawi asked as she walked around looking for cleaner clothes. It Had been years since she touched her closet and now that she was finally opening it, she felt a little close to home. Once again, she was hit with the memories of her mother and her designs. Eni always bought new designs for her daughter to choose from, before she made her clothes and that was the one thing that Hawi missed at the moment. Her mother would always know what to say and what to do. It was just a pity that eternity was an awfully long time for her. Well, at least she was never going to be alone in her battles anymore. "Not really. I''ll still go and make her talk. We need to be able to find a way to fuck that bond up, because your ex is a dumb idiot. However, he is a puppet being used by someone. "Once we have a name, we can be able to know what to do. But until then, we wait," Malika said and Hawi sighed. Waiting did sound like a good idea, but she couldn''t help but wonder what was happening with Ruru. Neither of them had opened the mind-link and it was strange really. Hawi wanted to, but she wasn''t sure if Rukiya was already on her way or if they were already fighting. There was a lot that needed to be considered. "She''s fine, Hawi. She''s an alpha too, remember?" Malika said when she realized that Hawi was deep in thought. There was only one person who could make Hawi have that sad face of longing and it was the Greyson girl. "She''s out there, alone. I should be able to protect her. I shouldn''t have sent her alone," Hawi sighed as she dressed up. Chapter 254: Missing Her… Needing Her… Losing Her???? [HAWI] "She''s fine, Hawi. She''s an alpha too, remember?" Malika said when she realized that Hawi was deep in thought. There was only one person who could make Hawi have that sad face of longing and it was the Greyson girl. "She''s out there, alone. I should be able to protect her. I shouldn''t have sent her alone," Hawi sighed as she dressed up. She was worried about Rukiya. Frankly, when she had assigned Rukiya to deal with Sicario on her own, it was a challenge. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Rukiya, but she wanted to know what would happen if she went to war alone. It had been years and there was a lot of information out there. Hawi wanted to know if she would be fine on her own. And now, barely hourster, she was worrying for the girl she loved. Perhaps this was bound, given they shared a mate bond, but would that be enough to keep her calm? Oh, but there were things that she had to trust, and Ruru''s strength was it today. "She can protect herself, Hawi. Besides, she has the entire gang with her. She has Mbali and the Lycans, the Greyson army, Hudhayfah, Adolf, Riley, and the revolutionaries, the Rogues who joined us. "She has everyone. She will be fine, Besides you cast a spell on her, nothing can hurt her. If it helps you alreadypleted the mating and marking. She can''t die," Malika continued exining but Hawi wasn''t conceived. Of course, she trusted Rukiya. Ruru had the greatest army to help her against Sicario. Hawi was aware that they were invincible and all that. But Hawi wanted to be beside her. She wanted to see Rukiya. It was a need for her. She wanted to make sure her mate was well strapped for the war, that nothing would weaken her, she wanted to check on her and make sure that''s why was mentally ready. She needed to be sure that her baby was alright. "I know. But I still need to see her. I just want to see her, Malika," Hawi said once she was done changing. She was down so bad for Rukiya and it was more than obvious. Her life revolved around Rukiya''s happiness and she wanted to make sure the girl was always happy. Maybe it was crazy, given how strong they both were, but it was adorable at the same time. "Alright, I''ming with you. There''s a new threat with the mate bond and I can''t let it out of my sight, not when I don''t know who is backing Jer this time and how insane they are," Malika said and Hawi stared at her confusedly. On most days, Malika would have said that this was a bad idea, and that Hawi needed to trust the b team. She would have wanted to make sure Hawi was safe until the threat was neutralized, but then for how long? "What?" Hawi asked and Malika just shrugged casually as she headed to the showers. "Aren''t you going to stop me or try to talk some sense into me?" Hawi asked, and Malika chuckled. They knew each other so well it was something exciting to see what the roads ahead would look like for the both of them. "If I try, will you listen?" Malika asked and Hawi stared nkly, as she shook her head. "Exactly. I would rather follow you into hell than talk you out of it when you will still lead the way there anyway," Malika said casually with a shrug. Finally, the pieces wereing together and the understanding was obvious. "Alright. I''ll wait here then," Hawi said and Malika just gave her a thumbs-up before she walked into the bathroom. Hawi missed Rukiya. That was obvious. She didn''t care that she had just seen her hours ago. She didn''t care that she had been away from her mate for less than a day. All she wanted was Rukiya Greyson and no one would stop her from getting to her. So, when Malika came out of the showers dressed, Hawi created a portal., ready to take them back to the camp. It was the first ce she could think of to find her mate and she didn''t have the patience to wait. However, before she could go in, Malika closed the portal, making Hawi groan in frustration. "What is it again?" Hawi whined and Malika stared at her as if that was the most incredulous thing she had heard since the day began. "You both are mated now. You can sniff her out, and track her. Use the mate bond, Hawi," Malika said, and Hawi''s eyes widened like that was the one thing she hadn''t thought of when she was an alpha wolf. Then again, years of being away from her responsibilities, and having Malika do the hard work for her, had gotten her used to the shortcuts. She always had someone to help with the mess and as good as that was, it wasn''t exactly healthy. Especially if it got her panning out this soon. "Well, that''s a better idea," Hawi said as she closed her eyes, cleared her mind and focused on seeking RUkiya out. However, she couldn''t get to her, and the picture she fit in her mind got her convinced she was high on something. "It''s not working, you tried it," Hawi said and Malika looked at her skeptically. The white wolf was the best tracker of all time and suddenly Hawi was saying she couldn''t see the same girl she wanted to? "What did you see?" Malika asked in the hope that Hawi could give her an exnation that would make sense but all she got was a shrug, even though it wasn''t that convincing. So sighing, Malika agreed to do it. "What do you see?" Hawi asked and Malika shushed her as she tried to discuss. Hawi knew what Malika was seeing. She knew so well, and was in denial; she couldn''t be dragged back there again and maybe that was why she wasn''t going to ept that simple truth. It just couldn''t make any sense. "I thought you''re one of the best trackers in the realm, Malika?" Hawi asked and Malikia snorted at her. Of course, Hawi was always better and with superior abilities than Malika, however this time, Malika agreed to it. "I think it''s best if we just go to the camp," Malika said and Hawi knew they had both seen the same thing. They had seen the same horror and were not ready to face it. Maybe it was because there was a high chance that Awuor Sicario would explode in this suite, and blow their cover, which didn''t matter anymore. Or maybe because what they had seen was so horrific that they needed to get a handle on it themselves. It was just impossible for this to be real, so they had to check it on their own, right? "Okay great. Let''s go then," Hawi said and Malika created the portal that led them to the camp where they had left the entire team. Malika was first to go though and Hawi followed, even though she was beating way too fast. When they got there, they were met with an empty camp, which was supposed to beforting, even though the thoughts they couldn''t speak were really haunting them a thousandfold. "Let''s follow their trail," Hawi said and it seemed Malika was done holding back. "Hawi¡­ I smell blood. Familiar blood. Greyson blood." Chapter 255 : The List Kept Growing [HAWI] When they got there, they were met with an empty camp, which was supposed to beforting, even though the thoughts they couldn''t speak were really haunting them a thousandfold. "Let''s follow their trail," Hawi said and it seemed Malika was done holding back. "Hawi¡­ I smell blood. Familiar blood. Greyson blood," Malika voiced what they both were smelling. It was too close to what they had seen and while denial was a thing for Hawi, Malika knew she would have to snap out of it. Something had happened here and they needed to be able to figure it out because there was not supposed to be any blood in the camp. The spell they had cast was immortal. An undefeated spell. It was the spell that had been linked to Hawi''s lifeline and no matter what happened, no one should have been hurt, much less the Greysons. This was not what should''ve happened and honestly, Hawi was losing her shit silently. She wanted to know whether her mate was alright, but a part of her knew that shit had been fucked up. In the vision they had seen of the camp, they had seen a broken-hearted Rukiya, who was covered in blood. They had seen the entire Greyson army ughtered. They had seen a people failed by a spell that wasn''t supposed to be that weak. They had seen the only people left standing be Hudhayfah, Rukiya, Mbali, and the Lycans. The rest of the team had fallen and that was too huge a hit for them. It wasn''t how shit was supposed to work and Have hoped to the goddess that they could get there faster. She needed to see Rukiya. "Have you tried the mind links, Hawi?" Malika asked, even though she had a feeling Hawi had discreetly tried it already. There were so many questions lingering and there were no real answers for them. An army that huge shouldn''t have been easy to take out. They should have been able to get the answers they needed sooner, and with the army fallen, something was definitely amiss. Malika made a mental note to say hello to Razia in the only way that she would be able to understand. There Was just no way that everything could go wrong, what they had prepared so ardently. It just made no sense and they would get to the bottom of all this. No matter how long it took, they would figure it out. "It''s all too noisy. Nothing is clear there. Rukiya is the Greyson alpha so it''s understandable that the link is mushed up. I worry for my woman, Malika. I worry that she''s in shock from everything," Hawi said as they hastened their pace and followed the blood trail. This was not how they had nned everything but then it had already happened and the only thing that was left was to pay blood with blood. It didn''t matter how many people would be hurt in the process. The fallen ones would be avenged. "I tried Mbali and nothing. It''s strange. The Lycan knows better than to lock her link. Unless something worse happened. We found no bodies, but found blood trails. What if they are leading us to a trap?" Malika asked and Hawi sighed. She didn''t care if the trap was for her or if the trap was for whatever the realm believed in. Hawi was going to get her Ruru. She would do whatever it took to get to her woman and goddess rest the souls of anyone who would try to stop her. She would go through them like a tornado. Oh, but Hawi was pissed. The only reason she was trying to think traditionally was because she was unable to reach Ruru through the mate bond. That shouldn''t have happened and she imagined it was so because she was unsettled, but at the same time, she knew that it wasn''t on her. All of this was confusing, but sooner orter, they would get their answers. "She''ll kill you. Hawi will tear through you like a piece of paper. She will ruin your soul," a distant voice said, and Malika and Hawi stared at each other confirming that they had heard the same thing. They had been following the trail for ten miles now, and they were way past the Sicario borders, so it was clear that the source wasn''t Sicario, and even if it was Jer wouldn''t have been able to fuck things up that fast on his own. He was just a mere wolf. Unless he had another person backing him. That shit was twitching Malika''s head and she reminded herself that she would make sure that petty destiny thief would face everything that wasing for him. "That''s Mbali," Hawi whispered when they got to where the voices were from. The sight that met them was sickening on so many grinds. The entire army was done and piled up like a mountain of bodies. They all were dead, that much was obvious, given there were only nine heartbeats. Seven Lycans including Mbali, Hudhayfah, and Ruru''s heartbeats. They were all so frantic and that was worrying. "What the fuck happened here and who the fuck is that?" Malika asked as she took a closer look at the person on the other end, who seemed to enjoy giving the remaining team a lecture. That person was too calm, way too calm like he knew what he was up against. It was almost like he wasn''t the least bit scared of whatever the fuck wasing for him. He had to have known Hawi and how crazy the woman was. There was a calmness with the man and that was making Malika even more curious. She wondered what the protectorates were doing and not defending the Savasci army but then she realized that the proctors would only show up for the white wolf and no one else. Oh, how fate was a cruel bitch to them. "I know that, but by the time she manages to do that, she would have lost everything, again. She should really learn to give up and let things be," the man said and Hawi felt her angering to surface again. She hated cowards who did things behind her back. She hated enemies who just popped up just because they could and more than anything, Awuor Hawi dispersed everything and everyone who thought they would just take things from her. "She won''t let you be. She will ruin you and even you hold dear, Atticus. Let us go. You know the kid more than anyone and you know her mercy died when Luna Eni died and you all framed it on her. "She won''t forgive you," Hudhayfah said and Atticus pped the healer, making the healer''s neck snap to the side. If Hudhayfah didn''t have magic, there was a really high chance that he would be dead, dead and dead. This man was a cruel piece of shit and now he had treated Hawi. "I know that so well, which is why I made sure to have Rukiya here. If you are a pretty little white wolf trying anything, I will kill you and then kill her. Or do you think that just because you''re mated, it makes her untouchable? "You, Rukiya Greyson, are Hawi''s bane. Literally," Atticus said with a sinisterugh. Chapter 256 : Don’t Let Them Hurt Her [HAWI] "I know that so well, which is why I made sure to have Rukiya here. If you are a pretty little white wolf trying anything, I will kill you and then kill her. Or do you think that just because you''re mated, it makes her untouchable? "You, Rukiya Greyson, are Hawi''s bane. Literally," Atticus said with a sinisterugh. He seemed so convinced of all this and for a moment, Hawi looked at Malika, her eyes full of questions for her protector. Hawi was new to so many things as the white wolf but as Rukiya''s mate, there was only one solution for her. She would save the girl, even if it meant losing her life in the process. Life hadn''t been a path of roses for the both of them, but Hawi wasn''t going to let go. "I''ll kill him," Hawi said as she prepared herself to cast a spell that would blow Atticus up. She was so mad, raging with anger and the fear of hate Ruru was thinking of. Atticus was fucking with Rukiya''s mind and that wasn''t right. Hawi hated it, but Malika stopped her, almost like she knew something. Of course, she did. She was the longest-living proctor in the realm anyway. "Stop, Hawi. If he''s there like that, he knows something. Now it makes sense why Jer was so sure he would kill you. This shithead was behind it all. I need you to stay out and let me handle this alright?" Malika said and Hawi red at her. Granted her life was in danger, but her mate was hurting and she wouldn''t just sit by. She needed to make sure Ruru was safe and well-protected. "You can''t be serious,'''' Hawi said and Malika stared at her like she really was. "We cast the most powerful spell ever, and still failed. That could only mean that space in the team was a traitor nted. We had rogues on our team, so it had to be one of them who had been given an offer by Atticus. "They made the same offer to Jer when he came to betray you," Malika said and Hawi stared at her in confusion. No one had really told Hawi what had happened and why Razia was so adamant about killing her. But realizing that she was a part of all that and a rogue kid, just made her wonder what else they were hiding for her. Hawi knew that most of the things she didn''t know were to protect her, but how the fuck was knowing Jer was a rogue supposed to protect her? Oh, Hawi was confused, but then Malika didn''t have time to talk that shit out with Hawi right now. "What?" Hawi asked, venue though she wasn''t sure what she was asking. "Please let me do my job, Mistress. Stay here, and don''t move. Is that understood?" Malika asked and Hawi knew she didn''t have an option. The forces they were up against were too strong and with herck of knowledge of this mess she needed to wait and see how Malika would handle it. Perhaps just this time she would take the back seat, yeah? "If heys a hand on Ruru, I won''t sit back," Hawi wanted as if to remind Malika of what she was feeling and what her stance in all of this was. Then again, Malika knew what she was doing, yeah? "I know, Mistress, I know. I hope it doesn''t get to that," Malika said before she got up and stepped out of the bushes they were hiding in. Thankfully, Atticus wasn''t a wolf so he wouldn''t know what hit him. And with his back turned on Malika, all she had to do was be silent enough so Atticus wouldn''t suspect a thing. Hawi watched in silence with her heart on her palm as her protector went to handle Atticus, she hated the situation but she hoped that all of this didn''t end with her Ruru hurt, because then she would be the mindless spawn of the devil. She wouldn''t mind being called the gateway to hell this time. No matter what happened as long as her Ruru was okay, the world would be okay too. That was the only condition to all of this. As Malika made her way to the group, she noticed that some of the Lycans had noticed her. She just put a hand on her lips as if to tell them that the bastard holding them captive didn''t know that she was there. And even if he knew, Atticus didn''t stand a chance against Malika, and that much was obvious. The relief on Mbali''s face, when she saw Malika, was something iparable to anything. It was like the breath of life had finally been breathed into them and when they maintained theirposure, they were happy that someone hade for them. Hudhayfah had also seen Malika and Rukiya could have seen her too, if the woman wasn''t desperately closing her eyes hoping to the goddess that the stupid magic she was born with could have meant something. She hated being held captive and the fact that Adolf was dead, was something that pissed Rukiya more than life itself. Adolf was her best friend and best warrior. This war had just gotten personal for Rurur now. Adolf was everything a brother would be to her, and now she had lost him because someone had sabotaged the spell. Oh, but Rukiya would get to the bottom of this. She had noticed that the only people who had survived were immortals. She knew she was just alive because Hawi hadpleted the mating with her. If Hawi hadn''t, Ruru would be part of the wolves who were currently piled up like their lives meant nothing. That shit made Rukiya want to growl out but she was smart enough to know that whoever this man was, he wouldn''t just stop. He had to have known that Ruru had magic and the fact that was so sure Hawi woulde here made Rukiya wish that Hawi didn''te. She couldn''t bear being the reason why Hawi was in pain again. The back and forth with the psycho''s cycle had drained them more than once over the years and if Hawi lost anything again, there was a high chance that she wouldn''t be back to the broken girl but a monster who had no soul. Rukiya couldn''t let her woman be that, not this time. "You were so sure she woulde, and save your pitiful asses, Hudhayfah, where is she then?" Atticus asked and Hudhayfah just stared at the man like this wasn''t the time for the mess. Malika was standing right behind Atticus and even she knew that the man had to have cast a thousand spells just to make sure he was strong enough and immortal enough toe and fitch Hawi. Hawi was a formidable enemy so it made more sense. However, what he seemed to not remember was that Hawi was never alone. It was something that Malika needed to announce to the realm at this rate, given that enemies won''t stop popping up for their own selfish reasons. "Come on, Atticus, surely you wouldn''t think I would let the white wolfe to meet you, right?" Malika greeted as she grabbed Atticus by the shoulder and ripped his right arm off. "Hello Atticus, I''m Malika. But you already know that from the shock on your face¡­ this should be fun." Chapter 257: He Talks Too Much [HAWI] "Come on, Atticus, surely you wouldn''t think I would let the white wolfe to meet you, right?" Malika greeted as she grabbed Atticus by the shoulder and ripped his right arm off. Everything happened so fast that the man wasn''t even sure he felt the pain of his arm getting ripped off. This was insane, because he was still in shock, when Malika turned him so he could face her. There was a deadpan look on Malika''s face even as Atticus slowly realized who he hade so close to. The woman before him was a myth, one that was not even supposed to exist. She was the same woman the history books had dered the ultimate killing machine for the white wolves and everyone assigned to her. She was dangerous. She was a bitch. She was the face of cruelty. And right now, she looked like someone had woken her up from a deep slumber. She was fuming. "Hello Atticus, I''m Malika. But you already know that from the shock on your face¡­ this should be fun," Malika said as she grabbed the man''s left arm that he had instinctively put behind his back in shock, and shook it. Malika was vicious and her eyes were daring, almost like she had found a game she loved. "Malika?" Rukiya voiced out, but it was only because she wasn''t sure this was real. She had been so scared of what Atticus would do and at the moment, she was sure that Malika was here with them. The woman was supposed to be with Hawi and as everyone knew, Malika never stepped foot where Hawi wasn''t. And if she was here then Hawi had to be close. Oh, Hawi. Rukiya''s heart shattered in the form of her dreams. She felt like she should have done better, she had promised her people and Hawi that she would bring them back home about then there were nine thousand dead Greyson warriors who were already covered inbustibles. It was just a matter of time before the pile caught fire and fuck Rukiya hated all of this. "Come on, Atticus. You were really mouthy a few minutes ago and now you''re silent? You''re making this no fun. I thought you wanted to kill Hawi? Is that why you went to Jer to use the mate bond? "Your idea is so original that I almost didn''t catch it¡­ anyway, we can talk about your ideater, but first, you''ll have to indulge me more about what the fuck happened to an army of ten thousand that you just murdered. "It should be an interesting tackle, huh?" Malika said as she knocked Atticus on the knees, forcing the warlock to be on his knees, not to mention, to be sitting on a puddle of his own blood. He looked like shit, but Malika didn''t care, because she wasn''t going to be ying around with anyone who was a threat to Hawi. This was not the time for them to y nice with anyone anyway. "Malika Jab¡ª" Atticus began and Malika grabbed one of her twin swords and put it on the warlock''s neck, as if daring him to finish that sentence. There were so many things about Malika that no one knew of. And she wanted them to say like that, but none more than herst name. She wouldn''t let anyone know of it. Hell, even the woman she was protecting didn''t know what herst name was. To the world she was Malika. Just Malika. "I see yourst name is still something you hide like an unwanted secret. Are you scared your little sister will hate you for leaving her? Come on Malika," Atticus said and Malika let out a warning growl. She was all for everything but her family. She hated what had happened and she wanted to keep everything a secret. For thousands of years, she had fought and worked so hard to hide her truth. The years and years of memories had been hidden so well that no one ever knew what herst name was. Her agreement to be a protector had included the contrition that no one knew of herst name. But then like a thorn in her ass, Atticus and the shadow warlocks had dug the truth and they knew. Malika knew this day woulde but she didn''t care. "You do realize that''s not an owner to my question, Atticus. Or perhaps I should do to you what I did to Razia and Kurt. Oh, poor thing. You know I killed him thrice and brought them back to life and killed him again earlier today. "That little feeble thing doesn''t heaven know he was born to a family of weaklings," Malika mused and this time it was Atticus''s turn to let out augh. Of Course, he would find the situation hrious because there was no Kurt in their lives. The experiment that their parents had done had filed and the result of that experience had been burned to the ground, by Atticus himself. but was that the tight or it was just something that he wanted to so desperately believe? Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin "I killed that anomaly a long time ago, jab¡­ Malika. I made sure to turn its body to ashes. That boy was nothing like the Russell Warlocks. It had to be eliminated on sight, and did us all a favor," Atticus said with conviction and Malika let out augh. She was enjoying this and she knew that shit would get even more excited sooner orter. "Okay, if that''s what you choose to believe. Anyway, with the way you were talking earlier, I''m assuming you bound the nine of them with a mafic to the earth, right? So you''ll release them, then we can keep talking," Malika said and Atticus forced a grin. "I thought you were a powerful protector? Don''t tell me you can''t undo a spell by a warlock like me. You make me feel powerful for nothing¡­ JABALI," Atticus said. Malika suddenly chopped off his ankle in anger, making sure to burn it along with the arm she had ripped off. She hated it when people talked about herst name. At the mention of Jabali, Mbali turned to look Malika in the eyes, like there was more there. She wanted to assume that there were so many families that had the name Jabali, but then she had looked for the books of the old, and consulted with the old religion. With them, she learned that there was only one family in the entire world that had thest name Jabali, or at least the one that remained with the name, but only because they had caused so much damage to the name. It was so bad that the name was considered a curse to many. People never liked the name Jabali because they were scared that the chaos of the house Jabali would follow them. That was also why Mbali never used herst name or even her first. She never let anyone know that she was Jabali Lihle, it would alienate her from people. Herst name was a burden to her. Her cruel burden. "Jabali?" Mbali asked and Malika stared at her in silence. "Come on Malika¡­ won''t you tell your little sister something?" Atticus asked and Malika knocked him out. "He talks too much," Malika said as she freed the nine from the binds of Atticus''s magic. Chapter 258: I’m So Sorry… But I Can’t [HAWI] Malika knew Mbali had questions but she wasn''t in the mood for questions. Maybe it was because she had been alone for years and years, or maybe because she had other important things to worry about than a bond with her sister, right? Even then, was it really true that they were siblings, or was Atticus going to be the one who decided what happened between the two women? "What does he mean? Am I your little sister? What the fuck does that even mean?" Mbali asked. Malika red at her, her face cold and daring as if to tell Mbali that this wasn''t the time for all that. They were both here because they had a mission to get to and the sooner they worked it out, the sooner they would be en route. "Keep your focus on the mission, Mbali. Unless that is going to be a problem for you, then you can take your Lycans and head back home. Is that clear?" Malika said, her voice filled with warning for the confused warrior. She had never imagined that this day woulde, and maybe that was also why Malika had never bothered to prepare herself mentally for it. Mbali was already living a good life and there was no point in changing that. "What?" Mbali asked but Malika ignored her and turned to Rukiya who was staring in silence. She looked confused like she wasn''t sure what the fuck had happened. It was like the world was going round and round and she wasn''t a part of it. She hated thinking that Adolf was dead, but then it was the truth. She had lost her best friend and he was nevering back to life, but what if? "The breath of life¡­ Hawi has it, right?" Rukiya asked suddenly and Mbali stared at the Greyson alpha like she had gone bonkers. Using the breath of life was not something that had zero consequences. That was one of the most dangerous things ever, especially given the uncertainties that came with that. Bringing someone back to life didn''t mean that would be the same. If anything, there was a chance that the soul that came back to life wouldn''t belong to the original owner of the body. They were risks, and Rukiya Greyson knew that too. She knew it so well but she wanted her best friend back. She needed Adolf back. She doesn''t know what life would be like without Adolf and that was breaking her heart even more. How the fuck was she supposed to live? "Rukiya¡ª" Malika began, her voice softening for the woman of her mistress. She owns the desperation she had and it is understandable, but the odds were not in their favor regardless. There wasn''t a thing they could do about it. "She can bring Adolf back to life right? She¡ª" Rukiya began and Hawi was done staying on the sidelines. It didn''t matter that Atticus was still targeting her, what mattered was that she was there for her mate. The pain Ruru was feeling was too much, and Hawi was way too familiar with it. She knew how pain ruined everything and loss fucked thing up. She had experienced it with her mother and her entire family. So, she knew, a little too well. "I''m here, baby," Hawi said as she kneeled on the ground and hugged her mate. She could see the dried tears on Rukiya''s face, the anger in them, and the helplessness in the eyes that once held love. She could see a type of pain that no one would ever match, and it wasn''t fair to Rukiya. Hawi was casting, she could always handle herself, but Rukiya? She couldn''t handle this, maybe that''s why Hawi wanted to be there for her. "You¡­ you promised you''d do anything for me¡­ you promised. Please bring him back. Bring Adolf back, Hawi, please. I don''t know how to live without him¡­ he doesn''t deserve this, I can''t lose him, Hawi, I just can''t," Rukiya said, letting her guard down. She had been holding on for so long since the chaos had begun. She had been trying her very best to keep herself sane, but losing Adolf had put a damper on it all. She just didn''t know what else she could do. Everyone that had trusted her was dead and she was ming herself for that. At least with Adolf, she would be able to face their people. Adolf always knew what to say and how to deal with the chaos. He always knew what to do regardless of the situation. Adolf was the older brother she never knew she needed and now, he was just¡­ gone. "Ruru¡­ I''m sorry, love," Hawi said as she held on to Rukiya, soothing her even though she knew that there wasn''t a thing in the world she could do to make her heal from this, at least not when there was a war. "I can''t bring him back, but I can eliminate everyone who''s in this shit. Everyone who nned this¡­ I will get them all. I will kill them all, baby. Trust me on that," Hawi said, not letting go. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin She knew that her words may have been consoling but at the same time, she knew that there was a kind of pain that only Ruru would feel for a long while. It was the guilt of not being able to save her best friend, the guilt of not being able to fight well, and the guilt of living when her best friend had died. It was all so expected, and Hawi could only hope that at the end of the day, they would be fine. Pain was slowly bing a part of them, but then they were also doing a good job tracking the sculptors. Eventually, they would have them all and mercy would just be an illusion. "Hawi¡­ the trade demands a life for a life, right? We can trade Atticus for Adolf. Will the goddess ept that?" Mbali suggested and Malika looked at the woman like she was insane. Maybe she was. Maybe finding out she had a sister after seven hundred years of being alone was driving her nuts and maybe, just maybe she wanted to get this over and done with so she could be out of her sister''s hair. Mbali wasn''t sure why Atticus would try to pitcher Malika but one thing was sure. They were at war and everyone was ready to use their owner''s experiences to gain leverage on the enemy. That''s probably the only reason Atticus blurted it out. But was that supposed to be encouraging for Mbali and Malika or was it supposed to be scary? There Was no knowing yet and that was the hardest part of this all. "We can''t do that, Mbali. We wouldn''t know what soules along with Adolf''s. I''d rather we let the man rest and fight whatever battle is left. We can''t go back to Greyson to get an army, but the four of us can bring them all down," Malika said. The team looked at her, and they knew she was right, but that didn''t make it all any easier. They were at a crossroads on so many fronts and the only chance at a normal for them was winning the battles that wereing up. "Four? Aren''t we eleven?" "Hudhayfah and the six Lycans must return to Greyson and keep the pack safe," Maloika said, leaving no room for questions. Chapter 259: Everything Will Be Alright [HAWI] "Four? Aren''t we eleven?" Mbali asked, not understanding a word from Malika''s mouth, maybe it was because her mind was stillprehending what the fuck was happening here. However, "Hudhayfah and the six Lycans must return to Greyson and keep the pack safe," Maloika said, leaving no room for questions. Greyson was weak at the moment, especially with their warriors feeling the pain of the greatest loss ever. They needed to make sure that the pack was well protected even if their leaders were out. Sherry and Harry wouldn''t be able to handle the pack and the changes there. This was why there needed to be people with strong magic, people who would restore sanity to the pack, and the only ones who could do that were the seven mentioned. "Alright, when do we leave?" Hudhayfah asked and Malika assigned. She knew this wasn''t easy, but then circumstances were changing and it seemed more like they would be able toplete their mission when it was just the four of them than arger team. At least the four of them had the kind of power that we stop insanely in anyone''s hands. It was crazy, but what else would they be able to do to make it all better other than get to the bottom of it all? It was kinda sad how they had fought tooth and nail only for their huge team to be reduced to a team of four. But they would be fine, right? "I know everyone has questions and they will be answered after we win the bottles. We have a lot of things to do that we can''t focus on our personal issues at the moment. And Mbali I know you might hate me for this, but can we please not talk about thest name we share until this is all over? "You might want to decide whether you want me as part of your life then or not, yeah?" Malika said and Hawi watched them sadly. She hadn''t known what Malika''sst name was, but everyone in the realm knew of the horrors of theirst name. Maybe they would be able to sort this out, because it hurt to see them like this, heartbroken and lost. Maybe there was going to be a way for them to work it out but then whatever frustrations they had, they already had good motivation to let out their anger anyway. "Alright. Let''s get going then," Hudhayfah said to the six Lycans before one of the ns created a portal. Hudhayfah and the Lycans went through, leaving the four women sitting on the ground watching the armless Atticus who was slowly regaining consciousness. Hawi knew this wasn''t going to be easy, and definitely for Rukiya. She knew that there was more to this than she would ever be able to understand. but then she wanted to know what had happened. She needed to know how they had gotten to this point. "What do we do with him for now? It''s almost evening and we can''t exactly leave him free like that, right?" Mbali asked as she looked at Malika. She knew that this wasn''t going to be easy, but for the sake of the mission, Mbali was more than willing to let everything be. She was here for Hawi and to make sure Hawi got whatever she wanted. Maybe if Hawi was generous enoughter on, they would be able to talk about their birth but until then, they would just be four warriors who were in their way to punish everyone who hade up against them. "Stuff his mouth with a cloth and let him be there. I already created a boundary around him, so his magic is useless, not to mention, I forced the bond he shares with Razia and he can feel his sister''s pain¡­ all the Shadow warlocks can feel the pain of their siblings. "It''s just a matter of time before they show up," Malika said and Mbali nodded in understanding. She was aware that Malika was the best in everything she did, and even then Mbali couldn''t help but wonder what life was like, being loved and protected by Malika. "Where''s Elodie?" Malika suddenly asked when she realized that the love of her life wasn''t here with the rest of the team. She had been so preupied with everything that they had fused to realize that the woman was missing. "Oh shit¡­ she was the reason they left us here," Rukiya suddenly said, pulling back from Hawi''s shoulders. She had been resting there for a while now, but then the mention of Elodie Kane had woken her up for her sorrows. "You gotta be very specific, Greyson," Malika said and Rukiya looked at her defeatedly. "She went to thends of the protectors to seek help. I told her it was a terrible idea, but she said she was your mate and that we stood a better chance if she went to the protectors to ask for help. "I didn''t believe her at first but when she managed to camouge herself and even turn invisible to the point that Atticus couldn''t see her, I believed her. She should be in Olyana by now," Rukiya said and Malika began pacing. She couldn''t believe Elodie could do something that stupid. She couldn''t think straight and frankly, she was pissed. What the fuck were they thinking sending a mere wolf alone out there on one of the most dangerous of missions? "Why the fuck did you let her go? What the fuck is wrong with you two? Why the fuck would let her go to the protectors ALONE????" Malika asked furiously. She looked like she was about to lose her mind. This wasn''t happening to her; this just couldn''t be real. "Whose idea was it?" Malika asked as she stared at Mbali and Rukiya. She looked like she wanted to strangle them for answers even if they were together. It was a crazy thing to do, but what else could they do? "It was hers goddammit. We were being attacked left right and center and the magic was making our warriors lose their minds. They were crazy when the attack began and Kane couldn''t stand it anymore, okay? "She said something about Hawi alwaysing up with a solution and she left for the protectornds. I don''t know where the fuck that is, but I have a feeling she lied to make us believe her. "Besides, she could have betrayed us. She could have been the one who triggered this mess! She could have done all of this!" Mbali said and Malika stared at her like the woman wanted to die so badly. "Don''t you dare talk shit about my mate, sweet Lihle or I might just forget that you''re the only reason I had to kill our entire family. Watch it sister," Malika growled and Hawi sighed tiredly. She understood the tension and knew how dangerous this was, but what else could she do with this bunch? They were the only ones left standing in a long war that wasn''t even halfway done. They weren''t even done with the Sicairos yet and yet they were ready to poke each other? "Don''t you talk about MY family like that," Mbali growled out in warning. She knew family was a sore subject to most of them and Mbali was trying her best. As much as she entered them to figure this out, and as much as she knew Malika owed Mbali answers, Hawi knew this wasn''t the time for that. Their lives were full of secrets, most of which they would have dealt with along the way, but right now the only thing that mattered was that they had survived and would make sure that they didn''t lose anyone else. "Elodie is the only reason I knew you were being attacked. My sister is no traitor, Mbali. Don''t worry," Hawi said calmly. Her tone wasn''t full of anger and it was the kind of calm that scared anyone. She was talking rationally like she was starting a fact that they all needed toe to terms with. Hawi trusted Elodie with her life regardless of everything that had happened. And she was very aware that Elodie would always choose her over everything, which was also why she knew that Elodie was the reason this bunch survived. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin "Well, this is awkward," Elodie suddenly said, as she carried Hawi''s bloody crown and the royal clothes that Hawi had left home with four years ago. Chapter 260: Some Choices Were Too Hard [HAWI] "Well, this is awkward," Elodie suddenly said, as she carried Hawi''s bloody crown and the royal clothes that Hawi had left home with four years ago. She looked like she had just been sent on an errand and was justing from it. At the moment, Malika couldn''t deny that Mbali''s suspicions were having a good starting point. Elodie Kane had fooled them once in the past, and she made them believe that she had switched sides and now, she had been missing. It was all a little too convenient, but that still didn''t mean that the woman she had fallen in love with was a traitor. That was something Malika wouldn''t ept, unless all the facts were set straight. However, until then, she wouldn''t listen to the spections of a sister she hadn''t been with for years and years. There were so many things they didn''t know about each other and with their attitudes, it would be a little too hard on them. Then again, they couldn''t deny the possibility of Elodie betraying them, but then faith was something they needed to have each other along with trust, because otherwise they would be on their own despite having each other to rely on. And that wasn''t good for any mission. Perhaps they could think it over again, right? "E!" Malika said as she rushed to the woman she liked and hugged her, ignoring the crown on her hands and the bloodied gown she had been holding onto. She couldn''t imagine what it was like for Elodie, being helpless like that out there when there were possible targets on her back, but then there were so many things they had to understand with the chaos that had propelled like this. "You heard that?" Mbali asked and Elodie just shrugged casually. She knew that this was one of the hardest times for them and losing an entire army like that wasn''t the easiest of things. Granted, they hadn''t needed the Greyson army per se, but they couldn''t deny that the army would hasten most of the things. However now that it was just the five of them they had to make sure that they did what had to be done, even though they would be prone to more attacks. It almost seemed like they were losing, given they had already lost a lot of people. Perhaps that was thest of the people they would lose, right? But what about Hawi and whatever the heck Atticus had promised Jeremiah Warner then? "No hard feelings Mbali¡­ I understand really. If it helps, when I first met Malika, she wanted to kill me and Hawi was just watching amusedly. So yeah, I understand how you feel. But don''t worry, I wouldn''t betray Hawi for anything, not even Malika. "Don''t get me wrong, I love her, but I wouldn''t betray Hawi for her," Elodie said once Malika pulled back and confirmed that was all right. Malika let out a breath of relief and while Mbali was shocked to hear that Elodie would probably ditch Malika, the protector herself knew what the odds were when she got in. If anything, even she would kill Elodie if that meant saving Hawi. They all had their parts to y in the madness and they had learned to embrace it all so well. Perhaps that''s why it was easy for them to get along. "Anyway, there was nothing out there. Nothing that could point to the attack. This means that the person who thwarted the spell and was there when Hawi had cast it.It had to be one of the rogues. Enjoy exclusive content from m v -NovelBin "I hear the shadow warlocks have a thing for rogue children. Giving them false hope and sending them to dens that could kill them in the name of making their families live good lives. "The good thing is they keep their promises, so no wonder Jer agreed to it," Elodie said disappointedly and Hawi just sighed. She wanted to ask so many questions but this wasn''t the time for that. However, she needed to know how the fuck they had gotten to this point. Surely Atticus alone couldn''t have subdued an army of ten thousand, right? "That makes sense, because one moment we were on our way to Sicario, and the next, everyone was falling dead suddenly. They had set us up. It was like they had been attacked by magic and none of them could resist. "It was unrealistic, really. And that was why it took us a moment to react and when we did, everyone was dead, leaving only us immortals, which could mean that the spell was targeted at Rukiya. "She still was a mortal up until Hawi marked her, which wasn''t also made public. I guess the bastards missed the memory and came after her nheless," Mbali said as she looked at Atticus who was staring in confusion. He looked like he had seen the devil himself, when it was just Malika and Hawi, the girl who was supposed to be dead. He couldn''t be med though. For years Atticus had kept his eyes on Hawi, but he hadn''t done anything, but seeing the woman up close, he revealed why it was hard to get to her. She had so many battle scars even though she could heal herself and make the scars fade. The woman he was looking at was proud of war and she loved the pain from the battles that she always won. It was a little toote for Atticus toe to that realization but then what else could he do other than hope to the goddess that things wouldn''t be so bad? If anything, he already knew Malika would kill him, no matter what happened, but seeing Hawi the queen of torture here Atticus was certain that was screwed. He could as well start dancing to wee the pain he was about to experience anyway. "Well then. Atticus is here and we just learned that he and his family are always going toe after Hawi. Not to mention Jer who is alsoing after all of us because he suddenly feels like a vengeful lover boy. How pathetic. "The little shit is determined to avenge his Malika. He believes that I am a fake and the one that died was real. Whatever it is, I don''t know what he ns on doing but it''s not anything good. "So far we have two of the seven shadow warlocks, not to mention their little brother, Kurt, an autistic human ¨C a very dead one, but not to worry. I''ll revive the little shit over and over until I get the location of all seven dipshits. "In total, the addition of that human makes the shadow warlocks a family of eight. We also need to keep in mind that they are dangerous, and they will keeping, at least that much obvious," Malika exined and the team sighed. They had known there would be no breaks in between but this wasn''t it for them. Whatever the hell had changed along the way had to be very in hanged, because how the hell had a mission to kill Jeremiah unraveled to this? He was supposed to be an easy target, but then it turned out he was just a puppet and they needed to get to the source of the madness, to uproot the evil itself. This really wasn''t going to be easy for them, but that was okay, right? "Well, we should get going then." Chapter 261: The Monsters They Created [HAWI] "So far we have two of the seven shadow warlocks, not to mention their little brother, Kurt, an autistic human ¨C a very dead one, but not to worry. I''ll revive the little shit over and over until I get the location of all seven dipshits. "In total, the addition of that human makes the shadow warlocks a family of eight. We also need to keep in mind that they are dangerous, and they will keeping, at least that much obvious," Malika exined and the team sighed. "Well, we should get going then. I know we lost a lot of people, but stopping here and mourning won''t bring them back. It''s not what we want to hear or even deal with at the moment. It''s not going to be easy; I know that. "However, the longer we rx, the stronger our enemies grow and that is a pleasure we can''t afford right now," Elodie said to the bunch that had gone through hell and was getting a little too familiar with that ce. Perhaps they would pitch a tent there, no? Malika looked at Rukiya before she looked at her mistress, who seemed to be in deep thought the entire time. It was hard to tell what was going on in Hawi''s head, but then they just had to wait it out. Hawi wanted to say something, anything, but nothing would make it better. Hawi knew this was a risk they had to take and as much as she felt terrible for Rukiya''s loss, she couldn''t give Adolf the breath of life. And even if they were to do that, the pile of bodies was so huge that it would take them a few days to go through the Greyson warriors and find Adolf. It wouldn''t be fair to the warriors who hade toy their lives for their alpha. If anything, even though Hawi hadn''t known Adolf for too long, she knew he was a warrior and a team yer. The Greyson beta loved his warriors and he would no doubt not appreciate a single revival in any way. "Ruru¡­ Can you do this? Are you sure you want to tag along? You won''t have a chance to mourn your best friend, now that I can''t bring him back. Are you really sure about this?" Hawi asked and Rukiya just looked at the loss of them defeatedly. She knew that this was unexpected and it was a setback that had hurt them all at the same time. She knew how betrayed they were feeling and how it was tempting to find someone to point fingers at. Their desperation was unanimous, but so was their added motivation to ruin things that were on their way. It didn''t matter that the world would condemn them eventually. Whatever happened couldn''t have happened if the world was a better ce, now or would it? "Yeah¡­ Let''s get going," Ruru said as she struggled to get up. Hawi felt her heart shatter for her mate, but she knew Rukiya wouldn''t like to be babied in situations like these. Maybe she would get better, eventually, right? Oh but if only they all weren''t so broken. "We''ll end them all, no matter how long the list keeps getting. It doesn''t matter how old we will be by then, because immortality is something that we would always embrace, my Ruru. "So don''t worry, love¡­ we will find them all, and we will burn everyst one of them," Hawi said as she held Rukiya''s arm and helped her up. She could see the pain in her woman''s eyes and they all understood it. They knew what it meant to be alone and to feel like everything was her fault. They truly understood what it meant to be left with a lot of guilt that life wasn''t even worth living anymore. It was a hectic run but no matter what happened, they would make sure to win. "I know, and I trust you¡­ All of you. Let''s not me each other this time, please," Rukiya pleaded as she rubbed her eyes. She was sick of feeling weak, sick of feeling like everything was going wrong in their lives. This mission was supposed to let them breathe a little and allow them to go back home soon, and yet as they walked toward Atticus who was staring at Hawi with a worried face, they knew that it would all get hard before it got better. They had each other, and honestly, that was the only hope they had for all of this. "Why''d you tell me to get the crown and the bloodied gown, Hawi?" Elodie asked, as she looked around, she couldn''t see what this was for real, but at the same time, she was sure Hawi never did things the wrong way. "We''re heading to Sicario. When we finally take over the throne, someone''s going to need the crown to run the pack. As for the gown, it was a gift from my mother. The only ce I can preserve it is home," Hawi said and Elodie just nodded in understanding. She wasn''t sure if there was any other reaction to that. They were all so fucked up and were trying to live in the moment, only that there weren''t exactly any happier moments around them. Life wasing at them from so many ends and it wasn''t easy, but at least they were headed in the right direction. They would be able to make it right eventually. Bower until then, they would have to endure the chaos. "Great. I''ll just wrap him up real quick," Malika said as she looked at Atticus who was still in some sort of shock. Well, he was in for a long rise, and it was more than obvious he had messed with the wrong bunch of women this time. "I''ll light up the bodies of our fallen. The chances of using back here are minimal this season," Hawi said and together they got busy. It was the hardest set of goodbyes, but what wasing was hope for them. It was the kind of life that they would eventually have to figure out on their own. For hours, the five women stood there watching as their friends burned to ashes. It was the longest of their evenings and the tears that fell were a reminder that even they had some humanity in them. Pain had long identified with them; no matter how they tried to escape it all, they would always return to such points. Perhaps that was what hope and home would feel like in the end. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e|-NovelBin There would always be the nk spaces in them with everyone they lost and not even time could close them up. "You ready?" Hawi asked three hourster when thest of the bones had burnt. They didn''t bother clearing the air, instead, they just formed a little wall around the ce that was filled with ashes, almost like they were aware of marking it a grave for their people. It was easily the hardest thing they had done, but then they had an interesting road ahead, didn''t they? "Let''s go be the monsters they wanted us to be!" Rukiya said excitedly, making everyone stare at her worriedly before they joined in. Perhaps this was them embracing the mess they had been forced to live in, right? Chapter 262: The Familiar Evil On The Road Home [HAWI] They should have portaled¡­ They could have¡­ but that was never a choice. And even if they didn''t portal, the road to Sicario was a day long. But fourteen dayster, they were still on the road to Sicario. Rukiya, Mbali, Malika, and Elodie had tried reaching out to her, but she was a shell, a mask of what had once been. She was a vessel, one that was always so empty. But this time, she was a vessel of pure rage. She was what the horror stories talked about. She was the kind of evil that the world was scared to face. They were her friends and even they were scared of her. She was what many would call the great evil. But she called herself her mother''s daughter, her brother''s sister, and better, her father''s daughter. She was what had remained of the Sicario household. She was the face that had been banished more than once by many. She was what pain and anger looked like, but even then she was the kind that still remembered the closest people to her. Maybe because Rukiya Greyson was always there to hold her hand. Or maybe it was because her best friend was always trying to keep her sane and connected with reality. Or perhaps it was because the Jabali sisters were deadly loyal to her and would follow her to the pits of whatever hell she led them to. After all, she was Awuor Hawi Sicario. "It''s been fourteen days¡­ what do you think she is looking for?" Rukiya asked as they followed the blood trail that was left by Atticus. They were walking ten feet behind her, and while she hadn''t said a word to them in fourteen days, the only hope they had for her, was that whenever they stopped to eat, she would join them in silence. Sure, she never joined their discussions, she never did anything other than y death games with Atticus. She was a horror story that hade to life, and the screams of the poor shadow warlock had been heard along all the roads they walked. Some people had looked at them in disgust and worry, but those who knew who she was, never walked the same road as her again. They kept their distance and made sure to use the roads only after her. No one wanted to be there beside her if they weren''t her friends, because no one would ever know how to talk to someone who didn''t talk and someone who just tortured the warlock because she wanted to. "You''re her mate! You should know!" Mbali whispered as they followed her closely. They were worried for her, the girl they had loved and cherished. They were scared for her sanity, but then there wasn''t much left, was there? "How the fuck am I to know that when I am on the same page as all of you. She shut all the mind links, and even the mate link is closed off. I am scared of opening it, given she''s the one who did it. "I don''t know what is going on, but I have a feeling she doesn''t want me to know what horrors are in her mind at the moment. I worry that she is in pain again and is locking us out," Rukiya whispered and they looked at her like she was insane. Maybe she was right to feel like Hawi was pushing her away. Maybe Rukiya Greyson was right to imagine that nothing would ever be the same, and maybe, in that moment, just maybe, she was right to feel neglected. But then how was she to even embrace that when each night, Hawi made sure to walk around and keep them safe? When Hawi never slept unless Malika was awake to take the second watch? How was Rukiya to even say that she missed who Hawi was when the girl had promised her that she would make things right? Perhaps she was thinking, but Hawi had grown more protective of them. Since the army had fallen, Hawi had be more vignt, like she was on the lookout for someone or something that would try to take her people from her. She was always holding on to some hope that it would all be alright. They were all immortals here, but Hawi never rested. She never let go. When her first watch was done, she would sleep next to her Rukiya and hold her softly, as she tried to ease the alpha''s pain of losing her best friend. Hawi had been understanding even if she was a shell of herself. Perhaps that''s whyining didn''t make any sense. Sure, they missed the Hawi they had known, but this Hawi was saving them. "Don''t overthink it, Rukiya. My sister is doing fine. She''s not locking us out, if she did, she would disappear and never let us see her again until she was done with whatever. And no, she''s not distant. She''s just thinking of a way out. "As long as her cold eyes still look at you with love, and still soften when she looks at us, just let her be. I know it might be a little hard, given we are used to her snapping at everyone or even keeping her distance. "Things may have gotten crazy, but the only constion we have is that she hasn''t pushed us away. So don''t overthink it, we''ll be fine, you''ll see," Elodie said as she looked at Hawi who was currently ying with one of the bones she had gotten from Atticus''s spine. They were already theory minutes into their walk today, and the pirs of the Sicario pack could be seen. They were heading home, where the mess began, and it was consoling that she was with them anyway. "You really do understand," Rukiya said in awe. Maybe even she would be able to learn more about Hawi than what met the eyes, right? Maybe at the end of the day, when Hawi always came home to her, she would be able to know if she was okay. "You will too, don''t worry. Right now, my sister is a warrior, and there are chances that she won''t say a word unless she has to. She loves you though, so that shouldn''t be a problem. "Besides, if it''s any constion, she''s never leaving again, it''s obvious in her eyes," Elodie added and they all just nodded in silence as they kept moving. They weren''t sure if they would go around Sicario again, or if they would have to deal with the madness of a warlock that had gone mute from crying too much. The pain Atticus had experienced was out of this world. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin He had been tortured by a mute woman who couldn''t even say shit to him. He couldn''t even negotiate with her and that scared the hell out of the warlock. His executioner was feeding him silence and that was something he wasn''t used to. Hell, he had never been forced into this kind of a position, but then there was always time for everything right? "Alright," Rukiya said when they reached the Sicario gates. As usual, she figured they were moured and no one could see them, but when they heard one of the watchers mention Hawi''s name, they knew the call home had finallye. "Two weekster, we are at our destination," Malika said excitedly and they all cheered softly, while Hawi just kept ying with Atticus''s spine. Chapter 263: She Was Back Home Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin [HAWI] "You''re going to meet your sister, Atticus. It should be a perfect reunion, huh?" Hawi said, letting her team hear her voice for the first time in two weeks. She had been watching, and studying them, and eventually, she figured it was time toe here. Atticus didn''t even know what he was supposed to say to the woman. His voice was sore, and every word that came out of his mouth couldn''t be heard. His body hurt, he was missing an arm and an ankle. His entire body looked like someone had been throwing darts at it, and his magic had been absorbed by Hawi in the process. He was helpless and couldn''t do shit, even though he could sense his sister''s magic in Hawi. He hadn''t expected that, but the fact that Hawi was subconsciously absorbing the magic of the shadow warlocks was scary enough for the warlock. He didn''t know how to live a life without magic, and at the same time, he wasn''t sure he would be alive anyway. "Wait¡­ we sprint two weeks going in circles¡­ because you wanted us to mourn the fallen, right?" Mbali asked as she looked at Hawi and then at Atticus who had so many wishes but wouldn''t ever get any of them granted. "That makes a lot of sense. She was always watching over us in silence, making us feel safe," Elodie added and Malika just chuckled, making them look at her. They had all been in the same position but she was happy? "Took you long enough to realize that. The mourning period in Greyson is two weeks. Mistress knew we couldn''t go and mourn with Greyson, so she made us mourn in our ways," Malika exined and they facepalmed. Then again with Hawi everything she did always had a meaning to it. It didn''t matter that she was psycho, because no matter what happened, nothing she did was just for the sake of it. She was, after all, a great strategist. "I think I''m falling in love again," Rukiya said heartily, and they all let outughs, while Hawi just turned to her and hugged her softly, kissing her hair as they waited for the Sicario gates to open for them. It wasn''t going to be easy, but then they were way past the technicalities and safety measures. They hade here to make sure that they got what they wanted regardless of the consequences. "Well, well, well. Look who it is who came crawling back home. At least this time you had some manners and knocked on the gates, didn''t you?" Alpha Jeremiah greeted as he opened the gates. He could see the five women standing there but he was unable to see Atticus whose eyes were pleading for a merciful death. The warlock was way beyond living and he wasn''t even trying to fight to live anymore. He was fucked and he knew it, but as he looked at Jer, he wondered if the man could see him. Well, he couldn''t. "What can I say, east or west, all roads eventually lead home, don''t they?" Hawi said as she stared at Jer who was ring daggers at Malika. He looked like he hated this Malika more than life itself and if given the chance, he would end her. "But this is no home for you, Awuor. Sicario doesn''t want or even need you anymore. Besides, where is that army you always boast of? Don''t tell me you were bested by the shadow warlocks," Jer said confidently and Malika snockered. This man couldn''t be serious right? If anything, Hawi could single-handedly take over the pack, but then he seemed to be forgetting about so many things. Maybe he would get the reminder once they were done with him right? "I know, which is why your watchers are dead and your guards are no longer standing beside you. Need I mentioned that the Sicario gates are open and your people are looking ready to fight me? "This should be fun," Hawi said as she walked past Jer, dragging Atticus with her while Malika stood her ground watching Jer with amused eyes. She had waited for this day for so long and her mistress was handing her the swine. "I guess it''s you and me now, huh?" Malika said as she walked towards Jer, who instinctively stepped back into the pack borders as if that would help him and save him from the protector who looked like she was about to wring his head open. "You killed her and took on her skin. You took my Malika from me and I won''t forgive you for that," Jer said as he tried to lunge at Malika only to miss and fall face-first onto the ground. He could hear swords nging around and he was certain that it wasn''t Malika. However, that didn''t make it any better because his people were now being fought by four crazies who had all the time in the world. "So, what if I did¡­ What will you do? You''ll go cry to mommy and tell her that I took your woman''s face and everything else? You know I wanted to know why you were so in love with this face, but even to this day, I don''t. "I guess you have a thing for the impossible huh? Your mate was a weakling who couldn''t even try to survive. She died alone in a stuffed room with weapons? What a waste of life. I bet it''s even good that she''s gone. "Besides, you had a mate, an actual one and you fucked it over. I''m starting to think your name should be changed to Jeremiah fucking Warner, man," Malika said and Jer red at her, this time, he grabbed his de and threw it at Malika who caught the de. It was so easy for her and Jer stared in shock. He wasn''t certain what he was doing, but even he knew he was outnumbered. So, he made the only choice he could at the moment, if it would ever count for anything. Jer ran. Literally. Jhe ran towards his people and asked for swords to join the fight. Expectedly, the fight was supposed to be ways, given it was just five women against the entire Sicario army. They were outnumbered, but would the huge army be able to win this kind of battle? These warriors were immortal, had nothing left to lose, and had gone to the pits of hell ande back. They were worse than the devil himself and at the same time, they were being led by the devil herself, who was seated on Atticus''s body. Hawi was watching the warriors get their asses kicked by the women and she loved it. It was always fun watching them in action and it was truly fulfilling. The best part of this all was that even though they were fighting everyone, none of them was even paying attention to Jeremiah; not even Malika who had been with him earlier. She was focused on making sure whatever remained of Sicario was what they wanted and needed. It didn''t matter how long the war would take or even what they would do, because today, they would fight to the death. It didn''t matter how long it took. "You guys are really pathetic, is that all you got from my years of training you?" Chapter 264: Way Past All Mercy Stops [HAWI] "You guys are really pathetic, is that all you got from my years of training you?" Hawi said as she looked disapprovingly at the Sicario warriors. They were fighting their best it seemed, but considering the state Hawi had left them in, this was more than just pathetic. She had toiled hard to make them an undefeated team and yet here the only thing she could see were warriors who didn''t even have the fighting spirit anymore. They looked like they had juste to the battlefield because someone wanted them to fight. That wasn''t how wars were won, but then Ruru had lost an entire army. Someone had to pay the price for the lives lost, and the reckless way they were lost. Maybe that could also exin theck of empathy that Hawi was feeling right now. "Hey, Atticus, are you seeing this?" Hawi asked as she looked at the man who was so beaten up. She knew there was no way that he would ever survive this, but she needed him to know what it meant to be on the wrong side of Awuor sicario. Blood was already flowing and to think that Malika, Elodie, Mbali, and Rukiya weren''t even using weapons. They were fighting the warriors with bare hands, that was how angry they were. When Rukiya had first suggested it, Hawi wasn''t sure what it meant. Granted, she had remained silent during the entire conversation, but then now that she thought about it, she realized that defeating this army without any weapons was the greatest form of fuck you. Sure, they would take a little longer to kill them all, but then they had all the time and rage in the world. They would enjoy this. "You and I have somewhere to be, while my warriors fight. Don''t worry, you''lle to see the aftermathter. However, until then, it''s me and you, you useless warlock," Hawi said before she portaled to the dungeons under her bed. She had always hated portaling to that dungeon, but then the circumstances really wouldn''t let her walk through the front doors of the pack house and let herself in. If anything, no one outside her immediate family knew of the dungeon she had constructed there. It was like there was always a fight to be more when it came to Hawi, but that was alright too. After all, life wasn''t easy, no? "Ngh," Atticus tried to speak, but nothing wasing out other than grunts that didn''t bother Hawi even one time. When they got to the dungeons, Atticus was in shock to say the least. The ce was dreadful, and covered in blood, not to mention the stench of death that lingered in the air. There was so much pain in this damning dungeon and when he saw the prisoners in there Atticus wasn''t sure what to make of it. This was where pain and fading lives existed and it was unfortunate that he was about to be one of the fading lives. "Wee home, Atticus," Hawi said, liking the shock on the man''s face. She could see that everything here was surprising him and when his eyesnded on a little Kurt lying on the ground, and Razia seated defeatedly next to their brother, Atticus felt his heart shatter. He had been so used to being in power that being this helpless was new to him. He could see the bones on his sister and he could see that she had been ruined by whoever had been torturing him. Her head was bowed in defeat. Her eyes shut, and her body smelled of rot. This wasn''t how Atticus had expected to meet his siblings again, but maybe this was what Karma looked like, no? "Sit there and stay pretty," Hawi said to the warlock before she made her way to where Razia was unconscious. If this were any normal situation, Hawi would have felt bad for the kid beside her, or even her. She would have tried to help them get a hold of their lives and even appeal for their mercy. but with the suffering the shadow warlocks had caused her and the people around her, mercy was not something she would ever consider. It was not going to happen, not today and certainly not ever. "Razia¡­ wake up," Hawi said in a singsong voice as she looked at the woman who hadn''t eaten in weeks, probably months, not that it was mastered by Hawi. She should have known better than to screw up with what was hers. Atticus watched in silence as his sister was kicked in the chin by the same woman who had bested him. He could see how weak Razia had grown and even the rxation that her brother was here didn''t make Razia smile and be happy. It was almost like this way their hell, the kind that they wouldn''t ever be able toe from. He wanted to help his sister, he wanted to tell Hawi to take his life and let her be, but how was he supposed to start when he was always the one who reminded Razia of how useless she was to their family? When he always found a way to clean up all the messes that Razia left behind? His own sister was powerful but where was that power at the moment? So much was going on but the evident sound of hearts breaking in this dungeon wasn''t to be ignored. "Wakey wakey, Razia," Hawi said as she stared at Razia who wasn''t sure which pain she was supposed to tend to. Her entire body was chasing and with Hawi mercilessly roughing her up regardless of what she was feeling, Razia knew she didn''t stand a chance. She had lost so much already and now she was still losing. She wanted to give up her life but even that wasn''t her choice to make anymore. Her life was just another tool for Hawi''s pleasure and soothing that Hawi would use to make sure that everything went awry in their lives. Well, it didn''t matter. It never would, because gone was the girl with a soul, the girl that many would run to, and in her ce was Awuor Sicario, the girl who had everything taken from her just because she was powerful and didn''t even know about it. Find adventures at m_v l|e-NovelBin This was what Karma was supposed to look like but Hawi made karma the ultimate devil. Perhaps she really was the monster they created, no? "I brought you another brother to keep youpany. I assume you know him, right? Atticus, your eldest brother. He was watching your back, or not, I don''t really know and I don''t care," Hawi said with a smirk on her face before she turned to little Kurt who had been dead for days. She bent next to the body and turned it over, before she smiled at the way Malika had conserved the body. It was admirable really but the greatest remainder of what hell would look like for the Russel siblings. "Time to wake up, Kurt," Hawi said as she gathered the kid''s face roughly, opened his mouth a little too widely, and then breathed a lifeforce into the kid, making Razia grunt in despair. "Please, let him be," Razia begged and Hawi smirked at her. Chapter 265: Hope was Always Toxic [HAWI] "Time to wake up, Kurt," Hawi said as she gathered the kid''s face roughly, opened his mouth a little too widely, and then breathed a lifeforce into the kid, making Razia grunt in despair. She had seen her brother suffer in the hands of Malika and the fact that Malika shared the memories with her before she left was something that would always haunt Razia. This wasn''t what she had imagined but everything waxed down on her. "Please, let him be," Razia begged and Hawi smirked at her. "Don''t tell me you''re finally growing a conscience, Razia Greyson¡­ or should I call you Razia Russel since you murdered your husband?" Hawi asked and Razia wasn''t even fazed. She was already aware that with the marking, Hawi and Rukiya would be introduced to things that they all had experienced before the day they were mated. It was all bound so there was no point in hiding it all anyway. Besides, it wasn''t like she was about to start counting right? "How about this¡­ you tell me exactly what happened to my mother and how you made it happen, without taking me in circles, then I might just not kill Kurt. Of course, there''s a chance that I''ll kill him anyway, but I can always bring him back. "The truth for a lighter pain on your brother, what do you think?" Hawi asked as she looked at Razia who was watching her brother who was solely realizing that this shit was really happening. Kurt was innocent, but that didn''t make it any easier for them. If anything, this wasn''t going to make Hawi change her mind about the mess that had been created. "What?" Razia asked and Hawi stared at her as if to ask her if she was hard of hearing. In all this time surely the woman should have expected that Hawi would want to know what had ruined her life years ago, right? The memory of the bloodied crown was still in her mind, the horrors of everything that she felt were still clear and she had med herself¡­ up until she realized this wasrger than Jeremiah Warner and her being the white wolf. Now that she was here with the woman, she would get what she wanted. "You heard me. The truth, for your brother''s life¡­ extended life, but life nheless," Hawi said and Razia looked at her brother, Atticus. She could see he was armless, and didn''t have an ankle, not to mention he had bones protruding from all over. It was almost like Atticus had been dragged around in his state until there wasn''t any more pain he could feel. This right here was a reminder of the monster Razia and her brothers had created, or maybe they had known she would fight, and they just didn''t know how she would, right? After all, they had been so certain that she wouldn''t win this on her own. But who was Awuor Hawi to them then? "How would I know if you''re not going to get back on it?" Razia was forced out even though her throat was sore and her head hurt. She couldn''t think straight and she wasn''t even sure how much longer she wouldst before her body gave out. Her pain was fucking with her mind and no matter what she wanted to do, this was driving her nuts. What choice was she supposed to make when the devil herself was staring at her with a frown and a smirk on her face? Hawi looked like she was about to chop their bodies to pieces and yet at the same time, she looked like she was giving Razia a chance to save her brother who was innocent in this, just like she had been when she was used of murdering Eni. "You don''t. What you are sure of, is that there''s nothing stopping me from killing you and using your body as a tool to teach my warriors anatomy. Besides, you should already know that the entire Greyson army we came with is down. "Thanks to Atticus. I may not be the person you would want to bargain with for long. Rukiya is here and she is pissed. She wants blood for the death of her warriors, and do you know the best part and the worst part of it is? "She lost Adolf," Hawi said and Razia let out a gasp. She hadn''t been expecting that clearly, given that Adolf was always a loyal wolf. He had always met the demands of the Greyson pack before his life and no matter what life threw at him, he was always trying to be positive, trying to make sure that life wasn''t even bad for their people. Adolf was a good beta and he would have made the perfect alpha in the event that Rukiya gave up her seat and went to rule with Hawi. But then without Adolf, there was nothing stopping Rukiya from burning everything down anymore. There was no telling what she would do and Razia was aware of how her daughter hated losing people. "Impossible," Razia said even though she had felt arge number of mind links break a few weeks ago. It had all been too sudden and she hadn''t thought much of it. But now that she was hearing Hawi, Razia couldn''t help but look at her brother as if she was asking a silent question. What the fuck would she even ask him anyway? That he killed Adolf? That he took out half the entire Greyson army? That he had ruined their chances at a life? Or that he had taken away the very thing that held Rukiya Greyson back from being a mother? It was a hard job for Razia but then it wasn''t like this was new to her. Perhaps meeting her daughter''s raw rage would be new, but whatever it was, they were screwed in all the ways to hell. No one woulde to save them and if Rukiya was in Sicario at the moment, then they could as well start counting the days before they were eliminated by the girl who had lost everything and had nothing left to lose. This was interesting. "I know right? I thought so too, because I cast a spell to protect the entirety of Greyson and the army. but hey, your brother managed to sneak in someone who would make sure the spell didn''t work. "I''m sure he wanted to kill Rukiya, but he needed to kill the Greyson army and your daughter''s best friend. Now I don''t know Rukiya so well in regards to what she does with family that disappoints her¡­ "¡ªBut I know what I can do to you, or probably for you," Hawi said and Razia stared at her like this was some sort of a sick joke. None of this was making any sense to her. When the hell had they fallen this far from the lives they had so desperately wanted to make the best out of? When the hell had everything crumbled down or would they still me it on the existence of the girl who was defeating them without having to do much? "Fine. I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you but please, save Kurt," Razia said and this time, Hawiughed at how gullible the woman was.'' When she hade down here, Hawi had sworn that she wouldn''t let anyone leave alive. And she wasn''t about to. But Razia didn''t need to know that. If anything, Razia was to be given all the hope in the world and she would crush it all. Hawi hated this woman with every breath she took. She despised Razia worse than she had felt when she realized she had murdered her mother and had no memory of it. She hated the women more than she had hated herself and boy had Hawi hated herself a little too much. Anyone would think that she was determined to fuck herself up more than once. But hey, at least she was, finally getting the version of the mess that mattered, not the altered mess that Jer was presenting for scraps, right? "I won''t, but I might change my mind, because if Rurues and finds leverage and I don''t use it, she might think I''m a traitor. I love your daughter too much to even think of harming a hair on her head. "So speak, before it''s toote," Hawi said and Razia nodded, before she took a deep breath and began unlocking what Hawi hadn''t known for the past four years. However, would knowing the truth make Hawi feel better or worse? Chapter 266: No More Wasting Time [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] The unhinged Sicario Alpha, Awuor Hawi, had just won another battle against the rogues and she was giving her father the reports. Her body was still covered in the blood of her enemies and there wasn''t a scratch on her. It was almost like she had gone to battle against a group of fluffy bears, only that they were the most dangerous set of the rogues. She had cleared them all, with her best friend, Elodie Kane, again. It was like the two women were born to go to war and win it. They were proud as was expected of the alpha and her warrior best friend. However, while they were giving reports, the alpha''s mate was busy in the corridors to the Sicario dungeons. "She and Elodie murdered them all," Jer stated like it was the expected oue of whatever was happening. He couldn''t be med though. This Alpha was not one toe home until she heard thest breath settle and fade. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin And with her best friend in tow, they were easily the most dangerous women on this side of the realm. They made everything a hell for people who wanted to go against them and yet more always tried to best the two friends. "I see. She has grown stronger and I can''t get through to her best friend. I''m assuming it''s some shield, but then she is unaware of who she truly is. So, she can''t have created it," Razia stated as she stared outside the next window. The ns to bring down Alpha Awuor had kept failing over and over because of how powerful the woman was. They had tried everything, and each time the oue was the same; they would always lose. This wasn''t a streak they needed to be proud of because with battle came experience and if the mad woman was winning all these battles, then it was just a matter of time before she was too strong. "There''s nothing you can do to her now. Even the mate bond doesn''t affect her in any way. I''m afraid you invested too many years in me for nothing. Perhaps I should fall back?" Jer asked, not liking how the situation was getting. He had grown to know the woman he was mated to and he would be lying if he said that he wasn''t scared that someday she would just decide she hated how domestic of a mate he was and kill him. She was the most unpredictable woman he had ever met, even worse than the warlocks who had him doing their bidding in Sicario. He was scared of the day when Awuor would learn of his transgressions. He knew she wouldn''t ever forgive him and that was something he didn''t want to experience, ever. It didn''t matter what was at stake, he could just request to be assigned to some other wolf, right? "You can''t fall back now, warrior. We have managed to mess up with her brother already, and he couldn''t even start a fight with her," Razia said and Jer looked at her as if to tell her that this was what he was talking about. There was no telling what was happening with the Sicario siblings really and it was scary to even watch. Perhaps there was another strategy out there that didn''t involve him sharing the same bed with the psycho who could ruin him in a blink, right? "I didn''t mean to have to do this, but with no other options left, we have to explore the Eni option," Razia said and Jer stared at her like she was insane. There were so many other options out there. "THE Eni option? You have got to be kidding. You do realize you''re sentencing us to a definite death in the hands of the mate that scared the fuck out of me, right?" Jer asked as if he was trying to make Razia see sense. There was still time for them to think of something else, and Jer knew that he would do whatever it took, and press all the buttons to eliminate them if ever they explored that option. Jer knew Luna Eni was the queen of hearts in Sicario. She was humanity personified and if they fucked with that, then they could as well start praying for quick deaths at the hands of the woman Eni had born. "Yes, the option. You need to make sure that it happens tomorrow. We are out of options at the moment, and if we stay the execution any longer, we will be fucked a little too much. I know it isn''t easy, but she''s my friend. "I know what that pain means too," Razia said to Jer who just sighed before he began pacing. He was being asked of the impossible and he was to adhere to it all. Perhaps if the sun went down, there were still going to be extra options for them? Maybe if the world became brighter, Razia could consider putting them in harm''s way? Or maybe this was the only option because fate was a bitch and there was more that met the eyes? Jer wasn''t sure really. All he was certain of was that this had to be the craziest idea he had ever heard of, and if this was going to be done, he could as well hold a prayer for his soul for when the mad woman came after them. Because he knew she woulde after them regardless. "Okay then. I have to go back before they notice I''m gone. Someone''s gotta y the loving mate to the powerful psycho alpha, in the hope that she doesn''t y me in my sleep. "Goodness, I don''t even know when things got thisplicated," Jer sighed as he looked at Razia one more time before he left. He needed to get a hold of himself as he went to the gym. He wasn''t sure how long he had been with Luna Razia, but when he walked into the gym and saw Awuor Sicario there, he felt all the blood drain from his face. This woman was dangerous and he was about to go against her. Perhaps he could take his own life and spare himself the truth that was bound, right? "Oh, there you are, baby. I missed you¡­ I came from battle and didn''t see you," An excited Awuor said to the mate she loved as she looked into his eyes which always held love for her. Today was no different because she could see his affection in his eyes. She always thanked the deities for being so kind to her and for giving her someone she could rely on, someone who would always be there for her. Jer was it for her, and she would always be thankful for that. "I was out looking for flowers for my princess," Jer said as he suddenly felt flowers in his hands making a mental note to thank Razia foring to his aid that fast. He wasn''t sure what he would have done without the warlock. "Aww, that''s sweet of you," Awuor said as she pecked Her on the lips, ignoring how bloodied she was. She loved this man and he loved her too. He had been her shield in so many situations and expectedly, he was what home looked like for her. He was her home. "Lilies for my warrior princess," Jer said as he handed her white lilies. Chapter 267: She Was Always A Star... His Star [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] "Lilies for my warrior princess," Jer said as he handed her white lilies. They were bright like her eyes, and he loved the reflection of the flowers there too. He loved seeing her happy, because then everyone was happy. "Thank you¡­ They''re so pretty," an excited Awuor said as she took a whiff of the flowers. She looked like a normal girl, whose greatest worry was her brother finding her with a boyfriend and not an alpha who had an entire pack to run and an army to train. "Have you eaten?" Jer asked, even though he knew that she always came to the gym and mostly forgot to eat. It wasn''t new to him, but he was always there to remind her and make sure she took care of herself. He was always helping her, always being the perfect mate. He had pretended with her for so long that everything strangely came to him naturally. The love, the smiles, the hug, and the way he looked at her. All of that was well rehearsed, but she was genuinely in love with him. She adored him and always wished they would have lived together longer. There were times when they would joke about starting a family now that they had taken over from the former alpha and Awuor was always up for it. She didn''t mind. Besides, she didn''t have anything to worry about. If ever they got pups, the Sicario army would always be there to protect their kids. If anything, she had made sure Sicario was imprable to anyone. Many who knew of them knew that this was thend of murder. She had made Sicario a fortress and everyone respected her for it. "Does eight hours ago count?" Awuor asked sheepishly as she hugged Jer, staying in the little hug while he held onto her tighter. She could feel him kiss her hair and she almost melted at the gestures. Jer was always sweet and genuine with her. He always gave her what she wanted and sometimes he didn''t understand the dynamics, he always found a way to make her feel like she was safe with him. She was the protector of Sicario and he was her protector¡­ At least that''s what he had sworn to her. But would it stick after the Eni n? "We need to get some food for you if we''re going to have pups someday. I wouldn''t want them to think I neglected my precious warrior princess for anything. Come along love, the kitchens are waiting for us," Jer said as he pulled back from the hug, and kissed her forehead, and her cheeks before he settled on her lips. Awuor didn''t fight him; she had no reason to. She trusted this man with her life. So much so that if the walls came crashing down on her, she was sure he would always be there to save her from it all. She loved him and loved the way he loved her. Maybe she trusted him a little too much, but wasn''t that what mate binds were about? Having to rely on someone without feeling like your burdens were yours alone? So, she willingly gave into the kiss, the kiss that meant everything to her, but nothing to the man who had practiced so much for her. Or maybe it meant something to him, but even if it did, would he reign in the emotions he was feeling or would he remind himself of the hardest of all the tasks he had been given, huh? Jer knew this was cruel, but if this was thest day he would be able to see her happy, he would try and make it the best for her. He loved her, or maybe it was the mate bond, but then he had been with her for almost ten years. Surely that had to count for something right? If anything, she loved and protected him with all of her. Was it really too much for her to mentally hope for the same? "Or we can just disappear and go to our chambers¡­ or my suite. It''s fortified so no one will hear anything," Awuor said when they pulled back from the kiss, their lips swollen and their eyes filled with desire for each other. There was a lust in both her eyes and Jer was tempted to give in. He was tempted to screw the n with Razia and take care of the girl in his arms but he couldn''t. He had a family that depended on him so he wouldn''t do that. He had to be very careful either way. "If we do that, we might trigger your heat, since the mating season is close, and who knows, we might have pups for real this time," Jer said and Awuor ignored his words, instead, she began to pepper kisses on his end, knowing he was sensitive. "You sure you don''t want this?" Awuor asked and Jer groaned. He knew he would never win against her, but then what else could he do? "Well, we''re in the gym, and you''re covered in blood¡­ Well, now we''re both covered in blood. Dom might stone us, and your mother might curse me for real this time. You know how she always res at me all the time," Jer said and Hawi snickered. It was no lie that Luna Eni had been giving Jer the stink eye from the first day that Jer was introduced as her daughter''s mate. It was almost like she had some doubts about the man and even on Awuor and Jer''s first night together Luna was sneaking in the hallways. She was like a predator when it came to her daughter and Jer knew she was doing that to keep her safe. Of course, over the years, Jer hadn''t done anything that could get Luna suspicious, but then Eni was a mother and she was the mother of a white wolf. Not to mention she had her suspicions and her guts were against Jer from the beginning. "I can deal with my mother and brother. Don''t worry too much¡­ but if Elodie finds us here, she will definitely kill the both of us. So, no more talking, let''s go!" Awuor said as she grabbed her mate''s hands, and together they ran to her suite. They were happy and giggling like they weren''t covered in blood. Their happiness was something that Sicario was always used to. If anything, the Sicario wolves were happy that their dangerous beast of an alpha was with someone who understood her. The wolves were d that there was a bnce in her personal and work life. Eventually, they would have pups running around and that was even more motivation for the wolves to make sure Sicario was safe by training harder. They knew their alpha had sacrificed so much for them and they would make sure their alpha could take a break and now have to worry about the packing down, right? "Awuor Sicario!!" Luna Eni''s voice came through and Jer tensed while Awuor insisted they keep running. By the time the Luna reached them, they were already in the safety of Awuor''s suite. They could do what the Luna cursed them for giving the pack ideas, but eventually, the Luna left, leaving the two mates to their own agenda. Readtest chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin They looked so crazy, but at least they were crazy together, right? "That was close," Jer said as he breathed heavily. He looked like he had been running a marathon for the entire week. When it had just been a run. However, Awuor on the other hand looked like she hadn''t even run. Her breathing was straight, if anything she was standing in front of Her, watching as her mate caught his breath. She was aware of how unfit he was, but that didn''t bother her. She was okay with being the muscle in their rtionship anyway. "Oh, yeah? How close?" Awuor asked as she closed the distance between her and Her, breathing each other in. "So so close, baby," Jer said as he kissed her nose, before he switched their positions and she was suddenly pinned on the door. Awuor never wanted to be in control when they were beyond these doors, and Jer knew that. "We¡ª" Awuor began, but Jer shut her up with another kiss, before he carried her to her bed and made love to her for onest time. Chapter 268: His Shot Glass Full of Tears [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] "Awuor¡­ wake up love," Jer said hourster. They were still in Awuor''s bed and looked messy as fuck. However, that didn''t matter because there were servants to clean the messes they created anyway. "Fuck. What time is it?" Awuor asked as she snuggled closer to Jer who held her closer, like he was scared of losing her. She was disheveled and yet somehow managed to stay beautiful like the first time he had seen her. Maybe he was falling in love again, but that was against the requirements of this job here. He would have to let her go, but damn, that shit was not going to be easy, seeing as he had gotten used to the safety that came with Awuor Sicario. She was his safety pin and if she left, then he would be screwed one too many times. But would that be an excuse enough for how much he would screw her life up? Would that be the great depression in his twisted love story with the impossible? "Time to get some food into you," Jer said and his mate opened her eyes instantly. She was always a Jer for food, almost like it was the only thing she lived for. Oh, how she was just a normal girl when she was with him. "Where''s the food? I only smell sex," Awuor whined and Jer peppered kissed her face as if to tell her that she would have her food sooner orter. "We need to get you cleaned up first, and then we can get some food for you, princess," Jer said, even though she just went under the sheets and snuggled closer to him, hugging him like it was the only thing she needed to do today. "I''m still sleepy. We can eatter," Awuor whined and Jer peeked under the sheets to see her waiting for him already. Goddess, she looked so beautiful and cured there with him. It was just a pity that this woulde to an end eventually. "How about this, princess¡­" Jer began, and she perked up to listen to him. "We shower and you eat, then I''ll take you to watch the stars, hmm? I found a better spot and it will just be you and I, until the night ends, my love," Jer said as he ran his hands gently through her hair, before softly pushing her up for their faces to be so close. "That''s too good a deal," Awuor whined and Jer smirked at her. "Only for my warrior princess," Jer said before adding, "I love you, so very much, baby." "That''s not fair," Awuor whined again, but this time, Jer was already carrying her to the showers. He knew Luna Eni would be on their asses if they didn''t make it to dinner on time. He didn''t mind, but he knew his mate loved her mother too much to even disappoint her and Jer didn''t want that happening. He loved Awuor, even though it was an unfortunate time for them to be bound. Maybe someday, she would understand what and why he did it, right? "Nice of you to finally join us for dinner, Jeremiah," Luna Eni said and the entire table turned to the lovebirds who had just arrived. Elodie, Dom, and Sicario were staring at Her knowing what wasing next. ''''Mother¡­ You want grandchildren, don''t you? Someone''s gotta give them to you now that Dom is busy at the brothels, don''t you think?" Awuor said and the table erupted into chaos. "Dominic Athena Sicario¡­ What in the goddess''s name are you doing in the brothels, son?" Luna Eni began and Sicario got up ready to leave the table, only for his wife''s stink eye to force him down his seat. Every one of them was scared of Luna En, and right now they were in purgatory, one they had gotten used to, but one nheless. "I can exin, Mother," Dom said and his sister chuckled. "Yeah right¡­ good luck exining how almost half of Sicario is carrying your seed," Awuor said before adding, "That should actually get Mother to go slow on us." "You little¡ª" "You were enjoying it when Mother was teasing me." "Because you never make time for your mate." "And you do it for your thousands of mates¡­ you''re really doing great brother." "Mother¡­ Awuor is being mean." "She was making grandkids for me, you haven''t even brought me a partner," Luna Eni huffed. "Great¡­ Can I leave, Luna Eni?" Elodie asked. "You are not excused, Kane. Yesterday you brought a girl to dinner and today she''s not here," the Lunamented and Elodie knew they were fucked. Luna Eni was scary all the time but she was their happiness. With her, this little family they had was safe and they loved her for it. Throughout dinner, they all teased each other, but they were happy. The table, just like every other day, was filled withughter and earnestness. They were the ultimate reminder that they had each other''s backs. And as He watched them interact with each other, asionally continuing, he couldn''t help but feel even more guilty for what he was about to do. He wished there was a way to talk Razia out of the mess, but then there wasn''t. Awuor was powerful and the only person who could take her ahead or a thousand leagues behind was the Luna at the center of their table. She was the glue holding everyone together including the entire pack. And if they lost her, there was bound to be chaos. It still didn''t make what Year would do any easier and he hoped to be forgiven someday, even though he knew that was a false hope. "Goodnight everyone,'''' Luna said when dinner was over before they all got up and went to their respective chambers one by one. It was tradition for the luna to close the diners and they loved it, because she was always their carer. That night was the longest one for Jer. Even though he had kept his promise to watch the stars with her, he couldn''t help but be bothered by the turn of events. He knew that shit was about to get a little too real and it was unfair to his mate. He wanted to tell it to her and get this done with, but he was worried about Razia''s magic and what it would do to Awuor. He couldn''t hurt her like that and he despised himself for even agreeing to this. "I hope the stars keep shining as beautifully as they do in your eyes my princess," Jer had told Awuor when he had taken her up to the highest and best spot on the pak house roof. "I''m always happy with you, my love," Awuor had said. She had been so ted and her smile and happiness haunted him. As hey beside the woman he had hopelessly fallen in love with, he couldn''t help but be worried for her. He knew that her life would never be the same after tonight, and maybe that was why he held her tighter than the previous nights. Maybe that''s why he spent the entire night watching over her, apologizing to her in his head countless times. He knew he didn''t deserve her mercy, but he could only hope that at the end of the day, she would move on. It wouldn''t be easy, but what else was he supposed to do? Betrayal hade to her door and he was wearing the face of that betrayal. It was crazy and it broke his heart, but just like the other times, Jer prayed for mercy. The moon goddess was probably tired of hearing his prayers when he would always ruin lives, but he could only hope. After all, that was the only thing he had that was good for him and for her. To hope that he would be okay, that she would be safe after this, but would she? "No matter what happens at war, my warrior princess, know that I will always love you. And you will always be the best thing that happened to me, I won''t let you go," Jer whispered when morning came, and in response, his mate just snuggled closer as usual. He would miss her, that much he was certain of. And for the first time since ever, Jer hated mornings and sunshine. Chapter 269: It’s Now or Never Man [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] Jer was antsy the whole morning. He was always looking around and while Awuor had noticed, she thought that he was preparing a surprise for her. He had done this again some time back and her investigative skills had ruined the surprise for her. So today, she would pretend like she didn''t know that something wasing for her. Sure, she didn''t know it would be evil, but a part of her was excited to see what her mate would whip up today. While Awuor was excited, Jer was freaking out. He was expecting Razia to show up any time now. He knew that he wouldn''t be able to pull off this shit on his own, and he needed her help with the magic. So, when he saw her walk morized towards him, he let out a breath of relief. He looked like he wanted to make a run for the mess, but even he was smart enough to know that it was a bad idea. A really terrible one. "You look constipated. Rx this isn''t even going to take long. I saw Eni head to the alpha suite. It will be fast,e along," Razia said and Jer sighed. He hated this. He hated that he was about to take away the smile on his mate''s face. He hated that no matter what he tried to do today, the oue would remain the same and that the girl he liked would be broken for the rest of her life. With her skills, Jer was certain she would get to the bottom of this and he could only hope that when she did, he was not alive for that, because it would ruin him if she found out while he lived. Jer knew there would never be a fitting exnation for what he was about to do, so he hoped whatever path his mate would take on after this, she would be okay and of the right mind to get on with it. He had been made a viin and he had a part to y in it all. "I''m fine, let''s just get this over and done with. Alright?" Jer said before he walked into his office and Razia portaled them to the alpha''s suite. They Were still morized and boy was he in awe of what he found there. The alpha''s suite was a little bigger than Awuor''s suite, and he had always imagined that Awuor''s suite was the huge room in the pce. Well, it wasn''t but it was the most secure one. Portaling into that sure was impossible, but they didn''t know it just yet. "This ce is magnificent," Jerry said as he took in the sight. Everything I heard screamed power and loyalty. It screamed wealth, the kind that wouldn''t fade in a hundred years or even five lifelines. It all looked like they were the source of gold in the realm, because the amount of gold that was actually here was too much. It was crazy how the little things in here were ted with gold, but then they weren''t here for the wealth, or were they? "Once you take her out, it is going to be easier for you toe to this suite. You will have power and you can y the alpha card all you want. But the only way to do that, is to make sure Eni is no more," Razia said and Jer sighed. Everything about this felt wrong. It felt like they were struggling toe to terms with the reality of the mess they had walked themselves into. This was a death sentence for them and if they weren''t careful, fate would stab them in the back. "What do you expect me to do? She is not even here?" Jer whispered, as if he had just remembered that they were moured and they couldn''t be seen. It was supposed to be that easy, but then when they saw Eni, Jer froze. Luna Eni looked rxed, like nothing was wrong. She looked like her entire world could go awry and she wouldn''t mind it. If anything, when her eyes met Jer''s, the man knew he was fucked. This Luna had hated him from the first day and now she was seeing him? Or maybe he was overthinking it and his guilt was eating him up already. It was crazy what was happening and he couldn''t feel his legs. "Well, there she is. You need to kill her. Here is a de," Razia said as she handed Jer a de and pushed him forward. It was meant to be easy. One strike on her neck and she would be long dead. They could have used guns but that would be too suspicious, with fingerprints and all. The advanced tech in Sicario was unbeatable and if that ever happened, Jer knew he wouldn''t even have to worry about getting castrated anymore. He would be burnt at the stake and no one would bothering for him. It was a long gamble and it was scarring with him more than he had ever imagined possible. Perhaps this was his fate, right? "Okay¡­ I can do this," Jer said even though he looked like he was trying to convince himself that everything would be okay. Nothing would be, but then the illusion was what mattered right? Jer looked at the de in his hand, and it didn''t take him long to realize it was Awuor''s favorite de. This de was sharp. Way too sharp that if he mishandled it, he would be the one dead by it. Just one strike for the de and even the strongest of bones would be cut. It was a gift for Awuor on her sixteenth birthday. No one knew who had given it to her, but the girl never thought too much about it because it was normal for people to do that. The anonymous gifts had so far proven to be harmless, until this one, because He was about to put it to use. What if he stopped himself? Would he live? Oh, how Jer had so many questions. However, he knew that even if he stopped, Razia would just kill him and kill Eni. It was inevitable. The only choice he had to make today was to see whether he was the one being saved or he was the one who would be taken out by that same de. "Don''t tell me you''re getting cold feet, Jeremiah. We have been training you for this for years. You know what will happen to your dear mother and father if you don''t do this, right?" Razia asked and Jer nodded defeatedly. Fate had to be a cruel bitch for it to have fucked him over like this. Awuor was his happiness. That girl''s smile was everything to him and yet today he would be the reason she probably would never smile again. It was all not fair, but then life wasn''t a choice for many. He just had to make sure that there wasn''t a thing that could be done without the luna. Oh, how this was unhinged on so many fronts. "I''m not. I''m going, okay?" Jer said irritatedly as he made his way to the luna who was busy arranging the suite. There wasn''t much cleaning to be done, but then it was like Eni knew what wasing. Chapter 270: Someday… Someday You Will Understand [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] When Jer reached Luna Eni, he looked at her, the mother of his mate. Granted the mate bond wasn''t real, but this woman had been their caregiver for years. He hated that this was happening but what other choice did he have? "I''m so sorry¡­ I wish I had another choice," Jer said before he swung his de and struck Luna, only for Eni to catch the de and shock Jer. It all happened so fast that the action that day still haunted Jeremiah. He had never imagined that Eni would see him because he could have sworn they were still morized. Razia who was watching was also in shock, maybe because she hadn''t expected this too. Well, this war the white wolf''s mother surely didn''t expect that she had the sight to see through morous, right? It was the worst miscalction on their part, but that didn''t matter so much, because no one could see them. "Took you long enough and even then you couldn''t store. What a pity," Luna Eni said as she held the de in her hands, even though she had caught it on the sharp side. The pain was stinging, but none more than the betrayer. "Hello Razia¡­ SO much for friendship, huh?" Eni said and Razia stared at her best friend. She found this wasn''t the best way for them to form their friendship, but then there was a ticking time bomb in Sicario that needed to be slowed down. They needed to buy more time to get a solution and what better way was there for them other than to attack the centerpiece? With the queen out, the chess board would be easy to overtake. But was this the right queen? "It''s not personal, Eni. Your daughter is going to be the end of us all and the only way to make sure that she doesn''t ruin all the ces we have, is to make sure that you''re out of the chessboard. "But you already knew that when you came to me about your husband and Dom months ago, right? You knew I was out for the girl and you wanted to thwart it. So, you came and nted the idea in my head because you knew it had to happen. "For someone so dedicated, you couldn''t even change your own fate, oh Eni," Razia said as she looked around. She always loved Eni but her survival and that of her people was important. She needed to make the hard decisions even if that was a choice that would shunt her for the longest time. Nothing would ever be the same without Eni Sicario, but then she would be affected too. Surely that had to count for something at the moment, right? "So, you let a kide after me? Are you that weak, Razia? Or are you hoping I wouldn''t be able to fight this kid because he''s Awuor''s mate?" Luna Eni asked as she twisted Jer''s arm and broke it, making the wolf scream out. However, Razia''s magic around the suite was blocking anyone from seeing it. And the fact that they were morized was making it a little bit easier because no one would be able to see them either way. "And imagine how good it will sound when the Sicario warriors learn that this kid was the same one who took you out¡­ they won''t know but well, it''s worth noting, right?" Razia said as she watched Jer as if to tell him that he needed to get up. Begruntled, Jer pulled himself from Eni''s grip and twisted back his hand the right way, before he began fighting the luna. Now that the de was not going to be used, he had to figure out a way to make things work. The young wolf did not stand a chance with Luna, but he had to be at his best. Thankfully, Razia was giving him a magical boost. But even with all that, Eni Sicario was a hard catch. "You people are dragging this on for long. Move, Jeremiah," Razia said before she wed Eni''s neck. It was too deep and Luna didn''t fight her. Instead, she maintained eye contact with her best friend, wondering when their friendship hade to this. It was not fair to Eni but then what else could have been done? Her fate had long been decided anyway. "Why the fuck do you do that!!" Jer said as he paced around, he couldn''t believe that Razia had wed Luna''s neck, with Jeremiah''s ws. This was the worst of them all. There would be proof with Jeremiah all over it, and there was noing out for this. Whatever dreams Jer had; he saw them fade into the distance his hands were covered in blood. He couldn''t believe that this was happening for real. This was crazy and unhinged and fucked up and he didn''t even know how else to describe it. So, he watched helplessly as the Luna fell to the ground, not even bothering to ask for help. He couldn''t believe this and was in shock. Jer felt like his world wasing apart, and that he had no way out of this. He was scared in all the ways to hell. If Awuor found out about this, he would be doomed, at least that much he knew. "Change your clothes, stupid," Razia said as she threw some clothes at Jer. The poor man was still in shock and not even sure what he needed to do, but then he had to do what Razia wanted. So defeatedly he changed his clothes, as he watched the luna bleed. He could still save Luna Eni and let her wolf heal her, but then there was that de on her neck. The de stopped her blood vessels from closing up and even making her werewolf powers be in y. This was the cruelest thing Jeremiah had ever been a part of and he despised himself for that. He hated that there was no other way out of this. He hated that even to this point; he couldn''t save the woman who meant something to his Awuor. Oh, how his heart hurt. "What do we do now? We can''t leave her like this!" Jer said, trying to argue with the fact that leaving the woman here would be the most dangerous of decisions for them all. If Awuor came and saw them, then they would be scared. "No, we won''t leave her like that. Drag her body to the dark corridor over there and pull the curtains close. Make sure that no one can see her from there. I''ll clean the blood, unless you want to clean the blood," Razia said and Jer sighed. He was never going to have a voice after this and he owned it. He had just sold whatever was left of his soul to Razia and there was no getting it back. So definitely, he looked at the woman on the ground and apologized silently. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin "She''s still alive?" Jer asked when he dragged Eni and felt her hand holding his leg. It was a grip so tight even as her ws came out and punctured Jer''s ankle. It was something that would take a while to heal and Jer despite that. Then again, was that the least of his worries or was he just in deep shit on his own this time? "Of course. She is going to be like that," Razia chuckled darkly. Chapter 271: I Can’t Help But Love You [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] "She''s still alive?" Jer asked when he dragged Eni and felt her hand holding his leg. It was a grip so tight even as her ws came out and punctured Jer''s ankle. It was something that would take a while to heal and Jer despite that. Then again, was that the least of his worries, or was he just in deep shit on his own this time? "Of course. She is going to be like that," Razia chuckled darkly. It was almost like she had practiced for this more times than possible. Razia Greyson was a cold-blooded killer and clearly, her best friend wasn''t the first one she was taking out like this. Her world seemed to be darker than most would have perceived ¡ª a truth that she was slowly waking up to. There was no telling what was happening in the woman''s head but one thing was certain. The woman needed to be locked up somewhere away from everyone. "What? How can you befortable with this?" Jer asked, clearly not liking the way things were. It was like he was suddenly growing a conscience and while that would be admirable; to Razia, that was a setback. "Careful there, little wolf. You might be in her ce. The choice is yours. And you''re bleeding too, you might want to take care of your wounds and not yap about things that you can''t control," Razia warned. Jer wasn''t sure if there was a line between sanity and insanity anymore, but he knew he had to keep his end of the bargain. He had signed up for the course of devils and now, he was in the practical phase. Perhaps when the winds change their direction, he would find an easy way out, right? Maybe it would make his life a little bit easier and stop the mess that was in form exploding back right? Oh, how he wished for the impossible. "Jeez, fine. What do we do now? She refuses to die and it''s almost time for Awuor to show up and meet with her. You do realize Awuor will burn us alive if she finds us here, right?" Jer asked even though it was more of a statement. The woman he was mated to had the cruelty worse than the devil himself. She was the woman whose name sent chills down his spine, even though he had seen the word of humanity in his life as a rogue. Hell,pared to Razia Greyson, Jer knew that Awuor was worse. And that''s probably why he had to get this done and disappear; not that he would tell Razia that. The woman would probably lock him up and present a thousand shady deals for him. Jer was caught at a crossroads and he wasn''t sure if there was any other way out for him and the mad woman he was with. "Then she''s the perfect bait. We will kill two birds with one stone. You are on the lookout for her daughter and I''ll set up the stage for the grand performance," Razia said and she stared at her as if to ask what the heck she meant by that. He wasn''t sure when the n had diverted to Awuor but he wanted no part of it. Then again, he had restrictions on his end that blocked him from doing anything. He couldn''t alert the woman of what was happening and at the same time, he couldn''t save the Luna on the ground who was still breathing. It was cruel, really cruel, and female, it was easily the worst thing they could have done to her. "Do we really have to include Awuor in this? You want her mother dead and she is almost dead. Why not snuff the life out of the luna and let her daughter be? She hasn''t done anything to us and it''s not like we can kill her," Jer said and Razia smirked at him. The fact that he used ''we'' was proof to her that he was slowly bing a part of the chaos. This was a revolution for them. A revolution against the moon goddess and her creation of the white wolf. "We can''t kill her, but cing her at the scent of the cream will make her a suspect. And given how she easily gets angry, we can only make it seem like she killed her mother in a fit of rage,'''' Razia exined and Jer sighed. This woman was really determined to do whatever it was and there was no telling what else was in her mind. Perhaps if they closed this one, they would be able to live freely right? Then again, Razia had mentioned that she had started screwing with Dom. Maybe it was to make the perfect chaos in the Sicario family. Still, it was a cruel thing to do and Jer felt like he shouldn''t have been a part of this. He felt like he needed to figure out a way out of this, a way to save the girl that Razia was out to harm. "Alright then. I''ll be out of your hair," Jer said rushedly as he raced for the door. He didn''t want to be here and he hoped that he would be able to convince Awuor to go on a date with him. He knew it was so sudden, but then he had been acting suspiciously earlier and he was aware that she suspected it too. It would make more sense if he asked her to go out on a date than to let her stay here in the mess. "You''re falling for her, Jeremiah. That is a bad thing in this business," Razia said before he could open the door. It was almost like a warning that hung in the air. It was the kind that would either prove that Razia was right about all of this or that she was wrong. No matter what she did, the oue would always be the same. If anything, Awuor Sicario was a beautiful girl who was blooming beautifully into a woman. A few more years and she would be the prettiest woman the realm had ever seen. She was intelligent and strategic. She was wise and had the powers that could keep Sicario safe. Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin She was the ultimate power woman, the girl who only ever submitted to her mate. There was nothing wrong with her and yet even in her submission, she was more dangerous than a ticking bomb. "What?" Jer asked and Razia stared at him, war de in her hands as if to ask Jeremiah if there was a need for repetition. Anyone with eyes could see how much the two were in love, and to themon eyes it was expected because of their mate bond, to Razia, it was a breach of contract on Jeremiah''s end. He was never supposed to fall in love with the woman he was assigned to. He was never supposed to find her pretty or not to make her happy. They were supposed to have a in rtionship, one that wouldn''t matter if it ended, and yet Jeremiah Warner had sessfully screwed himself up. "You love her, for real. You''re actually in love with her. And that is pathetic and scary because you''re betraying her even now. Or what do you think? That you will confess and she will embrace you? "That girl is more beast than a woman, Jeremiah. You should already know that by now," Razia warned. Chapter 272: Eniola Sicario, The Purest of Hearts [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] "You love her, for real. You''re actually in love with her. And that is pathetic and scary because you''re betraying her even now. Or what do you think? That you will confess and she will embrace you? "That girl is more beast than a woman, Jeremiah. You should already know that by now.," Razia warned and Jer stared at her like he didn''t know what she was talking about. One thing he had learned with the Russels was to neverpromise their ns because if that happened, then he would be toast. Over the years Jer had seen people who strayed be murdered like they were pieces of animals. They had been treated in the worst of ways and there was no denying that that was the fate that was waiting for him. "Are you sure you haven''t been living for so long that you''re now seeing things? You sent me here on a farce, and I am doing my job perfectly. Don''t tell me you''re suspecting me because I am that good at my job. "If anything, you should be giving me more benefits for being so damn good. I can''t believe you want to consider terminating me because I made everyone believe I''m head over heels with the girl," Jer said casually as he looked at Razia. Razia was staring at him, trying to see if there was any truth to that or if he was just trying to save his skin. The consequences were a little too dark and Razia sure hoped that he could remember them. There was no room for falling back at the moment, especially when they had done everything possible to get to this point. It would be hard inserting someone into Awuor''s life but that didn''t mean they wouldn''t do it. Everyone was receable and the Russels knew it too. "Well, we don''t have time for the lie detection but I hope for your own sake that you believe and know it to be true. Anyway, go on. Find Dominic and stay with him. "You will need to be beside him for this part," Razia said as she cast a spell on Jer to eliminate any traces of him in this room. It was the safest way for the wolf to get out there and create the perfect alibi, white Razia did what she had to do. "See you soon," Jer said as he was portaled out of the alpha''s suite and to his room, where thankfully he didn''t meet his mate. The young wolf then prepared the room, was if this was the surprise he had been preparing for Awuor. He then set it up like they were having an indoor date, for the evening, which wasn''t a surprise because he had done it more than twice in the past ten years. He had nothing to worry about in that aspect. Back in the alpha''s suite, Razia looked at her best friend, her heart breaking for the woman whose only sin was to nerf the most dangerous of the goddess''s creations. At first, Razia wasn''t sure this would work, because being the mother of the white wolf, Eni Sicario had a choice between immortality and mortality. She could choose between both and live her life and she wished for it. Most of the time, the mothers made their choice once their daughters'' wolves had fully developed, and from what Razia had figured out, Awuor''s wolf was so close to being fully ready. It was as if she was in the final stage of the development of her wolf. "I''m so sorry, Eni. I should have killed her at birth, but I couldn''t force myself to do it. I had to let her live. At least you got more years with your daughter, Sister. All I got with Rukiya was nothing. "My child looks at me like a stranger and I don''t even know how to make it up to her. I don''t know how to go to her and embrace her. I hated her for half her life and she grew up knowing it. "Thinking about those days kills my heart, Eni. I wish there was a choice in this, I really wish we had another option. I would have explored it," Razia said as she cleaned the blood off the floor. Luna Eni was staring at her silently as life faded from her eyes. She looked so pale and so defeated, not to mention the fact that her best friend was killing her and betraying her. Undoubtedly, Eni Sicario deserved better and Razia knew that too, but then fate was exactly going to be kinder to them all the time. They would have to figure it out at the end of the day. It was just sad that this time, Eni had to die for it to happen. It was the craziest of things and decisions they had to make, but someone had to get their hands dirty for this. "We had dreams, Eni. Dreams of having our children y together. Remember how we were to watch as they grew older, as they became parents too? Oh, the dreams we had," Razia sighed as she sat next to her bleeding defined. She knew she could help Eni; she could fix her up and save the Sicario luna, but then she couldn''t. It would ruin the n. It would make them eternal targets. It would fuck up their family for generations and generations. "The¡­ Our¡­ they''re mates, Razia¡­ we could have been the happiest¡­ parents," Eni coughed out and Razia felt her heart constrict at the idea. They really had good ns for the future. The fact that their children were mates and couldn''t be together was their greatest agony. From the beginning, Eni had been expecting this. She had been expecting Razia or her brother toe after her. "I''m so sorry, Eni. I wish we had more time. We could have been grandmothers or even great-grandmothers. We could have had an entire race filled with white hair or brown hair running around. "They would have been the prettiest little wolves of our time. They would have had the strongest family lines. We would have been undefeated then. With the Greyson army and Sicario army, we would have been untouchable. "We would have been happier, sister. Fate is so so cruel," Razia said, as she finally let her years free. It hurt that this had to be done and she hoped that maybe someday they would be happier without the bonds of whatever fate they were bound to. Razia had long known that if she went through with this, she would be the target of Awuor Sicario. She would be ruined by the little girl whose mother she was stealing and honesty, to Razia, that is okay. Loyalty to the family always won over loyalty to friendship, even if the friends were family. Maybe they would have better days ahead of them. But was that even possible with the storm that wasing for them? "I forgive you, Razia. This isn''t easy for you, friend. I know that¡­ I knew it even when I came to you with the worries months ago. Be well, my friend," Eni said and Razia blinked back tears. As usual, Eni Sicario was of a pure heart. And that broke Razia''s heart even more. "Eni, wait¡­" Chapter 273: Sweet But A Psycho [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] "I forgive you, Razia. This isn''t easy for you, friend. I know that¡­ I knew it even when I came to you with the worries months ago. Be well, my friend," Eni said and Razia blinked back tears. As usual, Eni Sicario was of a pure heart. And that broke Razia''s heart even more. "Eni, wait¡­" Razia began as she looked at her dying best friend. It was quite ironic to hear her say that to the same woman who was bleeding out. Either Razia was so out of touch with her reality or she was just being cruel. There was just no way she didn''t know what this would mean for the both of them or even say things were going between them. She had betrayed Eni and nothing would ever fix that. It was one thing to do what she had to and another to get to be the one who threw thest punch at a friend whose only mistake was trusting her. She was insane for this, but then didn''t she already know that at the moment anyway? "It''s okay, Razia," Eni said as she struggled to breathe. Razia had cast a paralysis spell on her and that made it impossible for Eni to make a move. She was stuck in the same spot while her best friend was watching her with sad eyes. This was heartbreaking, to say the least, and the fact that Eni Sicario was still so forgiving was not something that Razia could ever recover from. "I love you, Eni,'''' Razia said to the woman just as she blinked herst. She was struggling to hold on, and wait for her daughter but then there was only smooch that she could do with her body stiff on the ground and her inability to speak coherently. "See you soon, Eni," Razia sighed as she watched Eni''s eyes shut and her body begging running white. She really was dead and Razia had been the one to do it. This was not something that Razia Greyson would ever recover from. Nothing Would ever make it any better for her and she owns it. She would have to carry the weight of the guilt, and the sin of taking her best friend''s life along with the pain of murdering her husband. Her family was supposed to be her support system and yet each time Razia found someone to call family, they would always be an issue. It was like the universe was determined to leave her alone. Maybe that was for the best and maybe she was the evil ma that got her beloved wondering if there was another way out of this. Nothing would ever be the same, and Razia had long known it. "I''m sorry," Razia whispered, defeated joy as she cleaned up the blood flow and made sure that there was no trace of Her or her in there. It was a trap, one that was meant to eliminate two people at a time, and goodness, this was the cruelest thing. As Razia had ordered Jer had gone to be with Dom. They were at the arcade ying video games like life was normal. asionally they would whine about what Awuor would do if she found them ying games instead of training again. It was typical of Awuor, but then Jer and Dom already knew that. There was no denying that they enjoyed being nagged by Awuor either way. Perhaps it was their way of knowing what wasing. Awuor always had everything off-head and her schedule, so it was no secret that they relied on her more than they relied on their brains. To Dom, this was just another day of them cking, but for Her, this was more. His conscience was eating at him, daring him to do the impossible as he tried to keep a straight face. His heart beats had increased and he could feel his heart shattering when he thought back to the sight that would meet Awuor. It wasn''t something he would want for his worst enemy. Yet here he was, doing the worst to the woman that his broken heart would always eat for. It wasn''t fair, but life itself was not fair to anyone too, right? "I''m going to train. You should join me when you''re done ying games," Awuor''s voice came through the general mind link and the boys shared an ok. That always never meant anything good for them. Thest time they had been told that by Awuor, they had ended up training for seven extra hours was an insane workout and even though they couldn''t feel their limbs, they had to keep going because otherwise, the woman would have their heads. And they had suffered. "We should go, Dom. She might maim us for real this time," Jer said, his voice shaking as it always did whenever they were in such situations. Granted, the other times it had been an act to be put on, one he had aced wlessly, but this time, it was different. "Rx. She has been staring at you with lust since morning. I''m assuming you triggered her yesterday. If you go to train with her, she will jump you, and as much as I love my sister, knowing how she is folded by you is a little too much even for me," Dom said. Jer snorted sadly at thest statement. It sounded ridiculous and yet at the same time there was a truth to it. He loved Audio and would do whatever he wanted. He would give it to her whenever if that''s what she wanted. Right at that moment, he was only agreeing with Dom, even though he knew that there was never going to be such a thing for him and Awuor again. Yesterday was thest time, and frankly, Jer felt like a devil for triggering her. He could only hope that the misfortune that was bound, was too much for Awuor to bear that her what would be instantly skipped. That shit always happens to the sick wolves and those who weren''t mentally prepared for their fates. Maybe it was a shortcut, but it was the only thing that Jar could wish for Awuor. Now that Razia decided to ruin Awuor too, there was no telling what the fuck was meant to be happening. It was heartbreaking to say the least. "Fine, let''s continue then. I have to break this record today," Jer said as he looked at Dom. He could see the love the brother had for his sister. Surely, Awuor could be a menace for a sibling, but which families didn''t have menses for kids? And so, for thirty minutes, they kept ying, only for a sudden wave of sadness to fill the pack. It was so strange and it came with a rough edge of anger. The intensity was so strange, and while itsted a microsecond, Jer knew. He knew that Luna was dead and he knew that the rage was the possible result of Awuor seeing her mother like that. However, when he saw Razia standing before him, clearly morized, Jer wasn''t sure he would get through this. Hell, he wasn''t sure what to make of it really, because none of this was valid. "Your turn," Razia mouthed before she disappeared. Chapter 274: The Price of A Life Not Lived [SICARIO] [Fifty-six months ago] A lot was happening at the same time in Sicario and it was going to be a little too hard to press them all at once. It was the kind of madness that even the mentally unstable and the insane ones would want to be a part of. It was that bad. In the arcade, Jer and Dom were still ying their games,peting with each other as their lives depended on it. It was nothing new, and the forced state of their mind was to be expected from people who took pride in iming they were the best of the best. In the gym, Awuor was training, only to trip and fall to the ground. Her first instinct was that she had been tripped on the oil by her warriors, but even before she could process it, she was knocked unconscious. Still in the gym, Razia made sure to erase the young wolf''s memories of her past hour, and then portaled her unconscious body to the alphas suite, where Eni was lying dead. The blood had begun drying off, but with a little spell, Razia was able to make it seem so fresh. It was the perfect setup for someone who was supposed to be murdered in less than ten minutes or even five. Razia then used her magic to force Awuor''s ws out, and she strategically dragged the girl so it would seem like her ws were deep into the Sicario Luna''s neck. Time was a cruel setup, but the two birds with one stone, right? With the stage set, Razia made herself invisible as she waited for ten more minutes before she undid the spell she had cast on Awuor, instantly waking the girl up, right when the room darkened so she couldn''t see anything. "Let the games begin," Razia said to herself as she sat at the corner, and waited to see how this would y out. She knew this was sinister, but then the moon goddess created a girl who was capable of wiping out her entire family wasn''t good either, right? This was the bnce the universe needed, no? "Aaahh," Razia heard Awuor sigh as she tried to take in where she was. The girl was confused and Razia was excitedly watching her. She knew that the girl had t been feeling a little crazy at the moment. She had to have a headache from the way Razia had hit her so hard. It was almost like she had intended to kill the girl but she still needed her for the n to work. Oh, but Razia was way beyond what redemption offered. Razia saw Awor clutch her head, almost like it was the heaviest thing on her body and for a moment there, the woman felt bad for the girl whose mother she had just killed. She wanted to rush and see if Awuor was okay, but she couldn''t do that. She had sat herself and positioned herself a little too perfectly for her to ruin it. She would have the front row seat to the greatest sin of the world and Sicario in itself. This right here was what fate would never forgive regardless of who was involved. While Razia watched, Awuor was at a loss. She was feeling like someone had kicked her ass really bad and she hadn''t even managed to defend herself. She had a splitting headache, and for a moment, she stayed where she was. From the feel of it, she was lying on a hard surface, which was weird considering the beds in Sicario were some of the best. Thefort that came with being a royal was beyond this world and being the alpha of her pack, Awuor definitely had grown up infort. So, it didn''t make any sense at least to her. "Damn, did the stupid dumbbell fall on me again? I should really be careful," Awuor sighed as she waited for the pain to subside. The darkness made her feel like she was in another world. One thing about Sicario was that everything was properly lit. They hated darkness, all of them, because so many things could happen in the dark, and that was the first thing that made Awuor raise her eyebrows. This sudden darkness just didn''t make any sense. "Great, now I gotta use my werewolf sight. And what the hell is that wetness, dammit," Awuor sighed when she felt some liquid on her hands. It was not easy for her, so she tried to look around, but then her sight was faulty¡­ another strange thing. In her mind, she was still in the Sicario gym and her tripping was a consequence of what the warriors had spilled. She would give them a long and hard lectureter, but she needed to figure this out. On the first try, Awuor failed, and that was once again a disturbing realization. She was an alpha wolf, it didn''t make sense for her not to have her werewolf sight restored. How hard had the damn weights hit her anyway? Defeatedly, she touched the back of her head, and once again felt the thick liquid, adding to her anger. She was pissed but she wasn''t going to take it out on her warriors. Instead, she would be their very nice leader and make them run just three hundredps in the field. "Damn, goddess, what the hell is wrong with me?" Awuor asked no one in particr when she tried getting up and felt like her feet were not moving. She was too smart to me the weights again. Something was amiss, and she would find out. "Anyone there?" She called out but no one came to her aid, despite the fact that they had werewolf hearing, which was weird considering she was an alpha wolf and always had her guards waiting for her all the time. Razia had blocked everything in this room. She knew it wasn''t fair, but it was long past the time for her to stop the wave froming right? She just had to make sure the n wasn''t with any hitches. She did have to admit though, that Awuor Sicario looked defeated already. And to her siblings, that would be good news. Razia watched as Awuor''s eyes zed and down she was trying to reach out in the mind links. Maybe that would help her, right? But then, would it? Whatever it was, Razia wasn''t even bothered. Instead, she cast a spell to bring the Sicario alpha to the suite. "Awuor?" Alpha Sicario called out quietly, his voice so defeated that Awuor could have sworn she heard her father whimper. She couldn''t me him though. The sight in front of Sicario was making him uncertain too. Maybe he was hallucinating, because his mate couldn''t be on the dan floor with his daughter''s ws retracting gently from her neck, right? It had to be a mistake that his Eni was having her throat ripped out of her neck, yeah? "Father? Oh, goddess what happened here?" Awuor asked, the shock clear in her voice, as she looked around her. Her mother was dead and it was too obvious that she was the culprit. "No," Dom said when he walked in. He had never expected to lose his mother, or that too in the hands of his sister, but damn, this was twisted in so many ways. While her brother, her father and her mate looked at their dead mother, Awuor was lost. She couldn''t remember anything and she didn''t even know how she was supposed to start defending herself. Her life was over and she didn''t need anyone to spell it out for her. "Mother, wake up! Mother, please," Awuor said as she looked at her mother, shaking her body so the wolf would wake up, but there was nothing. She was long dead and the blood on the floor of the alpha''s suite was too much. "Mother please, I promise I''ll be better," Awuor cried out, but her cries were in vain. Defeatedly Awuor looked at herself, her tattered clothes making her wonder what had happened to her. They were wed, and ripped apart so much that they didn''t look anything like a regal wear anymore. She looked like she had not even changed into her gym clothes, hell she looked like a homeless woman in Sicario, and yet she had a family and a home. She had power, but that didn''t mean anything at the moment. Devastated, she looked at her mother''s fingers, only to find pieces of her clothing. It was crazy, how she was the suspect in all the damn ways. She never fought with her mother, so what was it that had made her murder her own Luna? "You killed my Eni," a devastated Alpha Sicario let out, ring daggers at his daughter. This woman was already the alpha and now she killed her mother? Why were her ws dripping with her mother''s blood? Why did she smell like the stench of sweat in the alpha''s suite and why in all hell was she even here? This was nothing like the gym; this wasn''t the ce for her to be at this particr time. What was she doing here? "Father, please listen to me, trust me please, father, I didn''t do it. I love her, I always have. Why would I kill the only woman who loved and understood me my whole life? Please, father," Awuor said and when her father didn''t say anything, she knew she was to be judged by the whole of Sicario. "I''m off, Jeremiah. Congrattions on the first sessful mission," Razia whispered in Jer''s ears before she disappeared, leaving Sicario in a mess and the reigning alpha in an even deer mess. Nothing could ever exonerate Awuor Sicario from this, right? Chapter 275: You Made Me Like This [HAWI] Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin [Today] Staring at Razia, Hawi wasn''t sure if she wanted to strangle the woman or if she wanted to see how many times she could fuck her up to the point that Razia would be begging for a quick death. She hated what he had heard and she hated that she owned the truth four years after everything had gone sideways. It was like her life had been a game for them and they had yed all their cards while waiting to see what would happen to the girl they broke one too many times. This wasn''t fair, but Hawi was done pitying herself. "All of that effort you and your brothers put in to make me into the perfect mess, the girl who would have no one on her side, the kind that no one would ever want to interact with, and yet even then I won and will keep on winning, Razia Greyson. "I am mated to your daughter, the one you failed to murder, the girl who hates you and will do whatever it takes to be rid of you in her life, forever. She knows you killed her father Razia. I doubt she would ever forgive you, but hey, we are here because of me, right? "You and your family were supposed to be the smartest of enemies and yet each time you have been proving just how stupid you can get, and each time you surprise me. You know, now that I think about it, if Rukiya was born to be my true mate, didn''t it ever ur to you that the fates already knew that you would try to kill her? "Did you never stop to think that my immortality and her existence were bound? Or have you ever heard of a mate bond that has one mortal and another immortal? "You sure are a bunch of stupid fucks parading themselves for a battle you already lost in the name of being shadow warlocks. You all are dumb, Razia, I can''t think of anything else to call you," Hawi said coldly as she stared at the three Russels in the room. She considered running them over with one of her trucks, but she didn''t want to dirty her beautiful trucks with the blood of idiots who didn''t deserve any mercy. She hated Razia. More than has ever hated Atticus and the rest of the shadow warlocks. The fact that it was Razia''s idea to bring Jer into her life made her want to knock the woman out but that was too good a mercy. She would take her sweet time with this family. She would hunt down even those who were still in hiding. Now that she had two of the seven, she wouldn''t stop until she got thest of the seven. Oh, but she had ns for the family. "What does that mean? Please let Kurt go, please," Razia pleaded while Atticus fell down unconscious. He couldn''t take it anymore. The amount of blood the warlock had lost was too much and with Hawi having taken up all his magic, he was just a regr human in here. He was in fact in a worse position than Kurt whose main job in this dungeon seemed to be dying and being forced back to life over and over without so much to think of. It was crazy though, because so much had been lost while a few tried to fuck up whatever was left of Hawi''s life. This was crazed but thankfully, Awuor Hawi was crazier. "As you wish," Hawi said as she walked over to one of the huge gun drawers, grabbed a Glock 17, and fired it right into Kurt''s head, instantly killing the boy. However, this time, she didn''t stop. She brought him back from the brink of death, only to raid the poor boy''s body with bullets, while still staring at Razia''s shocked face. Hawi was brutal, that much was known. However, right now, it seemed like there was something that was keeping her sane. Her rage had taken over and her thirst for vengeance had been multiplied tenfold. She looked dangerous, even as her blood from Kurt sputtered on her. She didn''t stop, not even when she grabbed an automatic machine gun and positioned Kurt a few meters from it, then set it off, watching in awe as the kid''s body was shredded to pieces by the bullets. Even then, Hawi made sure to keep the boy alive. Each time she thought that the boy would pass out and die, she breathed her breath of life into him, until all that was left of the boy was just holes and more holes. Bored that there wasn''t more to eliminate from Kurt, Hawi turned the machine gun at Atticus, making sure to aim it at his lower limbs. She had hung Attic in a horizontal position, seeing as he had only one arm and one leg, that didn''t even help him as much seeing as his ankle had been cut off and Hawi had been bored and dragged his other leg on the ground to the point that it was useless. "Please no," Razia begged as the rifle was aimed at Atticus, and it went off, shooting ten rounds per minute. There were gunshot sounds from the dungeon and while some could be heard, Hawi didn''t bother this time. She didn''t care that there was a possible shake in the pack that resulted from this. All she cared about was that the man was feeling the pain that his sister had forced her to go through. Razia had taken everything away from her, and Hawi would do it too. Perhaps that''s why she smiled at Razia, while Atticus''s body was being riddled with bullets. Anyone would think that Hawi was doing practice rounds, but then at some point, Atticus couldn''t scream anymore, and he could see the tail of the bullet belt and the popped casings that fell to the ground. It felt like they were in a warzone, me but then wasn''t that what this was anyway? They were at war and Hawi wouldn''t stop until she felt like she had to do something. "Please, Hawi¡­ I will do anything for you, please," Razia said and that got Hawi''s attention as she instantly stopped the machine gun from firing. This had to be interesting because otherwise, she would have let Atticus remain a shell of who he once was, not that he is anything at the moment, he would probably die in minutes because of the amount of blood loss but Hawi didn''t give a shit about it. None of these people cared that they had hurt her and ruined her family. They had taken everything from her and she wouldn''t stop. At least that much they knew, especially now that even some of the prisoners there had fainted in shock from the hostility with which she was executing Razia''s love. She couldn''t be med though and even if she was, Awuor Hawi was not going to pretend that her life was all sunshine and unicorns. "Are you sure about that?" Hawi said as she wiped the blood from her face. She looked like the master of hell, even as she grabbed one of the white towels from the executive cabs and wiped her face. That shit didn''t make it any better, because even her hair had turned red. She was thrusting for more blood and Razia was presenting herself as the perfect bait. "Yes. Just anything, please stop riddling their bodies with bullets, when are they already dead," Razia begged and Hawiughed before she walked over to where Atticus was hanging, or rather whatever was left of Atticus''s body was hanging. The man looked weak as hell. He looked like he didn''t even want to live anymore. For someone known for his cruelty, Atticus was just like a piece of paper that could crumple and burn. The only difference was that she wasn''t done with him yet. She wasn''t going to let it be, not like this. And if he died, she would bring him back to life and she would make him go through worse pain. They had ruined her and she would pay them back a thousand-fold. "You dead yet, Atticus?" Hawi asked and the man groaned out in pain. "Come now, Razia. You lied again. Your brother isn''t dead, you see, he is in the right shape. But since you want him dead so bad I will give that to you," Hawi said before she shot Razia in the chest, so close to her heart. Chapter 276: A World Without Home * Happy Valentine''s!! The previous chapter is too brutal for love, so happy valentines in this second update wii [HAWI] "You dead yet, Atticus?" Hawi asked and the man groaned out in pain. "Come now, Razia. You lied again. Your brother isn''t dead, you see, he is in the ring shape. But since you want him dead so bad I will give that to you," Hawi said before she shot Razia in the chest, so close to her heart. It was so unexpected that the prisoners screamed as they stared at Razia. This was hell, that much they were certain of, because there was no way a woman could be this cruel. Weren''t women supposed to be loving and shit? Well, if that was the case, the Razia Greyson should have been covered in white and wearing saintly clothing, but then she wasn''t, yeah? "Why?" Razia asked as she clutched at her chest. She could feel her arteries so close to nursing and her heart was beating too slowly making her feel like she was about to die. She felt like hell had finallye knowing. Hell, she could have known that a pissed Hawi wasn''t exactly warm and fuzzy anymore. This was what she had created. "You said your brother was dead, but he wasn''t. Unless you were talking about Kurt, but then that would also be a lie, because there he is. My magic fixed his body and he is ready to be another experiment for me. "Perhaps I should start with the des this time, seeing as he has experienced the feeling of bullets right? Or maybe I should consider my automatic bow and arrow, which should be perfect for a kid like him¡­ "Just so you know, his brain remembers all the pain, that''s why his eyes are hooded. He is scared and you want to know what the best part of all this is? He doesn''t see my face. All he sees is you. "He thinks you''re the one killing him, that you''re the one torturing him and he thinks that all of this is your doing¡­ well it is, but he thinks that you are me, the executioner. "How''s that for family bonding, Greyson, huh?" Hawi asked as she grabbed the nearest pistol and fired at Kurt''s arm, watching as the kid shook in fear. His eyes were swollen from too much crying and he looked like he would pass out any moment. This was too much for a child to go through and Hawi knew that too. But then she was also just a kid when Razia decided that she had to have her ws retract from her mother''s neck. It wasn''t the prettiest of things but then what else was there? "Anyway, before you ask me any stupid questions,e along, I want to show you something, Razia Greyson," Hawi said. Before Razia could say anything, Hawi portaled the both of them out of the dungeons and onto the battlefield, where Malika, Mbali, Rukiya, and Elodie were fighting with the Sicario warriors. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin Razia had long known that this war wasing, but when they got up there and she saw the warriors hadid down their weapons and were ring at Jeremiah Warner Razia knew they were fucked. She knew that nothing would ever save them from this. "Mistress, what the hell is happening? Why did they drop all their weapons at once?" Malika asked, and it was obvious they had been standing there confused for a while. Elodie was confused too seeing as her mind links had been at the moment she told Jer that she quit being a member of Sicario. It was theplexity of their reality, but it was a reality they wouldn''t change nheless. "Yeah¡­ they suddenly hate looking at us like we were the victims and shit, and we had already kicked their asses. I know I have read of the Stockholm syndrome, but goddess, having that on the battlefield is wild. What the fuck did Razia do to them? "We didn''t use any magic to sway them," Mbali exined as she looked around Sicario. Most of the warriors were tending to their injured, you would think that they were not even at war anymore. On one end, it was the boring side of war, because no war was interesting if the other party had given up, while on the other end, they were sincerely confused because this was never the norm for anyone. It just made no sense. "Don''t you want to say something to us, Jer? Or are you too scared now that we have two of your puppeteers?" Hawi asked and Jer sighed. He looked at Razia, taking in the sight of the woman who was supposed to be too powerful. There was no trace of that woman at the moment. Whatever was there, was just a woman whose ribs were broken and she looked like she had been roughed up alone too many to one, not to mention the bullet wound on her chest. It was obvious it was a silver bullet, thanks to the cruel dark green marks that were forming around it, and the veins that were ready to burst. Razia Greyson looked terrible. "What?" Rukiya asked as she looked at her mother and then at Jer. She knew she would expect her mother to have it rough in the hands of Hawi, but now that she looked at her mother she couldn''t recognize her anymore. This woman was a stranger to her. Her entire body was swollen and she looked like she had been slowly rotting. She had burn marks and smelled acidic, not to mention wolfsbane. She didn''t have her magic and her body was slowly fading. If Rukiya''s sighting was right, she could sense that Razia had died at least thrice and had been brought back to life. This was crazy, insane and this was only then that Rukiya fully realized how psychotic the mate she had been given was. This woman was madness reincarnated and the strange part was that Rukiya wasn''t the least bit scared. Everyone on the field expected her to run to her mother and check on her, and while she did run in the direction of Razia and Hawi, Rukiya didn''t even spare her mother a nce. It was like she was in a world that didn''t have her mother, a world that the Russels had created, and one that had cost her her father and Hawi, her family. Perhaps this was the price to be paid for the mess, but whatever it was, Rukiya was done caring and wondering what her mother would do next. "You''re covered in blood. You look different. Are you okay? Are you hurt?? Does it hurt anywhere? Is there something I need to know? Do you have migraines? Should I have Malika check on you? Do you need water? "Do we need to get out of here? Tell me something, anything, love. Please," Rukiya rambled as she looked at Hawi who was smirking at Razia. When Rukiya had rushed to Hawi, she had pushed Razia away and the woman had fallen to the ground, the same one that was filled with the blood of the fallen Sicario warriors. It was like she didn''t give two shits about her mother dearest and was worried about her mate. Maybe it was instinct or maybe it was just that Rukiya understood her mate so well. She knew that there was no stopping and she wasn''t about to stop Hawi. "Where does it hurt?" Rukiya asked as she touched up Hawi, like she was turning to see if there were scratches on her. Granted, both of them were covered in blood, but Hawi looked like she had been rolling in blood for a long time. She looked like she had made an appointment with the Grim Reaper and had gone there only to tear the Grim Reaper apart. Oh how she looked so different and scary, but to Rukiya, her mate was her baby. And she needed to do something, anything that could assure her that Hawi was fine. "Nowhere hurts¡­ Just my heart, but that will take time to heal sweetheart," Hawi said as she held Rukiya in a hug. Having to rest her head on Rukiya''s shoulder was something that gave her hope. It reminded her that despite everything that had happened, and everything she had lost, she wouldn''t lose Ruru too. This woman was her everything and if she lost her, then Hawi would be aplete feral wolf and that would be dangerous for everyone, including her friends. "I''m here now, love. I''m here," Rukiya said to Hawi as she hugged her tightly, you would think they hadn''t seen each other for centuries. "I''m here," Rukiya whispered again, not letting go. Chapter 277: Of Lovely Moments [HAWI] Standing there with Ruru in her arms, Hawi felt whole. Sure, It wasn''t the best of ces for things like this, but knowing that her mate had her back in all of this made her feel like she was worth fighting for. She had endured a little too much in the hands of Razia and right now,ing to the pack members who had stepped out of their hideouts was something they couldn''t deny was impactful. It was the kind of chaos that was needed, the only issue because that the remaining team from the Savasci knights knew nothing of it. They wished there was more they could make of this, but they had to wait it out. "Thank goodness you''re alright. Why are you here now? What is happening? Did you get the answers you went to seek?" Ruru asked and Hawi just chuckled amusedly as she stared at the love of her life standing there worried sick for her. She had known that Ruru would always worry for her, but seeing her this disturbed got Hawi wondering what would happen if she took Razia back to the dungeons and then took Rukiye to her suite to relive their mating. It was a good idea, one that got Hawi staring at Ruru like she was the only reason they were here; like only Ruru could tell her to postpone her mother''s judgment and she would do it. Your adventure continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin "Absolutely not, mistress," Malika said making everyone look at her like she had gone bonkers. There were times when Malika was to be considered insane, but one looked at the mates before her, and the pieces wereing together and they weren''t exactly pretty for them anyway. "You two are honestly disgusting," Mbali said, scrunching her nose as she stared at the couple before them. They were used to the two doing whatever before them, but they were here, at war, with people staring at them like there was more they needed to do, and yet the only thing the two of them were thinking was screwing each other. At Mbali''s statement, the psycho smirked at her, before she had the audacity to hide her face on Ruru''s shoulders, something that got the Greyson alpha curious about what they had throat Hawi had done. "What did we do this time?" Ruru asked earnestly as she red at Mbali as if to tell her to stop projecting, but Mbali just shook her head in disbelief, like Rukiya was enabling Hawi''s feral tendencies. Elodie, on the other hand, was just staring in silence, amused to say the least, but then the more they bickered, the more she realized there had to be more to this mess. And it took a minute for Elodie to process what was happening. "Tell your mate to turn her horny radar off Ruru. We''re here for the battle, you two can screw each otherter," Elodie said defeatedly when she realized what this was about. Finally, it all made sense when they were staring with disgusted faces. Ruru didn''t seem so bothered with that, if anything, she just smirked at Elodie and their friends like that was the best idea she had ever had. Whatever had happened with the mating bonds, the goddess had to have been high with these two. "You''re horny in war?" Ruru asked with a knowing smirk as she took in the sight before her now that she focused on Hawi, she could see the light blush and her dted eyes that were screaming for something more. Rukiya could also smell the desire that was pooling around them and it wasn''t so hard to tell whose desire that was. Perhaps there was a different way to get through this, right; ecause it was quite unexpected if they were big honest. At her mate''s voice, Hawi didn''t say anything. She neither confirmed nor denied what she was used of, and instead, the white wolf just let out a groan, making their friends pick up stones like they were about to pelt them towards the duo if they didn''t stop. "It''s not my fault that you''re hot and you smell so damn good," Hawi whined after a while like that was meant to make this all better and pretend like the whole of Sicario isn''t having the front row seats to her horny exhibition and her hair slowly turning white. Oh, she was down so bad for Rukiya Greyson, and their friends just facepalmed. Surely this duo wasn''t being serious with them right now, yeah? Because it just didn''t make any sense, but then it was Hawi, so it didn''t even have to. "Tone it down for now, and I''ll take you on a date," Ruru said to Hawi, as she pulled Hawi''s head off her shoulders, making sure to keep their eye contact. She wanted to see the girl who was blushing at a time when people were scared of her. Maybe Hawi was just a soul in love, or maybe she just wanted to be happy, and she was slowlying to terms with the reality that her happiness was always going to blend in with some type of war, regardless of what she did. This was what eptance looked like and the fact that Hawi was epting the chaos and how it affected her, was making her even more dangerous. Because if she could fall in love in war, and still fight battles and win, then she was insane. "You promise?" Hawi asked with a pout while the entirety of Sicario stood there watching the girl they had known and yet banished. This was a version of Hawi that they hadst seen the day before her mother''s death. This was the girl they had grown up with, the girl most of them had watched grow up, the happy little girl they had always been proud of. For years they wanted her like that because she was always about murdering people. But seeing her here letting herself be vulnerable with Ruru Greyson was something that tugged at their heartstrings. It reminded them that even the worst of the worst still had people who made them weak in the knees, and that was ever okay. "Of course, baby. I love you," Ruru said as she kissed Hawi on the forehead like she was the purest creature she had ever met. She didn''t care that the woman still had her mother''s blood on her or even her uncle''s. All that mattered to Ruru was that Hawi was okay and still had the time to be horny in war. Her heart beat for this woman, just like Hawi''s heart beat for Ruru. It wasn''t a hard tell this time anyway. "I love you," Hawi said as she looked around her, but Ruru gently turned her face so they could look at each other, almost like she had noticed Hawi to know that everyone else didn''t matter as long as they were here together. "Turn it off so we can leave this pce by evening and go on that date, sweetheart," Ruru said and Hawi just nodded, before she smashed her lips on Ruru''s, earning gasps from the crowd, but it wasn''t surprising to their friends. "Done," Hawi whispered when they pulled apart, their lips swollen. Chapter 278: That’s My Baby [HAWI] "Turn it off so we can leave this pce by evening and go on that date, sweetheart," Ruru said and Hawi just nodded, before she smashed her lips on Ruru''s, earning gasps from the crowd, but it wasn''t surprising to their friends. "Done," Hawi whispered when they pulled apart, their lips swollen. She looked so proud of what she had done and if there was a chance that she could do it again, Hawi would, with so much as a second thought. As it was, an audience didn''t really matter that much anyway, as long as she was the only one that Rukiya Greyson went soft on, and the one that Rukiya wanted to see all the damn time. Maybe they were obsessed with each other but who wouldn''t? They were Rukiya Greyson and Awuor Hawi Sicario, even the fates were probably a little delusional about their bond and what it would take to make them into what society hoped for. They were good for each other. Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin "That''s my baby," Ruru said proudly as she pulled Hawi into a light hug, before they turned to face their friends who were staring at them, the stones still in their hands, as if they could even harm the duo. Razia, who was watching this mess, finally started understanding why these two women were paired together. They were both broken and hurt by the people they considered home. They had both been forced to be like this, and yet they had found peace in each other. Theypleted each other in ways that no one couldprehend yet. They loved each other so much it was achingly adorable. They were each other''s bane and they knew it too, which made it even more interesting, because they were both explosive. "Did it ever ur to the two of you that we are also here with you? Each time you guys make us third wheel. At least Malika has Elodie¡­ I didn''t even have anyone," Mbali whined and they all burst outughing. "This is not funny¡­ You people are making me an agonized mess," Mbali added, not liking that they were enjoying her misery. You would think that she was worried about the oue of the war, but then it wasn''t new. They were the Savasci knights after all. "Thest person who was interested in you, you severed his limbs because he kissed you in public, Mbali," Hawi said and Mbali red at her like that wasn''t the subject at the moment. "Let''s not forget the girl you were in love with, the same one you made to work overtime because you couldn''t figure out if you loved her, or if it was just your magic in y," Ruru added. "You guys are forgetting the most iconic one. How she ran away, literally, because the women gave her butterflies and she didn''t know what to do since warriors were apparently not supposed to feel butterflies," Malika added. Mbali stared at her sister softly, like she was trying to understand all this. Sure, they had agreed not to talk about their sisterhood until their mission was over but knowing that Malika knew that much about her, made her feel like she had been so close all the time. It made her wonder if Malika was the one who had fixed most of the messes that Mbali had been unable to. Perhaps having an elder sister wasn''t so bad but what was she supposed to do when they were not even on the same page most times? "I thought we were here for Razia and Sicario¡­ when did we all decide to talk about my love life?" Mbali asked and her friends opened their mouths to teach her even more, but her res got them shut up. "Yup, Razia Russel Greyson," Ruru said as she looked at her mother, the same woman who looked like a sketch of what she had once been. However, the Greyson alpha didn''t care about that. All that mattered to her was Hawi, because she knew Hawi was shouldering everyone''s problems. No matter how much they wanted to help, they all had toe to terms with the fact that Hawi was always foreign to be looking out for them, while Mika looked out for Hawi. So, this time, she is going to be the mate her mate needed. "I know everyone is confused about what is happening, but you all heard Razia''s confession in the mind links, Sicario. I assume that is why your weapons areid down, instead ofing after me. "For years a lot has happened in our home, and I had to leave for obvious reasons, but I won''t stand here and y the victim card. I know you all hated me for what happened to my mother, and you had every right to. "I was there and I had no recollection of what happened, not to mention my admission of guilt didn''t exactly sound warm and fuzzy, not to mention theck of apology in my voice. However, I went and looked for the source of my pain. "I will have you know that they didn''t stop at Mother. They took out Father and Dom, even though they were innocent. I supposed the house Sicario was so much of a threat, or maybe I was the girl they needed to eliminate. "I worked so hard to figure out what happened that morning, and I finally did. Now you know why they did it. For those still confused, I am the white wolf of the century, and Rukiya Greyson is my true mate. "Just like everyone here has a true mate, or those who haven''t will definitely get their true mates. I couldn''t get mine sooner because of Razia, Jeremiah, and the shadow warlocks. "I am going to let you all decide what to do with both of them, but make no mistake. Do not kill them, for I will be the one to kill them all. My friends and I will be in my suite if you need more rification. "I know you have questions as to why I fought back and even hurt people who were supposed to be myrades. But then war is war, and in war, things do happen. However, you all already know that Jeremiah used Razia''s magic to sway you into war. "If he was so confident of what he had done, why did he need magic then? Anyway, I''ll see you guyster. Until then, have fun, Sicario," Hawi said as she held Ruru''s hand and ushered the rest of the Savasci with her to the packed house. She didn''t have to hide anymore. She didn''t have to stand there and hope that they wanted her home. She was going back into her house and this time, she was walking through the front door, while the entire pack was watching. They were staring at her with sad eyes, and pity, but Haw didn''t need their pity. She was way past that stage and they would eventually have to learn that. Whatever had happened had happened but she would change the tides this time. "Wee home, Alpha Awuor," one of the oldest elders said to Hawi when she reached the front of the pack house. And for the first time, the young Sicario smiled. Chapter 279: Welcome To The Karma Shop [SICARIO] She knew when she left them with that bunch of unhinged wolves, that it wasn''t going to be easy, but then she refused to stay and watch in pity. She knew that there would be worse than what she had imagined for him. And she knew that this was her finally getting free of the cruelest and the worst usation of her life. Maybe that was why she watched them from her suite, watching as they took in the new reality of what they had done and how much they had fucked her innocence up. She watched them as they tried to grapple with reality in the hope that they would be better people, but wasn''t it a little toote for that? Perhaps this was what the world would look like for them. "You?" Theo asked as he looked at his alpha, the man they had gone to war with and for even when they knew that they were a little too rushed. They had gone with him without question and what they wore hearing about him wasn''t making any sense to them. The Sicario wolves were all out there, watching in silent disbelief as they realized just how wrong they had been about the psycho they had for a child and the Alpha who loved them unconditionally. She had been crazy, but even she wasn''t crazy enough to kill her mother. Everything about that day had seemed off, and now that they all heard the confession from Razia, they weren''t sure if they needed to kill the duo or if they needed to bleed them dry until the only thing left for them was nothing. "Don''t tell me you believe the bitch who came to fight us, thrice. If she was so innocent. Why wouldn''t he prove it herself all these years? Sure, she is the white wolf, but why couldn''t she use her magic to figure out what happened? "Don''t you think it''s a little too convenient that she had the Luna Razia Greyson and is threatening the woman? Look at Luna, she''s almost dying from the silver bullet lodged so close to her heart," Jer said and Theo looked at the woman in question. Razia Greyson looked like she was about to pass out, but even she knew that couldn''t pass out like this. If she did, then her brother''s fate would be doomed and she would have to deal with the loss of her sibling, again. The only difference was that this time, Razia was certain that Hawi wouldn''t be willing to bring him back. And there were so many things that Razia still wanted to tell her brother. Things that she needed to exin and more than anything she needed to apologize. It was strange really how the only thing it took to make Razia crack was a brother that they didn''t even know existed up until a few weeks ago. It was a cruel thing to do, but all the stakes had been pulled and the odds cast. "Don''t lie, Jer. There are so many more stakes," Razia struggled to speak up and the wolves looked at her. They weren''t sure if this was the same woman who had mothered the greatest wolf in Greyson. Explore more adventures at m,v l''e-NovelBin Or maybe she was just a shell of what she had been earlier. But even if they were to give her credit for that, was she really going to be pudding that right now? Was she going to be able to tell the wolves their truths? "You''re delusional, Luna Razia. I bet it''s the magic she used on you that got you swayed. She shouldn''t have been able to infiltrate the Sicario mind links and yet she did," Jer said and one of the elders just stared in disbelief. "For someone so conversant with everything that is happening or what you think is happening, you seem to be out of touch with reality," the elder said and Jer stared at him like he wanted to strangle the man. He refused to let these people bring him down before he figured out why they hade after his Malika. She loved that woman and if he was going to go down, he would only do that when he was sure his Malika had gotten justice. Nothing that the elders or even the wolves said would make him budge. He was going to get his wife justice and Sicario could eithere with him or try to stop him, but as long as his treaty with the Russels continued, he would avenge his luna. She was far too innocent, far too pretty, and far too lovable to be dragged into a war that he had no hand in. They had taken her family and her life, and for that, Jer was never going to forgive them. He didn''t care that the wolf could burn him. All he cared about was his sweet Malika, the girl who couldn''t even hurt a fly, the woman who had taught him what life was, and the girl who had given him a chance at life. He would fight for her, until the very end. He would do whatever he needed to, until he got to the bottom of the mess and he wouldn''t stop, regardless of what Awuor Hawi wanted to do to him. This was after all, for his Malika, his precious Luna, and the love of his life. "There is no reality here, Asmodeus," Jer began as he got up to face the elder who had dared to talk to him like that. He already knew there was no way out of this, but then if he fooled the wolves just a little longer, maybe he would be able to get out of this, right? "Well, if you put it like that, the only reality here is that you are projecting. We are letting ourselves be fooled by the same girl who murdered her mother and wants the beauty of the pack. "Just because she got the delinquent Greyson alpha with her doesn''t mean she is right. For an elder you sure are slow, or maybe it''s because you''re almost at the grave, right? Even then you should at least try using our brain," Jer said and Asmodeus chuckled. The Sicario wolves were confused by the second. They had seen the vivid reality and they were still processing it, they wanted to take out their anger on Her and Razia but at the same time with magic in y, they had to wait and be patient. They didn''t want to ruin someone''s life just because they were flies, even though they all could feel that Razia had been truthful in her parents'' confession. Maybe there was another way out of this. Maybe the elders would give them a solution, for the chaos that had ensued again, right? However, at the same time, they knew that if it had all been lies, Awuor Hair wouldn''t have ordered her warriors to put their weapons down. They could have easily ughtered the pack. So, who was telling them the truth? "Oh Jeremiah, child. You are so blinded you don''t even remember that the girl was never dethroned as the Sicario alpha. Her father banished her, and kept her alpha title. Her brother never wanted to rule, and you were just her mate, a stand-in for her. "ording to the rules of thend, Awuor Hawi is the only Sicario alpha, not you and the farce you have been putting on," Asmodeus said and Jer stared in shock. There was something about that little fact that got him numb. He had done everything to keep the pack sane and kept them from falling apart and yet all this time he was just a temporary substitute? This had to be the cruelest of things that he ever hurts and it wasn''tforting in the least bit. What the fuck was he supposed to make of this and how the fuck was he supposed to avenge his Malika if he even had the power in the first ce? This was not something that Jeremiah Warner had considered and frankly, it scared the shit out of him. "What?" Jer voiced, as he looked at Razia, the one woman who had ced him in this mess. He couldn''t believe he had lost a beautiful woman and a good mate just because of all this and now he wasn''t even going to have the resources to make it alright? What the hell was he supposed to describe this as then? "What''s he saying, Russel? What does he mean that I was never the alpha of this pack? What about the things I sacrificed for them? What of the adsorbents you made me do? Did you fucking know about this?" Jer asked angrily as he held Razia roughly. He was never going to ept this, as it wasn''t fair to him and to his Malika. He had endured everything because he had his Malika and now there was no Malika and there was no pack. He was all alone seeing as the woman who had brought him in was staring at him defeatedly like she had a thousand and one troubles, and Jer wasn''t even one of the troubles. This was cruelty at its best, but there was always an exnation, right? Oh, how he desperately needed to hear it. "You heard him. Awuor Hawi was never stripped of her alpha title. A formal ceremony to dethrone her as the Sicario alpha wasn''t ever done, that is why she is still the Sicario alpha. Everyone already knew it, I wonder why you didn''t," Razia said tiredly. Chapter 280: Wish You’d Miss Me [SICARIO] "What''s he saying, Russel? What does he mean that I was never the alpha of this pack? What about the things I sacrificed for them? What of the adsorbents you made me do? Did you fucking know about this?" Jer asked angrily as he held Razia roughly. "You heard him. Awuor Hawi was never stripped of her alpha title. A formal ceremony to dethrone her as the Sicario alpha wasn''t ever done, that is why she is still the Sicario alpha. Everyone already knew it, I wonder why you didn''t," Razia said tiredly. She was trying to hold on, but with all that was happening, she had nothing to hold on to. There was really nothing that she could do other than let fate take its course. Razia had dialed and she owned it, and she wasn''t about to hold on to that failure in the hope that things could have changed. She had five other siblings and maybe they would be able to do the one stating that she and Atticus hadn''t been able to do. Staring at Jer she knew that this was the end of the road for the both of them. She couldn''t take it anymore. So while everyone was distracted, Razia Greyson forced herself to shift into her wolf. She knew that the wolfsbane in her body had slowed down because she was in her human form. That was why it was taking a lot of time to kill her, and if this went on, it would take at least ten years like this. But Razia didn''t have the strength to keep fighting. She couldn''t stand there and pretend like the world was good to her or even with her in it. She had fucked up and she has broken the first rule of being a Russel warlock. She let herself be caught and that was the most dangerous thing. If she survived this and went back to her family, they would brand her a traitor and want her head. Perhaps that''s why she struggled to shift into her wolf despite the extreme pain she was in. Her energy was spent by the time she managed to shift into her ck royal wolf. However, a few secondster, thest of her heart beats were heard, as her eyes rolled to the back of her herald, and she breathed herst, before instantly turning into ashes. "No¡­ no. not like this, no!!!" Jer screamed as he sure had to Razia. But then there was nothing but ash dust left of the former Greyson luna. He was once again left alone, in a group of wolves who looked at him with a sprite for all that he had done. He knew they despised him and he wasn''t about to be here pretending like everything was alright with him. "Stay away from me. Imand you! I am your alpha!!" Jer shouted as the Sicario wolves closed in on him. Their rage so evident that they knew that all this while their alpha had truly been innocent and the fraud was the one they had been trusting with their lives. The bastard dared to lead them into war and let them lose pathetically something that made the wolves even angrier but then was that ever going to be enough? Was their fury ever going to be enough to make up for all the lives lost because of Jeremiah Warner? Was it ever going to be enough for the cash they had been forced to endure? "You are the worst fraud we ever had for an alpha," Theo said angrily before they started hurling stones at Jer. They were so mad it was heartbreaking. They wanted to let out their anger in every way they could, so they reported to public stoning. For a moment there they were worried he would die, but then when the Sicario wolves remembered how stupid this man had made the in front of the entire realm, they set their humanity aside and kept hitting him. For two hours, they had stoned the man, buying him piles and piles of stone while they coursed him and everything that had gotten him to this ce. They hated him and wanted to kill him, but then thousands and thousands of stones were still not enough it seems, because even with all that done, they could still eat his erratic heartbeats. That was easily the most annoying sound for a lot of them. This man didn''t deserve their love or pity, so they kept stoning him. "Seems like he has an immortal spell on him," Theo said angrily when they realized that the man was not dying. His state was so terrible as fuck and yet he was slowly healing, he was recovering from the wounds and it was apathetic. They had spent their time tearing him apart and yet all they got was a bastard who couldn''t even die? "Took you long enough, you ungrateful piece of shit," Jer said angrily as he suddenly got up from under the stones, his eyes bloodshot, and his body covered in dark veins. He looked like he was a son and he couldn''t think straight, and yet at the same time, he looked different. It didn''t take the wolves long before they realized that the man before them was no longer a wolf, but a werewolf-warlock hybrid. They had killed him but then the spell that Atticus had cast on him had kept him alive, and he came back as a hybrid; one who was so pissed that he wanted all of their blood. So expectedly, Jer decided to test out Atticus''s theory of his life being immortal for a while. He would have to be careful though. The spell was meant to keep him a sane wolf for fifty years, but knowing that he had died, and unintentionally been transformed into a strong wolf hybrid. He was dangerous to the regr wolves, and so he began throwing the wolves around. His rage got him casting the wolves all over, and suddenly there were screams for help. "Oh year, you want to kill me? Yeah, you did, now it''s my turn to return the favor you stupid ass wolves," Jer growled out as he charged the stones towards the crowd, making sure to hurt as many as he could. Well, that was his intention, before Hawi showed up, with Malika and her team, staring at Jer like he had lost his mind. Well, he really had this time. Love and loss were some things that Jeremiah Warner had never gotten ustomed to and now he was being forced to experience that with his Malika dead and with Razia dead. This wasn''t what he had expected but then pain was something that got him barking up the wrong tree. "No one said anything about killing you, Jeremiah. Rx," Hawi said as she forced Jer to shift into his wolf form, and Malika brought a silver leash and tied Her up with it so easily that the wolves were in shock. Elodie was helping the wolves get up, while Mbali and Rukiya were using magic to heal the injured wolves. It was a sight so beautiful yet heartbreaking at the same time. Jer was helpless, but then the Sicario warriors had never felt any safer than they were at the moment. They had lost so much but then there was someone who could hurt Jer. This was interesting as chaotic as it was. "I will kill you. I swear I will kill you," Jer seether as he growled at Hawi who stared at him with a bored face. For the first time in four years, Hawi had finally opened the mind links she shared with Sicario. Ever since her banishment, she had been so angry that she had locked them out and left them to their fate. She hadn''t once bothered toe to their aid, but this time, with Razia dead, and Jer crawling, she knew it was time. She was their alpha and nothing would ever change that, not even her. So, the least she could do was to reopen their links. In the process, she made sure to include Elodie in the sicario links, not to mention Mbali, Malika and Rukiya Greyson. It was a moment that should have been exciting, but then there was confusion which Hawi had expected. "I know. Atticus gave you a few writers'' tears, right? But do you know what happens each time you attempt to kill me and you inexplicably fail?" Hawi asked and Jer''s wolf looked at her like she was talking shit. It was already insane enough that they had been tasked with killing the world''s impossible wolf but then right now, Jet could only hope that He wasn''t insane as much. But then that was like asking for pure water in the desert. Hell, even deserts, and cactus as proof of life. For Jer, there would be worse thingsing his way and the Marilyn on Hawi''s face was proof of it all. But that didn''t stop Jeremiah. He kept tugging at the leash Malika had kept on him, agitating Malika even more. "Mistress, can I please knock him out unconscious?'' Mika asked having had enough of Her. She despised this man and she wanted to kill him, but she couldn''t. Not like this. There was clearly still more than they needed to work out. "Of course, have your fun. I''ll help them get up," Hawi said as she looked around at the wolves that were once part of her home, and her lifeline. She was happy she was back home, but still, she hadn''t been officially cleared of the charges of killing her mother. She was still a banished alpha even if she was the only Sicario alpha. And she had to make sure it was dropped. But before that, she would help them out. "Everyone! Hold still for a moment!" Hawi said when she saw Rukiya falter. She had little and weak magic and she was trying to help them which was beautiful but Hawi hadn''t brought the love of her life along just so she could be hurt in the process. Her Rukiya was hers to protect and over and no one would ever take that form from her, not even the pain of her people. "Baby¡ª" Rukiya began, clearly not understanding what Hawi was addressing. Some of the wolves had really been hurt by Jer''s madness and if they dyed then there wouldn''t be a chance for them to be healed. They couldn''t waste time like that and Rukiya was worried. Hawi on the other hand knew that Ruru was desperate because she had been unable to save Adolf and the other Greyson wolves. She had lost a lot and Hawi wasn''t going to fault her for it. Her mate was allowed to feel, but she was here, so she was safe with Hawi. "It''s okay, my love. Just hold on a moment. I''ll make it all better," Hawi said while Malika smirked knowingly. Chapter 281: The Broken Horny Radar [HAWI] Staring at her mate, Rukiya Greyson wasn''t sure if she was supposed to be in love with Hawi or jealous of people watching her. She looked so majestic, and beautiful yet cruel at the same time, which was pulling Ruru in even more. She had promised herself to behave around Hawi, but seeing her there with the waves around her while everyone else got healed with Hawi''s magic, Rukiya wanted to rush and kiss her. But then Hawi had said to stay put, so she had to, right? "There, everyone will be okay now. As for Jeremiah, he will being with me for a little while," Malika said and the wolves stared in confusion. They were still not adjusted to the dynamics of Hawi''s little circle and frankly, that didn''t matter to Hawi. The only thing that mattered was that they were going to be able to clear Hawi''s name and all of this mess would be done with. "I''ll get busy, Mistress. Please excuse me," Malika said as she grabbed Jer, and created a portal to the same dungeons where Hawi had been spending her beautiful time interacting nicely with Razia and Atticus. It was the one ce that Jer wouldn''t ever be able toe out of. At least for the moment, until Hawi decided on what to do with him. "Do you want to get out of here too?" Rukiya asked as she turned to Hawi, not even bothering to whisper as she trailed her hands on Hawi''s face, like she had seen the prettiest act in the world and was suddenly turned on by it. The wolves were not sure what to expect or even how this should go on, but Elodie and Mbali stared at them while they shook their heads. This was a lot even for them, but it wasn''t like they could talk Rukiya and Hawi out of it. Hell, the elders themselves had kept their distance like they were waiting for some orders, but would they even get any orders at this point then? "I don''t think Mbali and Elodie would appreciate that, sweetheart," Hawi said as she mmed her lips on Rukiya''s letting themselves get lost in each other once again. To them it is just another day, a day that they would be together and live their lives as they needed to. "What if we just run?" Rukiya asked as she kissed Hawi''s bloody neck. She didn''t mind though, because she had learned to embrace all her animal instincts with Hawi. This woman unlocked the senile and the most sinister parts of her humanity, but then she wasn''t alone and that got her feeling way better than she had when she watched her best friend die two weeks ago. It was the best thing that she could have ever embraced. Granted she hadn''t mourned for a while but that didn''t matter anymore. Hell, she wasn''t even shocked that her mother had just died and there was a chance she would never see her mother again. All that mattered to Ruru was Awuor Hawi. And that either made her dangerous, or insane. There was no in-between, but what if she was both? What if she was trying so hard to move on that she couldn''t see right? What if this was her only way of coping? Did Hawi know that too? Would she encourage it? Or was she to let Ruru grieve in the only way she knew of? "That''s an excellent idea. While everyone''s distracted, we leave at the count of three," Hawi said as she looked around one more time. It was like she was trying to find Elodie and Mbali, but it seemed like the duo was busy with the crowd. It was really their chance to make a run for it. "Awesome!" Ruru said before she began counting. However, when they count his three, they surround themselves in quite a pickle. "Going somewhere, oh ye ambassadors of the horny souls?" Mbali asked the disbelief on her face making itself known, not to mention she had what looked like a whip, while Elodie was carrying a baseball bat, much to the confusion of the Sicario wolves, again. Those poor wolves would be subjected to situations that could make their minds bleed, but maybe there was a way right? Maybe if they interacted with this lot long enough, they would get used to the chaos like the Greyson wolves right? Oh, how it was tempting for them to ask what was going on, but then the longer they started, the longer the Sicario wolves were sure that this was more than they could bargain for. So, they stayed watching. "Don''t you think you guys are being a little mean?" Hawi ascended with Rukiya in her arms, while Mbali had somewhat wrapped her whip on Hawi''s right hand as if that was to keep the woman in ce. They all knew Hawi''s magic was formidable, but it was the thought of not losing them right now that mattered, right? "Says the horny souls," Elodie said and Hawi stared at her with puppy eyes as if that was supposed to make them yield. These two were a disaster and frankly as much as it was exciting to be back home, they knew they had to make sure that Ruru or Hawi didn''t do things that would make the Sicario wolves rethink their sanity. It was insane, really but then what else were they to expect of a team that had gone through all the phases of hell and we''re now the masters of those very hells? "I get that you guys aren''t afraid to show the world how much you love each other but don''t you guys think it''s unfair to us who are just here watching you lose affection?" Mbali asked while Hawi and Ruru stared at her amusedly. Jabali Lihle never cared for rtionships. Hell, she would choose to murder everyone and just be on her own, and yet somehow she was using that as her talking point? Perhaps the world had reallye to an end, because what the fuck was this and what sort of world was this that they were in at the moment then? Life surely couldn''t be this unbelievable, yeah? "You didn''t just use the rtionship card," Elodie said with a snort. They looked like a mess here but then only they could turn a tense situation into whatever this was. As long as the people around them were rxed and happy, the crazy five would always be fine, right? Well, right now, they had to think. "You''re one to talk. My sister keeps fucking you with her eyes. If she wasn''t here on a mission, I bet you two would be as crazy as these town idiots right here. You all are cruel. You make me feel unwanted,'''' Mbali said with teary eyes. Elodie and Hawi rolled their eyes, but Rukiya seemed concerned. Genuinely concerned that Mbali was feeling terrible. Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin "Hey, I''ll apologize on all their behalf. We didn''t mean to. You''re part of us, Mbali. It doesn''t matter what happens now, tomorrow or in the future, you''re always going to be a part of us. "You''re very important to us. We are a unit and without you, we are nothing. Please don''t feel unwanted," Ruru said earnestly as she pulled Mbali into a soft hug. Chapter 282: Musings of Two Idiots [HAWI] "You''re one to talk. My sister keeps fucking you with her eyes¡­ You make me feel unwanted," Mbali said with teary eyes. "Hey, I''ll apologize on all their behalf. We didn''t mean to. You''re part of us, Mbali. It doesn''t matter what happens now, tomorrow, or in the future, you''re always going to be a part of us. You''re very important to us. "We are a unit and without you, we are nothing. Please don''t feel unwanted," Ruru said earnestly as she pulled Mbali into a soft hug. She looked so worried and was rubbing her hand down Mbali''s back ordingly that if this were any other time, Hawi would have been happy that her mate wasforting her killing machine. Oh, but if only what Mbali had said was true. Over the years, Hawi had learned to study her friends and the people in her circle. She had been keen enough and paid attention to every little thing they said, whether it was with a smile or sadness. She made sure to understand them so well like the back of her hand. She knew what their tones meant and what their desires were with how they spoke. She knew them so damn well and that was also how she was certain Mbali was pulling their leg. "If you don''t let go of my mate, Mbali, I''ll kiss her from where I''m standing and just so you know, I''m right behind you. So, unless you want to be right in the middle when I lock lips with Ruru; "I would suggest you take a step back," Hawi said casually as she tapped Mbali''s back, making the warrior scream in pure horror. She was being dramatic, their friend group already knew that, but once again, the Sicario wolves were left wondering what the fuck was even going on with the women. It was like they had been introduced to a chapter of chaos that didn''t make any sense at all. Perhaps it was what they had to live with, but surely even they deserve some peace after all of this, right? The only problem at the moment was that these psychotic friends were nuts and unhinged in so many ways, and at the same time, however dangerous they were, they were peaceful. It would only be a little harder to exin to anyone who walked in on them at the moment that this was their new normal. Oh, but it would be a long ride. "Hawiii," Rukiya whined as she looked at her mate before gently pulling back from Mbali who actually wasughing her ass off at the moment, along with Elodie and Hawi herself. Some of the Sicario warriors seemed to have grasped that this was the psychos being friendly with each other, or as they walked themselves back to their homes and started fixing them. They had been away for a little too long, and they were safe, at least these mad women were the proof of that. "What¡­ Don''t tell me you bought her sob story about being unwanted, baby. Have you seen her? The woman is literally a killing machine. She probably doesn''t even know what affection is, she is just like me, you can''t really be taking her side right now baby. "Am I not the one you love anymore?" Hawi said, her voice turning whiny and Elodie sat on the stones that had piled up when Jer had been stoned, as sat on them. She was enjoying this shit show, while Asmodeus, the loud elder, stared in confusion. Was this real? "Because she might actually be lonely," Ruru defended and Hawi pouted at her. "Exactly Hawi, I am lonely. You just don''t want to see me happy," Mbali fake-cried and Hawi red at her, before she turned pouty again when her eyes met Rukiya''s. It was almost like she knew she was in trouble but did know the easiest way out other than pouting in the hope of not being scolded. "Are they okay?" Asmodeus asked when he saw the bickering continuing. He was worried about the trip at the moment and it was understandable because Mbali and Hawi were to resign while Rukiya was standing there trying to get them to make peace with each other. "Oh, them? Don''t worry, Asmodeus. I have seen them in crazier situations. You''ll see what I mean," Elodie said while the elder scrunched up his nose in disapproval. The trio was reallying off pretty hot and they were saying some words that were apparently rming to the Sicario volves. Hell, the wolves even seemed to be scared of how this was going, but Elodie was rxed. She knew this always happened. "Are you sure they will be fine? They have their swords out," Asmodeus asked ten minutester, when he was definitely convinced that the three women would start chopping each other to pieces. "Don''t worry too much, old man. They are very okay, in fact, watch this," Malika suddenly said and Asmodeus looked at the woman, questionably. "I know you''re a part of them, but what exactly is your role?" Asmodeus asked, before Malika could even say anything, and they went deeper into the conversations on what Malika''s'' role was in Hawi''s life, forgetting the bunch of crazies that were bickering for Rukiya''s affection. "This is turning into noise pollution, love. You want to stop them or should I?" Elodie asked. Malika just smiled at her mate and Asmodeus, before turning to the crazy trio that got Rukiya clearly questioning her sanity at the moment Ruru looked like she had mothered the most stubborn of daughters; and was overwhelmed because she didn''t know what to do with them. "Children¡­ Please. The first one to make it to the dining hall and set the table, gets the first serving ofmb chops and fried rice!" Malika said and Ruru, Hawi, and Mbali looked at her, as if to ask the truth in that. "The offer stands for Hawi and Mbali. Ruru, you need a break from mothering for a while," Malika said before she looked at Mbali and Hawi who were still holding their long swords in their hands. They looked like they really wanted to fight, when there wasn''t a thing to fight about. "How many?" Mbali asked Malika. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin "Four ribs," Malika said and that was all it took for Hawi and Mbali to make a run for her Sicario dining hall. However, before they could make it through the doors of the pack house, Malika stopped them. "Wait¡­ I just remembered something," Malika said and the duo groaned and red at Malika. It was like she was wasting their precious time and there had been five chances to get the first serving of four ribs. Malika was a good cook, whether she used magic or not, and the fact that she was the one who came with the deal, they knew she would be the one setting the table for everyone. "What is it again?" Hawi groaned. "No one wants to dine with the both of you looking like you had been bathing in a sea of blood. Clean yourselves up, really well and you are not allowed to use magic. If I so much as sense magic on the both of you, you will not eat dinner," Malika said and they groaned out in frustration but still agreed nheless. "I apologize on behalf of those two idiots, Sicario. It is an unfortunate time, and as much as I want to say it won''t happen again, I fear it definitely will. But for now, please go on and clean up. "We will be waiting for you in the dining hall. Dinner is on me," Malika announced to the wolves who were in a new reality. Some of them who had known Hawi and Elodie up close before the banishment, were d that Hawi was just smiling and bickering again. It was the perfect reminder that they would be fine regardless of what happened. The reminder that no matter what happened, as long as there was a smile on the Sicario girl''s face, and her friends'' faces, peace was something that they wouldn''t have to pray for anymore. Mercy and protection were already at the door and they would be fine. "Well, that worked miracles," Asmodeus said as he watched the Sicario wolves scram and get ready for dinner. "Everyone''s a sucker for food, but those two idiots are suckers for ribs," Malika said proudly, and Asmodeus just excused himself. He had seen a lot of things today and even he wasn''t sure how to process it all. Perhaps one day at a time was the best pace, right? Or maybe one Hawi tantrum at a time. "They really left me hanging, for food," Ruruined before her. Malika and Elodie burst outughing. This was what happiness looked like on some of their days anyway. Chapter 283: Well, This Was Going To Be Hard * Long Chapter Alert [GREYSON] In a realm where pain was slowly bing something the factions had to get used to, Hudhayfah was losing his mind. He hade home with the Lycans to help restore Grayson but when they got home, there was nothing to restore. There was nothing worth fighting for and even if there had been there was no one who was ready to fight. They wished to but their states just wouldn''t allow them. The impact of what had transpired in the frends with the Greyson army had impacted the entire pack in many ways. They were not in the right mind and they were a little too broken. These were supposed to be the warriors who found a way to make things right, but what were they to make right this time? Their pain? "We can''t let them drown like this. It would undermine the mission," a voice in the distance said as he and ghost friends watched the mess that Greyson had been on. They had been watching them for the past two weeks, and frankly. None of it was heartwarming to say the least. They had seen the greatest of warriors be reduced to shells of who they once were they had wanted to intervene, but the rules forbade them from interacting with the wolves unless they had beenmanded to. It was dangerous, really and it was crazy at the same time. "And we can''t go to them without going against the rules. The only one who can fix them is Malika but she is already in Sicario. I doubt she would even respond if we reach out, especially now that the white wolf is back home. "You know how she gets, she is ruthless when ites to her assignment and there''s a chance she might consider Greyson coteral damage," another man said and they all looked at each other like they were the worst of things. There were ten of them here and now, but then they couldn''t even cross the damn border. They couldn''t cross over without risking being annihted by Jabali Malika. That woman was their greatest horror and honestly, they preferred drinking sand rather than asking Malika for a ss of water, not that she would even give them the water if they wanted her to. She was crazy and cruel. Probably the cruelest of them all. "You can''t believe that. She went to war alongside them. She knows what it means and she definitely won''t let Greyson die like this," another man said and they all stared at each other like they were lost. None of them was ready to watch Greyson die, but then Malika Jabali would ruin them if they so much as lifted a finger and yed god with the werewolves. "She is the best of us all. Of course, she already knows just how much Greyson is suffering, but she hasn''t said anything. The Lycans are trying their best but it is just a matter of time before they also join the great depression with the Greysons. "This isn''t what we hoped for but goddamn, this is insane," another said as they watched the drynds in Greyson. Greyson was supposed to be the richest of all packs but right now, the only thing that these people could see was a dying pack. They could save them but they were scared of Malika. They were scared that she would annihte them, which wasn''t really far from the truth, seeing as the woman had stayed away from her sister for years on end, right? Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin "What if we reach out to her?" another asked and they stared at each other like that was a death sentence. "You''re thinking of summoning the devil herself? You do realize she might not show up, and if she shows up she will sever our heads, right? She is a beast, you can''t give her that much power to ruin us right now. "Come on Kadiam," they tried to reason, but then what other options were there for them? Greyson was dying, and in the fastest of ways. And if they didn''t act fast, they would have a white wolf to answer to and what were scorers because Malika was the white wolf''s protector. All of this shit was soplicated. "We have to, Dumi. we can''t let her get distracted any more than we can watch the wolves die. We have the power and we can ask Malika for approval. If she approves well and good and if she does, then we try to make her understand. "Look at Hudhayfah. He is supposed to be one of the strong ones but even he is overhauled. He has been like that for two days now. This is an emergency," Kadiam insisted and they all just sighed. This was a terrible thing to watch but maybe they would be able to put aside their fear of Malika Jabali right? Maybe then they would be able to make things right, but what were the chances that they would end up being hurt even more than the wolves? Was that a risk they wanted to take? Was that something that they would deal with so soon? "Alright. Do it then. At least you are stronger than us and might be able to hold your ground for a while, if she decided to fight you," Dumi said and Kadiam just gave them a thumbs up. He knew that this was crazy, but then there were truly no other options left for them. Besides, Malika had always told them to reach out, only if it was a matter of life and death and right now, with Greyson dying there was a better time. "Malika," Kadiam called out softly, before he went on to call her two more times. There was silence even though he was certain he had reached her. She always did this, always stared silent as if to tell them to get on with it if it was important and that if it wasn''t it, she would have them run three thousandps and boy was that a lot ofps for the lot of them. That woman was cruel but this had to be done, and Kadiam reminded himself as he waited for her response. "You have three minutes, Kadiam. If you''re not done on three, then you will have to run, Kadiam you will have to run faster than you ever have and you will fit for three weeks without stopping for water," Malika''s voice came through and Kadiam froze. Was this really worth it? Was running and a tired week for a pack that would eventually die, worth it? Then again, looking at his fine, she could tell that they did this with many options lying around. "Okay, ma''am. This is about Greyson¡ª" Kadiam began and Malika groaned. Malika was currently at the dinner she had prepared for the psychos and the Sicairos, so she wasn''t expecting this. Greyson was the one topic that she didn''t want to think of. She had known the repercussions of losing half an army in a pack that was at the end of the day still filled with wolves. That was why she had demanded that the Lycans go with Hudhayfah instead of staying with her. She had wanted to avoid this, but then she knew that sometimes it was always a little too much. And given this was thergest massage by the Russels, she should have expected a call from home. "Excuse me, hawi. I need to fix something; I will be back real soon. Give me three minutes, mistress, please," Malika said even though she said that it was a little too sudden. She had tried to mask her voice, but then she looked at Rukiya Greyson still depressed about Adolf, Malika knew that this was something she needed to attend to and fast. She couldn''t let Greyson die no matter what, and if Kadiam had reached out, she knew it had to be very important. "Sure, I got the ribs anyway. You can go have your fun with E if that is what you want, we didn''t mind. And don''t worry about us cockblocking you, we will be just fine here," Hawi said, a little too excited even though she was teasing Malika and Elodie. She could tell that this was about something else and she knew Malika had to leave, otherwise, she wouldn''t have asked for permission, much less pleaded. It was all a little too obvious and Hawi could only hope that whatever it was, Malika would be able to fix it sooner thanter. "Of course. But this time, you take care of E. I won''t be gone for long," Malika said and before Elodie could say a word, she opened a portal, one that showed a side of the realm that Rukiya Greyson didn''t know of. She wouldn''t exactly be telling the alpha that she was going to check on her people now or would she? "Be careful, Malika and if you need us, the four of us are always ready. Now go!" hawi said and that was all it took for Malika to portal outside of Sicario, only to switch the portal destination to where Kadiam was. She had to see for herself what had happened and the extent of the damage. If there was nothing worth saving, she would let them all die, without a second thought. After all, she was the most ruthless protector for a reason, right? "How many?" Malika asked as she looked at Kadiam, she didn''t look as scary as they had imagined but there was a glint in her eyes that seemed to remind the lot of them that this woman was the leader for a reason. "We didn''t know yet. You are the lead protector and we couldn''t go in with you. However, for the heartbeats, we can say that most of them are so close to theirst breaths," Kadiam exined. Malika ran a hand roughly on her buzzcut that seemed to have the other protectors in shock. "What happened to your hair," Kadiam asked in shock and the other protectors looked at him like he was about to get smacked in their way to hell. They had all seen the changes, but then none of them was brave enough to ask the one question they all had, the protector had hair that grew just as fast as the white wolf''s hair. Which was why it didn''t make any sense that she was adorning a buzz cut. Was that even possible with protectors? Or was she just being her insane self? "Hawi¡­ don''t ask how or why," Malika said with a smile on her face, like she missed how they had been bickering with hair during the time she had her haircut. It was an incident that warmed her heart and no matter what happened, she did her best to be what Hawi would be proud of. "The white wolf?" Kadiam asked, even more confused. "Yup. Come along, let''s save Greyson," Malika said dismissively. Chapter 284: Sometimes The Devil Was The Angel [GREYSON] Malika had a feeling that Greyson wasn''t alright, but when they reached the gates and were met with a literally dying pack, she knew there was no time for pleasantries. These people were grieving and they were right to do that. They had lost their kin, their friends, and people who were important to them. They had had their toes cut so suddenly it is understandable that they had been forced into this state. However, that didn''t make it any less heartbreaking. This wasn''t what life was supposed to be. "How many wolves are in Grayson?" Malika asked as she looked at the mess before them. It contracted with the pack she and her team had left earlier. This wasn''t what life was supposed to be, but then it was a phase they had to get through and help them out of. "Around twenty thousand at best," Dumi said and Malika contemted how long it would take them to take on the entire pack. It was something that would need Hawi, but Hawi had just hatred for being happier, Malika couldn''t impress her with this. So, looking at the other protectors Malika knew she had to lead them in taking on more than they could hold. It would hurt them in impossible ways and it would probably knock them out for days on end, but it was better having ten people knocked out than twenty thousand sprawled around because they didn''t know how to deal with the intensity of the pain. "Then we merge our energies and absorb all their pain," Malika said swiftly as she looked at her team. They had worked together for years and honestly, this was the hardest task they had been given. They had never done this before, which almost meant that they were not sure how long they would be knocked out for. However, Malika hoped that if they were out, the Lycans would lead the defense of Greyson in case anything happened or even in the event that the remaining Russel brothers came to attack Greyson to get an upper hand on Hawi. "All their pain?" Kadiam asked and for the first time he was sure the woman had gone insane. Sure, she always was unhinged but this was just on another level. It just didn''t make any sense and it raised more questions and concerns. "What about us? That is a lot of pain to take on." "The wolves won''t even appreciate us after this." "It''s our job to keep the wolves happy, and this one especially." "They Are lucky to have the white wolf, because otherwise I wouldn''t have bothered." "Still, twenty thousand against eleven isn''t exactly going to be easy for us." "Once we merge energies and start the mass absorption, we won''t be able to know what is happening around us. I could have created a ward around Greyson but it''s too big a ce, not to mention it will need a lot of magic. "The wolves can take care of themselves once we are done, but if they are not awake by then, we would have done all of this for nothing. I know it''s hard. If we do this right, I''ll give you all two years off," Malika said and they looked at her excitedly. Two years for a protector wasn''t a long time given time really went by fast when they were training, but then it was the best incentive. Two years off with Malika meant that she would be ring daggers at them and there was even a chance that they would be able to have a normal rtionship with her. Oh, she wasplex, but then this was harder to crack than Malika. Perhaps they would just have to wait and see how this would turn out for them, yeah? Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin "This is going to hurt for a long time though. Alright, let''s do it," Dumi said, seeing as there was no other option for them. They were the protectors of the realm and they had to make sure the white wolf wouldn''t go berserk because of the madness in Greyson. That was the kind of load that even they wouldn''t be able to handle on their own. It would take a lot of things and interventions but it wouldn''t bring back the time they would have lost or even the pain they would have gone through by then. It was not easy; at least they knew it. "Yeah, let''s do this," Malika said before the eleven of them joined their hands, and created a magical link that was a little too strong. Malika''s magic was too much for them and there were a few protectors who had started experiencing dizziness because of it. So, they decided to leave the link open, for them to breathe if they were suffocated by Malika''s magic. They would eventually have to form a full circle to deal with this, but at least by then they wouldn''t be suffocating from the intensity of Malika''s magic. Together, the protectors started siphoning the pain from Greyson. They had stepped back and stayed at the border to make it easier to get all that pain. It was intense and they screamed their hearts and lungs out, but they couldn''t stop. They had to do this and maybe someday the wolves would remember them, right? Well, it was quite the challenge for them, especially when they all started growing giant and it seemed like they had not even finished what they hade to do. It was depressing, but they needed to make sure that this was done in the best of ways. They had to clean up so that hair wouldn''t have toe here and that in itself made Malika so mad that if any of the Russel brothers showed up right now, she would chew their heads off. She was so mad that she was losing her mind, but she had to work this out. "I think it''s working. I see some of them rising up," Kadiam struggled to say as he tried his best not to show how overwhelmed they were but there was no denying that. So, they kept on siphoning the pain. They tried to make the Greysons feel better and somewhere along the way, the magic got too much for them that they all fell down unconscious, while the spell they had cast, forced them to take on the pain of an entire grieving pack. "Holy shit," Hudhayfah said when he noticed the unusual pile of bodies that had fallen down in a circle. They were a little too familiar. At first, he was sure he was hallucinating, especially with the buzzcut showing, but then when he turned Malika and saw her, he knew that this had to be the craziest thing the woman had done. Hudhayfah contemted sending word to Sicario, but he knew that if Malika had decided to do this with the protectors instead of Mbali and Hawi, then she didn''t want them to know about it. That in itself warmed Hudhayfah''s heart but at the same time, got him wondering why she had to do this for them. "Sherry! Get the infirmary ready! We have ten people that need immediate medical attention!" Hudhayfah shouted and the warriors of Greyson looked at him skeptically before they saw Malika. Most of them had seen Malika siphon Hawi''s pain and usually, it left her a little too weak, because Hawi always felt things tenfold so as they stared, they knew that she and her team had to have done this. Hudhayfah''s heart broke for the protectors, even as the warriors rallied to help them. They had prepared the Greyson infirmary andid them there. "They are protectors," Sherry whispered defeatedly as she looked at the Lycans and Hudhayfah and Harry. Whatever had happened was not one that they could exin with ease and it was driving her nuts. What the fuck were they to make of this? "They felt our pain and came to free us," Harry said with pride and sadness at the same time. None of them really knew what to do with the protectors really. They had never had to interact with this kind of powerful creature and it was insane on so many levels. Hudhayfah stared confused. "We can''t inject them with anything, because their skins won''t crack, not to mention there is a high chance of them strangling us to death if we touch them any longer than we need to. Are you sure we shouldn''t be calling Mbali? "If we can''t call it hawi then?" Sherry asked and Hudhayfah sighed. He wasn''t even sure what day it was or how long they had been out of it. He wanted to ask questions but the only one with the answers was not eleven conscious. They needed to get a hold of themselves but they also needed to make sure that the protectors got up, because otherwise they would be in deep shit. "Then we need to call Mbali," Hudhayfah said and Sherry stared at him. Surely the man wasn''t talking of introducing the psychotic Lycan here, without any supervision right? The woman was everything wrong with the world. Mbali with Hawi was strangely understandable. Mbali with Malika was like a curse that could take a while to be broken, but Mbali on her own without having to answer to anyone, was the face of doom. That woman was scary as hell and Sherry knew that. Hell, the entire realm already knew her to be one of the many devils in the realm. "The crazy one¡­ Here? Without supervision?" Sherry asked. "Unfortunately, yes. The protectors are linked to Malika. Which means that we can wake them up if we wake Malika up," Hudhayfah exined. "Great, and Mbali fits how?" "She is Malika''s blood sister," Hudhayfah said, earning gasps from Sherry. Chapter 285: Of Daring Decisions [GREYSON] "The crazy one¡­ Here? Without supervision?" Sherry asked. "Unfortunately, yes. The protectors are linked to Malika. Which means that we can wake them up if we wake Malika up," Hudhayfah exined. "Great, and Mbali fits how?" "She is Malika''s blood sister," Hudhayfah said, earning gasps from Sherry. The warriors in the room didn''t seem so shocked or maybe they were too shocked to evene to terms with that little reality. The chance that two of the psychos were of the same bloodline wasn''t something they wanted to let the world know. The Jabali sisters were doomed on their own and to know that they were together in this would make it all a little too crazed. But then what other options did Hudhayfah have? If he didn''t reach out to Mbali, there would be more massacres and right now there were a little too many wars going on and they needed to try and have the winning hand. "The universe must be crazy," Sherry sighed defeatedly as she looked at the woman who was lying on the bed. There was nothing to tell them what was happening here real or even how they were to make them untangle even if they managed to get Mbali onboard. However, they had to wait and hope. "Do it," Sherry added. She was done trying to y safe and the Greyson wolves were still worried about the safety of the eleven protectors. They were scared that the other protectors woulde looking for their friends and then Greyson would be in deep trouble. It wasn''t something that they would be able to work out with ease, as if it was a little too dangerous for them to even consider. "Alright," Hudhayfah said before turning to the Lycans who were there with them. If there was anyone who knew how to summon Jabali Lihle, then the Lycan warriors she loved would definitely be it. They were in her team and they had some sort of pact. Which was even weird especially now that they had been out and Mbali hadn''t been affected¡­ or hadn''t she? "You guys call out to her," Hudhayfah said and one of the Lycans created a portal and went through it, making Hudhayfah stare at them like they had gone bonkers. The whole purpose of not creating portals was to make sure that Hawi wasn''t alerted but then as it was, they had long blown that up right? So Hudhayfah sighed as he waited for the warrior toe back with Mbali. They didn''t know how much time had passed but they sure hoped that it wasn''t a omg time. Because then it would be a little too hard to exin. ***** [SICARIO] Two days had passed since Malika left Sicario and while Hawi wanted to say she wasn''t worried, she knew she was using herself. Deep down she was scared of something that happened to her protector. All the mind links had been shit and Malika never ever did that. Not even when Hawi was having her episodes or even when Malika had to go back to thend beyond Olyana. It was an agreement and a reminder that they would always be there for each other no matter what happened. It should have been easier, but with two days gone, there was no doubt that Hawi was losing her mind. This wasn''t supposed to be like this, but then she had tried tracking Malika and she had gotten her scent. It was almost like Malika Jabali had faded off the face of the earth. Her protector had disappeared and expectedly. Hawi''s first suspect was in the dungeons. "Where is she?" Hawi asked Atticus. It had been a while since she hade down here. Find your next read on mvl While Rukiya, Mbali, and Elodie were trying to help restore the pack to what it should have been before they could determine whether or not Hawi was to be freed of the charges of killing her mother, no one hade to check on Atticus. It was nothing personal, or maybe it was, but then it wasn''t like anyone would be able to miss them right? "What?" Atticus was forced out as she tried to look around. He couldn''t remember a lot and he didn''t know shit about most things. Right now, he was still reeling from the pain of feeling his duster''s fire burn out. He had felt every ounce of pain that Razia had felt when she had died and that was still haunting him. He was the big brother and he was supposed to be the one who took care of the family and made sure they stayed sane enough to work things out, but then here he was, a useless fuck that didn''t even remember what time it was. Hell, he had no magic to reel him into the world of the living. In these dungeons, he was just like a ghost that needed to disappear but also one who wasn''t sure what the fuck was to be done. Who was he? Who really was he? Or was he just the mess that Awuor Hawi had managed to seduce him into? This wasn''t fair, but then it wasn''t time for him to go crying to his mommy. No one wasing, and even if someone was, Awuor Hawi had asked for his ascent so none of them would be table to reach him. Unless she wanted them to. Oh, how Hawi was cruel; well, she was their perfect creation. The ultimate monster. "Malika. Where is she? She left and hasn''te back. My guess is that your little brothers had something to do with her disappearance. So, where is she?" Hawi asked and Atticus sighed. How the fuck was he to know what was happening with his brothers when he had no real grasp of life at the moment? He had lost a lot and put people through worse, but this woman was still unhinged through and through. "How would I know? I have been here., I didn''t have my magic and you''re the one in power. Don''t tell me you lost the one person who could keep you safe from the endless chaos headed your way," Atticus forced out with a sadugh. "You''re useless," Hawi sighed as she knocked him out with her magic. She was getting frustrated and she knew the only other person who would know what happened to Malika was the bastard she had been mated to for almost ten years, the same man she wanted to torture until the goddess would be the one who appealed for his life. "You¡­ where is she? You are a little too obsessed with her not being the woman you married. What did you do this time? Where is she?" Hawi asked boredly as she looked at her, who was tied up inside a thin bar cage. He looked like someone was trying to make bread rolls with his body, but shaped him just enough to be in a standing position and thick enough just so he would be able to fit in between the bars. Hell, the man couldn''t move a leg before being kissed by silver. Malika was truly insane for this and it was understandable that Jer was mad at her, but that still didn''t exin shit. "I told you it would always be you and me against the world, my sweet Awuor. Seems like it happened a little too soon, yeah?" Jer said with a sinisterugh. Chapter 286: The Enlightening Shadow [SICARIO] "You¡­ where is she? You are a little too obsessed with her not being the woman you married. What did you do this time? Where is she?" Hawi asked boredly as she looked at her, who was tied up inside a thin bar cage. "I told you it would always be you and me against the world, my sweet Awuor. Seems like it happened a little too soon, yeah?" Jer said with a sinisterugh. He seemed to be convinced that he was ying some game even though he was hurting so badly. He hated being there in the cage, but he knew that Awuor Hawi would never be free even though she was fighting to get herself out of the cage that the Russels had forced her into. Losing family was something that Awuor Hawi would never be able to recover from and Her new tattoo. He knew the pain that came with loneliness, the pain that came with not seeing the person he loved. He knew that this was easily the worst freedom for Hawi because her loss would always haunt her for as long as she was in Sicario. The fields would never be the same, not without her thinking of her brother and their little banters. The pack house would not feel the same nay toe, because each twist and turn reminded her of the time they had once been a family. For family dinners, breakfast, and even lunches. Every corner of the Sicario pack house was a reminder of how much pain she had been for years. She would never see her family members again, and that would ruin her. Jer knew that much, because she had seen her cry herself to sleep on days when she threw away that she had disappointed her family. Oh, Hawi was not going to be okay, that much Jer was so certain of that it was sickening. "So, you know where she is?" Hawi asked, clearly not liking where Jer was going with this conversation. She hated Jeremiah Warner, and wanted to kill him but in the slowest of ways possible. His betrayal was the one thing that Hawi was never going to forgive. She would ruin him, bit by it, but until then she knew where Malika was. "Do I? Come on sweetheart. I thought we were at each other''s throats. Why would I go after Malika? I hate you with the same intensity as my love for you, my dear Awuor. I would love to be the reason your stupid protector is gone, but unfortunately this time it isn''t me. "When I attack you¡­ You will know, sweetie. You will. But until then. I think you need to go check on Mbali, seeing as they are sisters and all," Jer said before he closed his eyes and began snoring, leaving the entire dungeon in shock. This man had to have some guts to be ying games with Awuor Hawi. Or maybe Jer was just done pretending that he was fine with everything right? Maybe he was sick of being the puppet and wanted to use his powers for good? Oh, it was hard to tell without wanting to wipe the creepy smirk off his face. Well even if he wanted to fight, he surely had to have known that this woman wasn''t going to back down no matter what phase of hell he tried to force her into, right? "Mbali? Malika?" Hawi asked and he smirked at her. She contemted smacking him, but she portaled out of the dungeons. Whatever it was, she needed to find Mbali. She had almost forgotten that if Mbali had survived all those years, it wasn''t just because of her power as a Lycan or even a powerful warrior. Her sister had to have been keeping tabs on her, seeing as Malika had known everything that was happening in her sister''s life. Hawi wanted to curse out Jer but she couldn''t deny that even in his spiteful state, he had managed to give her a hint of what was happening. "You disappeared there for a while," Ruru said when Hawi popped up suddenly wearing a stressed face. "Where is Mbali?" Hawi asked and Rukiya looked at her skeptically. "Well, Elodie said she wasn''t feeling well so she took Mbali to the infirmary," Ruru said and he didn''t wait for the next statement, as she grabbed Ruru''s hand and petal to the infirmary. She was starting to love how easy it was for her to portal around and show up whenever she felt like, but she hated that it wasn''t always in the best of situations. And right now, she sure hoped that she wasn''tte to the infirmary. "Oh, Hawi, you''re here," Mbali greeted a little enthusiastically even though she could feel her chest constricting. It was all so sudden and she couldn''t exin what was wrong with her. "What''s wrong with you? Where does it hurt?" Hawi asked as she rushed to Mbali''s bed and started checking the Lycan out. It was almost like she was looking for something particr and Mbali wasn''t sure what this was about. She was genuinely confused as was everyone in the room. Hell, the doctor had to excuse herself because she was sure that shit was about to go down and frankly. She didn''t want to be coteral damage. Rukiya smiled sadly as the doctor walked out, hoping that the doctor wasn''t as scared, but then that was almost like they were overreaching. This state was crazy in so many ways and there was only so long they could keep it up. "Heyy, is anything wrong, Hawi?" Elodie said as she grabbed Hawi and pinned her against the wall. She knew Hawi so well and the woman was fighting which was never the case. Discover hidden content at mvl She was always strong and not scared, but this Hawi was worried a little too much and it was beginning to raise more concerns. Perhaps there was a way out before they all went crazy because of her, yeah? "Jeez woman, are you sure you didn''t mistake me for Ruru? Because I swear she''s prettier than I am, and her aura is a little too strong than mine. There''s just no way that this is happening, right? "You might make Ruru want to w my heart out, sister," Mbali whined and Ruru just facepalmed as she watched Elodie struggle to calm Hawi down. Ruru wanted to take over but she knew that Elodie had seen him more times if she had managed to wlessly pin Hawi to the wall despite the fact that the woman was freaking out a little too much. This was insanity on a terrifying level but they had to wait and see or even hear what Hawi had to say to this. "What is it? What happened? You were in the dungeons, so what happened? What did Jer or Atticus say that got you so riled up, Hawi?" Elodie asked, her voice calm even though she could sense the tension. "How long?" Hawi asked as she looked at Mbali and that was when Eldie knew that something had to be wrong. The Lycan who never once recorded any days of pain or even being bedridden was suddenly seeking help? That was rming. "What?" Mbali asked confusedly. "How long have you been feeling like shit? I know you didn''t let them bring you to infirmity unless it had to be serious and overwhelming for you. So how long?" Hawi asked. "About thirty hours." Chapter 287: As Long As You Love Me Too [SICARIO] "How long?" Hawi asked as she looked at Mbali and that was when Eldie knew that something had to be wrong. The Lycan who never once recorded any days of pain or even being bedridden was suddenly seeking help? That was rming. "What?" Mbali asked confusedly. This was all just not making sense. She had seen Hawi crave for the worst of chaos over the years but this time, there was no desire to cause trouble in her eyes. If anything, she seemed to want to save someone or something, which was not making any sense because Mbali could have sworn that she just had a fever and a terrible day. It was understandable given how much stress they all had been subjected to when they fought in all these bottles. Eventually, they were bound to break down, but was that really it for them? "How long have you been feeling like shit? I know you wouldn''t let them bring you to infirmity unless it had to be serious and overwhelming for you. So how long?" Hawi asked. This time she stared at Mbali like she was studying a book, looking for any signs of distress outside what she could already see. She wanted to know if Mbali was okay or if she was way past the point to be saved. That shit would break her heart, but Hawi had to check either way. "About thirty hours," Mbali said. Hawi sighed, right before a portal opened and through it came a tired Lycan warrior. He looked like he had been in deep shit his entire life and had paid for all his messes. The warriors looked scared, and that in itself worried Mbali too. "Zane?" Mbali asked as she struggled to get up. However, that didn''t seem to bother her like her warrior who was here instead of being in Greyson. It was the worst that could happen to her and her team. "I''m sorry, Enforcer Lihle. We have a problem and you need toe with me back to Greyson," Zane said, making Rukiya turn to look at the man. It had taken her a moment but she realized that he was one of the Lycan warriors who had been dispatched. This was getting crazy and she wasn''t sure she would like whatever was going toe from his mouth. "Hold on... What happened?" Mbali asked, at the same time that Hawi spoke. "Malika¡­ This is about her, right?" "I''m sorry, Mistress. She and the other protectors came to save us from grief and they ended up passing out. We tried to wake them up but healer Hudhayfah said they were linked to protector Malika. "To wake the eleven of them up, we needed to wake up Malika and the only direct link to Malika is her sister, Jabali. We must hurry, because otherwise, the protectors will die, and that is too huge a price for the realm, especially Malika. "Nothing will ever go right if she leaves," Zane said to Hawi and Rukiya stared at the Lycan sadly. Greyson was dying and Malika had saved Greyson, now Malika was dying and there wasn''t a thing that Rukiya Greyson was to do. What the fuck was such a fate? Why did she have to be the one with so many cursed lops? This was unfair but once again there wasn''t a thing that the alpha could do. Her people needed her and yet they hadn''t reached out to her. They had stayed silent and endured the pain, knowing that their alpha would probably be in worse pain. Even at their worst states, Greyson was always going to show up for Rukiya, even if it hurt them and broke their hearts tenfold. This was a strange kind of love but loyalty was a thing that Greyson had sworn for Rukiya. They cared for her, they loved her, and would follow her wherever if they had to. It came so easily for them that it was admirable and at the same time, it broke so many hearts. "Greyson¡­ How are my wolves? Should I go back home to them? Should I save them? Should I go and stay with them? Please tell me¡­ how are my wolves doing, Zane?" Alpha Rukiya asked and the warrior just stared at her sadly. He knew what had happened to them was cruel. So when he exined what the Lycans had done and how the situation had grown overwhelming, not to mention the reason they hadn''t tried to reach out to Rukiya, Ruru felt like her heart was breaking into pieces. She loved her people and they had endured much. Coming home should have been something natural and she was tempted to do. "If you want to go home you can, Ruru. you can go check on your people. Elodie, and I will take care of things here. You don''t have to worry too much, baby," Hawi said earnestly and Rukiya yelled at her sadly as she shook her head. "They sacrificed their pain for me to remain sane. They did what they could to make sure that we all were fine. If I go back withoutpleting the mission, and making sure all those little sits get their karma; "Then I will be telling my people that the eight thousand of them that died was all of nothing. That is not something I want to do to my people. I will stay. But it sure seems like Mbali needs to go and check on her sister. "If she was in this state because of Malika, then it means the protection spell that her sister cast on her is growing stronger," Rukiya said and Mbali looked at her confused. Most of the time when someone died, the person they were linked to would feel so much pain and be vulnerable. Hell, Greyson was actual proof of that all, so what was all this about getting stronger? "What the fuck does that mean, Rukiya?" Mbali asked as she forced herself off the bed and began getting ready to leave. They wanted to stop her but they also knew that she had to show up. If not for her sister then for her warriors. Oh, how Mbali loved those Lycan warriors. They had been the only family she ever had for years and years, and she wouldn''t let them be in harm''s way, not if she could fix them up. "Malika is a protector, Mbali. She knows the pros and cons of it all. Unlike her allegiance to Hawi which is duty-bound, her allegiance to you is something that not even the strongest of swords can forge or tear apart. "You are her greatest strength and her greatest weakness. She knows people will want toe after you if they know that you are the sister of the great protector. So, she already has a spell on you, one that will keep you safe from everything including Hawi, if ever the timees. "Your sister loves you to death, literally. Your protection spell is stronger because her breath is fading and you will notice your power increasing too. No matter what happens to her, you are safe. "You hurt because the power is all too sudden, which means that your sister is fading, and fast. You can either save her or leave her there, but she wouldn''t want you to feel pressured," Rukiya said, making them look at her like she was insane. "Maybe she was hanging around Hawi too much, right? But then what else could there be? "Are you even hearing yourself right now? Love? Oh please," Mbali asked, the confusion on her face was so evident. "I grew up with Hudhayfah stepping up to be my father in more ways than one. I learned a lot from him. For now, go. Go check on your warriors. You can take Elodie too, she is worried about Malika. "Just know that no matter what happens your sister would never me you," Rukiya added and Mbali sighed. She wasn''t sure if this was real or if Ruru was making it all up. But then this wasn''t the time for them to y make-believe. Perhaps that was why Hawi didn''t try to stop them when they went through the portal that Zane hade through. "Take care of each other there, we''ll be fine," Hawi said and they just nodded before they went in, leaving Hawi and Ruru in Sicario. It was all good, save for the part where the psycho and her mate were alone. And unsupervised. Such a terrible thing to do to humanity, right? Chapter 288: Beautiful Desires… I Missed You [SICARIO] Rukiya and Hawi stared at each other with excitement on their faces as the portal closed and their friends went through. They looked like they had been nning some sort of takeover for a while and hadn''t been able to, because their friends were either too humane to let them go on with it, or they were too responsible to let the white wolf and her mate create a mess in the pack. "Where do we start?" Rukiya asked as they walked out of the infirmary and headed towards Hawi''s suite. "Well¡­ We are here¡­ All alone, no interruptions,'''' Hawi said, suddenly trapping Rukiya against the wall on the long hallway. It was strangely deserted, almost like everyone was still scared of Hawi. Honestly, that didn''t matter to the rebellious woman at the moment, the only thing that did matter to her, was the woman before her, the one with a pretty face, pretty nose, pretty eyes and more than anything, the woman with pretty lips that were staring right at her. Maybe Hawi was hallucinating or maybe she just was hungry. Hungry for her touch, hungry for her love. Hungry for everything Rukiya. Maybe she was going insane, letting herself breathe in their concentrated scent. Maybe her mind was not working this time, but frankly. Even with all the warnings in her head and the silent reminder that they were in the hallways and could be interrupted, Lawyer Hawi didn''t care anymore. "Yeah," Ruru whispered huskily, holding Hawi''s gaze like she wanted to see what her rebellious mate would do this time. With Hawi, it was never a pic but this time she was more excited than Hawi herself. "Just you and I, baby. Standing here in this hallway, smelling like each other," Ruru said as she traced her hand down Hawi''s cheek and Hawi leaned into it, like she wanted to be like this for as long as she could. She felt free with Ruru. She felt like the woman was always taking away her problems. "I want to kiss you," Hawi breathed as she leaned closer to her mate, the distance between their faces closing bit by bit, while their concentrated scents filled up the hallway like they decided to camp there. "I wanna taste you, so bad," Hawi breathed out, her lips meeting Rukiya''s halfway, and still breathing in each other. She wanted more. She needed more and as she felt their breaths in each other''s, Hawi was sure she was not going to hold on for a little longer. She couldn''t. "I always imagined you fucking me in the hallways, bending me over, ripping though me like the little slut I always want to be for you. I¡ª" Ruru said, her lips brushing against Hawi''s before she licked her lips. This was a dangerous position for the both of them but they didn''t care. There wasn''t a soul that hadn''t once fucked in Sicario, right? The security cameras could record whatever they wanted, but Hawi didn''t care. All she wanted was Ruru. "That''s a dangerous wish¡­ My beautiful," Hawi said, wrapping her arm around Ruru''s waist and bringing her closer to him, their bodies pping against each other till there was even space left then. They were hot and bothered for each other, their minds focused on their mate bond. You would think that they hadn''t yetpleted the bond. "You said you''d grant me every wish, Alpha," Ruru said and Hawi felt her sanity leaving her. She always loved it when Ruru called her ''Alpha''. It made her feel like she was in control and reminded her that this woman right here, this beautiful powerful darling attracted to the darkness in her, was hers to love, hers to cherish and hers to fuck. "Careful sweetheart, they might just hear you screaming my name," Hawi waned as Ruru arched her neck for Hawi, a sign that she was submitting to her alpha, her mate, and the love of her life. Hawi didn''t stop her. She didn''t try to fight it, especially when she let her canines graze Ruru''s neck and the part where she had marked her. The beautiful crown mark on Rukiya''s neck was perfect, just like the woman herself. Hawi could already see the chills running down Ruru''s spine as began nibbling, kissing and biting Ruru''s mark. All that had started so simply had got them hot and bothered for each other. Ruru let out a soft whine each time Hawi sucked on her neck. It was almost like she was leaving a hickey, but when Hawi''s fangs sank in Ruru''s neck, Ruru could have sworn she saw stars, even as she tried to muffle her moans. The grip Hawi had on her waist had tightened and Ruru could feel the dent in Hawi''s pants poking her. "I belong to you¡­ Use me as you wish, Alpha,'''' Ruru breathes out, making Hawi pull out her fangs, and smash her bloodied lips on Rukiya''s. The kiss was round and demanding, possessive and controlling in all the possible ways. It wasn''t affectionate and it wasn''t in any way gentle. Rukiya had asked for one thing and it had gone straight to Hawi''s head, just as Ruru always loved it. Ever since their mating, Ruru had made sure to remember everything they had done and how they had gone on with it. She wanted more. She always wanted more, but they had to snap out of it that time, because they had a war to go to. Funny how they were in Sicario, and they still had the same desires. "Say it again, baby,'''' Hawi said roughly as she mmed Ruru harder against the wall, making a dent, but that didn''t matter. Her hand was already on Ruru''s neck, holding the beautiful woman in ce, just like Hawi liked her. "I didn''t wear anything underneath my skirt, Alpha," Ruru said. Hawi stared, her jaw on the floor, like she definitely hadn''t been expecting this. Their eyes were getting busier but her baby was here walking wounded with nothing underneath the pretty little skirt she had on. "Wh¡­ What?" Hawi breathed out. Ruru just stared at her mate, before she dipped her fingers into her wet cunt, pulled them out and showed Hawi the slick on her fingers like this was the most normal thing they had done on these damned hallways. Someone would need cleansing and it was definitely not the two women. "Use me as you wish, Alpha," Ruru said, her eyes softening, her lips pouty, the grip on her neck tightening, her fingers dripping with slick and Hawi was staring at those fingers like they had the breath of life for her. "Fuck," Hawi groaned as she looked at Rukiya''s pleading eyes. This woman would be the death of her one of these days. "Me here," Ruru said,pleting her sentence as she licked her fingers clean while her other hand was already unbuttoning Hawi''s pants. Hawi wanted to stop her, she wanted to tell Ruru that this wasn''t the pce for them to be fucking. She wanted to let her baby know that there were a hundred free beds in the Sicario pack house that they could utilize. She wanted to tell her that she didn''t want anyone seeing her fuck her mate out here like rabid dogs on heat. She wanted to say no, but when Ruru pulled her pants down, and suddenly jumped on Hawi, she knew she was screwed. "Please¡­ My alpha," Ruru begged slowly, and that was Hawi''sst straw, because she held onto her tightly before switching their positions so Hawi''s back was against the wall, and Ruru was in her arms. She was holding Ruru''s butt with one hand, while one of her hands was positioning her dick in her pretty mate''s cunt. This woman was driving her nuts, but she wouldn''t have it any other way. Hawi could feel how Ruru was wet and ready for her, a little too ready and that got Hawi curious, even as she pushed into Ruru, filling her to the brim, settling in, but not moving an inch. "Tell me, baby¡­ did you touch yourself again?" Hawi asked as she stared into Ruru''s defiant eyes. She looked like she was about to throw a tantrum, but it was nothing Hawi didn''t already know. "Move¡­ Please," Ruru begged, her voice strained. "That wasn''t an answer, sweetheart," Hawi chuckled darkly. Ruru tried to move against Hawi''s dick, but her mate was stronger and was holding her in ce. Such were the times she hated how strong Hawi was, but goddamn, even then the sparks she was feeling were driving her insane. "I¡­ I missed you¡­ but you were busy¡­" Ruru said defiantly and Hawi smiled at her, as if to tell her to go on. She was driving Rukiya nuts, but this time, Hawi knew she had. It didn''t matter how long they would be here anyway. "You went to Jer and I¡­ I imagined how sexy you had to have been, torturing him¡­ and my hands went down¡­ and¡­" Ruru said, hesitating with a pout on her face and Hawi just smirked at her. She had long learned her pretty woman''s tendencies and this wasn''t the first time Ruru had touched herself. She knew Ruru was touching herself long before they mated, but she always let her. "That''s why you said I disappeared for a while even though I was gone for ten minutes," Hawi said amusedly, and before Ruru could say anything, Hawi gently lifted her just a little, only to force Ruru back down on her so hard that the Greyson alpha let out a loud moan. Chapter 289: Want A Taste, Baby? [HAWI] At the sound of Ruru''s moan, Hawi could have sworn the entire Sicario had heard them but her focus was on Ruru''s pussy that was clenching around her dick. The grip her woman''s cunt had on her girth was so strong you would think that they were not meant to separate at some point in time. She could hear Ruru''s groans as she tried toe to terms with the reality that this woman had just suddenly pumped into her. Ruru had wanted this, to feel Hawi deep inside of her, that all that she could think of was nothing, just Hawi. That was all she needed. "I think the whole Sicario heard you, sweetheart," Hawi teased as she stared into Ruru''s lust-filled eyes. The poor woman was certain Hawi had punctured her uterus but that didn''t matter to her, because she was chasing a high that Hawi was giving her in bits. It was making her delirious and if she could scream, Ruru could have screamed her lungs out. Hawi was holding her still, teasing her like she hadn''t spent the entire evening trying to get herself ready for the woman. "Only I get what you moan like that, Ruru," Hawi said as she pressed the petite woman on her dick, not letting her catch a breath. For the first time, Awuor Hawi didn''t want to think. She couldn''t. Not when she could feel her dick pulsing inside Ruru''s pussy and not when Ruru was trying to muffle her moans. "I haven''t even moved and you''re already screaming your lungs out, sweetheart," Hawi said as she cast a spell that blocked the hallways and everything between, so it was just her and her baby, here in the hallway fulfilling her pretty mate''s wish. She was never one to say no, so when she heard Ruru beg once again, she couldn''t take it anymore. So, she moved Ruru on her dick, ever so slowly, forcing them into an agonizingly slow pleasure but one that would be worth it. When she increased her pace, Hawi could see Ruru arch her back so skillfully, even though they were standing. The pretty little thing trusted her so much that she didn''t care that she would trip. But then that would never happen. Nothing like that could happen to Hawi''s Ruru. This woman was so precious to her that she wouldn''t hurt her. Not when she could help it. And even if she didn''t, she would choose death over seeing her Ruru''s tears. Oh, she loved this woman so damn much it was suffocating her. "Please," Ruru begged as her hands went to her cunt, right where Hawi''s dick connected with her cunt. She was rubbing so harshly, hoping that the woman would pity her. She was stimting her pussy, something that got Hawi excited because she wanted to see what her pretty little baby would do. Hawi wanted to see how much her baby wanted this, so she let her Ruru have control. "Fuck yourself on my dick, Ruru," Hawimanded and Ruru let out a frustrated moan. "Let me know how much you want this baby, and maybe I''ll fuck you," Hawi said a smirk on her face as she looked at the love of her life. She knew she was pissing Ruru off and she was so close to cursing her out, but that wouldn''t be a problem. Everything her Ruru did with her was right. It made Hawi want to explore her limits even more. "I hate you," Ruru said as she began moving her waist, while Hawi just let her pants fall down, leaving her lower body free for anyone to see. The only good thing about all this was that he had long cast a spell. She was a jealous woman and as much as she loved teasing her Ruru, she was certain that she would kill anyone who saw her pretty baby naked. She would take their eyes and fuck them over. "Then fuck yourself on me like you hate me. Show me how much you want this, baby. Ride, Ruru, ride like your life depends on it," Hawi said as she leaned over to kiss Ruru''s plump lips. She was so pretty even when she was angry and the fact that only she could see this, made Hawi feel special. She would never forget this. "You promise?" Ruru asked, her voice meek as she looked at her mate who was enjoying her misery; everything about them was crazy regardless of who they were or even where they were. "If I were you, I would already be riding, baby," Hawi said and Ruru groaned when she felt Hawi pinch her butt. What was with Hawi and her butt anyway, not that she wasining because damn, every squeeze from those long fingers made Ruru want to be fucked over and over. "Ngh," Ruru grunted as she rxed around Hawi. She had ridden this pretty woman more than once and he remembered every little detail about them. So, it wasn''t hard for her, especially when she wrapped her hands around Hawi''s neck, and began sliding up and down on the thick long dick that was so erect for her. She was staring into Hawi''s eyes with every thrust and ride, taking in the reactions of the most beautiful woman she had ever met. She didn''t hide her moans, and she didn''t try to look around again in fear that someone woulde to this hallway and find them. Ruru didn''t mind that she was a moaning mess with every inch of Hawi''s dick that thrust into her. She didn''t mind that she had her first orgasm while Hawi was standing against the wall, staring at her like she was her world. Like this was the best of things. For a woman who had been teasing her earlier, Ruru could tell that she was slowly gaining control over Hawi. Of course, it was never a battle of dominance but she loved it when Hawi looked at her like she was at her mercy. Like Ruru could do whatever with Hawi and he would just be there, letting her do whatever. Ruru loved how Hawi let out grunts as she fought back the urge to grab Ruru''s waist and fuck her into tomorrow. She was enjoying how hard Hawi was, inside her cunt, even though she had hit her first orgasm. Of course, she knew that the first orgasm was something she had been holding in for Hawi''s dick, so when both their cum dripped down Hawi''s long dick, Ruru let out a dissatisfied moan. And Hawi smirked at her. "You''re filled up and still greedy for more sweetheart," Hawi teased and Ruru groaned again. She hated it when their juices fell to the ground or the sheets or even the floor. She hated it. She always wanted to be the one who drank whatever mess was left of them. She loved tasting the remains of their pleasure and even as she moved harder on Hawi''s dick, she wanted more. "Want a taste, baby?" Hawi asked and Ruru nodded at her hopefully as she stared into Hawi''s eyes, the desire in her eyes making Hawi smirk at her. "Not here, baby¡­ You did great my love. Now let Alpha take care of you, hmm?" Hawi said as she kissed Ruru''s forehead, before she created a portal that took them back to her suite. Chapter 290: I Want To Feed You Too [HAWI] "You''re so beautiful¡­ so damn beautiful, and mine," Hawi said when they got to her room, where there wasn''t the risk of annoying them. Here in this room, even though there were cursed dungeons under her bed, she could trust her privacy and that of her beautiful mate. Gently she pulled Ruru off her dick andid her on the bed, ignoring the pop sound that came from Ruru''s cunt. Ruru was eager, way too eager as she stripped her clothes and threw them somewhere in the room. She didn''t stop to check where, because her eyes were on Hawi. The woman who made her go crazy and yet the woman who was herfort. She couldn''t live without this woman and even as Hawi strippedpletely naked, standing there in all her glory, Ruru couldn''t help the drool from her mouth. Goddess¡­ Hawi was endowed and skilled. "Alpha¡­" Ruru began as she looked at Hawi''s dick which was twitching. Hawi was still hard, still dripping with both of their cum, still pink and pretty, and still red at the top. Ruru was jealous of her cunt for swallowing that dick more times than she hadid her mouth on it. She wanted to be the one to taste it, to lick Hawi clean, to taste every drop of cum that came from Hawi''s dick. She wanted to be the one that tasted Hawi''s cum over and over. For a moment there Ruru forgot that her mouth and cunt were still a part of her, or maybe it was because she loved the way her eyes would roll to the back each time she wrapped her lips on Hawi''s dick. She loved getting choked by that dick and she wanted it, now more than ever, as it stared at her. Oh, she was desperate, but that dick belonged to her no matter what. Hawi had told her that over and over. She had reassured her, even though Ruru knew that Hawi would never look at anyone else. She was certain that she was the only one that Hawi loved and adored, but that didn''t make it any easier for her with the way the Sicario wolves had been staring at her mate. Ruru hated them for that. She despised the fact that they openly red at how beautiful a woman Hawi was. She hated that some of them wished they could be the ones that Hawi had chosen. That shit fucked her up on some nights but then at the end of the day, she''s the one Hawi came home to. The one who heard Hawi''s moans and grunts, beautiful sounds that would make her music. "Tell me, my beautiful," Hawi said as she took in the beautiful sight of her mate. Her eyes trailed from Ruru''s thighs which were covered in their cum and slick, to Ruru''s groin which was clearly red with need. She loved how pretty her Ruru was really, even as her eyes climbed up to Ruru''s abdomen, the one ce that always showed her how huge her dick was. Each time she fucked Ruru she would always see her dick in her abdomen. It was something that Hawi had gotten addicted to and frankly, she wanted to see it again. Oh, she would, but for now, she would admire the precious art on her bed. her eyes stopped at Ruru''s full breasts which were definitely soft with need. They always went soft each time they fucked, whether it was in secret or during their mating. And right now, as Hawi stared at the reddened perched nipples, she could already understand why her Ruru had been desperate earlier. They were still at war and knew so well that they couldn''t have children at this point, but that never stopped her Ruru from takingctation drugs. Of course, Hawi had told her that she didn''t need to do that, but Ruru wanted to please her alpha in bed. She wanted to keep Hawi''s eyes always on her. She wanted to make certain that no one would ever take her Hawi from her. It was crazy really, given the fates had already determined that Ruru was Hawi''s true mate and the only one that Hawi would ever love for their entire life. But that didn''t make it easier for Ruru. Perhaps Ruru was also forgetting that even she was a powerful alpha, and a powerful creature that many wanted to be with. "You took the drugs again?" Hawi asked, though her tone was soft as she walked over to the bed, stopping barely inches from the bed. She wanted to squeeze those full breasts and feel the milk on her face when she squeezed them. It was insane how they had been mated for a short while and they had done more than anyone who was mated would, and that too, in a time of war. These two were horny all the damn time and it was a supplement of the mate bond. Read new adventures at mvl Perhaps that was the best thing that happened to the both of them because this time, Hawi didn''t have to worry about Ruru loving her. "Only for you," Ruru whispered, before adding, "You love suckling on them, and I wanted to feed you too." "My beautiful baby¡­ You didn''t have to," Hawi said while Ruru squeezed her left breast only for the milk to spurt, and boy did Hawi love it. Instinctively, her hand reached out and Ruru didn''t object. Instead of Hawi getting on the bed to Ruru, Ruru crawled sensually to her. She rolled her body in waves, making sure that Hawi saw all of her, even the marks on her butt that Hawi''s grip had given her. She was proud of those marks and Ruru would have spent the entire time naked if she could. If this was their house, she would have spent the entire day just walking around naked like a model for her Hawi to see. She loved how Hawi always touched her and it made her feel confident in herself. Right now, Hawi was enjoying the exhibition that her mate was putting on for her. She could see how milky Ruru''s smooth back was, and the only thing she could imagine was the way her thick cum would paint her baby''s back. Ruru was always a pretty one covered in Hawi''s milk and she loved how sticky she always was. This pretty woman on the bed was a deadly sin lust and Hawi wouldn''t have it any other way. "I would walk on thorns for you, alpha," Ruru said sensually as she reached the edge of the bed, stopping right when Hawi''s dick poked her mouth. Ruru was happy. She had reached her kind of heaven. She could see how sticky Hawi''s dick was and how red her tip was. This right here, was her hope and greatest addiction. So, she lifted her head and looked at Hawi, her eyes pleading with her alpha, as if to tell the alpha that he would do anything, just to get her lips swapped around that pretty long girth. "Oh, baby," Hawi said as she held her thick shaft and used it to draw circles on Ruru''s eager face. Ruru didn''t object, she only opened her mouth wider, and pulled her tongue out, in the hope that she would drink from Hawi this time. "You waited so well my beautiful," Hawi said as she gently inserted her shaft into Ruru''s waiting mouth. "There, there, baby," Hawi said as she let Ruru do her thing. Chapter 291: Di… Did… Did You Like It? [HAWI] After so much teasing, Ruru finally got what he had been hoping to have the entire time. She had earned this and she wasn''t about to rush herself. She had waited for this the entire day and now that their finds weren''t here, she would take her time. Perhaps that was also why she crawled off the bed and onto the floor, while Hawi sat on the bed, her legs wide open, for Ruru to take what he wanted. Hawi''s hands were resting on the bed even as she watched her pretty little mate crawl over to her on all fours, her breasts leaking on the suite floor, something that got Hawi harder than she could exin. "It''s yours, baby," Hawi enforced softly, her voice hoarse and eyes watching her mate intently. She always loved it when her mate crawled, because it showed her just how submissive she was. They may have been powerful alphas beyond these walls but as long as they were in their little world, Ruru would be the prettiest submissive for her alpha. "Mine," Ruru smiled heartily as she grabbed Hawi''s shaft gently and began stroking her, while she licked the tip of Hawi''s dick. "You always taste so sweet," Rurumented, as she pulled her lips from Hawi''s tip, just enough to let the words out and let herself go back to her artistry. Ruru ran her tongue along Hawi''s shaft, feeling every twitch and pulse. She loved how thick Hawi had grown, and if she didn''t know any better, she would have imagined that Hawi was ufortable. But was she, when the woman in question was staring at Ruru with hearts in her eyes? Ruru ran a long lick on Hawi''s shaft, kissing her way down to her balls that were there for her to see. She peppered kisses on Hawi''s balls, making sure to lick, suck and twirl her tongue around them. "Holy shit," Hawi groaned in pleasure as Ruru worked on her balls. She watched in awe and soft moans as her mate kissed her way back to her tip, before kissing it like it was a lonely she was about to suck on. Then gently and in an agonizingly slow pace, Ruru descended on Hawi''s shaft, poking it with her tongue, even though the monster girth was ruining her mouth, it was long and would undoubtedly puncture her throat. The fact that this same dick had been in her cunt made her jealous, so she took her sweet time, sucking like the world was hers to dominate, like the alpha on her bed was a patient woman ¨C and she really was. It took every ounce of self-control on Hawi not to grab Ruru by her long hair and force her down her dick in one move. She loved the way Ruru stared at her even though her mouth was filled to the brim with Hawi''s dick. "You¡­ Fuck¡­ You''re doing so well my beautiful. You''re so fucking beautiful that if you weren''t my mate, I would have burnt kingdoms to the ground just for you¡­ Fuck," Hawi groaned. Ruru could sense the sincerity in Awuor Hawi''s voice and she could see it too. Ruru was already fucking her mouth with Hawi''s dick, and her eyes had begun watering, and yet even then, she could only ever want to see Hawi. So, she wiped the tears to get a clearer view of the woman that got her this insane. As usual, there is love in Hawi''s eyes for her. Her mate really did know how to love her and spoil her silly. Hawi was encouraging Ruru to go on, telling her she was doing good, reminding her of how pretty she was even though Ruru was sure she looked like a lost goat on the streets with how disheveled she felt and knew she was. "Oh shit, shit, shit," Hawi cursed as she pushed her body forward, forcing her dick down Ruru''s throat once again. She had been certain she would control herself, but seeing the pretty woman on her knees, she was losing her mind. This pretty woman was Hawi''s undoing, and they both knew that. "Fuck, I''m so close," Hawi grunted huskily as she tried to hold back, However, her mate was already doing the opposite. Ruru wanted milk and she would get it, no matter what happened. So, she increased the pace at which she was sucking Hawi''s dick, even when drool was dripping from her lips. She didn''t stop, when she felt a sudden pressure at the back of her throat, and she didn''t stop, when she felt her mouth so full of Hawi''s cum and dick. She didn''t stop. Instead, she swallowed and dragged the dripping cum from her lips back into her mouth. "Oh, fuck," Hawi cursed again as she threw her head back. Her mate was going to be the death of her at this rate. Ruru was skilled and she knew what she was doing, despite giving Hawi her second orgasm, Ruru kept on sucking until she swallowed Hawi''s cum a third time. "You''re so fucking good with your mouth baby, I''m jealous of it sucking my dick, goddamn," the alpha praised and Ruru smiled at her, before she gently removed Hawi''s dick from her mouth, and licked it clean. For a moment there Hawi just stared at the beauty that was her mate. She silently thanked the deities for creating this beautiful bnce for her and she knew that she wouldn''t have wanted it any other way. Hell, Hawi would definitely go to war for Ruru. "Di¡­ Did¡­ Did you like it?" Ruru asked as she tried to get up and failed as her feet wobbled and she tripped. However, before she could even hit the ground, Hawi was already carrying her andying her on the bed, with her full breasts dripping milk, and her cunt so wet that Hawi could simply put her dick in there and fuck her without worrying about ripping the pretty mate apart. Explore more adventures at mvl Not that Ruru would ever mind. Ruru loved pain. The pain that came with pleasure. The pleasure that only Hawi could give her. She was addicted to that kind of pain and she was hoping for more pain, because Hawi would always nurse her. "I loved it, baby. Feeling your mouth on my shaft, and you making me orgasm thrice. Your pretty lips did that, my beautiful," Hawi praised and Ruru smiled warmly at her mate. She loved being praised by Hawi so this wasn''t surprising. "I missed you that much," Ruru said proudly as she tapped the side of the bed as if to tell Hawi that they could now get some rest. Hawi didn''t object and shey beside her mate, letting Ruru rest her head on Hawi''s arm, while Hawi just wiped the cum streaks off her mate''s face. Even though they were messed up, her Ruru was easily the prettiest woman alive. She was always going to do it for Hawi. "How are you feeling baby?" Hawi asked earnestly. "Happy now that I got to suck your dick, alpha. I love getting filled up by you," Ruru said, letting out a soft giggle and Hawi chuckled. Her pretty little princess was always going to be adorable, always. "You''re so fucking beautiful," Hawi said as she gently kissed Ruru on the lips, tasting herself on her mate''s lips. She loved this woman so damn much. "Ngh¡­"Ruru breathed when she felt Hawi''s hands massaging her cunt. This was going to be a long afternoon. Chapter 292: Falling In Love Over And Over * A reminder that cold showers are healthy lmaoo [HAWI] "Forever, I''m yours," Hawi said as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved. She had sensed Ruru''s scent grow bitter, almost like her Ruru was jealous of someone or something. It was hard to tell really, seeing as they were just the two of them here, but that wasn''t going to stop Hawi from reminding her mate that she was never going to be doing this alone. Theirs was a love that not even the deities would dare to interfere with. "I love you," Ruru said, her eyes softening. "As long as you''re here, I''m not going anywhere, love," Hawi said as she brought her hand back to Ruru''s face, tracing the most beautiful woman she had ever met and the only woman she would always love. "I''m never leaving," Ruru whispered, her voice husky as she stared into, " Having eyes that were calling out for her. She loved how she would always see herself in Hawi''s eyes. She loved how the woman saw him and if she was being honest with herself. Ruru loved that she was here with Hawi. "You don''t have to worry about me leaving, or anyone ever taking me from you, my beautiful. You make me happy, whole and I love that I get to be the one to love you like you deserve to be loved, my Ruru," Hawi said, as she lifted Ruru''s chin with her finger, staring into her mate''s eyes as she captured Ruru''s lips delicately. Instinctively, Ruru closed her eyes, wanting to relish the taste of the woman she loved, but Hawi¡­ she didn''t. She took her time with Ruru, pulling back from the slow kiss for a moment, just to take in how pretty her mate was. She always knew she had been blessed to have Ruru as her mate, but seeing her here, in her bed, in her arms, and all wet and filled with desire for her, Hawi was certain she was the goddess''s favorite. Hawi hadn''t done a lot of good things in her life as an alpha, and even then, the universe somehow gave her the best of people out there. She would cherish her Ruru. She would love her and adore her Ruru like she deserved to be adored. She would worship Ruru if she had to and more than anything, she would forever be thankful that she was loved by the prettiest of flowers. Her Ruru was perfection, delicate perfection, like petal that needed to be protected and was so fucking pretty at the same time. Goddess, this woman would be her undoing. "I love you¡­ I don''t know if I say this enough times Ruru, but you''re the only one for me, always. You''re my world, baby. I don''t care what happens to me out there as long as I get to see you, as long as you''re around. "I don''t think I can live without you," Hawi said as she kissed Ruru''s forehead, before trailing down to her closed eyes, her pretty nose. She was taking her time, like she was determined to never forget what her Ruru looked and felt like; like she wanted to create a perfect sculpture of her little mate in her mind. Maybe Hawi was obsessed with Ruru. Maybe she was a little too chaotic to be in love, but every breath she took with the woman on her bed, made her remember why she was fighting for peace in the first ce. She was never one for peace ever since her banishment, but seeing her Ruru, so delicately lying there beside her, feeling safe with Hawi around, Hawi made the silent promise to be the best mate to her Ruru. She would love her. She would keep her safe. She would do whatever it took to make sure that her woman was protected. "I don''t think I can live without you," Ruru whispered, her words sounding like the prettiest of melodies to Hawi. This was the kind of music that Hawi loved, the one that her Ruru yed. She was just a puppet on a string when it came to Ruru and Frankly, Hawi wasn''t ever going to fight that. Your journey continues at mvl She couldn''t bear to lose the best thing that ever happened to her. There were times when she worried that she would lose Ruru, but then each time, Ruru had always proven that they were in this together. "You''re my world, my beautiful Ruru," Hawi said as she delicately kissed the side of her Ruru''s full plump lips that were calling out to her, begging her to kiss her, but Hawi wasted a hurt this time. She would take her time with her little mate and make sure she gave Ruru whatever Ruru wanted. Hawi pulled her arm from under Ruru''s head, recing it with more of the pillows. All this time, their faces were barely inches apart, with Hawi staring at Ruru''s face, despite her hands moving around. It was safe to say that staring at Ruru''s face was one of his best habits. Sure, when they were in public, she tried her very best to keep her strong feelings at bay and now it seemed like she was obsessed with Ruru, but everyone already knew that. By now the realm had to have known that Ruru was the only person that Hawi loved more than anyone in the world. "I''m so happy you found me, baby," Hawi whispered earnestly, as she licked Ruru''s lips, like she wanted a taste of every inch of those lips. Instinctively, Ruru got her tongue out, and ran it sensually on her lips as she tried her very best not to bite her lips. She was losing control and Ruru knew she was soaking up the bed with her juices. The sparks between them had been a little too much for the both of them, seeing as they were desiring each other and wanting to explore more and more of each other. The room already smelled like sex and they hadn''t even fucked that much. Then again that didn''t matter because when Ruru felt Hawi''s lips on her, this time, more fervently, like the little self-control they both had finally snapped, she knew she would love this even more. She liked it when Hawi kissed her, because the woman sure took her time, worshipping her face like she was some sort of a god. But maybe she was that to Hawi, right? Maybe she was the only link to Hawi''s sanity and the poor woman wanted to hold onto it for as long as she could. The kiss was delicate, gentle, and intentional. Hawi took her time with Ruru, even as their tongues rolled against each other in pleasure, as they groaned and moaned at the contact. Hawi was still lying beside Ruru, kissing Ruru like her life depended on it. The sparks were too much, the desire too much, and while Hawi had self-control, Ruru didn''t. Not here, not like this, and certainly not on the bed she shared with Hawi. But that was the essence of that slow kiss, wasn''t it? To see how much Ruru would take before she started thrashing around for more. So, when her hands found their way to Hawi''s erect dick, desperate to fuck herself on it, Hawi knew her mission wasplete. "I love how patient you are, baby," Hawi teased once she pulled back from the kiss, her deep chuckle making Ruru open her eyes. "Give me more¡­ please." "You know I''d never say no to you sweetheart." Chapter 293: Your Heart I Will Choose [HAWI] Hawi didn''t push Ruru''s hand off her dick even as she made hery on her back. She wanted to get a clearer picture of the woman that got her heart always ramming in her chest. She wanted to see the beauty that was her Ruru. "Did I tell you how much I love you yet, Ruru?" Hawi asked as she kissed the nape of Ruru''s neck, while her long hands fondled Ruru''s full breasts that were still leaking, begging for her attention. She would get to them, eventually. Continue your saga on mvl "Not enough times," Ruru teased and Hawi smiled heartily at her. "Well¡­ in that case, let me show you, hmm?" Hawi said as she peppered kisses on Ruru''s shoulder, down to her chest that was staring at her. This woman was beautiful and if hell was this pretty, then Hawi didn''t mind going to hell ry, as long as she had her woman, her Ruru. "My favorite part of your body, Ruru," Hawi mused as she fisted Ruru''s right breast while she ran her tongue on the other, ying with the nipple like it wasn''t already packed enough for her to pull into her mouth. "You say that about every part of my body," Ruru said with a softugh, only for it to turn into a moan when Hawi pulled the nipple into her mouth, suckling sensually. Hawi loved how Ruru''s milk tasted, how it felt so right in her mouth, how the nipple effortlessly released into her mouth. She loved this so much, even as her right hand squeezed the right breast, ying with the milk that her Ruru was releasing. "Fuck¡­" Ruru strained out when she saw how Hawi was having so much fun. Her mate was enjoying how her milk tasted and Ruru loved this. She didn''t regret taking thectation drugs earlier that morning. This right here was worth everything that she had done. She always loved seeing Hawi folded at the sight of her breasts and now that the woman was taking turns suckling, Ruru couldn''t help but imagine Hawi''s dick fucking her breasts, while Ruru squeezed her boobs around Hawi''s dick. It was something that she had always looked forward to. It made her feel like the world was theirs to rule and dominate. "You look so hot suckling like that," Ruru said and Hawi just raised her head to look into the eye of the woman who was staring at her with hearts in her eyes. They were doing that a lot ¨C looking at each other like it was just the two of them in this huge world, but like they were the only ones that mattered; then again, in their own world, only they mattered. "Ahh shitt¡­" Ruru moaned when Hawi grabbed both breasts and forced them into her mouth, suckling from both. Her face was already covered in the milk that she had released and frankly, Hawi looked hot like that. Ruru wanted to lick her face, but this time, she knew Hawi was doing it for her. Hawi was always going to be proud of Ruru, even when she didn''t need to. It was natural for them to adore her woman and it made Ruru''s life a little better because she had always thought she couldn''t have what she wanted. But then Hawi came along and gave Ruru everything she wanted. Literally. "You taste so divine," Hawi said when she released Ruru''s breasts. She had suckled all the milk from it and while she wanted more the red nipples that she had bitten and pulled and suckled, were not releasing anymore. It wouldn''t take long though. She just had to stimte her Ruru enough and she would be ck to enjoy the sweet taste of her mate''s milk. For a moment there Hawi was d they weren''t looking to have babies yet, because that woman she would suckle a little longer. "Fucking little shits," Hawi said begrudgingly, and Ruru sighed amusedly and knowingly. "I''ll feed you with our babies, love. You can''t be jealous of our pups now, hmm?" Ruru said as she petted Hawi''s head, as if to encourage her. "You promise?" Hawi asked as she kneaded Ruru''s breasts with her hands, while she delicately kissed down Ruru''s t abdomen. Her baby was pretty. Her milky skin was Hawi''s addiction. She loved it, just like she loved all of her Ruru. "You¡­ dammit¡­ Yes, yes. I fucking promise¡­ holy shit¡­" Ruru strained it when she felt Hawi draw circled on her abdomen with her tongue. This woman was the devil herself, there was no other exnation. "Bad word," Hawi said and Ruru stared at her mate like the woman was delicious. She couldn''t be doing this right now, yeah? Not when Hawi was overstimting her nipples, and she was feeling a surge of sparks on her abdomen. Surely his mate had to have some mercy on her, no? "Ba¡­ bad word¡­ Bad words? Right now?" Ruru forced out, her eyes rolling to the back of her head from the amount of pleasure she was feeling. , Hawi was kissing her groin, kissing it, running her tongue on it, and stopping right above her clit. This was not fair at all, but what else could Ruru do than arch herself in the hope that Hawi could give her what she wanted? Instead, Hawi grabbed another pillow and put it under Ruru''s back, lifting the petite woman just a little higher, enough that she could have a clearer view of the cunt she had been waiting on for a while now. "Yup¡­ bad word," Hawi said with a pout as she flicked Ruru''s clit with her tongue. One of her hands was still kneading Ruru''s breasts, while the other was tracing lines along Ruru''s milky thighs. "Baby¡­ I promise I''ll fucking let you suckle with our pups, but they''re not here¡­ dammit," Ruru said like a little brat, only for her voice to shift into a series of moans when Hawi kissed her cunt, only to make her way down to Ruru''s thighs, and spread them apart. Ruru had closed her eyes and was reeling in the pleasure she was getting from her mate. She loved Hawi a lot, but right now, the woman was teasing her and it wasn''t cool, right? "Ruru¡­" Hawi called out sensually, her voice husky with desire, her eyes coated with lust as she stared at the throbbing wet cunt that was already dripping for her. Goddess, this woman was a piece of art, and her cunt¡­ this would be Hawi''s undoing, and if they aren''t careful they would go on a twelve-day streak again. It wasn''t their fault that they were so attracted to each other it would sometimes be considered fatal anyway. "You''re driving me crazy," Ruru said when she felt Hawi push her knees up, to let her have a clearer view of Ruru''s cunt. She looked so pretty. her clit was swollen from being fucked earlier. It was still red from the orgasms Ruru had had, and at the same time, it was inviting Hawi. "You''re so fucking pretty, baby. So pretty and mine," Hawi said for the hundredth time today. She didn''t hesitate to remind Ruru of who she belonged to, and that was something that made her life sweeter and easier. "Always yours, alpha¡­ Always yours," Ruru strained and Hawi kissed her cunt softly. "Ruru baby¡­" Hawi said softly. "Open your eyes for me," Hawi added, and when Ruru did, she let out a defeatedugh, while Hawi just smirked at her. Chapter 294: You Look Perfect For Me [HAWI] Ruru had known it was a trap. Hearing Hawi tell her to in her eyes was a trap, one that she dly fell into. When she opened her eyes, she saw a smirk on Hawi''s face, before the crazy woman cast a spell and her hands were tied up above her head, while her legs were spread so widely, and chained to the best post. Her cunt was open for Hawi to see, and her body was rightly positioned in the middle of the bed. It was then that Hawi remembered how huge the eight-by-twelve bed was. It was huge, and long, and Ruru fit right at the center of it. "Good girl," Hawi praised as she stepped back from the bed, grabbed one of Ruru''s undies, and shoved it gently in Ruru''s mouth, like she wanted the pretty woman to stay quiet. She then kissed her forehead while Ruru stared at her, with pleading eyes. "I know, baby. You want me to fill you up, don''t you?" Hawi asked as she ran a finger along Ruru''s lower lip, before she leaned in and kissed her breasts that were still swollen. Hawi squeezed them and she saw milke out, something that got her excited. this woman belonged to her, all of her was her. This woman made her whole and she wouldn''t have it any other way. "Nghh¡­" Ruru tried to speak, but her mouth was filled with her undies, so she nodded desperately, when she watched Hawi go back between her legs. Hawi stared at Ruru''s cunt, the pretty little thing that was open of her, throbbing, still leaking for her. She loved what she was seeing and she loved how despite all that had happened her baby still found time to be ready for her. She knew Ruru''s cunt was calling for her and she wasn''t going to refuse a call from someone so perfect, which was also why she went down on her, licking Ruru''s cunt clean. She loved how her baby tasted and how their juices hade together. It was a little sticky down there but with Hawi''s tongue, anything coulde off and get cleaned up well. She had a long tongue that had been in Ruru''s cunt one too many times so that it knew where Ruru''s sweet spot was. Pleased with how clean Ruru''s cunt was, Hawi inserted one of her long fingers in, teasing Ruru. She knew Ruru was more than ready for her dick, but she loved the desperate groans her mate was letting, especially with her mouth on Ruru''s clit, overstimting it. Hawi sucked on the little clit, while she added fingers into Ruru''s cunt, one by one, each time that Ruru let out a moan and arched her back desperately. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Ruru, each time that she moved her legs, the shackles tightened and her ass got lifted a little higher. Hawi didn''t mind really, because this little cunt was her to explore, her to kiss and her to fuck in whatever way she saw fit. She loved how she could feel it sucking her fingers, with every little thrust of her fingers, deeper into Ruru. Soon enough, Hawi was thrusting her fingers roughly into Ruru''s cunt. her pace had quickened and Ruru had turned into a moaning mess, her back arching and her desperation so obvious. Hawi was consistent with her thrusts, while her tongue overstimted Ruru''s clit. She loved how Ruru''s entire body was responding to her thrusts, and how her full breasts had once again started leaking. Hawi knew this would happen, because this wasn''t the first time. She loved this woman so damn much though. "I wanna hear you moan so bad, but I also wanna see you arch desperately for me¡­ I''m not sure which one I shouldn''t do baby," Hawi teased as she thrust her fingers harder into Ruru''s cunt. She could see how her clit was red from overstimtion and Hawi was proud of herself. With a fourth finger in Ruru, Hawi knew it was just a matter of seconds before her mate came from the high she was experiencing. And right before Ruru had her release, Hawi removed her fingers from Ruru''s cunt, leaving her hanging and dry. "I think you want to say something, baby," Hawi said as she looked at Ruru. She could see the tears of desperation rolling down her woman''s pretty face down to her ears. Of course, Hawi had sworn she would never make Ruru cry¡­ unless it was from pleasure. She was just keeping her promise to her beautiful baby. "Nod if you want to talk, sweetheart," Hawi said, her eyes never leaving Ruru''s even as she used her dick to tease Ruru''s cunt. She was drawing circles on Ruru''s asshole, making the woman desperate for release. Discover more stories at mvl Hawi loved how Ruru was so close to begging for more. Well, she was already begging and if Hawi hadn''t shut off the mind links, Ruru would have heard how desperate she was for a release. Ruru nodded frantically and Hawi chuckled darkly as she pushed her duck into Ruru''s ass, just far enough to get Ruru begging again. "Oh baby, your tears¡­ your tears are breaking my heart," Hawi said as she pushed her dick a little deeper into Ruru''s ass. She had been expecting resistance, but when she slid in with ease, she knew that her baby had prepared herself for this all round. Oh, but she was a resourceful little mate. "You really touched yourself so damn good baby¡­ without my permission, huh," Hawi said as she looked at how Ruru''s ass was wrapped tightly around her dick. She considered thrusting all the way in, but she didn''t. Instead, she pulled out, leaving the poor woman high again. "What did we say about touching yourself in secret, baby, hmm?" Hawi teased as she looked in the drawers and found a set of dildos and she just chuckled. "Someone''s been pretty busy, huh¡­ which one was it you used to prepare yourself, sweetheart?" Hawi asked as she showed her Ruru the dildos in her hands. Ruru was frustrated. She wanted a release and her mate was messing with her. She should have expected this though, because Hawi had told her that if she needed a release, she could alwayse to her. But maybe Ruru wanted to be defiant, no? "Ther?... or this¡­" Hawi asked as she pointed at a set of dildos. They were shorter than her dick and it made her excited because then she knew that they couldn''t get her the pleasure that only she would ever give her Ruru. it was a given and she was proud of it. "Hmm¡­ nghhh¡­" Ruru struggled against the shackles but they just got her ass higher until there wasn''t any higher she could go. Hawi had set the shackles to keep her to a certain point and now that she could see Ruru''s slick dripping on the mattress, Hawi rushed to have a taste. "Alright baby¡­ I''ll free your mouth, but only if you promise to tell me where you got the dildos from alright?... Do we have a deal?" Hawi asked and Ruru needed frantically, and Hawi let out a softugh. She loved how red Ruru was, and if she was being honest, Hawi was falling in love all over again. "Malika¡­ she said they were not going to be enough but would prepare me just enough for you." Chapter 295: Hold On To Me, Coz I’m A Little Unsteady [HAWI] "Malika¡­ She said they were not going to be enough but would prepare me just enough for you," Ruru breathed out when her mouth was released, only for Hawi to shut her up with a light kiss. Enjoy exclusive adventures from §Þ?? Ruru breathed a sigh of relief as she returned the kiss, her desperation for a release more than obvious. She was sure she would lose her mind at this rate really. "I know, baby, I know¡­ Which is why we will both put them to use huh," Hawi said and Ruru could have sworn she had the angel of death summoning her in the distance, or maybe it was the angel of hell? She wasn''t quite sure, and before she could say anything, her undies were forced gently back into her mouth, with Hawi tugging on her breasts just enough to stimte her silly. Deciding on the thickest of the dildos, Hawi spread her mate''s cunt with her fingers, tracing her clit one more time, before she thrust the dildo harshly into Ruru''s cunt, making sure to fill her up. She knew that had to have hurt, but the pleasure that would follow was insane, especially given this particr dildo had a vibrator in it, one that Hawi had set at the highest setting. With her Ruru''s cunt locked, and already vibrating, Hawi gently pushed her dick into Ruru''s ass, before she began thrusting deeper and harder. She could hear her mate''s muffled moans and she loved it. "Use your magic baby¡­ Use your magic to release the undies from your mouth," Hawi said and Ruru could have sworn her mate was insane. This wasn''t the time for them to think of magic and shit. But then Hawi always did things for a reason. If she suggested magic, then it could happen, right? So as Hawi thrust harder into her ass, Ruru channeled her magic to try and push the fabric out. She failed each time, and she was getting more frustrated. She was angry that she couldn''t be rid of the fabric and she was frustrated that the pleasure was driving her insane with no one to hear her damned moans. Ruru wanted to be good for Hawi, so she tried one more time. Thankfully she managed to get the fabric off of her with her magic when Hawi came inside her ass, releasing her cum, filling up the pretty as that had been cleaned up for her. "Alpha¡­ harder please¡­ faster, alpha, faster," Ruru cried out as she chased a high that she could get. Hawi was done holding back. She thrust into his mate''s ass tearing through the pretty little rim with pleasure. She didn''t stop when Ruru freed herself from the shackles and he didn''t stop when Ruru folded her legs above her neck, so Hawi could have even more ess to her ass. She loved being used like this. She loved how Hawi was ruthless with her in bed. When Hawi wanted to pull out, Ruru grabbed Hawi by the neck and mmed their lips together, making it hard for the alpha to pull out. And so like a folded pretzel, Ruru was fucked hard and deep, like it was thest time, even though they both knew it wasn''t thest time. Hawi orgasmed twice inside Ruru''s ass, before she pulled out, her body sweaty and Ruru''s ass swollen. her cunt was still being stimted by the vibrator that was holding her back, stopping her from reaching a high. "Please¡­" Ruru begged as she touched the dildo. She didn''t remove it though, because she knew that wasn''t hers to do. "Please what, Ruru," Hawi asked as she teased Ruru''s full breasts. With her Ruru folded like this, Hawi had ess to the full breasts she had been waiting to milk again; she was always hungry for Ruru and this woman knew how to make her go feral for her. That was one of the many reasons Hawi loved Ruru. "Please take the dildo out and fuck me, Alpha," Ruru let out in on breath even though she was tired. "You look worn out sweetheart, we can do that some other time, baby. I''m yours, remember?" Hawi said and Ruru nodded, as she grabbed Hawi''s hand and put it on the dildo, pleading with her eyes. She had wanted this; she needed this and she hoped that Hawi wouldn''t deny her that. "Please alpha," Ruru begged and Hawi knew she couldn''t say no to her baby, not when she so pretty desired her hair being all over the ce. Her Ruru was as perfect as she could give her what she wanted. "Tell me if it hurts, alright?" Hawi said as she turned the dildo''s vibrator off, and pulled it out gently. With it, was Ruru''s thick slick that came off so beautifully that Hawi stared in awe. She loved how Ruru''s body always had a way of reminding her that she had the prettiest mate in the world. "It doesn''t," Ruru said weakly and Hawi worried for her mate. However, the determination in Ruru''s eyes got Hawi smiling wholly at her. "Alright baby," Hawi said, before she straightened her Ruru''s legs andid her on her side. She knew Ruru''s ass was hurting and she didn''t want to hurt her anymore, so shey beside her mate, pulling her close, their bodies facing each other before Hawi pushed her dick into Ruru''s cunt, careful not to cause her mate any more pain. She knew her Ruru loved the pain, but there had to be limits too, she couldn''t wear her out as much. So Hawi spread Ruru''s kegs and cuddled her, while she thrust slowly into Ruru''s waiting cunt, that had been expecting her. Her mouthtched on Ruru''s breast, gently suckling while she pushed in and out of Ruru. Each thrust was gentle, and unlike the other times when she had stopped Ruru from letting out sounds, this time, Hawi let her. Eventually, the thrusts increased, with Ruru begging for more, desiring more from her mate, who didn''t hesitate to give her more. They were both chasing a high, making love while at it, but chasing a high nheless. Here in each other''s arms, they were safe, happy, and orgasming peacefully. "You''re perfection, baby," Hawi reminded for the hundredth time, when they had orgasmed one too many times their bodies were tired. And somehow even then, she was still hard inside Ruru. "I''ll prepare a warm bath for you, my beautiful," Hawi said as she kissed her mate, before she tried to get out of the bed and failed. Ruru was holding onto her, like she was her life force. It was admirable and exciting at the same time. It was cute, to say the least and Hawi loved this. "You don''t want me to leave¡­ Do you, love?" Hawi asked as she pushed Ruru''s hair to the back. She knew her mate was flustered, but she also knew her Ruru was a beautiful mess. They were perfection altogether. "Stay¡­ please, alpha," a sleepy Ruru said and Hawi knew she couldn''t object. So, she conjured a light sheet, and covered both of them, not wanting to have her mate feeling cold. The temperatures were okay, but she wanted to make sure Ruru wasfortable. "For you¡­ Always, my Ruru¡­ Always. Now rest up, I''ll be here when you wake up," Hawi said as she pulled Ruru closer to her. There may have been a lot that needed their attention, but they would work on it after they woke up. It didn''t matter after how long anyway. As long as they were together. Chapter 296: With You From Dusk Till Dawn Baby [HAWI] The sound of whiny moans and whimpers woke Hawi up instantly. She wasn''t sure what she had been expecting, but herying on her back, with Ruru''s back facing her, certainly wasn''t it. They had been sleeping for a while, or so she thought, because the moans and whimpers of her little mate, got her to the reality of her hard dick being ridden frantically. Ruru was enjoying herself, and Hawi loved that for her. "You feel so damn good inside me, love. I could get used to this," Ruru moaned as she grabbed Hawi''s hands and ced them on her waist, making the alpha hold her while she rode her dick. Ruru was insane for that, especially since Hawi was still trying toe to terms with this reality. She was still sleepy but with every move Ruru made on her dick, sleep was bing history for her. "Fucking hell, Greyson," Hawi groaned in pleasure when she felt her dick hit Ruru''s walls so well. She could have shown her little mate was tired, but as it was, she was just hungry for more. So Hawi let Ruru ride her a little more, before he pushed Ruru forward, forcing the woman on her knees on their bed. Her ass was arched up perfectly and Hawi already knew that this was her mate''s n. She wasn''t one to object, even as she rammed into the beautiful cunt that had been sucking her deeper and deeper. "Ahh¡­ yes¡­ fuck¡­ just like that¡­ oh shit¡­ harder aah¡­" Ruru moaned as Hawi thrust into her mercilessly. Hawi was gripping her by the hair, pulling Ruru''s head towards her, making her arch herself even more. This woman was perfect. She was art in itself and her moans were making Hawi delirious. She loved her. A little too much and she wouldn''t hold back this time. "Louder for everyone to hear, baby, louder!" Hawimanded and Ruru did just that. She moaned as loud as she could, her sounds filling up the room. She was being fucked so roughly; her cunt was being pounded like the slut she always was for Hawi. She loved being manhandled, and when Hawi pulled out of her roughly only to turn Ruru over so she was looking into her eyes, Hawi felt like she was in heaven. Her mate was high on pleasure even as Hawi rammed back into Ruru''s cunt, fucking her so hard that the sounds of their bodies pping together filled the room. Ruru''s full breasts were moving so harshly too, the milk spewing all over, turning the beautiful Rukiya Greyson into another extravagant piece of art. "You''re so fucking beautiful, you know that, right?" Hawi asked and Ruru nodded, at a loss for words. She loved this and she loved that Hawi could effortlessly make her speechless. "Word, baby, words," Hawi said harshly as she smacked Ruru''s ass, before grabbing Ruru by her legs and pulling her so close. Each thrust into Ruru''s cunt was deliberate and rough, yet addictive. Perhaps it was the pleasure they were addicted to. Perhaps it was the sounds of their moans. Perhaps it was the way Ruru was folded so perfectly. "I¡­ am¡­ Beautiful," Ruru cried out in pleasure with each thrust into her. Hawi wasn''t letting her breathe, but then she had wanted this, hadn''t she? "Louder, baby," Hawi ordered as she smacked Ruru again, before she released Ruru''s legs and pulled out of her cunt after hitting an orgasm. They had both been high on each other. Hawi then pulled Ruru towards her, so she would be right under her. Her breasts were suddenly right below Hawi''s dick, ready to be fucked. Ruru smiled in satisfaction as she grabbed Hawi''s dick and sandwiched in between her full breasts that were leaking. "Fuck me, Alpha," Ruru said excitedly, her eyes igniting with anticipated pleasure as Hawi stared down at her with a smile on her face. How the fuck was her Ruru so beautiful even in this position? Goddamn, she was blessed, yeah? "I love you," Hawi said as she thrust between the breasts that were gripping her. Her dick was wet with both of their cum and Ruru just pulled her tongue out so Hawi''s juices would drip into her mouth with every thrust. She had been waiting for this very moment. Find your next read on §Þ?? Hawi didn''t disappoint, even as she thrust harder, faster, so much so that she released her load on Ruru''s chest, and the pretty alpha just smeared herself with her mate''s cum, like she was the art that Hawi created. Ruru loved Hawi and she loved that this was just their time. She loved how their chemistry was so natural and when Hawi tried to pull out from between her breasts, Ruru pleaded with her eyes for another round. They were animals, with a stamina that needed to be studied. Ruru''s cunt was dripping with cum while her chest was covered in more. And Hawi fucked her breasts, over and over. However, just as she was about to release a second time, Ruru pulled herself from under Hawi and ced her mouth on Hawi''s shaft, drinking the load that had been released. She was insane for this but Hawi didn''t stop. Instead, she grabbed Ruru by the hair and fucked her mouth over and over. Theirs was a messy orgasm, as they hit highs and lows together, as they joined each other in theirbined scent. Fuck, rainforest scent had never been this addictive. They were unhinged and they meant for each other. "Gracious fuck," Hawi groaned when she came a second time in Ruru''s mouth. Her mate was so good with her mouth and it was addictive. Gently, she pulled out of Ruru''s mouth and the alpha just licked her clean again. Ruru was definitely hungry for Hawi and maybe the war had fucked them both up a little too much. As they fell on the bed beside each other, they felt free of some weight. Ruru had been stressed about losing Adolf and she had needed Hawi. Maybe that was also why Hawi hadn''t tried to stop her despite this being so chaotic. Hawi knew that her mate needed a distraction and with the rest of the team off to Greyson, Ruru''s people, who she couldn''t even go home with, she had expected that they would do something irrational. What she hadn''t expected was for them to fuck each other for hours on end ¡ª not that she wasining. "Are you feeling any better, sweetheart?" Hawi asked as she turned to look at Ruru who was already staring at her with soft eyes. These two were down so bad for each other, it was sickeningly sweet. It was like they never got tired of themselves and that was perfect. "You fed me, so let me feed you too," Ruru said and Hawi just chucked knowingly. She knew there was a high chance they wouldn''t just stop at feeding, but she wasn''t one to say no to an invite, especially from her beautiful Alpha mate. They were a mess, and so terrible for each other yet so damn good to each other. "Yes ma''am," Hawi said as she went into Ruru''s waiting arms andy there, Ruru''s nipple in her mouth as they finally let themselves give their bodies some rest. They deserved it after everything that had happened and there was no denying that. *** [A/N] * I hope you took a cold shower... looking out for society atp * Anyway, Mass release of the horny souls is done... can''t believe I drafted 8 chapters in a day for horny souls goddamn * Makes sense why they fucked for twelve daysst time Chapter 297: No Attachments, Right? * [T/W: Mentions of Suicide] [GREYSON] Greyson was a little too quiet when the two Savasci Knights reached it. They hadn''t been expecting much really but the silent stares from the people, and the defeated sighs from the wolves just weren''t it. These wolves were currently cleaning up the pack, clearing the messes from their hell they had been in for the past two weeks. They had been broken when their people had died and their grief had put their lives on a standstill. Sure, the grief was always going to be there and they would always miss their friends and family, but the fact that eleven people had taken their pain like it was nothing scared them. Perhaps the rumors about the protectors being of the strongest minds were true, right? "Enforcer, we''re here. I apologize for the mess¡­ I didn''t think you would want to portal in directly to her," Zane said and Mbali just nodded. She was still taking in the sight and frankly, this was insane. Then again it reminded her of the one time that rkson pack had been thrown into mourning when their daughter, Luna Eni was murdered. It reminded her of the pain the wolves had felt, and how the Lycans had tried their best and still failed. Everything had been going sideways one moment and the next, they were waking up healed and healthy, with sad faces and eptance of the pain they had endured, not to mention eptance of the loss of one of their own. It was strange to everyone, but none of them dared to question how an entire battalion of warriors had managed to ovee their grief in one day. Now that Mbali was here and seeing the same, she couldn''t help but hear Rukiya''s voice about how her sister had to have been looking out for her. Perhaps it was Malika who helped them out four years ago when Luna Eni was murdered. This was all too familiar and Mbali wasn''t sure how to express her gratitude to the sister she was supposed to be mad at. The more she learned about Malika and her selflessness, the more Mbali wished she could have reached out. Surely, there had to be other ways other than them separating for those many years, right? Over six hundred years was a long time and it broke Mbali''s heart to know that her sister was out there alone, and taking on people''s pain with no one to take care of her. "Are you okay, Kane?" Mbali asked as she looked at the woman her sister had chosen. It was a ridiculous idea given that protectors were never allowed to mate, seeing as they had the cruelest of jobs in the realm. And while Malika hadn''t marked Elodie, even the blind could see that Malika was hopelessly falling for Elodie. It wasn''t just sex for them and it was a good thing they hade with Elodie because Mbali didn''t know if she could let herself break down before her warriors. At least with the Sicario warrior, they were all feeling the pinch of someone they both loved being hurt. They were too close to Malika and they were hoping that she would be fine. That in itself was really okay this time anyway. "I will be¡­ I just need to see her. You can fix her, right?" Elodie asked as they entered the Greyson pack house. It was the same size as the Sicario pack house and prettier, at least whenpared to what the Sicario pack house looked like at the moment. There was no doubt that it would have been no match for Sicario if Hawi had still been their alpha, but that wasn''t important at the moment, right? "I''m not really sure what they expect me to do, if I''m being entirely honest with you. I came here for Hawi. She needs her protector well if she is to defeat the bastard shadow warlocks and make sure that the realm is safe. "I want to say I''m also here because she is my sister, but there is still a rage in me that time can''t quench, at least not now. They shouldn''t expect me to help just because she is my supposed sister. I won''t do that. "I won''t pretend like I didn''t live the entirety of my childhood alone and that she was alive and didn''t bothering to find me. She abandoned me; if I could, I would abandon her too. She needs to feel what it''s like to have no one for her, but lucky for her you''re here. "At least she can count on you if she wants someone that loves her. I am here because of my loyalty to Hawi nothing else," Mbali said and Elodie stared at her softy. Mbali was hurting. She hadn''t expected a lot from the universe but having to be thrown in the middle of a reality in which her sister was alive and a ruthless powerful protector yet never came to check on her was something she wasn''t going to forgive easily. Malika was powerful, she had everything out there to protect herself and the people she loved. Hell, if the deities had thought of her as a weak person they wouldn''t have given her the job to protect the white wolves. The deities knew everything and they too had known about Malika''s sister, and the chance that they would reunite. And even then they still gave her the job and she had done it well, at the expense of her rtionship with her sister. Elodie understood her so much. Continue your journey on §Þ?? She had been angry with Hawi too when she realized Hawi was alive and hadn''t reached out. Sure, theirs was just a timeline of a year and she had felt so disappointed and worked up. She couldn''t me Mbali for being mad. "Just be yourself, no pressure. If you''re doing this for Hawi then I know Hawi better. And I know she wouldn''t want you worked up this much. Be the warrior Hawi trusts and clear your mind of any doubts or emotions that don''t need to be there. "If you''re doing this for Hawi, then you have to be a soldier, and keep your head in the game. But if you came for Malika, as her sister, then you''re allowed to be angry and sad and to want to express your pain and disappointment. "Your sister would understand too, because from what Rukiya mentioned, she has been taking care of you in secret all this time. I''m not saying you should forgive her if you don''t want to, but the moment we get there it will be time for you to make a decision you think is best. "Whatever it is, you have to be brave enough to face it, otherwise it will all be pointless, Mbali," Elodie said earnestly. Emotions wereplex and they were things that people needed to have rity about. But in Mbali''s case, she was allowed to be angry and disappointed. Love was never supposed to hurt and yet love had broken them apart. "Like I said, I''m here for Hawi. There''s nothing emotional about that, unless someone hurt Hawi," Mbali said and Elodie smiled softly at her as Zane opened the door to the infirmary where Malika and the other warriors wereid on one huge bed, their hands tangled as if to keep the linkplete. It was a sad sight, seeing the most powerful warriors of the realm so weak and unconscious. This was a sight that not even Mbali could have imagined, after all the time she hadnd of the nature of the different factions in the realm. She had never imagined she would ever see more than a protector at a time, and yet here they were, eleven protectors in the same room, under the same roof, and that too in a pack where the white wolf wasn''t even in at the moment. This was history¡­ but Mbali hated this kind of history. The way they were sprawled in the bed reminded her of thest time she had seen her parents. It reminded her of her parents holding hands on the bed, as they breathed theirst. Her parents had ingested poison intentionally because they couldn''t handle the pressure that came with being a Jabali. At the time, their family name was a little tooplex and their histories were not something people would talk about. But young Mbali didn''t know that. All she knew was that her parents were dying slowly and none of them were moving. She was too young to know what death was like and they had forced her into that state. She had tried to wake them up, but all she got were sleeping forms with their fading heartbeats. In their letter to her, they had mentioned that they hoped she would understand them someday. But what about her? She was just a five-year-old kid then. What of the fact that she was left all alone in a world where people never liked her family name? What about the fact that she wouldn''t have family or even anyone to take care of her for that matter? Their entire Lycan pack had disbanded and most of them didn''t want anything to do with the child of the house Jabali. She had been left by her parents, abandoned by her pack and now that she had grown up, she was learning that her sister had long abandoned them before her parents abandoned her. Her entire life seemed like a circus, and yet again, the universe was ying games with her. She didn''t deserve all of this pain. "Mama¡­ Papa, please wake up¡­ I''m scared, Mama," Mbali whispered defeatedly, her tears free falling down her face. Chapter 298: Selfish Until The End, Huh? [GREYSON] "Mama¡­ Papa, please wake up¡­ I''m scared, Mama," Mbali whispered defeatedly, her tears free-falling down her face. She felt weak, staring at her parents like that. She felt trapped in a cycle that she had tried to get out of, and had hopelessly failed to do so more than once. It was like her world was never going to give her any peace. Stay connected with §Þ?? She was a fighter, a warrior, and yet as strong as she was, this right here was the one thing that haunted her more times than she would ever admit out loud. She deserved better and she knew it, but what else could he do this time? "What?" Hudhayfah asked, clearly not understanding anything. He could have sworn he had never seen Jabali Lihle crying and that too while mentioning her parents. He wanted to pretend that this wasn''t a traumatic response, but Hudhayfah just couldn''t. The woman was broken by a past she never let anyone into. She was hurt by a reality that she had tried to escape and clearly, seeing her sister here like this, was returning all the terrible memories that she had had to live through. Maybe there woulde a time when she would be free, but what was freedom when her heart was shattered all the time? "Please don''t leave me again," Mbali said as she rushed to her sister. She had always been used to pain and she knew how to get a hold of herself. Besides, she refused to let anyone take care of her. She had always been alone, with her Lycans and if she let anyone else in, she would be ruined. But now that her sister was here, and reminding her of her abandonment, would it be any easier for her? "Mbali¡ª" Elodie said, as she reached out to Mbali, but Hudhayfah stopped her. "Let her. Whatever it is, only she can wake up her sister. We can''t interrupt her seeing as their heartbeats are slowing a little too fast. It would be hard having eleven protectors in aa at the same time, especially the current white wolf''s protector. "It would open the realm up for so many things and frankly, we are not in a position to defend the realm without Malika. Sure, Hawi can, but shecks the knowledge. Malika has lived through years and years and has protected wolves before. "She knows the history on who is bad and good for the realm and Hair needs that. So let her," Hudhayfah exined and Elodie just needed it in silence. She wanted to say something, anything, but she had to remind herself that Mbali was doing this for Hawi. Or maybe a part of Mbali wanted to save her sister, because she needed a sister, she needed to know what having an older sister felt like, to be cared for without always having to worry about what could happen. She wanted to be loved selflessly too and she was right to hope, so Elodie just stopped. "How should I wake her up, Hudhayfah?" Mbali asked her voice monotone and Elodie sighed. This was going to be hard for Mbali no matter how long she tried to pretend that''s why wasn''t doing this for herself too. But then they just had to wait and see, right? "Reach out to her. She is your sister and that is the only bond that can wake her up. If we wanted a bond out of duty, we would have let Hawie along, seeing as she has the greatest of her loyalty. But this is something you must do, Mbali. "I know this isn''t how you expected toe and deal with your sister. I know it''s not the kindest of asks from us, but we are out of options and we can''t let her die. We can''t lose her. The realm is okay, but the moment Malika leaves, everything else will burn with it. "Only Hawi would be left standing, but she would be so broken that the duties would have to deal with her and then wait another thousand years for the next white wolf," Hudhayfah exined. He knew this was not going to be easy for Mbali, as the woman and emotions were not exactly the best ofpanions. But then there was nothing they themselves could do other than hope that it went well. "Whatever it is you have to say to her, you can do that. The other protectors arepletely out of it. Only Malika is still subconscious enough to list, so use that. Let her listen to your voice. "Let him know what it is you want from her, and if she wants toe back, she will. If she doesn''t, then we''ll start preparing reports for the Olyana protectors before they think we murdered eleven protectors alright," Hudhayfah said and Mbali scoffed at the absurdity. All her life she had no one and suddenly her sister was dying and she had to be the one to make sure Malika didn''t drift. Weren''t they being a little too cruel to her though? Whatever the fuck happened to humanity, to letting her in, to listening to her. Or maybe they had been at war for so long that they didn''t quite remember what it meant to be human anymore, no? "Great. Just great. Even until the end, she remains a selfish little shit waiting to y Cindere for you right? Why the fuck didn''t you get Hawi then? How could Imand her? We both know Hawi''smand would get her protector up. "Why leave her here with me? Why drag me into this shit show that she put herself in? I didn''t ask her to protect me or be my sister. If she wants to take her power back... then, by all means, she can do it¡­ She''s so cruel¡­ "You all are so cruel to me. It''s unfair how I never get to live and the moment she feels like fanning out, I have to dive in and be the one who cares for her. What about me then?" Mbali asked Hudhayfah angrily. She punched the wall near the bed, making the entire room shake, not to mention the hole that she had created in it. She was angry and she had every right to be, so Hudhayfah wasn''t even about to justify what they had done or what they were doing as much as Hudhayfah wanted to answer Mbali''s questions, he knew he couldn''t do that without implicating themselves. "We''ll leave you to it, Jabali. Like I said, I''ll prepare the reports just in case. But I hope we don''t have to lose your sister. You just found her, you need answers for what she did and you deserve closure. It''s unfair to you, you are right. "But if you didn''t get her out of there, then you will be forcing the entire realm into chaos, the kind that not even us immortals will be able to survive. I know it''s a lot of pressure, but I wish there was another way. "Sadly, there isn''t, Mbali," Hudhayfah said as he walked out, signaling everyone else in the room to live with him. Elodie was quite skeptical, but she knew that the ball was in Mbali''s court and only she could determine what the fuck happened after this. "You can do this, Mbali," Elodie whispered as she locked the door after her, leaving a distraught Mbali with her sister and ten other nearly dead protectors. Chapter 299: Stop Me, Please… Please [GREYSON] "I hate you. I hate you so much and I pray you never forget just how much I do," Mbali said as she looked at her sister. Malika wasying on the end, her skin was slowly turning white and that pissed Mbali off even more. Growing up alone, Mbali had heard of the greatest protector of the realm. She had always hoped to interact with her, even though most of the people who told her about Protector Malika had warned her against even mentioning the woman''s name. There were horror tales of the greatest protect alive and they were stories that scared many. However, Mbali had never once been scared. If anything, he always strained harder, in the hope that one day, someday, maybe the universe would bring them together. "I was excited, you know¡­ When I realized you were the one assigned to protect Awuor. I was happy, because you are the best protector. I was d because finally someone would take care of my friend in a way that even I couldn''t. "I was d she wasn''t alone and that she had you, the greatest of them all. Don''t get me wrong though, I still am d that you''re her protector. It doesn''t make me hate you any less. I don''t know what Hudhayfah wants me to say to you, but you need to stop acting like a child and wake up. "You are the only one drained of all this, don''t be selfish and save the lives of everyone. You made them believe you would always show up, but here you are, lying on the bed like yours is just another body. Wake the fuck up Malika¡­ "Hawi needs you. You need to survive for Hawi. You need to live to keep your promise to Hawi," Mbali said as she shook her sister, but instead, she felt her energy grow stronger and her sister fade away even more. It was not what she had been expecting and it pissed her off even more. What the fuck was the meaning of this? "You''re still fading away, leaving your assignments you selfish idiot. Do you know how much Hawi has suffered while living in the shadows? You can''t do that to her. You can break my heart but you can''t break Hawi''s heart, Malika. "Don''t be selfish when ites to her. You promised to make the world a better ce for her. You promised to see her smile more often. You promised to help her heal before she stepped up. "If you leave¡­ If you leave before she''s a little happier, everything wille down. Her world will fall apart and the realm wouldn''t be worth protecting anymore. She would ruin us all. "You promised you wouldn''t let her give in to her darkest self, but if you leave, not even Rukiya can help her out of the darkness, Malika. Come on," Mbali insisted but there was no response. If anything, the room began growing colder, almost like life was fading. Well, it really was but a part of Mbali hoped that her sister wouldn''t leave like this. She wanted Mika to keep her promise to Hawi. Hawi has suffered enough times. "Even after reminding you of your duty you still choose to be this selfish? Wow, you''re something else, Malika. Who knew you could be this insane? Gosh what a protector you must be," Mbaliined as she got up to space. Her sister was trying her patience in the worst of ways, you would think that it was easier, but no, the woman was just fading, like this meant nothing to them. "Fine if you want to fade away, I could as well get my answers, right? You can give me the answers before you die. Now that it seems like you want to die so badly¡­ wake up then. Wake up and tell me why you left. "Tell me why I didn''t know anything about you. Tell me why every crazy insane person out there already knows that you''re my sister and I didn''t know squat. Come on then. Tell me¡­ "Make me understand where you were when I was left alone in our home, when Papa and mama decided to take their lives and I had to watch. Tell me why it was so easy for you to leave. What was so wrong about the family? "What was it that got you turning your back on your family? And why was it easy for papa to leave instead of helping me understand?" Mbali asked, her rage making her hands shake. She wanted to strangle her sister and help her die, but first she needed answers. It was obvious that Maika wasn''t going to wake up because of hawi, she had tried that and her sister was a little shit who only loved herself. So, she was done bothering with the duty and shit. If Malika wanted to leave then she could as well give her the answers, right? "Y''know many people said our family was broken because of me. They med me for the death of our parents. They despised me because I was a Jabali. They were scared that I would infect them. I was isted without knowing what the fuck I did. "Everyone stared at me in the distance like I was just another kid they needed to keep away from humanity. I had to fucking grow up in the caves, ming myself for what happened while you were out there protecting others. "Why didn''t youe for me? If¡­ if you were my sister, why didn''t you show up for me? You say you kept me safe, but how could you keep me safe when I didn''t even know what wasing for me? "Everyone¡­ I had to deal with the ridicule from everyone. I had to run away because there wasn''t even a home to stay in. Our pack members abandoned me. They just woke up and left. I had to bury our parents alone. "I¡­ I was¡­ I was five! Five years old and I had to struggle to dig two graves for our parents. I couldn''t just leave them there in the end you know? They were heavy, my magic was not even enough to move them. "I had to pull them one by one from the bed to the graves. So, if you think I won''t dig a grave for you, then you''re wrong. I am grown and I have bruised more people than I can count on my bare hands. "If you want to die then I can help you out of it. Everyone talks about the repercussions of your death. No one cares about my pain, about what I had to endure. You don''t get toe into my life like that and leave me again. "If you want to die so bad, then I might as well burn you. I am not going to dig a grave for a stranger. I don''t know you as my sister. If you want to be buried as the protector, then let Hudhayfah know, because otherwise, I will burn you and all of this here. "I don''t care if I have to die while at it. I have nothing left to live for anyway," Mbali said angrily as she cast a fire spell on her hand, ready to st her sister and the damned protectors into hell. She had grown up in a kind of hell but here she was, giving them a hint of what hell was like. She was even kind to them. At least they knew what her hopelessly broken life had been like, right? So they would have hints of what to do. "Fucking say something!" Mbali cried out frustratedly. She was going to bury her sister, but she needed Malika to stop her. She couldn''t live with herself if she killed her sister. And she couldn''t endure it if Malika died on her own either. "Stop me, dammit¡­ please, Mika. Wake up and stop me, please¡­ What was so wrong with me?" Mbali pleaded frustratedly as she looked at the fire in her hands. There was still no change in her sister. "I hoped I would never have to dig another grave, but it looks like I should start digging again," Mbali sniffled, as she forced herself to create a portal to where she had dug a grave for her parents. Her sister deserved to be home with their parents anyway, right? She was still struggling with reality and even as the portal stared at her, Mbali wished that she didn''t have to do this. Thest time she had buried a person, her heart had been shattered to endless pieces. She hadn''t been able to recover. She had grown cruel and pushed everyone away because then she wouldn''t have to feel any pain. Her anger and abandonment had gotten her into a scary monster that people were scared of. At the end of the day, she was just a little girl who had no one. "Oh, my sweet Lili, no one is worth your tears, baby, no one," a faint voice said and Mbali was certain she was hallucinating. Over the years there was only one woman who called her Lili; the woman who took her in and cared for her. She was still guarding the Jabali graves though, so it made sense that Mbali would hear her at the moment with the portal open. "I''m so sorry Nana¡­ I¡­ I didn''t know I''de home just to dig another grave," Mbali apologized defeatedly before adding, "Please forgive me." "It''s okay, my sweet Lili¡­ You don''t have to dig another grave, little sister." Chapter 300: No Apologies Could Fix This * Cheers to 300 chapters!! Happy 3rd century to us!! [GREYSON] "Oh, my sweet Lili, no one is worth your tears, baby, no one," a faint voice said and Mbali was certain she was hallucinating. Over the years there was only one woman who called her Lili; the woman who took her in and cared for her. She was still guarding the Jabali graves though, so it made sense that Mbali would hear her at the moment with the portal open. "I''m so sorry Nana¡­ I¡­ I didn''t know I''de home just to dig another grave," Mbali apologized defeatedly before adding, "Please forgive me." She loved this woman with everything she had and didn''t have. Nana always made her feel wanted and if she was being honest, this woman was the only reason she had fought to live. When everyone had abandoned her, Mbali was sure she would lose her mind. She had stayed back home trying to think as she watched over her parents'' graves. She had been ready for whatever fate brought her way until Nana came to her. Nana was kind and loving; she genuinely cared for Mbali. She had been like a guardian angel for young Mbali and the woman was there through and through. No matter where Mbali was, Nana always made sure to be there for her. She had been helping Mbali with her first training. Nana was home to Mbali and she was also one of the many reasons young Mbali became a great Lycan warrior. Mbali may have had nothing to live for or even fought for, but she wanted to be better for Nana. So, she trained hard so her nana wouldn''t have to fight her own battles. She did everything possible and even on days when she was on the battlefield with other Lycans, she always made sure to check up on her nana. Eventually, Nana pushed her to go to rkson and learn to live with people like her, who knew what it meant to be a team. Nana had told her that rkson would ept her and that she didn''t have to worry about her family anymore. Hell, Nana even had the rksons adopt Mbali at a young age so she would have a family. The woman did that for her and Mbali would forever be grateful for the one woman who did everything for her. The woman who fought for her in every way possible. Her dearest Nana. "It''s okay, my sweet Lili," Nana said and Mbali just sighed. She was ready to say something to her nana, and try to find her since she wasn''t seeing her but when her nana spoke again, she was in shock, "You don''t have to dig another grave... little sister." "What did you just say?" Mbali asked, as she looked at Malika who was staring at her softly. It was almost like Malika had been waiting to tell her something over these years and now where they were. "You heard me, Lili. You don''t have to dig another grave," Malika said as she transformed into the woman Mbali had known over the years. Her nana.However instead of Mbali being excited to see her nana or even being relieved she was mad. She hadn''t expected this from her sister and frankly, this was easily the lowest of the low by her sister. Malika really had experience in manipting memories like this, right? She had fucked up and was now screwing over her sister again. This woman was audacious and so Mbali did the only thing she could. She punched Malika in the throat, making the protector sigh defeatedly. Malika could have stopped the punch. She should have tried to keep her sister in check but she didn''t. She knew her sister had so much anger in her and she knew that Mbali was already looking at her like an imposter. She couldn''t me her sister though. Life wasn''t exactly kind to Mbali And she would pretend about it. "You fucking bitch. You can pretend all you want, but pretending to be my Nana is something that you''re not allowed to do. I don''t care what the fuck you do with your time and friends, but don''t you ever, do that again¡­ Ever" Mbali warned angrily. Mbali was so done with her sister. This woman was insane for all of this and it was disappointing what she had done to Mbali. It really was going to be hard for Mbali to share the same peace with her sister. "Lili, you know I''m not ying games with you¡­ Listen to me, please," Malika strained out. Mbali just scoffed at her sister, as she backed up and began heading for the door. She didn''t want to be in the same room as her sister because if she was, then she wasn''t sure what she would do to her. "Lili?... You dare to call me Lili?" Mbali scoffed. "You know I wouldn''t do anything to hurt you, Lili. You''re the most precious thing in my life. Please just listen to me, I can exin," Malika pleaded and Mbali red at her sister. She refused to believe that this woman was being serious at the moment. "Listen¡­ we are all here for a mission. And that mission is to make sure Hawi seeds. I came here to wake you up, which is an unfortunate state we are in. Now that you''re awake, you need to get your protectors in check and head back to Sicario. "Elodie is also here so you don''t need me. Don''t mix personal shit with business, Malika. You wouldn''t like what happens along the way. And the next time you mention my Nana, I will kill you, even if it''s thest thing I do. "So Careful, we wouldn''t want to ruin the mission for Hawi. Now, I have to leave for Sicario and make sure Hawi is okay. You and Elodie should show up as soon as you can. Excuse me," Mbali said as she walked out the front, mming it on her way out. She hadn''t expected her sister to be this conniving. Malika was the greatest protector and that also meant that she had ess to Mbali''s most precious memories. She could read minds and dive into pasts, but that didn''t mean she had any right to be that intrusive with Mbali, yeah? "I''m sorry, Mbali. I really am, little sister," Malika whispered defeatedly as her sister left. She found that it would take a lot of time for her and Mbali to be on the same page and clearly nothing she did was working for the both of them. She had hoped that her sister being the one to wake her up would be easier and a chance for them to bond but it justplicated things. Malika felt her heart break when she thought back to the things she had heard from her sister. It was like Mbali had been to hell and back. She knew she should have shown up for her sister and yet she hadn''t been able to be the sister that Mbali needed. It was all too hectic and at the end of the day, her mind was going to explode. How the fuck was she supposed to exin to her sister that she truly cared to her? What was she to tell her when Mbali had sworn to kill when she mentioned her nana again? The fact that Mbali was more than ready to risk her life for that special memory of hers told Malika all there was to Nana. And Malika felt like shit, but it was also because she couldn''t me her sister for being protective of the one memory that kept her going. "Kadiam, Dumi¡­ Wake up and go home. I already created a portal. I''ll take care of things here. Just make sure you all get some sleep," Malika said to the protectors who were waking up one by one. She knew that it would take a while for them to get their energy back but then she couldn''t do shit about it at the moment. She could only hope that all would be well on their side too. Life was getting a little shittier and if Malika was being honest with herself she wasn''t looking forward to whatever chaos stood between her and her sister. It was like there was an awol, one that she would never get across, unless Mbali let her in. But then her sister was still angry with her. "Damn that was a long hit," Kadiam said as he and Dumi helped the other protectors. Malika knew they were tired so she helped them through the portal to Olyana. It was a hard thing for her to do, but with her mind preupied with her sister, there was no denying that she was not focused at the moment. "Go on. And be careful. I''ll see you guys soon," Malika said as thest of the protectors went through. "Sooner it seems," Malika added defeatedly as she plopped back onto the bed, staring into the empty space. She had hurt Mbali and it broke her heart. She hadn''t intended for it to happen but then as it was, she had nothing left to hold onto. Maybe there would be a way for her and her sister. But how long? When would that be? "Hey¡­ are you alright?" Elodie''s voice interrupted Malika''s train of thought. "Oh, you''re here," Malika said as she got up and made her way to the woman she had chosen. Her mind was fuzzy with pain and she couldn''t think straight. So, when she let herself go into Elodie''s waiting arms, Malika hoped forfort. "I''m here, love. It will be okay," Elodie soothed as she gently rubbed Malika''s back. Chapter 301: Blank Space On Purpose [GREYSON] "Hey¡­ are you alright?" Elodie''s voice interrupted Malika''s train of thought. She had seen Mbali walk out furiously and that was also how she knew that things hadn''t exactly gone well between the sisters. She wanted to say she understood but this was one that even she couldn''t find a way between. Elodie knew that betrayal ruined hearts and beliefs and she didn''t want to be the one who encouraged it. Mbali was well within her right to feel betrayed and angry, and the only person who could fix that rtionship was Malika. And maybe that was also why Elodie was here, to keep the woman she loved sane. They could figure out the best way to face this, but until then they would have to wait it out. Elodie was patient and she knew her mate needed her. It didn''t matter that there were nobels yet, she just needed to make sure her Malika was alright. "Oh, you''re here," Malika said as she got up and made her way to the woman she had chosen. Her mind was fuzzy with pain and she couldn''t think straight. So, when she let herself go into Elodie''s waiting arms, Malika hoped forfort. She had never been one to lean on someone else and it was strange for her too, given the only time she ever got a hug was when she was siphoning pain. But this time, here with Elodie, she wasn''t siphoning pain. She was letting herself be free and letting Elodie in. She was letting the woman she loved hold her and be there for her and for someone who knew nothing of affection, Malika was doing really well at the moment. "I''m here, love. It will be okay," Elodie soothed as she gently rubbed Malika''s back. "I couldn''t get her to stay with me even for a few minutes. She thinks I betrayed her¡­ how should I exin to her that I only ever loved one person my entire life and that it was just her?" Malika whined softly as she stayed in Elodie''s arms. Elodie knew she had tofort Mal, but then she was a protector who alwaysforted people. All of this was strange to the both of them. One was a warrior who only ever let her guard down when it came to Hawi, and the other was a protector whose heart was shattered because of choices she had made in the hope that she wouldn''t abandon the one she loved. It was like they were both in a pickle with the only difference being that Malika was hurting and Elodie wasn''t sure how the fuck she couldfort her. Maybe they would find their central point right? From the infirmary, Mbali went to see her Lycans. Zane was worried for her, but he couldn''t say a word about it because he wasn''t sure how she would take it really. He knew that this wasn''t the best of times for the sisters but he hoped they would make up. The Jabali sisters were undoubtedly the second-most powerful sisters in the realm, given their history and all that they had achieved individually over the years, not to mention the blood trails that always followed them. They were invincible blood sisters, of course after Hawi and Elodie. But then the only difference was that Hawi and Elodie were best friends turned sisters and not rted by blood, not that it mattered to the both of them anyway. "How are you guys doing?" Mbali asked as she looked at them. They looked so worn out, which was expected seeing what they did gown though. Mbali wanted to let them know that all would be okay, but this time, even she wasn''t sure about that, Tragedy had struck Greyson and her sister had fixed it, but then it seemed like they needed to be more alert with every minute that passed. Things were never going to be the same and with the shadow warlocks still out there it would be a hassle for them all. "We''re fine. The pain we were all feeling has subsided thanks to the protectors. We didn''t expect the grief would be that intense and if you would let us, we wish to remain here and help Greyson out. "The shadow warlocks will try to make use of their vulnerability now that Alpha Awuor and Alpha Rukiya are not around to defend them or say anything about it. They will need people who can fight. "We weren''t at our best earlier but right now, we can do anything that is needed. It doesn''t matter what happens along the way because our energies were replenished along with everyone else. That''s why the protectors took the worst hit," Zane exined. This wasn''t easy for Mbali, but he also knew that Mbali was loyal to the greater good. She would always want to make sure that the people they were protecting felt safe and if the Lycans being here was the only way for Gruesome to be at peace at the moment, then she wouldn''t stop them. After all, they needed to be here so Ruru wouldn''t be distracted. That was a long gamble, seeing as Adolf was also dead and he was Rukiya''s best friend, but then considering the circumstances they currently were in, there wasn''t much to be questioned or much that they could take pride in and that was okay. "That is okay. As long as every one of you is alright, then you don''t have to worry. As for staying here in Greyson, I have no choice but to let you. The grief of the Greyson wolves was alright and expected, but something heightened it to that extent. "It was abnormally high if eleven of the strongest protectors came and fixed it to make it all better without staying conscious the whole time. There can only ever be one exnation for that and it''s the Shadow Warlocks. "Those bastards are still roaming around even with Razia dead and Atticus in holding. So that can only mean that their mission is going to go forward no matter how many of them are taken out. Which makes them a little too dangerous for Hawi. "I will go back to Sicario and liaise with Hawi, but I will certainlye back for you. It doesn''t matter how long it takes because as long as you''re here in Greyson, there will always be a need for me toe over. I hope you don''t get discouraged along the way. "We need to be at our best to keep the white wolf safe," Mbali said and they all just nodded in agreement. Their world had begun growingrge and they had to be ready to amodate whoever they needed to. They had to be ready for insane assignments and things that they wouldn''t do on their normal days. It didn''t matter, just like how Mbali had said, because time was something that seemed to lose meaning whenever they were around Hawi. The mission was way too important and they had to make sure they seeded because that was the only way towards peace and for them to finally live as one big family, the one they had always wanted before they joined the fight. "And you¡­ are you alright?" Zane asked. He had tried to think about the things that Mbali was going through and frankly, he wasn''t sure he understood. One thing was certain though their enforcer was angry that if someone pissed her off right now, she would take their heads off. That was something that they couldn''t put past her, especially with the kind of anger she had walked out with. "It doesn''t matter at the moment. I need to get going. Remember if you need me, you must call me. I don''t need a repeat of what happened here. You guys are my family and I will show up for you. "I would hate toe home to any of you not being there, so please, take care of yourselves and no matter whates your way, if you think you can''t handle it without me, call me. "If I can''te to you, I will send help, no matter where I am at, alright?" Mbali said earnestly. She knew the Lycans were right to worry about her but at the moment, she couldn''t handle the pressure of being the center of attention. The Lycans knew she had things that she kept secret and they had reported that, they just had to respect that Malika, the great protector, was a Jabali sister too. It just didn''t make any sense and raised more questions than there were possible answers. This was insanity at its peak and they couldn''t deny it. "Yes, enforcer," the Lycans agreed before they bowed and walked away from Mbali when Hudhayfah came to them. They knew the old healer would want a word with Mbali and they hoped that he wouldn''t cause her pain because then they would have problems with the whaler. "You''re leaving¡­" Hudhayfah stated and Mbali looked at him like he had no eyes to see what she was doing, there was nothing for her here in Grayson and he wasn''t about to y the heartbroken sister. She hated emotions but the longer she found herself near Malika, the quicker her walls came done as her sister managed to find a way to fuck her up. Mbali didn''t want that for herself. She knew it was a toxic habit and was well aware that if she gave in, she would have to deal with worse. And she wasn''t ready for that, not just yet. "Well yeah. I wasing to say goodbye after meeting with my Lycans but then here you are. I guess I don''t have to stay around anymore right? I have to leave for Sicario," Mbali said, looking everywhere but at Hudhayfah. Chapter 302: You’ll Be Fine, Lili [GREYSON] "You''re leaving¡­" Hudhayfah stated and Mbali looked at him like he had no eyes to see what she was doing. "Well yeah. I wasing to say goodbye after meeting with my Lycans but then here you are. I guess I don''t have to stay around anymore right? I have to leave for Sicario," Mbali said, looking everywhere but at Hudhayfah. She knew the healer had to have something to say to her, but at the moment, the only thing that mattered to her was that she helped Hawi out. Everything else coulde after. She already knew that the war with the shadow knights would take some time but that was enough for her, because at least then her sister would be too busy with Hair to even remember the huge wall and the rift that stood between the two sisters. "Why don''t you stay for dinner? Rukiya and Hawi are alone for the first time in a long time. We both know that could end with a thousand messes. You really don''t want to be the only one going home to clean that up, right?" Hudhayfah asked. Mbali stared at him skeptically. She hadn''t exactly thought of the possibility that they had left Sicario and left the two insane mates together. There was no denying that the mess they would get back to would be a little too huge and crazy, but was it worth staying in Greyson? Was she going to smile and nod like a little girl who hadn''t just been betrayed by her sister and try to make things work like the world was all roses and sunshine? Some things aren''t fair and they knew that, but then with all factors considered Hudhayfah''s idea didn''t exactly seem like the worst of them all. The women were a disaster and they would be a lot of work. "I can try. Besides, I will have the help of the entire Sicario to clean up whatever is waiting for us in Sicario," Mbali said defiantly making the old healer sigh. This wasn''t easy for Mbali and he wasn''t going to try and force her to stay if she didn''t want to. "If you insist¡­ But I was holding you to take a break. This is your chance at that and Hair didn''t stop you froming. "If there was a lot of work as you make it seem, she would havee here with Rukiya and all of this would have been done in less than two hours and then you would be on your way back to Sicario. "It''s okay to feel weak, Lihle. It''s okay to question a lot of things, but just for this evening, how about you forget about everything and just be yourself?" Hudhayfah suggested and Mbali considered it. She had been trying her best to hold on, and each time she felt like nothing she did was making any sense to her. She was always fighting someone''s war and running away from hers. She was always preupied with a lot of things and maybe, just this once she would take a chase and live for herself, right? Besides, what was the worst that could happen? "Only if you promise to not let Malika mention anything about our sisterhood. If she wants to talk to me as Hawi''s protector and a Savasci Knight, then I''m open for that. But if she mentions the sisterhood, I will create a portal and leave without thinking twice," Mbali said and Hudhayfah nodded at her. This was not easy for her but he hoped that there woulde a day when the most powerful sisters woulde together and create a world in which they loved each other and didn''t have to worry about anything or anyone. He hoped that there would be peace in the future for them. "Alright then. I''ll stay," Mbali said, giving in. That evening, the Grey wolves were happier than they had been in the past two weeks. Mbali knew that it had to have been hard for them and she could tell just how lonely it had to have been for them. However, that evening, as they sat around the greatest bonfire that Mbali had ever seen, she felt like they were all here for the sake of one thing. To forget. Some of them wanted to forget how hectic the war had been for them while others wanted to forget how hard life had been over time. Their alpha was murdered and the messy truth that had been traveled to them had screwed them over just a little. They would find their bearing even if it took them a while, but just for the night, they would forget. Expectedly, Mbali, Elodie, Hudhayfah, and Malika sat on the same side of the bonfire. However, they didn''t talk about work or even their personal lives. They all were in touch with their reality and they could read the state they all were in. So, they let themselves have as much fun as they could. By ten o''clock, the kids were taken to bed while the adult stayed up drinking and retelling tales of the old times. They were happy to see that the psycho misfits hade for them and they were d that their alpha had a team that she could tell the truth. They were thankful for a lot of things that night, things that Mbali would always remember for as long as she lived. She had always wished for this kind of union when she went back home, but then rkson itself was not going to be home unless they won the war. They couldn''t go back there because then they would be bringing danger to the pack, and they couldn''t do that. They had to make sure that their missions wereplete and then the Lycans would make their way home and get the rest they deserved. Until then they would hop between towns and cities, factions and homes, trying to figure out what the shadow warlocks were up to and making sure to stop them. "I''m going to bed," Mbali dered when dawn came. She had drunk a lot and still managed to stay sober. Sure, Lycans never really got drunk. But just this once, Jabali Lihle wished that she could drink and forget her worries. She had hoped that maybe if she drank over twenty liquor bottles she would be fine, but then she wasn''t. Instead, she was back to where she had been and frankly, seeing her sister''s face was pissing her off even more. She had been the one to suggest they keep everything aside for the night, but the more she looked in Malika''s direction and saw her sister already staring at her, the more Mbali wanted to ask her sister all the questions she had. But she couldn''t. And maybe that was why she was the first of the adults to go to bed. Maybe she was running, hell she was always running, but just this once, she hoped that someone would catch her and tell her that she didn''t need to run anymore. Maybe, just maybe, there was someone out there for her. Maybe the universe wouldn''t always be cruel to her, the girl who had lost everything, right? "Be careful," Malika whispered sadly. "When am I never careful?" Mbali scoffed angrily. As she walked the Greyson hallways, she felt a presence staring at her. Maybe it was the liquor, right? Chapter 303: Someone New Or Someone They Knew [GREYSON] "Definitely drank too much," Mbali said to herself as she kept ignoring the feeling that someone was staring at her and that he or she was probably right in front of her. She wanted to ginger it, but with every step she took into the pack house and the guest room where she usually slept when she came to Greyson, the more she was sure that this wasn''t just about the liquor anymore. Someone was here and Mbali was just too tired, and feeling like shit that if they tried to fuck with her, there was a very high chance that she would make them regret even considering looking at her. She was in a pissy mood and she couldn''t be med. The damn alcohol just made her feel full instead of helping drown her sorrows. This wasn''t the kind of shit she hoped for but honestly, she was done trying to stay sane for everyone. Maybe she would just screw everything up and make sure that no one ever stepped on her emotions again, right? "Emotions, tsk," Mbali chuckled angrily at the idea that she was probably letting herself be vulnerable when there was a lot she could do. Well, for now, she would pretend like she didn''t feel someone''s presence. If it helped, she was simply praying for them not to cross her because right now, even the goddess was smart enough not to stand in the way of an angry Jabali sister, especially now that Mbali had unresolved issues with her sister. Sighing, Mbali thankfully made it to her room and plopped on the bed instantly. She didn''t care that she had a feeling someone was watching her. She wanted to sleep. Besides she was immortal and no manner of magic would ever work on her. As for her security, her sister being around was enough for Mbali to know that no one would ever be able to hurt her or take her away from here. She hated Malika but with the same passion, she trusted her. If her sister had worked so hard to keep her safe all these years, there was no way that Malika would let Mbali out of her sight, not even for a second. Who knows, maybe it was Malika who had been following her. But then Malika had a distinct earthy scent, just like Mbali, and the person following her masked his or her scent. So that didn''t matter. ''Ah great,'' Mbali thought to herself when she heard the door creak softly. It was like the person didn''t want to wake her up even though she was losing to sleep that she was done fighting anyway. "Well, isn''t this nice," Elodie''s voice said, waking up Mbali. "I swear to the universe if you don''t leave this instant, I will shave all that pretty hair on your head," Mbali groaned as she tossed and turned. She just didn''t like students and why it was so hard for Kane to let her sleep. "Seems like you had quite the night," Malika said and Mbali angrily sat up in her sleepy state. She didn''t bother opening her eyes because she was expecting to go back to sleep, but her sister was being a nuisance. "Listen here, madam protector. If Hawi is not dying, then leave me the fuck alone. Take your mate with you and let me get my beautiful sleep. Why the fuck would you even wake me up thirty minutes after I went to sleep? "Do you hate me that much?" Mbali whined and Hudhayfah and Zane let out snickers, making Mbali snap her eyes open. Zane knew the rules and he owned them so well that Jabali Lihle wasn''t a morning person. Hell, he would never risk his life by consigning to Mbali''s room like this, so there had to be something else. And Hudhayfah too? Damn, this had to be worth noting, but what the fuck were they even doing in her room? "Get out, all of you¡­ what the fuck happened here?" Mbali said angrily, her tone softening as he took in the sight of the room she had slept in. She could have sworn he hadn''t slept in the forest but what did this pce seem like a forest? Or maybe it was a garden? Oh, but Mbali couldn''t quiteprehend what had happened here and she could only think of one person who was unhinged enough to want to try this with her. "Freya Malik Jabali¡­dy you have three fucking seconds to exin why my room is covered in damning flowers and decor. "I swear to the goddess I will send you to your creator if you don''t fucking exin why the fuck you would do this to me!" Mbali shrieked and everyone in the room turned to Malika, the questions in their eyes obvious at the names she had been poked by her sister. It was like they were being introduced to a new side of the Jabali sisters. These two were impossible to understand and brains would explode if anyone even bothered. "You''re Freya Malik?" Elodie asked excitedly as she looked at the woman she loved. She had only ever known that Malika was just Malika, but as it was, she had three names and they were pretty names. "So your name is notmon ordinary Malika?" Zane asked and once again, Hudhayfah snorted. The Jabali sisters were a piece of work on their own and this right here was probably the result of hanging around Hawi a little too much. "Freya Mali¡ª" Mbali began again and Malika interrupted her. "It wasn''t me. I didn''t even know you loved flowers woman. How the fuck would I know that when the little I know about you is because I had to turn into some old woman manning our parents'' graves to take care of you!" Malika defended and this time, Zane snorted. , These two were impossible honestly and the only thing the lot of them could do was to watch and wait for who would snap first out of this madness. "You were a grave guardian stalking your little sister?" Elodie asked, trying so hard to hide herugh, but the longer she held it back, the louder her shorts were and the harder Mbali''s sses were. Mbali was staring at Elodie as if to tell her what her mate really was like. Betrayal had ruined so many people and right now, the Jabali sisters were on the verge of ending their rtionship that had not even picked up because of that. "In my defense, it was the only way to keep her safe and be close to her," Malika said with a pout as she looked at Elodie who simply pulled her close and kissed her forehead like it was the most normal of things. "If it helps she won''t even listen to me. And I''ve been around her long enough to know she would rather bury her head in the sand than listen to my apology. So why would Ie with all these flowers?" Malika added and they all stared at Mbali who was still confused. "Zaniel," Mbali red at her Lycan and the warrior just raised his hands in surrender as if to tell the warrior that this was not what they had nned for, besides, no one in their right mind would bring flowers to a woman who despised having emotions. "Nope, not me. I love how my head sits perfectly on my neck, enforcer," Zane voiced as if to tell his enforcer that he knew how irritable she already was. "You¡­ Mr. healer¡­ was this your doing?" Mbali asked and Hudhayfah stared at her as if to ask her if she was being serious. "Then who the fuck brought me flowers??" Mbali asked again only for Malika to grab a note beside her bed, her eyebrows knitted as she stared at it and began reading it. "I know you heard mest night, mi reina, but didn''t bother protecting yourself, and that breaks my heart. I hope you don''t mind that I stayed the night and watched over you, hermosa. You''re the prettiest flower I''ve ever seen. "Also, I didn''t know what flowers you liked, so I brought all the beautiful flowers that can describe your beauty and aura. Forgive me if they are not within your preferences, amor, I''ll bring better ones next time. "I''m not sorry I kissed you though. I hope to kiss and taste you again when you''re conscious, if you will let me. I''ll see you soon, mi reina. Until then, be good to yourself. With all of me, Amina," Malika read. Chapter 304: More Than Anyone In The World * Long Chapter Alert [GREYSON] "Then who the fuck brought me flowers??" Mbali asked again only for Malika to grab a note beside her bed, her eyebrows knitted as she stared at it and began reading it. "I know you heard mest night, mi reina... I''m not sorry I kissed you though. I hope to kiss and taste you again when you''re conscious, if you will let me. I''ll see you soon, mi reina. Until then, be good to yourself. With all of me, Amina," Malika read. Mbali stared at the team in her room, before her eyes went and focused on her sister whose mood had suddenly changed along with her aura.She was cold and calcting and it was obvious she was scanning the Greyson pack house. Malika had sworn to protect her sister and even if Mbali hated her, she wouldn''t let anyone near her sister. She wouldn''t let anyone hurt Mbali. She was okay with whatever Mbali wanted to think of her, but the fact that someone had been here was uneptable. There was just no way that someone had walked past them and gone into the pack house and where her sister was. Sure, her protection spell was unwavering when it came to Mbali, but that still pissed her off. Someone had reached her sister. Someone had kissed her sister without her permission. Someone could have tried to attack her sister. And she had been around telling her to be careful. "Who¡­ The Fuck... Is Amina in this pack Hudhayfah?" Malika asked, her tone so chilly that even Elodie, who was sure Malika wouldn''t hurt her, had to be alert. Elodie Kane had heard of protectors losing their cool and she had once seen Malika bloodied and ready to send her back to her creator. Elodie had seen Malika in her beast mode and lord it wasn''t something that she wanted to experience again. Hell, she wasn''t even wishing that horror on her worst enemy. Whoever Amina was, she had just knocked on the wrong door and fucked with the wrong person. This wasn''t real, right? Surely it was just an illusion? But who would do this anyway? "No one in the pack is called Amina. Maybe someone is pulling a prank on us all. Besides everyone knows not to fuck with your sister. This could just be a farce," Hudhayfah said and Malika let out a low growl. She hated games and she never epted any sort of games when it came to the little girl she had sworn to love and protect with all of her. Not even the torch on Mbali had ever gone unavenged by Malika and right now, there was an intruder. "Someone came to this pack, Hudhayfah. Someone came to my sister. Someone invaded my sister''s piracy and you tell me there is no one called Amina in the damn fucking pack?" Malika questioned, her voiceing off in an angryugh. Oh, she was pissed. "Sit up Lili¡­ Don''t make me say it twice," Malika said to her sister who was staring at her definitely. However, Mbali didn''t object this time. She was aware that her sister had anger issues and while Malika would never hurt her, the people in the room could easily be coteral damage¡­ including Elodie Kane and that wouldn''t be fair to Malika. "Are you hurt anywhere? Any new scratch on your body? Any pain other than the heart that hates me?" Malika asked as she turned her sister around as everyone watched. Mbali was too tired to evenin about this. However, she let out a lightugh when her sister talked about the ''pain other than the heart that hated'' her. It was interesting really, how Malika had epted that her sister would forever look at her differently. It was like the protector wasn''t ever going to fight that, because even she knew that no amount of apologies would fix up the mess she had put the both of them in, not to mention the questions that Mbali had, that Malika refused to answer just yet. "I''m fine, Freya. You don''t have to act all protective on me, besides, I heard the persone in and didn''t bother. They wouldn''t hurt me, not when you''re around and too close in the pack anyway. "If there was a scratch on me, I''m sure you would have been the first toe here, seeing as all my scars always disappeared miraculously and the ces where they were had beautiful flower dots," Mbali said and Malika stared at her skeptically. "This isn''t the time to make jokes, Lili. What if they hurt you? What if someone poisoned you? What if¡ª" Malika rambled on and Mbali just sighed at her sister. She hadn''t expected that this would happen but goddamn, her sister was something else. "Are you deaf or what? I''m fine. No one hurt me. You''re overreacting. Besides, if with all the protection spell you cast on me and all the sensors you have around me like some damn high-end jewelry store didn''t work, don''t you think that it means something else? "Or are you so blinded by your obsession to protect me that you didn''t want to think about the chances that maybe it was the shadow warlocks, or maybe it was actually someone who likes me?" Mbali asked as she pushed her sister off of her and Malika growled, assigning. Her sister was testing her patience in so many ways but at the same time, Mbali was right. This wasn''t the time for them to be ying protective sister for someone they didn''t even know. "I hate to ruin the beauty of all this, but what if this is a distraction for us all? The flowers showing a little too conveniently when we left Hawi and Ruru out in Sicario? The mind links to Sicario aren''t working. I have tried them but there is nothing. "What if we''re here worrying about shit while Hawi and Ruru are having to do our jobs for us? We swore to defend them. We swore to make sure they didn''t have to go to the battlefield. The fire wards were pulled down when the war ended. "What of that gave the warlocks a chance to get in and disrupt the pack? What if?" Elodie said and the silence that followed in the room was so loud that Hudhayfah could hear the winds whistling ousted. Malika looked at her mate, and then at her sister, the girl she was so worried about. She knew it was okay to worry about Mbali and she knew that her sister was okay, but what if Elodie was right? So, Malika tried the mind links to Hawi, trying to prove her mate wrong. She tried to make certain that the two women hadn''t either burnt down Sicario or gotten themselves into the kind of battle that would end with both of them bloodied again. Malika knew that Hawi and Ruru were insane on their own and with no one to hold them back, whoever attacked Sicario would have to face the kind of shit that Atticus had experienced and while that was okay, there was a difference this time. Sicario had kids. Kids could be mentally scarred by the chaos of the two idiots they had left behind. Funny how they were worried about children getting scared and not about Hawi and Ruru doing the most despicable things to their enemies. Perhaps it was how they had learned to cope with the idiots that had been assigned to, right? "Aren''t you all being a little pessimistic?" Hudhayfah asked and they all turned to look at him, making the old man just shrug at them. There were so many variables at y and while this could have easily been a distraction, there was a chance that it was just a wholesome deration by a suitor. Or maybe it wasn''t, but then the person couldn''t have gotten so close to Mabli too, right? "Kane could be right, Hudhayfah," Malika said and Elodie stared softly. "Oh, kids. The war is really fucking with all of you so badly. I know we are not in the right position to be optimistic, but for once, try to look at the situation like normal people would look at this. "All I see is whoever Amina is, she is Mbali''s mate, otherwise the endless spells you cast on your sister couldn''t have worked. And the fact that she says she will be back to protect Mbali goes to show that she doesn''t mean evil. "I''m not defending Amina, but she stayed the entire night to watch over Mbali. And the flowers here are known to be soothing flowers. Flowers to make someone feelfortable. "There are chances that your sister was having a nightmare or was looking terrible and Amina did that to calm her. If you''re worrying about the two crazies you left in Sicario, I will let you know that Asmodeus reached out to me; "¡ªbegging you all to go back to Sicario¡­ and before you start worrying¡­ He was worried that the stench of sex could turn the pack into a brothel, and only you guys could snap both alphas out of whatever the hell they were doing," Hudhayfah said. He was so calm about it that the warriors went from being curious about Amina to cringing so hard at the idea that Sicario was smelling like to horny alphas. "I guess she finally used the dildos I gave her," Malika said proudly, Zane excused himself, Hudhayfah made a run for the door, Elodie held back augh and Mbali kicked her sister out of her bed. "So, you''re the source of the misfortune waiting for us and you''re happy about this?" Mbali stared at her sister usingly, all the anger gone, and amusement sitting on her face. No matter where they were, it seemed like Hawi and Ruru were always going to bring them back together, even in the cringiest of ways. "Well, she asked me for help, and I¡ª" "Finish that sentence, I dare you," Mbali said and her sister just raised her hands in surrender as she walked out of the room, holding Elodie''s hands as if that was supposed to tell the Lycan enforcer that she needed to getid. "If Amina is really your mate, then you don''t have to worry about me lending them to you, Lili¡­ You can have them!" Malika said only for her sister to throw a pillow at her. "Shut the fuck up, Freya!!" "Just saying!" "Kane¡­ shut your mate up!" "On it!" Elodie responded and Mbali grimaced at the response before she cast a mute spell. She couldn''t deal with her sister and her horny mate right now. All of this had taken a new turn and frankly, Mbali wasn''t sure what to think. "Gee, thanks, Amina," Mbali groaned as she sank back into the bed, only for her to hear the sound of a soft chuckle as a paper popped into her hands. "You sound so hot, mi reina." Chapter 305: But I Don’t Really Care How Bad It Hurts * Happy New Month of March!! [HAWI] "Are you sure we got the right tooth?" "His mouth is too small!" "Well, I have a butcher knife to make it open up real fast and easy." "Alright then. I''ll hold him down and you''ll slice his mouth across. I need to get all four of his wisdom teeth." "On the count of three alright?" "Fine¡­ Three!" If there was a pairing that was proof that the moon goddess had to be high on opium or shit when she was creating, then it had to be the two women in the dungeons under Hawi''s bed. They were the kind of bad that even the devil ran from. Somehow in the past two days that they had been left unsupervised, they had spent the entire day fucking each other like rabbits, only to lock their scent in the room while they spent the night in the dungeons, torturing Atticus, Jer and using Kurt as their ything. The poor kid may not have deserved the cruelty that this duo was focusing on, but he sure as hell had to have experienced the worst of the supernatural realm. There was no defending the atrocities the two idiots had done, but goodness, they were insane. "Ahh shit," Ruruined as the blood sputtered on her face, making her a beautiful yet bloody mess. She was wearing her hair in a bun, like she didn''t want any distractions when ying the prettiest of all games with her dear mate. "You said you would slice with ease," Hawiined even though it was her fault that the slit they had drawn over Jer''s mouth was currently staring at them. They had slowed Jer''s healing, so there was no way the man would be healing that long slit anytime soon. "You said you would hold him down, and I was to cut through. Besides, we need to get the teeth and add it to our collection. Look at how pretty all of them are," Ruru whined and Hawi sighed. They had been at this for hours and hours. It was like this was a game for them even though they had interrogated him, and he had been rude to them, which was why they were removing his wisdom teeth and slitting his mouth so he could learn to talk to them with respect. The two mates were dangerous and it was already a bad idea that they were here alone with no one to check his insaneness. No matter what happened out there, they didn''t care. After all, they had the best toys down here, right? If anything, everyone in Sicario didn''t have to worry about anything anyway. The psychos had reinforced the fire wards earlier today and only an insane person would be able to walk through the wards and risk being barbecued. "Alright, baby. I''m sorry, okay. I''ll hold him tighter," Hawi said as she kissed Ruru''s forehead and they went back to opening Jer''s mouth like they were at a dentist which wasn''t so bad of them anyway. However, the difference was that, at the dentist, there were pain meds, here, there was nothing but hammers and nails being forced into Jer''s mouth. Ruru had managed to break a few of his teeth with her aimless hitting, but she didn''t mind because ording to her, when they were old and gray they would also lose teeth. Apparently, Jer was just lucky they were making him experience the best part about being elderly in the society, and that he needed to be appreciative that they were eyeing him to experience what life was no matter the circumstances. "You''re lucky I love you¡­ And I forgive you. Can we ask him another question?" Ruru asked excitedly, the huge nail still in Jer''s mouth, the harmer ready to knock all of the poor man''s teeth out and Hawi was holding him tight. She had wanted to use her magic, but they had somewhat yed a game of rock paper scissors and agreed that using magic to hold him down would be fun because Her already knew they were strong with their magic. This right here was them proving to Jer that even though they were women, they could pin down a man like him with no effort and no magic. It was interesting really how invested they were in the shitshow, but at least they weren''t out there causing a ruckus, right? "Of course. You do the questioning. If I don''t, I might get distracted and twist his neck identally," Hawi said casually as Jer groaned in pain while staring at the two women who had somewhat left all the screws for their heads outside. Or maybe they had just lost them¡­ it wasn''t as far-fetched anyway, seeing as they had defied all odds to turn themselves into masters in every way. They were never going to forget the atrocities and embracing this shit meant that they had to be as nuts as possible. "Great," Ruru said as she spilled her hammer and identally broke Jer''s canine, making the nail hit a little too hard past Jer''s throat. She was sure some pieces of his teeth had gotten that far, but she didn''t care. "Atticus gave you magic, so you think you''re invincible as a hybrid. It''s actually kinda cute. But I have another question¡­ who are the remaining five Russel siblings? What are their names and what do they look like?" Rukiya asked so calmly it was terrifying. Jer tried to make a sound, but with his mouth ripped into half, and a nail in his mouth, not to mention the teeth splinters, it was hard for him to talk. He had been drained of a lot of blood, so his magic was also useless. Here and now, he was at the mercy of the crazy women, and anyone who didn''t know him, would have assumed that the mates were sent from hell to make his life a tad difficult. But then were they really? "I¡­ hau halll fbspd¡­ Peazelsd," Jer said and the duo stared at each other. They could see how desperate and defeated he looked, how broken and shattered he was, but then this wasn''t even karma enough for his betrayal. His betrayal had started a chain reaction of things that shouldn''t have happened. His betrayal had forced so many people into the ground, and so many lives out of order, not to mention the realm had been in a fix for a while. His betrayal had fucked up the system and that was unforgivable. He had to experience the kind of pain they felt, whether he wanted to speak in tongues or he wanted to embrace the hell that was backing him. "Did you understand what he said?" Hawi asked and Ruru let out a heartyugh as she used the anil to poke around into his mouth. She knew this was more than insanity, but she was way past caring. Jer had long seen to that anyway. "I think he wants more teeth down his throat. He must have a high pain tolerance this one," Ruru said as she mmed her hammer again, making Jer scream out in agony once again. He was losing his voice which was expected but they were having fun. "Maybe we should use the tiny drill? It tears through the strength of steel faster than the speed of lightning. He needs encouragement to speak correctly. Let''s do it for him,'''' Hawi said in the kindest voice she could muster and her mate nodded in understanding. Rukiya Greyson had never imagined that there woulde a day she would ever be okay with torturing someone this much. Sure, she was a cruel alpha, a woman who protected her people at the cost of everything. She was known for her vitality, even though Hawi was a notch higher than her. But even then, she knew that there had to be limits. However, here and now, she had long crossed the limits with Jer. She had crossed all the boundaries of insanity and sanity and she was okay with it, because each time she heard Jer breathe, she thought back to her best friend who should have been alive and beside her. She thought back to the way Adolf always made her smile and how everything was okay whenever Adolf was around. But then because of Jer, her best friend would never breathe again, and that pissed her off even more. "I''ll try poking my cheek. It should be good enough, right?" Ruru asked, and Hawi nodded in encouragement, before the Greyson alpha drilled through Jer''s cheeks, ignoring the blood she had beenining of earlier. She was angry that these people had turned her into the devil and even worse a creature that justice and love would never be able to recognize. When she hade to Hawi, Ruru was certain that she would make sure that Hawi''s humanity stayed. She had been so hopeful about it that she did everything she could to make it happen. But the more she tried, the more the dumbasses broke Hawi''s heart ad triggered her to do the worst of the worst. It reached a point when Ruru wasn''t able to convince herself that she would be able to help Hair out and be her level to humanity. She had tried, really hard, but when they took Adolf from her, she knew there was no need for forgiveness. This was for her best friend and she wouldn''t stop until she got them all. "Goodness, he screams like a girl," Hawi said disappointedly once Ruru was done with her drilling and Jer''s eyes had grown redder, not to mention his hands that were iling around. Chapter 306: We Can Do That Later [HAWI] "Goodness, he screams like a girl," Hawi said disappointedly once Ruru was done with her drilling and Jer''s eyes had grown redder, not to mention his hands that were iling around. He looked scared like he wasn''t ready for this. However, no matter what he did or even how he did it, nothing would save him from the anger of the two women who had suffered because of him. They wouldn''t stop and no one was here to stop them. "All screams and no answers. What do we do with him?" a bloody Hawi mused as she turned to Atticus who was in shock from the shit he had seen since the two mates decided to deal with her. Theirs was the kind of fury that even Atticus hadn''t ever seen and that scared the hell out of him. He had heard the rumors, about the duo that would blend in so dangerously and would want their enemies'' heads on a tter. Now that he was seeing them, he could finally understand why their parents had long insisted that the white wolf and her mate were never to be united. But then he had failed at doing that and he could only hope that his brothers would do the rest. Maybe his brothers would be smarter than him and Razia, right? "I say we give him an hour to reflect and remember the names or we kill him slowly," Ruru said and Hawi smiled at her. They both knew it would have been easier to get the answers from Atticus, seeing as they were siblings and all, but they needed to hear that shit from Jeremiah Warner himself no matter what it took. It had been obvious that he had met the other siblings and he had agreed to the life deal with Atticus for a reason. He knew that the Russell brothers would always be there to have his back. They had given him the confidence to fuck things up and there was no point in pretending that the man wasn''t a psycho because of that same confidence. No matter what happened, he had been so sure that the Russel brothers would forever be on his side. And that''s why the women needed to hear it for him. Then again it was a little too cruel since they had fired Jer''s brain with magic more than once before they started tutoring him. It was intentional to scramble his brains and for them to see how long it would take for Jer to get back to normal if they attacked him with magic. He was an immortal like them and they needed to figure out what it was about the new lifeline that set him apart. Here they were, more than seven hourster, with Jer whose brain was scrambled, bled, and face botched thanks to the crazies. It was impossible to understand them, not that anyone needed to. The best anyone could do for them was not to screw them up or even try to fault them for shit that they didn''t do. That in itself was like the perfect deal of peace, something that Jer was yet to learn despite the lessons that had been forced on him. Nothing would ever be the same for him and the sooner he realized that, the sooner he would find it in himself to give the band of crazies the nurse they wanted and maybe, just maybe they would let him be. "Okay," Hawi responded enthusiastically as she threw Jer''s body on the ground, before shooting him using magic back to where he had been earlier in an x position. The poor man had been tortured and bruised one too many times. He looked like someone had ridden trucks on him over and over to the point that the only thing he could remember about himself was that he was a man. His senses were dulled and everything about him scrambled in so many ways. The madness the duo had exercised on him had reminded him of the brutality of the woman he had once mated and the woman he had agreed to betray. That had to have been the worst of ideas for him, and maybe if there was a chance to turn back time, Jer would have saved himself the torture here. Maybe he would figure out a way to right? But for what? "Great. Let''s go take a shower before our friendse back from Greyson," Ruru said and Hawi felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of Greyson. They hadn''t once mentioned Rukiya''s pack in those days. It was like they both were trying to forget the horrors, but then there was just something that couldn''t be forgotten. The pain the Greyson warriors had gone through was something that Rukiya Greyson was never going to forget. The fact that her mother had been in the whole mess had even broken her fragile heart one too many times. They could have tried to think of Greyson, tried to figure out a way that would give the pack some time and keep them at ease. They had had the worst month and yet they still struggled to stay sane. "Ruru¡ª" Hawi began, her mate just shushed her, as if to tell her that it was all alright. Alpha Rukiya Greyson was holding onto her hate for Jeremiah. She didn''t want to talk about the chaos back at her home because if she talked about it, she wouldn''t ever recover. She had tried her best to keep moving forward, but even she knew that there woulde a day when her people would want to hear from her, and not just anyone else or even the misfits on their team. Just her, as their alpha. It was imperative because she was one of the key reasons the pack was still holding on. "I''m okay, Hawi. We have to finish the war so we can live healthy lives. We have to hold onto the piano just a little longer. There wille a time for us to mourn our dead. There wille a time when we don''t know what to hide who we are or what we do anymore. "And when that happens, we can then take a break and think back to the shit that we experienced and the losses we had. Don''t worry too much," Rukiya said as she began climbing up the stairs to Hawi''s suite. She didn''t want to think of anything at the moment and it was understandable but then Hawi wasn''t one to give such kinds of hints, so she followed her, and when they reached Hawi''s suite which was miraculously cleaner than they had left it, Hawi stopped her. "No, Ruru. I don''t agree with you," Hawi said and Rukiya Greyson looked at her mate, wondering what the fuck the mad woman was on this time. Hawi was a lot of things and incentive was not one of them. However, what Ruru was seeing here was so different and she wanted to know what the fuck Hawi was on this time. "What?" Ruru asked as she squinted her eyes at her mate who was still bloodied. They both didn''t mind that they were dripping blood and it was making the floor dirty again. But then what was the floor when they had their lives turned apprised down by shit that they couldn''t all control? "I said no." Chapter 307: It’s Okay Not To Be Okay [HAWI] "No, Ruru. I don''t agree with you," Hawi said and Rukiya Greyson looked at her mate, wondering what the fuck the mad woman was on this time. "What?" Ruru asked as she squinted her eyes at her mate who was still bloodied. "I said no," Hawi insisted and Ruru wasn''t sure what to tell her mate, really. "Well then, it is what it is. We have better things to do and focusing on grief when we might lose more along the way isn''t exactly a way to deal with this. I don''t know what''s wrong with you right now¡­ "¡­ But I expected you more than anyone to understand," Ruru said disappointedly. Chapter Experience: She was right though. Hawi wasn''t giving her a reason and just saying no like this was some yes or no situation. Their fates were bound, their lives were fucked long before they were born and all she had was a no ready on her lips. It wasn''t exactly fair, and Hawi needed to understand that. "You''re not listening to me, Ruru¡ª" Hawi said. "What else is there, Hawi? What else can we do? That bastard isn''t saying anything, and we have been at it with him for hours. We have been touching our fresh wounds over and over because of him and yet he sits there like he didn''t just screw our lives. "What do you want me to say? That we should kill him? That I can make him turn into Adolf because I can get my best friend back? Because guess what¡­. Not all of us have best friends who are granted the immortality spells. "Some of us had to live like normal people. Some of us had to experience loss at its worst, and some of us had to force ourselves to keep working even though it wasn''t exactly the best of things¡­ I''m trying here Hawi. "I''m really trying not to break down. I distract myself with everything along the way. I''m trying my very best not to let my grief consume me. I''m holding on by a thin thread and that bastard isn''t making it any easier. "The man has cost me more than eight thousand wolves. Where the fuck will I even get them back? My people don''t have graves to visit their dead because we burned the bodies because they were too screwed up. "I don''t have a ce to go talk to my best friend because Atticus thought it wise to fuck the spell you cast. Tell me, little mate. Tell me what else you want me to do. I am trying, Hawi. "I really am and I don''t think you understand that," Ruru let out angrily and Hawi inched back from her instantly even though she wasn''t shocked. She had expected this outburst. She had expected that Ruru would snap eventually because Ruru was not used to losing. Sure, she was a strong alpha but she wasn''t used to the kind of pain that came with having to use everything in one go. It was something so new to her and Hawi had wanted to tell her that it would be okay. But now, Hawi knew that nothing would ever be okay. She had been hoping that if she lived in the fantasy of having an understanding mate, that they would make it through together. "I¡­ I''m sorry I was selfish¡­ I didn''t mean to invalidate your pain, Ruru. I''m really sorry," Hawi said earnestly, the sincerity in her voice breaking Rukiya''s heart even more than she had expected. Hawi then pushed herself forward, staring into her mate''s scared eyes, closing the distance between her and Ruru, kissing her woman''s forehead before she instantly vanished like she hadn''t been there before. She left Ruru standing in the middle of the biggest room in the entire pack house and the Greyson alpha wasn''t sure what to do anymore. She had intended for it to happen like that, but then it did. She had been honest with Hawi though. Losing so many people hadn''t dawned on her and each time she tried to forget, she was reminded that there was a chance that she would lose more people because of the war in Sicario. Maybe it was an unfair fate, but then they had to face it together regardless. "Oh, Hawi," Rukiya whispered defeatedly as she let herself fall to the ground on her knees. She hadn''t intended to sound so harsh, but she was in so much pain. The Greyson Alpha hadn''t even been able to go back to her people and see how they were doing because she knew if she went to Greysin she wouldn''t evere back to this side. She wasn''t strong enough to leave her people again and that was understandable. She had spent her entire life around those wolves and they were home to her. Maybe that was why Hawi didn''t fight her when she said that she would stay, but now, Rukiya wasn''t sure what she needed to do. Ruru could still hear the apology and the sincerity in Hawi''s voice and it was breaking her apart. She hadn''t intended for it to happen like this, and now she didn''t know where Hawi had one. Who was to say that she hadn''t gone to self-destruct somewhere in the realm this time because she was feeling guilty for what had befallen Rukiya and the Greysons? Then again, a part of Rukiya hoped that with all they had gone through together, Hawi wouldn''t let herself be taken that far back into a past they had all worked so hard to get her out of. As she kneeled on the floor, her bloody hands on her thighs defeatedly, a portal suddenly opened and Rukiya started hopefully thinking that it was Hawi who hade back to her. She knew Hawi wasn''t ever going to me her and she wanted to tell Hawi that the promise would still stay the same. That they were a team and that no matter what happened they would fight this war together. Rukiya Greyson wanted to tell Hawi that it was just a sudden outburst because she had been feeling a little too muchtely. Oh, Rukiya wanted to let her mate know that it wasn''t anyone''s fault but the prisoners in there. Of course, Hawi had to have known that, but seeing Ruru breakdown was way beyond her and she couldn''t handle it, that much was obvious. Staring at the portal Ruru waited to see Hawi again. So, when the first person stepped out, the only word she could breathe out softly was "Hawi¡­" "Asmodeus said the stench of your sex filled the entire Sicario and all I see is blood. You sneaky bastards," Malika said excitedly as she walked out of the portal along with Mbali and Elodie who were facepalming at the protector''s statement. "Must have really been fun seeing how the blood status ising under the bed. You hemorrhage that much?" Mbali asked and Elodie had to smack the woman to shut her up. They hade from Greyson and were excited to meet their unhinged crew. Malika stared at Rukiya a second time before she realized that the woman was hurting, and there were real tears on her face, not sweat or blood there. The stench of pain had filled the room and only Malika could sense it. "What happened here Greyson¡­ Where is my Mistress?" Chapter 308: We’re In This Together [HAWI] "What happened here Greyson¡­ Where is my Mistress?" Malika asked, her voice careful yet stern at the same time. She could see that Rukiya was upset and she had tried to reach Hawi but there was no response even though the mind links were open. That was the onlyforting thing at that moment, because she could still feel that Hawi was somewhere in Sicario. "She went for a walk¡­ what is it?" Ruru asked as she looked up at Malika with teary eyes. Malika wasn''t buying that, but she had a feeling that she needed to keep it cool or things would take a different turn. These two had mated over and over in this room, and they didn''t deny that, so there was just no point in assuming that Hawi made a run for the hills. Malika had long seen how protective the white wolves were over their mates and she knew firsthand just what Rukiya Greyson meant to Hawi. So, it would be hard for her to assume the worst when there could have just been a misunderstanding, right? "Are you alright? You look like you''ve been crying. Your eyes are puffy and Hawi isn''t here. Did you two have a fight?" Malika asked as she helped Rukiya gently from the ground and sat her on the huge couch in Hawi''s suite. "We didn''t fight. Why would you think that? Anyway, Hawi is out with the wolves. I was down there with Jer and I missed home," Ruru said and Malika could hear the lie roll off her lips so smoothly. Hell, even Elodie and Mbali could sense that the Alpha was lying, but they couldn''t push if she didn''t want them to. They would respect her choice and hope that everything would be alright between the two alphas. "You don''t have to worry. We made sure that everything is well taken care of. The Lycans are there with them, with reinforced earth magic. So, no one will ever be able to hurt your people as long as you don''t betray Hawi," Malika said casually. Rukiya let out a chuckle at the idea, and how absurd it was, but she didn''t take it to heart. She had started to learn what Malika said and what she meant with every word from her mouth. The woman didn''t mean any ill for her and her people anyway. "You must really be a smooth talker in funerals," Mbali said, making Malika stare at Ruru as if she was asking for help, while Elodie stared at them as she had everywhere to be and yet somehow had gotten herself stuck with these three. Chapter Stay: "I''m going to find my sister. And none of you follow me. Just please don''t drive the alpha crazy with your statements, Malika. Mbali you should help your sister cleanse her mind," Elodie said as she got up and walked out of the suite. "People smooth talk at funerals? Should we do that at Jeremiah''s funeral?" Malika asked and this time it was Ruru who smacked her arm as if to tell her that they were growing more unhinged by the day. "Thanks for the dildos," Rukiya suddenly said and Mbali cringed so hard she was sure there would be walls breaking at how hard she threw an air punch as if to tell Ruru that this wasn''t the time for that. "They worked? Were you r¡ª" Malika began but her sister had just had enough. "Another word and I''ll tell Elodie about your first crush," Mbali warned and Malika stared at her sister, the disbelief on her face making itself known. Rukiya wanted to ask how Mbali could have known that bit; she figured that since they were referring to each other openly as sisters, they had shared memories. That had to be some interesting shit if Malika was this freaked out and had gone silent instantly. "I thought so," Mbali said, as she high-fived Ruru who was wiping her tears. "Oh yeah? Do you want to y dirty? Maybe we should talk about Amina. The woman who has a crush on you and is down for you so bad she risked getting killed by me just to tell you," Malika said and Mbali got up to leave, only for Ruru to hold her back. "Nope¡­ You''re not leaving. Tell me about Amina. Is she pretty? Did you find your mate? Is she hot? Is she¡ª" Rukiya rambled on, her excitement obvious and her sorrows forgotten as she watched the horrified Mbali try to wiggle her way out of this. "Malika is¡ª" Mbali began and her sister stared right into her eyes, daring her to say something wrong about the woman they hadn''t even seen or known her intentions. The gestures were considered warm, but that was only for Hudhayfah and his perspective. Malika was still going to keep her guard up and make sure that no one would ever break her sister''s heart. She didn''t care what the universe would turn into. Because whoever tried to mess with her sister wouldn''t live long to see the next day. Whether Amina was Mbali''s mate or not, she had to go through Malika before she reached Mbali and that was more than obvious with how protective Malika had grown since the woman popped up into their lives unexpectedly. "Why are you looking at her like that," Rukiya teased and Malika smirked at her sister. "I''m waiting for her to tell a lie and then we can make her do the pack dishes," Malika said and Rukiya oohed as she looked at Mbali who was just showing her sister her tongue like it was the most normal of things. "Come on now, sis¡­ tell a lie about your dear Amina," Malika taunted and Mbali sighed before she began telling the horror story that had scared Malika out of her sanity and into a phase that she hadn''t expected. Malika had never imagined that her sister would ever have a mate. It was sort of crazy seeing as they were creatures of the goddess and they were bound to have mates, but then that didn''t seem to matter to Malika because no matter what happened, Mbali would always be her sister. And she would always protect her. As Ruru listened to the two sisters asionally banter with each other she couldn''t help but think back to Adolf. She had once had a best friend and Atticus had taken him from her. If Adolf had been here, he would have teased Ruru on the countless times that she and Hawi fucked, and he would have known what to say to make her feel better. She missed him no doubt and a part of her hoped that she would meet him in the afterlife. Or maybe if he was reincarnated, even though the chances of that happening were close to zero. Then again, a girl could hope, right? It wasn''t like it was a crime to hope to see her friendter. "Who the fuck even brings that many flowers to someone?" Malika argued, bringing back Ruru to the reality of the bickering sisters. She had been listening to them but her pain had been fucking with her memories. Either way, she chose to stay here with them and they continued calling each other names. She was happy that the Jabali sisters had finally made up, even though there was still some tension between them. Maybe she and Hawi would make up soon too, right? Chapter 309: Nothing Happened In The Way I Wanted [HAWI] "You still hide in the same spot, sister," Elodie said when she reached the former Sicario alpha''s suite and found Hawi standing on the balcony that was hidden from everyone except those who knew about its existence. It was one of the ces Hawi always ran to whenever she was angry, confused or needed to clear her head without anyoneing after her. She always did that with ease and her parents hadn''t onceined because they knew she liked it there from a young age. After all, she was still their baby, no matter her age, right? "The sky is always prettier from this side of the world," Hawi said, not even turning to look at her sister. She was still covered in blood and her hair was disheveled, almost like she had been pulling it for a while. It was something that Elodie hated, btu the, she had to listen and know what the fuck happened for her sister to be in such a state, especially since Rukiya had refused to say anything. "What happened between the two of you?" Elodie asked as she gently held her sister''s shoulder and forced her to look at her. She could smell the stench of blood from a distance and while the footsteps had given it away, the streaks on Hawaii''s face still managed to surprise the warrior. Maybe she would be able to help her best form this time, right? "I didn''t run away if that''s what was in your head," Hawi said softly and Elodie stared at her softly. She had always seen Hawi at her worst and when she was determined to make everything disappear. And that wasn''t what Elodie was seeing today. Hawi was calm, way too calm for someone who had had a disagreement with her mate. And while that should have scared Elodie or even worried her, it rxed her. It was clear that no matter what happened, Hawi was slowly learning from the experiences. She was embracing reality, however difficult that was and it was worth being proud of, really. "I didn''t say that. Besides, if you wanted to turn away, you wouldn''t have let me find you. You wouldn''t have kept the mind links open and you wouldn''t have resolved the mind links to make it seem like nothing was the problem. "You could have run, literally, but you''re here, so that''s progress," Elodie said proudly and earnestly. She understood Hawi more than anyone and it was a little too much even more than sisters would, which perhaps could exin the rumors in the past that imed that Elodie had been in love with Hawi. No one would understand how protective the two were of each other, so the sisters didn''t even clear their names off that shit. To them it was just a normal thing and no one would ever be able to talk them out of it anyway. "I think I hurt her feelings and I need to figure out a way to fix it. I don''t like it when she''s sad and that too because of me," Hawi said as she lifted her head to look at her sister. She knew Elodie wouldn''t judge her regardless and she understood. "Did you say something to her?" Elodie asked. "I said a lot of things. I didn''t mean to hurt her, I really didn''t. Now here I am, wondering if flowers and a dinner date will make up for it, but I don''t think that''s enough, because at some point we will have to talk, and that is what got my mind on overdrive. "I don''t want to fuck up again and I can''t be the reason she cries. I swore to wipe her tears and all I did today was hurt her. What if¡ª" Hawi rambled on and Elodie stared at her, with a tender smile, something that got Hawi curious and overthinking, again. Maybe it wasn''t the best of ideas, but then she had everything to find the best approach for this, but she couldn''t. It was like she had hit a wall and this was one that not even magic could wipe out ¨C not that Hawi needed to wipe it out. She wanted tomunicate effectively with her mate and she wanted to understand her and listen to her. And the longer she stayed here the more she realized how stupid it had been for her to throw in an apology and make a run out of there. "You think I''m going nuts, huh?" Hawi said defeatedly. "No. I actually think this is some good progress. You''re slowly learning what emotions mean and I couldn''t have been prouder of you. Whatever it is that happened you both can fix it. Go to her, talk to her and listen this time. "Listen keenly to what she has to say and when she is done, talk to her. After thinking. Don''t let your pride get in the way of things, though I can tell I don''t have to worry about your pride fucking things up¡­ "¡­Because it hasn''t shown since you fell for the Greyson girl. And yes, a date and flowers will do you both some good. If possible, take her out of Sicario. This ce smells like death and war. "Give her a change of environment, and before you talk about us¡­ Malika, Mbali and I will be taking care of Sicario along with Asmodeus. As for your security, the two of you are too crazy for even the goddess to try and fuck around with you. "The Goddess can only rest the soul of whoever tries to mess up your date. Chin up, little sister. You look prettier with a smile, alright?" Elodie said and Hawi just stared sheepishly like she was with her older sister. Well, Elodie had always stepped in to be that for her more times than Hawi could count. She was always there to help Hawi fix herself up and make things easier for her. Funny how yearster they were still the same souls that adored each other more than life could everprehend. "What if she doesn''t like it?" Hawi asked Elodie to snirt this time. "Y''know when we asked what was wrong, she said you wanted to be with the wolves and that she had been with Jer down there which was why she was crying? She''s already defending you even when you fight. "She will definitely like it, I know that. She''s a keeper," Elodie said as she patted her sister on her shoulder. She could tell that Hawi was rxing more around Rukiya and it was admirable. She and the rest of their team and allies could only hope that they had a healthy rtionship because then it would be easier for the both of them to get to fulfill their missions and their happily ever after. "Alright. I''ll clean up and start thinking of ces," Hawi said and Elodie whipped up a long list of hotels in the humannds making Hawi stare at her like there were a thousand things wrong with the woman, but was there? "You don''t have to say thank you¡­ Just swear you won''t fuck each other for twelve days," Elodie said as she walked away and Hawi just let out a lightugh. Her sister was nits but at the same time, Elodie was right. She could fix this if they just talked, right? Chapter 310: Yeah, Light Me Up [HAWI] The evening in Sicario was quiet and calm. The pack was enjoying tranquility for the first time in so many months and they truly appreciated it. This to them was like the dream that had seemed impossible. Their alpha was home. Their people were safer and no one was instigating war again. The warriors were on Hawi''s side. The elders supported her even as they nned for the day of the trial of the bloodied crown years ago. It was something that was expected, seeing as Hawi wasn''t the murderer, and honestly, it was more than anyone could have assumed. Justice was finally being passed and there was peace inbound. No matter what happened along the way, they all knew that there wasn''t a thing that could ruin their pack again. The fire wards were up, the crazy friends had built up most of the Sicario homes and helped with the cleaning. It was like the misfits were finally doingmunity service only that this time, they loved every bit of it. They got to interact with wolves casually. They got to be there with the warriors and even help them with all the work. It was like they were one big happy family even though the misfits had juste from Grayson to help out there. It was a beautiful thing really. Family was proving to be better each day and honestly, it was worth fighting for. "Come along let''s watch the sunset," Malika said to Mbali And Elodie who didn''t object. They had left Rukiya to clean up the blood on her, even though they hadn''t seen Hawi in a while. They simply assumed that she was around and watching over them. Maybe they were having too much trust in the woman who loved running away like it was her second calling, but then they had to see it through, right? They had to put their trust in Hawi and let her embrace whatever she was going through. They had to hope that no matter what happened between her and Ruru, they would eventually findmon ground and that they wouldn''t have to fight anymore. Then again, that was too much for a couple that was used to showing the world their love. Theirs was a union that the masses around them looked up to. You would think they were the ultimate reminder of what normal looked like and not a bunch of psychos brought together by the universe in the name of peace. Well, the universe had to be high with them anyway. "Hello Ma''am," a voice was heard and Malika could have sworn it was too familiar in their head. Maybe she was hallucinating because he hadn''t regained all of her strength sinceing from Greyson, but even if that was so, was she to be disillusioned like this? "Do you guys hear that?" Malika asked if she took her time to turn to the source of the voice. She didn''t want her sister and her mate to think she was finally losing her mind and she couldn''t have known that she was a little weak. That was a lot of guilt to pin on her sister and she hated it when her sister suffered, so she wouldn''t try that with her dear Mbali. But then somehow she had tofort whatever that was right? "Oh, the two protectors? They looked like side dishes on the bedst time I went to Greyson. They looked like they could roll on the ground and turn into chicken nuggets," Mali said and Elodie snorted at the description. However, Malika didn''t say anything, instead, she looked at her sister like she wasn''t even surprised but, before turning to look at the duo that Mbali was buried roasting so hard next to them. Well, they were real. And they were not supposed to be on this side of the realm. "Aren''t you both supposed to be in Olyana by now?" Malika asked the two protectors she had released two days ago. It had been a quick release, but only because Malika wanted them to witness how dysfunctional her family was. She didn''t want them talking about her sister and how she had fought tooth and nail to save her sister only for Mbali to be a total pain in her ass. That was the kind of thing that Malika would leave for just the two of them. Then again, the fact that these two were here was more shocking because there was a chance that something had happened to the protectors, or maybe the Russel brothers had attacked Greyson again. It could mean a lot of things and frankly, Malika wasn''t in the mood for all that. She couldn''t handle going back and forth between things because the other protectors weren''t able to handle the situation. It would be a real shame regardless but she could only hope that that wasn''t what they were here for. Also, the fact that they made it through the fire wards, and were dating a g-wagon too, was suspicious. Protectors never needed motors to head anywhere and yet here they were with thetest model of the g-wagon, something that Malika could have sworn she saw in Hawi''s crazy dungeon. Maybe she was hallucinating, right? "Yes, but an assignment came up and we were sent here," Kadiam said and Malika red at him curiously. There was just no way they would be sent to her station by the high protectors without her being informed. Besides she hadn''t done anything that would cause suspicions, not to mention the fact that she was stronger than them, she had more power than them and could ruin them with just a snap of her fingers. Surely whoever sent them over here had to have known that too, right? There was just no way that they would be doing that to her, but what if they thought that Mbaliing into her life was making her a liability? That right there was something that Malika refused to think of. She would always choose to protect her sister no matter what happened. "What assignment? As far as I know, Hawi is safe," Malika argued as she looked at Mbali and Elodie and just shrugged. They knew nothing of Hawi being unsafe and that was expected because the woman hadn''t shown signs of distress. "We are here on the orders of the werewolf queen," Dumi insisted and Malika rolled her eyes at him. He couldn''t be seriously here with the notion of a queen who had been mentioned to the realm, right? Surely the high protectors couldn''t be that stupid to send them on a dangerous errand like that, right? It just didn''t make sense, also there was no way the werewolf queen had to have sent them when she didn''t even know her true identity. That shit was just fucked up a little, but they could fix it, no? "Who now?" Mbali asked, clearly not understanding what this meant. And the fact that her sister was rolling her eyes at the protectors had to mean that there was a true queen among them? And she hadn''t been mentioned? What the fuck were they all on? "You people are frustrating the duo. Trust me, they aren''t here to take your jobs. They were the avable lot and Malika trusts them anyway," Elodie said and Malika squinted her eyes at her mate who simply shrugged like she knew something. "E¡­ You want to exin what is happening?" Malika asked but she was interrupted by Kadiam. "We''re gettingte, ma''am Malika. You more than anyone should know orders aren''t to be dyed," Kadiam said as if to remind Malika that they were all soldiers who would do whatever it was that they were rmended regardless of what the situation was. "Then who are you here for?" Mbali asked curiously. "The queen consort, Alpha Greyson," Kadiam said as he looked at Malika as if to ask her whether she had forgotten about the titles. Well, she hadn''t forgotten but it wasn''t to be like that, yeah? Or maybe she had forgotten that the white wolf was the werewolf queen. "Oh, shit," Elodie exined. "No way," Mbali let out, surprised. "Never use that title on this side of the realm. Not until the white wolf gets her revenge and settles her scores with everyone who fucked her up on this side. Understood?" Malika said, the warning and power in her tone was so obvious that there was a shift in the atmosphere. Dumi and Kadiam bowed their heads instinctively while the wolves were caught unawares. Hell, even Elodie and Mbali had their heads almost bowed at the tone of the protector. "Yes ma''am," Kadiam said, his feet trembling. Malika sure knew how to keep them up in all the ways to hell and back. Lord, she was terrifying as hell. "She''s in the royal study," Malika said as she released them. "Thank you," Dumi responded before he and Kadiam made their way to the royal study to find Rukiya. Malika was tempted to ask why they were here for Rukiya but she had a feeling that it had to do with the way they had found her when they came from Greyson. Maybe Hawi was making amends with the love of her life and they were all for peace. Maybe this was their chance to see what it was that it took to get Awuor Hawi sane for long. She had been keeping her cool and she had done more than they expected. Normally and upset Hawi was bound to throw tantrums. But today there was none. "Oh, they''re going to have a st!" Eldie said excitedly and Malika and Mbali stare at her as if to tell her that she needed to exin what the fuck was going on here. She was right though, yeah? Chapter 311: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise? [RUKIYA] The two protectors weren''t sure what they would walk into, but then they got to the royal study and found Rukiya actually reading some book. A part of them was d she wasn''t as bloodied as the woman who had sent them here. She had scared the hell out of them and if the protectors were being honest, there were a lot of better options out there than crossing Awuor Hawi. Granted, she hadn''t done any damage to them, but they were still scared, and rightfully so. It didn''t matter that the world was always going to talk of the high chance that the woman would be their savior. She scared the shits out of them and they wouldn''t pretend and deny that very obvious fate. "Alpha Greyson, greetings," Kadiam said as he looked at the alpha. She looked calm, the kind that was strange, and yet at the same time, a part of them was worried that they would be her victims. She was as powerful as her crazy mate, and couldmand them into doing whatever. Maybe she didn''t know that yet or she just didn''t mind, because even as she felt their presence, nothing changed. It was like she wasn''t even bothered by the idea that there were some protectors in her sight. Or maybe there was more to it and she was trying to think it over, seeing as the possibilities were always going to be a little too thin, right? "Hello, Alpha," Kadiam said again when Rukiya didn''t bother turning to them. They were on a tight clock and if they stayed here longer than was assigned to them they would be in real trouble. But they couldn''t fuck this up for Hawi too, so they had to be very cautious with how they talked to the woman lest they be forced into a situation that would screw them over a hundred times over. "Hello¡­ Do I know you?" Rukiya asked why she sensed that they were not wolves. Her first instinct was to prepare herself for an attack. It was sad really seeing as she had lost so many people and wasn''t even able to mourn them. Her heart was still broken and with her mate not even around, she wouldn''t let her guard down. Sure, she knew that Hawi wouldn''t ever leave her defenseless, but then what if Hawi did? Well, she wasn''t the kind to leave the woman she loved on the side, so Ruru had to hope for that too, right? Maybe she was overthinking again. Maybe she was trying to find the fault in all of this because it would be easier to exin than describing the way she felt each time she remembered that Jeremiah Warner and Atticus Russel were still alive. It was almost insane but then what else was there? Life wasn''t exactly all roses and sunshine for them, yeah? "We mean no harm, your hig¡ª"Kadiam began and Dumi kicked him in the shin before taking over. He knew how nervous they were and she couldn''t me Kadiam for almost folding before the woman. It was like they were in a predicament that they didn''t know how to deal with. That was still alright, but then the consequences of everything were a little too insane regardless. No matter how this turned out, they could only hope they left with their lives. And calling Rukiya her Highness wasn''t exactly a way to keep their lives together, seeing as Malika had warned them against the use of titles. If word spread that the werewolf queen was in Sicario, it could cause chaos. Most of the people who knew the existence of the white wolves never knew that the white wolves were the queens of the werewolf kingdom, a reality that involved a lot of naivety, but one that could only make sure that they were alright in the end. All of them. "We mean you no harm alpha Greyson. We have been sent to get you to the humannds," Dumi said before he realized how sheepish that sounded. It was like he was telling Ruru to pack up and leave and that she had no choice in that. The woman is dangerous on her own and they were risking a lot, but hey, the messengers weren''t the ones to die, right? "Another step and I''ll blow your brains off," Rukiya warned, thinking that they were the Russel brothers. Those brothers had truly fucked her up and she hated how gullible she had been in all of this. It was like she had a choice yet at the same time, there wasn''t much of a choice for her. They had forced her into a shell and Hawi was working on making it all better but boy was it talking a little too long. "Please, just a moment," Kadiam said before he checked his pocket and got out a handwritten note for Rukiya. It was on a white paper and written to her by Hawi. But then there was a lot of skepticism in the room that it was almost impossible to tell if this was going to work or if that just made it a whole lot worse for them. Such notes were a thing of the past in their lifeline and honesty they felt like this was something that could have been done differently. But how was that supposed to work? "What is that?" Ruru asked as if she didn''t see the damn paper. She knew what it meant but there was also a chance that the letter contained a spell dust that could cripple her and in turn weaken Hawi, making all the losses they had encountered worth nothing. It would make it harder for them to get their revenge seeing as there was no time for justice at the moment they had long crossed the lines quite a long time ago so there was no point in going they were here for justice. Vengeance was their mantra and they would stop. Even if the duo here was part of the Russel brothers. "A letter from the one who sent us to pick you up," Kadiam said while Dumi produced a bouquet of white lilies. "This too," Dumi said and Rukiya stared at them skeptically. She was slowly getting a grip on who had sent them but she wouldn''t let them know that soon. Maybe they were here pretending to be sent by her crazy mate, or maybe they were just here to test her and see how gullible she was from the mountain of loss a month ago. She had suffered at the hands of the Russel brothers. She had seen hell and the fact that Adolf was nevering back was the one reminder that Ruru needed to be careful so she could live to see the day the brothers would be killed, easily not that her mother was gone. "Who sent you?" Rukiya asked, even though she didn''t trust her voice as much. She had been through hell and she wasn''t about to get herself into another one again. The world could go fuck itself if that was what it took anyway. "The one whose name we are not allowed to mention," Kadiam said. Chapter 312: Only For The Prettiest Of Them All [RUKIYA] Rukiya let out a scoff. Surely they couldn''t be serious with her right now, yeah? Who the fuck did they think they hade to take away? This woman could easily fight and there wasn''t much they could do, as this was the one woman they were never allowed to touch or fight. If she came at them, they wouldn''t fight back. They wouldn''t lift a finger or even try to look at her differently. It was quite interesting though, because no matter how many turns this took, they would always have a way to find themselves on Malika''s radar. "If it helps, we are protectors from Olyana assigned to you for this particr evening trip," Dumi said and Rukiya let out a sigh. They really weren''t going to tell her where they wanted to take her? Their adamance was something else and she couldn''t me them. After all, it wasn''t like they hade on a pic to this side of the world. And them being protectors? That had to be some wild shit Hawi was pulling. Ruru wondered what it was this time, though a part of her was silently hoping that this evening wouldn''t be a disaster. They had both spent their day well and along the way, even though they had to deal with the unfortunate reminder of the pain they had suffered, she wanted to believe that they could have a good ending to their day. "Does Malika¡ª" Rukiya asked the protectors who interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. "She already approved of it," Kadiam said confidently. Malika Jabali was the one person whose approval meant the world to the protectors. And the fact that she trusted them made them feel like they could conquer anything that came their way. It wasn''t as hard, but she was the ultimate representation of power and might. She was what they wanted to be but couldn''t be, no matter how hard they tried to be like her. Her standards were insane, her training sessions were out of this world and her skills were so hard to learn in a short time. And they had been working with the woman for over six hundred years. Maybe this was home for them, right? "Where is Hawi?" Rukiya asked, changing the subject as she looked at the two protectors, daring them to lie to her. Only Hawi would give her lilies and white ones. The first time Hawi had given them to her, she had said that the lilies reminded her of Ruru''s love. A love so pure and untainted despite the tainted and horrifying lives they all lived. Ruru was to Hawi what salvation looked like and what purity looked like. It didn''t matter that they all had blood on their hands, one more than the other. What mattered to Hawi was that she would protect the one person who gave her a reason to fight to stay sane. It was a beautiful thing really and no matter how things were, there was a nod that the both of them were good for each other. "A gown for your evening," Kadiam said as he presented a red gift box, ignoring Rukiya''sst question. He knew she knew and that she needed them to spell it out for her. But then that was more dangerous than them just standing there like minions on a mission. "Where is she?" Ruru asked not buying all of this. "All we have are coordinates. Please get ready so we can leave in thirty minutes," Dumi said and Rukiya rolled her eyes at them. Surely they did expect her, an alpha, to just follow them wherever they wanted, though? Well, she was still going to go with them because this was obviously Hawi''s doing and she was never the kind to say no to Hawi. But they didn''t know that and she could make their lives a little difficult, right? "I don''t trust you," Rukiya said defiantly as she sat back not even bothering with them again. She went back to reading her book, ignoring them like they ignored her question. If they wanted to y the long game, then they could as well get on with it, but until then they would have decided on what they wanted with her. "This girl will be the death of us. I don''t want my foot broken again," Kadiam whispered defeatedly to Dumi. "Dude, my ears still hurt from how hard she pulled them. If we go without her we''re dead. Not even Malika will save us. Maybe we can hide in rkson," Kadiam said, already considering their options now that Ruru was defiant. "I''m not going to stay with the Lycans dude. What if we cast a spell on her and get her ready and unconscious?" Dumi asked and Rukiya stared at them. They were really not nning on dragging her out unconscious, right? "Yeah, really great idea. That should be fun telling the devil that we packed her mate like a packet of cigarettes, hmm?" Kadiam said sarcastically and Dumi sighed. Time wasn''t on their side and the woman wasn''t making their lives any easier. "What other option do we have? She isn''t trusting us, the clock is ticking too," Dumi said frustratedly. "Maybe we can call Malika to help," Kadiam suggested, earning a re from Dumi. It was almost like that was the most absurd thing that he had ever heard. But then they didn''t quite have that many options either way, right? "She already saved us in Greyson and you want her to save our asses because we couldn''t take the queen consort to the queen. You must be nuts," Dumi said defeatedly and Rukiya just stared at them amusedly. She was enjoying their existential crisis and while she wanted to know what more she was now sure they were not here with the Russel brothers. It was strangelyforting because at the end of the day, she wouldn''t have to walk on eggshells around strangers. At least she could get these two off the list of suspicious people, right? "I''ll go with you, only if you don''t pack me up like a pack of cigarettes," Rukiya said after a long while and Dumi stared at her horrified that she had heard them. It could be a little hard exining that to her, so he reported an apology. "My apologies, I didn''t mean to¡ª" Dumi began and Ruru interrupted him. "Never mind. Were you in Grayson with Malika?" Rukiya asked as she walked into the room behind the royal study with the red box, a room that was directly linked to Hawi''s suite. She wasn''t worried about them hearing her because they were protectors and had more advanced hearing than the irregr creatures. "What? No, we don''t know what you talk of," Kadiam insisted. "Are they okay?" Rukiya asked again. "Who?" Dumi asked sheepishly. "The gates were a little faulty thest time I left," Rukiya continued even despite their evasive answers. "We fixed them up and set up extra security and let the wolves know. Only a dumb fuck would want to go after Greysin this time I hope we capture those pain in the ass Russel br¡ª oww,"Kadiam said only for Dumi to smack him in the head. "Shut the fuck up, dude. You don''t realize that she''s tricking us?" Dumi asked as he looked at his partner, if there was something wrong with him. But even if that was the case, there wasn''t much they could do. The cat was already out of the bag, right?" She cares about her people. It''s expected of leaders you big oaf," Kadiam whined "And here I thought Malika was thest mad creation of the protectors hmm," Rukiya said as she stepped out in the long red slit strapless maxi bodycon dress. Her hair was rolled and on her feet, she had high heels. She was also wearing a ck Birkin bag, not to mention Tiffany jewelry on her neck, ears and her wrist. She looked so damn pretty even as the protectors tripped on their words, not sure what they were to say to her statement. "Apologies, Alpha. We didn''t mean any disrespect," Dumi forced out, after a while, seeing as they looked like dumb fucks standing there speechless. "Apologies will be epted if I get to sit in the passenger seat," Rukiya said amusedly. "Not possible your M¡ª Alpha. Anything but that," Kadiam said. "Pack of ice cream?" Rukiya asked. "Anything but that too" Dumi insisted. "You people are no fun. Let''s get going then," Ruru said, making them look at each other surprised that she had gotten ready so fast. "Yup," Kadiam said as he led the way and Dumi followed right behind Rukiya Greyson. Chapter 313: I Missed You Too [RUKIYA] After a little teasing by the psychos, Ruru and the protectors finally left for the humannds. She wasn''t sure what Hawi was intending to get her there, but one thing she knew was that Awuor Hawi never did things just because she could. The mad woman was a strategist, one who did what she needed to and knew what was expected of her. Hawi was not one to just wake up and do things, and yet at the same time, Ruru had a blinding feeling that there was more to this than met the eyes. She wanted to make assumptions but then what was the point? She had no clue what was going on or even what this was, but she could simply hope that this would be as exciting as the effort put in. "Alpha, we''re almost there," Kadiam said as they crossed the border between the supernatural and the human realm. They knew that she had never crossed the borders to the human realm since both and seeing the difference was just crazy. She had wanted to expect things but then the first expectation that she had wasn''t even at par with what she had seen. It was way better. She had always imagined Sicario to be the richest of packs because of the modernized buildings and the intense technology there, but then now that she could see the skies to the humannds, she wasn''t so sure. Every little building was almost like the Sicario household, with the only difference being that instead of huge bungalows for three families, there were skyscrapers for apartments. The humannds were beautiful. That was something that even Ruru wouldn''t deny. There was no point in it anyway, because, at the end of the day, this was some sort of reality she would have to embrace. "Alright," Ruru responded as she looked out the window. Thankfully, the windows were tinted otherwise anyone would think she hadn''t ever been in a vehicle before. But then that was nothing to be proud or shy of. She had lived her life as a wolf just like werewolves were meant to anyway, right? So, what else would she need when she had everything she wanted in her pack? "Do you want the windows open, alpha?" Dumi asked when he saw how curious the Greyson alpha was. She was pretty as hell and curious as fuck. She couldn''t be med though. All of this wasn''t even part of her dreams so she had no reason to be baffled or excited. But then at the same time, as she tried to think of the reasons that Hawi had brought her to this side, there was only one. Jeremiah''s parents. That idea was honestly very appealing to her. Rukiya Greyson wanted to carve the bodies of those two and remind them of what their son had put her and her mate through. She wanted to make sure Jer knew never to screw with her or Hawi again. It was something that she would never forgive no matter what the circumstances would be. Jeremiah was a screw-up and there was no denying that. Then again she didn''t care at this moment. Jeremiah Warner would pay and if making his parents'' heads to him as a trophy was it for her then she would do it without feeling any remorse whatsoever. She would fuck him up tenfold and she wouldn''t even feel bad about it. "No, it''s okay," Rukiya said to Dumi. Ten minutester they stopped at the entrance of thergest hotel chains in the city, the ASH Hotels. It was one that many in the humannds had to spend an arm and a leg just to find a way to the terrace alone. The prices were way over the roof as if to tell them that it wasn''t a ce for poor people. Well, that was worth nothing anyway. "We''re here, Alpha," Kadiam said as he got off first, and handed the valet the keys while Dumi opened the door for the woman who could decide whether they would die or not. He was overthinking everything at this point because there was no telling what he needed to expect now that they were here. "Please follow me," Kadiam said, leading the way. They all could see the way most of the people were eyeing Rukiya Greyson and frankly, he hoped that none of them made a move on her despite the fact that she was hot as hell. She was perfection but was out of bounds for everyone save for the psycho woman who worshipped every breath she took. The nces were obvious even as the receptionist led them to their reservation hall. Ruru was just following them since she didn''t know how this shit worked but one certain thing was the fact that she was more excited than them all despite having a resting nk face. "Your table is beyond this door, alpha. Ours is to stop here. She wille soon," Kadiam said when they reached the reservation hall. There wasn''t much they could see from here but they knew what was inside there. They just didn''t want to ruin it for Ruru. It would be mean of them anyway. "Will you guys be around?" Rukiya asked as she rubbed her sweaty palms. She was a little nervous which was strange yet interesting at the same time. How a woman so powerful and crazy could be nervous like that was behind Kadiam and Dumi? However, they had to admit that life sure did make people nervous sometimes. Rukiya would be okay that much they were sure of. It was just a matter of how soon anyway, right? "Of course. We''ll be driving you both home, that is if she doesn''t portal the both of you out here," Dumi said casually and Rukiya tried her best to rx even as they encouraged her to go on. This ce was beautiful and she felt like she was a stranger to all of this. Maybe it was because her mind was once again riddled with the possibility that Hawi didn''t want her again. It was ridiculous but then alone in a ce she knew no one and dressed like that, Ruru wasn''t sure if this was a humiliation ritual because she hadshed at Hawi or if this was something else. She was experiencing a lot of mixed emotions and frankly, that scared the shits out of her. She needed to be in control but then it wasn''t like there was a way, right? ''What if I''m just overthinking this?'' Ruru said to herself as she looked at the two men standing on opposite sides of the door. They looked like they had been waiting for her and could keep waiting until she was ready for them to push the doors pep. They seemed patient, perhaps because it was a part of their job and they had gotten used to it. Or maybe it was because no matter what happened there wasn''t much that they could do, right? She hadn''t seen them earlier because she was too preupied with the protectors but right now, as she pushed a step forward and they opened the door she convinced herself that whatever was to happen would happen and she just had to face that reality. With onest sigh, the prettiest woman of the night pushed the door only to be met with what she hadn''t even dreamt of. The entire restaurant was empty. Sure, there were tables there, and waiters and waitresses who were ready for whatever she wanted, but other than that, there was no one. "Where is everyone," Ruru whispered, as she stood at the entrance, not sure if this was what Kadiam and Dumi had meant when they brought her to this ce. She couldn''t imagine inconveniencing everyone even though this was a night when she was allowed to be selfish and want things for herself. This was the one time she didn''t have to be a leader who worried for her people and she could just be the girl who was loved and one who was owed an apology, if that was what this was anyway. "Please,e in," one of the waitresses said to her and she just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. "Oh¡­ Okay," Ruru voiced out as she took in the endless white rose petals on the floor. You would think she hade to breathe them in at once. It was all so beautiful, the setup and all¡­ [A/N: Imagine anything romantic :( pretty please lol] Rukiya was still nervous even when the waitress guided her to a particr seat. She looked like all of this was just some bubble that would pop on her face and remind her that she would never have something like this. "What would you like to have, miss?" the waitress said and Ruru looked up at her, her eyes softening as she came to terms with what was happening around her. "Water¡­ Just water," Ruru said and the staff looked at her as if to ask her if she was sure about that. She was inside thergest hotels in the realm and all she had to ask for was just water? Goddamn. "Make that apple juice for the prettiest flower of the night," Hawi said and Ruru turned so fast that she could have sworn she would have broken her neck if she had just been a human. "Careful there, baby," Hawi said and Ruru smiled sheepishly, her body rxing now that she knew she wasn''t alone in all of this. She had been worried about screwing up, but right now, she just didn''t care anymore. "You''re here," Ruru said excitedly as she got up and hugged Hawi, almost tripping in the process. "Always for you," Hawi said, cupping her mate''s face, and kissed her gently while everyone left them in silence. ***** [A/N] This week''s updates have been slow... next week will be back to normal, thank you for loving Hawi Chapter 314: The Shameless Disruptor [HAWI] The evening had been better than Hawi had expected. She had always been used to fighting and not resolving things but when Elodie suggested that this wasn''t what it seemed, Hawi had taken the leap of faith to figure it out herself. She had taken her mate on a date in a different realm just so she could understand what she had missed and by the time they were done for the evening, she knew that once again, she had been too quick to react. She should have listened to her mate and she shouldn''t have left her there when they had things to talk about. It was not something hair was used to, but Rukiya Greyson was turning her into a humane leader. There with each other, they were not alphas or even leaders. They were just two women madly in love with each other, and whose worlds only had each other. It was a beautiful sight, seeing the both of themugh into the night, holding each other''s arms as they explored the beauty that was the humannds. It was perfect at best¡­ until it wasn''t. "If I knew I would run into the both of you like this, then I could have sent a message to my brothers toe and see the catch of the day. But you both will do," a man in his mid-twenties said to Hawi and Ruru who were currently at the yground, healing their inner children together. They had just been kids when their troubles began and little by little they were fixing each other. So even when the man spoke to them, they didn''t mind. If anything, they ignored him almost like he didn''t mean shit to them and even worse, like they didn''t see him, when they clearly did. Hell, they walked right beside him, talking like he wasn''t even there. Well, if it helped. They were not going to let their night be ruined because of a man who didn''t know when to shut the fuck up and leave them be, right? "You both are ignoring me? What the fuck? Who the hell do the both of you think you are!!" the man shouted, catching the attention of everyone. They stared at him with stinky eyes as if to tell him to take his drunkenness home. Maybe they imagined he was just another lowly human who spent his life drinking to a stupor, right? Or maybe he looked like that and they weren''t even the least bit bothered by that. This right here was something that the Greyson alpha hadn''t been used to, and the tant disrespect by the man who was shouting at them was something she wouldn''t have allowed. But tonight, she had promised she would just be another girl. After all, it wasn''t like any of them would hurt them together, right? "Yoh kid, you seeing things? Who are you even addressing? Are you high? Come on man. The officers will make me close the shop early if you keep at it like this," an elderly man said disappointedly. He was in front of what looked like a human shop and there were a bunch of humans in there. Compared to the ASH hotels this way is just another neighborhood shop and it served others well. The man needed to get a hold of himself before he ruined the night for more people. "Shut the fuck up, old man. Just fucking shut up," the man said to the elderly, before he went on to start trashing the old man''s things. It was not the best of things to do to an elderly man. Expectedly, the customers in the shop came to the old man''s defense, but the bastard beat them up too, making everyone scared of even reaching out to him. So, they watched defeatedly as the rowdy young man fucked up the business. They tried to plead with him, but he trashed even more. The old man was defeated and he watched sadly as his lifelong hard work was trashed by a moody young man. Someone had called the officers and they also tried to keep the man down, with the tasers and even guns but none of that worked. After all, they were just humans with no knowledge of what was happening and who the man was. In the distance, Hawi didn''t want to get involved in human affairs. She didn''t want them to know that there existed people like her and Ruru. But then the bastard was doing a good job fucking that up. Hawi was holding herself back, but then one look into Rukiya''s eyes and she knew she had to go and teach that man a lesson. However, before she could even make a step, Malika showed up, making Hawi stop. She hadn''t expected Malika toe to this side, but then she had to remember that Kadiam and Dumi may have been foot protectors but to Malika they weren''t good enough to keep the werewolf queen alive and unbothered. "That''s enough, Nik," Malika said as she picked up the mess that the man had made and looked at the old man with an apologetic face. "And you are?" the man, Nik, said to Malika in a condescending tone and Malika looked at him with a bored face, as if to tell him that this really wasn''t the time and ce to be screwing around like this. The bnce between the human and the supernatural realms had to be maintained and this bastard was fucking things up, which meant that soon enough there would be whispers and murmurs around. That was the kind of shit Malika hated because she would then have to erase a lot of memories and that shit was never pleasant to her. She hated that kind of work and if this Nik guy wasn''t careful, he would be doing the cleaning instead of her. "The one who doesn''t like what you are doing. This is a peacefulmunity and your anger issues aren''t wee here. "So, pack up and leave, otherwise not even the goddess will save you from me if you try to screw up again," Malika said as she helped the old man up, and gestured to the remaining husband to go back into the shop as it was safer there. The police were skeptical about this, seeing as Malika looked like a tiny twenty-six-year-old who knew nothing of life. She looked like she would go down with just one swing from the Nik guy. But then there was something in her eyes that made them trust her. It was almost like she wasforting them, letting them trust her even though she was using a little magic to nudge them and make sure that they didn''t ask one too many questions. It was always like that with the bastards who made it to the human realm and tried to screw things up. "This isn''t your fight, little girl. You should learn to keep your distance. You humans think you''re the shit but see your officers backing up like they don''t matter here. I suggest you follow suit and leave me be. Whoever you are," Nik said. "I see¡­ I didn''t introduce myself well. Anyway, my name is not a little girl. I''m Malika," the protector said as she looked into Nik''s eyes as if warning him, but instead, the man didn''t even seem moved. If anything, he just scoffed before taking a swing at Malika. Chapter 315: Bad Things Happen To Bad People [HAWI] "I see¡­ I didn''t introduce myself well. Anyway, my name is not a little girl. I''m Malika," the protector said as she looked into Nik''s eyes as if warning him, but instead, the man didn''t even seem moved. If anything, he just scoffed before taking a swing at Malika. Hawi and Ruru who were watching in the distance shifted from being worried about the humans, to being excited to see how this would turn out. However, this Nik had just signed his warrant to either be a cripple or food for Malika. It was either of these especially when he took a swing and Malika and Malia didn''t miss. It was almost like she had been waiting for this for a while. Then again, being who she was in the supernatural realm meant that everyone ran off the roads she walked. She was the myth that scared even the elders. Jabali Malika was a pain in many people''s asses if she wanted to and she was the finger that no one wanted to be around because any moment, she would be twisting necks for fun just to wake them up and breathe life into me. Their lives were a joke to her and his Nik had just dared to fuck up her face. "You think you''re strong, eh?" Nik said to Malika when he realized that she didn''t even move when his fist punched her face. Normally when he hit people, their bodies leaned to the side. But right now, the little girl, as he had called Malika, was just staring at him with bored eyes to ask him if he was done. "Is that all you got? For someone with so much audacity, you punch like a little boy who just learned to hold a spoon," Malika said and the crowd oohed in the shop. They had a feeling that Malika wouldn''t let Nike at them again and they were safe to makementaries. And boy were they crazedmentaries that were driving Nik insane. He hadn''t ever met a brazen lot like this one, and thess before him was not even scared of him. He was someone that needed to be feared and yet to Malika, he looked like a kid with mommy issues. This was not the kind of reputation that a man like Nik would have wanted, but well, here he is, wasn''t she? "You little shit," Nik said as he grabbed Malika by the neck and began lifting her up, only for his body to tilt. Malika was just staring at him, the same bored face while everyone in the shop had gone frommentaries to staring at Malika like she was their superhero. She had saved them, sure but was that what he wanted to be called? "What are you?'' Nik asked when he found himself with both of his hands still on Malika''s neck, while his huge body was positioned horizontally before Malika. He looked like the wind was swatting him, despite the fact that he looked heavy as fuck. Then again, Malika had warned him not to try shit with her, right? The humans stared in awe as the man struggled to get off of Malika and there was nothing that he could do. He was a menace to them and now he found a match for him. "Me? I''m just a girl¡­ a little girl," Malika said with a scoff as she looked at Nik and his legs began folding, his bones crunching in the process. He looked like there was a force pushing his bones into his body and that scared the hell out of him. He was in so much pain so he cried out, and cursed her, but there was nothing. "See, here''s the thing Nik. When you walk into amunity, you just decide to screw their things up because you think you have more power over them. You are supposed to be humane and let things happen like they should; "... Instead of being a menace to everyone. Think of the medical bills waiting for them once they get out of there. Think of the energy they will use to fix this ce up. Think of the time they will need to process all of this. "Think of the officers going back home to their families, hurt because some asshole decided to be a menace who wanted to show how powerful he was. Are you thinking, or am I just telling a story that you''re struggling to listen to? "Are we understanding each other?" Malika asked Nik even as his legs were squished even more. He was in a terrible shape by the time he managed to respond to Malika. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry," Nik cried out, and the humans stared at him, not sure if the apology was meant for Malika or for them/ whichever way, none of them was brave enough to ask that question, so they just stared. "Am I really the one you should be apologizing to?" Malika asked as she released his hands from her neck, and walked around him, even inspecting his pockets as he hung so high in the air. He looked like a menace even then and Malika was pissed. "I''ll apologize to them. Please make it stop," Nik begged and Malika pretended like she didn''t even hear him. It was like this was just another session for her. She was checking his pockets and she found some money, and a wallet on the side. "Instead of saying what you will do, how about you apologize genuinely to them? All of this will automatically stop if you apologize to them genuinely, and like you mean it will all of you. "If anything, your legs will go back to what they were earlier," Malika said and Nik stared at her hopefully before he started apologizing profusely. It was not hard to tell he was trying so hard to be genuine, but then there was only one problem with that. Malika didn''t feel like releasing him. She was using him to teach the rowdy little shits a lesson and this would go a long way. "I don''t think they can hear you over the sound of the rail tracks," Malika said right as a train passed by and Nik felt like he was about to be reduced into a sausage. He was losing his mind, his body and at the same time, he still had no idea what Malika was. And that scared him even more. "I''m sorry. I won''t do it again. I''ll clean up this ce. I''ll buy them more supplies. I''ll pay for their medical bills. I''ll do whatever is needed and offer even the passersby money for their mentalpensation. "Just please, make it stop. I mean it with all of me. Please, Malika. Please make it stop." Nik begged and Malika just scoffed again. She was having a lot of fun with this man and it was even more than obvious that if she wasn''t in the humannds, she would have crushed the man to bits and not even felt any ounce of remorse for him. "Alright. Alright. I think they epted your apology because your body is reforming. You shouldn''t be mean to other people alright? My Nana is a witch and she said that bad things happen to bad people. "If I were you, I wouldn''t hurt people even more, Nik Russel," Malika said, patting him so hard that he fell to the ground with a loud thump. Oh, he definitely broke more bones, not that Malika cared. Chapter 316: Apologies To A Dead Soul [HAWI] "Alright. Alright. I think they epted your apology because your body is reforming. You shouldn''t be mean to other people alright? My Nana is a witch and she said that bad things happen to bad people. "If I were you, I wouldn''t hurt people even more, Nik Russel," Malika said, patting him so hard that he fell to the ground with a loud thump. Oh, he definitely broke more bones, not that Malika cared. "Oww you litt¡ª" Nik began and Malika stepped on his back in warning. "Language¡­. There are kids around and you can''t just be doing whatever you think is right. Get up now, and start fixing whatever you ruined. I''ll be here watching you, Russel," Malika said and Nik considered his options. He was healed and his bones were working fine. He was not going to let the woman treat him like some ve. So instead of doing what he had sworn he would do, he created a portal and went through it, only for the portal to take him inside the shop that had people so mad and disappointed in him. "What the fuck?" Nik asked frustratedly as he created another portal, but this time it brought him back right in front of Malika who was staring at him with a disappointed face. You would think she cared about a Russel. "Are there any more portals you want to create, Russel? Mauve you want me to create on that should take you to Razia and Atticus, no?" Malika said sweetly and Nik paled instantly. Of all the things he had imagined happening, this wasn''t it. "What?" Nik asked as he looked around. It was then that he realized that the humans hadn''t heard what Malika had just said to him and he knew he was screwed. He couldn''t make a run for it, and he couldn''t say anything because he was scared. Niki Russel knew what happened to his siblings and right now he was regretting evering to this side alone. He had been d to have met the Sicario and Greyson alphas, but he hadn''t expected to meet this kind of fate. "So, what do you say, Nik? Will you keep running or will you do what you said? A man''s word is all he got and you already tried breaking it. Or, maybe we should stone you to teach you a lesson on never screwing the pope''s things, huh?" Malika asked as the door to the shop opened. The humans could see the change in the man and he looked pale. Of course, they thought it was because Malika had ever so casually mentioned that they could stone him, and that he was scared of what would happen to him. But then he was scared shitless because he was slowly realizing that he had crossed the woman who wasn''t meant to be crossed. He had tried to mess with the devil who was in charge of a greater devil. He had stumbled upon the worst, and now he had to decide fast because he was aware Malika wasn''t going to give him another chance. "I''ll keep my promise. I''ll fix this up. I''m really sorry," Nik said and Malika patted his back roughly making him bend over in pain while everyone watched. It was an interesting sight really, seeing him do all that work. Somewhere in the night, Hawi and Ruru had figured that it was pointless for them to stay and watch, so they disappeared into the night to enjoy whatever remained of that night for them. That was because the moment Malika mentioned Niki Russel, they knew that trouble hade knocking and this time they wouldn''t be yearning for peace or anything. They would be forced to be bloodhounds. "Is everyone sorted?" Malika asked three hourster when Nik was done with sorting everything. The humans had been released and the police had stayed to make sure Nik didn''t try to y games with Malika again. They admired her tenacity and believed that she was a headstrong woman in the best of ways. Oh, but if they knew she was older than all their ancestors they would be bowing to her. "Yes. You can go home now," the officers said to Malika as the shopkeeper thanked her for standing up for him. He told her that he was praying she led a long and happy life and the only thing Malika could think of then was her sister. She hoped she would live long enough to see the day that her sister looked at her with love instead of convenient love. It was something that got her head whirring with so many questions but maybe she could get her answers then, right? Eventually, they would be fine. They had to be. "I''ll walk with Niki to make sure he doesn''t screw anyone up again or I''ll summon my grandma and her witchy shit to fuck him up. Goodnight officers," Malika said and the humans left, leaving Malika and the Russel brother who had just walked himself into the worst of traps. "You did great, Niki. I bet you wanted to know my name, right?" Malika asked and instead of responding, Nik just shook his head as if he didn''t want to know her name anymore, and that amused Malika. She could see that he had heard the rumors and had believed them too. The rumors of anyone who knew her name not living to see the next day. She had never debunked them but she hadn''t been kind enough with them either, so she didn''t stand his worry. Even then, she wanted to test that theory. "I''ll tell you anyway since you asked me early. You asked what I am. I''ll tell you. I''m a protector. One of the best protectors in the realm. As for my name? I am Jabali. THE Jabali. "My name is Jabali Malika, pleased to make your acquaintance, Niki. Now that the introductions are done, I believe you and I have things to talk about, right?" Malika said to Nik and she could see him tremble. He couldn''t look at her in the face like he was scared she would gouge his eyes out. It was a tempting idea really because then he wouldn''t have the tie to stomp on people''s hard work and learn to survive. He would make the perfect prey for Malika and he would be the best pet for her games. She could tear through him any time she wanted to and there wasn''t a soul that woulde to his defense simply because he was a Russel. "Please¡­ Please don''t. I won''t do shit,'' Nik said and Malika let out augh, making the poor warlock stare at her in confusion. When the fuck had they gotten to this point in time with each other anyway? "For someone who''s a shadow warlock. You sure scare easily," Malika said and Nik stared at her sadly. It was like he wanted to say something but then he couldn''t. No one could outsmart Malika Jabali and he was doomed. His magic against Malika would just be like a tap on the back for her and it wouldn''t do anything. If anything, he would just be an annoying fly on her food and she would squash him instantly. "I didn''t mean to scare them. I thought they were alone," Nik said. "Who?" "The Greyson and psycho alphas. I didn''t mean to scare them," Nik said and this time, Malikaughed at him with all she had. Chapter 317: Friends Not Foes, Even For A Sunset [HAWI] "I didn''t mean to scare them. I thought they were alone," Nik said and Malika stared at him like he needed to exin more. He looked like he wanted to make a run for it and at the same time, he was worried she would drag him down to the pits of hell. Now that he was apologizing, maybe he could apologize for the reason he had trashed the elderly man''s hop as well, right? Maybe that would buy him favor with Malika, no? Well, it was going to be a little hard given the circumstances, but then he needed this, for the sake of his sanity. "Who?" Malika asked, staring at Nik who was still shaking, he looked like a deer caught in headlights and he looked so terrible that Malika almost felt bad for him. She knew he was tired from all the work and cleaning he had done. But then it had been his fault that he had fucked things up. He wouldn''t have ended up thoroughly cleaning the entire shop if he didn''t try to screw them in the first ce right? He would have been on his way, but he just had to try and phoebe himself to everyone and look where itnded him. "The Greyson and psycho alphas. I didn''t mean to scare them," Nik said and this time, Malikaughed at him with all she had. She looked like a maniac, even as she sat on the veranda of the shop. Like she didn''t have anywhere else to go. but then listening to Nik was more entertaining than actually killing him¡­ At least for today, right? "I mean it¡­ I didn''t want to scare them," Nik insisted, and Malika pat the space beside her as if to tell Nik to have a seat. Anyone passing by could imagine that they were just two friends who had gotten drunk and were having the time of their views on the streets without bothering anyone. It was interesting and scary really but then that didn''t matter to Malika. She handled that much fun in a while and frankly, she wanted to hear what Nik had to say. Maybe it would be equally as entertaining. "You didn''t mean to scare the woman that scares even me? Goddamn, you must have been high, or she had to have been in an excellent mood. You should thank your lucky stars that I was the one who came to stop you, because she could have ripped you apart and patched you up at the same time. "If you think I''m the devil, then you should understand that she is the only one that scares the life out of me. And I never scare easily man," Malika said like she was talking to a friend about Hawi and her insanities. Then again, she didn''t have anywhere to go at the moment¡­ well she did, but she wasn''t in the mood to go out there and that''s walking home. Besides, she had told Elodie and Mbali that she would be on patrol to make sure Hawi and Ruru didn''t get into trouble. Funny how she was the one who met a troublemaker instead of the ones she was used to. But at least he wasn''t as bad as the duo she hade to keep in check, right? "She''s that bad? I thought having the Greyson alpha beside her was supposed to make her more humane?" Nik asked, now that he was unable to reject Malika''s offer. It wasn''t something that he could do. "Oh, she''s humane¡­ but only for her," Malika exined and Nik groaned in confusion. How the fuck was that even possible? Well, it was hard to tell and exin to the man whose entire family was after Hawi even though their two siblings were either dead or captured. It was a risk they were taking and their belief was the one thing that was screwing them over every time. There was no way they would win against Hawi¡­ Surely they had to have known that already by now, yeah? Well, maybe it was the thought that would count eventually anyway. "Well damn. No wonder they pretended not to see me. It was like it didn''t matter. So, you mean to say they were saving my life?" Nik asked and Malika stared at him as if to confirm that he was as sheepish as he wanted her to believe. And she almost believed it. Though right in those eyes, Malika saw the same darkness that she had seen in Atticus and Razia. They were strong and clearly Nik hade to test Hawi''s strength and had failed at it, when he interacted with the worst of the protectors. Granted, there was no way that he would even defeat Malika Jabali. but then as long as Jeremiah was alive, there was a permanent loophole for them. Maybe he was here trying to figure out where his brother was or where Jeremiah was. It was not something that god Malika worried about. It was useless because as long as Malika existed, the shadow warlocks would have to risk their lives and everything in between just to reach Hawi. It was impossible to do that, even more with Rukiya Greyson, especially after what the shadow warlocks had done to Adolf and her wolves. This was an unwinnable battle. But she would humor them. "Do you have a ce to stay the night? I''m calling a truce on whatever the hell is going on just because you already suffered enough tonight. How about we head over to a hotel and get some rest? "It would be creepy crossing over to the other realm right now," Malika said and Nik stared at her. He knew she was testing him too. He knew she was trying to figure him out, but what he didn''t know was that she already figured him out long before he was even a teenager. That didn''t matter right now though, or rid it? "Well, I was going to go home, but I have a feeling if I go to the portal I''m still going to end up somewhere you want me. So sure. Let''s get some rest and call it a truce just for tonight," Nik said and Malika high-fived him, which he didn''t object to. After all, it wasn''t like they were friends forever, right? Then again, there wasn''t much to consider, seeing as they were out here alone. They could walk the streets and explore, but Nik had been overworked tonight he couldn''t even feel his back. It was like he had been in a kind of hell that demanded all of him while giving nothing in return. Perhaps this was the return he would get? Perhaps a chance to hang around the protector would give him a hint of her weakness and get him the upper hand in everything, no? "Come on let''s get going then," Malika said and together they walked the streets and headed to the ASH Hotel, where Ruru and Hawi had gone earlier. Maybe this was for them to meet, or maybe they were all ying some game that would involve someone losing their mind in the night. One thing that was certain though, was that Malika Jabali would be murdering three people tonight if they weren''t careful. But maybe they would be nice to each other, no? Chapter 318: If Only It Was That Simple [HAWI] "Are you sure we should even be in this ce? Do you know how expensive this ce is?" Nik asked Mika when they finally made it to the gate of the ash hotel. Just like Ruru earlier, Nik was in shock. It was obvious that this hotel was something out of his reach, something that not even his magic could do shit in here. Clearly, he knew that from the shock on his face, but then had he tried to confirm it though? Was he stupid enough to try and cast a spell here? "Aren''t you tired? This isn''t the time for questioning. But to answer your question, this hotel is surrounded by magic, which means that no magic can work here save for mine, Hawi''s, and the young Greyson''s since she''s mated to Hawi. "Does that answer your question?" Malika asked and Nik stared nkly. It was almost like he was thinking so hard. He had never thought this would be possible but then the list of things he hadn''t known were growing by the day. "The young Greyson has magic?" Nik asked and Malika smirked at him. She knew what he was thinking and honestly, she wouldn''t say shit about that. Because tonight, she wanted to get some sleep like normal people instead of worrying about protecting everyone. Or maybe she would be doing her job but she indeed had to rest first, right? "Yeah. Hawi unlocked her magic when they mated. Come along," Malika said when the gates opened. The moment they walked onto thepound; Nik could feel his magic be rendered useless. It was like he was in some trap. He wanted to freak out, but then Malika had promised a truce and while Malika was the kind of woman who killed first and answered questionster, she was one who always kept her word, so this was not going to be an exception, right? "This pce is pretty," Nik said, stating the obvious as they walked into the hotel. Everyone knew the ASH hotels but no one really knew what the initials stood for. Which was also why when Nik asked, Malika wasn''t surprised. Over the years the chain hotel had never revealed the full initials. The human public had made assumptions and tried to link them with drug cartels but then investigations had proved that everything here was made with clean money and there wasn''t any hint of trafficking within or even outside of ASH. "What does it stand for?" Nik asked and Mika sighed. Oh, if only they stopped asking her stupid questions, maybe her life would be easier for the evening, yeah? "Awuor Sicario Hawi. Satisfied? I know you''re thinking of channeling Rukiya''s magic and trying to fuck around with it. I''ll warn you this early. You will die if you try that," Malika said and Nik stepped back for her intuitively. Malika Jabali was scary and for all the right and wrong reasons. With the creepy ones being what she had just mentioned. How the fuck had she done that when Nik hadn''t felt her read his mind? Even without magic, he would know when someone tried to read his mind and yet Malika was not going to do that, if she was just going on with her like there was nothing yet. This woman was proving to be more psychotic than he had imagined. "You''re not one for regr pep talks are you?" Nik sighed as he shook his head, as if Malika would ever care about that. The only thing that mattered to Malika Jabali right now was that she went to sleep.Pep talks were for people who had even the slightest interest in each other and Mika wasn''t interested in Niki Russel. She knew him inside out and knew his weaknesses and strengths. She had learned everything about the Seven Shadow warlocks and right now, even as he walked beside her, she knew that she wouldn''t wake up and find him in the hotel the following morning. The shadow warlocks were sly and always tried to create loopholes whenever. But then Malika Jabali was a piece of work that had gone nuts more than once over the years. So right now, that wasn''t even the least of her worries. If she was being honest, she didn''t give a shit. "We''re here to sleep, not for you to make small talk with me. You wasted my time for sleeping while you were out there being rowdy and shit. I even missed my chance at buying Vani chocte balls. "Now get into any room and shut the fuck up before I punch you into the wall. Trust me, I don''t need my magic to m your face into the brick wall, alright?" Malika said boldly before she heard the door open and close so fast. He was a quick one and she was amused. She always worked there even when she tried to sound friendly. Well, that was what her reputation had gotten her, not that she was about toin, yeah? "Well, he''s tomorrow''s problem," Malika said as she moved on to the next room to get some rest. She knew that things wouldn''t be easy from the morning and she could just hope that it was all so quick because if they caused more trouble on this side the humans would be suspicious and it would be a lot of unnecessary work for her. *** Morning dide by so fast, but even then Malika wasn''t bothered to be an early riser, so even when the door to her chanbers were being banged, she didn''t bother. Instead, she kept sleeping, muting them out¡­ until she had a defeated whimper. That was the only thing that got her out of bed so fast that she almost ran into the wall on her way to the door. There was no way that she was sharing a whimper, right? Surely there was nothing wrong this time, yeah? "What¡­ You¡­ Why the fuck would you wake me up," Malika whined as she stared at Rukiya''s nk bored face. It was almost like she wanted to exin to Rukiya the importance of good sleep, but the closer she looked at Ruru''s face, the more she saw tear streaks. How that shit should have never happened so this made Malika curious. "Where is Hawi?" Malika asked and Ruru shushed her as she pushed the protector back into the hotel room. It was almost like she didn''t want anyone to hear them. But even then what the hell could have prompted her to act like this? "What happened?" Malika asked once they were back in her room and the alpha had locked the door. Rukiya Greyson looked scared and that worried Malika. She wanted to think that Hawi had hurt her but Awuor Hawi would die first before intentionally hurting Rukiya Greyson. She loved the woman too much. It was sometimes sickening to watch, but theirs was the kind of love that couldn''t be reduced like this. "I think someone is trying to channel my magic. I feel like my energy is draining fast. I woke up with tears on my face and beside Hawi, which had never happened before. Hawi is fast asleep, but we both know she never sleeps. "It''s just a matter of time before shees to check on me. Please tell me I''m being paranoid," Ruru said as she looked at Malika with hopeful eyes and the protector sighed. Chapter 319: Great… Just Great, No? [HAWI] "I think someone is trying to channel my magic. I feel like my energy is draining fast. I woke up with tears on my face and beside Hawi, which had never happened before. Hawi is fast asleep, but we both know she never sleeps. "It''s just a matter of time before shees to check on me. Please tell me I''m being paranoid," Ruru said as she looked at Malika with hopeful eyes and the protector sighed, making the Greyson alpha stare at her curiously. Malika looked like she was sick of life and everything in between, even when she got up and walked to the door near her door. It was almost like she knew what had happened and now she had a bastard to deal with. It should have beenforting, but with a scared Rukiya following her and wondering what the fuck had just happened, Malika knew this wasn''t the time for it. She would deal with the aftermathter, in the morning. But then¡­ It was morning already. "Open up Niki. And you better not be dead because I need to kill you myself you worthless piece of shit who doesn''t respect people''s sleep. Fucking open up before I blow this door to bits!" Malika growled and Rukiya instinctively stepped back. The guests in the hotel opened the doors to their rooms but when they saw the crazed Malika, they went back on, without even saying shit. It was like they were more worried about their sanity than knowing what the heck was happening. "Niki Russel, I swear to the goddess if you don''t open this door I will burn you worse than I did Atticus and torture you in the worst of ways you warlock piece of crap. I will count to three, if the door isn''t open by then, you''re fucked. "Three¡­" Malika said, and Rukia stared at the protector. The woman was unhinged. Who the fuck started counting from three when she had just given the order. But then at the same time, her madness seemed to have worked because the door opened. Malika didn''t wait for it to fully open, because she pushed the door inside, making sure it pped Niki''s face a little too hard. Malika had seen Niko crawling and frankly, that didn''t matter to her. This bastard had been wearing an apron in her ass since yesterday and now she had to deal with him in the morning too. Didn''t someone teach him what mannerisms were? What the hell did he even think would happen then? "I see you''re not dead," Malka said as she walked in and stepped on his goring, crushing his member in the process. She was mad and wasn''t in the mood for morning hellos and how are yous. Rukiya, who was still watching, was sure Hawi had heard the chaos and would soon be out here. She had tried her best not to involve Hawi in this but with a pissed Malika there, there was no way that he would sit this one out. As if she had heard her mate''s thoughts, Awuor Hawi walked out of her room and came to the room where Malika was crushing the living lights out of Niki. She didn''t look too pleased because she red at Niki, before she went on to Nik''s bed. It was like she had juste to see what the heck was happening and now that she had confirmed it was Malika and her madness, she wasn''t going to whine about anything more. The women were nuts, and Rukiya was learning that daily. "Wake me up when it''s time to go home, my beautiful," Hawi said to Ruru as she went back to sleep. The woman was insane but then was that news for her who was mated to that same woman? Was that supposed to make her start looking at her differently or was this her chance to make things right? But what things would she make right when her mind was foggy as fuck and she was so close to losing her mind too? "Will do, Mistress,'''' Malika said casually as she stared threateningly at Nik who was on the floor. Thankfully the door to this hotel room had been closed and no one was gutsy enough toe and ask questions. "So¡­ Nik¡­ we had an agreement when I let youe sleep in the hotel, right?" Malika asked as she pressed a little too harshly. She was hurting him so badly and she knew it, but he betrayed their pact. They had an agreement and he had been too quick to fuck that up, so there was no way that Malika was going to be going easy on him this time. Maybe she would let out all the anger she had fromst night, no? "Ngh," Nik groaned as he tried to make a sentence but then nothing wasing out of our mouths. So, he just nodded. "I need to hear you, now that you decided we are all going to have terrible mornings," Malika said as she lifted her leg just to stomp it on Nik''s groin. It was inhumane, but then the man in question wasn''t exactly the most humane person, right? Ruru was still tired so she took a seat in the room. Seeing as this was going to take a while. She didn''t know if the man was her uncle for sure just because he had a Russel for ast name, but she also knew that Malika wouldn''t have been this worked up. "I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to. I didn''t, please," Nik said and Malika scoffed at the audacity the man had. She had wanted him. She had told him that he would die if he tried that shit with Rukiya and even then he had thought it would be easier? What the fuck was he even on? For people who were supposed to be smart and sly, this shadow warlock was doing a good job being a spineless swine. Even if that was what he wanted to show Malika, all of this just didn''t make any sense. He had gone too far with his antics and he would learn the hard way, "I told you not to touch her. I wanted you against touching her. You thought I was bluffing so you decided to channel her? Tell me, how does your stomach feel? Is the ball in there already full enough, or you''d I stomp on it to make it easier for you?" Malika asked. She was done being nice because this man was nothing but a pain in her ass. Maybe she would just rid her of him, right? It would make things a lot easier and it would exin a lot of things. "What do you mean?" Rukiya asked when she saw the horrified face that Nik was wearing. It was like he hade face to face with death, and wanted to ask for forgiveness, but didn''t have the courage or even the strength to ask for it. He was doomed either way anyway, right? "Well, Rukiya Greyson, say hello to your uncle, Niki Russel. He channelled your magic and I''m betting he''s about to disappear back to his home in less than five seconds," Malika said as she lifted her leg and kicked Nik in the shin. Her calctions were right because Rukia''s magic helped Nik get up and disappear. But as he disappeared, Hawi also did. Chapter 320: Maybe That Was Karma [HAWI] "Did she just¡­" Malika said as she stared at the empty bed and the empty space that was in the room. She was the only one left here with Rukiya, and frankly, that was notforting in any way. Life was already a shit show if they didn''t know what Hawi was doing and whatever she was up to. However, then now that she had just disappeared through the portal with a Russel brother it was more than obvious that it would take a lot of energy to figure out where they both went. Then again, Malika stared at the alpha she was left with, the beautiful girl who had seen another member of her family only to realize they were all the same in the end. Life wasn''t being fair to her at the moment, but at least the history books didn''t lie when they talked about the Shadow warlocks being as selfish as possible. It wasn''t the best of things, though, at the moment, it really shouldn''t have been surprising for the young Greyson anymore, right? "I''m never going to get used to all of this, am I?" Rukiya asked, looking at Malika hopefully like she wanted the protector to tell her that this was just a one-time thing and not something she needed to get used to. Rukiya had probably thought that the beautiful dinner yesterday was the beginning of new things, and it really was. She had seen a side of Hawi that she had never seen anywhere. It was one she knew that no one had ever seen. The woman had let herself be vulnerable with Rukiya. Hawi had bowed her head the previous evening, asking for her forgiveness and swearing to understand her. Hawi had been understanding and apologized even though it was Ruru who had misunderstood her intentions the previous day. She had taken the me and made sure that Ruru was happy. Hawi was never going to stop loving her that much she knew but there was no way that she had expected that even on their night out, they would wake up to one of her uncles trying to use her to get to Hawi, which was something that shouldn''t have happened. "Wee to the world of the white wolf and her mate, Rukiya. Don''t worry though. If it''s any constion, Hawi''s unpredictability makes it easier for us to win against the dark forces and make sure that the realm is peaceful and that no one would get hurt in the process," Malika said. Ruru looked at her as if she was asking whether that was supposed to put her mind at ease with the same woman who was already gone. But then Ruru knew this was bound someday. She was aware that Hawi wouldn''t just be ying good mate and loving mate the entire time. Part of that had to be the risks she had been born into and frankly as scary as it was, Ruru couldn''t deny that she was way too proud of her beautiful mate. "Well then. Let us go home, yeah? I didn''t think there was a point in staying here. The staff can do the cleaning. Create the portal," Rukiya said and Malika did not object. So, she created a portal and together they went through, stopping conveniently at the Sicario gates, only to fight their people excitedly talking about something that seemed interesting. If the duo wasn''t sleep-deprived they would have joined in, but they didn''t. Instead, they just walked among the Sicario wolves as they made it to the source of their excitement, and for a moment there Rukiya wanted to puke her guts out. Damn, she needed to have a stronger mentality because at this rate, she would be frail but the time they were done with their mission on both ends. "He looks like he went through all the stages of suffering," a warrior whispered as he took in the night before them. Right, there was Niki Russel, looking like had been through hell and back. Maybe he really had, or maybe the woman standing next to his body with an excited face was the source of his pain. Then again, Hawi looked like she wanted to see what would happen. She seemed to love this kind of torture. It was almost like the man had inflicted it on himself and Malika started before she understood it all. "I swear it wasn''t me," Hawi said, raising her hands in surrender as she looked at her mate who wasn''t sure if this was what normal would always look like. Bit by bit, Rukiya Greyson was learning that she wasn''t as cruel as she had thought she was over the years. Being with Hawi made her feel like she was a saint because there was just no way she could be this evil. Hawi was enjoying all of this and Malika sighed again. "I know¡­ It wasn''t you," Malika said and Hawi looked at her hopefully like she was waiting for an exnation from her protector. Malika always had the answers to things that she didn''t and right now, was one of those moments. "He did this to himself when he tried to take Rukiya''s magic toe after you. Well, it''s safe to say that Ruru isn''t exactly pleased that everyone wants to take a jab at her mate. So, the magic turned against him and he is experiencing the aftereffects of it all. "If Alpha Greyson doesn''t take back her magic, the man will melt, literally since Rukiya was already mated to you and her magic had forgotten stronger and more protective of you," Malika exined and Rukiya sighed. She didn''t know a lot, but the fact that she was hearing that even though she had seemed useless she was quite useful, made her happy. However, a part of her was thankful that Malika hadn''t told the wolves straight-up that the man was her uncle because they would probably look at her differently. But would Hawi let the love of her life be treated like an outcast? That was a lot to think of anyway. Finally, Ruru understood the purpose of her magic that unlocked only when theypleted the mating period. It was strange and sweet at the same time, because she had the power to protect the girl who could protect herself and frankly it was making her feel like she wasn''t a thorn in Hawi''s side. Not that she ever was. "Hey baby, took you long enough to get here. Sorry about leaving like that, I needed to make sure he didn''t escape," Hawi said as she walked over to where her woman was and pulled her into a side hug, before she kissed her hair before her lips. Ruru was still trying to understand the dynamics of everything and she was not close to getting her answers but at least Hawi was okay. That was about enough for her at the moment, right? "Are you okay? You hurt anywhere?" Rukiya asked as she looked into the beautiful brown eyes that were focused on her like she was the only person there. She was used to that but she couldn''t deny that this made her feel safer with Hawi. "Yeah,e, let''s get you rested, my beautiful," Hawi said as she walked Rukiya away from the chaos that was about to unfold. Chapter 321: A Step In The Right Direction? [HAWI] Niki Russel looked like shit. Now that Rukiya had left, it was obvious that he would suffer a little more so Malika took that chance to let the wolves know that she would be taking the man away from them. None of them had the guts to speak up because they still were trying to get used to the fact that Malika, Mbali, Rukiya, and Awuor were on the same team and on the same side. One of them in any pack was more than enough to ward all the people away but here they were the four crazies on the same side. They were undoubtedly walking on thin ice around the found women who didn''t even bother with them. It was like they were in their own world and the Sicario wolves were on their own. The difference being, that to the Sicario wolves, the four women, along with Elodie Kane were the symbol of safety and red gs at the same time. They didn''t want to upset a lot of them and they wanted to keep their substance. "Alright, you take him. And please tell Alpha Sicario that her trial is scheduled for this evening," Asmodeus said, making Malika look at him like this wasn''t exactly the best of times. They all knew how hard the trial would hit and they were aware that it would take a toll on Hawi and unearth so many memories. Malika wanted to object but even she knew that this was one stone they needed to go over, and make way for everything else that was toe. Sicario didn''t have a reigning alpha at the moment, at least not one that was known to the public, even though they all knew of the psychos being here. Many would be tempted toe and try making a im, which would be well within thews of thend, but they couldn''t let that happen. Hawi needed to have her name cleared and she needed to decide if she would be the reigning alpha or if she would show someone else. Of course, it was only going to work if the werewolves of Sicario trusted her and believed that she was innocent of the trials and usations that had stuck with her for four years now. That was a lot of time and frankly, Malika''s skepticism with this was understood. Then again, she was the wolf''s protector and she needed to clear the long list of things one by one before Hawi made it out and went to sit on the throne that had one too many thorns that would keeping at him. It didn''t matter what else was on the agenda though, because this was more important. "Sure, I''ll let her know. Meanwhile, you can let the wolves know that all the supplies will be free regardless of what they cost. They just have to make a list of what they need and they will get it. "I understand that was the system Alpha Awuor had before Jeremiah reintroduced the taxation system. And before you think that this is to sway them into making my mistress innocent, please do not be mistaken. "Even when she was away, she had me parade as the pack luna to make sure the wolves were healthy and got what they needed. She was looking after you and I was sending her weekly reports of everything. "She has always loved Sicario even when it was hard for you to rally behind her. So, you do that while I take Niki Russel to his brother. Someone Ashton keeps these damned shadow warlocks I check. "I''ll see you around, Asmodeus," Malika said casually as she created a portal and dragged Nik into it before she followed suit, leaving the wolves staring with open mouths. They had been in so much debt that most of them had forgotten what it was like, to have someone who truly cared for them. Jeremiah Warner had insisted that the taxes were meant to keep Sicario safe. But then he had done a terrible job keeping the pack safe and had let them have their asses handed to them more than twice. He was a bastard and there was no anything like that. However, with Malika and the crazies gone from their sight, the wolves knew they had to make their choices. "You heard her. Get ready with what you need and send it to the elder''s desk and they will be sorted," Asmodeus said and Theo, and the warriors nodded as they watched the wolves agree too. It was interesting how Sicario had been the richest ofnds on the realm and still, had their people taxed. It beat all logic and now that Malika had mentioned it, they were thinking the same thing. Well, they had to think about it at ater time, yeah? "Why do we have to subject her to a trial? We all saw in the mind links what Jeremiah Warner and the shadow warlocks did. We all know she didn''t kill the Luna. I don''t understand all of this," Theo said to Asmodeus who was listening keenly. He knew they all had to be thinking the same thing after the revtion. Sure, Hawi hadn''t exactly been the kindest to them over the years but they had thrown the first punch at an innocent and all she had done to this day was just to defend herself. She had neverunched a full-on fight with Sicario, and even when she did, she hade with four warriors. That should have been the first indication to them that she hadn''te to war with them. Well, the five of them may have been better than any army. But then the fact that Hawi didn''t tell Malika to brighten her more men from the protector team to fill in the gap left by the murdered Greyson wolves was all they needed to know that if she had wanted a war, she would havee for war. This time she hade for answers and slowly she was getting them, even though most of them were unpleasant. "Because ording to thew, she is a banished alpha. She cannot walk through the gates freely and even if she did, she can''t stay for long because her father was the one who stopped her. "The curse he put on her will only ever be lifted if she is found innocent of the crime of killing her mother. And the only way to prove that, is in a setting like the one in which her banishment was dered and her guilt determined. "Other than that, going against the former alpha''s demands and could get us the worst of wraths from the ancestors," Asmodeus exined to the wolves who were slowly understanding this too. They had been too excited to have her home and learn that she was innocent and that they hadn''t gotten the chance to let her know what they thought of her. Perhaps this evening would be their chance to make thate true for her. Right? This evening, they would free her of the bonds of a pain that she had had to endure for years on end, no? "If that''s so, then we will get to work with the podium and the stage," Theo said and Asmodeus just nodded before dismissing them. In the distance, Mbali and Elodie were watching and Mbali spoke words that confused the hell out of Elodie. "I''ve been watching the man, and I don''t trust Asmodeus." Chapter 322: They Would Be Fine, Eventually, Right? [HAWI] "I''ve been watching the man, and I don''t trust Asmodeus," Mbali said, making Elodie look at her like she had gone insane. The elder had been one of the few people that are trusted by the house of Sicario. He was literally part of the inner circle and there wasn''t a thing on the face of the earth that could prove that he had betrayed the pack or even the house he had sworn to serve. However, Elodie also knew that Mbali had been around so many people because of the fact that she didn''t trust anyone, so it was natural for Mbali. But was this it? Was Mbali just being suspicious because the amount of people she trusted couldn''t even fit in one hand? "Why?" Elodie asked curiously. She had wanted to defend Asmodeus, but even she had seen how so many people shifted gears over the years. Almost everyone they had trusted had proven to be someone else. "He''s a little too invested in this. Why does he suddenly want to find justice for Hawi when he never bothered over the years? If he is an elder like you all say, then he should have been able to read the room and see for himself that the Sicario girl had been innocent. "He should have stopped the trial and even if he couldn''t have been able to, he would have helped the alpha have some sight. Banishing a daughter in power is a dangerous thing for any family. "And yet Asmodeus knew that Hawi was so powerful and still watched her get banished. He should have chipped in, and before you say that emotions were high on that day, elders of any council are chosen to be the critical thinkers when the leader ispromised or is in pain. "They are never supposed to be swayed and yet he had been swayed. That just doesn''t make any sense. I''m just saying I don''t trust him is all. "Besides, I never trusted you until Hawi introduced you as her best friend who could have died if you had betrayed her thanks to your bond. Come along, let''s go find something fun to do in this lonely pack," Mbali said. Elodie just stared at Asmodeus for the second time. She couldn''t still understand why Mbali was that suspicious, but the reasoning Mbali had given really did make more sense. The elders should have even been able to keep the pack in bnce. Even if the alpha had really been the one who killed her mother, the elders would have demanded a proper trial, not one that was forced and controlled by emotions. Maybe Mbali was right, or maybe she was wrong. Whichever it was, they would eventually find out anyway. After all, Hawi would figure for them or Malika would, right? "Well damn. That''s quite intense, but hey, let''s go mingle with the wolves so they don''t think we want to kill them," Elodie said and Mbali chuckled as if she hadn''t heard the warrior well. Surely her sister''s mate wasn''t suggesting that they go and interact with the wolves who had been skeptical around them the entire time? "The wolves? Which ones? Greyson wolves? Or the thoughtless ones who didn''t use their brains on time and cost a little girl her entire family? "The same ones who are now preparing to subject her to the same fate and string her along through memories in the hope that she will somehow prove to them she is innocent when she has been the entire time? I hope not," Mbali said earnestly. She was not over the fact that it had been so easy for the Sicario wolves to turn their back on a woman who had proven to them more than once that family was important. From the things Mbali had learned about Awuor Hawi before she was banished. She knew that the girl had been everything any family would want in a daughter. She was never power-hungry and always did what was wanted. She was powerful and yet so humble, that you would think she was just amon girl and not the alpha of the pack. She never was one for status and yet they had ditched her to support the one person who betrayed her and fucked everything up. Maybe Mbali was overreacting, but then life wasn''t going to be easy for all of them now that they were here in the goddamned pack, or was it? "Let''s go do something else then before you kill them," Elodie teased and some of the twelve heard them, and they instantly stepped back, as if to prove to Mbali that these people were just normal wolves who didn''t have a way out of the mess the alphas had put them in. If they were fucked up, they could easily me Jeremiah Warner, their chosen alpha, right? "Awesome, I have an idea. How about we go seek out Hair? They didn''t tell us what happened on their date and I need to know if they fucked. I gotta count and keep a list," Mbali said, making Elodie choke on air. The longer she hung around the Jabali sisters, the more she was certain her understanding of life would keep changing. Those sisters were crazy all the time, and right now, Mbali was just proving it to her again. "You¡­ Why would you even mention that?" Elodie asked and Mbali stared at her like she had gone bonkers. "To make sure that I have something on them when Aminaes for me," Mbali said and this time, it was Elodie''s turn to stare at the woman. Surely she couldn''t be talking about the same woman who had been introduced into her room in Greyson and left her flowers, right? "Who''s Amina?" Hawi and Ruru asked at the same time to suddenly point out that even Mbali herself shrieked. "Goodness gracious you two souls. What the fuck?'' Mbali asked as she continued to spell a lot of profanities while the trio just watched her as she struggled to get a hold of herself while her hands stiffened. Malika who was watching in the distance saw it and came to hug her sister, making her shut up instantly. Of course, to their friends it was just Mbali being Mbali, but then Malika had long realized that her sister''s mate''s appearance was messing with her ie. It was dangerous and could probably make Jabali Lihle a liability to the team. Bur Malika wasn''t going to let that happen. "They didn''t fuck," Malika said as if to answer Mbali''s question and change the subject. But then they all noticed and still chose to go with the flow. Whatever it was, they would know if they needed to. At least that much they knew of each other. "That''s a bummer¡­ I was hoping to ckmail them with it," Mbali said, letting them know of her ns and they just stared at her with their tongues out as if to tell her that she wouldn''t ever have an anthem. But then weren''t they thinking on overdrive at the moment? They were always together, always knew more than was possible of each other and even then they hadn''t tried to use the sensitive information against each other. Maybe this was a new form for them. "No changing the subject. Who is Amina?" Hawi asked as she held Mbali by the arm and walked along the hallways while their friends followed closely. Ruru was curious too. "She''s just a girl," Mbali said, making Hawiugh at her. "You, Jabali Lihle, talking about a girl and going ''just a girl?'' There has never been anyone who upied your mind more than your missions and tv there is space for Amina suddenly. Come on, tell us, we won''tugh," Hawi said but Mbali didn''t trust her. She down they would tease her till kingdome. On one hand Mbali wasn''t sure if the thing with Amina was even a thing that they needed to pay attention to if it was just the shadow warlocks screwing it with her. On the other hand, she could sense the tension in the air and the surroundings. The tension that came with the trial in the afternoon. A lot was expected and yet they didn''t know what to expect. One thing was certain though. They were expecting anyone to side with them. She was starting herself in all the ways she could think of because she was scared of thinking of her family. She could have gone to the dungeons to torture Jer, but the man was the cruel reminder of the fate that she hadnded in. The reality had so many nk spaces, three of which could never be filled no matter what she did and how many times she prayed to the deities. "She just popped up. And brought me flowers in the night. And stayed with me while I slept. She is creepy and a stalker. If I wasn''t feeling like shit that night, I wouldn''t have let her stay. "Now my sister thinks I''m mated to her and she is special. That is all bullshit, because if you love someone you look them in the eyes and tell them, right? "After all, the fact that this Amina girl suddenly popped up while we were in Greyson dealing with the chaos there, could only mean that the Russel brothers sent her. Who''s to tell whether they hade to distract me and keep me on mission? "I''m telling you, that woman doesn''t exist and is just a psycho," Mbali said even though she couldn''t believe her own words. "Then why is your heart beating a little too excitedly each time you talk of her?" Hawi asked mischievously. Chapter 323: Same Old, Same Old [HAWI] It was really happening. They were back at the same spot, the same stage, the same used. Everything was just like it had been. Her bloody crown sat on her head. Her torn groin was on her body. The blisters she had once had, were visible for everyone. The pain she had gone through because of that one trial could be seen. She was no longer the girl who had been teasing Mbali about Amina earlier, or even the girl who had been telling Mbali that having a mate wasn''t always going to be a bad thing. She was the same girl who believed that Jabali Lihle deserved to be loved and that she just had to let Amina in¡­ That Mbali just had to take the risks like Hawi had with Rukiya. It was something that she wasn''t sure she would ever get over. But right now, she was different. Awuor Hawi looked like the girl the wolves had banished. The one with a pained heart. The girl who stood there with the same pride and conviction in her eyes you would think she was about to yell at them and remind them that she was guilty again. It was something that was expected of her, given how unpredictable everything had been with her. There was no telling what would happen especially even Hawi didn''t know. However, like the first time here, she wasn''t scared this time. She wasn''t worried about her fate. She was innocent and they knew it. So whatever decision they made, she wouldn''t be a bother. After all, the facts pointed to her being the one who was framed, right? "Do you think she will be okay?" a worried Rukiya asked Mika as she kept her eyes on the love of her life sitting on the throne that had so much blood on it. The throne that had cost her entire family. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy for her, but she hoped that the Sicario wolves could finalize this once and for all. There Was no reason for them to be holding out and letting go through this shit again. Rukiya was tempted to go up there and take her mate and leave. But then she wanted to wait for what hair would do. Even that still finds it any easier on her. Perhaps they woulde to a consensus, right? "Of course, she is Hawi," Malika said to Rukiya even though she was worried about the state of the pack. There were so many mixed signals from the Sicario warriors and people that they couldn''t tell where the rest of them stood. Perhaps they would just have to figure this out on their own. No matter what happened, they would always be a team, right? "Well, no matter what decision is made, I have already moved the prisoners. We wouldn''t want any more chaos because I really want to punch Asmodeus''s face so bad. Did you guys ever notice that he has a crooked nose? "Maybe I could punch him just once so it straightens up. I hate that guy so much," Mbali said, her displeasure with Asmodeus making itself known again. Elodie, who was ahead there the first time was sure that Mbali was mistaken, but then as a warrior who was sworn to Hawi, Mbali had to have even better than what more could think of. So, if she was suspicious about Asmodeus she had to have a really good reason for it. "Don''t you do anything, Lihle. Let fate take its course," Malika said and this time Rukiya stared at her as if to ask what the fuck this was about, they had never been one to keep secrets from each other, but then this was already growing suspicious. What the fuck did Malika even mean by that? What was this even all about? What did they have on Asmodeus? Oh, but Rukiya had so many questions, seven as she watched her mate from a distance. She hated this. However, right as she was about to ask Malika for more information, the elders began streaming in, which meant that the trial was beginning. It was not going to be easy. But then what else could they do other than make sure that all of this was done as per thews of thend? "This isn''t over," Rukiya said and Malika just nodded as they got up like the rest of Sicario in respect to the elders who had just arrived. It was an insane trial already and they could only hope that justice was finally granted for the house of Sicario. "I''m with you on that," Elodie said before they went back or focused on the trial. The Sicario wolves sat right after the arrival of the elders, and acknowledged their presence. In all that time, hair wasn''t even bothered to get up and greet them. She was their alpha by birth and by the powers she had as the white wolf. She was above them in every way, and while that wasn''t exactly why she had remained seated, if anyone asked her, she would say that. She couldn''t tell them that the urge to go and smack the sense out of Jeremiah was so intense that she had to remind herself that this was a trial and not a murder plotting session. She scanned the crowd, waiting for this to start and for them tosh out at her again. Hawi didn''t trust the Sicario wolves. She may not have wanted to kill them all right now, but she refused to put her trust in people who were cruel enough for her to recreate the day she had been at her weakest. The day she had lost more than she would ever put into words. She hated days like that. She hated it and they had forced her back into it. "Good afternoon Sicario," Asmodeus, the leader of the elder council, greeted the sicario wolves who had assembled to tell the oue of the trial they had seen how Hawi had fought for them. They had seen everything that she had done and they knew her stance. They were aware that she was well within her right tosh out, but then was that ever going to be enough to make the elders decide to grant her a release from her father''s banishment? Was that going to be okay for her to live with as long as they didn''t leave her out of the mess? "We are gathered here to tell you the result of our findings from our investigation on the Awuor Hawi and Eni Sicario casefiles. For the past four years, we have been hoping that the woman was alive and here she is. "The meeting today is not about a trial. But it is about the facts that we found out along the way. The facts that could exin more than we can in this session," Asmodeus began and Hawi let out a loudugh as she stared at the lot of them. They hade here for the trial and yet the decision had been made? An investigation? How the fuck did they even interrogate when for the past four years they all knew she was dead? Were they somewhat psychics in the mess they had created on their own? "Isn''t this a trial?" Rukiya asked and Malika stared at her pitifully. Chapter 324: Nothing Left To Hide, Right? [HAWI] "Isn''t this a trial?" Rukiya asked and Malika stared at her pitifully. "Say something dammit," Rukiya growled slowly at Mika. "No, it isn''t. They had long made the decision. This is just a show," Malika said and it took everything in Rukiya Greyson not to step up there and screw them over. She had promised to be Hawi''s executioner and just because she had been all nice and giddy with them didn''t mean she had forgotten what she had sworn. She wouldn''tpromise when it came to Hawi. And she hoped for the sake of Sicario that these elders fixed what they had just decided on. Because blood would flow and the pack would never see peace, that was one thing Rukiya would make certain of, whether Hawi wanted it or not. "We want a trial!!" The Sicario wolves suddenly began chanting, making Hawi instantly shut up. She had beenughing at how ridiculous this shit had been set up just for her to be headed for the same decision. She had been sure that her fate was bound but the wolves chanting for a trial was something that she hadn''t expected. It was like they all wanted to know the truth and weren''t ready topromise on that. "What?" Asmodeus asked and Theo and some of the Sicario warriors stepped forward. "She was our alpha and she was banished without a proper trial. I don''t know if you have been blind but the shit that happened over the years was because we never listened. Are you sure you want to make that same decision? "Are you sure you want to fuck up the entire pack again just because of one wrong decision? We want a trial. And if you can''t give us a trial, then we will have it our way. I doubt you have seen any warriors form a coup and lose. "Mind you were trained by her, so nothing you have will make you stop. Think, Asmodeus. Are you really sure you old elders want to go against the demands of the Sicario wolves? "Think carefully because I might die in the process, but I would rather die than live in a pack with a blurred sense of justice. You talk of investigations and yet none of the warriors ever knew of the trial. "And before you say that most of the warriors fired in the first attack. We all have a link with the warriors that we share everything to make sure the pack is safe. Don''t bother lying, or we might start with you, Asmodeus," Theo warned. Hawi gasped in surprise. She hadn''t epted that anyone would stand up for her. Sure, her friend would definitely burn Sicario for the betrayal, but outside of her little band of misfits, Awuor Hawi hadn''t imagined that someone would be willing to do whatever they had just done. This was huge and frankly, it gave some hope that maybe justice wasn''t as dead in sicarios as she had thought. Maybe this time, there would be answers for all of them, no? "Fine. Step back then. We will give you the trial," Asmodeus said before turning to Hawi, "tell you warriors to bring out Jeremiah Warner." At the mention of the former pack alpha, the wolves gasped softly. It had been a while since they had seen her and they were almost forgetting him and his measly obsessions. He had made things a little hard for them but then he was still their alpha. At least until she was acquitted of her crimes. They all wanted to see how this would turn out, which was why most of them hoped that Jer would show up. As if to answer their questions, a smiling Jeremiah suddenly showed up, walking the space that the elders had walked, as he headed for the podium where Hawi was currently sitting. Jer looked normal, which was unexpected for the Sicario wolves since that could have shown that they had seen Jeremiah Warner be roughed up one too many times on that evening when they lost their luna. He had been stoned to death and yet he was here walking like a healthy person. It was almost like he hadn''t been subjected to weeks of the worst torture. "Wait, thest time I saw the guy I would have sworn he didn''t have an arm," Rukiya states as she looked at her who was walking proudly towards Awuor Hawi. He looked excited even. And that was scary for some reason. Then again, what else could be done? "We had to fix him up. We can always get him back to the default settingter. Besides, it will be more fun like that," Malika said happily, like she was excited about the things that would happenter. She was sadistic and crazy but she loved it like that. "Oh, and we brought along some witnesses just in case," Mbali said as she pointed toward Hudhayfah and Sherry from Greyson. They looked like they had better things to do than be there with the dumb wolves who wanted to fuck things up. They however understood what was at stake and had made sure to show up. "Why are they here?" Rukiya sighed genuinely confused. "You''re the Greyson alpha and you''re here in enemy territory. In case this all goes awry, you will need your best warriors to defend you," Malika said casually and Rukiya stared at her skeptically. It was obvious Ruru didn''t like where this was going, but she had to wait for a shoe so that all of this would be fine. It was he suspicious though having Sherry and Hudhayfah on this side of the realm. "Fine, whatever," Rukiya said with a put as she focused back on the beautiful woman who was staring at her softly. Hawi looked like this was a normal urrence for her. That she was being judged and singled out was something she had grown used to and that pissed Rukiya off. She hated that her mate had to go through another humiliation ritual and she hated that there wasn''t much she could do before the trial was done. Then again, she could easily go up there and grab her mate and take her home. But where was home? They had left Greyson for a mission and hade to Sicario for another. Would they abandon their mission halfway and go back to Greyson? Was that all there was for the lot of them? God, this was feeding her crazy, but she had to exercise patience. "Alright then. The reigning Sicario alpha is here as a witness to the murder of the Sicario Luna. We shall now begin," Asmodeus said, his tone so t and nd you would think he didn''t want this to happen. Clearly, he hadn''t expected that this woulde out like this, but then he had to give in to the demands of the Sicario wolves. "Alpha Jeremiah, do you swear on the goddess to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth here and now?" Asmodeus asked and Jer looked at Hawi, a permanent smirk on his face, almost like this was something he could get used to. "Of course. I do. Besides, I would hate to watch my pretty little mate here go through this alone, yeah?" Jer said as he walked over to where Hawi was and kissed her on the cheeks, earning a loud warning growl from Rukiya Greyson. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 325: No One Can Hurt You When I’m Around [HAWI] "Alpha Jeremiah, do you swear on the goddess to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth here and now?" Asmodeus asked and Jer looked at Hawi, a permanent smirk on his face, almost like this was something he could get used to. "Of course. I do. Besides, I would hate to watch my pretty little mate here go through this alone, yeah?" Jer said as he walked over to where Hawi was and kissed her on the cheeks, earning a loud warning growl from Rukiya Greyson. No one was allowed to touch the love of her life and if they wanted to run Sicario into a bloodbath, then Jeremiah Warner needed to get himself under control before Rukiya Greyson did that for them. She was never going to hold back when it came to Hawi and the fact that he was doing this to spite Hawi made Rukiya want to snap his neck. The bastard may have been immortal but just like the immortal shadow warlocks, he could be killed. And that was frankly the best idea that Rukiya Greysin had gotten at the moment, even as she got up and walked over to where Hawi was, ignoring the protest by Malika, Mbali, and Elodie. Hell, even Hudhayfah and Sherry were scared of saying shit to her. They weren''t sure there was ever going to be a thing anyone could do to Hawi without Rukiya trying to murder them and right now, Jeremiah Warner was testing the Greyson alpha''s patience. "Lips off my mate, Jeremiah, unless you want me to show you what murder can look like. Your people mean nothing to me, but they sure do mean something to my beautiful mate. And that makes her the only reason you are still all here and alive. "You try that shit again and I swear on my dead mother, who was your aplice, that I will burn Sicario to the ground and no one will do shit about it. Try me again, Jeremiah, and watch me take something that you will never recover," Rukiya warned, her voice cold. She was never going topromise and Jeremiah Warner testing her patience was a stupid idea because if she snapped and it was because of Hawi, Rukiya wouldn''t give up control until she was certain that her woman was safe. Right now, her Hawi didn''t seem safe to her and she was ready to kill them all for her. "Alpha Greyson¡ª" Asmodeus said, his body trembling at the wang Rukiya Greyson had given. He knew the woman and he knew she would kill him and not even bother questioning him. He was aware of the menace that was the Greyson girl and he couldn''t be the first kill of the day for her. He just wasn''t ready for that, maybe that was why he brought his seat next to Hawi''s and taped it for Rukiya to sit there. The Sicario wolves were watching in shock as the events unfolded. They had been aware of Rukiya''s love for Hawi and while many thought it was just a fling, this right here was more than they imagined. Only a true mate would feel offended if someone touched their mate without consent, which was exciting and thrilling at the same time because he knew all this shit and yet he still went on with it. It was like he wanted to show the Sicario wolves that Hawi could snap. But then it backfired on him because Awuor Hawi hadn''t even bothered to give him the slightest bit of attention, other than pity him. Rukiya Greyson on the other hand was insane and they were painstakingly aware of the woman who treated humans like a butcher would any meat. She was cruel, she was brutal and right now she was determined to protect the woman she loved. Hells be damned, she wouldn''t let anyoney a hand on her mate. "Please have a seat, alpha Greyson," Asmodeus said and Rukiya red at him as if to ask him what his game was. She didn''t really care about whatever woulde out of his mouth, but if it was something that could trigger her to kill him; Then she was open to hearing the damn bastard out, because only the goddess could stop & Rukiya Greyson from defending that which was hers, and right now, if she so much as heard a whimper from Hawi¡­ Sicario would burn. "Are you alright, baby? Do I need to start off with him?" Rukiya asked as she got out a wet wipe and wiped off Hawi''s cheeks where Jer had ced his lips on. Damn, she hated Jer with a passion that superseded her belief in life. That man made her want tomit sins that even the realm would worry for her sanity on her behalf, but then she didn''t care, as long as her Hawi was alright. She wasn''t going to let them hurt Hawi just because the girl was letting them have this. "You''re here¡­ you''re all that matters to me," Hawi said softly as she let Rukiya clean her face up. She was aware of how feral Ruru could get if she didn''t let her cleanse the scent of Her and to make the mattress even more interesting, Ruru got out her tank top and put it on Hawi, making the crowd stare in disbelief. Either this woman was crazy¡­ which was true, or she just didn''t have that high tolerance for anyone who fucked with her woman. Hawi was surprised as she stared at Ruru with excited eyes but she felt brave this time. She loved that Rukiya wasn''tpromising and frankly, it made her heart beat a little better. With the tank top off, Rukiya Greyson was put on a gym bra, only even as her upper body was out there for the entire Sicario to see. However, whatever she had done didn''t bother her. She had so many scars on her body, scars that wanted Sicario. Scars that reminded that pack not to try shit, because she herself had seen death and survived.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And she wasn''t scared of going at it again, for Awuor Sicario. "If you feel ufortable, let me know. We will get out of here. I don''t care if they try toe at you. I will handle them. I''m here, baby. For you, and they all need to remember that I won''t hesitate to kill them all for you," Rukiya said and Hawi just needed to. She had seen Rukiya Greyson be protective but this was more than what she had imagined and she loved it. She loved that Rukiya cared enough to stand up for her when the people were staring at her with judgy faces. She loved that her Ruru had meant it when she had sworn to protect her from everyone including her people. Oh, how Hawi felt loved at the moment. Granted she had been ready to face everything, but with Rukiya at her side, she was more than ecstatic. "I will, Jaberna," Hawi said as she held Ruru in a soft headlock before they pulled apart and Rukiya dally sat on the chair that Asmodeus had given her earlier. Well, they now knew what to expect. "Great," Ruru said as she kissed Hawi on the lips, a full-on kiss like she was reminding everyone who didn''t already know who Hawi belonged to. And Hawi didn''t fight the kiss. She gave in. Chapter 326: Careful Now Before Heads Roll [HAWI] "Errmm," Jer said, interrupting the two women. However, Rukiya didn''t stop, because she wanted to spite her even more. It was like she was telling him that she had the one thing he would never get to have. She had a golden goose, a woman with love and protection and Jeremiah Warner would never understand what it meant to have someone to love so much that the world would fade in the distance and they wouldn''t even notice. "It''s rude to interrupt moments like these, Jeremiah. Anyway, since you want to see her that badly, you might as well see the work of my hands and body, hmm?" Rukiya said as she kissed Hawi''s forehead, making Hawi blush Oh, but Rukiya Greyson was a menace and she knew it so well. "Can we get on with the girl before you can resume to suck faces in front of everyone?" Jer said, clearly ufortable with how the citation had gotten. He hated how Rukiya was so brazen and he wished there was something he could do about it, even though he knew that not even the sun rising in the West would ever match Ruru''s audacity. "I''ll have you know I suck something else. I can show you if you want me to," Rukiya said, as she red at her, who was already squirming in his seat. He hadn''t expected this, but then he had to know not to mess with Rukiya Greyson ever. "Oh, she has finally gone bonkers," Mbali said as she snapped her fingers and had a bowl of popcorn in her hands like it was the most normal of things. Elodie and Malika stared at her like she was on the same level as Rukiya, but they didn''tin about the popcorn. The drama was just about to begin and they weren''t about to miss any of it. "And Hawi doesn''t evenin. I swear I have never seen Hawi so quiet and submissive like that. Goddess, that woman is something, but hey, they own this was about when they tried to screw Hawi over," Elodie said proudly. They had been excited to see it all, but then right now they were certainly waiting to see the next method of fuck you that Alpha Greyson had for Jeremiah Warner and the damned council of elders. "Alpha, you want this?" Sherry asked as she handed Rukiya a shirt. Unlike what everyone had expected, Ruru epted the spirit, her hand still holding onto Hawi as if she wanted to put it on her. This here was insanity, but then didn''t they all do this to Hawi anyway? Surely they shouldn''t have expected that Awuor Sicario would be forced to submit like thest time they had pushed her, right? At least not with the crazy Greyson alpha around anyway. "Man, this is more interesting than all my hunts. Let''s watch and see what they do next," Malikamented as they went back to focus on the chaos before them. Whoever didn''t love their life could try and fuck with Hawi today.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Back at the podium. Asmodeus was still shaking. He wasn''t sure if it was because Hawi was still having the bloody crown on her white hair, or if it was because of the ring eyes that Rukiya Greyson was giving him. One thing was certain, he was shocked by the turn of events. However, with Rukiya wearing a shirt while holding Hawi''s hands while Hawi just sat there, he knew he had to do this. Besides, the elders in the distance were urging him to continue. Which probably meant that whatever n they had., they would have to excuse it sooner. "Alright. Let''s focus on the trial now. Awuor Hawi, you stand¡ª" Asmodeus began and Rukiya stared at him before she coughed thrice as f to remind Asmodeus that there was something he was missing. However, Asmodeus didn''t understand what it was. So, he just stared at the mother of crazies right there as if hoping she could talk to him instead of coughing erratically like she had swallowed frogs in the past hour. Godes, this woman was impossible, but whose fault was that? "I see you''re growing more stupid as the years grow. Anyone brought to court, must be addressed by their title, unless the title is transferred before they step into the royal court. So not addressing the alpha with her title is disrespectful in my books. "And Disrespect is never supposed to happen in royal courts. I don''t care if Amsonia rules are different, but the rules of the supernatural court remain the same, unless you need a reminder which of course I can give free of charge," Rukiya stated. Hawi stared at her mate, a smile on her face while Rukiya was staring hard at Asmodeus, as if demanding the respect her mate was owed. Well, many would say respect is earned but then Hawi had earned the respect of her people. It didn''t matter what had happened along the way. She was the one reason that Sicario had never been invaded by anyone and that was something that not even her parents had ever aplished. So Ruru was right. "Should I remind you?" Rukiya asked when she realized Asmodeus had grown silent a little too much. Maybe he had truly forgotten what it was that Hawi''s title had been right? But thankfully, he had the crazy Greyson to remind him, right? "No, alpha. I shall read the terms again," Asmodeus said, his mind foggy with how things were getting. This was supposed to be an easy trial but the Greyson alpha was making sure that everything went as expected. This was going to be hard for Asmodeus and anyone else who had other ns for this trial, because Rukiya wasn''t going to let them throw Hawi under the bus again. They had to rethink whatever it was that they were up to or they would face an angry Greyson. "Great. That is how a court should work. So, I will shut up and let you continue. Also, if you don''t want me to keep interrupting you ¡ª which I will, if you keep thinking my mate is shit and keep grimacing at her, then you need to get things in order. "She is an alpha. She has always been a Sicario alpha, by birth. And even if we didn''t go with the rules of nature, then she worked hard to save all your worthless assets from coups more than once. "She did everything an alpha should and more. In fact, she should be your god, because of the endless times she came and protected you without you hopeless fucks even knowing. "I will shut up now, but never forget what I said, because I have time, Asmodeus. I have enough Ime in the world to make sure you all don''t convict my mate wrongly again and try to fuck with the minds of the Sicario wolves just to get them on your side. "Now, you can begin," Rukiya said and Asmodeus let out a frustrated sigh. In all his life he had never met a mad woman like Rukiya Greyson. Hell, Hawi was crazy, but she was never this crazy. Not like Rukiya Greyson. Oh, how Asmodeus could swear that Rukiya was out to kill him. It wasn''t technically a bad idea though, right? Chapter 327: The Unknown That Became Known [HAWI] There was silence all around.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The wolves were scared that they would say something that could anger Rukiya Greyson and she would snap and kill them all. They were right to worry, but her silence was cracking up the remaining Savasci knights. They wanted to make jokes about it, but then they were aware of how technical that would get. So instead of speaking up loudly, they just focused on their mind links,ughing in there and makingments about everything that''s happening. "Alpha Awuor Hawi Sicario, you stand used of killing your mother, our Luna En Sicario four years ago in the alpha suite. How do you plead?" Asmodeus spoke as he looked at Hawi. He was scared of what the answers would sound like and he was worried that Rukiya Greyson would separate his head from his body and leave him there for the dead. He was right to be scared but right now, that wasn''t helping as much. "Is she going to plead guilty again?" "What if they were right the first time?" "What if she was always guilty?" The murmurs were increasing, the whispers had also grown a little too loud in Hawi''s ears. She could remember this lot of wolves shouting for her to be executed. She remembered them calling her a murderer. They had been so disappointed in her that they never bothered to check in on her and ask if she was alright. She had broken their hearts, and she had broken her own heart too in the process but that was never enough. Her pain had been something that seemed like an illusion to many and as much as she wanted to pretend that it would all be fine, nothing ever was. Their lives hade to a standstill when Eni died and Hawi couldn''t me them. She truly knew where they wereing from. Perhaps that''s why she looked at them one more time, scanning through the voices, hoping that one of them was relieved outside of her friend group. Hawi wished there was someone who trusted her, someone who knew she could have never done that, and there was none. Well, she tried to listen to the voices but still had nothing, until someone spoke out. "No, she didn''t kill her mother," a woman in her mid-fifties said, shocking the entire Sicario pack. It was like they had heard something that was forbidden given the shock and surprise that followed. There were gaps in the crowd, cheers for some while most were curious to know what an elderly woman could know about what happened to Hawi when she wasn''t even a member of the pack by then. "And you are?" Jer questioned as he looked at the woman who had just walked into the crowd without so much as a warning. The woman was casually dressed; you would think she had lost her way to the market. She looked creepy as fuck, but somehow, she was the first person who made Hawi believe that she hadn''t truly been the one to kill her mother. Hawi always needed someone to believe in her. Someone told her to her face that it wasn''t her fault that her mother died. Sure, her friends always reminded her of that, but she knew her friends were mostlyforting her rather than easing her into the reality that the world would probably forever me her for the chaos that had happened. "I am a shapeshifter, Jeremiah Warner," the woman said right as she shifted into Jeremiah including everything he wore. She looked like Jeremiah more than Jeremiah looked like Jeremiah and finally, it was scary and exciting at the same time. "What?" Jer asked as he sank deeper into his seat, suddenly scared of the woman who had just shown up. It was obvious that she was probably not even a forty-year-old lost woman and that she had simply shape-shifted. There are so many cks at the moment and it could have been easier if the woman had said something. But then she didn''t seem to be bothered that there were so many questions lingering. "I can be whoever I want to be," the woman said as she transformed into an older and worse version of Asmodeus, making the wolf cringe at how terrible old age looked on him. You would think the man didn''t want to age. He couldn''t be med, but then the life cycle had to somehow getpleted eventually. It didn''t matter who held what position or who did what on what days. Things had to be done and nature wasn''t as forgiving when it came to time. "What the fuck does that even mean?" the wolves asked before one of the elders spoke the words that got Rukiya Greyson hurling him up in the air. You would think the elder was a lightweight. "Who is to say that the banished child didn''t hire this shapeshifting demon toe and defend her? We cannot trust someone who doesn''t even take a true form and always Sophie others. "We can''t trust someone who seems to have been invited a little too conveniently toe to the pce. Besides, if she really were an intruder, those crazy women would have stopped her. "The woman on trial could have been alerted, but then the jailbird isn''t even bothered to ask her crazed mate to stop. If she wanted to she could have controlled the psycho beside her, but she hasn''t tried that. "How do we even know that this creature is what it seems to be? Or maybe Awuor Hawi can give us an understanding since she sure knows how to interact with psychos, yeah?" the elder said, angering Rukiya Greyson. Rukiya had promised herself she would be calm and a supportive girlfriend and mate at the trial. but in less than thirty minutes she had made Jeremiah feel like shit, had scared Asmodeus, and had made most of the Sicario wolves question their sanity. And as if that wasn''t already terrible enough, she had broken the man she was lifting high up with her hands that were on his ribs. It was like the Greyson alpha had be a feral who could understand shit. She couldn''t be med though. Besides it wasn''t daily that the love of her life was subjected to such harsh conditions while the others enjoyed whatever misery she was left to suffer in. It wasn''t fair and they couldn''t deny that. Maybe along the way, they could understand the importance of trust and love, right? "You really want to be high on power and morals, don''t you? How about I add something else to that long list of unfortunate things you wish for but will never be able to get, huh?" Rukiya asked as she dropped the man to the ground with a thud. Malika was watching excitedly. She should have intervened, but then she was also aware that everyone in the realm knew that Hawi was assigned to her and even worse that she was always in Sicario because of Hawi. No one in their right mind would willingly walk into Sicario and try to screw up Hawi like that. Not even the Russel brothers and yet the shapeshifter hade on and walked to the podium like it was his field day. "And here I thought I was the crazy one," the shapeshifter said amusedly. Chapter 328: Her Unusual Innocent Plea [HAWI] Rukiya Greyson had proven more than once that she was a menace and could be worse even as the trial went on. She was determined to make sure the love of her life got the justice she deserved. She didn''t mind that they could sit here all afternoon and Hawi wasn''t even trying to stop her. Sicario had fucked her over once and she wasn''t going to be the one to stand up for herself this time. She would let things happen the way they wanted to. It didn''t matter how long it took. Besides, it was more fun seeing everyone get rattled by the mere fact that there was someone who could actually be crazier than their alpha. "Please tell your mate to stop strangling and scaring people. It''s not going to make the oue of the trial change," Asmodeus literally pleaded with Hawi and the woman asked him as if to tell him that this was what they all wanted. It was interesting how quick they were to do so much in so little time, but then what else could Hawi do? What was she supposed to do for them to understand that nothing would ever be okay no matter what the oue of this trial was "Just because you asked nicely," Hawi said to a worried Asmodeus before she turned to Ruru. "Let''s get this over and done with, my beautiful, so we can have more time to ourselves," Hawi said and Rukiya let out a soft growl before she looked at Asmodeus in warning. All of this was just not pleasing her, but since her Hawi asked. She wouldply. "That actually sounds better than sitting here with this bunch of traitors," Rukiya said with a smile on her face as she held onto Hawi''s hand, entwining their fingers like it was the only way to calm her down. It was crazy for a moment there but at least they had each other, right? "Great. Let''s get this over with then," Jeremiah said and Rukiya simply red at him, while she held her entwined hand with Hawi, just high enough for Jeremiah Warner to see her kissing those hands. Goddess, she wanted to rub it in his face every chance she got. This man didn''t deserve her beautiful princess and she would prove it to the bastard who had fucked her over. She would make Sicario understand that her woman deserved to be loved too regardless of what happened in between. "How do you plead?" a frustrated Asmodeus said after a long silence. He was sure these kids were here to drive him crazy, and they found a pretty good job at it. It was more like Rukiya Greyson was determined to drive him nuts, but then potato potato, right? "You people just never listen, do you?" the shapeshifter from earlier spoke as she walked back out, like this was the most boring thing she had done. As she got to the middle, she created a portal and went through it, leaving people shocked. But Malika wasn''t bothered, so the crazed Savasci knights weren''t bothered by it either. Besides, if the shapeshifter was a threat, Malika would never have let her get that close to Hawi, right? However, that also left the question of how the woman was that she just decided to make a quick stop at the trial, im Hawi was innocent, and then leave after saying she was a shapeshifter. That was a lot of dangerous information and yet she had divulged it all with ease. They didn''t quite have the time to deal with a stranger who hadn''t done them any harm or threatened them, so the trial had to continue regardless. "I plead¡­" Hawi began, bringing the attention back to her and the trial. She could tell that everyone was holding their breaths, waiting for her to carelessly throw her life away like she had done thest time. No matter what decision Hawi made today, Rukiya Greyson Wasn''t ever going to leave, so Hawi wasn''t worried, especially with their friends around. It was insane though, because this was the tensest of atmospheres and they had to still process justice. Maybe dealing with Hawi and her crazies was supposed to be something like an aplishment for the Sicario wolves because they were impossible to understand and deal with. Perhaps it would be easier along the way, right? "I plead not guilty," Hawi said softly, her voiceing off in a whisper like this was the first time she was eating those words from her lips. She had been used to taking the brunt of everything, whether it was her fault or not. She had always been the punching bag for most, but as she sat there with Ruru holding her hands protectively, and rubbing them gently as if to tell her that it was okay, Hawi knew that she was never going to be alone no matter what this yielded. And that also meant that she didn''t need to pretend anymore. She had people who loved her and who would choose her even if the word was ck and gray, and still show up for her. She had people in her corner and that was more than she could have imagined, especially from thest time. "What?" Jer asked and it took every ounce of patience in Ruru not to smack his head or even respond with a snarkyment. It was like all of this was just some gateway for her to tell the world and show them how badly she wanted to fuck up Jeremiah Warner. If they weren''t careful, then Jeremiah Warner would be long dead by the end of this trial and Rukiya Greyson wouldn''t regret it one bit. The man was an annoying piece of junk that belonged in the bin with other trash anyway, no? "I, Alpha Awuor Hawi Sicario, plead not guilty to the murder of my mother and Luna, Eni Sicario. And I hope the court fills in the nk spaces that should have long been filed before my banishment," Hawi said, her toe filed with respect. Asmodeus looked at Rukiya as if to ask her whether she was okay with that. Ruru wasn''t even bothered because she knew everyone was trying to keep tabs on her as if the eye contact was supposed to tell Rukiya Greyson that chairs were to be sat on and that meetings were to be respected. The woman didn''t give a flying fuck about it before, and she wasn''t about to start now.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "If you keep staring at me like that, Asmodeus, your life will be reduced to an unending sequence of agonizing torture, worse than what you are already going through at the moment. If I were you, I would look away," Ruru warned with a warm smile. She had smiled a lot for the day and she was so close to losing her shit with all of those smiles. She was slowly realizing how fun it was to be at war than be at civilized meetings because what the fuck was even this anyway? "I hope you have prepared your defense," Asmodeus said and Rukiya red at him again. Damn, the woman was not letting the man rest but then she had to make sure that everything would be smooth, right? "Of course. We are prepared. I shall plead the case for my client," Rukiya suddenly said and everyone groaned out in frustration while she smiled heartily at them. This would be fun. Chapter 329: Innocent Until Proven Guilty, Right? [HAWI] There were days when Asmodeus had been sure he would retire as an elder and live his life happily with his family. He had dreamt of a life that wouldn''t make him question everything that he had and did have a life that was peaceful. Now that he was here with the biggest case of his life, he couldn''t tell if this was the perfect death sentence for him or if it was the simplest way for him to develop high blood pressure issues. Maybe this was his fate, because as he looked at the defiant Greyson alpha who was holding his stare, she was challenging him to say something she didn''t like, Asmodeus knew that the universe hated him. It was the only exnation of the pain in the ass he had been subjected to, but maybe this wouldn''t take as long as he imagined, right? Well, if the past hour that they had spent with Rukiya''s antics and defiance was something, then he was screwed in all the ways to hell. "Yo¡­ Your client?" Asmodeus asked. He wasn''t sure what else he could say to this madwoman ry. She would make him regret his life''s decisions and at the moment that n was working pretty well. "Yes. My client. There is no rule that says that a defendant can''t hire a representative from any other pack. As long as the case is pleaded and everything is done ording to thew. Or should I teach you that too, old Asmodeus?" Rukiya teased. Hawi could see the veins of Asmodeus almost popping and he felt bad for the man because her Ruru was never going to let this go. She wanted to tell Ruru to tone it down but this was way fun because it was obvious Asmodeus and the elders had long made their decision about hair and no matter what happened they would have to push for it. It was unfortunate but Hawi had expected it so there was no point in them pretending right? "Okay," Asmodeus said as she breathed in deeply as he looked at Jer as if to ask him if he was ready and Jer just nodded. He couldn''t let Rukiya Greyson tear him limb from limb for being a nuisance again. "Four years ago, you were found with your ws retracting from the Luna''s neck. You had her blood in your hands and you smelled like her¡ª'''' Asmodeus began and Rukiya chuckled at him. "Sicario has one of the best high-tech research centers in the realm. The technology here is way better than even the most advanced human systems. Did you send the body for autopsy? Did you confirm that the blood on my client was her mother''s and not hers? "And smelling like her mother? Even you with your grey ass still have a scent of your mother on you. It is something that every child has and never fades away no matter how old any child gets. If that is your argument, then you might as well go home, Asmodeus. "Old age is not something shameful, you can still salvage yourself and whatever legacy you had before I tear it down to pieces to the point that there will be nothing that you can get out of it," Rukiya said, adding thest bit with the best of smiles that she could muster.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om There was so much that she could so with the little information that Asmodeus had and honestly, she wanted to fuck the man up like they had screwed her mate, but she had to remind herself that this was for the sake of Hawi. "She was found at the scene of the crime. She killed her mother," Jer interrupted as he got up to face Rukiya who was just staring at him, wondering if the punishment she had given him earlier in the dungeons had not been enough to straighten his mind. It was hrious how Jer was still powerless even when he was free. Perhaps he needed to be strangled a little more so he could have some manners and learn not to mess with families that didn''t have anything to do with him, yeah? "And you know how? My client clearly showed signs of slowly regaining consciousness and that day. You all said that she was out of it. How could you be so sure that she had beneath one to kill her mother when she was knocked unconscious? "There was blood at the back of her head, something consistent with a blunt force. Someone hit her in the back of the head and put her there. Also, you should have known her better since she was your mate then, unless you weren''t her true mate?" Rukiya asked. Jer looked at Rukiya with a sinister smile as if to tell the woman that no matter what they argued, Hawi''s fate had already been sealed. It was like she was going to make sure of that himself and no matter what they had to do, this was just wasted time. "That doesn''t matter at the moment. We are here for the trial of a woman who killed the pack Luna and was found at the crime scene. That is something you must understand. Don''t be emotional, Rukiya Greyson," Jer said and Rukiya just smirked at him. "Emotions are nothing but a distraction in the court, Jeremiah Warner. You more than anyone should be smart enough to know why emotional appeals were banned over the years, right?" Rukiya bit back, her smirk never fading as she stared at her. "Anyway, do you have evidence that she killed her mother? Actual evidence and not just spections? Luna Eni was the strongest werewolf in the realm and she couldn''t be brought even by her daughter. "There are reasons children are never made stronger than their parents, but you might never know that, seeing as you traded your parents for the alpha position," Rukiya said as she called sherry forward. Sherry didn''t hesitate as she handed Rukiya photocopies of the original documents that showed what Jeremiah had done and the garment with Razia Greyson. It was something that no one other than Jer had seen on the day he had agreed toe to Greyson. "I have evidence that you traded your parents for your position in Sicario. And before you say that it is irrelevant to the case at hand, I know that already, which is why I am not presenting them to sway the result of this trial. "But people need to know the truth, don''t they? Anyway, since you don''t have enough evidence to pin my client to the case and use her of killing her mother, I believe this trial is a sham and everyone should go home," Rukiya said as she sat back down. She had contemted dragging it on a second time but she knew it would be pointless because no matter what they did, they had to face the Sicario wolves after this. They had to decide for themselves if they wanted Hawi back or not. Whichever way, Rukiya would make sure her mate got justice. "If you are so sure your client is innocent, then what about this footage then?" Asmodeus asked as footage started showing behind Hair and Rukiya. They were at the assembly hall at the moment as they waited for the trial. And the footage¡­ it didn''t look good for Hawi. Chapter 330: For You, In The Name of Love [HAWI] Hawi wasn''t shocked by what they saw in the presented footage. She had expected it, just like she had expected that her people would disown her a second time. She was done signing to get the favor of the Sicario wolves anyway. This time she would stay silent and let them do what they wanted, but she was never going to admit to guilt anymore. She wasn''t going to let them push her to that corner anymore which was also why when the gasps were heard in the crowd. She wasn''t shocked. The footage was from inside her parents'' suite, the one ce that never had any cameras since the pack began. The only ce in the entire pack that had no tech linked to it except for the door. The alpha suite was the safest ce followed by Hawi''s suite. The only difference was that the alpha wanted his privacy while Hawi controlled everything that happened in her suite, hence the cameras that only she and Elodie knew how to ess. "As you have seen, the alpha clearly killed her mother and tried to change the narrative. She is guilty of murdering her mother and there was nothing like blunt force trauma. She did it, as evidenced there. "For that very reason, the alpha is found guilty of killing her mother and so her banishment stands. Alpha Jeremiah is to lead the pack as he always did and there should be no more dragging in this trial. "Awuor Hawi has twenty-four hours to vacate the premise that the Sicario military will drag her out. That is the verdict of the elders as read by me, Asmodeus," the old man said as he looked at Rukiya Greyson, his eyes sinister. However, this time, Rukiya didn''t say much. Instead, she stood and stepped forward so she was in front of the huge screen that the Sicario wolves had set to present their evidence against Hawi. Ruru was disappointed if she was being honest. She had expected that with all the resources at their disposal, Sicario would strive to make everything just. She wasn''t thinking that just as Hawi''s mate but as an alpha. "We ept your judgment, and will not appeal anymore, Asmodeus," Rukiya began, surprising even the Savasci knights. Rukiya Greyson will never have let Hawi take the fall for something like that but then what was the point? Malika stared at Rukiya Greyson wondering what the woman was nning this time. If Rukiya wasn''t going to give Hawi the Sicario that she had promised, then Malika was more than raised to initiate a coup and take over the pack with or without the approval of anyone. She was a dangerous protector and she could easilyy im on Sicario and no one would say shit. No one had ever fought there and lived to tell the story of how it all went with them. It was like she was invincible on her own. Malika was watching and waiting and for the sake of everyone, she hoped that Rukiya had other ns because otherwise, Sicario would enter a dictatorship and nothing would ever be the same for them anymore. "As you can see on this screen," Rukiya began as she pointed toward the big screen where there were some documents. They were not what she had said earlier about Her and his family, no. This was something else, something that could turn Sicario upside down but then they had pushed Ruru''s hand. They had forced her to act, because they produced fake evidence of Hawi killing her mother. It was something that would forever haunt Hawi but that didn''t mean they were going to stop going after everyone who was guilty of the murder and the conspiracy theories they had presented forward. The Sicario wolves knew that Hawi was innocent but then they were letting the elders decide for them and that wasn''t fair, especially now that it all meant that Hawi would lose her home again. That wasn''t what any child would ever want and yet they had shamelessly done it to Hawi again. They had killed her entire family and were now sending her away from home because they didn''t know what to do with her. "Are documents. And before you ask, I will exin them to you like kids since we all are acting like this trial was just a farce. So, let me bring to your attention something that could remind you of the consequences of your choices. "Three years ago, Greyson dered war on Sicario because your people killed my greatest assets. Your rebels came to the pack and breathed, then proceeded to murder my people. I murdered some of them and sent their heads to you myself. "I warned you against defying the rules of the realm and your alpha didn''tply. So, we came to Sicario for war. It was something that was evident. But then¡­ listen well because this is going to be the most interesting part of this all," Rukiya said as she looked at Her. At first, Jer was confused and when he finally understood what Rukiya Greyson meant, he instantly understood what the document meant for him, for the elders, and more than anything, for Sicario. This wasn''t good for all of them and for the first time, Jer regretted the trial. He regretteding to this point and wished he could have let everything be. If Rukiya read those, then they would be done for. But then there was no telling Rukiya Greyson to stop at the moment. She was pissed. She was disappointed and she would teach them a thing or two about loyalty and leadership and what it meant to be powerful without a brain. "You, Jeremiah, should have a vivid memory of this, given it was you who came up with the idea, right?" Ruru said, her face cold as she stared at the man who would never be the leader of Sicario, not when Ruru was done with him anyway. "Anyway, back to what I was saying. The war happened, but then your alpha Jeremiah made an agreement with me and even signed it in blood. At the time, he thought it was just a joke, but blood agreements are things that must be honored.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Your alpha promised to send artillery to Greyson every month. He promised he would make sure to keep the supply flowing so that the peace could be maintained. He said that I couldn''t take the Sicarios alpha at the time. "And being the good business leader I am, I need to do it. But your alpha never delivered. Forty-two monthster, not even a gun has made its way into the Greyson borders, bearing the sigil of the Sicario pack. "Maybe he had his reasons, but the contract was clear. If Sicario failed to deliver what they needed to, in a period of three years, then Greyson would take Sicario and rule it. Sicario would be considered Greyson property. "Everything Sicario would belong to Greyson. It was in the contract and your alpha agreed to it. He was excited when he sighed, by the way, he was a happy man who knew he would forever have Sicario within his grasp," Rukiya said. Hudhayfah zoomed in on the part of the agreement that Rukiya had just stated to make them understand that this wasn''t just something that they hade with that the moment to fuck up the Sicario pack. "There was magic in the papers, a reminder that the contact was sacred and had to be honored as Jer had failed. It was not what the Sicario wolves had expected but then it was the truth that they had to face at the moment. Hudhayfah was enjoying this suddenly, because he zoomed in even more, as if to show even the people at the back. But when the werewolf sight that the wolves were born with was enough for them to see what was being talked about. The statement was true. It was there for everyone to see. There was nothing they could do. And as Jer looked at Rukiya, he knew he had fucked up. "Anyway, forty-two months have passed, that is three and a half years since Jeremiah Warner never honored the agreement, it is safe to say Sicario is mine. And with that, all of you, are Greyson subjects. "Therefore, as your alpha, my first order of the day is to appoint someone who knows Sicario best and understands what the people of Sicario need, and someone that I trust with my life and more. "My beautiful mate. The love of my life, and the one person I could shamelessly send you all to hell for. My Awuor Hawi Sicario. Honor your new alpha, Sicario," Rukiya ordered and the Sicario wolves just stood and bowed their heads for Hawi. Even Jer and the elders followed suit as they tried to understand what the fuck had just happened. They wanted to call the bluff, but then the magic was there and it was real. They had just been yed at their own game. Hawi was shocked at the power y she had just witnessed, as she wasn''t sure if this was just some dream or a hallucination. She had never imagined that he would evere home like this, it just was never possible. And yet Rukiya had made the impossible happen for her. Malika who was watching with Mbali and Elodie was just like the Sicario wolves. Everyone had their jaws on the floor as they didn''t even know how to answer this. But then they all couldn''t deny the fact that was staring at them. Rukiya Greyson was a force to be reckoned with. Rukiya Greyson was a menace. But she was a menace madly in love with Hawi. Chapter 331: For The Girl She Loved Wholly [HAWI]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Hawi looked at her mate and for the first time, she wasn''t sure if she needed to be happy that she had her home again, or if she needed to cry because of how things had turned out to be in such a short time. She hadn''t expected the twists of hering home again. She had nned on telling Malika and the rest of the knights not to fight for her position. However, what Rukiya Greyson had done was something she couldn''t even describe with ease. This was out of this world and to think that forty-two months had already passed since that agreement. She had been given a protector in the form of a mate and Rukiya Greyson was so proud of her, but not half as much as Hawi was proud of Ruru for pulling the best trick in the entirety of the realm. This was insanity and strategy at best. "Sit," Rukiya Greyson ordered and the Sicario wolves did as they were told. Hell, even Jer did as she demanded because he had seen the depths of insanity that the woman could turn him into and he wasn''t ready for that. At least not now. "If anyone wants to challenge my first order, please remember that I don''t need Sicario. And that also means I can have my army here in ten minutes and they can clear thends. I have enough people in Greyson to man the tech in your pack. "Technically it''s mine now anyway. So, before any of you dare to defy what I just mentioned, you best believe that the only person standing between me and theplete destruction of Sicario, is my beautiful mate. "You all should really learn to appreciate her because she just saved your worthless asses, again. You are dismissed. Another mention of the damn trial that fucked my mate''s life, and I won''t hesitate to tten Sicario. Don''t test my patience. "Oh, and before you all go, I have onest thing to say, the elders council is disbanded. As it stands, there are no eligible elders in Sicario and the decisions here will be made by Sherry and Hudhayfah until we find a suitable set of brains for that position. "Now you can go, and Jeremiah, watch your back. I aming for you. You never fulfilled your part of the deal and you have to make sure it is filled. I wille to collect, so didn''t even bother wondering what the fuck it will be. "You won''t know unless you see me, alright?" Rukiya said and the Sicario walked and just nodded before they started moving out. Asmodeus was standing there looking at Rukiya Greyson defeatedly. He had been an elder of Sicario for the better part of his life but then he hadn''t worked as was expected, or had he? He had instead just screwed up everything. He, just like the others, was just a shell of everything that could have be. He was just a nuisance, a reminder that the world was never going to be peaceful as long as some of the people on this pack still existed. It was a challenge for Rukiya and her potential team but she would fix that too. She would make sure that the people that reced the damned elders would be good enough to keep the pack safe and make rational decisions regardless of what happened in the pack. She would make sure the elders had their jobs in their minds and they knew what they needed to do. "Do you have anything to say to the new alpha, Asmodeus?" Rukiya asked and Asmodeus just shook his head before he bowed and dispersed along with the rest of the wolves. He knew he had fucked up one too many times and he knew that there was noing back from this. "Ah, finally. I swear to the goddess if they hurt you again, I''m ttening Sicario," Ruru said angrily as she sat dramatically on one of the seats that were there. She was sick of people shitting on her mate and she would keep her promise if they tried shit. "But¡ª" Hawi began and Ruru stared at her softly, her eyes tender and filled with love. You could see the hearts in them. It was like Ruru had decided to make sure that her mate had the best and she wasn''t ever letting go. And more than anything it felt like this was the first time Ruru was seeing Hawi and she was also falling in love for the first time. Oh, but it was a beautiful sight, one that the crazies had stopped in the distance to watch. "Gosh they''re so in love it''s so beautiful," Mbali said as she looked at Ruru who was still staring at Hawi, while Hawi was looking around Sicario, like she still didn''t believe that she had reallye back home and could do whatever she wanted. She had gotten her home back, her position back and it was all because of the girl she had fallen in love with. The moon had given her the best of mates and Hawi was thankful for this. She was happy that she didn''t have to put up a fight for this one unlike the other times when she was always at the forefront fighting to save whatever was left of her family. She was always the one who held on, but this time, Ruru had given her a choice. She had given her a chance to make sure that everything was perfect the way she wanted it to be. Hawi was happy, like really happy and Rukiya Greyson was the reason for all of it, and boy was it a beautiful sight. "You kept your promise, Greyson," Malika said when they finally reached where Rurur, Hudhayfah, and Sherry were. They were all watching Hawi marvel at her home and her smile and they couldn''t have wished for anything else. "She always fights for everyone, I just wanted to see her happy. I wanted to see the smile I fell in love with more than ten years ago. I wanted to see the beautiful girl who had nothing to worry about other than a scolding from her mother. "I wanted my baby to feel alive and this is just the first stage of it all. Her happiness is my priority," Rukiya said as she looked at Hawi, her eyes never leaving the woman like she was scared that Haw would disappear into thin air. But then even if Hawi was to disappear, she would alwayse home, and right now her home was wherever Rukiya Greyson was. Sure, Hawi loved that she had gotten everything back, but without Rukiya all of this would be meaningless. She wanted to rule beside her mate, and it didn''t matter if they were in Sicario or in Olyana. All that she cared about was Ruru being beside her and each day, Rukiya Greyson was proving that she was the right fit for Hawi. "Damn, girl you''re whipped," Elodie said and Ruru justughed. "Happily, so. I love her. She makes love feel so beautiful. Look at her. Look at that smile. If she weren''t your sister, I wouldn''t me you if you looked at her with desire in your eyes. I would fold for her anytime," Rukiya said proudly. She was in love and she was loving it. "Anyone else thinks the air is too sweet around here?" Mbali whined and they all just burst outughing, getting Hawi''s attention. Her eyes which had once been empty were suddenly filled with life. It was like Rukiya Greyson had finally breathed life into the girl who had felt empty for so long. She had given Hawi the one thing Hawi had never thought she would have again and goddess, Hawi was thankful for this. She was so happy she didn''t even know where to begin thanking Rukiya from, so she just stood there with a sheepish smile on her face with hearts forming in her eyes as she looked at the girl of her dreams and her very beautiful reality. "My beautiful baby¡­e, love," Rukiya said as she opened her arms for Hawi to run into them. She was still sitting, but she didn''t mind carrying Hawi. She loved the girl so much everyone was sure of it at the moment. "Thank you," Hawi said as she reached Rukiya who instantly went up and hugged her softly and delicately like this was just a moment of the two of them and in their own little world. "No, my beautiful. Thank you, for holding on. You endured what I couldn''t have. You stood your ground better than all of us could. You''re stronger than me sweetheart, I would have killed a thousand instead of waiting for it out. "I am so proud of you and I could shout it to the world each and every day, and never get tired of letting the world know just how proud I am of you," Rukiya said as she pulled back from the hug. Ruru then dug her hands under the shirt she had given Hawi, and tore the rusty gown that was underneath that shirt. For a moment the knights looked at Ruru like she was insane, but Hawi, she was so in love that she didn''t even bother to think. After all, Rukiya could think for both of them today, right? "No more holding onto this rag, my beautiful, and this bloody crown, will be cleaned up by Sherry so you can wear something clean sweetheart. You are innocent and that''s what matters alright?" Rukiya said as she kissed Hawi''s forehead and threw the gown on the floor, while handing Sherry the crown. "I love you, my beautiful, always," Rukiya said, not letting go of Hawi. Chapter 332: A Love Like This… Family * Oh happy day!!! I woke up to us making it to 1M views!!! * We did it!! Thank you!! [HAWI] That evening, while Sicario was busy taking in the new reality of their new alpha, Mbali and Elodie had sent fore messages to all the pack, acknowledging the reinstatement of Awuor Hawi Sicario as the alpha. The letters were clear and they reminded everyone of what they owed the Sicario pack and of what they were told by Sicario. They also summoned the leaders of all the seventeen packs in the realm, along with the human leaders. They were invitations that came once in a lifetime and anyone who ignored them would most definitely be ignored by the Sicario pack when their time of need came. It was a long afternoon, but it was one that the Savasci Knights enjoyed. Malika, Hudhayfah, and Sherry were in charge of the cleanup and the smooth transition for Hawi to take over. They didn''t evenin about the amount of work that they would have to do, instead, they did it seamlessly. It was almost like they knew that Hawi would sit on the Sicario throne whether the sun rose in the south and set in the east. That was a given, and they clearly would have done whatever they needed to, to make it happen. The only thing that excited them more at the moment was just how Rukiya Greyson had managed to find a way to get Hawi back home. That was pleasant and they couldn''t deny it. While everyone else was working, Hawi and Rukiya were cuddling on the couch in the former Alpha''s office, where the entire team was. The only difference was that instead of working, they were staring at each other, holding each other gently like they hadn''t seen each other in a thousand light years. Anyone would think they were strangers who had just fallen in love. Well, thankfully for them, their friends thought it was easier to have them focus on each other, because they were a disaster sometimes. And this time, the Savasci knights didn''t want to risk the interruptions. "Hey love birds, we are done. You guys wanna check to approve?" Elodie said to the cuddling up who hadn''t even heard her, or maybe they had heard her but they weren''t bothered by it, after all, they were having the time of their lives, right? "I vote we pour cold water on them. We can''t be breaking our backs while they get the afternoon off," Mbali whined as she red daggers at the duo. You would think she was going to smack them herself. "It was your idea to let them be and not give them work. Are you nowining?" Sherry asked with a lightugh. She had grown used to the banters of these psychos so she wasn''t even surprised anymore. "I don''t think they would be like that. They may not be fucking or sucking faces, but they could as well be doing that with how touchy they are at the moment. I will bring cold water," Mbali whined again and Malika let out a lightugh. It had been a while since she had seen her sister pout like that and if they weren''t so busy with their responsibilities, she could have taken the chance to hold onto that little memory of her happy sister. Well, she would eventually but at the moment, she had a feeling that Mbali would smack her face into the wall if she so much as said anything that could show support for the mad duo in their own world at the moment. "All you gotta do is mention food and they will be up," Hudhayfah suggested calmly. "Damn, it''s dinner time already?" Hawi asked, sitting up, with Rukiya following suit, only to see five knights who were staring at them with disbelief written all over their faces like they had done something that they shouldn''t have. "Do you think we''re safe here with them?" Rukiya whispered to her mate when she met Mbali''s re. It was like Mbali had already killed them and even found a beautiful burial spot for them, the only thing that remained was dragging their asses there.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I think we''re in deep shit and we can''t even run," Hawi responded, her voice low like she wasn''t ready to face the wrath of their friends who were giving them bank faces, you would think the two were the poster children for disappointment. "They said we could rest. Why are they overreacting? I say we make a run for it, besides, by the time they try to catch us, we will be long g¡ª" Rukiya said as the five knights walked over to where they were, their faces still staring at them. "Going somewhere, Your Highness?" Elodie asked, the bat in her arms reminding Hawi of thest time she saw her sister with a bat. It was safe to say that Luna Eni had them take rage sses because of how they had destroyed the pack house. "Nope. We are definitely not going anywhere. And all your work is approved. So, what''s up, sister¡­ very beautiful sister¡­ My¡­ dear sister," Hawi said, her voice getting awkward when she realized her sister wasn''t about to take her side. "Umm¡­ We''ll clean the room, without the help of magic... And¡­ uhh¡­ thank you for your hard work," Rukiya said and the knights looked at them before they nodded and beganughing at the duo that was flustered. Their friends were pieces of work. "You should have seen your faces," Malikaughed. "They looked like they were caught with their hands on the cookie jar," Hudhayfah added lightly. "Hawi looked constipated," Elodie added. "I think we should have run," Hawi whined when the teasing didn''t stop. However, in that moment, in that second when she looked at the people who had been with her in her journey, Hawi didn''t have a lot of questions for the deities this time, no. It was like she had finally found her vige, the people who would never leave her. Growing up, she had never thought too much of anything, but the past four years had taught her things that no parent would ever wish for their child to learn on their own. She had experienced everything that was bound, and they had been with her. Hawi was thankful for this team, she loved how they loved her. She loved how they never hesitated to make things right for her and she appreciated the little fact that no matter how many times the sun came up, she would never be alone. Granted, they still had a long way to go and still needed to deal with the people who had killed her parents, this time, Hawi found herself a happy girl once again. She was loved and the best part of it was that she believed it. Over the years it took her a while to understand what love looked like, but at the moment, she had it all and she would never lose it. She finally had the one thing that had evaded her over the years. The kind of happiness that came with family. Tomorrow had a lot of things for them to do and would need them to get back to their mission for revenge and retribution, but today Hawi would reign in happiness. This, this here was home. And it was with this home that they would bring down Jeremiah and the shadow warlocks. They would find justice for the people they had lost, together, that was what family did, right? "Who''s famished? I''ll cook," Hawi suddenly offered, forcing the entire group into silence like she had just suggested that they go to the moon and find the goddess and kill her. That was the kind of face everyone was giving her, including her mate. The sheer horror was something she hadn''t almost expected, but a girl could just hope, right? Besides, what was so wrong about having a family dinner, one in which she actively participated in, right? "With or without magic?" Elodie asked everyone to burst outughing, even though she was dead serious. "Thest time I cooked you loved it!" Hawi said as she looked at her best friend, like that was supposed to make Elodie side with her on this. Surely her sister couldn''t be the one throwing her under the bus this time, right? "Only because I swapped it with the meal Luna Eni had cooked. Listen, Awuor. I love you. I love you so much, but the kitchen is where you don''t really belong, sweet sister. Besides, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow with the elders. "Surely you wouldn''t want us reeking of diarrhea when we get there right? Especially since we are the ones who demanded the meeting. Come on sweet sister, you and I know your skills in the kitchen are meant to torture prisoners,," Elodie said lovingly. The Savasci Knights stared at Elodie, some with their hands muffling theirughs while others with pure shock and disbelief, even though there was an element on their faces as they watched Elodie Kane ughter her sister''s cooking skills. "But you said¡ª" "Trust me, I learned that day the hard way, why you never taste your food. Let''s leave the kitchen to the pros, sister. We have Sherry to do that for us. Even with magic, you might just poison us all," Elodie said and the knights gasped while Hawi pouted. "I think what Elodie means, baby, is that while you are good in the kitchen, you are still a student who needs more practice, my love. We can practice with the prisoners we will capture alright? "But until then, let the adults take care of you, baby," Rukiya exined and Hudhayfah snorted, earning muffledughs again, while Hawi just pouted at them. They would have a long and interesting evening. *** [A/N] * Again, cheers to 1M views! Chapter 333: Always Got More Time, Sweetheart [HAWI] By midday, the different faction leaders who had received the letters had started streaming into Sicario, wondering what this was about and why they had been summoned like this. Most of them were scared because the message hade from Hawi while others were excited because Awuor Hawi was back and they could continue their business deals. It was something that was expected but then the woman in question wouldn''t give two shits about what anyone thought of her. Since the retraction of her banishment and her ascent back into her seat, she was back to the woman she had always been. The powerhouse that reigned terror on the enemies of Sicario and the girl who didn''t could run anyone over as long as it didn''t affect her allies and friends. She was the reminder of what happened when someone broke the heart of an innocent, because now, she looked like she had better ces than to be here, when that''s what she wanted. She had her resting bitch face on, and this time it was backed by the desire for revenge and the desire to ruin everyone that had ever tried to fuck up her life. Awuor Hawi may have been the kind and somewhat lenient person because she didn''t really know what could happen to her now that she had lost everything, but Awuor Sicario? That woman was insane and fueled by anger and vengeance. She would burn them all and everyone else who stood in her way. She had changed, maybe, but then this was who she was. Taking back herst name was the only step that she needed to get her vengeance and with her dear mate having handed Sicario back to her, she was going to be standing on business. And Goddess help the souls of Jeremiah Warner and the remaining shadow warlocks, because hell had finally got the armor it needed and boy would it be a terrible and horrible fight; Probably one that would make everyone question what they believed in, but it definitely would be one that would show the world what a devil they had created when they had wiped out the Sicario family and left the lone wolf standing. This was the beginning of hell. "You look ready, my beautiful," Rukiya Greyson said as she took in the sight before her. She had woken up early to make sure her mate had everything she needed for the first meeting. Granted, Ruru didn''t know much about Sicario but she knew a lot about power and first impressions. She knew that today would matter to Hawi more than any other day after today. And that was why she needed her mate out there looking fierce and like she had been before her beautiful heart had been shattered to pieces by the shadow warlocks. "Thank you for making this a reality for me," Hawi said earnestly as she looked into the eyes of the girl who gave her life again. She was never going to forget what her mate had done for her and she would do her very best to make sure that she would be what Ruru had expected and more. Then again, this woman was the devil herself. Everyone who knew her before was even scared of drinking water in front of her and that was at a time when she had her entire family and had nothing to worry about. So, what about now that she was fueled with vengeance and the rage of losing everyone she had loved at the hands of seven bastards? "You would do the same for me, baby. I know that. Besides, you''re my mate. Your happiness is everything to me. You look so damn hot and feisty that if you didn''t have that meeting to go to¨C "¨CI would be on my knees drinking right now," Ruru said casually, as she looked into Hawi''s eyes, before her eyes trailed down Hawi''s body before settling on Hawi''s crotch that was staring right at Ruru. Well, to be fair, they both had undefeated stamina and could fuck each other wherever just because they felt like it. So Hawi wasn''t even surprised anymore. This was who they were and they both loved it regardless of what it meant for the people who could walk in on them and find their scents thickened with desire. She had gottenfortable with hair over the past few years and was thankful for that. She loved Ruru, with everything and he should make sure the smile on her mates'' face was back too. She would ensure that Ruru got retribution for the greatest loss he had experienced, she would make it all better for them. That much she was sure of, regardless of what happened during the song. She would burn the world down if that was what they needed. "Well, If you can''t drink¡­ I can," Hawi said huskily in Rukiya''s ears, making the Greyson alpha shudder. "Wh¡ª" Rukiya began but Hawi shushed her, by putting her finger on Ruru''s lips. Hawi then undid the knot on Rukiya''s robe, revealing the milky body that Hawi had grown addicted to. It was safe to say that she could worship Rukiya''s body any time of the day. "You have a meeting with the leaders, baby¡­ they are waiting for you," Rukiya tried to point out when Hawi leaned to her neck and kissed her scent nd, making Ruru let out a soft moan. She knew Hawi was needed elsewhere, but she couldn''t help the way her body responded. "They can always wait, sweetheart. I can smell your desire," Hawi whispered huskily as she peppered kisses on Rukiya''s neck, then to her chest where her eyes injured hungrily as she took in the full breasts that were staring right at her. "Fuck," Hawi let out before she gently guided Ruru to the nearest wall, making the Greyson alpha let out a soft whine. Ruru''s rationality was making it out the window and she would soon be putty in Hawi''s hands. "B¡­ But it''s eleven o''clock¡­ fuck," Ruru forced out only to let out a string of curses when she felt Hawi''s mouth on her nipples. Ruru didn''t even need to look to know that Hawi had pushed her breasts together and was feeding the dorm both. It was something Hawi did whenever they were in a hurry, and yet they always managed to give each other the pleasure at most. Feeling those warm lips on her breasts, Rukiya was done fighting. She couldn''t win this one. She knew it, not that she wanted to win. She never wanted to win a suit against Hawi, so she let her have her. "Lost for words, baby?" Hawi teased, while biting Ruru''s nipples, making Rukiya''s body arch forward even though she was pinned against the wall.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I¡­ More, please," Rukiya said and Hawi let out augh at how her baby had given up. It was a beautiful sight, seeing Rukiya Greyson like that. Her Ruru. Goddess, the woman was so beautiful Hawi was d she belonged to her. "I thought you wanted me to get to the meeting?" Hawi teased again. She was peppering kisses down Ruru''s abdomen, before her hands reced her mouth on Ruru''s breasts, squeezing them rhythmically. "You''re not wearing anything under?" Hawi asked, her breath hitching in her throat, her eyes filled with lust while she took in the sight of the prettiest cunt she had ever seen, and the only cunt she would ever want. "Never¡­ not when with you," Ruru strained out and Haw let out a deep chuckle. She was fucked the moment she set her eyes on that pretty body. Even if she had decided to go to that meeting after a few minutes, now she couldn''t stop. She could already smell the slick from Ruru and she wanted a taste. She needed to have a taste, and everything else could wait, because she would have a taste. She would drink from her favorite spot and hells be damned about it. "Do you want me to stop?" Hawi asked even though she already knew the answer to that. Her hands that were on Ruru''s breasts instantly dropped to Ruru''s waist, inside her robe, training down to her butt, before Hawi cupped her butt cheeks, pushing Ruru''s grin forward. "Screw that meeting and fuck me," Ruru groaned out. "That''s not a certain answer sweetheart," Hawi teased as she ran her tongue on Ruru''s crotch, before settling on her clit. "I''ll kill you if you stop," Ruru said even though it came off as a moan because Hawi was already sucking her clit hungrily. "Yes, ma''am," Hawi said before she spread Ruru''s legs and went on her knees. Chapter 334: Ready, Set, And Go! [HAWI] "Mistress¡­ I''m going to count to three then I''ll blow the door open," Malika said as she scrunched her nose. It had been an hour since the time Hawi told her that she was set and ready for the meeting and in that hour, she hadn''t seen the woman anywhere. Of course, being Hawi''s protector, she had to be the one toe to check on her, even though their friends had the same suspicions, and Malika had the strongest nds that could be muffled, so she was the sacrificialmb. Here she was and as expected the duo were fucking, which wasn''t even surprising anymore, but the fact that they hadn''t bothered to mask their scent, was something that got Malika wondering if the two were insane. "Don''t blow my door, Malika. That shit cost me a lot of rare materials,'''' Hawi said while Rukiya let out a soft chuckle. She was currently under the sheets, sucking Hawi off like she hadn''t been the one to remind her mate that she had a meeting. "Greta. Then I''ll just walk through," Malika said and before Hawi could give her a response, Malika phased through the suite only to be met with two alphas who didn''t even seem the least bit bothered about the damn meeting. "Come on guys you both are needed out there," Malika said when she saw Hawi''s sheepish smile. Rukiya was still sucking Hawi off like she didn''t hear Malika. Of course, she heard her, but she still wanted to feel Hawi''s seed in her mouth. "Give us a moment, Malika," Hawi said and Malika sighed, before she went to find clothes for Hawi. "When I''m back with your clothes you both should be done, or I''ll drag your asses out there myself," Malika warned and Hawi just gave her thumbs up before she felt Ruru increasing the space. Gods, her mouth was skilled. It didn''t take long before Hawi and Ruru both had their nth release and Ruru plopped on the bed beside her mate, who kissed the cum off her lips like this was nothing for them to be worried about and that Malika wanted even in the room. "I''ll go shower before shees and res at me," Ruru said as she rushed into the bathroom, muttering a soft unapologetic apology to Malika who couldn''t believe the two of them had decided it was a good idea to fuck just before they had their meeting. "She was helping me release stress," Hawi said once she was off the bed. There was no need for her to clean her dick, because Ruru had licked it clean, just like she always did you would think Hawi''s dick was her chance at salvation. These two were impossible. "Yeah right. Put these on and get the fuck out there," Malika said, handing Hawi the clothes. "How many came?" Hawi asked as she dressed up while Malika cleaned off the stench of sex from her. "Fifty-six," Malika said. "Don''t get her scent off of me," Hawi reminded when Malika''s spell began whiffing everything out. "Yup, noted¡­ I thought there were seventeen packs in the realm including Sicario?" Malika asked, genuinely confused at therge number that had dorms. It was almost impossible to tell what the fuck was happening. "Well, when you are Awuor Sicario, everyone bows," Hawi said casually and Malika instantly understood. Even before she had started staying closer to Hawi in her teens, Malika had seen the effect the girl had on the people around her. She never had to say anything twice because everyone was always listening and ready to obey. Maybe because she was a cruel woman who could take a life without any remorse, but mostly Malika had assumed it was because she had trained them. Order was something that Has had grown up with and anyone who wanted to spend time with her had to make a formal appointment, especially if they were not her family. Hell, even Jer had a chance and the bastard had blown it up tenfold. "What''s taking so long, Greyson?" Malika asked when she noticed Ruru wasn''t done yet. "Let''s head out first. My baby wille out when she wants to," Hawi said, leaving no room for argument. Malika already understood that, so she just led the way to the alpha''s office where the rest of the knights were waiting for them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Did you find them fucking?" Mbali asked Sherry to just stare. "Yes," Malika responded tly, and Mbali high-fived Elodie, while Hudhayfah and Sherry let out groans. "We won! So, you guys will have to be in charge of damage control in case Hawi ms someone on the wall at the meeting, woo!" Elodie said to the two Greyson wolves who didn''t have a choice but to agree that they had been bested this time. Well, they should have expected that though since they own the duo had interacted more with the psychos on a closer level. But then they couldn''t be named if a part of them wanted to hope that Ruru would make sure it wasn''tte. When they were almost an hour and a halfter with Hawi smelling like Rukiya Greyson. Still, there were noints about that because with Ruru''s scent on her to calm her in case she got angry, hair wouldn''t smash people on the wall. This meant there were high chances that the meeting would be a sane one, right? Oh, to be part of the crazed Savasci knights who knew violence by heart and had seen it more times than anyone couldpare. "Let''s go then, Mbali and Elodie, you can wait for Ruru ande together. She should be done by now though. Anyway, there''s no hurry alright," Hawi said and they all just agreed with her. With Malika, Hudhayfah, and Sherry by her side, Hawi led the way to the conference room assigned for this meeting. The conference room was in the operations building where most of the decisions about Sicario were always made. The building had been out of service since Jeremiah Warner had taken over, given he had dismissed the warriors who worked there. However, since Hawi''s reinstatement, she had made sure that everything was back to what it had been. All positions were filled, and the warriors were dly at their positions. It was obvious that even the Sicario wolves had missed the type of system that Awuor had developed for Sicario. The system that distinguished Sicario from all the other packs. The same system that went to show just how powerful Sicario was. All the underutilized facilities were back in operation this morning and anyone would think that Sicario had just woken up from a hibernation period. Whatever it was this was what the Sicario wolves had gotten used to and they were happy because this time, they didn''t have to worry about their opinions being shushed. With Hawi, there was freedom in everything. And more than anything, there was themon-sense factor. Hawi had always made it known to her people that they needed to sue the Serbians so she wouldn''t have to use her brain to work with them because then they would be useless to her. It was a system that kept the wolves on their toes and the aspect of diversity was well noted by them all. "We''re here, Mistress," Malika motioned when they were a few feet from the Operations building. Chapter 335: Nothing Feels Better Than You [HAWI] "We''re here," Hawi mouthed softly. She hadn''t expected that she would ever be able to get back into this building, but now that she could see the endless SUVs in its parking lot, she was certain that this was really happening. Life had hit her the hardest and this was her one chance to reim it. Oh, how she was excited and scared at the same time. She had alwayse to such meetings with her brother and Dom always knew what to say. On her first time in the operations building, Dom had cheered her up until they got to the conference room. Her brother had been chatty with her even in the elevators, telling her that she could do it and that she would ace it. And she did, wlessly. But right now, she was alone. Well, she had her friends, but she didn''t have her brother. The emptiness that Dominic Sicario had left was about to hit Hawi in full swing as she wouldn''t have her troublesome cheerleader anymore. The walk to the conference room wasn''t long and when the warriors at the door pulled them open for the reigning Sicario alpha to walk in, the room went silent. The sound of the door closing behind Malika was heard, reminding the leader in the room that this was really happening. There in that room were fifty-six leaders of different factions and businessmen that Hawi had summoned. Of the invites sent, none had declined and that went on to show just how powerful the woman was. Hawi was in a ck tux today. She had her hair in the double braids they had always been in when she had been in Sicario. Her white hair had grown longer in the past few years and her eyes had grown darker. She wasn''t wearing her crown, as everyone already knew who she was and the strength she had. She was the girl who sent men to their knees with just one stare and that in itself made her a formidable person to be around. She screamed power where she was, and Malika had to nudge her softly to remind her that these people weren''t enemies that she needed to force into submission. They were here for the good of the realm and mostly for Sicario''s benefit. "She is real." "She is back." "She is here." The whispers in the room began the moment Hawi had sat on her seat at the head of the table. She was elegant and hot at the same time. She could see the way the men and women alike were looking at her and she understood them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thest time they had been here she had long thick ck hair, and today she was adorning white hair. That was a lot for anyone to understand and she didn''t expect to get it immediately. Besides, she wasn''t in a hurry. "Good morning," Hawi greeted the leaders even though she owned it in the afternoon. She always did this and for a moment the leaders went silent unanimously almost like they were trying to figure out if that was a trick question. With Hawi, there were always consequences of saying the wrong thing. So they needed to be on their toes and careful so as to not lose their heads. After all, they had witnessed more than once how Hawi had been quick to break necks and snap them back into ce in this same room. "Good afternoon to you too, Alpha Awuor," one of the leaders responded as the rest of them joined in. All the time, Hawi had been saving their faces, staring at them like they could turn against her any time. Of course, they knew they didn''t stand a chance, but then the idea itself was ludicrous, they had survived Hawi thinly each time they came to Sicario and they loved themselves too much to keep fucking that up. "Perfect. One alpha is missing. We shall wait for her to show up so we can properly begin. Meanwhile, there are folders before you, with the agenda of the meeting. I will not address all of them. "So, if you have something that you don''t agree with or understand, do feel free to ask questions. It is our first meeting after four years after all," Hawi said and they just nodded in understanding like they had been trained to do so. Hudhayfah and Sherry were new to all of this as they had never once apanied Rukiya to meetings that Awuor Hawi held, but the temperatures in the room were so cold and they were worried that the woman would start throwing people against walls. They could only hope it didn''t get that bad but the chances of that not happening were slimmer with every breath these leaders took. Then again, perhaps there was a simpler way out of this, right? Normally, the alphas would ask about who they were waiting for but this time, they didn''t. They focused on their folders, skimming through as they tried to catch up when that alpha made her way in. "Sorry, I''mte, alpha," Rukiya Greyson said thirty minutester as she walked in with Mbali and Elodie following closely behind. At her mate''s voice, Hawi lifted her head to look in her direction and it was safe to say she had gotten horny again. Damn, they needed to find a way to control each other''s desires in public, right? "What?'''' Hawi asked as her eyes raked down Rukiya''s body. She had fucked her barely an hour ago, but damn, she still had lust for the woman who had just walked in. It would definitely be hard to keep herself in check at this meeting. "My apologies," Alpha Rukiya Greyson bowed as she looked at Hawi. She was wearing a long tight strapless ck dress and her hair was down. She had a zer on her but goddamn, she still looked smoking hot when she bowed at Hawi who let out a strained cough as she saw the bite marks she had left on Rukiya''s breasts earlier. They looked red and tasty and lord, she wanted to have a taste. Just one more wouldn''t be bad, right? "Everyone!" Hawi suddenly said, getting the attention of all the alphas and leaders back to her, they could see her face and they were worried that he was about to kill a lot of them on their first meeting for the long hiatus. Damn, their lives were always at stake with this woman. Rukiya stared at her mischievously, like she was waiting for Hawi to say something that could drive everyone out. Rukiya could see how the alphas were staring at her and she knew this was the ultimate test of patience for Hawi. Seeing her mate suddenly lost for words, Rukiya just walked closer to Hawi, gently kissing Hawi on the lips, before she ran her hand down Hawi''s face gently as if that were supposed to make the woman stay in control. "How about we get the meeting going first and then you can fuck me on this tableter, hmm?" Rukiya said softly, not bothering to whisper. She could have whispered or used the mind link to talk to Hawi, but she had seen the way they were looking at her Hawi, and it was safe to say that she was jealous and wanted to gouge out the eyes of the alpha in there. "Meeting¡­ Yes, meeting," Hawi strained out when Rukiya ced a gentle kiss on Hawi''s scent nd, before she walked to the other end of the table and took her seat at Hawi''s right hand. Chapter 336 Seems You Cannot Be Replaced [HAWI] If they were alone, Malia could have facepalmed at how obvious the two horny souls were being with each other but since they were in a damned conference room, she had to keep herself in position and not give in to the temptation tough at these two. With Hawi and Rukiya seated, the Savasci Knights took their positions too. Mbali and Elodie were standing at attention right behind Rukia''s Seat while Hudhayfah and Sherry were standing behind Hawi. Malika on the other hand was positioned on the far left, though close to the middle of the room.. It was a neutral position that would ensure that she kept both psychos safe from any attacks, and everyone else safe for the two psychos. But maybe they could hope for better times, yeah? "I trust you have checked the documents. And now that the Greyson alpha is here, we can proceed," Hawi said. She then went back to being the Awuor Hawi Sicario that everyone knew of and Rukiya went back to being the formal Rukiya Greyson that was known across the realms. It was quite hrious how they could change that fast, but then this was not just about the two of them. They had mouths to feed and packs to make sure were secure. This right here was how they made alliances and they wouldn''t fuck it up despite the lusty looks they both were getting from the alphas, both women and men. "We are d to have you back, Alpha Awuor," one of the alphas said and Hawi just looked at him, making him instantly shut up. She knew they were d she was back and even if they were not, that wasn''t her problem. They would sort out their own feelingster. Right now, she needed to hear what challenges they had with the proposals set before them. They needed to deal with the pressing issues first. "The Greyson pack was attacked by the shadow warlocks a week ago, and you have two of them in your custody. As the leader of the Devlet Union, how do you n on countering that? "Are there any measures in ce to ensure that Greyson and other packs do not experience hostility like that again, seeing as they managed to reach the humannds too?" Rukiya asked as she looked at the folder for her. She had seen her people ughtered firsthand and while she would get her vengeance beside Hawi, these pack leaders needed to be on the lookout to ensure that this didn''t happen again and even if it did happen, then lives wouldn''t be lost. Greyson had survived because Hawi had a personal connection with that ce and it was easy to dispatch her best warriors to do damage control while ensuring that the rest had been saved. But what of the others who didn''t have Hawi? What if they didn''t have enough manpower to make this happen? "Greyson was attacked? If they can attack Greyson, what hope is there for us who don''t have the strongest of armies?" another alpha asked, the worry on his face clear as day. It was however not surprising to Hawi. Read new adventures at empiren/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Greyson had one of the strongest aliens and over the years, the Greyson had been at the top and better than the Sicario army. If they could be weakened then there was no hope for the other packs. That was a logic that made sense. "That is where the fifth proposales in, alpha Greyson. There will be a Special duty task force, SDT, to counter all those attacks. It willprise the five strongest warriors from every pack and every leader. "If every pack and leadership give their five best, then we will have around two hundred and eighty warriors to be assembled for training. These warriors will be trained in the best of techniques. They will be taught how to make sure the regions are safe. "After the training, they will be divided into groups of twenty. Each group will be in charge of the security of four regions for six months, after which they will switch up with other groups, until each group will have protected all fifty-six regions. "And they will reset and start over again, until the end of time. The recruitment for the SDT recements in case of fatigue will be done in the Sicario military camp, which is thergest camp in the entire world, all realms considered. "There, the SDT warriors will get the perks of every other soldier. That is an increased sry of six kilos of gold bars every six months. As for where the gold wille from, every leadership has a gold reservoir. "We will all be required to bring forth to the general reservoir, five thousand gold bars each weighing one kilo. That is nothingpared to the gold in all the reserves, and it is a small price to pay for the security of our homes. "I mentioned that too, in the second handouts in the unopened folders before all of you," Hawi exined and Rukiya stared at the folder before she and the other leaders began delving deeper into it. The idea was a good one and the leaders eventually came to a reasonable agreement as they embraced the change and the danger that had to do with everything that had happened. At the moment, they were all cursing themselves for being so lenient on Jeremiah, but then they got to learn the hard way that the system that she had created was the kind that no one would be able to manage properly if Hawi didn''t do the handing over well. The rest of the afternoon was filled with discussions about general security and food supplies. The regions depended on each other for so many things and not just firearms and it is impressive how they had worked through that. At the end of the meeting, they were all spent. They were done at midnight, which was toote for cheerleaders to go back home. So, they spend the night in the hotel wing of the operations building. It was dangerous having the leads in one ce like that, but with the magical reinforcements that Hawi, Malika, Mbali, Hudhayfah, and Rukiya had put in ce, there was no breaching that could ur. Hell, even if the leaders wanted to get out of the building they would have to wait till morning. It was a safety measure that seemed too obsessive, but they were eina time when they were at a risk of so many things. "Well, that went well for your first meeting," Malikaplimented and Hawi fist-bumped the air in excitement. They may have all been tied from the endless discussions earlier, but then they had made the impossible happen. "I expected them to object to the amount of gold I proposed, but I bet they trust me that much now. I feel like I could kick the air and scream in excitement right now," Hawi said excitedly. She truly was happy. "If Dom were here he would have bought me ice cream from Farida''s store downtown," Hawi mused and Malika stared at her softly before Elodie and Mbali shared a look, before Mbali created a portal and pushed Hawi thought, as the rest of the team went through. "You always ate ice cream after every sessful mission. So, here''s to keeping Farida awake because of business," Elodie said when the portal closed and they were at Farida''s stall. "Oh child, I missed seeing you." Chapter 337 Happiness Looked Good On Them [HAWI] Hawi took a moment to stare at Farida, the woman who always gave her and her brother free ice cream when they were young, and the same woman who had fed them ice cream in the night when they came from the operations hours and endless meetings. She looked normal, almost like nothing had happened and while Hawi hadn''t been expecting this to be real, she loved that this was a part of the normal life she had once had. She loved that Farida was a constant in her life. "Is she okay?" Farida asked as she looked at the girl she had watched grow. Granted, she wasn''t a royal in Sicario and didn''t have that much power, but Farida had seen Hawi at her happiest and at her saddest. She had been there through the different phases of life for Hawi and she had been supportive of her too. This particr ice cream stall wasn''t just a stall of Hawi. It was the reminder of what hope felt like and she was at a loss for words. Life hadn''t been fair, but at least even then they hadn''t fucked up Farida''s stalls, right? That was the only beautiful thing that was left of her past, one that she wanted to forget but was riddled with so much pain. Perhaps there woulde a day when all of this would be way better. And Farida would be putting more smiles on the faces of children like she had Hawi and Dom. It had been a wholesome moment for the Sicario siblings sneaking out because they wanted to watch the moon while eating ice cream, and like a fairy godmother, Farida had always been there for them. "She''s just taking it all in. She didn''t expect to see you again, Farida," Elodie exined and Farida stepped from her stall and rounded up to where Hair was. She had hugged this kid one too many times that it was normal, for her. When Ruru saw Farida hugging Hawi, she was ready to smack the woman into tomorrow, but the rxed state that Elodie was in was easily a reminder that perhaps this woman was good for Hawi. That she was not going to harm her Hawi. "It''s alright sweetheart. I have had your mint chocte chip ready since the meeting yesterday. I have been looking forward to seeing you again, child. I must admit I closed up shop when you were banished, but reopened because of you. "Come, let''s get some ice cream into you, and no more crying, alright? You are prettiest when you smile and I can see how these people have fought to make that happen for you. "Ice cream''s on me today, child," Farida said as she pulled back from the hug and wiped the stray tears on Hawi''s face. She loved this kid and she would try to be at her best for Hawi. "Thank you, Farida. I will get you more consumers, and arger stall if you want," How sad as Farida handed her the ice cream. It melted and was just right the way that He loved it all the time. "Happiness Is always tied to little things, my sweet Awuor. I appreciate the offer, but I must decline, child. This little stall is all I need to see the smile on your face and that of your people.N?v(el)B\\jnn "You will do great, I know you will," Farida said, before she went back to preparing more ice cream for the group. They looked at her with warm eyes almost like she had been their guardian angel, when most of them had just met Farida tonight. But then the familiarity of home was something Farida made them understand in the simplest of ways. It wasn''t hard loving Farida, and Hawi was thankful for the woman who had been there for her indifferent ways. "Then we will keep youpany today," Hawi said excitedly as Elodie stared at her mischievously. Of course, she knew what to expect and clearly, Farida didn''t seem so surprised at the mischief on Elodie''s face. She had watched these kids grow up and had known them probably more than their parents knew them. And that was also how Farida knew Elodie was about to y some music. "Beat will be dropping in two seconds, woo!" Elodie said and a bunch of confused Savasci knights stared at her like she had gone bonkers. It was the middle of the night and most of the people in Sicario were asleep. Surely they didn''t mean to disrupt the operations like that, right? Or maybe they would piss off the sleeping people and they would be scolded in the morning? Well, to be fair, there was no one alive who could sell them. Not even Hudhayfah because he knew they needed the break. "Come on, Sicario never sleeps. Do you want proof? Watch this," Elodie said as she whistled a familiar tune in the air and suddenly the doors were opened and the young Sicario wolves ran in their direction. Of course, the Knights expected that they would being weighing weapons, but instead, they wereing with their friends like this was the most normal of things. It is really impressive. "Drop. The. Beatttt!!!!" the young wolves shouted and Elodie stared at Hawi as if to tell her that the ball was now in her court. Hawi wasn''t one to say no to her people as usual, so she conjured musical instruments that looked like they could make a concert. Farida just shook her head amusedly as she watched the kids before her turn the area around her stall into a familiar concert. It had been a while since they had had these and frankly, it was heartwarming,. "Do they always do this?" Hudhayfah asked Farida and she let out a lightugh. "They are children. It is only right to let them be children over time. B Sides, the war hasn''t exactly been kind to them. They lost a lot of people and they might want to forget. but then being here with their fun alpha is all the distraction they need. "Soon the pack will be able to be what it once was, bubbling with life and happy people. You will see. This little Sicario girl knows her people best and she will protect them with her life, like she always has. Continue your journey with empire "That''s why it is so easy for them toe out for her, now that everything''s back to normal. They love her, they always have, nothing can ever change that. It''s just a pity that it took the wild girl to remind them of their loyalty. But that is fine. "As long as they have each other, Sicario will be in safe hands," Farida said and Hudhayfah listened keenly. Of course, he knew that Awuor Hawi was a good alpha and always protective, but this fun side of Hawi was something that reminded him of how happy Rukiyawyer was when she was in Greyson, long before fate hade to mess up their lives. Perhaps they really deserved each other because only they understood what they had gone through. If only they hadn''te together because of wars and traumas. "I''m d they are embracing the one thing that has evaded them for a long time," Hudhayfah said proudly as he looked at the wolves running around and enjoying the beats of the music. "Oh, happiness. They really earned it this time, Karim '''' Farida said with a smile as she served ice cream to some of the young wolves. She loved doing this and she enjoyed every bit of it. And with the young ones smiling and enjoying the music, however bad it was in the night, Farida had noints, it had been her greatest wish for Sicario to somedaye to this pit again. Goddess, she had missed these smiles and happyughs. "What?" Hudhayfah asked suddenly and Farida didn''t think too much of it. Maybe it was because she had been paying attention to him or because she just didn''t have much to say to Hudhayfah. "Don''t you think so too? They earned happiness. They deserve to have those smiles there. Look at the Sicario girl. Look at how bright she is with her mate beside her. Who knew this day woulde eventually?" Farida mused happily. It was almost like she was the happiest to see Hawi with her mate and one who had fought for her. But maybe Farida was just talking like that because she was a retired warrior and had seen the pack evolve over the years, right? Maybe there wasn''t much to it, other than an ice cream vendor who was d to see her favorite customer happy and having the night of her life despite the long night they had had, yeah? "Karim¡­ You called me Karim. No one alive knows that''s my name," Hudhayfah said and Farida ignored him and went to serve ice cream to some of the kids on the dance floor. She told them they were getting dehydrated with how hard they were dancing and she would take care of them tonight. She would make sure that the girl who trusted her wouldn''t be sad because of anyone again. Oh, but she was just an ice cream vendor, surely ice cream was a short-term remedy for happiness, no? "Karim means kindness. That''s what I meant in the sentence. Don''t think too much, Greyson warrior. Someone might think that you want to ask some other question other than you asking about Karim, hmm?" Farida said. Hudhayfah just followed her around, with ice cream in his hands. For the life of him, Hudhayfah had never dealt in ice cream and yet here he was like he was the one providing it. "Tell me¡­ Are you¡­ Are you Perihan?" Chapter 338 And On Some Days, Hope Was Hopeful [HAWI] "Tell me¡­ Are you¡­ Are you Perihan?" Hudhayfah asked hopefully as he looked at the ice cream vending in the middle of the night. He knew he was reaching, and just because Farida had mentioned the name Karim couldn''t probably mean that she knew him personally, right? Besides, ''Karim'' also meant kindness and Farida was a kind woman. Everyone in Sicario knew that. Hell, even the ghosts that lingered on the Sicario walls knew of the woman who put so many smiles on the faces of people, so this shouldn''t have been surprising to anyone. "Who is that?" Farida asked, giving the kids their ice cream for the night. She had seen such parties and she knew this one was going tost longer because they had just taken a break from everything horrible that had happened in the past few months. It was their chance to unwind and Farida knew that too. She understood the essence of this all, which was why instead of focusing on what Hudhayfah was asking her, she chose to focus on keeping the smiles alive and everyone sane. "Nevermind¡­ I thought you were someone I knew from a past I hoped to get back to. But then it''s alright. You can keep doing your job. My apologies for that," Hudhayfah said, his apologies making him feel different from the way his heart was beating. There is only one woman on the face of the earth that had ever made his heart beat as frantically as that. She had been the love of his life but she had suddenly disappeared without so much as a goodbye. His Perihan. Goddess, he loved that woman with everything he had and didn''t have. Perihan was to Hudhayfah what life was. He loved her. He adored her. He lived for her, and when he woke up to an empty day three hundred years ago, he had sworn to never love another and keep living for the white wolf and the prophecy. His Perihan was a beautiful woman, a warlock who never aged no matter how many years had passed. She never had wrinkles on her face and while Hudhayfah could see the clear wrinkles on Farida''s face, he wouldn''t help but think to himself that she looked like what his Perihan would have looked like if she had taken the aging potion or cast an aging spell on herself. It was a long gamble for Hudhayfah, so the rest of the night, he stayed in one corner, going to the goddess that daybreak woulde sooner. "This is fun!!" Hawi shouted somewhere into the night and the wolves cheered as they partied hard like this was thest day and not the first of their operations. Expectedly, the night quickly faded into a warm morning as the wolves went to bed each sharing the thought of what tomorrow would be like for them. They were thinking of what the future would look like for them after everything that had just happened. The same was with the Savasci Knights, only that instead of endless parties in their minds, they had something else; Something that would determine whether they would have a home after all of this or if they were headed down a rabbit hole that would rumble on them the deeper they got in and couldn''te out of the mess that would result from it all. Their strategic cements in the war with the Shadow Warlocks who would have obviously gotten some allies from the dark forces to help them. The war with the wolves had just been the beginning of it all. It would take them a minute to gain traction but one thing was certain, they had to be very careful with how they dealt with it. All eyes were on them at the moment, thanks to the takeback they initiated in Sicario.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The fire wards were no longer up, as if Sicario was letting the world know that they were not scared of shit. It was a brave move and a very daring one. But then it was alright, because no one in their right mind would dare to go against Awuor Hawi. Sure, the shadow warlocks were a different breed of insanity, but even they knew when to hold back, which was actuallymendable for a bunch of warlocks who used their magic aimlessly. Perhaps now that has had Atticus locked up, the warlocks would be taken off route for a minute, right? Or maybe Atticus was never actually the brains of the operations? It was getting a little hard to understand at the moment, but they had time, no? "This marks the end of the road for the both 0of us, at least until the dust settles on both sides of the realm," Hudhayfah said in the alpha''s office where the tired Savasci Knights currently were. They looked like ghosts who had finally seen light as they tried to figure out whether it was morning or midday or even evening. Their eyes hurt, but then Hudhayfah''s words mmed them back into a reality they hadn''t considered yet. "What do you mean by that?" Mbali asked as she struggled to keep her eyes open while she saw silhouette of Hudhayfah in the distance. She could have sworn she never got drunk, but damn that was a wild night they had had. They had all woken up a littleter than midday and they were tired as hell. However, they still had things to worry about, like the security of the region and even the fact that Jeremiah Warner had been free since yesterday. For anyone, that should have been something to worry about, but then the Savasci knights had seen hell more than thrice with the same one and they knew that there was Julius no way Jeremiah would outrun them. Maybe they were giving him a proper head start when at the end of the day, they would get to the bottom of everything. But one thing was certain ¡ª they would have to work faster than any of them had thought possible. They may have had two of the Russel brothers, but there were more of them out there and there was a lot to be expected. "But I thought you were having funst night¡­ why do you want to go back so soon?" Hawi asked as she looked at the older healer. The Sicario alpha had noticed that Hudhayfah had gotten gloomy after his little chat with Farida and while Hawi was curious about what they had talked about. She knew that there were just some things that would always be beyond her. She didn''t want to intrude because if it had been a matter of security or one that needed her attention or even Rukiya''s, Hudhayfah would have told them straight up, so there was no point holding on, or even hoping that Hudhayfah would say shit. Besides, with years and years of being the healer, he had learned a thing or two about secrets and he would clearly consider it impolite. All that Hawi could do was sit and hope that it would all get better with time and that no matter what happened, they would be fine regardless. After all, Farida was a kind woman and Hudhayfah was a good healer, so there was no reason for h both of them to have any disagreements, right? Well, that was a little hard to tell given how things had been the previous night, but then she could wait and see what that meant, yeah? "Of course I did. But we left the Lycans in Greyson with the warriors. As much as they are on the same side at the moment, we must consider the fact that them being alone there might give them the impression that they are abandoned with the wolves¡ª "Or even that their mission was changed along the way, which wasn''t the case for many of them. We are all determined to make sure normalcy is restored, but then with different factions alone together, and without any of their leaders," Hudhayfah exined and they all looked at each other. Rukiya had also noticed the change in her healer, but then just like Hawi, she didn''t want to push. If Hudhayfah had wanted them to know what had happened, he would have told them when they woke up, but then they had been normal, pretty normal for a bunch that had woken up with back out of hangover¡ª ¡ª thanks to the alcohol they had somewhat mixed with the ice cream yesterday, they despite Farida''s best efforts to stop them and remind them that their skull had visitors in their home. "Well then in that case I can only wish to meet the both of you again once there is peace in the realm. It is going to be dark skies from here on out and a lot of lives arguing to be lost. "I know we want to wish for the best and hope that there won''t be any, but then we saw what Niki did barely two days ago. If Malika hadn''t been here, there was no telling what he would have done by then. "Besides, we should work with the assumption he has already alerted his brothers of the situation, finding the other brother won''t exactly be easy. Be careful on your way home and stay alert at all times," Hawi reminded. Hudhayfah looked at the young wolf whoa oh finally got her home back. He was happy for her. He was d that this happened because a part of him knew that this war was the beginning of their wins. Or maybe this was an isted win for them. Well, whichever it was, this war was the start of a normal world for all the werewolf packs and the factions atrge. This wasn''t going to be it for them, right? "You talk like we are going to die, Alpha Awuor," Sherry said. Chapter 339 Memories Bring Back Memories [HAWI] "You talk like we are going to die, Alpha Awuor," Sherry said and Mbali let out a light chuckle. She couldn''t believe that even in all of this they could still find a way tough and make the situation lighter. But this was who they were. A people who did what they had to do no matter what the situation was, and that had made their interactions warm and integrated. It didn''t matter that they were about to face the worst enemies, what mattered was they would fight until the very end. And if they lost their lives in the process, then they could only hope that their fight hadn''t been in vain, right? "Well, the next time we''ll being to Greyson will be when we win the great war, and that is a long time in the fruit, Sherry. I am just telling what lies ahead of us. Besides, we are going to go fight just the five of us. "It might get messy and terrifying. Anyway, if we win, I wille for the shirt you have been keeping for me since the first time I set foot into Greyson with banana leaves around my waist like the barbarian I was at the time. "I will let you clothe me then. And feed me like you always wanted, yeah?" Hawi said and Rukiya wiped a stray tear from her eyes while Sherry stood there in shock. She had never thought that such a day woulde.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Hawi had always been against anyone doing anything for her or even staying beside her in any situation. For years they had seen the girl push everyone away including the woman she was now madly in love with. Life hadn''t been all rosy for them but the fact that Hawi was actually looking forward toing home and even making it to Greyson for Sherry''s sake was heartwarming to say the least. Perhaps there was hope after all, right? "That is a sweet thing to say, Hawi. I will keep that in mind. Hopefully, when youe, I will still be alive," Sherry said and the room instantly went silent as they stared at the woman like she had spoken the forbidden words. "Oh, look at your faces. You think you are the only one who can make bad jokes all the time, huh? Gotcha!" Sherry said excitedly as she watched the horror drain for the faces of the Savasci Knights. She had seen them take on things that were hard to deal with and she had been there with them through and through. It was also obvious that she had picked up some habits in the process. Habits that clearly the Knights didn''t wish for her to take on. "Of all the things you could have adapted from us, you had to choose terrible humor and insane smackdowns?" Rukiya asked as she looked at her personal chef. This woman had cooked for her since birth and she loved her with everything. Hudhayfah, who had been feeling fond for a whale, did not let out a snicker as he looked at the kids, flustered by Sherry''s statement. They looked like there were a lot of things that could happen in between but then what could they do at the moment? "Fucking hell. You will not die," Malika said as she cast a protection spell on Sherry, which made the woman stare at them softly. She knew of the protection spell by these crazies and Sherry knew that that was something that was cast only on the people they considered important. It wasn''t daily that she had seen or experienced this. However, the fact that the crazies were willing to let her into their little circle of misfits, meant a lot to Sherry. It made her feel like the world wasn''t just a terrible ce like they had grown up in. It made her feel special and hopeful that there were people who actually cared about what happened to her. She was loved and she would never forget that. "Oh shit, you made Malika go against her one-woman protocol," Hawi said excitedly and Sherry looked at her like she did not understand a thing about what this was. Well, she couldn''t be med, these psychos were always on different levels. "What does that mean?" Sherry asked. "It means that Malika protected you like her sister. Though, unlike her sister''s body, the spell she cast on you is the unified spell that keeps this team alive until eternity," Rukiya said and Sherry began tearing up. Oh, she was a soft one at heart. "Thank you," Sherry said and Malika just stared at the woman softly, like she had earned the lifeline spell. It was impressive really what could happen along the way and no matter how they wanted to put it, they had to ept the fact that this was special. "No, thank you. You both took care of Rukiya, even with the risks that were involved. You kept her safe and that way you made my mission a little lighter. So, thank you, Sherry and I hope you get everything you seek in life," Malika said and the team oohed. They had never seen Malika Jabali get sentimental and yet here she was getting sentimental with someone who wasn''t her sister. Maybe she had also learned a thing or two from the team of crazies that was here, right? "This is beautiful, call for a photo," Elodie said and they looked at her like she was speaking Greek when in reality there wasn''t much to decipher there. Surely they didn''t think they would be keeping memories on their minds alone, right? "What?" Mbali asked incredulously as she looked at Elodie, as if the woman needed to exin more. "Goddamn. I know we are all used to magic, but surely we can''t all be primitive enough to have high tech in the pack and still forget about the existence of phones and cameras¡­ or you were hoping we would use a shared mind link to keep the memories safe?" Elodie asked. "Well, that sounds better." "If you put it like that it makes it awesome." "Who the fuck even gave you such ideas." "Will you all just fucking shut up and put your asses on that line over there? We don''t have enough time and with how you are acting, we might never get another moment to capture this memory, alright?" Elodie said as she set up the phone on the alpha''s desk. She then walked towards the bunch of misfits that were standing sheepishly and made them pose for the photo. Thankfully, there was a timer on the phone, before the phone started capturing the moments. Hawi counted a total of seventy-five clicks of them standing like goats who didn''t know the first thing about presentation and shit. They looked primitive as fuck but maybe they could use the excuse of immortality to make it through this, right? "Alright, everyone. The photoshoot is done and you can go back to being people from the Middle Ages where they didn''t know squat about tech, yeah? I hope you have a nice life," Elodie said, intentionally causing them to be stiff as hell. "Was that apliment or an insult?" the misfits asked as they went back to their seats, as they waited for the day to begin. Chapter 340 Together… We Will Do This, Together [HAWI] "Have you guys had breakfast?" Rukiya asked as she looked at Sherry and Hudhayfah who were about to leave. She wasn''t ready for that particr phase of her life and they understood her. They had been all she had when growing up and the fact that there was a chance she wouldn''t see them for a really long time was breaking her heart even more. She wanted to tell them to stay, but her people needed them. With Hudhayfah and Sherry, Rukiya was certain that her people would be in the best of hands, and with the coboration with Sicario and the other packs they would make this system work. But even that didn''t make the fact that she was going to be alone without them any better. After all, she was always going to be a child to them and they were always going to be the greatest guardians she had ever had. "You have to let us go, kid. You will be fine, you know that, right? You have your mate, and four warriors who will do everything to restore bnce and make sure everything is alright. We will see you soon. "Besides, if you miss us, you can always tell Malika to use the magical mirror for us tomunicate. Protectors always have those to make sure the white wolf gets to interact with her people even if she is away from home. "You have to have faith, kid, you must have faith ande back to us. We will be waiting for you. Greyson will be waiting for your triumphant return," Hudhayfah said softly as he hugged the girl who was not ready to let them go. This was understandable and he didn''t me her. Sherry pulled Ruru close, before the other gout misfits joined the hug. Soon enough it was one big hug that reminded them that they had toe back home to each other. They were all they had. "Yes, I''ll do that for you, Rukiya. Don''t worry, you won''t miss them for too long. They will always be there with you, heart and soul even if they will be in Greyson," Malika said, surprising Mbali again. Jabali had known her sister to be a ruthless heartless creature that knew nothing of emotions and how the social constructs worked, but then in the time since she had seen Malika, she had learned that the woman had humanity, and her sister. That had been a lot for her to handle but she was always going to be grateful for that chance. So, she understood Rukiya. She really did, because if Mbali was being honest, she had gotten so used to Malika being around that she didn''t know what she would do if her sister left her again. She wasn''t sure she could survive the heartache or the emotions that came with missing her sister. That would be a lot for her, and she could only hope that there wouldn''te a day when Malika would leave, because Mbali wouldn''t be able to take it. "Goodness, this is getting sappy. Come on guys, it''s not like we are ever going to die and leave you not forever. Goodbyes may be sad, but we need to look forward to the ultimate reunion, don''t you think?" Sherry said and they all let out softughs. She was right though. They had all lost people that were important to them and it was understandable that Rukiya was scared. They couldn''t me her, but then they couldn''t keep stalling this any further. "See you soon, both of you. And please tell people that we are working on making our home better. We will be reunited soon," Rukiya said as they broke free from the hug and Hudhayfah created a portal for him and Sherry to go through. "Yes¡­ this is only see youter, kid. Be well, all of you," Sherry said as they went through the portal, leaving the five warriors staring at the empty space the whaler and the chef had left. Oh, this was going to be a lot of work for them. "Anyone else feeling like shit?" Malika asked a few minutester when the silence had gotten so loud they could see the blood in their ears. This wasn''t how they had nned for this, but then life itself wasn''t exactly as simple, right? "I feel like punching things." Continue your adventure with empire "I wanna smack someone''s face into the wall." "Let''s go for a run." "Let''s go kill Atticus." "We haven''t released the leaders from the operations building." The suggestions were all good, but thest one got the warriors staring at each other like deer caught in headlights. They had been too busy with their lives to remember the fifty-six leaders who were opened in the building. The fact that no Sicario employee was in that building made it even worse because they were probably thinking that Has had called them to smack their faces into the wall. This wasn''t going to be well, but then it wasn''t like it was intentional, right? After all, they had partied the entire night till morning, and had just woken up, right? "Oh shit¡­ oh fucking shit. We need to get there and free them," Rukiya said with augh as she raised how ridiculous they had all gotten. Pain was not something for the faint of hearts and they were slowly learning that in the hardest of ways. This wouldn''t be easy for them and they were starting to see the side effect of losing too much, they had gotten so overprotective and had forgotten about their guests who were probably hungry and anxious as hell. "Alright, let''s get them out of there," Hawi said as she led the way to the door, only for Elodie to stand in front of her and stop her from making another step. It was insanely rtable how they were determined to fix shit and were failing spectacrly at it. "You''re in your pajamas, sister. And we all look like shit. I doubt you want them wondering whether we have finally gone crazy, yeah?" Elodie said and they looked at each other the realization dawning on them. They looked like they had been in a bullfight and the bull had won. Their hairs were tangled; they looked like they had been fighting with chicken. They were worse than drunk addicts on the street and the longer they thought about it the more slumped they were.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''ll cast a spell to make us look way better, in front of everyone. We don''t need to change, just make sure you keep in mind that when we step out of here we will be warriors and not sleep junkies, alright?" Malika said and Mbali snorted. Her sister was a piece of work, but then her suggestion was way better than what they all had in mind. After all, there was a chase that Hawi and Ruru would go to change and show up ten hourster in the same clothes, not to mention Elodie and Malika, and then she would be the only one ready. "Great. That''s better. I feel like sleeping more, but hey let''s deal with them thene back," Hawi said and they all nodded in agreement, before they stepped out, in their pajamas. There were gasps when the warriors stopped outside and for a moment they wondered whether the camouge had worked. But then when they heard the whispers of how hot and powerful they looked, they rxed. "Told you it would work." Chapter 341 Surprise Me Again, Wont You? * Reload for the edited version [HAWI] Sleep-deprived and tired yet somehow walking like they had been awake since morning to make Sure Sicario was run well, the Savasci Knights made their way to the operations building where Malika pulled down the wards, letting a breath of fresh air into it. They walked in like they hadn''t forgotten about this bunch of leaders and like they weren''t the ones who needed a reality check. But then they had been busy with a lot, especially their hangovers. There were high chances that they would smack someone''s face if they tried to fuck with the lot of them and while it was somewhat encouraging, they were determined to make sure the day didn''t start off as bad. "They are here," the leaders said as they stood at the reception door, waiting for the women who didn''t look the least bit bothered. If anything, they looked like they had other things to discuss and an apology wouldn''t being anytime soon. "I see you''re ready for the next meeting. The showers were avable and food too. So, let''s get back to business, shall we?" Hawi said as she walked past the leaders and headed for the private elevator with her team. She and the leaders were offended by what had happened but frankly, she wasn''t going to stand there and give them an exnation. She wasn''t going to defend anything and if they wanted to look at her differently, then they were free to do so. She just didn''t give a shit about it. The Savasci Knights were quick to follow their alpha, while the leaders were left bewildered at the sight that had met them. There were no formal greetings, no nothing, and instead it was just Awuor Hawi being her very scaryself. "They look like they want to kill us," Ruru snickered once they made it to the pirate elevator and wrote that the door had shut. They had been holding back theirughs and now that they were alone, they let out sighs of relief. "Fucking hell, that was so close. They had this disbelieving look on their faces. My goodness, it was golden," Mbali said excitedly as the elevator headed for the twelfth floor where the conference room they would use today was at. It was interesting how they were in the pajamas and oily faces not to mention how terrible they looked, and worse than homeless people, and yet even then they had damaged to be the center of attention. Anyone would have folded before the eldest gals that the realm''s leaders have them but then they were the Savasci Knights, a group of warriors known for their unhinged state and carefree attitude. "Well, even if we stopped to talk, what would we tell them? That we spent the entire night getting high on ice cream? They wouldn''t believe us either way," Hawi said and they let outughs before going back to their stoic faces when the elevator door opened. "They looked constipated though," Elodie said in a low voice as they walked majestically into the conference room. As the warriors opened the door, the Savasci Knights weren''t surprised to see that all the leaders were already sitting there. They may have had theirints for Hawi today, but they never for what happened thest time either of them had arrivedte to a meeting that Awuor Hawi chaired. It was like they could do everything else but not cross Hawi. She was a dangerous woman Hawi had scarred them over the years and they didn''t want to go through that again, even if there was a chance that she wouldn''t screw their faces up because they were apparent allies. But then hadn''t they always been allies when Hawi made some of them hang from the top of the building just because she hated how they breathed so loudly in the morning? Oh, Hawi was a piece of work, but she had no regrets of how she had carried herself. "Good morning. I trust you are well," Hawi greeted as she walked in with her misfits following closely behind her. Today, they were all in tuxes and looked like they had spent the entire morning preparing to look good for the meeting. Well, no one could be med for assuming so, especially since the Knights looked sharp and hot as hell. They looked like they were here for business and they didn''t have the intense urge to yawn since they had eaten shit since morning. ''My stomach is about to grumble. Fuck, we should have eaten,'' Ruru whined in theirmand mind link and the knights looked at each other sharing a look that seemed to remind each other of the downsides of waking upte. ''Perks of ice cream, and letting Sherry go so early,'' Malika added and Ruru pouted at her, before she went back to normal. There was silence in the room as the leaders waited for How to say something. They had responded to her greetings, but then Ruru and Elodie bickering in the mind links about whose fault it was that they were hungry and bothered, made the knights stay focused on the bickers. To everyone, they looked like they were staring at the leaders and hard, but then that wasn''t even the case. They couldn''t be bothered by this bunch of people, seeing as they had worked on everything yesterday anyway. "Anyone hungry? We have brought with us food," Hawi said suddenly and Malika stared at her like she had lost her mind. No one had been in the building for the house and there was no way there was food around. However, thankfully, Malika used her magic to bring warriors with food to the operations building. She had grabbed a few warriors for the building and put food in their hands making them even more confused. But then none of the warriors who had food had said shit, because they thought that this had to be because of the wild Savasci Knights. Maybe there would be an exnation someday, but today just wasn''t going to be it. "You can enjoy the food," Hawi said before adding; "We don''t have a lot to discuss as we spent the night working on reasonable resolutions. I wanted to share a meal with you in good faith to show you that this alliance is good to work. You can leave after eating. And thank you foring and tabling your ideas." It sounded like she was kicking them out of her pack but then that wasn''t the case and even if they felt so, none of them would say anything about it. They were still worried about every sing that was happening at the moment, so they went along with it. Thete brunch was a sess and two hourster, they were all done. The leaders had started making their way out of Sicario, each remembering the promise they had made and the agreement they hade to. There was no denying that there was a danger lurking around the realm and that the pressure on Hawi was going to grow tenfold but they could simply hope that there woulde better days. One by one, everything went back to normal on Sicario. However, when thest batch of leaders was a toy to leave, the unexpected happened something that got Hawi and the Savasci Knights stepping out of the illusion that Malika had created for them and staring at that reality with their own versions. An explosion was heard so ugly that it almost shot Sicario. The wolves were not sure whether this was supposed to happen and that too with the best of the realm still in Sicario, or if this was a drill. A part of them hoped that it was just a drill because this was not going to end well for the person on the other side. If this had been any other day, Sicario would have folded and the wolves would have been screamed their hearts back onto their houses. However, they didn''t. Instead, they just stood there waiting to see what could happen, though with their mouths on the oaks floor as they took in the sight before them. Life had to be some sort of a joke for them or this was straight up creepy. Simply put, Sicario was in shock; wolves and leaders alike. They couldn''tprehend what part of life this was supposed to be, but even the goddess wouldn''t ever be able to exin what the fuck was going on to these wolves. And even if she did, would anyone be ready to believe that? The warriors and wolves weren''t sure whether they needed to be shocked by the fact that someone had dared the impossible on their app, or they were supposed to be surprised that their leaders looked like they had crawled from a hen''s asshole. Enjoy new adventures from empire They looked like shit, but even in their state, they were ready to defend Sicario.N?v(el)B\\jnn Ignoring the gasps form the wolves and the realm leaders the crazed Savasci Knights made their way to the Sicario gates, whether they had just heard an explosion. It was like someone had decided to attack them and it was a stupid move. No one would win against Hawi, and with some of the realm''s leaders still in Sicario, this had to be the worst time for anyone tounch an attack on Sicario. It was almost like they had wanted to die so badly, but then was that supposed to be surprising? "Of course, it had to be Jeremiah Warner. You never learn, do you?" Hawi asked briefly as she stared at her fraud of a mate at the gates, trapped in one of the traps Hawi had set. She had known she was stupid, but this kind of stupid was not reasonable, right? Surely Jeremiah had to have a brain somewhere in his head, no? Chapter 342 Choices Did Have Interesting Consequences [HAWI] There were days when Hawi just wanted to be a normal girl who did normal things. A girl who didn''t have to worry about whatever the fuck would happen, or even the probability that someone would attack hr. home and she would have to gear up and fight. Those were the days she would try to live life in the most rxed way possible. The days when she would try to blend in and be normal, when she would show her people that there was more to life than the same routine. They always had one such beautiful day, which was why she had decided against getting out of bed early despite having not slept at all since two days ago. She wanted to feel normal. She wanted to let the bags under her eyes be a reminder that sometimes there was hope in blending with her people. But then unlike the days she had seeded, today seemed to be a whole different thing for her. Jeremiah Warner had made sure of that.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Oops?" Jer said as he looked at the Savasci Knights who were staring at him with bored faces. They look like they were constipated just from watching Jeremiah Warner. They couldn''t be med though. This man was the poster child for failure and he had excelled at it one too many times that they were no longer surprised. "What is it this time? Hmm? Come on get killed? Come to try your luck with death again?" Hawi asked broadly and Jer just stood there as he looked at the woman he had fallen in love with even though there was no chance that they would ever bloom. He had hoped and in the process had fallen for the woman, impossible again. Maybe it was just his luck, or maybe Jer was way past the games that were ever being yed in Sicario, right? But who was ying games? "My fight is not with you, Awuor. My fight is with the woman who killed the woman I love. That bitch parading beside you and looks like she has won wars endless times. She is the one I am after today," Jer said as the Savasci knights watched amusedly. His description fit so well, but unlike Hawi who had wanted a rxed day, her protector was feeling like shit and that always ended up with her breaking someone''s bones and doing irreparable damage to her prey. "Who?" Hawi asked even though she knew what Year was aiming for. He was dumb. He had to be because there was no way he had caused an explosion just because he wanted to talk to Malika Jabali. Or maybe he had lost his mind thest time he had died right? Surely that had to be the only exnation because this was insane. Hell, no one in power or even powerful enough would brother Jabali Malika. "The one with the name my beautiful Malika had. That imposter. I want to fight her. I need to make things right for my Malika," Jer said and Mbali let out augh as she stared at the madness before them. "Go back to what you were doing, Sicario. There are no casualties, and the leaders here are just leaving. As for me and my friends, we are going to bed. We had quite the night and are sleep-deprived. "You all can go now, there is nothing to see here, alright," Mbali said to the wolves who had not yet understood what the fuck was going on here. Of course, some were worried that they would be aware, and others knew that nothing would happen. Awuor Hawi had fought tooth and nail to have her home back and safe, and she wouldn''t let a measly failed dumb warrior fuck that up for her. She wouldn''t let Jer have the upper hand in this and her people trusted her to fix the Jeremiah mess. Maybe they trusted her too much. But then this same woman had brought them out of the rubble one too many times that it was no longer surprising that she was capable of doing so many things at the same time. She was their powerhouse, and they would believe in her, the girl who had been there no matter what happened, and the girl whose promises of forever had never once failed. She had been there for them regardless. "Are you guysing or are you going to stand there and watch the man make a fool of himself?" Mbali asked and the Savasci Knights just shook their heads at Jer before they walked back to the pack house. Hawi and Ruru had remained to make sure the remaining leaders had safe passage out of Sicario. Thankfully Jer had created the mess outside of Sicario, which meant that there was nothing that could happen within Sicario. "I''ll see you in three months during the next meeting," Hawi said to the leaders as they made their way out. As if they needed assurance for protection from whatever mess Jer was nning, Hawi cast a protection spell on the leaders. That was going to hold until they reached their territories and then the protection would wear off as they would be safer in their homes and they own their protocols better. And so, when thest of thedies left, Hawi held her mate''s hands and went home too. "I still need to talk to Malika!!" Jer shouted and the warriors stare at him wondering what the fuck was wrong with him. They had seen for themselves how fucked up a leader Jeremiah Warner was and they didn''t trust him anymore. If anything, they would kill him if he so much as tried to wade through the borders of Sicario. Even though there was still a high chance that he wouldn''t be able to get into Sicario again. "Open these gates!" Jer shouted and Hawi sighed before she opened the gates for Her, who didn''t think twice before he tried to rush into Sicario. However, his attempts were met with an epic fail as his hands began reducing to askes the more he pushed. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire He wasn''t allowed back into Sicario and the warriors watched excitedly as the man slowly lost his hands. Jer didn''t realize it soon enough and by the time he did, he was left with just upper arms that were useless to him. "What? No!!" Jer screamed as the pain hit him instantly when he stepped out of the boundaries and back beyond Sicario. Jer had been unconscious for two days after the reinstatement of Hawi, and when he woke up outside of Sicario, he was confident that the clouds would still go back given it was his home. Then it didn''t work and here he was, bleeding profusely. The Sicario warriors at the watchtower stared in shock as Jer turned paler. It was like he had lost everything that could be useful to him. They could however see how angry he was as he tried to chant shit, but none of that did work for him. It was like he was a mess, and they couldn''t figure out a way this really was. "Holy shit," the Sicario warriors gasped as they watched a portal suddenly open and three men stepped out, and dragged Jer back with them. However, they didn''t fail to see how the three men had looked at the Sicario gate, it was almost like they would be back. No matter what they were thinking, Sicario had changed and it wouldn''t be an easy conquest for anyone. Chapter 343 The Minefields of Maybes [HAWI] "Why are you pouty? Is it because Jer wants you?" Elodie asked a pouting Malika if she looked cute as hell but then there was a chance that she would snap heads if anyone told her she looked cute. "Don''t even get me started on that. All I want is to get some sleep and now three shadow warlocks took Her. How the fuck am I supposed to sleep knowing he is out there?" Malika asked softly, making Elodie stare at her in surprise. This was the first time she had heard Malika whine like this. She had never seen the woman with slumped shoulders and the fact that she was letting Elodie know, either meant that she trusted Elodie to show her her weakness. Or she was getting ready to leave. Whichever way, Elodie was just d that she was hearing this from the woman she loved. It had been a while since they had some time alone and fatigue was something that was burned with the amount of work Malika had to tend to. "You¡­ You''re actually opening up to me?" Elodie asked after a short silence. Her mind was going crazy with that possibility and why it was just in her head, she couldn''t help but hope that one of the most dangerous women was opening up to her. Maybe Oldie was overthinking this. Maye it all didn''t mean shit and maybe, just maybe she was way over the limits of what humanity Malika would sound like, but goddamn, this was huge. They were currently in Elodie''s suite in the pack house. When they came back, Malika couldn''t go to the secondary alpha suite where she had slept with Her throughout the years she had been here as Jer''s wife. She had considered going to the guest rooms like her sister, but then Elodie was against it because then she wouldn''t have to spend time with the woman she loved. Unlike Hawi''s suite which was dark, Elodie''s suite bloomed with life. It looked beautiful and was more weing. It was like a ce where people went to heal their broken souls, only that the only other person who had been here with Elodie was Malika and that was one of the days that she had been fucked by Elodie. "Well¡­ Mistress trusts you, and she said mates can be trusted. I chose you to be my mate and mate I''m overthinking it¡­ never mind, I''ll just get some sleep, alright? Let me know in case of anything; "Thought I would probably sense it sooner," Malika said as she got under the covers. She had been drained in the past two days. She had used a lot of her protector energy to keep the operations building age and to make sure that even though the fire wards of Sicario were down, Sicario was safe. Malika hated failing, and if anything happened to Sicario when she was here and her Mistress got hurt, then even a death sentence would be too easy a punishment for her. She would make herself suffer for that regardless. "And please don''t tell Mistress that I am fatigued. A little sleep will get me recharged alright. Anyway, see you when I wake up, sweetheart," Malika said as she grabbed one of the pillows and hugged it as she tried to get some sleep.N?v(el)B\\jnn She was about to drift off, when Elodie grabbed the pillow and put it on the side, making Malika open her eyes inside. The wild protector was never one for emotions or letting people in, and yet she had let Elodie in. Sure, she never knew what people did when they were in a rtionship, but Malika was certain that they didn''t disrupt the other''s sleep regardless. That was not fair and mean, right? Well, that was still debatable. Elodie got into bed beside her mate who was still staring at her, curious to know what the warrior was aiming for. All of this was new to her, but Malika was too tired; she just needed to rest. "It''s okay to feel fatigued," Elodie said softly as she pulled Malika closer to her, so Malika''s head was resting on her arm. She always loved it when her woman was soft and by doing Elodie like that she was letting her in. "I can feel relieved because of fatigue, E. I can''t lose. I have never lost, and I refuse to start losing again," Malika mumbled softly as she snuggled closer to Elodie who held her delicately like she was scared Malika would break. "I know, krushka, I know," Elodie said as she removed a stray hair from her Malika''s face. "But how about we forget that we are warriors in our suite, huh? I just want you to be yourself when we are beyond these walls, where no one will look at you differently for letting go, and trying to breathe. "Can you do that for me,'''' Elodie asked softly as she gently raised Malika''s chin, so they were staring at each other face to face. Elodie could see hope in Malika''s eyes and that made her smile a little. This was really happening and she was d that Malika didn''t have to do this alone no matter how tempting it was for her. Malika was being humane, and boy was it a pretty sight to live in. Discover exclusive tales on empire "What if you don''t like who I am away from being the fierce protector? What if I prove useless to you here? What if I end up being just another person in your life who means nothing? "What if we were wrong about the mate bond? What if everything is just a result of the war and that you never loved me in the first ce and just tolerated me for Mistress''s sake? What if all of this is not worth it in the end?" Malika asked defeatedly. She had clearly been thinking too much about this. Elodie was seeing the raw version of Malika and boy was she interested in knowing more. It was like she had finally managed to open the book on the shelf that she had always wanted to read and she loved it. "What if when the war ends you realize that whatever we had was just a way for the both of us to cope with the chaos around us? What then? As it is, I tried to kill you the first days we met. Who''s to say I won''t try that again? "I am dangerous, Elodie, what if my enemies get wind of this, ande for you? What will I do then? What will Mistress think of me? What if she forces me to leave and nevere back? Is it really worth the risk? "Am I really with the pile of risks that are headed your way if this continues? Won''t you regret it sometimeter? What if you don''t like me even then? What if you realize I am a terrible monster that is unworthy of love? "Will you still want me? Will you still want to be associated with me? Will it even be worth it? Fuck, am I really worth the trouble that you might get into along the way? What if¡ª" Malika rambled on, only for Elodie to shut her up with a fervent kiss. Chapter 344 Only For You, Princessa [HAWI] When they pulled back for the kiss, Malika hid her face in Elodie''s shirt as if that were supposed to work when they were both high on each other and their desire had just propelled further. This was hopeless. Elodie gently kissed Malika''s forehead before she pushed her from her little shirt hideout, just enough so they could be looking at each other. Malika''s mango scent had filled the room and Elodie Kane was obsessed with it.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I love you too," Elodie said as she peppered kisses on Malika''s face. "What?" Malika asked, not sure where this was stemming from. Surely Elodie couldn''t have heard her confession months ago, right? It just made no sense after all this time, especially when Malika''s mind was bugged with so many what-ifs. "I love you, krushka. I don''t care about what happened in the past or even what will happen in the future when we are here. What matters is this moment just you and I, two people who love each other with everything they have and don''t have. "If I have to say it every single day, then I will, just so you understand that no matter what happens within and beyond these rooms, there is not a soul that I wouldn''t fight for you and your happiness. "I love you in ways that drive me crazy, and I want you to know that I am not going anywhere, Malika. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. If you''re tired of leaning on me, I will always be there for you, krushka," Elodie said between kisses. She loved this wild woman more than she loved her life and boy did she love her life so very much. She would do whatever it took to keep one of the strongest women she knew safe from the world and herself if there was a need for that. "I missed you," Malika said as she rubbed her knees on Elodie''s crotch, making the warrior''s breath hitch in her throat. She had jumped into bed to make Malika feel better but goddamn, if she continued like this, then it would be a whole different thing altogether. "You will always have me," Elodie stained out when she felt her dick twitching and Malika''s rubs increased their space. It was tempting, very tempting, but wolf Elodie held herself back from this? "You promise?" Malika asked, her eyes staring right into Elodie''s while her hands were already inside Elodie''s pajamas, stroking her girth like it was the only thing that the wolf protector lived for. "What?" Elodie asked, only for Malika to kiss her scent nds, before biting and suckling on them. "You''ll tell me if ever it gets too much, right?" Malika whispered huskily in Elodie''s ears, making the warrior wonder what that even meant. Was this about the future or the moment? What the fuck was she even supposed to respond to that? "I¡ª" Elodie said, only for Malika to get under the covers, down to Elodie''s crotch that she had been rubbing for a while now. It was like the world was slowly making sense for the both of them, but goddamn wasn''t it a tempting fate. "I missed you so much," Malika said as she used her sharp nails to tear the fabric that was covering the one thing she had been desiring for a while now. Maybe the protector was being delirious, but hadn''t they just agreed that within these walls, they were just two people in love? That in itself was the perfect motivator for Malika to go down on Elodie. "So so much," Malika breathed as she stared at the long shaft she was holding. She could feel it pulsing in her hands and she could already imagine how it would feel in her mouth, especially now that she could see the shiny precum on the tip. "You''re so pretty¡­ and mine," Malika whispered as she ran her tongue on Elodie''s tip, making the warrior twitch. She had been trying to hold her fort, but with Malika whispering to herself and kissing her dick like life was just about all this, she couldn''t think. Elodie could feel her mind grow foggy and for some reason, she was sure if there was an invasion in Sicario right now, she wouldn''t be able to think straight. Fuck, she wanted to feel that pretty mouth on her shaft. However, she was waiting to see what her krushka would do. "Are you doing alright, baby?" Elodie strained out when she felt Malika stroking her shaft, while her tongue lingered on her tip,pping in shifts while letting out satisfied moans with every long lick. Elodie was doomed, she knew that much. "Never better," Malika said, wrapping her lips around Elodie''s shaft, before she slowly sank her head on the shaft. She could feel how thick it was, and how long it was, given her throat had been poked more than once already. The temptation to lift the covers was intense for Elodie as she was desperate to watch her krushka suck her off. She wanted to watch the prettiest woman take what was hers and boy did she want to see how hungry her mate was. Self-control was something that had taken a liking to evading Elodie Kane whenever she was with Malika Jabali. It was almost like they were always in another dimension altogether and she wasn''tining about it one bit. The protector bobbed her head up and down her mate''s shaft, stroking asionally while relishing the feeling of the pulsing dick in her mouth, not to mention the smooth release that came off the tip. She loved it, she was enjoying this and she wanted to stay here all day. Malika was obsessed with everything Elodie, but none more than the long shaft she was sucking off at the moment. "Fucking hell," Elodie moaned out when she felt Malka increase the pace she was sucking her with. "I won''t be able to hold back sweetheart," Elodie tried to reason with Malika, but the woman just kept sucking her off, faster and in long stokes, letting her desperation be known by the one woman who could give her what she really wanted at the moment. "Shit¡­ shit, shit, shit," Elodie cussed when she felt her dick swelling with a knot. She would release in Malika''s mouth if she wasn''t careful, but then that seemed to be what Malika needed because she didn''t stop sucking and stroking. "Ahh¡­ Nghh¡­" Elodie grunted in pleasure as she hit her high, with her mate''s mouth. It didn''t take long for her to release her entire load in Malika''s mouth and the protector swallowed it all, making sure to clean the shaft up, before she started again. Explore stories at empire Elodie had lost count of the number of times she had orgasmed in her matte''s mouth, but when she heard Malika''s pajamas tearing, while her mouth was still on Elodie''s dick, the warrior knew this would be a pretty long evening. "Give me more¡­ E, please," Malikan begged when she pulled Elodie''s sloppy dick out of her mouth, and positioned her dripping cunt right above the wet dick that was still pulsing and creaming. "Thought you''d never ask," Elodie said as she mmed into her mate''s waiting cunt with one thrust, earning a relieved moan from an excited Malika who knew she was about to be fucked tilt the stars showed up. Chapter 345 Love In A Normal That Was Skewed [HAWI] For seven months, Sicario worked to restore themselves back to the top of the list of the strongest packs in the realm. Their power could once again be felt and their alpha had made sure that everything was better than it had been before. There was heightened security. The biometrics system was such that no one without the Sicario DNA would ever be let in even if they managed to fool the fingerprint scanners. The blood samples were well known and the system would detect any anomaly. Alpha Awuor had made sure the R&D department maximized the resources they were given and fuck, Sicario was imprable on all fronts. There was an invisible barrier, one that kept unauthorized people from portaling in, and all sorts of ck magic couldn''t find its way into Sicario. That was because the blood of the white wolf had been used on the magic that was used to create the barrier. Once again, Sicario was blooming, and everyone was happy. However, unlike Sicario which was safe, and Greyson which was well protected, the realm was crumbling slowly. "There are more dangerous reports out there, Mistress," Malika said as she handed her mistress the files she hadpiled when she had gone to check the status of the realm. It wasn''t getting any better and they all knew it was because they had taken a step back. "How are the other protectors doing?" Hawi asked, raising her head towards her protector. Malika had been a great help over the months and there was no denying that some things would have been impossible without her help. Of course, to Malika, that was just her duty, but then how was one to show gratitude where it was owed, because Malika had gone out of her way to make sure that Sicario was imprable just like the rest. She had presented some of the best ideas for keeping Greyson and Sicario safe, to the point that Rukiya Greyson never had to worry about her pack anymore. Sure, she missed them, but the asional letters the Greyson alpha received from Hudhayfah were positive. "Holding the fort, but they can only hold on for so long. The attacks are increasing and while the number of dead people hasn''t risen that fast, we need to get ready to get back out there," Malika said earnestly. The longer they stayed on their little not-so-vacation vacation, there were masses of impending panic out there. The task force that Hawi and the leaders had created, had worked so well and the second batch had just been dispatched. However, the only problem with all of that was the fact that the shadow warlocks had gotten wind of the n of action and were trying their best to st as much dark magic as they could. It took a while for them to make it through, but then they are growing stronger. And with Hawi not being a threat to them at the moment, the warlocks were utilizing that little chance. It was not safe, but it was just a matter of time, no? "Please hand me the remote, let me show you something," Hawi said to her protector who walked over to get her the remote. Everything seemed normal, even though Ruru was seated on Hawi''sp, cock warming her. Initially, Malika would tease them, but with their responsibilities increasing, the bickering had stopped. Well, probably because they were always too busy thinking about how to keep the realm safe. Hawi had wanted Rukiya to not workpletely because the woman had done the one thing that she herself had not been able to do. She wanted her mate to live her life and do whatever she wanted to without the pressure of being an alpha. If anything, it was safe to say that Hawi was leading both packs. It was crazy at first, seeing how much of a workaholic Rukiya Greyson had been, but then Hawi had eased that up for her,. Granted, Ruru was always present in all the meetings and participated actively, but then she already knew that Hawi was doing the work with the rest so she would have some time to rx. It was always heartwarming, and frankly, it was unexpected but impressive. The woman who had been used to working long nights didn''t have to anymore, and Hawi was making sure that she felt safe and still as powerful as she had always been. They were perfect for each other. "Those are the blueprints of the entire realm. It took a while with the drone canvassing, but they came in earlier today. We can spot their hiding areas here, so it would be easier to take them outpletely," Hawi said as she pressed on to reveal an even better slide. There were somements on the slides, but they were readable and made sense so it was easier for them to grasp and make decisions. "You should focus on the areas withrge abandoned warehouses. Thest raid on their facilities left them without a chance to prepare a centralized positioning for them. The warehouses are easier seeing that they are always on the move. "It''s more convenient and allows them to get up and leave without much trouble. And check the truckingpanies. Huge trucks always bridge the difference between the supernatural realm and the human realm. "They could be using those trucks to stay hidden. I hope the trucks to Sicario never enter the pack, because then that would be the kind of breach that would render everything we worked for¡­ hard," Ruru said. The Greyson alpha lifted her ass up, only to sit back down on Hawi''s dick, earning a low groan from Hawi. Ruru was seated while facing Hawi, so she wasn''t able to see the map for herself or even the slides, but her ideas were impressive. The people they were dealing with were not newbies in the business of disappearing, or even making people and things disappear. "That makes sense. And no, the trucks don''t enter Sicario. Mbali and Elodie are always coordinating her transport trucks and checking them at the gates. The warriors too, along with Theo, so there haven''t been any breaches," Malika said as she focused on the slides. "Hold on, let me see," Ruru said, before she shifted so that Ruru''s back was the one facing Hawi, while she was staring at the slides too. She casually lifted her ass, and Hawi returned her girth into Ruru''s cunt like it was normal. Well, that was no matter because they were three key brains in figuring out the next phase of whatever they had to do to keep the realm safe. "When was thest time we heard of Jeremiah?" Ruru asked as she rolled her hips on Hawi''sp, earning low grunts from Hawi, as the Sicario alpha tried to not make this about them anymore. Sure, their scents had already filled the room, but surely it was understandable, right? "Seven months ago, why?" Malika asked, looking at her mattress''s mate. Your adventure continues at empire Rukiya had gotten prettier over the months and it was probably because she was well fucked and fed, not to mention she always got enough sleep. Finally, they were all doing better than they had been when the war had begun. They had really needed this break. "That red truck, it''s never made trips to Sicario¡­ it''s a new one. Did we change trucks?" Ruru asked, as she pointed at the CCTV cameras at the front gate. There was indeed a red truck that was out of ce. In the past weeks, Rukiya had been monitoring everything alongside the rest of the Savasci Knights and she was determined to make sure that no one would take her Hawi away from her or even make Hawi sad. It was not something that she would achieve with ease, but it was her goal regardless. No matter what happened along the way, she would keep her promise and protect the woman she loved. After all, this was just the signing for them. "Are you sure?" Hawi asked her mate who was wiggling on her, pumping herself with Hawi''s dick like it was normal for her. Well, they had changed a lot, but that''s alright because at least their team had remained intact despite how busy they had all been. "Yeah. It looks like they came for surveince for something. Look at the tires. Those are not tires meant to carry the amount of supplies we need in the realm or even Sicario entirely. They are lightweight tires. "These trucks are not product trucks but something else. Anyway, let''s wait and see what happens there," Ruru said, swinging her hips against Hawi''s crotch.N?v(el)B\\jnn This was supposed to be an innocent cock warming session. But then with Hawi''s dick pulsing in her cunt, fucking her into bits and still not getting her what she wanted at the right speed, the horny Greyson Alpha had to take matters into her own hands. That way it was easier for her to get whatever she wanted from Hawi, which was a mind-blowing orgasm. "Check the specs, Malika," Hawi said, and the protector already begun running the specs agent software they had installed. Oh, how the security measures in Sicario were state of the art. Granted they were not worried about them being attacked or anything, but they needed to be ready in case the shadow warlocks suddenly decided to grow balls and screw them up. Well, that would be a long shot, seeing as the Sicario warriors were always up and alert. "They don''t match the product trucks," Malika confirmed and they said while they watched the interactions at the gate. "Mbali, use the digital scanner I gave you to see inside the red truck. Don''t use your magic as it may cause an explosion and make them think we''re onto them," Malika said to her sister. Chapter 346 Of Decisions That Did Hurt For A Moment [HAWI] "Mbali, use the digital scanner I gave you to see inside the red truck. Don''t use your magic as it may cause an explosion and make them think we''re onto them," Malika said to her sister who was at the gates. They both knew how delicate the situation was and while Malika, Ruru, and Hawi watched from the Alpha''s office, the duo at the gates were checking the products well before they let the transfers begin and offloading too. "Alright," Mbali responded before she tapped on the digital scanner and began checking the truck. With each swipe around the truck, the specs were sent to themand center and the Alpha''s office where they were waiting. After two rounds of checking, Mbali stared at the truck, wondering if this was just something that had been sent here by mistake, or three as a purpose for his. Well, in the little time they had been in Sicario, Mbali knew nothing was ever a coincidence. She was aware of howplex things are and that was also how she knew that this shit was suspicious. So, she used her magic tag and tagged the tyres of the truck, hoping that it would lead them to whatever the truck driver was headed. "It''s empty, Malika... Why would the humans send us an empty truck colored in red?" Mbali was even though a part of her was swollen connecting the possible dots that didn''t sound so pleasant at all. "The truck wasn''t from the humans. The Seven are challenging us to step out of the barrier since we''ve been here for a long while. They are determined to make sure we get out of ourfort zone," Malika mused excitedly. It had been a while since she had smacked someone into tomorrow and the thought of that happening with Jer and the shadow warlocks was getting her way too excited than any normal person would have ever been. Then again, she was Malika Jabali, so this wasn''t supposed to be surprising, right? "Finish up and the both of you can meet me at Farida''s stall," Hawi said and they just agreed since it would be more rxing to be with Farida around. Maybe it was because Farida gave Hawi the kind offort only a mother could. She empathized with the girl who had uwfully lost her mother and that was worth something, right? "Alright, and the both of you finish up too. I don''t want my ice cream smelling like sex," Malika said as she walked out of the alpha''s office, leaving the two mates staring at each other with tears in their eyes. "Now where were we¡ª'''' Hawi said before she and Ruru began chasing their high. *** Stay tuned for updates on empire Farida''s stall was buzzing with life as the kids and adults alike came for the woman''s ice cream. She was the best constant of their lives and most of the kids made sure to branch there after school or even during lunch hours. They loved the ice cream vendor so much and it wasn''t that hard to tell why, seeing as the woman was the embodiment of kindness and a life that meant everything to those that cared about her. The Savasci Knights were currently seated in the farthest section of the ice cream park that had been built. It was a beautiful park with a roof that prevented the faster melting of ice cream. It was like they lived and loved ice cream anyway. "Asmodeus came to me," Elodie said and the Savasi knights groaned in unison. They had seen the man and watched how he acted over the past seven months and clearly, he was greatly affected by his demotion. Hawi had expected that he would run off with Jer when they had run off, or even be the link that Jeremiah Warner had with Sicario, but then there was nothing. It was almost like the old man was trying to live the rest of his days as an honorable man. He always attended the meetings that Hawi called. He was always there to give some opinion just like all the Sicario wolves were entitled to one. He did try his best to make sure reality wasn''t as harsh and that life wasn''t as bad for him. He had even volunteered to join the knights in their fight but then there were no empty slots in the Savasci Knights team. These five women had been to hell and back and they weren''t about to let anyone fuck them up again. "What did he not do this time?" Rukiya asked as she rested her head on Hawi''sp and watched the kids run around. She always wished she could bear some kids for Hawi, and while the time wasn''t right and she knew it, Ruru hoped there could be women on such a day. She hoped that there woulde a time when she and Hawi had kids that ran around in their house, kids that made their lives better and happier, kids that gave them a reason to keep living and fighting. Maybe she was hoping for too much, but that was it when Hawi knew what she wanted and was more than ready to give it to her no matter what happened? Hawi would do whatever it took to make sure that life was better for her people and her family? She would make sure the smile on her mate''s face never left and that was the only constion as she always woke up and prepared herself for the king''s battle. It was the final act of their war ad it would be messy as fuck. There was no denying that much anyway. "Just the usual. He came to ask for forgiveness for the things he had done over the past four years. He said he was doing it for Sicario and even produced logs of what he had been typing the entire time. "I want to trust him, but it''s almost a little too perfect, like he was expecting that someday this would happen and he would need proof of it. On one hand, I think he is genuine; "But on the other, he was a little too meticulous for someone who was apparently loyal to the Sicario crown," Elodie said earnestly. She had been thinking of how it was all a little too perfect and at the same time, how wholesome it was. They had seen so many people try to bring them down in the pretense of trust and they were just trying to protect themselves from the pain of losing even more. They had taken the worst of the hits so it was expected that they protected each other no matter what happened. "Well, that doesn''t matter at the moment. We will be leaving Sicario tomorrow anyway," Hawi said, making her friends look at her, the excitement on their faces coupled with the surprise of what was currently happening. It was like she had just talked of the most interesting thing for them. They had been at a break for a long time and maybe it was time that they stepped out, and faced whatever adversaries were there. After all, it wasn''t like there was much that they would do within Cicero now that the pack was restored, right? "And Elodie will be the pack alpha, that means she will be staying home," Hawi added, instantly shutting them up.N?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 347 Soon, Sweet Sister, Soon [HAWI] "Well, that doesn''t matter at the moment. We will be leaving Sicario tomorrow anyway," Hawi said, making her friends look at her, the excitement on their faces coupled with the surprise of what was currently happening. "And Elodie will be the pack alpha, that means she will be staying home," Hawi added, instantly shutting them up.N?v(el)B\\jnn Ever since Elodie learned of who Hawi truly was and her journey, there hadn''t been any issues between them. If anything, the two best friends had been on the best terms with each other and right now, as Elodie looked at Hawi, she didn''t understand why. She had so many questions and she sure hoped that this was just a prank, but then the surprise on the Savasci team''s faces was proof that none of them had expected this either. It was like they were about to be broken up. But would it really work? "Wh¡ª why? I thought she was a good addition to the team?" Ruru asked Hawi, eating Mbali. Malika would have asked questions but it was never her right to question the woman she served. It was like Hawi''s word was gospel to her and she would never be able to free herself from it. At the moment, she could only hope that Hawi didn''t order her to not see her sister again, because then that would be a little hard for Malika. Mates could be found whenever, since they all had long lives, but then sisters were something different and Malika would never have agreed to it. Perhaps she was being a loyal one, but then even Hawi knew better in that context. "She is, that is why she is the only one I can trust to keep Sicario safe and well protected. She is a warrior and a highborn like me. She is capable of keeping the pack sane and she has an immortal life. That makes her the perfect ruler of Sicario. "Besides, there is no one with as much power and audacity to trample on anyone who poses a threat on Sicario that I could trust more than Elodie for the position," Hawi said as she looked at her sister. Elodie was confused between being happy that Hawi had trusted her or sad that she wouldn''t join the wild adventures. Sure, the missions would be interesting but then they would be dangerous. Way too dangerous and Kane knew that too. As she looked at her sister, Elodie knew that this wasn''t a decision that Hawi had made today even a year ago. This had to have been the n from the very beginning, from the moment Hawi had let her live when she realized it in the Greyson woods, years ago. "I knew this day wasing, I just hoped it wouldn''t be this soon," Elodie said her voice shaking at the fact that she wouldn''t be able to take care of Hawi, but then her sister would be in great hands. The three women beside Hawi had proven more than once to be the best addition to other terms. They had proven that they would always put How''s life before all of theirs and always fight to protect her. She was safe and Elodie was happy about that. She was d that even though it had taken years and years, Hawi was finally happy with her little gang of misfits. "I thought you would try to reason with her. You are her sister?" Rukiya asked, clearly not understanding how Elodie was epting this so easily. If anything, Elodie should have been the one to fight for Hawi and let Hawi know that they were all a part of the team. But then again, perhaps there was always some reason, right? After all, Awuor Hawi never did things just for the sake of it. "I trust her, Rukiya. Whatever decision she makes is for the best. Like you said, I am her sister and I could be a weakness to her and even Malika. I know if therees a chance for Hawi to choose between her life and me, she will choose me, and that is not how I want things to be. "My sister deserves to live and be free. As for Malika, we both already knew that if there came a choice between either of us and Hawi, we would always choose Hwi. That much has been clear from the beginning of our rtionship. "We both are here to protect Hawi. Besides, the only reason she is letting youe along, is because she knows you won''tpromise when ites to her. You love her just like we all do, so let''s not think too much about this and consider it as a chance for a better reunion. "After all, it''s not like you guys are going to die and leave me here, eh?" Elodie said and Rukiya stared at her in disbelief. It was like she had long known this was about but damn, it was too easy. It was too simple. Then again, long before Rukiya even got closer to Hawi, she had known of the warrior who would take everyone''s life for the sake of her best friend. The warrior who was never scared to challenge even the Sicario household when it came to protecting her best find. Rukiya had heard of the vicious warrior who would run everyone over if they so much as tried to fuck up anything rted to Hawi. She knew Elodie Kane was a vicious warrior and that got her as the best recement for Hawi. "She is way too familiar with the dynamics of Sicario from the onset. She can do this. And we will check in with her asionally just like we do with Sherry, Hudhayfah and Zane in Greyson. Everything will be fine. Explore hidden tales at empire "I trust my sister with my life. Now stop being so surprised and let''s run along and have some actual fun," Hawi said and the Savasci Knights just stared at her softly. Malika in particr, was very proud of the girl she was watched over for the moment she had been born. She was a prodigy of how Hawi had grown to the point that she was willing to entrust her entire pack to her best friend. It was the kind of trust that didn''te easily, especially given how Has always had endless trust issues. The fact that she was doing this and that too with Elodie went to show that she was letting people in. Hawi was letting herself take a chance on the people she loved. Sure, they still didn''t know what the oue would be, but then it was something that they would figure out along the way. That was more than they could think of at the moment. "Come on guys, you make it look like a funeral," Elodie said in an attempt to cheer them up. She knew it would take a while for this to dawn on them, especially the woman she loved but then it was a reality they had to face at some point in time. Besides the mission was to find Jer and the shadow warlocks and get revenge for everything that had happened over the years. It was not going to be easy, but then it was something that they had been preparing for for years, right? "Fine,e along. Thest one gets to climb the pawpaw tree," Malika said before she took the lead hand-in-hand with her mate. Chapter 348 Goodbyes Were Temporary, Right? [HAWI] That evening was an emotional one for the Sicario wolves. The learning of their alpha''s departure was something that they hadn''t been looking forward to. They had done a lot together in the seven months that they had been together with Hawi. Most of them wanted to ask for more time but when they heard Hawi''s reason for leaving, there wasn''t much that could be done. There were threats out there and there was also the possibility that the realm needed the white wolf. They couldn''t be the reasons why was held back from her responsibilities. Sure, they had known she was destined to be better, but then it didn''t make it any better especially now that they were here at this particr point, Maybe someday they would embrace the change, right? "Treat her as you would me, because I trust her with my life. Whoever she chooses to be the beta and to help her, you must respect them. The elders she chooses as part of the elders'' council must also be respected. "I am telling you this not just because I hope toe back to a thriving Sicario, but also because I know that my sister is one of the best warriors Sicario has ever had. She was with me on the frontline my entire life and I know her. "I trust her for who she is, the warrior and the powerful leader that she is, even before I love her as my sister. With that, you are all dismissed. Don''t worry though, in case of any issues, you are well protected. "My sister does that best," Hawi said as she looked proudly at Elodie. She would miss her, but what else was there for her? They had had a seven-month break and as much as she wanted to stay longer in Sicario, even she knew that it was pointless. There were greater demons to y out there. After all, Hawi had grown to love the madness that he found in the war zone. She was born for war. She was born to be the first line of defense for the realm and time had been kind to her, but right now, she was needed out there, fulfilling her duty as the white wolf and getting her vengeance. With her goodbyes to her people done, Hawi was excited and nervous at the same time. She wasn''t sure when she would ever really be back home and she would miss it so much. Maybe that was also why she spent half the night walking around Sicario with her protector as she assessed the region and made sure that no matter where she was, her people and her best friend would be safe from any attacks. "Do you think we''ll be back soon?" Hawi asked hopefully even though a part of her knew that she would never experience this in a long time. She was aware that over the years the taste of Farida''s ice cream would probably be reced with the scent of blood and the taste of thick crimson blood on her lips. Oh, how she would miss her home. "Do you want the ttery answer or the truth?" Malika asked as they walked slowly around Sicario. The protector understood Hawi and she knew it wasn''t going to be easy for hawi, just like it had been a little hard for Malika, the first time the protectors hade calling in her Lycan pack. She had just been ten at the time and she didn''t know much about protecting anyone or even herself. Hell, the only thing she knew of was just her meal hours. She was always a carefree kid and then the protectors came for her and her life had never been the same since. Malika had been subjected to things that killed the light that had been shining in her eyes and in its ce was a darkness that was all-consuming, a darkness that made her the ultimate viin. She had lost track of her soul over the years, buttely, with Elodie, she felt like her light wasing back. Funny how she too, had to be snatched away from that because of their responsibility to the realm. "tter me. Just this night, Malika," Hawi said casually. Malika sighed softly as she looked at her Mistress. She knew that they would always need an escape but perhaps tonight it was Hawi''s turn to look for an escape that didn''t involve hearing herself. Oh, how they hade far with the broken Sicario girl. "Alright then, Mistress. We will be back, all of us. We will be back as winners, with every evil conquered. There will be peace in the realm for the very first time and the crown of the werewolf queen will find an owner after over three thousand years," Malika said. She was earnest in everything she said. Sure, there was a chance that she was hoping for so much, seeing as the entire realm had never seen a werewolf queenpletely bring peace to the realm. Maybe she had too much hope, but that was the only thing Hawi needed at the moment was hope. The hope was that this right here, wasn''t thest time she would be in Sicario for a really long time. "That makes me feel a little better," Hawi said as she looked at her protector. The night was still young, but the air was slowly changing. The wolves of Sicario were dejected because they wouldn''t see their daughter for a long time, but this time, they were letting her leave. They were letting her go fight the wars ande back home. They would be waiting for her, that much was certain.N?v(el)B\\jnn The truths that had unfolded over the past free months hadn''t been easy for the Sicario wolves to ept, but they were truths that led them toward the light. Those truths had seen their home bloom into the beauty it was now. "Well, you need to get some rest, Mistress. From tomorrow, sleep will be something we will all crave. There will be days and months when we won''t ever be able to sleep. So go, Mistress. "Go hold your mate closely tonight. Go be there with her without any worries tonight, for it will be a while before we all get in touch with your humanity. Go enjoy whatever remains of the bond you adore so much; "Because from tomorrow, you won''t be walking out there as Rukiya Greyson''s mate, mistress. And I won''t be Elodie Kane''s beloved. When the sunes up, you will be the white wolf, and she will be the Greyson alpha. "We will be back to our default settings. So, go. Go hold her tighter one more time for a while, because the journey we will take, is one that even the deities wouldn''t be able to hold back," Malika said and Hawi stared at her defeatedly. She wanted to say something, but then she knew Malika was right. Tonight, would be thest night they spent freely without worrying about what could happen to them or even Sicario. This was essentially what anyone would call theirst night of freedom. "You too, Malika. Go, be with Elodie too," Hawi said before they walked back to the pack house. When Sicario woke up the next morning, the four Savasci Knights were gone. Chapter 349 The Mission of The Damned Hearts [HAWI] "Hello Atticus, it''s been a while," the Savasci Knights greeted as they stared at the three shadow warlocks they had transferred out of Sicario and into a ce that not even Elodie Kane knew of. It was a precautionary measure, probably because Hawi already knew that she would be leaving her best friend behind and didn''t want to worry her. It was also a safety measure for Elodie to focus on the rock alone. "Well, aren''t you four darlings of the dark knight," Niki said grumpily when Malika kicked him in the chin, forcing the man to try and lift his head from the ground where he was tied up like a rag doll. Despite the fact that the Savasci Knights hadn''t tortured them for seven months, the brothers looked like shit. They had been slowly getting tortured by the protector''s magic, and given the spite Malika had for them, it had been a lot. The two older brothers looked broken, almost like they had given up all rationality and were slowly resolving to their fate. It was a cruel one nheless and the fact that they were bleeding slowly was fun. "And here I was thinking you forgot your manners. How about we greet sweet little Kurt then, huh? He''s had a rxing seven months here. Look at how rxed he is. He looks healthy almost like he is loved. "The smile on his face has to mean something right? 0erhaos it is time for me to wipe that off, yeah?" Hawi said as she looked at the autistic little boy who was running around. The kid had been through hell in the hands of Hawi, but then it was nothing personal, especially with Malika watching him like a prey. Malika had ripped the kid to pieces more than once and with the re on her face, Niki knew. He knew Malika was more than ready to do it again, which was a reality he had learned from his older brother months ago. He had been horrified by that particr reality, but knowing the mad women, Nik was sure they would do it again. Nik had always imagined that it was just the seven of them, he never imagined they would have a human brother. And honestly, that got him protective of little Kurt, the kid who deserved all the love in the world. But then Hawi had deserved to be loved too and the Shadow warlocks had fucked that up for her, because they were scared of Hawi, hadn''t they? They had ruined her life more than once, so this meant nothing, right? "No, please don''t. Let him live and if possible, let him leave. He''s just a human boy, a kid who has no understanding go what life looks like. Please, Malika, let him live," Nik said as he looked at the protector who was ready to follow whatever order Hawi gave. "Aww, don''t tell me you''re getting emotional and we haven''t even started yet, Niki. Your brother here did the most stupid of things and made her immortal; now unless you give me a way to kill Jeremiah, I will kill Atticus. "Of course, I will still kill Kurt and your four brothers, but then that doesn''t matter at the moment. I can always go after them at ater time. So, what will it take to get Jeremiah Warner weak?" Hawi asked, her voice calm like she wasn''t even threatening the man. She had endured a lot over the years and she wasn''t about to let these brothers get one over her again. She knew that she was tasked with killing Hawi, and while that was not supposed to be threatening seeing how powerful Hawi was, it was annoying. That little fact there made Hawi feel like she already had a lot of shit in her mind to deal with and Jeremiah Warner being an addition was a grand waste of her time, and frankly, she hated it with all of her. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Nik asked as he looked at the women before him. He could already feel the pain of losing a brother and given Atticus''s state, Hawi just had to push a little and the warlock would be dead. Over the months, Atticus'' spine had begun to rot, and the punctured trachea he had was filled with bugs. He looked like a zombie and just a little more and he would be the ultimate horror for everyone living and dead. He was weak and wasn''t even conscious up to this point. He lived because he could breathe and other than that, there was nothing that was keeping the Russel brother alive. He had long lost hope in life and was only surviving. Atticus had lost in the worst of ways, but then it seemed like he wasn''t done losing yet, because the universe was once again staring at him with angry eyes in the form of Awuor Hawi. He had fucked up, and he knew it, but then what else could he do? He was just a man on a mission, one that had somehow ended up with the best and brightest of Greyson dead, a price had been paying for months on months. "Alright then. I guess Kurt will give you a little motivation," Rukiya said as she walked over to where Kurt was ying. He looked so happy and so innocent that it was almost heart-wrenching that he had been trapped in this cycle of horrors. But then each to their fates, right? When Ruru reached the boy, his little smile instantly fell while Rukiya''s smile brightened. She had promised herself that she wouldn''te with her humanity to this mission and she was determined to keep it so. Children were sacred, but this one happened to be the only motivation they had to get the answers to the bottom-barrel lot that they were stuck with. Maybe this would be the best bargaining chip that they had at the moment, right? "Wa¡­ pl¨C" Atticus struggled to spell out as he looked between his brothers. He had known that this wouldn''t be easy and he couldn''t let Nik sacrifice Kurt for his sake. They would be able to reunite with their families or so Atticus had hoped. It didn''t matter that it would take a while but then hair wasn''t exactly in a rush to help them cross over to the afterlife, no? After all, she had a lot of things nned for the Russels and she wouldn''t stop. "Are you trying to say something to Atticus? I can''t hear you," Mbali mocked before she began stuttering like the man with a punctured voice box. It was pure torture for Atticus to even spell out a word, and yet that didn''t seem to make the crazies rx. If anything, it seemed to excite them even more., which wasn''t going to end well for the brothers. "Please, I don''t know what my brother did for Her, but I can reverse it. I can find a way to make Jeremiah Warner stop. I can fix it, just please not my little brother, please," Nik said hopefully. He wasn''t sure what he was pleading for, but he had been wishing for a younger sibling over the yards and now that they had done, he couldn''t lose him. He hadn''t even known what the kid liked and didn''t like. That would hurt so bad. "Alright, you have three hours," Malika said and Nik nodded, only for Mbali to st Atticus into un-piece able shreds, earning a scream from Nik.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 350 Careful, You Might Break Your Heart [HAWI] "No¡­ No!!!" Nik cried out helplessly when he saw his brother be reduced to ashes. This wasn''t part of thewn. He had promised himself he wouldn''t lose another sibling after Razia, and yet somehow he had traded a life for another. He hadn''t intended to. He had hoped that the psychos would listen to him, but his pleas were faulty. He had expected this but goddamn, it hurt even more knowing that he had lost two siblings in the hands of these women. Nik was furious and in his fury, heshed out. His anger intensified his magic and floss made it darker. To the point that he freed himself from the binds that the Savasci Knights had forced him into. He then rushed to his little brother, Kurt, and created a portal that he pushed the boy through. It was all so sudden however before he could go through the same portal, it closed on him, making the warriors feel like that was the main intention. "You killed my brother!!" Niki Russel shouted at the Savasci knights as he braced himself for a fight. He was a warlock and not just any creature in the realm and even if these women were stronger than him on many fronts he wouldn''t relent. He refused to lose more people in the hands of these warriors, which was somewhat funny because they all had lost a piece of them to the Shadow warlocks. They had their families ripped from the case of the warlocks who had been too cruel to them. "No shit, Sherlock," Rukiya said amusedly staring at the warlock like she was hoping to the goddess that he attacked the. Rukiya Greyson had a lot of anger in her and while she had managed to suppress the over the past seven months, she couldn''t anymore. She had been a good mate to Hawi when they both were living in the bubble of what their normal lives should have been. They were stuck in it for seven months and she didn''t have any regrets. But then the horrors of seeing her warriors murdered like that had still stuck with her. It was even a little too harsh and no matter what happened along the way there was no denying that life was always going to be shit for them. Rukiya was way past all mercy stops and she wasn''t about to pretend that she was feeling something for the man who belonged to the same family that had fucked up her life and that of her friends. Adolf never deserved to die like that and Ruru would see to it that he was avenged along with the rest of her fallen. "You had no right!! You had no fucking right to kill him! If he was wrong you have prisons, don''t you? You have the most enhanced dungeon system in Sicario, don''t you? You should have put him there. You should have let him face his karma. "But then you''ll thrive on blood, don''t you? Youugh, you enjoy life, but at the end of the day, what the fuck do you even lose?" Niki asked as he gathered a whirlwind and prepared to send it toward the four Savasci warriors. They were amused no doubt, but they were angry. How the fuck were they supposed to drill that shit into the head of this useless fuck that they had been attacked first, by the shadow warlocks? Was this the time for negotiations? Oh, how they wanted to snap his neck into the worst ces on earth, but then they had to be patient, a virtue that had been testing them more than what they needed to do over the damned years. "Funny you may ask¡­ UNCLE," Ruru said angrily while Malika blocked the whirlwind from even forming. It was about to be a violent fight, but then these four had been waiting for this day from the first loss they experienced. Continue reading at empire "Razia should have killed you when she had the chance. That way this abomination shouldn''t have been allowed to bloom. She should have been murdered at birth," Nik said and Ruru shifted into her wolf and threw herself at Niki Russell. She had been holding on well, listening to the am ramble about things she didn''t quite give a shit about, but then the bastard was constantly crashing all the possible limits there were for him. What the fuck did he even mean by that then? "Stupid wolf,ing at me in your natural way from not knowing that I can kill you with ease like that," Nik said as he gripped Rukiya''s hind limb and threw her off of him. She had managed to get a bite into him and when he threw her away, she went with a chunk of his fresh. Niki looked terrible but that didn''t matter at the moment. He was here for a fight, and he would get it. So, he braced himself for the fight and the Savasci Knights didn''t disappoint him one bit. "For someone who relies on the magic of the old times, you sure have your head in your ass, don''t you, Niki?" Malika asked, throwing a rope of thorns at Niki, making sure they got into his skin a little too deep.N?v(el)B\\jnn Malika didn''t care about Niki one bit and she wasn''t going to pretend that she wasn''t enjoying all of this; she was having the time of her life and there was of denying that then creams and whimpers that Niki was struggling to hold back would be her greatest delight. Mbali didn''t like anything that came from Niki''s mouth, so she shut him up with a magical spell that wouldn''t let him be. Granted the shadow warlocks were powerful, but then none of them was ever going to be as powerful as Jabali Lycan''s magic. That in itself was one of the very reasons the Jabalis were feared in the realm. They were the Lycans gifted the kind of magic that could counter dark magic and to make sure they kept the magic in their blood, their parents didn''t break any more kids after the two of them. "Maybe he didn''t understand the question well," Hawi said when she noticed Mbali had cast a mute spell on Nik, shutting him up instantly. When Hawi spoke, Mbali had expected that she would be told to undo the spell and yet none of that happened. If anything, Hawi just walked over to where Nik was and punched him casually in the face like she was bored when in reality, she was just starting with him. This man wasn''t going to pull the sad family act, because they had been there and done that. They had seen what chaos came with family and they had endured it all for the same reason. This was never the intention when they had met, but now that there weren''t that many options left, Hawi knew there was never going to be a chance to go back. "Do you have answers for us, Niki? Useful answers on how to deal with Jeremiah, and even better, will you use your magic to track the bastard down? We can track him, but then since your brother''s mafic is in him, it''s easier for you to track him down," Hawi said. She liked what she was seeing, how helpless Niki Russel was. It excited her and it made her think back to the thumb of the Russel siblings sitting down and discussing how they would kill Eni and ruin the only family Hawi ever knew. The thought of how easy it had been for those warlocks to screw her up just made Hawi even more furious. There was no way that it would ever get easier, but then maybe if they had Jer, if they could see the source of their ire, then they would be alright, yeah? "Ngh," Niki whimpered helplessly as he looked into the deep soulless dark eyes that were staring at him. The grip Malika had on him was breaking his soul. He could feel the poison feeding on his soul and it was just a matter of time. As if that wasn''t enough, Nik could feel Rukiya taking back her magic that he had used to free himself white Mbali was carving his body with horrible images that would leave scars that would never heal. Hawi on the other hand was just enjoying this. She stood there, staring at Niki Russel, as if waiting for her answer. She knew so well that he wasn''t in a position to answer her. She knew that this wouldn''t ever make her feel better. But even then, she had hoped that maybe someday, maybe, they wouldn''t have to live with the extreme rage, that maybe there was a reason for all of this, but goddam, the pain that was taking over was a little too quick. "Do you want to talk?" Hawi asked as she traced her de along Nik''s throat, making sure to scar him asionally as if to give him the ultimate punishment for being a bitch that didn''t know when to stop. "He''s turning red, I think he wants to say something," Malika teased when she saw his face turning red while his body was slowly turning green. It was the perfect indication of Niki losing consciousness and the poison spreading. It was a little too fast and with Rukiya''s magic leaving the man''s body, there was only so much his magic could help him with, seeing as the magic he had thought was Rukiya''s was abination of Hawi''s thanks to the mate bond. And Hawi was turning it against Niki. Chapter 351 Of Beautiful Suggestions [HAWI] If the Sicario pressed on just a little harder than Niki Russel would be dead, dead and dead. Granted, that wasn''t what they were currently aiming for, but then it wasn''t like Nik hade up with a better solution for them. His family did this to him. If he was to me anyone, then he needed to me the family he was born into, because at the moment, the four women were never going to let him go. They would probably make him suffer and then kill him in the most ruthless of ways. The only reason he was here and alive with them was because he was useful and had some answers; answers they sought, then again, somewhere in the long quest for justice and vengeance they had long given up the fight for answers. They were aiming for endless murders of the people that had broken them. This was more of vengeance than justice and they wouldn''t be taking a break anytime soon. "We don''t have all day here. Get into his mind, and get the information we need so we can go and find the rest of his brothers. We can always have Jer as thest kill," Mbali said as she looked at Nik and then at her friends. They were mad about everything that had happened and they had every reason to. However, they all could see that Niki Russel was going to be a hard nut for them to crack and they would probably just be wasting their time here with the man anyway, right? Time was something they had, but then they needed to work on healing themselves, something that would never work if they were still out there hunting ghosts. That wouldn''t be fair to them either. "He thinks he really can fight us, huh?" Rukiya mused when Nik growled at Mbali''s suggestion. It was like he was thinking that they were stalling and trying to get more time to deal with him. They had been thinking of this mission for the past four years so that was an overestimate. And if Nik considered the way they had treated his siblings, then he should have truly been smarter than his brothers. Perhaps he could have tried to strike a deal and make it all make sense for him. Maybe he would have survived and lived to tell the tale of the insane Savasci Knights, but then it wasn''t like that offer was currently on the table for him, right? Your next read is at empire The four Knights had a lot more things to work on, if they were to get to the bottom of everything. "Well then, let me do it. Hold him down," Malika said. Hawi knocked Nik''s knees, forcing the man to fall t on his back on the ground, before Hawi stood on his balls, crushing them in the process. It was a decision that was so out of order to the point that the warriors stared at her in confusion, surely she wasn''t doing what they thought she was doing, right? But that didn''t matter to Awuor Hawi, or even the fact that her weight was too much for Nik''s lower body that was slowly getting ruined. Then again, the weight of the pains Hawi endured over the years had to be heavier than just his weight, right? And she had endured that alone. She was alone in her family and she would never get them back. This man had no right to evenin about shit.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "He''s fighting for control," Mika pointed out when her first attempt to get into Niki''s head was met with resistance that got her surprised as to how the man was that strong. But then they had to also remember that he had been trained by the best and the worst of the devils too. The shadow warlocks were not just dangerous because of the names they bore, or even the family they came from. They were dangerous because of the way they had been trained to withstand pain and never crack. Thinking back to how it had been hard to crack Razia and Atticus, Malika knew that this was not going to be easy and that was the most exciting part of it all; because then she would be able to employ all the cruelty she had learned over the years in her life as a protector of the white wolves. "He''s a shadow warlock. Of course, we will be met with resistance," Rukiya said as she stared at Nik who was scrunching his face and struggling against the women. He looked pitiful and broken but more than anything, he looked pissed. The ground was already shaking from how angry he was and the winds were blowing so fast, but the Savasci Knights weren''t even the least bit bothered. It was like they could sit here and do this all day until they got what they wanted. Now that Atticus was dead and Kurt had been used to some portal, they knew it wouldn''t be easy to break Niki. However, they were not worried about that even in the least bit. "I''m getting tired of holding him back," Mbali whined an hourter when they still hadn''t got any answers from the Russel warlock. The man looked fatigued but he was a fighter, that much they had to appreciate. If he hadn''t been born into a family of assholes, maybe he would have been a stand-up citizen in the world. But then he wasn''t, so they just had to deal with him, and hope that by the time they were done with this man, they would be a step closer to the vengeance and justice they were seeking. "Can you conjure wooden bars, nails, and silver chains?" Rukiya suddenly asked Hawi to stare at her like the woman had gone bonkers. Of course, there was that chance, but then that didn''t worry Hawi. If anything, it made her proud of the woman she had been mated to. They still don''t know what Ruru needed all that for, but then they had all the time in the world to watch her work her magic, right? Insanity had crept into their lives more times than one and they had all embraced it with both hands. "What type of wood?" Mbali asked curiously as she stared curiously at the Greyson alpha. "ck locust," Ruru responded enthusiastically and Nik felt the life leave him. ck locust was extremely poisonous. Everything about the nt screamed danger and even worse than whatever Malika was holding him down with. It was dangerous in so many ways and posed a danger to everyone. Of course, Nik was smart enough to know that the four knights had to have protected themselves from any and all attacks. It didn''t matter what kind of nt they touched because their magic was a repellent for everything dangerous. They were safe on all fronts. "You got it," Mbali said excitedly as she stepped back to conjure the newest hell for Niki Russel. The poor man was still mute given his mouth had been shut by magic and he couldn''t even let out reasonable grunts. He was fucked in all the ways to hell, and if this was the end of the road for him, then he was screwed. The women were cruel and the Greyson alpha was motivated by extreme loss, something that she hadn''t tapped into since thest battle on the Sicario grounds. "Are you sure about this?" Chapter 352 Chaos on The Mad Highway [HAWI] "Are you sure about this?" Mbali asked when she brought what was needed. The nt looked crazy and terrible and it was like they were delivering Nik a death sentence. Granted, they all agreed to kill the man slowly, but if this was mixed with whatever venom Malika had used on Nik earlier, the chances of him surviving this to the end were really slim. If he didn''t die from the poison, then he would die from Ruru''s ck locust. This kind of shit was wild as hell and Mbali was worried for the first time about their humanity. "Of course. If he won''t talk, let us make his mind weak. That way, Malika will get the answers, and we will be closer to our beautiful goal of burning them all to ashes. "Perhaps we can use their ashes to build a home for them in the afterlife, a home that gets destroyed by wind and one that shocks them to their second death. Goodness, I would have thought of this earlier. "Maybe if we used it on Atticus and the deadly acid used on my mother we would be happier," Rukiya said, her excitement confusing her friends who were not sure if Ruru was speaking from experience; Or she had just gotten caught up in the web of the worst of insanities, a web of the impossible but things that even she could make possible. Staring at Ruru, Hawi wasn''t sure if she was to be proud of the woman Ruru had be or be worried about the pain that was eating Rukiya Greyson deep down. It wasn''t going to be easy but goodness Hawi had just revealed that it would be impossible to protect the alpha from pain, given she had lost more than eight thousands of her warriors, not to mention her best friend who didn''t deserve the pain. "Won''t it damage his brain?" Mbali asked worriedly, her concern for Nik interesting yet at the same time it was exciting because the chances of Nik being extremely hurt were increasing and they were more than impressive. "When he was out there breaking hearts, did he care about the damage done?" Rukiya asked passively as she stared at Nik. Her thoughts were still back at the field where she had lost her people. Seeing through back to their helpless creams, to the way Atticus had so proudly messed up the protection spell and the little fact that someone had betrayed her. Ruru was haunted by that reality and she despised it.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She hated the fact that her people had been mounted together just because there wasn''t enough time to bury them. It was a time that broke her heart endlessly and it still made her wonder if there was a way she could save her people. Atticus had been the reason she was never going to see her warrior happy again. The reason she couldn''t go back home to Greyson, was because she couldn''t return home empty-handed. And this man right here was the closest thing that Ruru could find when it came to Atticus. She wasn''t going to forgive the people who had wanted her dead long before birth. "His family has done worse to people and are still at it," Hawi defended Ruru''s decision, knowing so well the pain in the heart of the girl she loved with all of her. Hawi had seen Ruru break down secretly as she tried not to think about home, but as a woman who had been exiled for four long years, Hawi understood what it meant to be away from home. She knew how harshly it all felt and she couldn''t me Rukiya for any decisions she made. If her Ruru wanted to be a monster, then Hawi would be there to support her. "Goddess have mercy on his soul," Malikaughed maniacally as she watched the mess that was inbound. Niki was still shocked at the way the women were handling him. He wanted to appeal and say that they needed to go by thews, but then thews had been abandoned from the moment they nted Jer in Hawi''s life and ruined her family. The only person who could have preached thew to Hawi was Ruru, but then they had taken everything she had because of their superstition that the white wolf was their doom. Well, they could have lived a happy life, but now, she would really be their doom. Two were already down and there were five more to go¡­ well six if they counted Kurt too. Mercy was not possible for them this time. "You scare me more than I scare myself," Mbali admitted as she looked at the white wolf and her mate. They were dangerous and they knew it, but goddamn this wasn''t going to be the first time they took advantage of that. "Step back sweet sister, this will be messy," Malika said and Mbali didn''t hesitate to step back. With the items she has asked for, Ruru created the perfect cross to hang Niki. It was scary and even as Nik watched her make it excitedly, he knew that his life was never going to be the same. There was already a position in his system and when they added the venom from the ck locust, he was doomed. Maybe he should have talked, but he had a feeling that whether he talked or not, the Savasci Knights would step back and forgive him. They would still deal with him ruthlessly like his family had fucked them up. Maybe he was giving up easily. Maybe he could have called for his brothers, but wasn''t that what they wanted him to do? Wasn''t that what they had nned to do him? Wasn''t that the one thing that would ruin his family, or rather whatever was left of it at this point? "It''s pointless to struggle against it," Hawi said softly as she pressed on Nik''s crotch. The poor man was already numb on the lower part of his body, thanks to Hawi but that didn''t matter to her. She was here for the fun and the mess. Well, it was working. Rukiya on the other hand, was determined to make this a reality. She would get her retribution and even if she had to be ill for this matter then she would dly be that. She needed to make sure that this man never forgot what she did to him. She would break him in ways that the devil would be there to take more notes on how retribution worked. "Goddamn, that shit looks harsh," Hawiughed as she watched the final masterpiece of the woman she loved. Rukiya''s mind was wild, and filled with the desire for revenge. She was angry and lost in some ways. So, there was no telling what she would do when she snapped. "They killed my best friend. The least I can do for him is to make him feel just a pinch of what I''m feeling," Rukiya said as she stated her masterpiece one more time. It was a cruel cross bound on the weak stems of a back locust. She knew what this would look like and had still gone for it so this was no surprise for her. "Deserved," Malika said as she stared at Ruru like she was waiting to hear what the Greyson alpha had for them. "Lift him up andy him on the cross I created. It''s calling his name." Chapter 353 The Summoner of Love [HAWI] "Lift him up andy him on the cross I created. It''s calling his name," Rukiya said and with her magic, Malika lifted Nik after Hawi had gotten her leg off of him. She then ced him in the cross where Ruru tied him up with the silver chains. If Ruru had been a regr wolf she could be so close to the grave but thankfully the magic was protecting them. It was a beautiful thing really being this safe around the people she loved. "He boutta look like a sacrifice," Mbali snickered at the sight. It horrified them but they were all monsters created by pain so this was nothing. They wanted to see what Nik''s limits were and it was a pretty exciting idea for them. They wanted to know if Nik would take long to crack like Razia or if he would be an easy target for them. Whichever way there was no denying that they would have a lot of fun with all that was at the moment. Maybe someday they would be happy and they wouldn''t have to fight for their peace every day right? "He screams like a girl," Hawi said as she watched the mess her mate had created. Nik was in so much pain it was horrifying to watch. His body was changing and with the ground shaking because of his magic, everything was to take a turn for the worst eventually. Maybe it was a good thing he wasn''t dealing with saints in the evening, right? Because these were women who would do whatever it took to make sure he never saw the light of day again. They would make sure his family was nothing but a part of a history book on the shelf that would forever be forgotten, the kind of history that people would be too ashamed to even consider repeating. That was how messy they were nning to deal with the Russel brothers. An eye was for an eye after all anyway. "I am a girl and I don''t scream like that," Malikaughed, making the rest of the knightsugh at Nik who was slowly changing. He was growing paler and probably greener, not that any of them cared one bit about the man. He deserved whatever wasing his way and more. "He''s channeling the earth. Maybe he thinks he can save himself this time," Mbali pointed out when she noticed that the ck locust was slowly embedding itself into the ground, almost like it was taking seed and striving to bear more like it. Unfortunately for Nik that wasn''t going to stop them because they were not going to hold back at this point of their journey. They hade far too long to leave everything halfway just because of some bastard who thought life was all mushy and shit. Everything was crazy but wasn''t that normal anyway? Besides they were working with the information they had gathered over the past seven months. The trails they had gotten and the routes they had figured out. It had been the same for the other Russel warlocks and even as they enjoyed making a mess of Niki Russel, they were ready for everything that was headed their way. Thest intel they had gotten over the past seven months about the shadow warlocks had pointed them west of the realm and that was where they were headed at the moment. It didn''t matter how long it would attack them to ding the shadow warlocks. They would find them and they would deal with them as nned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "He can keep trying until we take a break a few hours from now," Ruru said as she stared at her mate who was staring at her proudly. It wasforting to see the chaos that Ruru had started and the fact that they didn''t take anyone to judge them for the way they dealt with their grief was encouraging their insanities. Frankly this was the most dangerous these women could be and there was a lot that Nik was not sure of yet. And so with Ruru done tying up Nik, they knew they had to get moving. They had to follow the trails and make sure that they dealt with the enemies of their realm. Along the way and through the months that the realm was breaking apart, Hawi had learned of the different people and what they thought of the Savasci knights. It was safe to say that the fear that the realm had of the mad women was something that would work in their favor because no one was stupid enough to go against the women who would burn them alive and then ask questionster anyway. It wasn''t worth the risk of their lives. "It''s settled. West it is. Let''s get going, before the sun goes down," Hawi said and they all agreed. And so together they walked the long road for hours on end, with the ground still trembling, thanks to Nik''s attempts that failed. It was interesting though how he wasn''t about to give up on this, but maybe he had his reasons. No one could fault him for that anyway. He was a survivor and he was in captivity. A part of him was sure that being a shadow warlock had to mean something. He couldn''t just be bested by women for that matter. He was a warlock whose magic came from the old religion. Surely there was another way for him to free himself. Well, that could have worked if the white wolf''s magic wasn''t also a magic of the old times. Oh, Nik was in for a rough ride. As they made their way to the west of the realm. Taking in the beautiful sight of nature while ignoring the grunts of the man they were taking turns to drag on the ground, they believed that someday there would be a hope for a better life for them. They were taking so many risks, in the hope that when the sun went down someday, they would be happy and smiling at the nature of the fate they shared once upon a time. Maybe their fate woulde sooner orter, seeing as Niki was still struggling despite the fact that he was hurt and broken by the pain of the thorns of the ck locust. "We''ve been on the road for hours on end, I think we can finally take a break," Malika suggested hopefully. The night was calling their names and their bodies begged for rest. They may have been strong. But they needed to acknowledged the fact that regardless of how passionate they were in their mission, if they didn''t stop, they would be subjecting each other to a fate worse than death. "Best idea ever," Hawi groaned as she left the chain she was holding on the ground, it had been her turn to defrag Niki and it was safe to say she despised the man even more. The audacity he had to be heavy as hell when he was a sinner. However, that joy seemed to be short-lived because the moment Hawi''s chains hit the ground, Nik used that chance to open his eyes and cast onest spell that he could manage with the strength he had umted from fighting the ck locust poison. Nik stabbed Mbali with one of the roots of the ck locust. And it actually affected her. Malika''s spell on her sister failed. This was not good. Chapter 354 Love Me Again [HAWI] For a moment where everything went still. No one knew what had happened and they started to concussion as the treaty settled in on them. This was never supposed to happen and yet somehow it had, making the knights stare angrily at Niki Russel. "What the fuck just happened?" Rukiya asked when she heard Mbali let out a scream of horror as the poison spread through her body fast. She was growing weaker faster than any person who had ever been poisoned and goodness it was like Mbali didn''t have any defense mechanisms in her body. The poison was reading and if they didn''t act fast, they would lose her and it would be the worst thing that could ever happen in the realm, other than the loss of the Sicario family. This would be catastrophic because then they would have a protector who was turned into an assassin and she would burn everything down. Malika would wipe off any life in the real world and when she was down she would take her own life, leaving the entire realm nothing but a desert with no life. "Impossible," Hawi said as she rushed to Mbali, and started trying to get the poison out of Mbali''s body. Mbali was a warrior. She was born of the Jabalis so there we just no way that this was happening to her. Hawi was dumbstruck because she had never imagined that she would lose someone that she loved and cared about like this. It wasn''t fair and no matter what the world would say about it, she wasn''t about to lose the woman she had traded with her life. Mbali was there for her when she wanted to be alone and away from the chaos that came with being an alpha. They had always fought and while they never shared any memories with each other for even special moments back then, they shared a loyalty, the kind that not even the books of the old could ever get in between. Hawi wasn''t about to let all of that fade. Besides, what use was her magic if she couldn''t use it to save the people she loved the most? What was the point of it all when her life was slowly fading and that of her friends was being turned into the worst of all chaos then? What would be the point of the years she had fought to get to this point? They were close, so close to the end of their misery and the fact that this was happening right now wasn''t fair, at all. This was not what the deities were supposed to do and boy was it heartbreaking in so many ways. "What the hell is she doing?" Nik asked with augh as he watched me look around them. It was almost like the protector wasn''t even focused on her sister, instead she was seeking someone out, or something. Maybe this was the only way for Malika to figure out who the fuck had forced Mbali''s defenses down because Malika knew that no one would ever be able to do that unless they had a way. It was impossible for the regr wolves and Lycans or anyone else. Hell, even Hawi wasn''t able to break through the protection spell Malm had with her sister and that only left Malika with one person in mind. Oh, she hoped not, because if it was who she was thinking of, then Malika wouldmit a murder right here and now, and it wouldn''t be Niki''s head this time. "Your sister is dying, Malika, why aren''t you focused on her?" Rukiya asked again, seeing as Malika wasn''t even pissed that Niki was asking shit when he was the one who had hurt his sister. The usual Malika they knew of would already have been on Nik''s throat, demanding a cure or even bring the man to give the reason why he had tried to hurt her sister, but she wasn''t bothered. Hawi was the one trying to figure out what the fuck she needed to do. Hawi''s magic was working slowly on Mbali but it wasn''t as efficient and that frankly horrified Hawi, because this had never happened.N?v(el)B\\jnn This wasn''t the way she was about to lose one of the people she loved the most. Not like this and certainly not because a bastard had decided to mess with her people. "Dammit," Mbali cursed as she fell to the ground, limp. Hawi had been checking her, but then Mbali''s body hitting the ground was not what she had anticipated and that riled Hawi. Especially when she realized that Malika had been too preupied to even see for herself that her sister needed her. This was strange as hell but Hawi wasn''t in the mood to sit by and try to figure it out when she could get the sister to step up and be there for Mbali. The warrior deserved any better than they were giving her. "What the fuck are you looking for?? Your sister is poisoned!" Hawi shouted at Malika to snap her out of her trance but Malika was still looking around. She was frantically smelling things, like she knew there was a role to this. Ruru didn''t know what was scarier; Mbali acting like there was more or Hawi being worried since for Mbali to the point that it seemed like her functionality was triggered in ways that no one would ever understand, not even Rutu herself. Malika could hear Hawi. She was a desperate royal protector who couldn''t protect her sister. The thought of that same thing that happened in Greyson happening here and on the battlefield was not something Malika had calcted. Enjoy exclusive content from empire This time, she was not ready for that conversation and while they had teased Mbali about that woman and that day, Malika was never going to be ready for the possibility that that woman would have been their enemy and that she did mean anything to Mbali. That could exin why it was so easy for Niki to hurt Mbali. Malika thought of the betrayal that was impending and goddess, she hated that her sister''s little heart would be broken in the princess. She hated that all of this could have been stopped if she had been attentive, but how the fuck was she, a mere protector supposed to fight fate? The universe itself was slowly letting them go and they weren''t even seeing that, or maybe it was too wild an assumption? "Where is she?" Malika asked Nik, as she stared at the man who was staring at her smugly. She hadn''t even realized that Nik had spoken because the spell, that Mbali had cast on him hade undone. Mbali had been hurt and she had the strength to keep her spell active and that was either a very good thing or a terrible one. Well for Nik it was somewhat nice because this was his chance to breathe freely and even use his mouth for the first time in ten hours. They were screwed anyway, and the night was here, so there was no point in them holding back right? The moonlight was beautiful as hell, prettier than anything they had ever seen, and boy was it perfection. "Ah, finally I can speak. Goddamn, it''s finally midnight, eh?" Chapter 355 The Reverse Midnight Karma? [HAWI] "Ah, finally I can speak. Goddamn, it''s finally midnight, eh?" Nik said and Malika red at him white she waited for her answers. This man wasn''t going to get away with this and if the person who had helped him was who Malika was thinking of then there would be a long battle between humanity and a protector''s rage, not to mention the white wolf''s rage in the event that she lost Mbali. But then Malika hadn''t done everything all those years to protect her sister only for someone toe and screw that up in one go. This wouldn''t end well for Niki and the sooner he understood that, the better it would be for him. "You know you should listen to them. Your sister is so fragile she can die anytime," Nik said with augh even though he was high on the poison. The Savasci Knights were keeping him alive just enough so he would give them the answers they needed about the other five shadow warlocks. He had to have known that, or maybe Nik just didn''t care anymore. These people were trying to use him to get to the rest of his family and it wasn''t something that he would let happen. He still didn''t understand how much pain Atticus had to have been in that he had willingly given up that much information, but then there was no telling. If anything, Atticus had gone through the worst of tortures and still didn''t even give them as much information. They had to admit that the mindset of the shadow warlocks was something to appreciate. But maybe, just maybe when they had killed a few of them off, then those remaining would give them the answers they were seeking, the knights didn''t that any difficulty in killing off people and they weren''t about to start now. "What do you do to her?" Rukiya asked and Nik stared at her like she had lost her mind. This woman had fucked him up with poison and he was still suffering between the thin linen of life and death and yet she had the audacity to ask him what he did? Oh, there had to be something wrong with the woman, because there was just no way that Rukiya said that to him. But then why did he seem so offended by the fact that he may have gotten lucky in this trick of fate than the fact that he knew he couldn''t have been able to break the Lycan warrior, seeing as he had tried to attack the green alpha, the white wolf and even the protector? He had tried it on them all and Nik was surprised to know that his attempt on Mbali wasn''t a sess. He hadn''t calcted that, and it shocked him to the point that he wasn''t sure whether he needed to be happy with the oue or he was to be sad that he had seeded. He knew the ck locust was never going to be easy to eradicate but goodness this was something else. "Is that the only brain you have or is there another one, dear niece? Didn''t You see me constantly try to stab her and finally each time? If you ask, me, maybe her karma finally came. "You can''t all be mean and expect nothing in return now, eh?" Nik said to Rukiya who had almost forgotten that she and the bastard they had held captive were actually bound by blood. It was an unfortunate truth, one that made Ruru want to kill him just for that. But then if she killed Nik, she wouldn''t be able to know what the hell he had done and how the fuck he had seeded. They were all walking on thin ice around the man and honestly, it wasn''t the least bit encouraging for them. Perhaps they would figure out a way out of this? Ah, the bonds of family and theirplications. "You¨C" Rukiya begum as she red at Nik who was paler than rice water. However, her words were cut short by Malika who suddenly kicked Nik in the face so hard rub could have sworn she heard a crunch when Nik''s neck snapped. But then immortality was a gift on some asions though in this one, it was a curse that they had to deal with because Niki Russel was still alive even with the pain he was going through. He was hurting, breaking in bits but even then he wasn''t relenting. "Aww, why so serious, Miss Protector? Didn''t you ever stop to think that maybe the four of you aren''t as powerful as you all think you are?" Nik taunted as he stared up at the protector who was considering making him break even. It was a cruel moment for Niki but it wasn''t surprising, seeing as he had endured the war of the worst over the years and still found a way to survive. Maybe this way was just a joke to him, but wasn''t it an expensive one that would cost the friends more than they could bargain for? Hawi had been patient with Nik. She was still struggling to keep Mbali alive but with every wording out of Niki Russel''s mouth, the patience was thinning so fast it was driving her nuts. This man was making her life a little too hard and she hated what he was doing to them. Find more adventures on empire Even though he wasid in the ground with the spikes on the ck locust deep into him, he still was a terrible person and Hawi was already thinking of the different ways to make him suffer. Maybe there woulde a day when life wasn''t going to be as hard or maybe a day when their enemies would line up and understand that was more of a pipe dream, one so impossible that no one would ever believe in regardless of what they looked like. "Careful, Niki," Hawi growled at Nik as she looked at Mbali. The woman was fading fast, it was a little hard not to know what the heck was going on with her as it was new to Hawi, but fuck she hoped there was a remedy. Seeing Malika less disturbed about her sister''s possibility of dying was making Hawi even more confused. The woman had always been on the frontline to save her people and now she seemed to be looking for that which they did not know. But maybe they just had to give Malika some time, right? Maybe she would give them the answers they are seeking so desperately, right? "It''s midnight, you''re making noise for the creatures of the night. I thought a wild girl like you knew a thing or two about civilization. No wonder it was easy for us to nt Jer in your life. "The stupid girl who only knows how to whine and cry her heart out," Nik said to Hawi who had growled at him in warning. He was the reason they were in that current predicament and with their patience running thin, there was no telling what they would do to him. He was a menace and they are slowly learning that. So Hawi growled at him, again, but it seemed to let it all go through deaf ears because Nik was always going to be Nik, right? "Oh,e on. You guys are looking at me like I''m the devil. If she wasn''t such a stuck-up professional whiner, she could have saved her brother. Her father was already dead meat. but her brother, he could have been saved," Nik added with a forcedugh as he stared back at the women who were ring at him. He may have been the one lying on the ground but he could feel their eyes ring at him. They were probably thinking of whether to dispose of him because he was being a nuisance to them and his mind had not yet ended. Ruru had tried to break through once again but she had failed too. It didn''t matter though because they would keep trying. Nik had a strong mind and it would take them a while, though if the poison spread just for enough times they would be able to make sure the bastard gave them the answers they all were seeking. Then they would be on their way. "Shut the fuck up, Niki," Mbali warned while Hawi and Ruru tried to help her. They tried siphoning the magic but nothing was working. If this went on like this, they would lose Mbali and that was too great a cost for them to bear. That was too risky. Nik on the other hand was staring at Malika who was still looking around. If anyone didn''t know Malika well they would have assumed that she was already preparing for the worst-case scenarios. This was one of the hardest things they had been through, but they had to remember that they always came out victorious regardless of who had what was being suggested. It didn''t matter that everything was slowlying apart. Just because one cornerstone was faulty didn''t mean they wouldn''t be able to hold on until the cornerstone was fixed, right? But then that was tricky in so many ways and with Malika not giving them any solutions, this didn''t look any good for them all. "Says the one struggling to breathe. Tell me something, Jabali. Are you always this weak or was your sister''s protection the only thing keeping you sane?" Nik mocked with a sinisterugh. He may have been t on the ground but with Mbali lying a few letters for him, he had the percent chance to torment the Jabali sisters. The only questions being, would it work, or was he way in over his head this time?N?v(el)B\\jnn "What?" Ruru asked. "He talks too much," Hawi said angrily as she cast a fire spell right above Nik''s body. Chapter 356 The Unexpected Persona [HAWI] "What?" Ruru questioned as she looked at the mess that Niki Russel was. This man seemed determined to fuck himself up in all ways to hell and frankly, it was getting tiring trying to hold back when it came to him. He had messed up and he owned it and instead of making things a little lighter so the chance of him leaving with his life was increased, he seemed determined to screw up over and over. Maybe he had an affliction for screwing up because there was just no way that he would ever be able to make this work unless he was dead. That was the only option left for him in a battle that had no survivors, a battle he was aware of, but one that got him to think his immortality would give him a fast pass at. At that moment Ruru could see the rage in Hawi''s eyes and she knew hell had finallye on earth. This woman was the devil herself and yet Nik had still gone ahead and tried to screw up with that. Experience more on empire "Goddess help your soul," Ruru whispered defeatedly, her heart feeling terrible for Nik and yet at the same time, she was waiting to see what version of hell Nik had upgraded himself into. "He talks too much," Hawi pointed out casually, the anger in her voice evident as she cast a fire spell right above Nik''s body that was still bound to the cross and still on the ground. The fire was agitating and with Hawi''s magic earlier turning it against Nik, the shadow warlock was in for a really long night this time. Hawi didn''t care what this meant because Mbali had been hurt. The bastard that tried to take that which was hers and she wouldn''t stop until she got the answers that she needed. However, for now, she needed to make sure the bastard was destroyed, and in so much pain that he would never be been to think of anything else other than the pain he was feeling. Hawi needed him to bend the knee in so many ways, but she would make certain of it, once she was sure her warrior was safe and protected. Seeing Mbali down did have an effect on her, something that he hadn''t expected, but then it wasn''t like she had been camping around and waiting for the fates toe and help her, right? "Fucking hell, you bitch!" Nik growled at the white wolf who was staring at him with a smug look on her face before she went back to focus on Mbali like Nik didn''t mean shit to her. Well, to be fair, Nik didn''t mean anything to Hawi. He was just another person on the longs list of the people that Hawi had promised to put and end to and right now there was nothing that would stop Hawi from doing what she wanted. She would experiment with Nikter and no one would stop her after all, she was the werewolf queen, wasn''t she? And her first responsibility was always going to be to make sure that the realm was safe, no? Well, Niki had proved more than once that he was a menace, once that Hawi needed to be rid of sooner than anyone would have thought possible. She was done with him. "Now who''s crying like a bitch, huh?" Rukiya mocked Nik when she heard his screams turn into angry growls. He sounded mad, but it was music to Ruru''s heart and frankly, if she could make this into a music festival she would have. But she couldn''t do that, at least not now because of the state that Mbali was in. It was heartbreaking to see so many fonts and it hurt a lot. Maybe when the sun came up they would have a solution but the fact that one of them had been hurt, was something that they still don''t know how to work around. It was like they had this urge to make things work and yet at the same time, they needed to make sure that it was all worth it when they were done. Perhaps they would find a way around it, yeah? While Ruru was still mocking Nik and making sure that he felt the point of it all, Malika was getting agitated and it was like he was slowly finding out who she had been seeking. It was something like a long shot, but regardless of what it was, they were at a point where they needed to be able to make things work, for themselves, it didn''t matter how long this would take because Malika wasn''t going to let her sister die. Immortality was a fight and the ck locust poison was not going to deprive her sister of that. She hadn''t worked her ass off for so many years just to lose her sister to the menaces of the realm. "What are you looking for, Malika?" At Hawi''s question, Malika came to a stop. She wasn''t sure how long she had been going back and forth but if the screams on Niki were anything to go by, then it had to mean she had been in that state for a while now. Her sister was still on the ground, groaning so much pain even though they all didn''t know why this had happened. Malika was indifferent and it was understandable seeing how she was helpless with her sister, but the fact that she hadn''t stepped closer to her sister this whole time was worth noting. She hadn''t even gone to see how Mbali was affected, so that made Hawi wonder if there was something that she didn''t know. And looking into the eyes of her protector, Hawi could see a lot of emotions. There was anger, and frankly, there was disappointment and disbelief, and more than anything, for the first time since she had met Malika, Hawi saw raw fear in the protector''s eyes. That shit wasn''t pleasing at all and that was also how Hawi knew that this was more serious than any of them had dared to mention. Maybe she was the only one who didn''t understand the magnitude of it all but goddamn, was it really that bad for Mbali? "Mistress¨C" Malika whimpered, her head slowly lifting to look at Hawi who was staring at her softly. She wasn''t sure how she was supposed to start exining this. When Mbali had almost been attacked by Greyson, Malik had made sure that they didn''t talk about it as much because then it would be like agreeing that the mess was really happening and even worse, that there was really someone who could make her sister vulnerable. If she came clean to Hawi right now, there was a chance that Hawi would me her for not taking the right precautions. Malika had done her best to make sure her sister was safe and seeing her here like this was breaking her heart into endless pieces. She was strong, sure, but Malika had never wanted her sister to be strong. When she hade back into Mbali''s life even though they never talked kindly about their past and still had so many loopholes Malika had promised to make it all better.N?v(el)B\\jnn Funny how their happiness onlysted seven months and now her sister was in pain again and there wasn''t a thing that she could do despite being the protector. "That''s not an answer, Malika." Hawi was being honest with the protector. She wanted real answers and not the protector trying to take the easiest way out of this pain, because if anything happened to Mbali, it would affect their performance as a team. It would raise questions about what the fuck needed to be done to make sure the team never lost anyone. Then had already lost too much, but then what else was there? Maybe it was time for Malika to be honest, right? "Amina," Malika responded, her voice low like that was a name she never wanted to mention anywhere near her sister. But then again in the history of the impossible, Amina had been the only impossibility that could have made this shitshow a reality and now they were both frying the price for it. This was not how the mission was to be, but then if Amina was here, what the fuck was she aiming for? "What?" the Savasci Knights all asked at the same time. Mbali was not sure she had heard her sister well but damn that was surprising as hell. Thest time she had seen me was a brief moment, one that the woman had just started in her room in reason and not said much. If Amina was there then there was much that they needed to work around, not to mention the fact that Malika had never really the sword of the Amina bond. This situation right here had just made it difficult for Malika to change her mind about the woman in the shadows. Perhaps this was never meant to be right? Ruru and Hawi stared at Malika, like they had heard the rest of things. They didn''t understand what the hell that meant, but they had to remember that in the past few months, they had never talked about the Amina situation well or even thought of what it would mean for them. The Amina topic was one they only thought of just to tease Mbali and let her know that her soulless heart was finally waiting for someone. That was all there was to it, but then now it seems like Amina was a threat to Mbali and that couldn''t be tolerated. "What the fuck do you mean by Amina, Malika?" Chapter 357 What Was So Wrong About Her? [HAWI] "What the fuck do you mean by Amina, Malika? Is she dangerous? What did she do? Why the fuck did she do this to my warrior?" Hawi asked, her voice lowering you would think that she was about to make a Christmas carol and not that she was an angry woman who wanted to burn it all down because of Amina. Goodness that woman was on the one radar that could see her dead even before sunrise. But then who the fuck was Amina, really? Who was beyond what they knew of her the little they had learned for the sake of Mbali? "Yeah, Mistress. Amina was around thest time my protection spell didn''t work on my sister. She was the reason it failed. And she''s the only one I''vee to know can make that happen," Malika said making Hawi stare at her protector. It was weird hearing that there was an actual chance that Malika Jabali was defeated in one aspect and that too when it came to family. What the fuck was this even about? Find your next read on empire At the same time, it was interesting to know that despite everything they had done to make things work, nature would always have a loophole and most of the time, love was that loophole. Family was always the strongest aspect of life and yet at the same time, family would always be the only thing that got most people on their knees for some reason. It wasn''t the best of policies but the universe needed a bnce, and it sounded one, one so lethal that no one would ever be able to make it through regardless. "She''s here? Amina is here?" Mbali asked, her pain making her smile falter for a moment there. She was happy to hear of the town and she had missed the woman, and maybe it was not what anyone would have expected of her but then it wasn''t like she could choose the best mate for her or could she? She did not know much about Amina and unlike her team that considered Amina a threat, Mbali loved the idea of Amina being around. Sure, Mbali had exactly been weing of the idea of mates, but then she loved the fact that despite everything the woman had still managed to break into the first wall of her heart. She had made her feel like her world wasn''t so bad and that there was more to life than what was ever going to be possible. There were a lot of things going on and they were about to deny that.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You''re excited?" Malika asked disappointedly as she stared at her sister who looked high as a kite. Maybe the pain and the magic that was in her system had drugged her or maybe it was the thought of Amina being close that got her that excited. She wanted to see Amina. Thest time they had interacted, Amina was more a shadow than anything she could have imagined. The woman hadn''t shown her face and had made Mbali feel special in a good way. Mbali would never admit that to her crew, but it was a truth that she was never going to forget. This was not how they pictured their mission but then so far, it was all going so well. Besides what else could go wrong now, right? "No, I''m not. I''m in pain, the poison is killing me slowly, can''t I at least smile even if it''s thest time?" Mbali asked harshly, her anger making a show. She knew this wasn''t what her sister had anticipated but even she hadn''t anticipated being poisoned and her being on the ground like they were either, right? She had been alright until her defenses were pulled down involuntarily, something that rendered her weak and open for attacks that she hadn''t nned for. This was not how she had imagined her mission going, but then she was stuck here right? Her sister had no right to be mad at her for this, or was she? "Seriously?" Malika asked angrily, not receiving that her sister could be excited about this shit when she was in danger. Which part of Amina was dangerous to Mbali wasn''t her sister understanding? And how the hell were they supposed to make that better for her? If anything, it was like Mbali was already in deep shit long before this happened right? Or who were they even to me for this? "Oh,e on. Isn''t it a little toote for you to be ying older sister? This isn''t going to help you or me, let''s just steer off each other''snes alright? "Besides, even if Amina is here, she wouldn''t show her face because of how cruel you could be, and here you think you''re saving me," Mbali retorted, ignoring the pain she was feeling. She could feel her head splitting but that''s nothingpared to the pain she felt when her sister realized that this as Amina''s doing and the possibility that Malika would actuallye to kill Amina. That was something that broke Mbali''s heart and it made her irritable. Amina was the first person she had truly gotten attracted to and wanted to stay around. Granted, the woman was still an illusion to Mbali, but then Mbali was counting on seeing Amina again. She wanted to know more about the mysterious woman who brought her flowers to soothe her, and who kept herpany just because Mbali had felt lonely and hurt. Mbali wanted to know about the woman who had defied all odds ande to where they were despite knowing that she would be in danger. It wasn''t the best of first impressions Mbali was hog for with Amina, but goodness, this angry Malika wasn''t going to be making things any easier for her. Her sister was worried about her and Mbali understood that, but then Malika had no right to be acting like a barbarian just because her sister wanted to be happy with a woman they didn''t know of, right? "You don''t mean that, Mbali. She is your sister," Ruru said softly as she watched Hawi siphon the poison from Mbali. It was hard, with the way Mbali was weak, but she was trying. Mbali was irritable and they needed to understand that they were threatening to take away the one person she had felt safe with, the one person who meant something to her and the one person who had given her hope that maybe, maybe she wasn''t the girl who couldn''t be loved. That maybe she was the girl everyone wants to be with and the girl that love and life finally took a chance on. They were threatening to ruin that for her and Mbali wasn''t going to ept that. She deserved to be loved and held like someone important. She deserved to have a choice and she deserved to have a chance at happiness. They couldn''t really be denying her that little chance when they all had their people with them right? Malika had Elodie and Hawi had Ruru. What was so wrong about her having Amina, wheeler Amina was? "Coming from the girl who watched her best friend die unjustly and is still ying hide and seek with the stupid warlock we should have all killed, you sure have a high horse to be in," Mbali growled at Rukiya. Chapter 358 Someone They Couldnt Hurt [HAWI] "Coming from the girl who watched her best friend died unjustly and is still ying hide and seek with the stupid warlock we should have all killed, you sure have a high horse to be in," Mbali growled at Rukiya. She was so done with everyone trying to keep the woman she wanted to know more about, away from her. Granted, there was a chance that Amina herself wasn''t even here to being with, but goddamn, the hostility they were showing her because of the possibility of Amina being around was not good at all. They needed to put themselves in her shoes and understand that she wanted this, even if she was never going to admit it out loud. She didn''t want to be in a position where shit went down and sideways and they med her for it. However, at the same time, she felt that it was unfair for them to be treated her like shit when they could just choose to be happy for her, and embrace the fact that''s a truly like Amina, or the thought of Amina. Fuck, maybe it was the magic and the poison that was messing with her mind, but was that the only reason she felt like exploding at her friends who were only looking out for her? "Careful, you''re walking on thin ice, Lihle," Hawi warned, and Mbali just groaned in pain. She knew she couldn''t challenge Hawi, because Hawi was hermander but damn, she was a desperate person who just wanted her Amina. Was that too much of an ask for her? Enjoy more content from empire "If you''re listening, step out and let us see you," Malika called out to Amina when she realized that her sister was growing more irrational and would probably do something that would cost them all their lives. This was not going to be easy no matter how they wanted to look at it. Their lives were already messy enough that they didn''t need to fight Mbali too. Malika loved her sister and was just in need of the new form of Mbali, but then it was not like her sister was going to be the easiest to deal with along the way, right? "If I were her, I wouldn''te out. Your face itself screams murder, no one in their right mind would agree to see it anyway," Mbali said mockingly as she looked at her sister''s girl face. She was right in the gut. Malika looked like she wanted to grab Amina by the wrist and drag the woman into some ce she would maul her or make her live a living hell before she would be one with her. It was dangerous, and Malika was dangerous, but was that really what Malika was aiming for this time? Her sister had been through enough and they were trying their best not to make her feel unwanted, but goddamn, Mbali was making it too hard. She was turning against everyone just because they opposed the idea of the one woman she wanted to see. It was like she was ready to fight for Amina even then there was possibly a minimal chance that Amina would be willing to fight for Mbali. But what if Amina was willing to go to battle with the Savasci Knights for Jabali Lihle? Would that count as desire and love or would it count as a stupid attempt at challenging immortals who wouldn''t hesitate to finish her if she tried that shit? "It''s just the pain she''s feeling, Malika, don''t mind her," Ruru said when she saw Malika stare at Mbali like she wanted to smack her sister''s head so she would shut up. Well, that was expected, but then they were not sure how adverse the side effects of the poison would be if Mbali was unconscious. There was a chance that she would never wake up if they forced her, but then they needed to figure out a way to keep Mbali''s mouth shut because she wasn''t helping either of them with her yapping. None of this was going to make their lives any better "I know, but she isn''t making it any easier for me," Malika admitted frustratedly while Hawi kept her magical hold on Mbali, making sure to keep the influx of her magic steady so that Mbali wouldn''t give up. However, that was not always because of the taunts that Mbali was doing and it wasn''t going to make all of this any fun. Mbali was ying with fire and she would probably be burned if she wasn''t careful. Frankly, if her friends didn''t know her so well and weren''t willing toy their lives for her, they would kill her already five times how irritable and annoying she was but then they adored her and knew she was not in the right state of mind. While they were trying their best not to fry Mbali''s head with magic, Niki''s screams were filling the air and slicing through their peace of mind shamelessly you would think that they had traveled this far just to hear for themselves how loud Niki Russel could scream. The man was in so much pain that he wasn''t even thinking straight. If there was a time that Malika could break into the man''s head to see the identities of the other seven four shadow warlocks, this would have been the perfect chance for that. Nik was not even in a state to fight anyone from invading his mind because he was so focused on the pain he thought he was going to go nuts. The fire right above him was agitating him and making the poison do things to him that he would never wish even on his worst enemies. Well, his worst enemies were here with him and they were the ones doing that to him. All he had to do was tell them what they wanted and they would consider letting him go, but he wasn''t as stupid, yeah? "Someone shut him up, please," Ruru said when she looked at Nik who was religiously screaming from the pain of the heat. The poison in his body had long spread and he was a mess from it all. Maybe he would find a way around this time, right? Well, that was a huge maybe becausepared to the pain Mbali was feeling, the Savasci Knights gave no shit about Nick''s pain. Hell, if they could intensify it and make the man lose his mind, then they would dly do it without a second thought.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was always that simple so there was no point in pretending that they wished well for the man who was their greatest foe¡­ at least one of their worst foes anyway. Malika looked at Nik, wondering what the fuck the man was yapping about when all of this was his doing. If he hadn''t tried to kill Mbali with the ck locust poison, they would have been closer to their destination on the west, but then he just had to open his mouth and be a nuisance to them. He had made their lives ten times harder by creating the one nuisance that the Savasci Knights wouldn''t darey a hand on. Nik had given him something that they wouldn''t kill or even wish ill on and boy was it frustrating. They loved Mbali too much to let her suffer, but the same couldn''t be said for Nik. Maybe that was why Malika decided to be the devil''s spawn this time, surprising even Hawi herself. "And you all said I am the devil," Hawi asked amusedly. Chapter 359 A Thousand Years With You [HAWI] "And you all said I am the devil," Hawi asked amusedly as she watched Malika work her magic. The woman was terrible and she knew it because there was just no way that she couldn''t have done that with a sane mind. Her decision got the Savasci knights including Mbali with her jaw on the ground from the shock that for a moment there Mbali forgot that she was mad at her sister and her friends for being pricks about the Amina situation. Maybe she would get back to itter, but goddamn. "He looks better like that, don''t you think?" Malika questioned proudly as she stared at the piece of work she had created. She had stuffed Nik''s mouth with mud from the puzzle that the others had never even noticed. Perhaps she had created the puddle for that purpose. And it was something that they couldn''t put past her. Perhaps she had done it with the thought of Mbali in her head because her sister and been a proud menace to her and wasn''t about to stop. Perhaps this was Malika''s way of reminding her sister that they were all devils in their own ways, right? Or maybe there was just nothing attacked and Malika wanted to see Nik suffer more than she had ever seen anyone suffer right? Well, the man had managed to piss her off in ways that hadn''t been invented yet and since the man had given her a sister who was irritable as fuck, perhaps Malika was just returning the favor, no? "I don''t know if I should be proud or scared of you. Damn, you''re brutal," Hawi added amusedly and instead of Malika even considering her decision, she just went on with it like it was the best thing she had ever heard of. Well, it was not an issue for her at the moment because she needed to find some woman in the darkness and her sister was a distracting little shit who wanted to even think clearly. "dly," Malika said as she picked up more mud from the nearby puddle and stuffed it in the man''s mouth, not bothering that he would probably choke on it and die. Well, if that did happen, they had the breath of life and could use it on him either way. Malika just needed some peace and quiet and if she wasn''t about to get it from her sister then she was going to demand it from Nik, because she can''t kill her sister, but she could make Niki look like a lost bitch in heat. Done with her work, Malika wiped her hands on Nik''s clothes, before she warmed her hands on the fire that was still heating up the man. The poor thing was in for a long ride in the hands of a woman who didn''t give two shits about him. Perhaps this was the worst season for him to learn this time, right? "I''ll count to three, Amina. If you don''t show up, I am mating my sister. Lycans can mate within their families, and you had to have known that, since you knew that the mate bond would break the barrier of protection," Malika said. Mbali gasped at her sister''s suggestion. If there was a time when things were absurd, then this had to be it. There was just no way that they could tell what was right from wrong, and there was no way in hell that Malika thought threatening Amina with THAT was supposed to make everything better. Which part of her reality was she stuck in and what the hell was she even ranting about? "No, you wouldn''t," Mbali spoke, even though it was more to herself than to her sister whose threats were always a reality Mbali never wanted to explore. She knew there were real chances of this mess happening but goodness she had never thought that there woulde a time when her sister, the same woman who was madly in love with Elodie Kane would step up and talk of incest. Surely she had to know that that wasn''t approvable right? "I''ve protected you for over a thousand years, Mbali. I know every little thing about you, what you like and hate. Every single thing in your life, I know of it all. Or maybe you want to bear my mating mark so we can test that theory, huh, little sister?" Malika asked angrily. She was sick of seeing her sister in pain and was heated that the damn mate was weakening. But then again, she knows that the protection spell could only ever be weakened by a mate bond that would protect her sister. That was the only reason she hadn''t stepped up and screwed Amina over yet. If she wanted to, she could find the woman, no matter what she had to do and she wasn''t going to hold back regardless. "That''s incest¡­" Ruru trailed off, unable to form a coherent sentence for the first time in so long this was insane. She was all for them protecting each other but incest while at it? It just didn''t make any sense. It was like a part of Malika had snapped and she was so done with everything that was happening. She wouldn''t be med for this. They were all tired of the mind games that the universe was ying with them and maybe, just maybe, this was their chance to put an end to the madness, right? But would Amina let that happen? Would she let another mark someone whom she adored and loved? Would she let the mad woman mark her sister even though the threat was as real as it could ever be? "You''re wrong, Rukiya. That''s just us keeping the Jabali name alive. Besides, as for children, we can sleep with others and bear kids for them while we continue our little family," Malika said with a smirk on her face. Oh, she was dead serious and it was terrifying. Mbali wasn''t sure her sister was right in the head, but then again it was already middling, not to mention the moon was shining so beautifully in the night, yet instead of enjoying the night, they were stuck with the possibility that they could lose one of their own. Maybe rationality had taken a step back, but goddamn, how far back was that even supposed to be to get them to this point?N?v(el)B\\jnn "You''re insane," Mbali coughed out. "I know, sister, I know. But you should know by now that for you, I would do everything," Malika reminded earnestly, as if that was supposed to make the idea any less absurd. Sure, their chances were a little too skewed but surely there had to be some other option that didn''t involve one sister bearing the mark of another, right? And the worst part of it, was that Malika hadn''t mentioned the sibling bond, which meant that she would be marking her sister as a mate and not as a sibling. Could this night get any worse even with Niki stuffed with mud in the mouth? "But that shouldn''t¡­ happen?" Ruru trailed off as she tried to make it all make sense. Maybe they are too tired and needed to rest, maybe they could create a barrier for Mbali just for the night and try to siphon the poison from her while they rested. Maybe they could use Nik''s blood to make it all effective. There were so many maybes that they could consider beforeing to the conclusion of Malika marking her sister. That shit could blow back on them seeing as Elodie was in love with Malika and while Elodie was loyal to Hawi, the mate bond was sacred, one no one was to mess with. Then again, within the Jabali sisters born to be warriors and not mates? Oh, it was confusing as hell. Hawi on the other hand had gone mute for a moment there and her amused sigh was the reminder that she was still with them and hadn''t dozed off into the night. She was sharing her lifeline with Mbali to keep everything the same for the moment. Her lifeline was holding the poison from spreading, but it was just a matter of time before she had to step back and then the poison would spread. That was too much even for her. "Amina knows the choice so well," Malika said, not relenting like she was bound to work eventually. Maybe it would, but they were working with a worn out white wolf who was channeling so much energy from herself. This would prove lethal to her eventually but maybe Malika had hopes. Oh, the endless maybes they had at the moment. "Alright then¡­ Your sister will die if I step back, so if Amina isn''ting, you might as well save her life and then we can keep going," Hawi said tiredly. She could feel herself fading which wasn''t good for Mbali because it would take some time for Hawi to recharge and that was time they didn''t have right now. They could do so many things and still not make it make sense. Perhaps the risks that had grown bigger were the ones worth taking even if the end result was going to be insane and probably abominable. "You''re letting her?" Mbali questioned the disbelief in her voice making a show for the nth time. Stay updated through empire She had been putting her trust in Hawi so that the woman could save them from the inbound mess, but then even Hawi had done what she could and there wasn''t much she could do. "We have a mission toplete, Mbali. You and I both know the mission is important and we can''t afford to lose you. So, if bearing your sister''s mark is the only way to keep you alive, then I don''t see why not," Hawi said, her voice t. Chapter 360 Get Off Whats Mine [HAWI] "We have a mission toplete, Mbali. You and I both know the mission is important and we can''t afford to lose you. So, if bearing your sister''s mark is the only way to keep you alive, then I don''t see why not," Hawi countered, her voice t as she stared at the woman who was hunting and stillid on the ground. The White wolf was not going to sit by and act as her people suffered and if that meant doing the unthinkable, then she would approve of it. At the moment, they were running on thin beliefs and if this went on for a little longer they would all be screwed. That was a risk Hawi was not going to take, not this time and certainly, not here and now. "You don''t mean that," Ruru said to her mate as if she was trying to understand and make Hawi change her mind about that. The Hawi she knew was someone who understood others, someone who cared about what her friends would feel, someone who adored her people and would always do what was best for them. This decision may have been necessary but it would break a lot of hearts for a very long time. That was something they could avoid, yet somehow if they managed to avoid that decision, they wouldn''t be able to avert the madness that would follow. Loving Mbali would hit them worse than anyone they had ever lost in the past four years and that was something they couldn''t afford. Maybe Hawi was thinking with her mind and not her heart, but goddamn, sometimes did hearths need voices too? "When we left homing for the mission, we agreed to let out personal feelings on the side. Even you are here as the Greyson alpha, sweetheart. The mission must go on and you know that too," Hawi reminded and Rukiya felt her heart sink on behalf of Mbali. The truth was something that would always hit hard and as much as they wanted to tell Hawi that the rules could be bent, they had to agree that they hade out here with logic and not emotions. If anything, they had all learned firsthand that emotions were the worst distractions. And decisions made based on emotions would always have some after-effects that couldn''t be solved and would end up being problems into the future they wanted to build. Perhaps they could fix this soon, yeah? "Damn," Mbali sighed as realization dawned on her. She couldn''t fight that reality, even though she could. They were warriors and they needed to get moving instead of slowing down because of her. "Let''s get this over with. We can''t lose a good warrior just because of a bastard," Malika said as Hawi stepped back to give her more space. It was heartbreaking, seeing Mbali weak, and Hawi took that chance to look at Nik who was suffocating slowly. He was probably about to be useful to them but they would figure it all out at the end of the day. Nothing was ever going to be the same, and that was a reality they had to keep in touch with. If only it wasn''t so crazy and challenging. "I''m sorry, Lili, but I have to," Malika whispered as she lifted her sister''s head casually from the ground. It was something that Malik herself dreaded but they still had a life to live. So if her mark was the one thing that could keep her sister alive and sane then she would dly put it on her even though it was breaking her own heart. This was hard, but then it would make their mission easier, so it was worth considering at the end of the day, right? They could deal with everythingter on anyway. With one look at her sister, Malika let out her fangs and readied herself mentally to sink them into her sister''s neck. It would hurt and Mbali would feel the itch from that mark for months on end. She would be haunted by the reality of it all eventually but until then they had to be patient and wait this out. Right before Malika could sink her fangs into her sister''s neck. The goods began shaking and there was a wind, one so rebellious that Malika was suddenly left with the option to pull back and see for herself what the heck was happening. Strangely, when she pulled back from her sister and gentlyy Mbali back on the ground, everything stopped for a moment there. "For a protector, you are crazy. Naah, y''know what, all of you¡­ Yeah, all of you are a little nuts in the head for this," a familiar voice suddenly spoke and a woman popped up from nowhere, making Hawi step forward to protect her team. She was all for murders but she wasn''t about to lose any of her team members again right now. She wasn''t going to lose anyone and if she had to fight the woman who had just shown up, then she would just to make sure that Mbali was safe.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Do it, Malika. Save your sister so we can get some rest tonight. I will deal with this one," Hawi insisted as she stared at the woman before her, the woman who was holding her re, like this was supposed to be a match between the two crazies. It wasn''t hard to tell that the one that had shown up clearly had a few loose screws in her head, especially with the tribal tattoos she was adorning. But then Hawi could see that they were fake and she was certain that if she took a swipe at the woman she could see that the tattoos were just dried henna that would fade away eventually. Malika looked at her mistress, then at her sister, before she looked at the woman he had shown up. Her voice was familiar, a little too familiar, almost like someone Malika knew and hadn''t ever put a face on. However, was that really important now that she had been given five orders by her mistress to save her sister? Would you like to bargain with that? "You really don''t want to do that," the woman growled as she looked at Hawi, who wasn''t even fazed by the fangs she was being shown. It is like this woman was just another mutt in her presence and one that needed to be taught what life looked like and what life held for the most part of their lives. It didn''t matter how long it would take because at the end of the day, they would have to figure out a way to work through this. But first, Mbali needed to be saved, that was the first priority of the night anyway. "Growling at the werewolf queen is punishable by death," Ruru reminded the woman amusedly as she took in the presence of the woman before them. She had long hair and was beautiful. Her hair was twisted into red, brown and ck dreadlocks and if she wasn''t a menace, Ruru could have appreciated the hair and evenplimented the woman. She was here dressed in all ck like every assassin they had been taught about in the books in every library in the realm. She had high boots, had two swords sitting pretty in their sheaths on her back. She had a de sheathed on her belt and she had rings on her hands that were probably poisonous too. Well, that was not a matter to Hawi, evade Mbali would be savede hell or high water. And Hawi would be both if she had to do that to save her friend. "Then I will dly die for my mate," the woman said with conviction like this was something she had been nning on doing from the onset. Well, if she had wanted a fight, then she should have started with it. Continue your journey at empire Or maybe if she was really that then they would let her get close to Mbali. And if she was Mbali''s mate, then that would mean she was Amina. Then again, maybe she was talking about Niki who was still choking barely a few meters away from Mbali. He looked messy as hell with the fire brought up on him. He looked pitiful and lost, for a man who had been so powerful and proud. He looked tamed and that was what the Russel warlocks would consider embarrassing on so many fonts. It doesn''t matter how this worked out, because unless the woman was talking about Nik, they would have problems with her interfering with the mate bond that was meant to save Mbali. "You can join him on the ground there. He looks pretty stuffed. Lemme fuse, you''re the wife who came for him? That could exin the recklessness you''re showing here. Now back the fuck off. "If you want your fucked up mate over there then go try and take him and watch yourself share the same fate as him. I wouldn''t mind having a few minds to fuck up a little more. Besides, it isn''t like there is anything he can live for anymore, right?" Hawi mocked and the woman stared at her like she had lost her mind. Maybe she had, and even if she hadn''t, it was just a matter of time before it all came crashing, seeing how they were determined to keep going and this was just another menace for them. Perhaps they would figure out a way together with the women gone or dead, right? "What?" Malika, Mbali, and the woman asked at the same time like this was the most absurd thing they had ever heard. "Get off of what''s mine, Malika," the woman responded with a growl as she looked into Hawi''s eyes like she was taking a im. "Oh shit, this is about to get interesting," Hawi mused. Chapter 361 Hope On The Street [HAWI]N?v(el)B\\jnn "What?" Malika, Mbali, and the woman asked at the same time like this was the most absurd thing they had ever heard. Maybe it was because of what Hawi had said or because of the cringe on the woman''s face as she listened to Hawi''s statement. "Get off of what''s mine, Malika," the woman responded with a growl as she looked into Hawi''s eyes like she was staking a im. She knew that was a dangerous move, seeing as she was probably the only person who could have caused this much harm to the Lycan warrior, but at the same time, it raised the question of why and what she was doing here. However, unlike what they had expected, Hawi just stared at the woman with amused eyes. "Oh shit, this is about to get interesting," Hawi mused like she wasn''t still standing in front of her people to make sure the woman didn''t dare to go through. If she tried, there were a lot of endings that Hawi had already run through her head and fortunately, none of them was appealing to any sense of humanity and that was more than disturbing. Perhaps they would have to work it out in bits, yeah? "You have some nerve showing your face here. Leave this instant, and listen to my Mistress. Or I will make you feel a kind of paint that you won''t ever live long enough to understand," Malika warned. The tensions were increasing and it was obvious this would potentially result in a breakout war. If this woman was who Mbali thought he was, then she was safe, way safer than how she wasid on the ground. Mbali let out a soft groan, holding her sister''s arm as if to tell Malika not to fight the women who had shown up. They may have had more questions but they needed to be on the same page, especially now that they were fighting the same foe. But was that really it for them? "No. Mbali. She is dangerous. She hurt you," Malika said to her sister who simply shook her head, seeing as he wasn''t going to try and make things right. Then again, that was all Mbali could manage with her shifting consciousness. It was just a matter of time before she lost her consciousnesspletely and that would be a little too hard for them to understand, so the earlier they let the woman help her, the easier it would be, but what were the chances? "If she dies, I will kill you, Malika," the woman growled in warning as she stared at Man who was angrily staring at her. Yes, somehow Malika was smiling. It was a creepy smile but a smile nheless, and the woman wasn''t even affected. "Brave of you to think you cane to my camp and threaten my warrior," Hawi said as she stepped forward, and instinctively, the woman stepped back. Maybe it is because the woman in front of her was a formidable foe who wouldn''t hold back in running her. "Let me save her and then you can fight meter. Can you do that? It''s obvious we both care for her, so make this easy, hmm?" the woman suggested and Malika growled at her in warning. "There''s a lot of growing and a little of helping," Ruru said as she stepped in front of Hawi, making the woman take that as a temporary defense. Somehow the woman was sure Hawi wouldn''ty a hand on Ruru and she took the chance. Hurriedly, the woman rushed to where Malika was with Mbali and she pushed Malika to the side roughly. That in itself was an act that Malika considered rude and unruly because the protector got her des out. She didn''t care what the consequences would be, but she needed to make this woman understand what she was gagging herself into, because if she failed to honor her im she would be useless to them and you would suffer a fate worse than Razia Greyson. "You hurt her, and I will kill you and everyone you''ve ever met," Malika warned with her creepy smile still sitting pretty on her face. She looked pissed and somewhere in between she was angry and desperate to see her sister smile again. Malika was scared of what reality could turn into and so she hoped that this woman knew what she was doing, because otherwise, she would find herself someone new a little before morning and in the deep of the silent night. "If you thought I would hurt her, you wouldn''t have moved to the side willingly. Now let me do my job," the woman pointed out and Malika showed her fangs at her. This was beyond even helping and they were not doing so great at it anyway. Mbali was still unconscious and they needed to figure out a way to keep her frompsing in and out of consciousness because otherwise, they would be ming each other for the chaos that would unfold, again. The woman looked at Mbali, her eyes softening from the cold hard ones she had been staring at Malika with, the eyes that seemed to genuinely care about Mbali. It was almost like she was heartbroken to see Mbali in that difficult state. She traced her hand on Mbali''s face as she removed the strands of hair, so that she could see the Lycan warrior properly. Her heart ached for the girl on the forums and she wished this couldn''t have happened. So defeatedly, the woman unsheathed her de from her belt, making the three Savasci Knights stare at her like she was insane. However, she chose to focus on them and the profanities they were curing at her. She had someone to save and she would do whatever it took to make sure that Mbali was safe and safe. Maybe that was her end goal; and perhaps it wouldn''t be so hard for her, right? Surely she meant well, no? "Oh Hermosa, I''m so sorry about this part," the woman said as she sliced her palm and then Mbali''s palm before joining them and letting their blood flow. It was all too fast like the woman also had healing powers that could fix her up before she merged her blood with that of Mbali. It was all so sudden and there were a few too many sparks, most of which snapped Mbali out of consciousness. She could have sworn she was dreaming about someone calling her Hermosa, someone she had hoped to see, but then as she looked at the woman, Mbali wasn''t sure it would be so hard for her to fall in love with the woman anyway. Explore more adventures at empire This was an all too familiar risk and the only difference was that Mbali was willing to step into it and see what the future held for her and the woman. "What''s happening?" Mbali struggled to ask as she looked around her to see her sister and her friends standing there watching her with careful eyes with their invisible des ready to decapitate the woman finding herself to her, thus ending up being the worst of fails. It was almost hrious for a moment, how the Savasci Knights were open to options, and yet at the same time, they were ready to send the woman back to her creator if she so much as fucked up. It was ideal for them anyway and Mbali felt her heart lightening with joy at the woman''s next words. "Don''t fight it¡­ Mi reina. Let the poison be cleansed," the woman spoke softly to Mbali who was staring at her like this was still a dream. There is only one person who called her mi reina and as much as she wanted to say that she was here Mbali on what the woman was a ghost, maybe just a figment of her mind. She had always been told that people always thought back to memories they held dear when the time came for their souls to shift to the afterlife. It was not easy to ept, but it was a reality that they had toe to terms with eventually. "But¨C" Mbali began, unsure if this was a dream or not. Her mind was foggy and her hallucinations were suddenly bing real, but one thing she could see was that the woman was so beautiful and perfect. Goddamn, she could have sworn that she had never seen a woman as beautiful as the one in front of her. "Fucking hell, she''s hot," Mbali mumbled as she took in the sight of the woman before her. She didn''t care that they were probably the side effects of the drug in her system or something else. What mattered most at the moment was the fact that she was alive, even for the moment and she was d to be here. The woman had heard her and chuckled at the beauty on the ground. If the situation had been different, Amina would have teased the shit out of Mbali but she had a feeling that Malika and Hawi would fuck her up easily anyway. "Shhh, Hermosa. You''ll be fine. I''ll die before I let anything happen to you, and I''m immortal so that''s impossible, mi reina," the woman said to Mbali who just stared at her softly like this woman was the love of her life. "Who are you?" Ruru questioned the woman who seemed to have a soft spot for Mbali. It was unusual really, especially seeing how Jabali Lihle was so open to affection with this woman. The same woman who hated affection didn''t seem to fight the affection this time it was heartwarming and so curious. "Her mate," the woman spoke with conviction as she looked at Mbali, her eyes never leaving the Lycan warrior. "What''s your name?" Hawi asked. "Amina. Amina Russel," Amina said. Chapter 362 The Happiest Girl [HAWI] For a moment there, there was silence. Amina''s words had gotten them into a kind of shock, one that even Mbali herself, despite going in and out of consciousness, was very aware of, and boy was it something that she wasn''t ever going to ept. The man on the ground with a stuffed mouth was a Russel warlock. The warlock for the same family that had cost them all lives in every dimension. The same warlocks who had been the root of their pain and the same reason they had been unable to embrace their humanity in peace. Those same warlocks had been proud in their desire to fuck up everything they worked for, and yet right now, they were standing face to face with one of them? If this wasn''t the worst joke of the century, then what was it then? How the fuck were they supposed to describe this? "What?" Hawi asked barely above a whisper as she took in the sight before her. She wasn''t sure if this was the worst kind of karma, having one of her friends be mated to the enemy they had left home to go and fight, the same enemy they were determined to eradicate even if it took their entire lifeline to do it? This wasn''t fair and fuck the universe for doing this to them.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Russe?? No¡­" Mbali whined as she tried to get her hands off the Russel sister. She wasn''t about to let the woman share blood with her, and even if she had to die because she didn''t get help, Mbali was more than willing to let that happen. The Russels had cost them their childhood and adult lives. They had screwed up everything that was sane and insane about them and no matter how things went on, there was just no way that the world was going to be functioning well like that. The universe was not being fair to them and Mbali didn''t have the energy to even stay here and deal with this shit. "Fuck," Ruru whispered as she stared at the chaos. She more than anyone knew just how much Mbali despised the Russels. This was the worst p on the face for them all because they had to make the hardest decision ever. What the hell were they supposed to make of all of this? "Stay away from my sister," Malika warned at the same time that Mbali spoke. "Mark me, Malika. Put an end to all of this. Mark me so we can kill her alongside her brother. We need only one Russel to guide us to the west and where they are. We already have Nik for that. "So, mark me, please," Mbali begged her sister who was staring at her pitifully. There were so many things that Malika had known would happen when she met her sister, but then of all her expectations, most of this hadn''t been it for them. It was like they lived in a world where fate was ying games with their lives and daring them to make the impossible possible. How the hell was she supposed to tell her sister that this shit would be okay when she was named to the one person they wanted dead? How was this even supposed to make her feel better? Mbali had gotten hurt because of a Russel and a Russel had conveniently shown up tomand to save her. Maybe Amina was truly here for Mbali, but wasn''t the timing a little too suspicious, especially with all that had happened with the team? Why was it that she never made a show in the past seven months that they had been at peace? Why would she show up on the very first day that they stepped out of Sicario for their mission? This shit was suspicious as hell and there was never going to be an easier way out of this. If they weren''t careful, they would lose again. "Lihle¡­" Malika said to her sister who had already arched her neck for Malika. Amina was seeing this and she was pissed about it. She hated that that was the reason that this woman was giving up like this. She hated herself for a moment there because it hurt so bad that her mate was more than willing to bear the mark of her sister and a protector, rather than bear her mark as her mate. All of this was not making them feel any better but then what was the best solution to this when the Savasci Knights were all experiencing emotional turmoil? "Please, Malika," Mbali pleaded again and Malika felt the life leave her once again. She had promised to be there for her sister, to make everything better, but why was she a little conflicted about this? She knew it was not what they had expected, but at the same time, she had seen how Mbali''s face always lit up at the mention of Amina, how her sister looked like she had heard the best of things when Amina was brought up as a subject. Malika had seen her sister genuinely be happy and hopeful about Amina. Mbali had always expected Amina to show up and teach her so many things, like the words Amina always used with her. She had never been done with othernguages, but Mbali wanted to know more. She had always wanted to understand and even better, speak thenguage of the woman who made her heart beat so fast and gave her the kinds of butterflies that made her feel safe. Find your next read at empire But now as she looked at Amina, Mbali was not sure if this was what happiness was supposed to look like or the universe had always hated her from the onset. They couldn''t find logic in this, but for Mbali, the pain she had grown up in, the loneliness she had be ustomed to and the endless questions I here had had simply got her to the one woman who was a part of the main problem. Fate was a fucked-up bitch no doubt. "You need to heal, mi reina. I can exin everything, but only if you let me fix you," Amina said, not paying attention to her mate''s demands. She knew this was expected the moment she knew who her mate was, but then she had hoped it would be different. Amina had hoped that my love for Mbali would make a difference. Funny how here they were and she was still at a crossroads, and unsure whether her mate would ever want her again. But then she wasn''t going to focus on that. She hade here to make sure her mate was safe. While it was unfortunate that she had been part of the reason Mbali was in this state, Amina was not going to leave her mate in pain just because she came from a family of mad people. Her mad family thrived on the pain of others and hoped to dominate an entire realm, despite the obvious fact that the existence of the white wolf would screw that up for them every single time. "Get off of me." "You. Need. To. Heal." "And you need to fucking let me go. I''d much rather have my sister bite me than be your mate," Mbali growled out. Amina faltered. Chapter 363 Mated To An Enemy [HAWI] "Get off of me," Mbali growled in warning as she fought against Amina who held her down so she couldn''t hurt herself even more. but then Jabali Lihle was never a traitor to her people, so she wasn''t about to start right now. This woman needed to leave and if she could do so by herself, then Mbali would dly make her leave, otherwise she would find a way to make sure that there was never an ounce of life in those eyes that were still staring at her with love. "You. Need. To. Heal," Amina bit out, holding back the anger and disappointment she was feeling because of all this. Maybe she was also tried by her family or maybe she hade to use Mbali as a pawn. It was hard to tell with the way she was still holding steady despite the literal fact that everyone here wanted her gone, her brother was not even sure what was happening here but the Savasci Knights were willing to cast a death vote for her. Even that didn''t seem to faze Amina Russel. "And you need to fucking let me go. I''d much rather have my sister bite me than be your mate," Mbali growled out in anger, this time making sure the woman heard her loud and clear. Hell, even people who were in the distance had to have heard the tant rejection. It was a heartbreaking time for Amina and with the way she faltered, she had clearly been affected. She had not been sure how this was bound to be, but when the eyes that had wanted her turned to raging eyes, Amina knew it was time for her to leave. But then she couldn''t leave, not when her mate was in pain and not letting her heal her. Not when everything else was so wrong and she was the one with a hurting matte. But then Malika also had a hurting sister, didn''t she? "Holy shit," Ruru whispered in disbelief while Hawi stared in silence. She was waiting to see how this would go and while it was a risky situation, Hawi knew this was more for Mbali, Malika, and Amina to handle than her being involved. She would only let herself get involved if Amina posed more danger to the duo. Only then would Hawi decide to end the woman''s life, but for now, she had to wait and see how the Jabali sisters would handle this situation. "Leave this ce and don''te back. Or I will be the first one to kill you," Mbali insisted before she stared at her sister, tears in her eyes as she felt the pain in her body multiply. The poison was spreading fast. She was losing her mind and if they didn''t act fast, not that Hawi had stopped the siphoning. They would lose her for real. They would be digging a grave for one of their own and yet they were the most powerful creatures in the realm. Amina was watching all of this with a broken heart even as Malika got her off and reced her next to Mbali. This may have been apetition on who knew the best things for them to do, when in reality, they were all just trying to live their lives. It was not going to be easy winning this, but goddamn, if they lost one of them at this point of their journey then what was the point of them going ahead with the gift, now that their weaknesses could be exploited? "Fucking hell, Lili. Here, bite me," Malika sighed as she showed her wrist, seeing how pale her sister had gotten. She needed Mbali to have some of her blood in her system because then their sisterly bond would be reignited. With that, she would be able to fix Mbali even if Mbali was also healing. This was thest stage of their sibling bond, not that Mbali knew of it. But then it seemed like a necessity for them because there was no other option if Mbali was rejecting Amina. "Please, let me fix you," Amina pleaded defeatedly as she slumped on the ground, watching her mate lose herself in the mess that had been there. She knew there were so many improbable things, but what else was there for her to do? "Fuck off," Mbali said as she grabbed her sister''s wrist and bit into it, while looking right into Amina''s eyes, breaking Amina''s heart. She thought this was the worst form of rejection and white Mbali was sure she would regret itter, so she chose this. She didn''t care if this was her binding herself to her sister in the craziest of ways, or even her making it seem like she was choosing her sister for her mate for the hundredth time, but whatever it was, Mbali was not going to let it all go. She would deal with the consequences of her rash decisionter, one she was certain that the mad woman she is mated to was gone. But would Amina leave like that and nevere back? Would she choose to leave her mate when Mbali needed her the most right now? "What do we do with her? She is a Russel," Ruru voiced when she saw Mbali heal a little faster than they had thought. Maybe they should have thought about this particr thing an hour ago, but then what mattered was that they had their solution, right? "We kill her, it''s that simple," Mbali said when she realized they were hesitating for her sake. They were probably thinking that this would hurt her the most. Of course, it would. Losing someone she had started caring for was not going to be easy on Mbali. Explore hidden tales at empire However, she was so angry at this new reality that she wasn''t even thinking straight anymore. Mbali was so blinded by the hate she had for the Russels that she wasn''t even thinking twice about sending her mate on the chopping block. "What?" Hawi asked in shock. Maybe they were thinking too much, but then pain had fucked them all up and now Mbali was the one bearing the shame of being mated to an enemy. "Oh, please. Don''t tell me you''re getting all emotional just because she ims to be my mate. Who knows if she used her magic and forced a bond so she could know where we are headed? "Besides, that stupid family ruined our lives. The least we can do is give them a taste of their medicine," Mbali shrugged once she had started healing. Her sister''s blood was making her stronger and she loved it. What Mbali didn''t realize was that the ce she had bitten was the one spot where the Jabali family always bit each other to maintain their bonds. Mbali may have thought that it was a mate bond like Hawi and Ruru, but it was more of sisters. However, Malika wasn''t going to correct her sister, especially not right now when she was still fuming about the mate she had gotten. Maybe she would, sometime in the future when Mbali had calmed down, but until then, she would wait it out. "She''s your mate, Mbali," Ruru tried, unsure of what she was aiming for. Maybe her humanity, but was that something they would work around Jabali sister of all the creations in the realm?N?v(el)B\\jnn "She''s no mate of mine. I would rather marry Asmodeus than be her mate. I''d rather lose my life if I have to be mated to her." Chapter 364 From This Moment On [HAWI] "She''s your mate, Mbali," Ruru tried, unsure of what she was aiming for. Maybe her humanity¡­ but was that something they would work around Jabali sister of all the creations in the realm? "She''s no mate of mine. I would rather marry Asmodeus than be her mate. I''d rather lose my life if I have to be mated to her," Mbali retorted spitefully as she stared at the mate who had presented herself. Betrayal and brown Mbali''s heart one too many times and while she hadn''t expected that Amina would be doing that to her, a part of her had always hoped that Amina was her chance at happiness. Funny how that turned out for her.N?v(el)B\\jnn "What do you think, Malika?" Hawi asked as she looked at her protector. She knew this wasn''t the best of ways, but with Mbali healed and healthy, now they needed to make a choice on what to do with the Russel sister. They weren''t ready for this Russel and the fact that it had taken them this long to know that there was another Russel sister raised more questions. Over the years, everyone in the realm knew of the Seven; the shadow warlocks who were a menace. Given the only sister known to the world was Razia, they automatically assumed that the rest of the siblings were brothers. But then here they were, with Amina, a female Russel, one who raised more questions than answers. If she really was one of them, would the Savasci Knights step up and kill her too? Would it be easier for them, or would it be the worst blow for them and even for Mbali? Mbali was angry now, but then maybe she would settle and ept the mate bond, but at what cost, when this family was determined to screw with them one too many times? "I say we kill her. One less Russel bastard to deal with," Malika said even though she could feel the pain that Mbali was feeling. Her sister wanted her mate, though she was too scared of the repercussions of epting her. However, what else could they do at the moment? It was like their worlds were shing so fast that they couldn''t even breathe with ease. Then again, the decision with the Russels had always been clear. No one would everpromise when it came to this family so would they start or would they go with the original n? "Well then, her execution is set for dawn. We need to get some rest. We''ve had a long day. Ruru and I will set up camp," Hawi decided and they all just agreed. There was nothing more they could do. Maybe if Mbali ry wanted Amina to stay, Hawi would have changed the verdict but then the Jabali sister was defiant and pissed. She looked like she wanted to fuck up Amina''s face in ways worse than hell. This right here was the worst thing that could happen to anyone in love and yet Jabali Lihle was once again finding herself in that kind of pickle. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire Perhaps she was always meant to be a warrior without any attachments to people other than the people she was to protect, right? With her decision, Hawi and Ruru began walking away from the team to go and set up camp. Malika on the other hand, stared at her sister who was ring fiercely at Amina, who wasn''t even bothered to object to the sentence she had been given. Death by the hands of the white wolf was the cruelest thing that could ever happen to any warlock. However, over the years, many had talked of a worse death than dying in the hands of the white wolf, and that was death on the hands of Awuor Sicario. Most of the people who had seen her drive the people she tortured to death had sworn to live good lives and never did things that couldnd them in the hands of the craziest wolf they had ever heard of. She was the alpha of death among the people, even though no one had ever told her that to her face. And now here Amina was about to die in the hands of the white wolf, who also just happened to be the alpha of death. Perhaps this was the game fate was ying with them again, right? "Aren''t you going to try and make a defense?" Malika asked curiously. She had never heard anyone not try to prove themselves innocent, other than Hawi who had epted her fate years ago, but then she hadn''t been sentenced to death, had she? Well, it had been more of a fate worse than death, but then Amiana had a choice. She could choose to appeal and then decideter. She could give exnations and prove herself useful to them, but all this time she had been focused on Mbali. Amina wanted to know so many things about the women she was mated to, and right now she was d that they were leaving her with them. There still was time for her to be with her mate, if their decision to execute her was final. Malika stared at Amina who just shrugged at her question and she thought this woman was a thousand levels unhinged. She had the worst of fates waiting for her and yet she didn''t even bother to seek defense? Well, Malika wasn''t going to be staying any longer to see whether she would seek defense or not. Between her sister''s fury with Amina, and the crazy couple that couldn''t quite keep their hands off of each other, there was only one safe choice for Malika. "Wait for me, you two. I''ming along. I would rather be everywhere else than here with them," Malika said as she looked at her sister who was having a bored face directed at her mate. They looked like they wanted to kiss and murder each other at the same time. At Malika''s statement, Amiana let out a snicker, while Mbali just facepalmed at her sister''s bluntness. Maybe she would have to figure out a way to keep Malika upied because her sister could be a menace when she wasn''t busy protecting someone. "So, you''ll just leave me here with her? What happened to restraining her before we kill her?" Mbali asked Hawi who just stared at her softly. She was aware that there was more to the heart than Mbali was willing to admit, and maybe this time she would let it out to the right person. "She won''t be going anywhere, don''t worry. Besides, the stench of your desire for each other is suffocating," Hawi said with augh like this was the most normal thing for the both of them. But then what else was there? Mbali and Amina needed each other, it was more than obvious, even to anyone who didn''t have eyes. They lusted for each other yet somehow managed to keep their hands off each other. That took a lot of restraint, but the trio wasn''t going to stay and see what they would do. "Come on, Alpha Awuor," Mbali whined and Hawi snickered knowingly. This wasn''t about to get any better, so the easiest option was for them to make a run for it. "She called me alpha¡­ Run!" Hawi said to Ruru and Malika who ran along with her "You people are traitors!!" Mbali cried out but they simply responded with peals ofughter. "Getid both of you!" Ruru added before they disappeared and Mbali choked on air. Chapter 365 Loving You Is A Losing Game Continue reading at empire [HAWI] With her friends gone, Mbali stood there with the woman who was supposed to make her happy and had sessfully failed, thanks to herst name. She knew her friends were hoping for a better reunion for some reason. However, to Mbali, there was nothing that could ever happen between her and Amina. The woman came from a cursed family and that was something that Mbali wasn''t sure she wanted to be a part of. At the same time, when Ruru said that she needed to getid probably with Amina, Mbali wouldn''t deny the tinge she felt in her heart and in her core. She wanted Amina in ways that she couldn''t spell out yet, but she was going to hold back. She wanted to prove to herself that she was stronger in mind and that she could keep her desires in control. But then now that their friends had left, the stench of both their lies was in the air. Would Mbali give in though? "Is it really that bad to sit with me, mi reina?" Amina asked when she noticed that the night was filled with so many uncertainties. It hadn''t been her intention to ambush Mbali with this, but she had hoped that she still had more time. She hoped that there would be enough time for her to talk to the woman she loved about the cruel link that bound them together, a link that could see hands rolling without even a second thought.N?v(el)B\\jnn It was a dangerous bargain, one that they knew of so well but that wasn''t making it any easier for the both of them. Perhaps there woulde a time for them to settle in but goodness, this wasn''t how she had nned for it. All she could do was hope that Mbali trusted her but that too seemed to be a long stretch seeing how cruel her mate was ring at her under the moonlight. "The difference between you, your dying brother, and your dead siblings is that you''re alive. But not for long," Mbali said angrily, ignoring the question Amina had asked. She wasn''t sure how the fuck she was supposed to do that when her heart seemed to be eating for the Russel woman. Mbali didn''t want to betray her team, but goddamn it was getting a little hard with Amina standing right in front of her and talking to her like she was everything to the women. Perhaps even devils had consciences right? And this one just had to the devil assigned to her, no? "You look so beautiful today, mi reina," Aminaplimented, ignoring the anger in Mbali''s voice. The moon shining on Mbali''s face made her look prettier than before. Amina loved the way the moon reflected in her eyes, the way the woman was so pretty even as she was mad. She looked defiant as hell but even then, Amina found Mbali extremely attractive. Sure, she would probably be dead by dawn, but if it were because of this beautiful woman before her, Amina had no objections, she would dlyy her head on the chopping board for that to be a reality. Oh, she loved Mbali it was probably messing with her mind at the moment. "Shut the fuck up," Mbali said as she paced around waiting for their friends toe back. She wasn''t in the mood to be standing here with Mbali because she wanted the woman so badly it hurt. She wanted to pull Amina into an embrace. She wanted to go and kiss those beautiful lips that Amina kept licking while staring at her. They both desired each other and their breaths per more than they could dismiss. Mbali had never seen such a pretty woman and for a moment there she was happy that she had been given the most beautiful mate. She was already imagining what it would be like, to live in a world where it was just her, Amina, and their pups. She wanted to learn more about Amina, and know what she liked and didn''t like. She wanted to know what irked the woman and what made her happy. Mbali wanted to see the woman smile so badly, but then there was nothing for the both of them to be smiling about at the moment. The Russel name had thrown a great barrier between them and Mbali wasn''t sure she wanted the barrier removed. It would mean something else and she was scared of what that would mean for the both of them. Perhaps it was best to leave everything as it was at the moment, right? "I''ll give you the information you need. I''ll be your informant in the Russell household, but on condition that you stay with me," Amina said, walking toward Mbali. She wanted to breathe her in and know her scent so well. She wanted to know what it was like to be around Mbali. Granted, that would be a little harder for her, but if Amina traded herself for information then maybe she would be able to spend more time with the defiant mate in front of her, right? Maybe they would eventually get over the fact that Amina was born in the house that they were determined to wipe out, right? But was that ever enough insurance for them or would they eventually kill her? "How funny. I think you don''t know what the Savasci Knights really are or what we are capable of, Russel. We can, and will definitely find the answers on our own. We willy waste to your home and family. "We will make sure nothing ever remains of that home. And we don''t need you. We never did, so your offer means nothing to me. If I were you I would prepare my neck for the execution tomorrow because they won''t forgive you," Mbali said. Amina arched a brow at that. She had heard the same thing over and over, but Mbali''sst statement got her staring at the woman curiously. Maybe there really was a chance for the both of them. Maybe the world was all glistening and shit and they would be able to make it out if they loved each other. "They won''t forgive me?... Does that mean you forgive me?" Amina asked, ignoring everything Mbali had said. She hadn''t been expecting thatst statement but it was progress. She knew Mbali despised her for thest name, but the fact that Mbali didn''t include herself in the forgiveness bit, made Amina have hope. Perhaps she was stupid for holding on to that kind of hope, but then a girl could hope, right? She was in love and was willing to do whatever it took not to lose her mate. Maybe she would find a way to align the way, right? However, how long did she have before when her execution was at dawn and it was a little past midnight now? "You''re crazy," Mbali sighed as she looked at her mate. She had expected Amina to be stubborn and if she was truthful with herself, Mbali loved how defiant her mate was. She wanted to rush over there and kiss the hell out of Amina, but she couldn''t. She wanted to pull the woman so close and never let her go. Mbali wanted to tell her Amina that there was a way, and that the idea Amina had suggested was actually workable. She wanted to exin to Amina that her stupid friends had left them together because there wouldn''t be an execution in the morning as they wanted her to be happy even if it was with the most unexpected of persons. Mbali wanted to assure Amina so badly, but she couldn''t find it in herself to do that. She didn''t want to give Amina hope or even herself hope. Besides, why they would be done with the missions and went back home, if she went with Amina, there was a chance that their people would protest. Mbali didn''t want to put Amina through that. She didn''t want to hurt her mate like that. It would break her. "I know you don''t need me. But maybe if you use me, you will get your vengeance sooner and then you can live your life happily, mi reina," Amina said softly as she looked into Mbali''s eyes now that the woman had stopped pacing around. "We don''t need you. I don''t know why the fuck you came here. I don''t care about what you want, but know that when dawnes, you will be dead. You can leave now and nevere back, or stay and watch me be the first to put a stake into your heart," Mbali warned. Chapter 366 But What If I Hate You? [HAWI] Continue reading stories on empire "We don''t need you. I don''t know why the fuck you came here. I don''t care about what you want, but know that when dawnes, you will be dead. You can leave now and nevere back, or stay and watch me be the first to put a stake into your heart," Mbali warned. She was not about to make anypromises and frankly, that was understandable. She wasn''t sure how to react to all of this without being hurt and she had had her fair share of pain tost her the night anyway. "You don''t need a stake for that," Amina said softly. A part of her was still hoping that all would be well, that the world would be all shiny for them. She knew it was a long gamble, but then she couldn''t help wanting to be there for her mate. She just wanted to spend more time with Mbali, even though shit had gottenplicated. Nothing she had done so far warranted the trust she was hoping for and maybe that was why she was pulling back too. Amina was a lot of things but then to Mbali, she was the one person Mbali didn''t want to see. "Great. I''ll just use my des then," Mbali said spitefully as she got out her des. She was sick and tired of being treated warmly by the person who had broken her heart. Amina was supposed to be a really bad person to make Mbali hate her with ease, and yet she had turned out differently. Amina looked like she would worship the road that Mbali walked and would now to her on every asion. Amina wanted Mbali for herself and she was willing to do whatever it took just to be breathing the same air as Jabali Lihle. Maybe that made her a little too hopeful in the face of chaos, but then what else was there for her? It wasn''t like they would be living in some sort of wonderful world now, or was it so? Amina could see the determination on her mate''s face and knew that there wouldn''t be anything to change Mbali''s mind anymore. She knew that that tonight would be thest she would see her mate and it hurt a little worse than staying away had. "Here¡­ A de that kills the undead. A de forged to kill my family; the only thing that can end us all. If you want me dead, you''ll have to use this, hermosa," Amina said as she handed Mbali a de covered in silver and gunpowder. It was obviously lethal and could cause more damage than anyone would have expected. Amina was here to hand Mbali the one thing that could end her and her entire family, thereby putting an end to the madness of the Russel house and Mbali''s response was unexpected. Maybe it was because she hadn''t really expected this, but then the night itself hade with so many things that they needed to work through. They would eventually find a way around it and no matter what happened along the way, both of them had to make a decision about them eventually. "Don''t think I won''t use it," Mbali said as she stared at the de that was calling to her. The temptation was there. The urge to take the de and use it on the woman who was here breaking her heart or even her brother who was almost a vegetable in the distance. It was something that Mbali would obviously consider, but then a part of her was hurt that it hade to this. How the hell had she gone to want the woman she loved and hoped to see again, dead? What kind of a fate was this that wasn''t even letting her have the choice of life and love? Why did it always have to be bloodshed wherever she and her friends were? Was that ever a fair fight anyway? "If I must die, then let it be by your hands," Amina said with a smile like her heart wasn''t aching so badly. Amina had only ever wanted to love Mbali but then circumstances were eating at her in ways she couldn''t have thought of yet. This was a fate she had not hoped for, but then she hadn''t be a good person over the years, right? She was just but a member of the rose family that had caused so much chaos in the universe for the past thousand years. "How noble. I bet you haven''t seen your dumb brother yet, huh?" Mbali said with a sinisterugh as she pointed at Nik who was choking on mud still, though the fire had been put out by Ruru some time ago when they were staring at Amina. Amina had seen her brother alright. She had even sensed his magic fade and everything else for the day that they had captured Nik seven months ago. She had known that these groups were with her brother. She had felt the bond when Nik threw Kurt into the secure portal back home and she had seen to it that the boy had gotten home well. Granted, Amina hadn''t been expecting to have a younger brother after all these years, but then it had happened. The kid was innocent in their eyes, but to the protectors, he had been the one way to get to the Russel family. And while Amina had brought her little brother home, she knew there had to be a catch with them. There had to be a reason the brother was sent through freely, especially after the endless times they had felt the familial bond be cut and get restored. You would think that the Savasci Knights would spare children. Well, the children of their people had been sacrificed unnecessarily but the Russel warlocks so there was no reason for them to be here pretending to y well when they had all been monsters. But was that why Amian was here tonight? Was that really why she had risked everything to get herself in the hands of the Savasci knights who could easily kill her and throw her boy into the worst of acids like they had done with her sister Razia?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''m not talking about Nik, mi reina. I''m talking about you¡­ About what you must do for your team. Here is the perfect weapon to put an end to all of us. This is your chance at peace, hermosa," Amina said sincerely as she stared into her mate''s eyes. She loved Mbali so much it was breaking her ever-cold heart. Ever since she had felt the mate bond endless years ago, Amina had tried to keep herself close, but with the protector around Mbali, Amina had known it was a suicide call. It was something that wouldn''t do the both of them any good, especially since Mbali hadn''t even grown old enough to know shit about mate bonds. That was a risk that Amina had wanted to take, not with the one girl her heart belonged to. "I hate you," Mbali said when she saw the sincerity in Amina''s eyes. She hadn''t been expecting it and it was screwing with her mind in so many ways. This wasn''t how her mate bond was supposed to go, but what could Mbali do? "And I love you, hermosa. I love you more than life can everprehend¡­" Chapter 367 What If You Let Me Love You Then? [HAWI] "I hate you," Mbali said when she saw the sincerity in Amina''s eyes. "And I love you, hermosa. I love you more than life can everprehend. I live and breathe you, mi reina. It''s okay if you hate me, because I can bnce us out with my love. Explore more at empire "And if my love is never going to be enough for both of us, then knowing that you hate me, is love enough for me. At least then you will remember me, even if it''s to kill me, mi reina," Amina said earnestly as she reached out to Mbali. She wanted to touch her, and hold her for a while. She wanted to be there for Mbali and love her like the woman deserved to be loved, but then their fate was something that they couldn''t even begin to understand. Love and life were crueler than pain and anger. This right here was the result of things that neither of them would ever have control over a boy. Was it a little too much for their hearts that we''re slowly learning to love and live? "What the fuck is even wrong with you? What are you doing here? Why the fuck did you follow us? What the hell do you want?" Mbali asked frustratedly. Amina was making it was hard for Mbali to hate her, really. It was something that confused the hell out of Jabali Lihle, the one warrior who was known for always being level-headed. Jabali Lihle was the warrior who could figure out shit even at war. She always worked well under pressure but right now, she wasn''t sure what the hell this was. She didn''t understand what it was about her that got Amina risking her life like this. Her execution was set for dawn and Amina knew that already, yet she was still here. Anyone in their right mind would have made a run for it, but Amina was different. It was like she was ready to lose her life if that was all it would take to be with Mbali one more time. She was a little messed up in the head, but could she be really med this time? "You, mi reina. You, dear, are what is wrong with me. I can breathe, or eat without thinking of you. I can think straight when you are not near. I thought it would be easy after Greyson, buttely, all I''ve been doing is thinking of you. "I wonder how your day goes by, whether you live well, whether you eat. I worry when you are hurt, and wonder if you''re safe. My heart beats for you in ways that I never thought possible. I can''t do anything right without you. "I am here for you, to be with you. It doesn''t matter if you hate me and want me dead, hermosa. The only thing that matters is that you''re near me. If I have to die, then let me die by and in your hands. "If I have to be a prisoner for me to be close to you, then consider me your prisoner. I can''t turn away because you''re all I think of. I followed you so I could see you again. I want you, mi reina. I want you in ways that would put love to shame. "I want to see you happy, to see to it that your path is not riddled by pain or anger. I want to see you breathe and not have to be strong anymore. I have followed you for over three hundred years and I don''t mind following you for an eternity. "Knowing you are alive is what keeps me sane, so don''t worry about me screwing up your ns of ruining whatever is left of my family. I will aid you, if that is what it takes to make you happy. "I am here for you, mi reina, just you," Amina said, her confession forcing Mbali a few steps back, again. Everything was confusing as hell when it came to Amina and frankly, Mbali hadn''t made a bargain this long for her. But then what else could she do when the heart she was supposed to burn to ashes was no beating for her? How was she to make herself understand? Sometimes it was okay to love and be loved. Hawi and Ruru had found a way around their bond, hadn''t they? Then again, Ruru hadn''t taken part in the haunting reality they were stuck with, if anything, Hawi and Ruru were both victims of fate. So why was it a little different for the both of them? "And that is supposed to make me what? Feel bad for you? Well, I''m sorry you''ve had to live with the idea that I''m your mate, but I''m not your mate. My sister marked me already. "So back the fuck up or I will actually kill you myself," Mbali warned. She wasn''t ready to embrace whatever this was, because she was scared of being hurt. All her life Mbali had lived in pain and rejection because of everything that had happened with her family. Sure, she had found her sister eventually but she wasn''t sure if Malika would stay after this mission or if Malika would leave her ass again. She may have been eating Malika''s mate mark, but then what of Elodie? How would Mbali even face the warrior who had been nice to her and had weed her into Sicario and their lives like everything is normal for them? How would she exin the betrayal to the girl who hadn''t ever looked at her differently other than with pure love? Was it a sacrifice they were bound to make? Was this how their lives were supposed to be in the end? Was she the one to choose her friend''s pain while she hurt slowly in the dark? If Mbali was tired of feeling emotions. She was tempted to turn her humanity off, but she had a feeling that doing that wouldpromise the missions, because then they would have to be animals, always. Her friends would have to clean up the mess caused by her Lycan and she wouldn''t survive getting her humanity back. That was a gamble too. Damn. "You don''t have to trust me, mi reina. Hell, you down than to love me or even look at me. Just¡­ be happy. That is all I seek from you," Amina whispered as she stared at the girl of her dreams. Funny how they were out here in the night, hurting. "Bold of you to think I would do anything for you, huh?" Mbali said and Amina stepped closer to her, again. She knew it was easy and there was a chance that Mbali would take the de from her hands and stab her with it, but did that matter to Amina now? "I don''t have any expectations, hermosa. What I know is your team is bound to kill me and mine. I am just here to make sure you don''t get hurt while killing us," Amina said as if it was the most normal of things between the both of them. Mbali hated that the loss of life had to be something she had to discuss with the one person who was supposed to be her happiness. She hated this side of the universe and fuck was it tempting to just turn everything off so she couldn''t feel shit.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Step back, what the fuck are you doing?" Mbali asked. Chapter 368 For You, Mi Reina, Only For You [HAWI] "Step back, what the fuck are you doing?" Mbali asked Amina who was determined to close the distance between them. It was a risky move for both of them but Amina knew she could only just be patient for too long. She had happiness right in front of her and yet somehow she was unable to hold onto it or even protect it. It wasn''t fair and no matter what angle Amina looked at in all of this form, she and Mbali would be the ones suffering because of the damned bond. They had only ever wished to be happy and yet here they were, shells of who they were supposed to be. This was not what they had prayed for, but as it was, the goddess seemed to be kind and deaf to their prayers. Nothing could exin what the fuck was happening right now. "Your sister''s mark looks pretty on you. At least now I know I won''t have to worry about you being so hurt. She reignited your sibling bond, and that is enough to protect you, even from me, mi reina," Amina said sadly as she looked at the mark on Mbali''s wrist. Her heart had been breaking since the time she had learned of two Mbali was and what her reason for being here was and honestly, Amina was tired. She was tired of walking on eggshells around Mbali. She was tired of wondering what they were to do next. She was tired of thinking of everyone''s feelings except hers. She had been born into a family of rebels and had been taught to keep up with the mission, which was to make sure the white wolf never survived. Find your next adventure on empire Her family had a long history of jeopardizing the realm in different ways, and right now as she looked at her mate, Amina never wanted that., not right now Jeopardizing the realm meant that her Mbali would forever be forced to work on fixing up her messes as that of her family. Her Mbali would never get to live her life and that was something Amian wouldn''t let happen. She refused to let her family destroy the woman she loved just like they had destroyed her will to live. It had taken her a while to ept that there was a chance that Mbali would never be hers because of the bonds that bound them but fuck everything else, Amina was sick and tired of everything around them. She just wanted peace and yet somehow it was the one thing that had evaded her and the mate she loved. "No shit, Sherlo¨C WHAT?" Mbali asked the realization of what Amina just said, dawning on her. She wasn''t sure if it was a good thing for her to bear the sibling bond or if she was to be happy she was never going to be apart from her sister. The fact that this mark was on her, put to rest Mbali''s thought of Malika leaving her out there. She had always wondered what life would be like after the cleansing they would be doing and frankly, her greatest horror had never been losing her friends, but losing her sister in the process. Lihle had strived to be the sister Malika would be proud of and this mark right here was the proof of it all. It showed her that her sister trusted her; that her sister was willing to do whatever it took to protect her and the same would be for both sides. This mark put to rest the spections Mbali had and honestly, she was too excited to even think straight this time. Her sister wanted her around. Her sister wanted to be there for her. Her sister was never going to leave her side, and her sister was always going to be there for her. It was more than she could have bargained for and honestly, Mbali couldn''t have thought of anything else that could have made her day any better like what she had just learned about her sister. "What what, hermosa?" Amina asked softly, the urge to trace Mbali''s face making her stare at herself as if there was anything that was worth it anymore this time for the both of them. Could they even hope? "What the fuck do you mean by sibling bond?" Mbali asked, even though she knew Amina would lie to her she didn''t want to get too excited about this, because she was worried it would fade in an instant. She was scared that this would leave a mark on her that she wouldn''t be able to run away from. She wanted it to be true, and it was true, but why did it feel a little too good to be true then? "Don''t tell me you actually believe that she would mark you on the neck, when I was here, mi reina. You have little faith in your sister''s desire to protect you," Amina said and Mbali growled at her in warning. She was happy, very happy but she was still scared that her mate was leaving and would nevere back again. Mbali was worried that this would truly be thest time for the both of them. Maybe she just had to beg the universe to help her out, right? Surely it couldn''t be that bad, no? "You would sound so damn hot under me, fuck," Amina mumbled but then everyone heard her. She realized that the squad had alreadye back for wherever they had gone, but Amina wasn''t afraid to admit just how much she loved Mbali and wanted her.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Did she just¨C" Ruru began as they stared at Amina and Mbali who had this agonizingly small distance between them. Ruru''s heart ached for both their souls that were obviously yearning for each other, but they were fighting it. Love was never meant to be fought. Life was never meant to be put on hold but it seemed like each time they tried to make it work for their team, they were always going to be met with some sort of resistance. Ruru could only hope that Mbali and Amina found their way back to each other no matter how long that would take. It was not much to hope for, but it was something worth fighting for regardless of the endless times they would be forced apart by fate. "Oh, she did. She is crazier than I am¡­ Like her already," Hawi said as she looked at the duo. She could feel their hearts beating for each other and just like any sane person, she hoped that it would be better for them. "That is my sister you fucking creep," Malika said as she rushed to widen the distance between her sister and her mate. She wasn''t ready to start talking about pups when they were not even sure that this wouldst that long. Malika simply wanted to protect her sister''s heart from breaking, but then wasn''t it already a broken heart given the circumstances at the moment? Was it too much for them to bear or would they have to pretend about it all? "What did you just say?" Mbali asked and Amina stared at her softly. "You heard me, mi reina. Anyway, if you want to kill me, you already have the de. If you want information, I will give it to you in exchange for me staying close to you. As much as I want to say I waited for more than three hundred years for you; "I am not that patient, especially when you have alphas around you," Amina responded earnestly. Chapter 369 Not Afraid To Face Your Darkness? [HAWI] "You heard me, mi reina. Anyway, if you want to kill me, you already have the de. If you want information, I will give it to you in exchange for me staying close to you. As much as I want to say I waited for more than three hundred years for you; "I am not that patient, especially when you have alphas around you," Amina responded earnestly, earning res for the rest of the knights who were not sure if this was even something that they needed to talk about at the moment. "She can''t seriously be jealous of us?" Hawi mused and Ruru who justughed at how absurd the situation seemed. There was just no way that this was real, but then they could tell that it was somewhat real. Would they try and make Amina understand that they were friends and that they were busy fucking each other that they didn''t even have time to fawn over Mbali whose heart belonged to Amina herself? Was that too much of a gamble for them? "I think she is¡­ are we that intimidating?" Ruru questioned amusedly even though she felt bad for the two souls that couldn''t even be happy together. This something that they hadn''t expected and the loner they wired, the more they were sure fate was a bitch. "You¡­ areing with me. If you say no, I''m killing that unwanted mate of yours, sweet sister," Malika said to her sister who was still staring at Amina like the Russel sister was insane. There''s just no way Amina was that forting with an object that could cause her death. What the fuck were they even at this time? "This ising with me too," Malika said as she grabbed the de from Amina and walked Mbali to her side. There was no threat here and yet at the same time, there was a threat they needed to make certain was controlled. Who the fuck was the enemy this time? A mate who wanted to be happy or a moon goddess who had simplyplicated the love between enemies? What the hell were they supposed to make of this? ''Wanna y a dangerous game with Amina and Mbali?'' Ruru asked Hawi in their mind link. ''We have until morning till we get back on the road, so why not drive her crazy?'' Hawi teased in agreement. ''Alright, let''s do this¡­ they will kill us if they find out the truth though,'' Ruru said. ''Only if they catch us,'' Hawiughed in the link before she began the cat that could eithernd them in a state where they wouldn''t be fed for months or one in which they would be left doing hardbor. "Enough! She ising with me," Hawi said in a tone that warned Malika against saying anything. It was the one tone that would make even Malika submit and to say the Jabali sisters were shocked was an understatement. Since they had started working with Hawi both actively and passively, Hawi had never used that time on them. She had always been friendly even when she was pissed. She had never straight-upmanded them to do anything like this. Malika looked at her sister and then at her mistress and she felt her heart sink into her stomach. Hawi was turning into the other white wolves she had always protected. Those that thrived on power and dominance. The wolves who took pleasure in reminding everyone around them that they were the shit, and Malika wouldn''t believe this. She had read Hawi since the girl had been broken and she hadn''t seen any signs about Hawi being a tyrant. Granted, the woman was riddled with desire for vengeance, but then all that was deserved. Everyone she went after had deserved what fate she bestowed on them and even more. It was like ying with fire, but goddamn, Malika hadn''t expected this. "Mistress¡­ I can¨C" Malika began defeatedly. Mbali stared at Hawi, clearly confused. She had thought it was Malika''s n, but seeing her sister submit to Hawi was proof that it wasn''t nned at all. All of this was new and Hawi was a danger to them and herself. "She''s mine. I will take it from here," Hawimanded, leaving no room for argument and Amina growled at her. She had been seeing things around the white wolves but she had never imagined that the white wolf would try that shit with her mate. If Amina was to fight for Mbali, then she would do it, even if it was thest thing she did with her damaged life. She was bound to die anyway, so she could at least die when her mate was saved right? "What do you mean by that, Awuor Sicario?" Amina asked with a growl, risking her life even more. No one¡­ Absolutely no one had growled at Hawi and now faced the consequences of it. Hawi had grown to answer since her mother''s death and even worse since she lost everything and that itself made her despise everyone who dared to growl at her. It was a natural defensive instinct for her, because anyone who growled at her was testing her, and Hawi, she was always ready for a fight. She had so much pent-up anger in herself that she never really got the channel to let it all out. This Russel sister was testing the waters and she wouldn''t hesitate to put her in her ce regardless of the consequences. "You dare growl at me again and I will snap your sweet little Mbali''s neck. Don''t test my patience, Amina. And she is mine to do whatever I want with and whenever I want to no matter the ce. "If you choose to stay here, you will be a prisoner, so make sure you keep your mouth shut, unless you want to see your precious Mbali dead. I have no difficulty in doing that," Hawi warned angrily and Amina stared in shock. She could sense the power and rage radiating off of Hawi and she was certain that this was not some sort of a n between the Jabali sisters and the alphas. This was so out of sync with their regr madness and Amina was worried genuinely for the safety of the mate that was so close to Hawi. Surely Hawi wouldn''t betray her friend like that, right? Granted, they were here subiects, but goddamn, a part of Amina, hoped that this was just a misunderstanding that could be cleared, but would it? "Instead of killing her, you can have both of us. I am open to sharing," Ruru said, her eyes scanning Mbali like she truly wanted to have Mbali in their rtionship. This was insane on so many levels but then that was the one thing that made this little dangerous game even more interesting. The odds were not in Amina and the Jabali sister''s favor, so they couldn''t even bother to make it make sense.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om This shit was confusing as hell but maybe, just maybe, there would be a reason for this, right? "Are you two nuts? Mbali asked, confused. She had interacted with Hawi for over seventeen years and she had never once seen this side of Hawi. It was like this was a demon unleashed. And since when had they turned their mission into one that involved fighting over Mbali? Was that really what then would be turning themselves into? Was it ever going to be other than the time they were waiting here? "Careful how you talk to my wife, Jabali. Now go with Ruru and help your sister with the camp. If I catch you stealing nces at the prisoner, or if I catch the prisoner stealing nces at you, I will mate you right here and then. "Don''t test my patience¡­ Dismissed," Hawi said coldly and Mbali felt the air leave her lungs. This couldn''t be real, right? Hawi was never this cruel to her friends. Hawi was loyal to her friends. Hawi was the girl who never forgot the people she cared about, right? Hawi knew what love was. Hawi knew what it meant to love and lose, so what the fuck was this? How the hell could that same Hawi be ying games with their fates like this? What the hell was in it for her? And how the hell was she even to exin that things would be better after the message that was going on right now? "Yes, Mistress," the Jabali sisters bowed while Ruru kissed Hawi on the cheeks and went along with them. This was going to be a long night for them either way. Chapter 370 Dont Question How Far I Can Go [HAWI] "Give Me a reason why I should not kill you, Amina Russel," Hawi said once Mbali and the others had gone to set up the campus. It was night and they didn''t have to do much, but with the thighs that had happened and Mina''s presence there was a cloud over them. "Jabali Lihle. I want to see her live and be happy. I know you want the same, that''s why you threatened to mate with her even then we both know you love Rukiya Greyson way too much to even shift attention to someone else. "I don''t know what you are ying at, but whatever it is, as long as it makes her happy and keeps her out of danger, then that''s alright," Amina said as he looked at Hawi. She was risking a lot, but as someone who had seen Hawi love Rukiya more than Hawi loved her life, she was willing to bet that the two didn''t have room in their rtionship for another. Besides, if there was that chance and Mbali was the one for them, they wouldn''t have waited almost five years to mention it to her. It was just absurd and made no sense at all. But then Amina wasn''t one to mince words, so she wasn''t about to start tonight anyway. "You realize the warrior is sworn to defend me with her life do you not?" Hawi asked coldly as she stared at the woman and her brother who had finally gone unconscious thanks to the endless struggles to breathe that he had spectacrly failed at. "I know. That is why I know this is something I cannot win. You can order the sisters into a fire and they would go without asking questions. But the question is, do you really want to do that to your sister? "Do you want Elodie to remain with a broken heart once Malika leaves? I know you adore your best friend and know that Malika means a lot to her. Are you willing to be the reason Elodie never sees her little crush?" Amina asked and Hawiughed at her. This woman was brave if everything was considered and it was something that caused Hawi. There was just no way that this was really happening right now anyway. "Elodie is my subject, and she will do whatever is needed to make sure the realm runs. If she has to hate me for that to happen, then I have no problem letting her do that. Like you said, Elodie is my sister, the Jabali sisters are my subjects. "We are all disposable at the end of the day. But are you willing to bet that on the love that got you stalking the youngest Jabali?" Hawi asked amusedly and Amina started daringly even though she was getting even more confused with every word that Have uttered. "What does that mean?" Amina asked, unsure of whether they are talking about the same thing or if this woman had simply lost her kind more than once. "Don''t y games whose endings will cost you more than you can deal with, Amina. You might end up breaking a lot of hearts in the process," Hawi said earnestly. This was not something that would end well for Amina and it was time that the woman understood what this meant for her and even where she stood with the chaotic Savasci Knights. They were formidable and would kill everyone and anyone in their path. "You would sacrifice your friends for your mission?" Amina asked like she ain''t even expecting this. Well, she wouldn''t be med for that. Hawi had lost along the way and she wasn''t scared to lose anymore. She wasn''t going to admit to Amina that the thought of losing the four women in her life scared her to the bone, but that was true. Hawi couldn''t imagine living a life without Ruru, the Jabali sisters, and Elodie in it. That was something that horrified her to the core. If given a voice between her team and Sicario, Hawi would always choose the rough women who mean the world to her. She knew they would always start over women here in the world but nothing would everpare to the love they shared with each other. There was nothing that coulde between their bond.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Hawi was more than willing to bet on her life that she wouldn''t be able to make any choice other than what she was seeing right now. She loved them. With all their craziness and madness that got the world done. The Sicario alpha loved them because they had been there for her and had been true to her since the very beginning. No matter what had happened, those four women had proven to her that lifelines could be bullied and love always had a face. For Hawi, the faces of love just had her knights, the women whose lives she would never intentionally endanger no matter what price she had to pay. "My mother," Hawi began as she stared at the woman before her. The same woman who had dared to question where her loyaltiesy and what she would do for her people. For the sake of Sicario, she had lost more than was possible and no matter what happened along the way she would make sure that her mother didn''t die for nothing. She had lost a lot in the hands of the Russels and hells be damned, she wouldn''t let anyone stand in her way, not even the people that were loyal to her. Her mother had paid a price so huge, a price that took everything from her and no matter how things turned out, she would be sure to make it all worth it. "My dearest mother sacrificed her life for me to embark on that damn mission. Don''t question what I''m willing to lose just to see the end of your family, Amina. I am a monster, one that your family oh so excitedly created, albeit the entire realm knows that at this point. "Don''t try me, again, Amina. Or you won''t even have to worry about your head sitting pretty on your neck. I will kill everyone you have ever met, and we both know who that includes. "Try to y games with me and you''ll be putting her pretty neck on the line. I lost everything already, I have nothing left to lose and I have your family to thank for that. Now, if you will excuse me, I have knights to talk to," Hawi said before she walked away from Amina. She had a reality that would forever haunt her because she had the chance to save her mother but then she didn''t even know her mother was in danger until the woman was dead. She had lost the one thing that linked her to her sanity and if Amian was trying to y with that, then she would see the monster Hawi was not shy to show everyone that tried to mess with her. The universe was just a huge yground and soon enough, the Savasci Knights would have the bastards singing a tune that only they wanted. And the best part of it ¡ª Hawi would be right there with them, along with her team of psychos with or without their humanity. Chapter 371 Oh, The Twists of Fate [HAWI] "What?" Hawi asked when she reached her knights and they were staring at her like she had a lot of exining to do. She wasn''t sure who they were after, but then they were giving her the eyes that dared her to lie, and well, Awuor Hawi was a terrible liar. "I may have told Mbali that you didn''t mean what you said when you threatened to marry her and have her as a second wife," Ruru whispered and Hawi stared at her like she had lost her mind. Whatever happened to the n that they had intended to execute until morning? Hawi stared at her mate as if she couldn''t believe that this would''ve happened with Ruru of all the people. Then again, she had to remind herself that her Ruru had a soft heart, a heart of gold as many who had been close to her would admit to. Ruru hated seeing the people she loved suffering. She was always tempted to make them feel better and this was no different from all that. She was just being herself and being the kind woman that would bnce the madness of her mate. Sure, they were both unhinged, butpared to Hawi, Ruru''s level of unhinged was manageable. The only time she would ever lose control was when she saw Hawi in danger and so far, her mate was jovial as shit. "Why the hell would you tell her that!!" Hawi asked as she stared at her mate incredulously. They had a n, one that was supposed to work, and now her friends were looking at her like there was sunshineing out of her ass.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Oh,e on, she was already scared. And your tone, you could make even the older kings bow in horror," Ruru pouted as she leaned closer to Hawi and kissed her on the cheeks as if to calm her down, even though Hawi wasn''t mad this time. "Even then¡­ they both already know I would never give them up for anything," Hawi said with a softugh. She could see their faces rx at her statement and frankly, she loved seeing them this happy. "You kinda sounded like you would really force me to be your mate," Mbali said with a pout and Hawi stared at her apologetically. She hadn''t intended to scare them really. They were just having fun and now it had turned to something else. Explore more stories at empire "See, I told you¡­ You were terrifying," Ruru pointed out like Hawi wasn''t beating herself up already for that little mess she had oh so graciously created with her partner in crime who had been a little too quick to switch sides. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you feel like a lowly person who could be traded. I would give up my life for the four of you. You all should know that by now. We are a team, no matter how many things happen, and no matter what I say to strangers; "Pplease keep in mind that I will protect all four of you with my life if that is the only way. I love you all, you know that, right?" Hawi said and they stared at her, giving her puppy eyes as if to remind her that they were fine now. Hawi was the face of resilience for them and she loved them. They knew that but maybe she had made them doubt it at that moment. Well, she did apologize genuinely which was kinda satisfying and encouraging because Awuor Hawi and apologies never saw eye to eye, unless she cared for the people she was apologizing to. "We do, but it was nice hearing you spell it out," Malika said before they burst outughing like there hadn''t just been some tension between them. Then again, they knew each other so well, it was nice to know just how much. "If it helps, I think she is sincere about you, Mbali. I''m not telling you this to change your mind about her, no. She threatened me with Elodie," Hawi said and Mbali turned to look at her mate like the woman had lost her mind. "Has she no regard for her life? Threatening the one person who means the world to you? Goddamn, this woman needs to go," Mbali said as she got up to try and pump some sense into Amina''s head, but Hawi stopped her. She knew what this would turn into and as much as she wanted to see the chaos unfold for Amina''s stupid dare, she didn''t want Mbali hating her mate on her behalf. She wanted Mbali to be happy, genuinely happy like the others were. "It was cute seeing how low she could go and how far she was willing to go for you. But she knows what it means and that will keep her in check. "If she so much as makes you cry, she will suffer a fate worse than Atticus and Razia," Hawi said as she stared at Amina, a smile on her face however creepy it was, but it did work, because Amina just sighed, and sat down next to her unconscious brother. "Still, it was a stupid move. The next time she tries that, I will kill her," Malika said, her voice could. She was never going to gamble with Elodie''s life too. It was nonnegotiable for her, especially since she was already missing the warrior. "Okay, enough about more murders. Can we start the fire, please? I''m hungry and I fear I might die of starvation," Mbali said dramatically as she pretended to faint, making her friend stare at her amusedly. "Ten gold pellets say she won''t hit the ground," Ruru suddenly ced a bet. "Fifteen say she will look at Amina while doing it," Hawi added dramatically. "I''ll start the fire," Malika said as she looked at her sister who was enjoying this. At least Mbali''s smile was back and she could thank Hawi for that. If Hawi didn''t give them time with Amina, the woman would be dead and her sister would be in pain. "You people are mean," Mbali said as she stared at Amina who was watching her in the dark. She was already wondering what was going on in Amina''s head. Maybe she was feeling lonely? Maybe she wished for love? "Let''s get some food into those stomachs. And you can call Amina too. I may not like her, but we can''t let her starve even if she is to be your prisoner," Malika said and Mbali groaned in frustration, though deep down, they all knew she was excited to be close to Amina again. "Always the sensible one, sister." Mbali whined dramatically as if that was supposed to make Malika change her mind. "One of us has to be, especially when your eyes are filled with hearts for Amina and you watch her wither in the cold. She hasn''t stopped looking at you," Malika pointed out what they had all seen throughout the evening. "You hungry, Amina? Care to share a meal with us?" Hawi asked and Amina just smiled sadly like she wasn''t one to impose on them. "Not tonight. Have fun though," Amina said thankfully as she kept her focus on Mbali. Oh, how she loved the woman more than she loved her life. "Your loss," Mbali said with a grunt, even though she wanted to beg Amina toe by her side. Mbali missed her mate, even though they were barely metres away from each other. Oh, the twists of fate. Perhaps tomorrow could be better, right?... If only. Chapter 372 Alone In The Dark [JER] * who else missed Jer other than no one ^-^n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Again!! We don''t have people all day. We have four maniacs on the loose who are willing to do whatever it takes to kill all of us. I know you don''t mind dying because of your immortality, but I have to survive!" Jer shouted as they packed up. He had been cooperative with the Russel siblings in a bid to break the hold that Atticus had left him with, but for an entire year, he had failed. It didn''t matter that Atticus had died or even that Jer had died and worked up immortal. The bond was still there and he had made a promise, and a duty to kill Hawi. That was something that he had to do if he wanted to be free. For the past seven months, Jer had tried to move to a different country, a different ce, hell even a different realm but he had dialed to even leave the supernatural realm to go into the human realm. He had no way to know if his parents were alright and that shit was eating at him. Atticus had bound his life to the oath and the fate of his parents. Read exclusive content at empire If he didn''t take out Hawi, his parents would die and frankly, he wasn''t ready to lose his parents. No child ever was anyway. Funny how he had been quick to screw Hawi over more than once. "What''s the rush? We just got this little kid back and he reeks of Nik and Atticus," Sebastian, one of the Seven asked as he stared down at Jer. They had all been working together to make sure the people were safe and to make sure they were ready for when the Savasci knights came for them, but Jer had been a little too hard on their asses since the kid came back. "The rush? They areing for us. The mad women areing for us. They already killed Razia and Atticus. What do you think they will do to Nik? Also, where the hell is Amina?" Jer asked as he paced around. Sebastian just stared at him, wondering whether this man was right in the head or not. In which world did a mere wolf think that he was better than the seven warlocks who had lived for endless centuries? "Listen here, kid. You are not in charge. You are nothing to us. Just because you got Atticus''s magic in your veins doesn''t make you someone we should care about. You are always going to be the little pathetic rogue that Razia brought home for the mission. "You are always going to be the boy so unwanted that he had to try and kill people to gain favor¡­ and even then still didn''t get anyone on his side. You''re a pathetic little shit and if you think you give the orders here; "Then I might as well give you the polite reminder that I am the most powerful of the Russel siblings. Ten times more powerful than Atticus. "Now don''t try my patience again. Get off your high horse and go work with the servants to make sure everything is alright," Sebastian spelled out for Jer while the two other Russel siblingsughed in amusement at how Jer was harshly brought down his high horse. The Russel siblings were never in a rush to do anything that they didn''t want to. They hadn''t gone after the Savasci knights because they were waiting for the Savasci knights to get tired so they would be easier to attack. They were waiting for the time that they would be more powerful than the crazy knights, but then that was never going toe true, because the knights may have been five emotionally scarred women, but they were always going to be a force to be reckoned with. They were always going to be the one bunch of women that no one would want to fuck around with. Because those who fucked around lived in long enough to find out and then died soon after. "You were too harsh on him, Seb. Remember Atticus bound him to Hawi''s life. As long as Hawi lives, the kid has to fight and find ways to kill him, or everyone around him will start fading," Alex, another Russel brother said as he walked over to where Sebastian was with a disapproving face. There was more to this than they could everprehend, but the fact that two of them were dead at the hands of those women, not to mention was captured and another was unounted for was something that screamed danger to their family. For years, the Russel siblings had perfected the art of staying in power. They had explored all sorts of dark magic, and all the evil that they could get their hands on, but then they had never been prepared for a woman as crazy as Hawi. They had started monitoring Hawi from within and even though at the time Hawi had no idea of who she truly was and her protector powers were pressed, she still scared the hell out of the Russel siblings. She was too powerful, too headstrong, and too cunning to be trapped. They had tried to bring her down one too many times and each time they had failed. "What do we do with this little human thing?" Trey, thest of the seven, asked as he studied young Kurt who was just standing there like a tree. The kid had seen enough battles and horrors in the little time he had interacted with Hawi and her mad crew, that he had learned to stay in one ce. He was scared of being torn to pieces only to be brought back together and still be torn again. Hawi and her team had fucked up the autistic boy''s brain so that there was only fear of life left. The kid was scared of staying alive because that meant that Hawi and her people woulde for him and force him to do whatever they wanted to. It was a harsh truth for the kid, but what else was there when they needed to figure it all out faster than possible then? "It looks too tiny, so squishy. Can I eat him?" Trey questioned as he licked his lips, like a man ready to eat his next meal. He was the youngest of the Russel siblings, but with Kurt with them now, Trey was no longer theirst brother. But damn, that still didn''t cover for the shit that the man was thinking at the moment, even if he couldn''t be med for seeing the kid as a tool for him to y with when he was buried, like now. "That is our brother you little shit," Alex facepalmed defeatedly. They had been expecting the kid to be this tiny but then here they were. Hell, they hadn''t been expecting any kids at all. They were all well past a thousand years old and their parents had long fields along the years. So, this just didn''t make any sense to them. "Where is Amina? She should have been back by now," Seb asked, ignoring his brothers who were amused by the kid in their midst. He couldn''t me them anyway. If Atticus had been here with them, Seb would have also been ying games with the kid in their midst. But then Atticus wasn''t home. Razia wasn''t home. Nik was captured by the Savasci Knights and Amina was nowhere to be found. "Where did she go?" "To get us the best tool to win this war with the crazy women. Her mate." Chapter 373 Nothing Like A War of Hearts Your next chapter awaits on empire [JER] "Where did she go?" Trey amusedly asked even though his mind was still filled with the possible wonders of the little kid before him. It was like Kurt was a whole new species for them and he needed to know more about the creature that he had there. "To get us the best tool to win this war with the crazy women¡­ Her mate," Alex responded excitedly. They had been nning the attacks on the Savasci Knights for months and had failed in every execution of theirs. The realm was filled with warriors who were impervious to magic, warriors who protected all the packs, and the humans too. Every little thing that the Russel siblings had tried had failed and that shit them harder instead of their enemies. At the moment, they were living like intruders in a realm they had been born into. This was an open-air prison for them and they had to exploit all the options they had at hand. That was the only way for them to win the war either way. "Amina has a mate? Will she be like Razia?" Trey frowned at the thought like this was the worst idea they coulde up with, thest time they had used someone''s mate, they had ended up with two siblings dead. Razia herself had lost everything down to her very own daughter who should have been her lifeline. Their sister had lived an unhappy life filled with pain and anger that would never go away, ever. Maybe Razia had found peace in the afterlife, but then there were so many things that had gone wrong in her life that limbo would have been a better choice for Razia Greyson. "No, Trey. She won''t be like Razia. Unlike Razia who''s in love with her mate, Amina isn''t. She is going to use that woman to bring us closer to the knights and then we can kill them all and reim our power in the realm. "Or don''t you want to find out more about Kurt when everything is settled?" Seb said even though he had a feeling he was lying to his brothers. He wasn''t sure how things would really go with Amina, and he wasn''t sure if Amina wasn''t in love with Jabali Lihle or if she was just ying a game that they had all mastered so well over the years. Then again, Amina was never one for emotions with them. They knew Amina to be more rational than Razia ever was. Amina never thought with her heart, at least that''s what they knew, but would it really work? Would it really favor them all when their sister was already on the other side of the realm offering the one thing that could take out their entire family in the name of love? Or was it all just an act? "Well, that''sforting. I would hate for our family to be split again," Trey responded and Seb felt his heart sink into his stomach, for years they had tried to protect tree from the horror of what they did out there. Sure, they were all thousands of years old and were stronger and more powerful than most of the warlocks out there and even the worst of the creatures, but they had been determined to protect their brother''s innocence. They never let Trey apany them to battle. All their brother ever did was train and train and train like the world was ending. Granted, Trey only ever trained because it was the best way to keep in touch with his magic and abilities, but then he was not to step into battle. His brothers and sisters had made sure that the battle never reached Trey, their little brother never had to see what it was like out there for them. They hated the idea that Trey would be seeing blood. Perhaps they were a little overprotective of a man who trained rigorously as each day passed, but then that didn''t matter. Because to them, Trey was still a baby. He was their baby and they would protect him for as long as it would take them. "We won''t be apart. Amina will meet with her mate and use her to kill the knights and then we will go help her out. It will all be over soon," Seb reassured as he walked over to where Trey was and kissed his brother on the forehead like that was supposed to make him feel rxed even though they were at war. "Alright then. I''ll go and keep training." "You do that. Alex and I will take care of things here," Seb reassured and Trey just nodded before he left, and this time he went with Kurt. Perhaps he was starting to like his new brother just a little. Maybe it would be easier for them if Trey trained Kurt too, right? Well, that was something they had to think of at ater time, because right now, they had better things to worry about; Like the rogue kid that was staring at them with pitiful eyes as if he needed their help with all of this. "You''re staring, Jeremiah," Alex pointed out, and Jer sighed defeatedly. He had been thinking of all the ways to get rid of Hawi, but then with every Russel sibling that was murdered by the Savasci knights, Jer''s hopes of ever being able to kill Hawi faded. He knew that the Russels were strong and insane and excellent at ck magic and yet with all that they still were reversed. And for the first time since the ah degreed ever so willingly to take on the challenge of killing Awuor Hawi, Jeremiah Warner had regrets. He hated that he had agreed to this. Atticus had told him to use his link to Awuor Hawi to make the woman lose her mind, but over the months, Jer had realized that the moment he had died, any links he had to Awuor Hawi had been erased. That meant that he was just another warlock hybrid out there who wanted to enjoy their life but had more responsibilities like killing the woman who would soon be their werewolf queen. Everything had gone sideways and if there was a way out of there, Jer would have long gone for it. There were days when Jer drank poison to take his life, a pathetic move that pissed him off but then, each time it never affected him, not even once. It was like he had just been drinking water or anything.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Other days he bled himself unconscious, till he was certain he would die from blood loss, but then he always woke up better, if anything, the blood would still be on the ground, but he was as healthy as ever. Sure, he would then shamefully clean up the mess he created. Jer had tried everything that would help him escape this misery but each time he failed hopelessly. His mission was haunting him and seeing the Russel brothers talk of a way out almost gave him a joke, until the possibility that Amina was also dead, kicked into his mind, and then all his hope disappeared, once again. Oh, he was doomed for life with the agreement he had made for Malika, a woman he had finally understood never really existed. Jer was going crazy and he was certain of it. "What if Amina is already dead? What then?" Chapter 374 Good For… You? [HAWI] "She¡­ she left?" Mbali whispered defeatedly as she looked at the space beside her. When they had finished eatingst night, Amina had begged Mbali to let her hold her one more time. It didn''t seem like a dangerous request, seeing as she was bound for execution the next day. Although her mind was conflicted, Mbali agreed to it, she and her Lycan were content. And if she was being honest with herself, this was her doing, she wanted Amina to hold her for the night. She wanted to know what it meant to have someone who loved her with everything. Mbali had had expectations of the bond she had tried so hard to deny, yet the same bond that had kept her sane for months in Sicario. She had been blowing her mind with the patience that had kept her there but then here she was, back on the battlefield, hoping to see someone who would probably never see again. "I''ll be back for you, mi reina. For now, stay alive, and let yourself live a little," the note beside Mbali read, as Mbali, tried to figure out what this even meant for her. Her life was somewhat of a circus, and she hated it, so she turned to the one person she could let out her frustrations on. ''Fuck this,'' Mbali sighed as she stared at Nik who was still unconscious. If Nik were a human, he would have died a long time ago. Thankfully, he was a warlock and one who had a life so immortal that he couldn''t be killed with ease. The man looked like shit at the moment and his body had gone pale. Mbali didn''t even need to touch the man to know that he was probably already cold, a little too cold for anyone in his state. He should have let his soul go, but he was still holding on, and that got Mbali excited for some reason. So, looking around, she wanted to be sure her sister wasn''t awake yet. Well, it was sort of an impossible prayer seeing as her sister was always awake most of the time, but then she hoped that just for today, Malika wouldn''te and stop her from exploiting this time. Angrily, Mbali incinerated the paper beside her before getting up and began walking towards Nik. She had seen Hawi and Ruru still asleep so she hoped that they wouldn''t wake up anytime soon. But then with the sun almost showing up, Mbaki couldn''t count on that at the moment the only thing she had was frustrations on frustrations. "I can stop the hunt on Kurt, if you tell me where to get Amina," Mbali whispered in Nick''s ear. When she got to Nik she figured she could squat and match their levels because the man was still lying on his back and he looked worse than a corpse. He looked like even the holy grails wouldn''t ever be able to save his sorry ass. Oh, Nik was in so much trouble at the moment. "Now, if you understand me, nod. This is a one-time thing, Niki. You tell me where Amina is and I free you," Mbali said desperately as she looked between her sleeping friends and the man who was the only link to Amina. Her Amina. Niki Russel was still asleep when he heard the voice in his ears. At first, he thought it was just his hallucinations as he had been having a lot of them in the night. He was always fading in and out of consciousness so this to him, was just another way out of the misery the Savasci knights had put him into. "Nik¡ª" Mbali shook the Russel brother only to hear her friends move around. She could hear the grass moving and fuck she hated that it hade to this. For a moment there Mbali considered taking Nik with her, but she knew it would be pointless. Hawi was an extremely good yet the cruelest hunter than the crazies in the realm. And she couldn''t have the woman she swore to serve hunting her. That would be betrayal, something that she couldn''t afford at the moment. "He won''t talk, Mbali. I interrogated himst night and well, let''s just say he can''t speak or even see you at the moment," Hawi said and Mbali let out a gruntled growl. She had dared to hope. She had dared to go for the one thing that could get her Amina back. She was losing her mind and her determination was screwing with her head. Maybe she was running wild or maybe she just didn''t know what the difference was between sanity and insanity anymore. The man on the first floor was her only hope and if Hawi meant what she had just said, Mbali knew she wouldn''t be able to get any information on Amina. "He was my only hope of getting to her," Mbali said defeatedly as she slumped on the ground beside Nik. Her heart was aching so badly it was new to her and boy did she want to make it stop. "I know, I''m sorry. But if it helps, we have a hint on where the Russell camp is. And Jeremiah too," Hawi said as she walked over to her warrior. This wasn''t what Mbali wanted to hear, especially with how harshly she had incinerated the letter Amina had left her. It just didn''t make any sense to her that Amina would just leave like that without so much as a goodbye. It was a haunting truth and a realization so cruel, that she wasn''t ready to be a part of and frankly, that scared the shit out of her deep down. "I just wished she would have said goodbye," Mbali added absentmindedly as she watched the light winds blow away whatever had remained of her only link to Amina. She was in her right shape at the moment and her immune system wasn''tpromised, but goddamn, she wished he could see her again. Just onest time, even if this was what goodbyes for them would look like. "Why did you let her go?" Mbali questioned softly even though she wasn''t sure she wanted to hear the answer to that. She had spent months hoping to see the woman and had gotten her only to push the mad woman away. Then again, here she was, wishing on stars in the early morning as if that was supposed to make Amina Russele back to her or even for her. Why was her fate this tangled up? Oh, Mbali was simply reminded of the thousands of reasons she never liked letting her walls down. Most of the people she had loved over the years had left her. Enjoy new stories from empireN?v(el)B\\jnn She had vowed to never trust anyone again, but then Amina was Amina and honestly, it was something that Mbali couldn''t even exin. Her entire being wanted Amina, like the woman was the source of life for her. Amina was good for her in a thousand terrible ways and goddess Mbali just wished for a taste, just one more. As she stared at Nik, Mbali couldn''t help but think back to how close she had been to Aminast night and yet she hadn''t let a kiss slip past her. She had done so strictly with herself and forced a discipline on her that left her with desires. "Because she is your mate, Mbali." Chapter 375 For You, Mi Reina, Just For You [HAWI] "Because she is your mate, Mbali," Hawi said earnestly, her statement making Mbali lift her head to look at the woman who was supposed to be ruthless with the Russels. Hawi would never have let Amina go just like that. The woman was the first real asset they had gotten and while she had been set to be executed this morning, something had clearly changed. "What?" "Your mate. She is your mate and she is genuine with you. I know you didn''t need to hear those words from me, yourmander, but she really does care about you. The execution was her idea. "She had begged me for it, but I couldn''t do it, not to you. Maybe that makes me a sentimental fool, but being the four of you taught me what love was, and you all taught me that love and pain can coexist in the same picture," Hawi said and Mbali stared at her like the woman had gone bonkers. Maybe she really had, because otherwise, the Hawi Mbali knew was a cruel woman who wouldn''t hesitate to cut heads off for going against her, it was obvious on so many instances and yet today seemed to be an exception, something that Jabali Lihle couldn''t understand. Maybe she was d that Amina was alive, and that there was a way out for her rtionship after all, but goddamn there had to be more to this, right? "What''s the catch?" Mbali asked with a raised brow. "Catch?" Hawi asked sincerely, making Mbali falter. Sure, she was eaten on the ground beside Nik''s apparently useless body, but damn she hadn''t expected that Hawi would be that sincere with her. "You let her go, what was the catch?" "Your life," Hawi responded simply by saying she hadn''t just thrown the woman in chains again. What the hell was this even to mean for them? Life and love were different things and Hawi was suddenly talking about love and domain and things to do with humanity. Whatever happened to the n to stay cold until it all ended? And what was Hawi yapping about with Mbali''s life? "Interesting," Mbali sighed. She was at a loss for words, and finally, she wasn''t sure if she wanted to know more or if she was to wait out her end, because there was no way Amina Russel would ever consider not putting Mbali''s life in danger.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The Russel woman had nothing to lose and with Mbali there was nothing she could do, as long as Mbali was under the protection of Hawi. So, this was what Mbali would easily consider a lost cause, because how the hell was it ever going to happen? "Aren''t you going to ask me about it?" Hawi asked as she closed the distance to Mbali. She could see the Lycan warrior fisting and unfisting her hands anxiously. It was something Hawi had done one too many times, and in all those times, Mbali had always been there for her. They hadn''t exactly been the best of friends by the time Hawi was banished, but their rtionship had got and gotten better to the point that instead of being frenemies, they were allies, bound by love first, and then fate. "No¡­ I don''t want to know what she gave me up for," Mbali said and Hawi stopped in her tracks. Of the responses she had been expecting, this hadn''t been it. She had been sure that all was well, but now as she watched Mbali, she could tell that maybe just maybe she had miscalcted this time. It wasn''t the best of things for Hawi, but goddamn. "I''ll tell you anyway," Hawi began and before Mbali could protest, she continued, "I told her that her freedom and safety wouldst for as long as there wasn''t a tear on your face because of her." "You''re crazy," Mbali said with augh as she stared into the face of her fellow warrior. She hadn''t gotten a title for Hawi, but he wasn''t sure she meant much to Hawi other than her being a useful warrior to the white wolf. "You''re my friend, before you are my subject¡­ or at least I hope. And I always protect my friends," Hawi said and Mbali let out a softugh. Of course, that was the one thing everyone in the realm knew. Elodie Kane, and Farida were proof of the friendships that Hawi valued more than anything else in the realm. They had seen first-hand how Hawi had been loyal to them and protected them with her life. They had seen how Hawi had done everything it took to make sure that her friends were alright. So Mbali hearing Hawi say that about her, made her feel included in her innermost circle. But then again, Hawi had stopped loving her peoplemands months and months ago. They had been functioning as one unit, a group of five who had mastered the art of religion on each other. "That¡­ I mean.. I¡ª" Mbali struggled to form words as she looked at Hawi who was smiling softly at her. She knew that for Hawi to let Amina go, it would set them back probably a few years, but then she had done it for Mbali. To see Mbali happy and frankly, the smile on Mbali''s face made Hawi feel like the sacrifice she had made was worth it. "Come along now. She will be back. She promised she would be back before the hundredth year hits. Until then, you are stuck with us, rowdy creatures of the realm," Ruru said as she rushed to Mbali and helped her get up, before pulling him into a hug, one that Malika, and Hawi joined in. They really felt like family at that point and that was better than anything Mbali had ever imagined. There like this, she was thankful for the insane family she had been a part of. The family that had been through hell and was about to cause hell in the future. "Alright, I''m hungry," Hawi whined, breaking the hug like that was supposed to make them forget she was a good person who had done whatever she could for her friend. Perhaps it was something for them to remember someday, but today, they would keep themselves on track and possibly collect more memories along the way anyway. "Best idea ever," Mbali said excitedly, all traces of her depressed and disappointed face all gone. Your next chapter awaits on empire She was d that there was a chance she would see Amina again. It didn''t matter that it would take so long, because at the end of the day, Amina would be alive and waiting for Mbali. That was the only thing that mattered to Mbali. Malika watched her sister change significantly in a few minutes and she loved it. She loved seeing the smile on that face and she loved that her sister was willing to waiting that long. Mbali trusted Hawi, which was why Malika wasn''t going to say anything that would take away that smile. They were in aplicated spot, with the Russels and the mate bond, especially since Amina already knew that she wouldn''t be able to weaken Mbali anymore just by being around. Perhaps Malika was just being the overthinking older sister, but wat if she was right and Amina wasn''t good for her sister? What if she found out at ater time that letting MAian go was one of the worst mistakes he and Hawi made? "Aren''t youing?" Mbali asked happily and Malika sighed before joining them. Chapter 376 Miracles of A Forbidden Bond [JER] Jeremiah Warner was still scared about what the future held for him. He knew the Russel siblings would let him go at any point in time and if she was being honest with himself, Jer didn''t know where he would go to. He was aware that there was no ce that he would ever be able to use to hide from Awor Hawi, if not here with the Russels. He could have had an advantage if Hawi was scared of the fact that he had been sworn to kill her, but then Hawi wasn''t even worried about shit. Jer knew Hawi would crush him in seconds and that got him wondering how to be the good side of the Rusel siblings. He had tried to trigger a conversation about Aminast night and it didn''t end as well for him because Sebastian simply pretended that Jeremiah didn''t exist. Today, he would try again, because he needed to know when his usefulness to the team was about to end and find a way out before they cast him aside without so much as a severance fee for all the shit he had endured for them. It was a huge gamble for Jeremiah, but what else could he do when his life was already going to shit at the moment? "You''re here again?" Seb asked Jer who was seated at the balcony taking the office door that had been locked. Seeing how the operations of the Russel siblings were most mobile, they had a truck as their office and were driven to their next destination from the warehouses they started at. They never spent more than three weeks anywhere because they were sure Hawi would find them. As much as they appreciated a battle with the psycho alpha, they seemed to love their lives more, so they didn''t have time for stupid decisions. "I just wanted to see if you needed anything," Jer said and Sebastian scoffed. He had seen this tactic on too many times and as much as it was tiring, it was something that he knew encouraged Jeremiah Warner to do most of their dirtiest work. It was like Jer was disposable and maybe he owns that too. But then again, Jer still needed their help with Hawi. He needed to kill Hawi with his bare hands so the task that Atticus bound his life to would bepleted and he would be free again. Jer missed his parents and he was worried that shit may have happened to them. He had been keeping in touch with his family over the past seven months but the moment the Savasci knights left Sicario, Jer was certain that his parents were not safe. He had taken Hawi''s parents from her and she would take his in retribution. That was a really that was so painfully obvious, but then what else was there? They had to find a way around this or he would be the one who lost more than anyone else here. "We still need you. Get out of here and get busy. The moment you will be useless to us, you will know. Until then, I don''t want to see your face here," Sebastian said and Jer took in a breath of relief. He knew this didn''t mean he had earned freedom but thenpared to everything that he had been dealing with in the past month, Jer was sure that it was way better than anything anyone could have offered him. His life was now a circus for people toe and watch and he still had no control of that. Jer had heard of hybrid warlocks and had been certain he was stronger until he learned of the one link that could render him useless and dead in an instant.N?v(el)B\\jnn He still had so many things to do. Once Hawi was dead, he would be able to go faster than Malika for ying with his heart and making him believe that she was just a meek girl who needed protection. Malika had reminded Jer of how helpless he had even when he first came to Sicario and that was why it was so easy for Jer to interact with her and ept the proposal the rksons hade with. Jer had thought of that alliance for months after he raised what realityy between him and Malika and he had missed a lot of signs. He should have pointed it all out when Malika had managed to silence everyone at the funeral of the Sicario alpha, but he hadn''t thought too much of it. Her ability tomand Sicario despite the fact that she came from a lowly pack would have also spoke volumes to him, but then Jer had trusted her. He had fallen hopelessly in love with her to the point that he defended her with all of him even when it was a bad idea. She had been his bane, and he was determined to fix that. At what cost though? "What''s with the long face, wolf?" Amina''s voice snapped Her out of his 6trance. He was still staring into the nk space where Seb had left him. Sebastian had been clear with Jer and Jer was smart enough to not push shit with Sebastian Rusel. He didn''t have the strength to go against the warlock who took pride in reminding Jer that he was ten times more powerful than all the Russel siblings. Sebastian was sort of a bully, but then with Atticus and Nik missing, someone had to step up and be there for their family and protect them, especially now that they had a new kid on the block. "You still call me wolf even after all this time," Jer chuckled sadly as he looked at the woman who had just walked in. She looked like every other Russel sibling. She was dressed in all ck, had power oozing from and looked like she could break Jer with her tongue and no one would question shit. She looked different, but she wasn''t stupid enough to try and question her. Amina had temper issues and she was the most irrational of the Russel siblings. Sebastian may have been the most powerful, but Amina? She was wild and crazy and everything in between. Even Sebastian was scared of Amina Russel. Amina reminded Jer of the psychotic Sicario girl, which was why Jer had been apprehensive about Amina not returning to them. Birds of a feather did flock together and Jer was aware that it was just a matter of time before Amina broke his neck for doing something stupid. He wasn''t safe with the Russels and yet at the same time, with these people, he was safe from Hawi. What choice did he ry the time? Explore more stories with empire "Aren''t you a wolf? Anyway, why are you here? Haven''t found ways to kill your ex yet?" Amina asked nonchntly, making Jer wonder what was going on in this woman''s head. She was always blunt with him, like the world could go to shit and she would still be alive to see the mess and the beauty of the chaos that would unfoldter on. She was wild, but she was everything that Jer was considering seeking help from. "Still thinking. You reek of her by the way. I bet she hugged you or made youe here like this? Are you a puppet, Amina?" Jer asked and in seconds, he was on the ground, right in front of the iing truck, and he crashed while Amina smiled, proud of herself. Chapter 377 Lonely Without Her [JER] "Oww, that''s gotta hurt so bad," Trey said as he rushed to his sister, giving her a hug. "He asked me if I was a puppet," Amina said with a lopsided smile and Trey snickered knowingly. He knew his sister hated being given preferential treatment and that was the one thing that could get Amina killing people for fun. Trey had heard of the sinister things his siblings had done and he was being honest they needed a therapist. But then what was the point of hiring a therapist when they had each other to experience the insanity with, right? "Then you should have thrown him in the bone crusher. We need more bone flour," Trey said and Amina chuckled. They were crazy, among the worst people to ever live and yet they knew each other so well. "I missed you, Trey. What''s been happening here?" Amina asked as she leaned on the rails. She had a lot of things in her mind and they all revolved around the one girl she would give up her life for; but would she tell that to her brothers? "We were waiting for you. What did you find out about them?" Trey asked his voice softening as he stared at his sister. Trey knew about mate bonds, and he knew that warlocks never really had mates. So, when fate paired his sisters with others, he was certain there had to be a reason for that especially since their family was sick in the head in one too many ways. Maybe this was their chance at redemption but then it wasn''t exactlyforting since their sister who had a mate had ended up being reduced to ashes like she hadn''t spent her entire life fighting for their deity. Life was something that Trey never understood, but maybe he would eventually understand why his siblings had to make all those sacrifices over the years, right? "The mate bond won''t work on them. The mate I was given was sick and protector Malika bit her, igniting the sibling bond, making it impossible for my mate to surpass them, seeing as I never got the chance to mark her," Amina said casually. She wasn''t going to exin the bits to her brother. She wasn''t going to let him know of the warmth she had felt in her heart when she had spent the night with Mbaliying on her, or even how her heart beats always increased when she looked at Mbali. Amina wasn''t going to tell her brother of the different things she was willing to do to protect her mate, including the fact that she had given up the one de that she had crafted to kill her brothers if they so much as tried to double cross her. There were so many things that she wouldn''t divulge with them and she didn''t regret it one bit. She loved her brothers more than life, but then she loved Mbali with everything he had and didn''t have. She loved her more than she loved her brothers, a truth that Amina Russel was not going to tell her brother. That would be too dangerous, not just for her but also for the beautiful Jabali girl she had taken a liking to. She wanted to go back and kiss Mbali one more time. She wanted to steal that kiss and lean in deeper for more; she wanted Mbali in ways that were forbidden, but she would hold on. She would wait for her mate. Even if she were in the Savasci Knight''s chains, she would be alright as long as her Mbali was okay. "So, what else can we do? Your mate bond was the loophole we needed and it''s botched," Trey singed defeated. He could tell what this would mean for their family. Granted it never tranted to a great failure, but it was a setback that would send them back to the drawing board. It was not what he had expected, but then it wasn''t like they were dealing with the regr wolves or even hybrids. This bunch of Knights was undefeated for years.N?v(el)B\\jnn "We can use Nik. He isn''t dead. The sooner we channel Nik and see where he is, the sooner we can intercept them and then eliminate them all at once," Amina reassured and Trey stared at his sister. He had to admit that Amina was never one for emotions, but then using their brother to kill people who would include the mate she had been obsessed with for the very first time she had known such a bond was wild. "Including HER?" "It''s our lives versus theirs, Trey. We are in a bottle of life and death, not life and love. It doesn''t matter. Besides, with all that she knows about our family and everything we did to the woman she is sworn to protect, there wille a terrible time soon. "A time when it would be either her sword in my chest or mine in hers. She already knows that by now and we can''t pretend that my love for her will ovee this. It doesn''t matter what happened along the way. "Besides, we were never born to be loved, little brother. We were born to parents who only ever knew war and who thrived in war. That legacy lived with us. There is nothing we can do about it," Amina stated, like she wasn''t feeling the constricting pain in her heart. If there ever came a choice between a sword in her chest for Mbali to live, Amina wouldn''t think twice about it. She would let Mbali live, that one was a certainty. She loved that Jabali girl with all of her it hurt to even breathe. She wanted to be there for Mbali, with Mbali, and beside Mbali. She wanted to live, breathe and love Mbali. But then their families were on different sides and it wasn''t the best of things for Amina, though she wouldn''t hesitate toy her life for Mbali. "This is the first time you said that, Amina," Trey pointed out and his sister stared at her wondering what the hell that was about. Amina couldn''t think straight because she was already imagining Mbali having breakfast while they dragged Nik. She could imagine the knightsughing at her brother or even dragging him across thends for their pleasure. Amina didn''t object to that. She was aware that her brother was a menace, besides the first rule of the white wolf operation was to never get caught. Nik had failed in that, just like Razia and Atticus had. So, there was no one to me for his capture but himself, he should have been careful and he hadn''t been, so that was on him. Sure, the Russels would do whatever they could to get to their brother, but then there was nothing they could do for certain, because at the end of the day, their mission was the white wolf and if using Nik to get to Hawi was a way out, then they would do it without a second thought. "Said what?" "You love her." "I didn''t say that. Don''t misquote me, Trey. That is a dangerous thing." "For you, or for her?" "For her," Amina answered without hesitating, before she realized what she had just done. "I meant to¨C" Amina begum and Trey just stopped her. Chapter 378 For The Hearts That Bled [JER] "For her," Amina answered without hesitating, before she realized what she had just done. She wanted to correct herself but the sad smile on her brother''s face told her that he understood her. Of course, he did. Trey was the first one to point out the bond to Amina, when she didn''t know what mating was. He had helped his sister navigate her feelings for Mbali even though it was more like a suicide mission, Trey had taught her what it meant to love and to be loved. Granted, they were siblings, but there was none that Amina trusted with her secrets more than Trey Russel. "I meant to¨C" Amina begum and trey just stopped her. "It''s alright, I understand you. If I were in your position, I would have fought for her. I know that''s not exactly what you need to hear at the moment, seeing we are in the middle of a war with them; "... but if I could see my Perihan again, if I could know whether Perihan was a girl or a man, I would go for it. I would do whatever it took to breathe in that cinnamon scent that drives me insane. "Every dusk reminds me of my dear Perihan, even when I know I would never see him or her again. Even when my heart shatters each time dawnes it''s just me in my room, with my wishes that would nevere true. "I watch the sunset each time, hoping that when midnight strikes, I could see Perihan again, hoping to breathe him or her again, to be there just next to Perihan. Oh, the things I would give to go back to that night all those years ago. "I would burn the world and look for Perihan if I saw him or her again. Trust me sister, I wouldn''t me you if you chose your hermosa over us. Because I would leave everything for my Perihan," Trey said earnestly and Amina listened to him. She knew how much Trey regretted the night he met Perihan at the Halloween ball. They had been on a mission, one that was so delicate that everything needed to go ording to n. Trey hadn''t imagined he would find someone who made his heart beat that night, so when someone bumped into him that night, the only word out of his mouth was Perihan, their code word for when the mission was going okay. Trey had shrieked at the contact, given the sparks that he felt when that person bumped into him, dressed like an angel. It was the first time that Trey had tagged along on the mission and it was thest time he went because he had lost the only angel that made him want to be alive again. He knew he would never be able to attend the Halloween ball in that same ce the next year, seeing as they were traveling across the realm most of the time, and never stayed in one ce., Trey only ever confided in his sister, and it still hurt to this day, because he knew he would never get to see the angel again. "She''s perfection, Trey. I feel like she is the only direction I should take and yet at the same time, I have to fight to protect whatever is left of our family. We have broken so many hearts in the past and present. "We have ruined so many people''s lives and it would be selfish to want her, the purest creature I ever set my eyes on. She is my world, and I can''t destroy that part of my life. I would much rather stay away; "... As long as she is happy, which is ironic, because fate puts us on opposite sides. Oh, the things I would give to be you. At least with Perihan, you are sure you''re not on opposite sides, even if so much time has passed," Amina sighed sadly. Here they were, two of the deadliest siblings, with broken hearts that yearned for the people they loved so much more than life would everprehend. "Perhaps after everything we did, we were always meant to be left broken like this," Trey whispered as he stared in the distance where Jer was struggling to piece himself up. There were so many things they hadn''t done right and they knew it was toote for that, but goddamn, if given a chance to start over, these two siblings would take that chance and make things right with those they wanted. "Maybe when we are done with all of this, we will find the chance to beg the fates for mercy and bring them back to us," Trey said right as Sebastian and Alex showed up. "Damn girl, where have you been?'''' Alex asked like he didn''t already know. "Getting my ass kicked and my heart hardened," Amina said and Trey burst outughing. It was a sad reality they both were in but what else could they do? All they had done to this point had forced them in different directions with their hearts, at this point there was nothing like new bonds for them. They only had to hope that shit would be alright because no matter how many times they tried to pretend, at the end of the night, their hearts would forever yearn for the souls they missed. "In that case, we proceed with that broken boy Jeremiah. Where is he?" Sebastian said, not asking Amina what had happened out there. He knew that if it was important, they would get answers, but the fact that Amina hadn''te to him with the findings just meant that the n had failed. They knew each other so well and maybe, just maybe, there woulde a time when things would be different. Until then, they had to deal with a group of women that was determined to tear their family apart. Enjoy exclusive content from empire "I may or may not have thrown him into truck traffic?" Amina shrugged casually. "Warner!!" Seb called out for Jer who was still nursing injuries. His healing was taking a little longer than possible today and that shit was pissing him off. When Amina had thrown him into their truck traffic, he expected that he wouldn''t have a heavy-duty truck run over him and break his bones. Jer was pissed but at least he was smart enough to know that that Amina was too unhinged and he wouldn''tst a minute next to that woman. "I''m okay¡­ I''ll be answering your questions from right over here," Jer said as she stood a few meters away from the current track the Russel siblings were in. He looked bruised as hell and he was looking everywhere but at Amina. "At least he learned his lesson never to think of me as a puppet," Amina shrugged again and Seb sighed. Their sister was crazy on so many levels but at least He had learned that first hand and wasn''t about to make the same mistake, right? "Gear up, we are heading west," Seb said and Jer stared at him questioning where he had gotten that suggestion. He was about to ask when he saw Amina squint her eyes at him, and frankly, death was way better than questioning Amina Russel. "Alright, I''ll get ready," Jer stated defeatedly. "We need to be ready too," Seb added and the siblings just agreed. Alex and Seb were the first to walk back into their trunk of a home, while Trey and Amina stayed on the rails. They seemed to not have anything to be ready for, which may have been right because their hearts were gued with things that they couldn''t even deal with at the moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om There was never going to be a chance for them to meet their mates like that, at least not when they were at war. Maybe there woulde a time when things would be alright with them too, yeah? "Come along, Trey. We need to get back into the game and mission. We have a family to protect. If it leads us to those who have our hearts in the palms of their hands, then well and good. "Otherwise, we leave everything to fate. Nothing is ever going to stop us from doing this. At least we have some control over the oues with the Savasci knights," Amina reassured and Trey just chuckled. His sister was trying a little too hard to make things work and honestly, he couldn''t me her. Amina knew nothing of love. Sure, they were brought up in the same room with their parents, but none of them knew what it meant to love. So, when Razia met her mate, the Russels were sure their sister woulde back, until Razia didn''t, only for her to end up with the most dysfunctional family ever. That was their worst fear at the moment. "Yeah, let''s go in," Trey sighed and they went back into the truck. "Goddamn, finally," Jer said when he made it to the truck. He could see no sign of Amina or the Russel siblings and that was way better for him; he would hate to run into Amina because that woman screamed danger for him. She probably knew more than she was getting on and Jer wasn''t ready to be sacrificed again for the greater good. but was that what he was doing here? Wasn''t it because the Russels valued Atticus''s magic in him that they put him here with them? "I just have to kill that Sicario bitch and all of this will be over," Jer said to himself as he walked inside the truck that had the Russel siblings. As much as he wanted to say that he didn''t need to be here he had to be. He had to find a way around this and there was no simpler way out than with the damned siblings. Chapter 379 A Thousand-Year-Old Love? [HUDHAYFAH] Everything was okay in Greyson but Hudhayfah was not okay. His life had taken a pause since he had seen Farida in Sicario. She reminded him of the one person he had sworn to love until his veryst day. His mate. His Perihan. The one man he met at the Halloween ball in the Free Lands. It was the ultimate Halloween ball because he not only had so much fun and even found his mate, but he lost him on that same day. Hudhayfah knew his mate had been a man and he had looked for him for years and years. Given that Hudhayfah hadn''t sensed any supernatural powers from his mate when he bumped into him all those years ago, Hudhayfah assumed his mate was a human who had crossed the borders to enjoy the party just like every Halloween. All humans had a lifespan of a hundred years, so when he looked for his Perihan in the first hundred years and never found him, Hudhayfah prayed to the goddess for his Perihan''s reincarnation. He didn''t mind what gender his Perihan would be reborn as really, or even what race. All Hudhayfah wanted was the chance to see his mate again. He would do whatever he needed to get him back whether he was a male or female, a dog or human or whatever creature the goddess saw fit. He would find his mate. Five hundred yearster he hadn''t been able to find his Perihan, until he saw Farida. Hudhayfah wasn''t sure what Farida''s true identity was but he had a feeling that she was the reincarnation of his Perihan. Sure, Farida wouldn''t ever ept it and Hudhayfah knew it too, but then he was a patient man. He had waited five hundred years for his Perihan, so what was a few months more? "I know it''s her, even if she keeps denying it. I won''t stop until she understands that I mean no harm. She is my mate, Sherry. How else am I supposed to prove that to her?" Hudhayfah asked sadly as he stared in the direction of Sicario. For months, he had hoped to talk to Farida and yet in all the months, the woman who called him Karim had left his side. Well, she had never been there in the first ce, but the fact that she wasn''t even willing to listen to him was breaking his heart. Hudhayfah wanted his Perihan. That was the only word he remembered for the meeting with his mate and now where she was, staring at Sicario in the hopes that the moon goddess would hear him. He had prayed for years and if this was the answer to that prayer, he was not going to let that chance go. "If he reincarnated into Farida, and you only ever met him once, how would he know your middle or evenst name? Perhaps Farida just knows you because she has been working in Sicario for a long time. "Given that she wants to make Hawi''s life easier, she needs to know everything about everyone around her. Just like we do with Rukiya. Maybe you are overthinking this, Hudhayfah," Sherry tried to reason but for a man who had been looking for his mate for years and years, he wasn''t about to let this go. Hudhayfah had almost found all hope of living and he had let himself age because he thought it was best to live the rest of his life like the humans, but now that there was a chance that Farida was his Perihan, he wasn''t going to let her go. He would cast an aging spell to take him back to the age he had been five hundred years ago. Perhaps that would be easier for his Perihan to know him, right? Maybe if he removed the contact lenses he constantly wore and changed his appearance back to how he had been all those years, Farida would know him, right? Oh, but Hudhayfah was hoping for a lot of things at the moment, but none more than to feel the spark he had felt when he had bumped into his Perihan. It had been an instantaneous thing and before Hudhayfah could even look back he was thrust into a crowd, eventually missing the one man he had never hoped to find and that too in the middle of a Halloween ball riddled with all the factions. It was a dangerous gamble at the moment, but one he was more than willing to give in to. "But what if I''m right, Sherry? What if she is the man I waited for this whole time? What if our souls know each other¡­ shouldn''t I at least try? Maya if I change to who I was she will want me. Maybe¨C" Hudhayfah rambled on and Sherry watched in silence. She may not have had someone to love over the years but she had seen enough people in love to know that Hudhayfah''s heart yearned for that particr feeling. She couldn''t me him for wanting it again. "How about this¡­ go to her, and hold her hand. If she is really your mate, if she is the one for you, regardless of what body she bears, then you will know. You will feel the sparks. Go and test that out then you can decide. "Remember the goddess never abandons her creation. That''s why we wolves live long since the goddess wants us to be happier with our soulmates. If she really is the man you are looking for then you will know. "The sparks are always there regardless of how much time passes. I''ll take care of things here in Greyson, and before you say it''s too much for me, we have the SDT warriors, we have the Lycans and I have Harry too.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "So go, Hudhayfah, go find out if she really is your Perihan," Sherry said, and Hudhayfah sighed. He wasn''t sure it was the best of ideas, but he had been so obsessed with Farida from the onset. Continue your journey with empire Maybe this was his chance to get the answers he was seeking, right? Besides, he didn''t have to worry about the wards that protected Sicario, since he could portal there and his magic wouldn''t take him to limbo like any other foreign magic. As he looked at Sherry, Hudhayfah felt the blood rise to his cheeks. He was already thinking of what he would do if he was right and Farida really was it for him. Oh, how his heart was yearning for more than he could take on at the moment, but at least he had a reason to keep going, right? "Go¡­ you''re blushing already. And make sure you cast that spell or she will be surprised that you look a thousand years older than time," Sherry snickered and Hudhayfah just chuckled. This was not what he had expected but the only way to confirm if it was true was to go back to Sicario and see Farida for himself. Perhaps fate as a better judge this time, right? "Okay, okay. I''ll cast the spell so you know what I look like when Ie back and don''t think I''m one of the Russel rats we are trying to eliminate," Hudhayfah said before he cast a spell that took him back to his twenty-eight-year-old body that he had been in at the ? he met his Perihan. "Holy shit¡­ if she doesn''t want you, you can have me," Sherry muttered and Hudhayfahughed as he created a portal to Sicario to see his fate. Chapter 380 Patience, Child of Fate [HUDHAYFAH] Sicario was quiet when the Greyson healer portaled through. He was worried about the oue of things, and frankly, a part of him still thought that this was already a failed mission. There wasn''t much for him to do other than hope, but even that seemed too vain and hopeless for some reason. He had tried his best to forget his Perihan, but then how the fuck was he supposed to forget the one person who made him feel like the world was not always just about protecting people over and over? What if he chose to love and be loved? What if Perihan was that for him? Oh, there were so many things that he needed to consider, but none was more vocal than the fact that he would only get out of Sicario with an answer. Whether it was a yes or no, she would ept whatever decision the universe made today. "Oh, Hudhayfah, is everything okay? I didn''t think you would being today. Do you need warriors?'''' Alpha Elodie asked when the elder walked into her office, the dejected face he was wearing making Elodie wonder if there was more to this. Since she had started interacting with Hudhayfah, Elodie had ever seen the man lose his mind or evene off like this she had been at war with them even when Atticus came but even that never seemed to put out anything to her. She had always seen him with aposed face, but today was different and Elodie was right to be worried about the healer. "Hello kid, how are you," Hudhayfah greeted dejectedly. "I''m good, but you didn''t look too good¡­ if anything, you look younger," Elodie pointed out and Hudhayfah remembered that he had cast a spell on him. He had been expecting the Sicario army toe after him, but then it seemed like there were just some things that would never change. Perhaps this was one of those, right? "You weren''t scared of my younger self?" Hudhayfah asked and Elodie chucked. She may have been taken with responsibilities but she was smart enough to know who was an ally and when needed and an enemy, besides, she may not have known what Hudhayfah had looked like when the healer was younger, but it was something that at least she could see right now. Maybe it wasn''t so bad, right? "I have interacted with you long enough to know your scent, not to mention the fact that Hawi and I learned to progress ages with our eyes and know who was who. "So, tell me, what brings you to this side?" Alpha Elodie asked as she stared at Hudhayfah whose younger self was handsome as hell and could already get the mated and unmated wolves swooning. Hudhayfah looked like something out of a magazine and boy was he a hot model. He looked like what perfection were bound to look like eventually and if Elodie didn''t swing for her gender, she would have definitely made a move on Hudhayfah. Today, unlike the elderly robes Hudhayfah always wore the entire time, today he was dressed like a twenty-eight-year-old model. He looked hot as hell and there was no doubt that he would find whoever he was looking for. Hudhayfah Karim looked like sin and he knew it. It was no surprise really seeing as he had been born from a family of people who looked so damn good without even the use of magic. This was what anyone would consider the perfect genes and heavens be damned, Hudhayfah was magical. "I came to see Farida," Hudhayfah began and Elodie listened, waiting to hear more about it. She knew Hudhayfah wouldn''t havee like this if it wasn''t urgent and from the look of things, it seemed like the healer had a lot of things to do with the ice cream vendor. "Alright, I shall call for her. Meanwhile, walk with me," Elodie said and Hudhayfah just nodded. He loved Sicario just like Greyson and the fact that he could see everything going so well, he was happy. Truly happy. He had seen how the younglings had worked endlessly to make Sicario into what it was and he couldn''t have thought of anything better for them. This here was heaven on earth and as they walked Hudhayfah could only hope that the mission didn''t take too long, because Rukiya and Hawi also deserved to take a break and live like normal people did.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Is she your mate?" Elodie excitedly questioned. She looked like a daughter who was happy that her father was finally finding someone who he loved and water to spend the rest of his life with. She was cheery and that got Hudhayfah smiling a bit. He knew that this wasn''t what they had expected and he knew that any other person would have been suspicious, but then the man beside her trusted him with everything and loved him like anyone would their friend. "I hope she is¡­ my mate was a human man when I met him five hundred years ago," Hudhayfah said and Elodie started softly. She had heard of the tales of reincarnation and it was obvious that the whaler was hoping to find him in Darida. "Well, I hope you have the soul you''re looking for¡­ Anyway, Farida is here. You can go on. I will be in the office if you need me," Alpha Elodie said before adding, "you deserve to be happy like the rest of us, Hudhayfah. If she truly is who you seek, I hope the goddess grants you that too." "I hope so too, kid. I really hope so too," Hudhayfah said and Elodie excused herself while Farida walked towards them. Hudhayfah watched as Elodie went back to her office, his eyes meeting Farida''s cold ones. She looked like she was seeing a past that she hadn''t ever wanted to see and for a moment, Hudhayfah felt relief fill him. He hoped that Farida was his Perihan even if she hated him. They could always find a way to work around that, right? "Don''t you think an aging spell is too low for you?" Farida asked when she reached Hudhayfah and once she was sure that Elodie had already left. She didn''t bother thinking she was being mean to their guest for no reason. Besides, it would be a little too hard to exin why the fuck she was cold to a healer who had yed a huge role in making sure the pack was safe and even the realm too. That was something Farida would also have to exin to Hawi and it was so dangerous. "Hello Farida," Hudhayfah said, ignoring the way Farida was eyeing him. He knew he had to be patient because this wasn''t what Farida had been expecting too, but goddamn, his heart was thumping so hard in his chest he was sure he would faint anytime now. Perhaps he needed to go home, right? "What is it this time, Karim? Please don''t tell me that you think I''m your Perihan again," Farida said tiredly as she stared at the healer. She could see the hope in his eyes but did that even matter? "I just came to confirm something¡­ can I see your hand, please," Hudhayfah said and Farida sighed as she gave him her hand. Hudhayfah didn''t know what he was expecting when he held Farida''s hand but what he felt wasn''t it. "What?" Chapter 381 One Of Them, Karim [HUDHAYFAH] "You¨C" Hudhayfah tripped over his words as he looked at the woman before him. He had been hoping that she really was the person he was looking for but as he looked at her and the difort that had suddenly perched itself on her face, he knew she hated it. "Are you done?" Farida asked boredly. "But¡­ why are you in Sicario then?" Hudhayfah asked and Farida sighed. They were currently on one of the benches in the Sicario field where parents would sometimes sit to check on their kids as they ran across the fields and the set-up parks. "I needed a ce to live and Sicario was taking in strays at the time. Can we please not make a deal out of this? How about I tell you who your mate is and then you don''t tell a soul who I am or that I came to seek refuge in Sicario?" Farida stated. It was more of a question with an offer that she knew Hudhayfah wouldn''t ever be able to refuse. And even as Hudhayfah looked at the woman, he couldn''t help but wonder what had happened to her to get her into this particr state. Most people who came to Sicario under the refugee program always had their memories wiped, but Farida had kept hers. That in itself put her in grave danger, but where she was, offering the healer an offer Hudhayfah wouldn''t refuse. "How should I know you will be telling the truth?" Hudhayfah asked. Farida was a creature of the old religion, and it was something that would be useful to many, including the bastards they were hunting. So, if she let Hudhayfah see into her memories, surely there had to be a reason for it, otherwise she would have chosen to not give into Hudhayfah''s request for her hand, right? She had to have known Hudhayfah was hoping for more but perhaps fate was a bitch as usual, yeah? Maybe this was her chance at a normal life and she wanted to keep it as sane and as simple as she could when she still could. "Because you are seeking your mate, the man you met at Halloween seven hundred and forty-five years, nine months, three weeks, and three days ago," Farida stated casually and Hudhayfah stepped back. "What?" "We can y this game or we can give each other what we want. Your choice. As it is, I have nothing left to lose, but if I tell you who your mate is, even the few friends you gathered will abandon you. "You will be alone, despite working tooth and nail to keep the people you care about closer. You have always been alone Karim. We both know you got close to the Greysons because they were the easiest way to forget the pain from years ago. "So, which one will it be?" Farida asked and Hudhayfah stared at her defeatedly. He had been certain that he had covered his tracks so well. He was sure that nothing would ever stop him from getting to his goal. Hudhayfah had made himself believe that it was five hundred years only because he couldn''t stomach the pain of not being able to see his mate for over seven hundred years. It was a pain he was never able to live through and he tried to swallow it by keeping up the hopeless hope that maybe, just maybe if he said it had been five hundred years, he would find women to understand him. Besides, he didn''t want to seem like a hopeless loser who was looking for a mate he had only ever seen once. It would break his already fragile heart and he couldn''t take that. He wouldn''t be able to make it all make sense. "Fine. I won''t say a word. But please don''t lie to me," Hudhayfah pleaded with Farida who sighed at how little faith Hudhayfah had in her. On one hand, she couldn''t me him. The man had been waiting for many years and never got answers. However, on the either hand, it was a bargain that they couldn''t break, because they would both hit each other and that wasn''t what they were hoping for. Time and tide were their enemies in every way, because despite the years that had passed, the memories had stayed. The pain had lingered on for too long; it was a part of them, and they didn''t know how to function without it. Maybe this was their chance at a new normal. "He is one of them, Karim," Farida sighed defeatedly, looking everywhere but at the healer she had promised to give answers to. The statement itself was as vague as anything could ever be and it held no answers for the whaler. "What does that mean?" Hudhayfah asked his desperation, surfacing once again. He had tried his best to get to the sewers and now here he was, a little too close to the truth that he was hoping for. "The people you hunt so dearly. The people you and your friend group hate with a passion. Your mate is one of them," Farida said and Hudhayfah let out a lonelyugh. There was just no way the universe was this cruel to him, right? "My Perihan?" Hudhayfah asked, his voice shaking as he tried so hard to imagine anyone else that they were hunting or even Anyone that he and his friends were doing their best to hunting. The more Hudhayfah racked his brain and tried to find an answer, it was still the same and boy did he hate that possibility. Everything all came down to the one family Hudhayfah had sworn to burn to the ground without thinking twice. "Impossible," Hudhayfah said as if that was supposed to make his life a little better. That family was a menace to society and his Perihan surely couldn''t be that, right? His Perihan couldn''t be the monster that that family was, yeah? His Perihan couldn''t be one of the people who had made the little girl he cared for go through so much, yeah? Surely the universe wasn''t that harsh to him, right? He had been a good person all through. Hudhayfah had followed every rule in the books. He had done everything right and never ever let herself get angry no matter how tempting it had been. Surely that couldn''t sum up to this cruel fate for him, right? "You were the one who asked for a starting mate, remember? When you were down with the fever eight hundred years ago. You begged for a strong mate, and at the time, that family was the only ce to get what you wanted.N?v(el)B\\jnn "If you want to me someone, me your prayers Hudhayfah. Your prayers led you to this point. Your prayers were answered and you got one of the strongest. You had been hurt and angry at the time. "You wanted the pain to stop. You wanted someone who could defend and fight for you if you were too weak to defend yourself like that time. You wanted the best of best, an untainted one, didn''t you? "Well, your prayers were answered at the time. He is one of them, Karim. He is your answered prayer, if you must¡­ I have to go now. I gave you tour answers, I hope we never meet again," Farida said as she started walking away. However, Hudhayfah stopped her with his magic. "What the fuck do you think you''re doing?!" Chapter 382 Reality Was Sometimes A Bitch [HUDHAYFAH] "Well, your prayers were answered at the time. He is one of them, Karim. He is your answered prayer if you must¡­ I have to go now. I gave you tour answers, I hope we never meet again," Farida said as she started walking away. However, Hudhayfah stopped her with his magic. "What the fuck do you think you''re doing?!" Farida asked, clearly not impressed with the decision the healer had made. They had had an agreement and they were done, right? Surely Hudhayfah was old enough to make a scene of all that, right? "Tell me, who is he? There are five brothers, who the fuck is my mate then?" Hudhayfah asked defeatedly. He had been hoping for a long time today and while he already confirmed that Farida wasn''t his mate, he still needed to know. The fact that Farida knew so much about the answers he needed made him feel relieved for some word reason. He had agreed to whatever she had asked, so the least she could do was give him an answer, right? "No¡­ that is for you to figure out. I only know that he was one of them. And if it helps, he is still alive. As it is, two of the Russels are dead, which means that your mate is still alive. If you want to find your answers you will have to look for him. "Don''t try to hold me back, Karim. I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. I can only wish you well at this point," Farida said and Hudhayfah''s hold on her wrist loosened, letting the ice cream vendor leave the healer. This wasn''t what Hudhayfah had hoped for, and the fact that things just kept gettingplicated made Hudhayfah wonder if his Perihan knew who he truly was and his rtionship to the crazy Savasci knights. That in itself got him questioning whether his Perihan hadn''te to him because of his rtionship with Hawi or maybe he was hoping to use Hudhayfah when the time came and whenever it was appropriate for him. The war had so many questions in Hudhayfah''s mind and he had answers to none. Nothing in his life was making sense like the fact that his Perihan was alive. That was what Hudhayfah was choosing to focus on, even with the chaos around. "I''ll find him when the time is right," Hudhayfah whispered to himself as he looked around Sicario. His Perihan was alive, that was all that mattered to him. Besides, they were already at war and there was never going to be a day when they would be happier. Hudhayfah had seen Hawi and Ruru put aside their feelings and get into the mission, and that was what he was hoping to emte. Maybe if he was patient enough, the goddess would listen to him again. Funny how a single prayer had led him to the craziest of them all. And so, as Hudhayfah made his way to the alpha''s office to bid Elodie goodbye, he made a mental note to keep studying the Russel brothers. Only one of them was dead and gone. Farida had said that his mate was alive; he had to assume that it was one of the remaining four brothers. But who was he really? Oh, how Hudhayfah was excited to figure this out. He could only hope that his mate was dead before he got to him, but then would Hudhayfah try to mess with the mission of the one woman who could burn the entire realm down for her vengeance? "Hey kid, I''m back¡­ but I have to leave as soon as possible," Hudhayfah said to Elodie when he walked into the alpha''s office and found her seated rxed. This was a new state for Sicario and while it was beautiful, their efforts had paid off. It was something that would forever remain etched into the brains of the misfits of how much they sacrificed for this kind of peace. Tranquility had evaded them for years and the crazies had made sure it happened in less than four years. That was a record that no one would ever be able to break in a few tears. Well, there wouldn''t be a need for that if Hawi''s transition to the queenship was smooth at the end of the day. Because she could either be the realm''s delight, or the realm''s terror. Either way, the Sicario girl was fine with both and so were her best friends and team. She was someone they would follow to the depths of hell itself after all. "You look different. I''m assuming you got your answers?" Elodie asked and Hudhayfah sighed as he plopped on the nearest seat to Elodie. He knew he would trust her with anything and everything so he was safe. "Yeah. I found my mate," Hudhayfah said, as excitement beamed across Elodie''s face. "Is it Farida? Damn you, lucky lucky old man," Eldie teased. "It wasn''t Farida, but he is alive. I waited for over half a century for him, and he is alive," the healer said as Elodie sat up, ready to listen to whatever Hudhayfah had to tell her about this mate. The Savasci knights loved family and they were always open to having more in their midst, so Elodie''s excitement was understandable, especially since they had seen Hudhayfah brave the years alone. It was something that many wouldn''t have managed, especially if they had found their mates and lost them on the same day. By the way, perhaps Hudhayfah was a little different for a reason, right? "He''s a Russel," Hudhayfah stated and Elodie stared at him sadly. Before Hudhayfah continued the unwitting tale of the love of his life who he had only ever met once. Now that he was telling it to elide, he realized how patient he had been.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Of course, he didn''t tell her that he had prayed for a mate at his lowest or even what had forced him into that damning corner to plead for amate, but he told her pretty much the rest of it. The curious face Elodie wore when he mentioned Farida made him want to exin, but with his deal with Farida still standing, Hudhayfah couldn''t give in to it. Instead, he just summarized it, as he had thought Farida weas his mate. "Well, that''s intense¡­ the universe sure does know how to pair us with enemies. Don''t worry though, I don''t think Hawi will make you choose between us and your mate. She isn''t that cruel," Elodie said, making Hudhayfah smile again. The kid before him was still young and yet knew a lot about life and love. Maybe it was because she had seen the horrors of what a loveless life looked like and she didn''t want to go back into that hopeless cocoon, right? "I know she won''t. But then he is a Russel. One of the people we are hunting. Does it make sense that I am going to be hunting my mate?" Hudhayfah frustratedly asked, staring at the ceiling as if there were some hidden answers in there. "Focusing on the future when our present is still shaky is not a good idea, Hudhayfah. We can fight fate, but we can never win. Besides, who knows if your bond with your mate could be the way to a truce and for them to give us Jeremiah?" "You''re right¡­ anyway, I''ll rest for a while and then go back to Greyson. Meanwhile, tell me about the pack. How has everything been?" Hudhayfah trailed off. Chapter 383 Is Anybody Out There? [HAWI] As they traveled west, time was something that the Savasci knights didn''t pay much attention to. They were not sure how many days had passed or even months and honestly, it was expected. They had been on the road for a long while, for people who knew where they were headed. Even with the endless time that had passed, Niki Russel had stayed silent. His mind was hard to read and with his inability to talk, he was proving to be more of a burden than an asset. Soon enough the liabilities would increase and they would have to make the decision with Nik. "He can''t lead us to Jer, he can''t say shit, his mind is blocked. I say we kill him. Besides, we still have goddess knows how long before we can reach the destination west. I have counted eighty-five sunsets since we left home and it isn''t getting any better. "We can''t keep dragging him along like a load," Ruru said as she stared at the sunset. As usual, they had taken a break. They were short breaks to keep them going and they hadn''t slept in weeks and months, they couldn''t even remember what sleep felt like. Their bodies were fatigued and their lips had dried. Granted, they were able to conjure food and make their lives better, but they were not here to make merry on the road. There was nothing fun about going on a hunt with the same people that were hunting them. This wasn''t a luxurious trip for them that would end well, no. there was a chance that they were walking right into an ambush or even something that wouldn''t ever make sense to them. But even then, west it was. They had agreed that they would do this until they got what they wanted. They didn''t care how much time passed or how rough they seemed. What mattered the most was the fact that they would always be there for each other; Just four women who were working towards the beautiful feel of their home. But would home want them back when this was all done? "We might need him to strike a bargain ahead," Malika started the obvious and Rukiya stared at her like the woman had lost her mind. Well even if she had, Ruru couldn''t me her, they had been like rogues running away, only that this time they were powerful and could turn the world upside down. "We have walked all the possible roads. We have tried to track the truck wheels and there is nothing leading us west. It is like we are walking into a dead zone. We don''t have drones to help us, the magic we have can work, but it is too strong and color alerts them. "We are useless despite being so unbreakable and powerful. We can''t even use our magic for tracking purposes. The only thing we have is this bastard who might not even know where his damned siblings are. "I know we want to feel better about whatever the fuck we are doing right now, but excuse me for wanting to kill the man who makes my blood boil. He is here, with us, keeping uspany. "Who knows if he''s already ryed information to his family and that''s why we can''t see them? Don''t get me started on the fact that Man might have tipped them off. All of this? This is crazy. "We are hunters and we are walking around like we are scared of being hunted. We have a strong team. A Lycan warrior who''s never been defeated in any level. We have an alpha who''s been to the craziest of wars and done the shittiest of things and still stayed alive. "We have the damned protector of the realm, the most powerful executioner known to anyone in the realm, and need I add the ultimate queen herself? We have all this power with us and we are acting like we''re facing the race for some weasel. "Or am I the only one who missed the essence of the mission? Weren''t we supposed to fucking hunt? Eighty-five sunsets and that is since Amina was released back into the wild. If we have to stay low for another day, I will kill Niki myself, even if that means I have to die too," Ruru rambled angrily. She was sick of whatever this was. They had worked tirelessly and made things work. So why was it a little hard to track the Russel brothers and siblings? Why did it not make any sense for the lot of them? When the fuck had the sun decided to set sideways for them? Hawi stared at her mate who was walking along the shores of the sea they had been traveling on. She could see how frustrated Ruru was and frankly, she understood her. Nik had been useless and was clearly baggage for them, but killing him was not going to be the best of ideas. Killing Niki would send word to the Russels. Killing him would give them a specific location and they woulde to them, which was not something that they needed at the moment. As much as it was interesting to fuck around with the Russels, there was a better n iy. "Mistress, can I please talk to you?" Malika asked Hawi who was still watching her mate. She could see the defiance and the anger, but there was not much she could do to make Ruru feel better this time. They were a time of war, a time when fate and dreams were shing. Things were not going the right way, but was that rtable? "Yeah, sure. What is it?" Hawi asked, and Mbali to excuse herself to walk the shores with Ruru. She had learned that her sister and the white wolf would always have some sensitive conversations that didn''t involve them and she had known that it was okay too.. They couldn''t always be chasing after the same thing with all theplications. Perhaps this was their chance at everything that would be normal. After all, they were working for the same goals. Right? To make the realm safer? "Rukiya is getting frustrated, my sister is anxious too. Should we tell them why we are really headed west and why we have to put up with all of these restrictions?" Malika asked softly. She knew that the decision they had made was one that would be in the ass, seeing as they had used to their magic. But then since Amina had left, they hadn''t used a trace of their magic. Everything they did was manual. It was like they were just regr hands on a mission for the damned souls. The roads were cruel, they had blisters on their feet. They hadn''t drunk good water and they were surviving on berries and cherries which was very different from what they had been used to, seeing as they were all highborns brought up in the best stages of society. It wasn''t what anyone would have expected, but then was it really going to be worth it in the end? "It''s hard, is it?" Hawi asked dejectedly as she stared at the unconscious warlock lying a few feet away from them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She had expected that they would hold on for at least a year because the road to the west, especially where they were heading wouldn''t be easy without their magic. If they used their magic, they would have already reached that side of the west. They would have done a lot of things, but they just couldn''t, or so Hawi argued the first time she had suggested it. Malika had thought of the idea as the surest thing known to humanity, but Hawi, she had been insistent that this was bound to keep their anger and their minds on track. She had insisted that if they did things softly, they would forget the rage and the anger that they had felt the first time they had lost their people and the other times that had been so helpless it ever made it make sense. It was a long road, and the estimated fifty years seemed to make sense even more now. But was it something that they had to endure like this? "Well, it is. But I am used to hardships. Those two, on the other hand, haven''t been used to this kind of pain. Hell, I think you are doing a little too well for someone who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth. "You always find a way and your determination is scary. If it weren''t for you, I would have probably given up too, because the road is long and immortality suddenly seems like an endless cycle of the impossible. "What if everything changes when we get there?" Malika asked, confirming what Hawi had feared. They were all trying their best to hold on, but there was only so much they could do because his life started looking like the plea of the homeless and the brainless. It was risky, a little too risky than they could think and yet they hadn''t even started with the risky phases. "If we brave this phase, we can brave all the other phases, Malika. It''s not meant to be easy, but if I''m being honest, I never expected that it would be this crazy either. I know how they feel, I feel their anger and disappointment, even the temptation to give up. "But we have to keep going. We have a year on the road and if we tell them that we still have nine months before we can get to that side of the west, they might actually kill us in our sleep, don''t you think?" Hawi chuckled amusedly and Malika let out a lightugh. This was the craziest of things she had done with anyone or even for anyone, but she had to make it through this. They all had to. Chapter 384 Save Me A Seat In Hell [HAWI] "... We have a year on the road and if we tell them that we still have nine months before we can get to that side of the west, they might actually kill us in our sleep, don''t you think?" Hawi chuckled amusedly. "We are almost out of the tracking range. How about we activate everything else when we are past that range? They are angry and they have every right to be. Things are not looking so good and we are holding information from them," Malika tried to reason. She knows that there was only so long they could do this before Mbali and Ruru were fatigued. They were warriors, not people who traveled long distances, maybe they could go on other hunts and get more food instead of surviving on cherries. They were living lives worse than rogues and it wasn''t helping them either. Granted this was a necessary sacrifice but hell''s done, they were losing their minds at a really fast rate. What were the chances that they would make it through? "Or what if we tell them the truth? We have been hiding this from them for a while now like we are protecting them. What if they don''t want us to protect them? What if they want to be in this?" Hawi asked and Malika snickered. This wasn''t the best of ideas and you would probably backfire on them, especially with the way they had traveled for almost three months, there had to be a negative rtion to this. "That is a dangerous mistress. We didn''t tell them what we were going to do west, earlier. If we do that right now, it wille off like we are treating them like kids. What if they despise it and decide to take it out on us? "We are all fatigued and might just lose our minds on the way with how helpless we are, shouldn''t we consider some other option?" Malika asked and Hawi sighed. She knew this wasn''t going to be easy and she knew that she had to protect her people. But then again the fact that they had alle to this mission like this had to mean that they were ready, hell, they already knew that they would probably go back home in more than fifty years. The least they could do was be honest with the team, right? "You remember that spell we cast only during emergencies?" Hawi asked and Malika stared at her incredulously. "Surely you don''t mean THAT spell¡­" "It''s been three months; we all deserve a break. We can cast it and bring the band together one more time even if it''s for a night. Look at them, they look so sad," Hawi said and Malika wasn''t sure if the woman beside her was the white wolf or the woman who had lost her mind. That one spell they were talking about was a dangerous one. It would definitely alert people to where they were and even worse bring so that they didn''t want to this side. Wasn''t this supposed to be a mission so scary? Since when had the script changed that fast?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "But what of Mbali¡­ bringing the band together means¡ª" "I know. Bring her too. It doesn''t matter what happens here. I will take responsibility for it. We have spent years working out asses off to save the realm and now the realm is safe. We deserve a chance to be together and make merry too," Hawi reminded like that wasn''t the worst decision they were about to make. Then again, deep down, Malika knew that they really needed a break from the madness. They were all fine with not being home for years about the loneliness that they were experiencing was top-tier. It wasn''t fair to them and Malika understood that so well, especially since she had been away from her sister for so many years even though she had been watching her from a distance. It wasn''t the easiest of things that she had done and if there was a time when she wanted to change things then she would have traveled back. Then again, this was a chance to not make the same mistake again, right? "Okay. I''ll use the four elements just in case," Malika said and Hawi nodded before she shooed Malika away to get started. Tonight, they wouldn''t be sulking. As Malika cast the spell that Hawi had taken off, as shebined through four elements of the universe to create the best protective spell and the one imprable spell, Hawi was acting another spell. She knew that it would take them a while to get to the west, and they would face a lot of crazy situations along the way. So, she had to be ready. It wasn''t something that would be easy, but with Malika''s powerful spell masking her spell, it would be as easy as writing the scrolls of life, right? "Nik, Nik, Nik. The time hase for you to go home to the forest," Hawi stated, while leaning down to Nik''s Level. The warlock was defeated and bound for a journey of no return. He disliked shit and was desperate to let all of this go, but then Hawi had toe this far with him just for him to be set free easily like that, right? "I''ll do you one better. I will send you ahead of us. Who knows, you might like it better there," Hawi said with a smirk before she increased the intensity of her spell. It was also sudden and intense to the point that one moment, Niki Russel was tied up on the ground and the next, he was getting through a portal to the worst of ces that anywhere could ever want to be at. It was an insane choice for Hawi, but then she didn''t have that many options waiting for her. She had a pouty mate and friend who were fatigued for the long journey. Granted, they would still continue like this, but then she could at least make it better for her people, before things got even more intense, and she couldn''t fix the messes along the way. "You need help?" Hawi asked once she was done and she could see that Malia was still busy. "Nope. I''ll be fine, thanks." "Alright. Wish me well," Hawi said as she looked at her mate who was still furious. Even when Rukiya Greyson was angry with her, she was cute as hell and got Hawi fighting against her sanity. Well, now that they had an agreed break, there was no point for her to hold back her affection, right? "Make me bleed," Hawi suddenly said. "What?" "If you make me bleed, I won''t test you and Elodie no matter what happens tonight," Hawi responded as she tried to strike a bargain. She thought it was a dangerous one, seeing how Rukiya was always against anything that hurt Hawi, but then the white wolf didn''t have a choice. She wanted to go get her mate, but she wasn''t sure how to start the conversation. They had been alphas and leaders the whole time and not mates and that in itself made Hawi wonder if her mate wanted to see her for real or if Rukiya wanted to smack her face into the sand for all the things they had gone through over the months. This was a desperate attempt to make things right, and Malika was her way out. "That''s a really good offer, but you realize she might kill me for doing that??" Malika whispered as she tried to keep her hands steady. She was close to being one with the spells and was only waiting for the portals to reach the intended audiences. It wasn''t the easiest of things, but hell''s damned, what could she do now? "I won''t tell her you wanted to mark Mbali in the neck, please, Malika," Hawi said and the protector rolled her eyes at her mistress. For a woman pleading for help, she sure had the skills to threaten her with her mate. This was not home bargains were supposed to be struck, but then it wasn''t like Awuor Hawi was the easiest to deal with, right? For Malika, this was almost as good as a promise of life but goddamn. "You drive a hard bargain, Mistress. You really drive hard bargains," Malika whined while she looked at her sister and Rukiya who were focused on the shore like there was something interesting about whatever they were sitting on. They looked angry and they were right to be but damn this was still a damned mission for Malika. "Where''s Nick?" Malika asked even though she knew where Hawi had taken Nik and what that shit would do to the Russel brother. The ce she had sent him was the one ce that had no trackers and what was considered a prison for most. It was dangerous for everyone including even Malika herself. "You''re stalling and my rtionship is about to leave me with blue balls. I just told you I won''t tell you to Elodie¡­ help me or I swear we will both have blue balls on the one night we could get out release," Hawi said, and Malika fluid ether. "Technically I can''t get blue balls," Malika teased as she kept her hands steady on the spell that was still active. "Girl you''ve gotta be fucking with me. Is that all you got from my pleading? Alright then, I''ll tell her you insisted on marking your sister, and that you wanted it more than Mbali even wanted it and she was the weak one. How''s that for you not having blue balls?" Hawi threatened. "You wouldn''t dare." "Wanna bet?" "Fine¡­ that''s mean though," Malika said before she used her spell to create a sh on Hawi''s upper arm. It wasn''t too deep but it was bad enough for Ruru to feel the pain too. "Thank you," Hawi muttered¡­ and then hell broke loose, while Hawi smiled sheepishly. Chapter 385 Running To You [HAWI] "No¡­ No," Rukiya shivered defeatedly as she looked at the angry line across her arm that was fading. She had not been next to anything that would make her feel that much pain, which meant that the source could be the only other person whose pain washers. "What happened?" Mbali asked in confusion as she tried to make it all make sense. She wasn''t sure what the fuck was going on, but it had to be serious off Ruru was this triggered. She looked like she was about to jump someone. "Baby?" Rukiya voiced as she turned to look at Hawi who was sitting on the ground, holding her arm while cursing a lot of things, Malika included. The protector had created a barrier around her, because she knew that Ruru wouldn''t be so forgiving, but when she saw how fast Ruru was rushing towards Hawi, Malika figured that her time was done. So she pulled her sister with a spell and disappeared into a different part of the forest, as if that was meant for both their safety. "Care to exin what the fuck is going on and why the fuck you have an angry scar courtesy of the woman who should be protecting you?" Ruru asked angrily as she stared at the mess that had formed. Hawi was still bleeding and it honestly didn''t look pretty. Malika''s spell had cut her a little harshly and fine. It was one of the strongest spells, it meant that it would take a while for Hawi to heal. Well, she could easily heal herself, but she wanted to use this little wound as the base for a conversation with the girl of her dreams who was still mad at her for a lot of things. "She didn''t mean to. You know she wouldn''t hurt me like that," Hawi defended sheepishly and Ruru stared at her like the woman had grown an extra head. Surely this couldn''t be the same woman who was having the scar, right? There had to be an exnation and she knew it, but she ended up understanding when the hell Malika had grown hostile towards Hawi. It was something she couldn''t take lightly and if Haw was willing to forgive that, then Ruru wasn''t. She hasn''t worked this hard just toe back to the same spot with the same chaos. She had made sure her mate would be safe and now there was something else? Oh, the nerve. "Didn''t mean to? What the fuck, sweetheart?" Rukiya asked angry while Hawi smiled sheepishly at the pet name like she wasn''t aware that Malika needed to be as far from here as possible until she managed to calm Ruru down. It was a part of her life that she wasn''t ready for and yet it was as interesting as it could get. Perhaps there would be better ways to wiggle out of this? "We were trying to make our situation better. It was a dangerous spell and she had to¡ª" Hawi began only to be interrupted by her still-pissed mate. This would take a long time, but at least Ruru was talking to her, right? "Did she have to hurt your arm for the damn sleep to work? Was that what this was? Are you fucking sacrificing yourself again? Oh, I''ll kill her with my bare hands," Ruru groaned out in anger. She couldn''t think straight and she needed to find Malika. So, giving Hawi onest look, Rukiya got up to go find Malika. She would make sure the woman learned the importance of keeping hands off Hawi. Ruru didn''t care that Hawi may have wanted this. The only thing that mattered to her was the fact that she would do whatever it took to make sure the smile on her mate''s face stayed. She wouldn''tpromise and hells be damned she would make Malika know what she meant. "Fucking hell," Hawi grimaced at the pain in her arm. She had voiced it loud enough to get Ruru rushing back to her, the anger still on her face thigh this time, there was worry too. Rukiya Greyson was sure she would go crazy because of Hawi at this rate. "Oh, I''ll definitely kill her once I''m done with you," Ruru growled again as she rushed to her mate. She hated how was hurt and needed to make sure that her woman was okay. But then how the fuck was that meant to be possible when the one meant to protect her had been the one to hurt her? "I''m sorry,'''' Hawi whimpered softly as she stared at Ruru''s concerned face. Ruru however was focused on the long trail on Hawi''s arm. She was thinking of what she needed to do to fix it and she wasing up nk. However, there was still an option, so Ruru kissed her along the wound, in the hope that the sparks they always felt with their binds would trigger Hawi''s wolf and restart the healing process. It was easier that way anyway. "Save your apologies forter. I need to fix this," Ruru said as she kissed a trail along Hawi''s arm. She could feel the taste of blood and it angered her even more. Oh, but Malika was in deep shit this time. "I didn''t mean to disappoint you earlier. It''s just¡ª" Hawi began and Ruru red at her. "Shut up and let me think," Ruru insisted. "It''ll heal in a few hours," Hawi tried. "If you don''t fucking shut that mouth¡ª" "I''m sorry, Ruru. What I did wasn''t nice and I understand if you are still mad at me. I shouldn''t have sidelined you or let you suffer. That wasn''t part of the mission," Hawi said dejectedly. The journey was hard on them all and she should have prepared them better. Maybe if she had exined to them what they needed to expect along the way, it could have been easier. Maybe they wouldn''t be in this position. This right here was the worst of torture for her and she could only hope that whale Ruru kissed her wound better, she wouldn''t be grounded or still mad at her, because Hawi had a lot of terrible things lined up in her mind just to get Ruru''s attention. She couldn''t survive with her mate and with her and maybe she was thinking on overdrive, but then she had to consider all her options, right? Malika was the first one and it seemed like this would backfire on her again. What if, though? "What the fuck are you talking about?" Ruru asked as she stared at the arm Hawi was gripping gently. She could still see the angry red line and boy was it testing Rukiya''s Greyson''s patience "I''m sorry about the berries. I should have taken better care of you as my mate and¡ª" "You forced Malika to scar you, didn''t you?" Ruru asked and Hawi stared at her in confusion. She had been sure that her n was foolproof but here and now, he was like a deer caught in headlights, only that she wasn''t going to admit to it. She would feign innocence for as long as she could. Besides what were the chances that she would be left out here to die with her scar when her mate was already worried for her, right? How long would she maintain that though? "What?" How asked the innocence in her eyes fleeting at Ruru''s heart, but not enough to make the Greyson alpha drop the subject. She had been keenly studying her mate and the disappearance of the protector was something else. Ruru knew that Malika wouldn''t have done shit to put Hawi in danger. If anything, Malika would always choose Hawi over everyone else and the safety of the white wolf was the one thing they were all determined to keep in this mission. "That''s why you don''t want me to keep looking at the wound. That''s why you are trying to pry it open because you know it will heal in seconds if you leave your hand there, right?" Ruru asked disappointedly. She should have expected a tantrum from Hawi, but still, it didn''t have to go this far and get her hurt. Hawi was precious to Ruru and she wouldn''t live with herself if something happened to her mate. Rukiya Greyson was more of a protective mate, more than anyone had ever seen and that was the one thing that scared the hell out of Hawi and yet at the same time, gave her endless butterflies. She was blessed to have Ruru as hers. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Hawi said, looking everywhere but at Ruru. "Come on baby, you know you can trust me, right?" Ruru asked, though there was a sinister edge in her voice. "It was an ident. She was casting a spell and it just happened. She didn''t mean to,'''' Hawi insisted. "I love you, my beautiful, more than life can everprehend," Ruru began and Hawi stared at her incredulously "It wasn''t her fault, I swear." "Tell me, love¡­ why did you force Malika to scar you?" Ruru asked as she lifted Hawi''s chin, their eyes meeting each other. She could see the emotional turmoil in Hawi''s eyes and she understood that there had to be a reason for this. "I''m fine, it''s handled, see?" Hawi tried again. "All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, baby," Ruru saidN?v(el)B\\jnn "It was the only way," Hawi said, licking her suddenly dry lips. "For what, my beautiful?" Ruru asked, her eyes never leaving Hawi''s even as her thumb traced the beautiful plump lips that were staring at her. Ruru could smell Hawi''s desire, but she was determined to focus "To get your attention," Hawi whined needily. Chapter 386 I Love You, Always [HAWI] "It was the only way." "For what, my beautiful?" Ruru asked, her eyes never leaving Hawi''s even as her thumb traced the beautiful plump lips that were staring at her. Ruru could smell Hawi''s desire, but she was determined to focus "To get your attention," Hawi whined needily, making Ruru smile at her, all the anger forgotten. Rukiya was always going to have a soft spot for Hawi and knowing that even in this wild mission her mate needed her wasforting. She loved her and always wanted the best for her, which was also why Ruru kissed Hawi''s forehead gently, in reassurance. She hadn''t done that in a while because she had been busy with their journey, but this was a needed break. "You always, always have my attention. As long as you''re here, I''m not going anywhere, remember?" Ruru recalled earnestly as she sat next to Hawi as if to remind her that she truly wasn''t going to leave. "But you were mad at me, and¡­ I d¡­ I didn''t know what else to do," Hawi pouted. "Oh, love¡­ my beautiful love," Ruru said as she kissed Hawi''s cheeks gently "I''m sorry¡­ I¡ª" Hawi said "Is that why you had her cast the spell? Because you thought¡ª" "I just didn''t want you to be sad anymore. I messed up and this is all my fault and¡ª" Hawi enabled only for Ruru to shut her up with a kiss as they fell onto the grass, ignoring the fact that their friends had disappeared on them. The kiss was gentle and not rushed, like they were letting each other convey their feelings through it. The sparks they were experiencing were blowing up and if they weren''t careful, they would be fucking right here in the open, but then it wasn''t like there was anyone warned, right? "Nothing is your fault, my beautiful. We all knew what we were getting into when we embarked on this mission. There were ups and downs we would face. I don''t care if I have to eat berries or cherries or whatever the fuck we have on the menu each night," Ruru said when they pulled back, their lips swollen and their bodies tangled. Hawi was resting her head on Ruru''s arm, and they were snuggled up, you would think that they were just two souls on a date out, and not two people who had the fate of the world in their hands. Then again, they had each other''s fate to worry about too, yeah? They had a love to cultivate and watch bloom, because they owed each other that. They deserved happiness and more, and there wasn''t anything they wouldn''t do to make sure it all worked out in the end. "But¡ª" Hawi tried as she traced a hand along Ruru''s face. Her mate was beautiful and the evening sun was shining on her face, making her glow so beautifully and so perfectly, that Hawi could see herself falling in love with the Greyson girl over again. "No, baby¡­ Listen to me. I was angry because you haven''t taken a break. You haven''t slept a wink since you let Amina go. You''ve been taking care of us, watching over us even when it''s hard for you. "You sacrificed everything to make sure the mission was a sess even though the chances of us getting to our destination early were minimal. You made everything feel better so we could feel whole, and you left yourself unattended," Ruru growled slowly. She was disappointed in Hawi and she wasn''t going to hide it. They were a team out here and the show is once again shouldering the burden on her own. They all could take care of themselves and rely on each other. Just because Hawi was superior to them all didn''t mean she had to shoulder everything. They had agreed to make things work over the past ten months and this time wasn''t supposed to be any different. They had found a home in each other and they ended up trusting in that little home of theirs. "You are my world, all of you,'''' Hawi tried to argue and Ruru understood her, but then what if this time, instead of trying to save everyone, Hawi focused on living too? They were a team for that and the sudden change wasn''t needed, right? "But all I care about is how you feel," Ruru said before adding; "I would walk on shit for you, if that meant seeing you smile. I want to see you happy, Hawi. I want to see you smile often, I want to be there for you, but I can''t do that if you shoulder everything on your own. "I get that we came on this mission without putting our feelings on the line, but that won''t stop my heart from beating for you each time. That won''t make me not want to take care of you. "I love you, more than anyone in the world and hell''s damned, I refuse to watch your shoulder everything," Ruru scolded as she stared into Hawi''s inviting eyes. Their faces were so close, and they could breathe each other in. Every word that Ruru spoke was loud and clear and her emotions were evident too.N?v(el)B\\jnn She understood that Hawi did this for her attention, but then hurting herself wasn''t part of the n, that wasn''t how to go about it and Ruru wouldn''t stop reminding her beautiful mother about it. "I¡ª" "Let me take care of you, baby. Let me help you out. We are a unit, my love. Without you, all of this is meaningless to me. I can always get revenge for Adolf some other day, but I am here now, because of you, for you, to make sure that everything is right. "And I can''t do that if you keep shouldering everything. I understand that it''s not easy, but how about we work it out together?" Ruru insisted, her voice lowering as she traced Hawi''s face like it was the only thing for her today. Well, there was no lie in that, because Ruru had already noticed that Nick was missing and she hadn''t asked what had happened to the man like Hawi had expected. "I don''t deserve you," Hawi whispered with a pout as she leaned closer to Ruru, their bodies tangling in the process. She was resting her head on Ruru''s chest as they watched the sun set in the distance. This was what happiness looked like for them. "But you''re the only one for me, love. Just you and no one else," Ruru said and Hawi blushed softly. "I love you." "I won''t lose you, no matter whates our way, even if I have to fight the moon goddess for you. I live for you. I exist for you. Everything I do, is for you, and I wouldn''t have it any other way," Ruru reminded for the hundredth time. She hated that Hawi had felt so insecure, but at the same time, she loved that Hawi was doing everything to get her. It was impressive and if Ruru was being honest, she loved that Hawi still wanted her even at war. "Anything?" Hawi asked with a sudden eagerness, making Ruru lift a brow at how her baby''s face had suddenly lit up. "What''s going on in that head of yours, pretty?" Ruru curiously asked as she saw Hawi stare at her with puppy eyes, and that was also how Ruru knew this was one she wouldn''t win, not that she ever wanted to win against Hawi anyway. "It''s a warm evening," Hawi said mischievously. "Yes, it is." "A good time for a swim." "The water is cold." "I can warm us both up." "You''ll be the death of me." "How about I be your lifeline,'''' Hawi responded cheekily as she peppered kisses on Ruru''s face, down to the crook of her neck that was bare for Hawi to see. Ruru had long submitted to the bind, so when Hawi nibbled and kissed her mark, she knew she was down for. "That''s¡­ Nghh¡­ tha¡­ One way to put it¡­ fuck," Ruru whined as she sessfully failed to make a coherent sentence. Maybe it''s because of the woman who was cupping her sex like it was an easter bunny, and they were high on lust and desire for more. "How would you like that?" Hawi asked as she used her free hand to lift Ruru''s shirt up, giving her ess to the full cups on her chest, with her peeking ares making Hawi almost lose her mind in the process. "Hold on¡­ Malika¨C" Ruru voiced though it came off as a whisper when she felt Hawi''s lips perched on her nipples. She couldn''t remember thest time she had been touched like this but goodness, Ruru felt like her world was suddenly starry. All her senses were against her and she wasn''t about toin, not that it will make her want to stop this. She was simply letting her mate know their circumstances though deep down she had a feeling that no one would being to her rescue. "Hmm," Hawi let out as she sucked, nibbled, and bit Ruru''s nipples, while her hand that had been cupping Ruru''s sex found its way into her woman''s pants that had loosened up somewhere along the way, not that Hawi cared right now. "Oh hell¡­" Ruru groaned when she felt Hawi''s hand rubbing her groin while her mouth worked wonders on her boobs. They were both sexually starved, but Ruru hadn''t imagined she would be this starved. "You''re leaking, sweetheart," Hawi chuckled darkly. "Nghh... Fuck¡­ Wh¨C" "Oh, I''ll fuck you, alright, but first¨C" Hawi teased as she flicked Ruru''s clit, making the Greyson alpha let out a groan. Chapter 387 Maybe You Just Need To Look Harder? [HAWI] "What the fuck was that about?" Mbali asked when she and her sister came to a stop, something that confused the hell out of Mbali. She hadn''t been expecting her sister to make a run for it or even leave Hawi behind. There had to be more and she had to have been actively involved, given that Hawi whatever was there to stop her or make her do anything else. It was almost a little too convenient and Mbali was curious about that too. There''s just no way that this is happening right now. Surely her sister hadn''t warned the white wolf and her mate, right? "And why the hell are you casting spells?" Mbali added, the confusion clear on her face, but then her sister wasn''t even fazed. Malika was already casting her spell again, reading them for the evening that would determine how long their break would be. They had been at this for months and they needed to take their minds off the chaos and what better way to do that than to get everyone they cared about on board, right? "The spell is Hawi''s doing. She said we needed to break bread, apparently because we were so dried up that we might faint from the fatigue. I don''t me her though, we have been pretty out of it and the lives we have led throughout this journey have been wild as hell. "Perhaps this is the break we need for a moment," Malika exined and her sister stared at her softly. Mbali understood how they could havee to such a decision and she couldn''t me her sister. Everything had been hard on them. They had tried to live their lives as they looked forward to the West, but nothing wasforting but the journey to the West. They were like people who had nothing to live for, people who were cast out, and the fact that they couldn''t even use their magic made them feel trapped. It was all just a matter of time before they couldn''t take the shift cookery anymore. It was truly understandable. "I bet¡­ she truly is our leader, huh¡­ she sees and does things that we wouldn''t have had the balls to endure," Mbali sighed softly as she sat on the ground while her sister kept casting the spell. The spell would take a while and while Malika was a powerful protector, she needed time too. Of course, she could channel her sister''s power, but then Mbali was still new to the sibling bond, it was not something that Malika wanted to introduce her to at the moment, besides, Amina had been the reason Mbali had learned or the sibling bond. They just had to walk it a little bit by bit. "Can I ask you something out of the usual?" Mbali asked and her sister stared at her, the worry on Malika''s face making a show. For a moment there, Malika wanted to ask what it was about, before listening, but then she had to be patient.N?v(el)B\\jnn The fact that she had her sister with her was all she needed to keep herself sane because even the deities knew that she would go nuts for all of this if she didn''t think clearly. Her mind was always filled with so many things, but none would everpare to the worry she always had for her sister. "Of course," Malika responded, biting her tongue at the worst that threatened toe out. She had a lot to face past those two words but she simply reminded herself that perhaps, this was the first stage of their rtionship and that it wouldn''t be so bad if they decided to understand each other, right? "I know it''s not the best time, but¡ª" "You''re stalling, little sister. Come on, don''t stall. Besides, the worst that can happen is the sun rising right now, yeah?" Malika said, interrupting Mbali''s doubts. She understood that this wasn''t going to be easy for Mbali, but Malika needed her consistent sister back. Mbali was a warrior and she always did things that no Lycan ever was in the capacity to do and that was something that Malika had realized she had taken a step back from. She needed her sister to trust herself and not let the Amina issue propel her into the dark. "I just¡­" Mbali began and Malika stared at her with a t face as if to ask her what they had just talked about at the moment. "Freya¡­ do you think she cares about me?" Mbali asked and Malika abused. "Hawi? Of course, she does. She loves you just like she loves her closest friends. She even gave us a name so we wouldn''t be thinking of the mission as just something to help her, but something to make us sane," Malika said casually. She knew that wasn''t what Mbali was asking about, but then if Mbali had a question, she had to ask it like it was and not go around the damned corners. She needed to embrace who she was and the truths that could have risen from all of that. "You know that''s not what I mean, Freya," Mbali sighed. "Come on, Lili. You don''t have to hide behind anything anymore. You have one, your sister, ready to y down the first person who threatens your life. I will protect you and I can only do that if you let me. "It''s obvious you have questions but you''re scared of what it would mean for you. Well, no matter what happens whenever, just know that I will always be there and will make sure no one hurts you right," Malika reassured her sister. "I know, Freya, I know. But Amina¡­ I don''t know what to do about her. I don''t know if it''s even right for me to want to see her again, or if this is just me wishing for the impossible. We are on different sides, and we are both lethal. "It makes me wonder what she thinks about our damned rtionship. If that is even what we can call it. All of this is just so new and I worry that I might screw up. What if I''m not good enough, what if we are terrible for each other?" Mbali asked. Her mind had been filled with those questions for quite some time now and she knew it wasn''t about to be easy for the both of them. They Are enemies, and it was no secret but even the heavens had to have some humanity, right? "Oh, Lili¡­ you doubt yourself too much these days sister. Aminaing into your life has brought down your walls and even boosted your confidence. I hate that she gets to do that to you and I can''t even kill her for it. "She makes you worry too much. She breaks your heart daily and the least I can do is just re at her because I know you care about her and I can''t take her away from you. But then as it is, maybe you two need to have a sit-down, Lili," Malika said. It wasn''t the best of things that hade out of her mouth, but what else was there for her? She had to be supportive of her sister regardless because she knew Mobile only had her when the sun would go down and they had to make the choice. "I wish I could just ask her about this once and for all." "Perhaps it''s a good thing I''m here, mi reina." Chapter 388 Life Was Worth Living, Right? [RUSSEL] The Russell siblings were on their way to the west where they could feel their brother''s signatureing from. They had considered leaving Niki in the hands of the Savasci knights but then they reconsidered because if they were being honest with each other, any of them could have been in Niki''s position. Truly, they wouldn''t have wished to be left in the hands of their enemies. Besides, they were powerful enough to fight the Savasci knights too, right? Well, that was something they would debate aboutter but until then they would get their brother and end this long battle once and for all. While their caravan was on its way, Amina was stuck in her thoughts of one particr girl, one that she had been regretting leaving for the past three months. Amina had a lot of things going on in her mind and frankly, she wished she could settle all of that and empty her brain so she would just be thinking about just Mbali. Maybe that made her a terrible person but then what the fuck was she supposed to do when her heart was beating for someone else? How was she supposed to make it make sense when her world seemed to be revolving around the prettiest Lycan she hadid her eyes on? "I feel like we''re closing in on where Nik is at the moment. It''s just a matter of time before we find those women and finish this once and for all. I hope you don''t have any prejudices about the mission, Amina," Alex said as he looked at his quiet sister. Amina had been silent for the better part of the day, not even indulging in the meeting like she always had. She had changed a lot sinceing from Mbali and her brothers had seen that more than once. Granted, she never objected to their mission and what they were supposed to be doing, but then her silence had been a little too loud. "Are you assuming I will jeopardize the mission because of a woman who doesn''t even want me?" Amina asked, displeased as she red at her brothers. She couldn''t believe that they were even thinking of this. It was not what she had been expecting but surely they could give her the benefit of the doubt right? Then again, a benefit of the doubt sounded like disrespect for Amina because she had done nothing to make her brothers start suspecting where her allegiancey. She, just like all of them, had sacrificed her happiness and done things that the universe would probably never forgive her for. She had been there with them and this was not the best of things that had been suggested for her. "You know I didn''t mean it like that," Alex said and Amina frowned at him, daring him to say another word that would make Amina feel shittier than she was already feeling at the moment. She had let her woman go, she had let her happiness go because of them and they had some nerve. "Do I? You all think I''m going to turn out like Razia don''t you? That''s why you''ve been walking on eggshells around me? You''re worried I''ll take a dip like my sister dearest and make a run for the hills with the love of my life yeah?" Amina asked and this time she looked down at her siblings. They hadn''t gone through all that shit just for them to end up at this point. Hell, they hadn''t even found a way to get to Nik and they were already at odds? This was disappointing. "Isn''t that why you''ve been silent all this while?" Seb asked and Amina just scoffed while Trey sighed as he stared at his brother, the disappointment and disbelief clear on his face. He couldn''t believe that after everything, just wasn''t what they had been reduced to. It just didn''t make any sense and frankly, it was not fair to their family as a whole. They had gone through so much together, for them to be reducing themselves to whatever the fuck this was, because one thing was certain, this wasn''t how they had promised each other they would be by their sides. "How about we stop thinking like assholes and appreciate the fact that Amina had the choice to stay with her mate, give them all our secrets, and help theme after us and instead chose toe back home? "You think it''s easy letting someone you love walk away because loving them will make the family weak? You think it''s easy choosing a bunch of assholes over love, genuine love, just because Mother dearest trained us into believing that we would never make it out alive as long as the white wolf lived? "Have you ever considered why Razia left us for her happiness? Or even why she protected her daughter from us even though the kid was probably the only good thing in her life? "Have you ever stopped to think about how hard it was for Razia to choose us over her own child? Did it ever ur to you that we so much damage to ourselves than to the realm? "That we have mastered the art of being too toxic that we fail to realize just how much that shit fucked us up daily?" Trey asked angrily while his siblings stared at him in shock. In all the time they had been together which was technically their entire lives they had never heard Trey say shit like that. He was alwaysposed, always the rational one, always the one who cared and made sure that they were okay. Trey always trained because he never wanted them to worry. He had always been the silent one which made this even more confusing. Perhaps it was that bad. Perhaps they had crossed a line, and forced the silent one to speak because it sure seemed like the only option avable to them at the moment, right?N?v(el)B\\jnn It just didn''t make any sense to Trey and no matter what angle he looked at it all from, he couldn''t understand what it was that could have forced Alex into treating their sister like that. Amina deserved better and they all knew it. At least if they were brothers who understood each other, that is. "Trey, don''t¡ª" Amina said and Alex red at their youngest brother in disappointment, but then that didn''t seem to matter to Trey because shit had already happened and nothing was ever going to make this any better. They could battle it out, but as long as they didn''t understand what the fuck was going on with each other and how to work it out without conflict, there was never going to be an easier way out of this. They would be at each other''s throats whether they wanted to or not. "What the fuck do you even know about mating bonds and love?" Alex asked with a growl. He couldn''t believe that his baby brother had grown up enough to even start questioning them. Maybe Alex was missing out on the fact that they were all well past a thousand years old and could easily make their own decisions. Things were not looking up as they would have expected but there was no type of hell that would be kinder to them if they continued like this. "You didn''t just ask me that," Trey growled out in warning. Chapter 389 The Brotherhood Of Saints [RUSSEL] "What the fuck do you even know about mating bonds and love?" Alex asked with a growl. He couldn''t believe that his baby brother had grown up enough to even start questioning them. "You didn''t just ask me that," Trey growled out in warning, surprising even Sebastian and Jer. The youngest had nevershed out and right now, it seemed like he was about to year through them faster than the speed of lightning. "Tell me I''m wrong then. Haven''t you been in training for the entirety of your lives? When the fuck did you even know what mate bonds did, Trey? How the fuck would you know what love is?" Alex asked even though he had a feeling that this wasn''t the best way to deal with this. Well, he was right. They had lives to live, away from the mess they had been born into, but then most of their time they had been together so it just didn''t make any sense that Trey, of all of them, would ever even understand what affection was. "I have a fucking mate you asshole, and I lost him because of you, all of you!! I didn''t go after him because the fucking mission we were on was too important!!" Trey shouted angrily, forcing the entire room into silence. Surely they had to have heard it wrong, yeah? "Trey¡ª" Amina began sadly as she stared at her brother who had been doing well for the past years. Well, at least that''s what They had wanted everyone to believe. He had never been able to lie to Amina though, because Amina knew him inside out. Amina understood what it meant to love and lose. Amina understood him in ways that no one else could everprehend. It was like their bond was forced their hands one too many times, but then what else was there for them other than the fact that regardless of what happened they had to figure out a way through this? They wouldn''t be the ones tearing each other out, because that''s not how love and life worked. They had family to deal with and they couldn''t afford to make enemies of each other, not right now and not this time. "No, Amina. Not this time. If they want to be shitty to you then they might as well get ready to go overboard with me because if I find my Perihan again, not even family will make me stop being with him," Trey said angrily before he walked out the room, banging the door on his way out.N?v(el)B\\jnn He was not going to stay there and listen to them bitch about the obvious. They were creations of nature and they were bound to get their partners sooner orter. If they didn''t work through thoseplexities at the moment they would have a hell to deal with when the sun went down and they were the only ones left to bear the curse of immortality and loneliness. "Great. See what you just did because of your paranoia? He''s been waiting on his mate for over five hundred years and you just dampened any hope that he had of seeing his Perihan again. "Fix your mentalities or otherwise, we will have an in-house explosive that even we won''t be strong enough to fight," Amina exined before she stepped out and went after her brother. She didn''t want Trey to feel guilty for falling in love, that was thest thing that she ever wished on her brother. It was already bad enough that they had gone through all of this on their own and without anyone to support him, but this time, their brothers had to make it work, because otherwise, they would be dealing with the worst of the worst and not even fate would be as kind. "Trey, wait," Amina said to her brother. "Don''t bother, Amina. I won''t go ballistic on them f I find my Perihan. I just wanted them to understand what it meant to be fucked up. They had caused us so much pain and the fact that they are still oblivious to it even to this day pisses me off. "They never learn. Even after everything we have lost together, they still never learn, goddess, they are frustrating the fuck out of everyone," Trey sighed as he kicked the nearest couch. He was mad that everything was going back and forth with him and his mate, and that there was a chance that they wouldn''t be able to figure it out until the very end. It was the best of things and Trey knew that even if he wasn''t happy, one of them would know what happiness was. Mbali was what happiness looked like for Amina and Trey wanted her to have at least that, they couldn''t always be at war, but then what else was there for them? They had a lot going on and very little time to figure it all out. "I wouldn''t me you if you chose Perihan over us. We have grown messy over the years, little brother," Amina said as she plopped on Trey''s bed. She was sick of everything that was happening, but then at some point, she understood their brothers. This wasn''t easy on them too, besides what They had said had it been a shocker for them. There was no denying that this wasn''t easy. Well, they had to be together if all of this was meant to work for them right? "How are you feeling? I''m sorry our brothers are assholes," Trey signed for the hundredth time and Amina let out a lonelyugh. It was in a habit how even with all they were going through with their damned mission for the impossible, they still managed to get into moreplicated situations. There would probablye a day when things wouldn''t beplicated but today wasn''t that day, and that was the only thing that she could think of. A day when love would simply be over and when happiness wouldn''t seem like a tortured experience for the lot of them. It wasn''t supposed to be this hard after all, right? "Better, now that youshed at them," Amiana said and Trey joined in with augh. They were truly miserable but then perhaps they could still hope for those better days, right? It didn''t matter how long it would take because eventually, the world would always be this gray to them, no? Maybe when the sun went down someday in the future, they would be waiting with smiles on their faces. "Well, they deserved it," Treyughed right before there was a sudden whirlwind in the space where they sat. It was all so sudden that there was sure this was an invasion. So, he readied himself for an attack. "Fucking hell, what now?" Amina sighed as she watched the portal form around them and a letter drop. It only had three words to it, three words that got Amina wondering what the fuck had happened. "Mbali needs you," Amina read, and before she could even think, her brother pushed her through the portal, not giving her a chance to protest. "What the fuck was that?" Alex rushed to Trey''s room, only to find Trey ying with the wind. It was like he had been the reason for it, and damn, that was so close. "Really, Trey? Throwing tantrums?" "You want me to blow you up or what?" "I''m sorry, little brother. I didn''t mean to be harsh," Alex apologized and Trey stopped with the whirring winds. Chapter 390 Found A Missing Link [HAWI] When Amina made an appearance, Mbali didn''t even get the chance to ask what the fuck was going on because more portals opened, and through them came their little family of misfits who they had grown to love and adore. It was so surprising to the point that Mbali wasn''t sure if she needed to be happy that they were all there, or if she was to be angry because they had just been ambushed by this. Mbali had so many questions about what the fuck her sister was nning, but she wouldn''t deny that this right here was the best thing that had ever happened to the lot of them. They had been homeless for a while and now it seemed like they had a reason to keep on going and a way to fight their demons together. It didn''t matter that Niki wasn''t here because, at the end of the day, they had each other to keep sane, right? "Alpha Elodie!!" Mbali cheered excitedly, rushing to her sister''s mate who was still taking in what the fuck was happening here. Seeing Mbali that excited, however, got Elodie smiling from ear to ear, because it meant that everything was all right. If there ever was a reason to know whether shit was going right or wrong, they all just had to stare at Mbali and the reaction on her face would let them know if this was heaven for them or a different kind of hell. And right now, the Jabali sister was happy. She looked like she had received a reprieve from the hell they had been living in and frankly, Elodie was happy. "If it isn''t my favorite Jabali sister," Elodie said excitedly as she rushed toward Mbali too, embracing each other in a hug at contact. They looked so happy, so beautiful and wholesome that this was the kind of heaven they had hoped for. "I missed you¡­ fuck I missed you all so much," Mbali said as she broke the hug and went to hug Hudhayfah who was staring amusedly. He could see how happy Mbali was and even though he had problems of his own and worries he couldn''t deny that this reunion was what happiness looked like. "I missed what you took, kid. Who have you been?" Hudhayfah asked as he pat Mbali''s head like he usually did. These women were like children to him and he would do whatever he needed to protect them. The fact that they were here had to mean something and Hudhayfah was excited to see what I was. He wasn''t in a hurry with them because this was their little heaven and break from the madness that they had been dealing with for years and years on end. Maybe it was a little insane but what was a little insanity when they were together, right? After all, were they known to be the best misfits in the region, yeah? "Sherry! You came too¡­ oh Zane, you too! Wow, the whole ce is here together. This is so beautiful!" Mbali said excitedly before she turned to her sister who was watching in silence and with a smile on her face. Malika could watch her sister''s happiness all day and she wouldn''t ever be bored. "Do we have a special asion, Freya?" Mbali asked and her sister smiled at her. "Your happiness, sweet Lili. Your happiness is the asion," Malika said and Mbali smiled excitedly before continuing her conversation with Zane, pretending like Amina Russel wanted her with them and that she hadn''te here for Mbali herself. "She looks so happy, Malika. Thank you for inviting me to this," Amina said and Malika sighed as she looked at the enemy beside her. She was sure Amina didn''t mean Mbali any harm but the same couldn''t be said for the rest of the team. All the Russels were the enemies and there was no need for Malika to pretend like this was their chance at a redemption they all loved a little too much. It was all pointless and no matter what angle they looked at it from, this wasn''t for Amina and Mbali, no. This was for the entire team, but maybe Hawi had a reason for calling Amina over to the side of the realm. "Don''t thank me. Thank my Mistress. For some reason, she wants you here. I''m betting it is for my sister, the same sister who refuses to look at you. I had hoped to make you suffer, but the tant rejection by Mbali is good enough for me. "Excuse me while I go kiss my mate," Malika said, adding the salt to the wound as if that was supposed to take a jab at Amina''s heart and frankly it worked. The woman didn''t know what the fuck she had done to get to this point, but herst name was enough an answer for her or wasn''t it? Perhaps she would break theyers andyers of walls that were staring at her at the moment, right? "Hello beautiful," Elodie greeted Malika before she pulled the protector into a heated kiss, one thing disregarded every time around them. It was intense and for a moment there it felt like it was just the two of them. Normally, Malika would have whined about them being in public and shit, but today, she was not going to do that. She had missed Elodie and if the woman wanted to fold her like a pretzel here in front of everyone, all Malika would do was ask how Elodie wanted her. "Do you guys think they see us here?" Mbali asked with a grimace on her face as she stared at her sister getting eaten whole by the alpha. It was no secret that alphas and wolves were overprotective and even more possessive, but damn, a room was way better than within them like this, yeah? "A little birdie told me you got a mate too," Hudhayfah whispered as he looked at Mbali who was still wondering if her sister''s brain cells were always reduced to zero whenever she was around Elodie. Then again, with Elodie, Malika didn''t have to be powerful and shit. With Elodie, Malika could be herself, the girl who was in love with someone who adored her just as much. There wasn''t much to debate and there was no reason for them to even consider that. "That birdie must have been high on shit. Come along, let''s leave them, before they decide to ask us if we wanna join in too," Mbali said and Hudhayfah just snickered before staring at Elodie and Malika. "You''re right¡­ and where are the other two crazies?" Hudhayfah asked and Mbali sighed as she looked at the healer. "If you think my sister and her mate are looking for a room, then those two are already in the room. Don''t ask me unless you want to imagine the worst of them all. Trust me, it''s easier not knowing. "Besides, I doubt you would want to hurt your alpha getting railed," Mbali said casually. Hudhayfah began coughing intensely like he had just heard the worst of things. Well, there was no doubt that the missing duo was always worse when it came to things like this, but then at least it was easier to assume that they were alright, yeah? "Touche¡­ and wait, who is she?" Hudhayfah asked when they passed Mbali and he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. "She''s no one," Mbali said at the same time that Hudhayfah spoke, "Perihan?"N?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 391 Youll Be Okay, Eventually, Right? * Reload All the chapters from here... thank you for your patience. [HAWI] "Perihan?" Hudhayfah spoke and Amina could have sworn all the blood drained from her face. There had to be a mistake somehow, there was just no way that this was real. There was no way that Hudhayfah was her brother''s mate. Surely the universe couldn''t be that cruel to her family, right? Staring at Hudhayfah and with the history the man had, Amina knew this was a lost cause long before they even tried to make it all make sense. There was no way that this was real right now. They had tried their best to stay away from the Savasci knights. For years they had tried to keep their focus elsewhere, especially to the woman of the asion. But even that was slowly proving futile because if Trey found out Hudhayfah was his Perihan, then no one would stop him from iming his mate; not the Russels and definitely not the Greyson alpha or the white world. Trey was a determined rock, one who always trained harder because he wanted to protect his family and now, Hudhayfah was just that to him too. But then what if he was wrong this time? What if there was more to this than Amina thought of? "Hello Hudhayfah, I am no one. Nice to meet you here," Amina greeted, extending her hand to Hudhayfah who was still trying to process the scent that he was getting from the woman. He knew this was impossible because the way Mbali and Amina were looking at each other meant that they were mates. Sure, there was an obvious disagreement, but then that didn''t matter at the moment, because no matter what happened, he knew mates would always find a way. But why the fuck did the woman smell like his Perihan? "Don''t bother greeting her. She might look into your head for this, let''s go," Mbali said as she rolled her eyes at her mate who stared at her softly. Even when Mbali was irking her, Amina had managed to watch from a distance. She didn''t mind really because this wasn''t particrly easy for Mbali. She came from a friend group that valued loyalty and safety, and if she was being honest, herst name wasn''t exactly the kind of thing to scream loyalty and royalty to her. "She smells familiar," was all Amina heard before she knew her instincts were right. Oh, this would be really hard to exin to Trey, especially given how explosive everything would get if he found out. But then she had to hope that it would be alright, yeah? With her mate and her brother''s mate gone, Amina was left standing in the middle of the empty lot. She could hear them talking next to each other. She could smell them and more than a hanging she could hear how happy Mbali''sughs sounded. That''s what she had wanted from the very beginning and while it was going to take more than just augh to maintain that happiness, Amina was okay with watching from a distance. Perhaps that was the best way for her to deal with whatever the hell was going on, because there was no denying that it was a lot, and they had to work together to make sure this was done and fixed. There was just no way out of it this time. "Do you think they missed us?" familiar voices interrupted Amina''s lonely thinking and she turned around to see the two head misfits tugging at their entangled clothes like they didn''t know where the buttons were. They looked messy and hrious, with their lips swollen and their bodies still shaking. They hadid each other and it was obvious from theirbined thick scent, so the tangled hair was not enough proof for that. They looked like shit and yet something, they looked like they couldmand an angry war looking like that. It was hrious, but seeing how the situation was Manina didn''t say shit, or even show any emotion. "I think someone''s watching us, sweetheart," Ruru said as she looked at Amina who was staring at her with a nk face. She didn''t look like she wanted to fight so that was enough constion for Ruru, besides, Ruru was always pro-Amina when it came to the mate bond with Mbali. Rukiya was a sucker for happy endings and maybe that would be her doom. Then again, as long as she was here with Hawi, there was no denying that she would forever get her happy endings. "I cast a camouge spell, remember?" Hawi said subconsciously as she struggled with the buttons. They were frustrating her but she couldn''t rip their clothes off because they did have more to weaker as if they did conjure more clothes now that Malika was done with her spell, it would pinpoint the Russels to this pace. Funny how they were worried about that in a time when they already had one Russel here with them. Life was just fickle, right? "I may have triggered it to be undone when I¡­ y''know," Ruru said and Hawi just shrugged before she raised that someone could actually see how roughed up they were. It was horrifying for a split second but after that, there was nothing, just emptiness. "Oh, hi Amina, I see you got the invite. Shouldn''t you be with Mbali?" Hawi asked, her voice a little more enthusiastic than she had needed for it to be. Then again, it wasn''t daily that she got herself in a state with her mate tangled up like that. She knew it was insane and there was no other exnation for this. But per chaos there was one, right? Maybe the world would be nicer to her and no matter what happened along the way, there would be more than she anticipated right? "I can help with the detangling¡­ and thanks for the invite. Mbali is with the others, I was just here thinking of what to bring to her. I assume since you know her better we could have a real yeah?" Amina said and Hawi chuckled. She could see through the lies that Amina was telling and her heart broke for the woman who only ever wanted to be with her mate, but then a singlest name was conveniently fucking that up for her. Perhaps there woulde a day when all of this would be better right? "You have a deal¡­ she likes white lilies," Hawi said earnestly and Amina nodded before she went to where the duo was standing. They were on opposite sides yet at the same time they were on the same side. It was disheartening to think this to be what it was, but goddamn, it wasn''t ever going to be easy for them.N?v(el)B\\jnn Perhaps they would just have to wait and see what the fuck would happen here right? "Alright then¡­ stay still, both of you," Amina said as she looked at them, holding back herugh as she helped detangle them. They were insane for this and risk takers seeing as Amina could have easily used this proximity to rid the realm of the two of them. But that wasn''t her intention, not this time and not when the more she stayed with this lot the more she realized that they were bound to be closer than ever. It was disheartening in so many ways and a lot of thighs were going on. Maybe when the sun went down, they would be alright, yeah? "I''ll pay you back if you don''t tell them how you sound to us," Hawi began and Aminaughed at how incredulous the woman sounded. For someone so powerful he looked like she was about to shit herself from the chaos at the moment. Perhaps she was insane for this or maybe she was just trying to make it all make sense for her; in which case it didn''t sound so bad. A girl had to do what they needed to do right? "And miss the banters? No thanks," Amina said casually, making the duo stare at her in surprise. They had been expecting everything from Amina but this. There was just no way, right? "Sorry, what?" Ruru asked as if she wanted to confirm what she had just heard. Perhaps the woman had been with them enough times to see how crazy they could get and how they always bickered like there was no tomorrow, right? "There, you''re detangled, thigh if I were you, I would hurry and blend in before they all sit down, because it would look like a circus if you walk in like that," Amina reminded oh-so-politely before she walked away, leaving the two mates staring at her with disbelief in their eyes. Clearly, they hadn''t expected that this would happen, but on the plus side, they were simply d that at least Amina was having some fun with them. It was hard telling what would happen between tonight and tomorrow, but one thing was certain, they would get their much-needed break. Perhaps that was the only thing that had to deal with at the moment, right? "Come, let''s go," Hawi said to her mate as she smiled at Amina thankfully. She could tell that there was more to Amina being secluded here this time, it wasn''t because of her being a Russel, but because the woman was worried about her mate. "You too,e with us. She might be angry with you, but you came here for her, not to stay on the sidelines. Come along, and be there for her, even just for tonight,'''' Hawi said when they reached Amina who was still skeptical. "But¨C" "If it helps, she won''t send you away when you''re with me," Hawi said and Amina sighed. It was obvious Hawi wasn''t going to take a no for an answer anyway. "Alright," Amina agreed. Chapter 392 Building A World of Dreams [HAWI] As the trio walked to the camp that Malika and the crew had created, they were excited that their friends were there. Maybe it was a lot for them to hope for, but they hade a long way for them to get to this point. The endless smiles in the camp were exciting really, even as they teased the hell out of each other. Of course, as was expected, they had a st teasing Hawi and Ruru. The duo in question didn''t try to fight their truth, but they joined in theughter, before eventually sitting there three hourster to eat. The night hade a little earlier than they had estimated, but what mattered was that they were okay with each other. They would figure this out together at the end of the day, no matter what happened along the way. "Alright alright, now for the best part of this segment!" an excited Hawi spoke. She had drunk a lot of beer but it didn''t do shit because he could never get drunk. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise, but then it wasn''t something she wouldn''t consider in times like this. She was just happy to be here with her friends. Besides, whatever happened here they would all figure out a way to make it all better eventually anyway, right? "The part where you dance?" Elodie asked as she popped her head from behind Malika who was sitting on herp. They looked so domestic and casual you would think they had smelt years and extras loving each other. Theirs was a new rtionship but they were doing way better than most at the moment. But then it didn''t matter because the only thing that mattered to them was the fact that they had to make things work for them no matter what happened. "Oh, please she has thirteen left feet! She could break the realm if she dances, do not encourage her!" Mbali warned lightly as she looked at Hawi who was already pouring. Well, it was no news that the woman couldn''t dance to save her life. But who was to say she hadn''t probably gotten some lessons from Ruru over the past years, right? Well, they had been too busy killing creatures instead of living normal lives so that was not obvious enough. "Maybe she wasn''t to sing," Ruru said even though she was setting her mate up. That was the worst thing they could hear in the night, unless they wanted their eardrum blowing off and never functioning again. "I love my sister, Ruru, but unless you want to make us all deaf, do not encourage her. There are things she can do other than singing and dancing," Eldie sighed and Ruru took that as a chance to be loud about their rtionship. "Yeah, like fucking me senseless wherever," Ruru said and everyone let out groans while Hawi just leaned in to kiss her on the lips, something that earned another round of groans. It wasn''t fair to the lot of them who were single, not that they cared. "I know we''re supposed to be happy and shit, but visualizing you two at it, makes me want to puke my guts out and I haven''t even eaten enough today," Sherry whined and Zane backed her. This was not fair to them. "I''m pretty good at it, wanna bet?'''' Hawi added and their friends began throwing things at them, which they conveniently missed. You would think they had trained for this. Well, to be fair, this was the first time their friends were hurling things at them. "Public decency children, I wouldn''t want to be involved in that. I am old enough to be your grandfather," Hudhayfah whined even though he looked twenty-eight and had maintained his body. Strangely enough, their friends hadn''t even focused on his shift, they were just d that he was here with them. After all, they loved him no matter what body he was in. Because as long as they could identify him in a room full of people, they would be safe. "Says the one who got a mate seven hundred years ago, and is still looking for him¡­ what was it you said his name was? Per¨C" Elodie began and Hudhayfah just sighed sadly before hepleted the sentence. "Perihan. His name was Perihan. I don''t know if he still lives or if he died, because he was human, but I will not stop trying to find him no matter how many years pass. It doesn''t matter how long it takes or even if he reincarnated into a woman. "I will love him nheless. I thought he was reborn into Farida, but I was wrong so I can only hope that I will find him eventually. Besides, I have an eternity to live and find him. No pressure there," Hudhayfah said. The camp went silent as they stared at him softly. They knew what mate bonds were and they knew how hard it was to find them. Right now, he was holding on, waiting for someone who may not have even been real, but they just had to hope for him, right? At the mention of the mess Hudhayfah was hoping to find a solution to, Mbali instinctively looked at Amina. She knew it wasn''t fair to the woman, but then she hadn''t wanted this in the first ce. Sure, Amina was good for her and her sanity, but Amina was almost an enemy. She was one of the people that Mbali needed to find a way to be rid of. She was here, wee because of her but at the same time, Mbali couldn''t help but think that Amina was here as a traitor. Perhaps it was because Mbali had locked her heart for so many years and didn''t understand the hysteria about happiness but maybe, just maybe, they wouldn''t find a way to each other eventually, right? "Well, Hudhayfah, whoever Perihan is, or wherever he is, he must be the luckiest man to have you as a mate. Don''t worry though, if he tries to hurt you, we all will break his neck, even Amina here will help us alright? "Did you know Amina was a Russel? The good kind though," a drunk Elodie said only for Malika to shut her up with a kiss. She couldn''t have them riling up Mbali this soon because it would be hard to control the woman if they weren''t even sure if this would turn out. Perhaps they just had to keep E''s mouth shut, right? "But I w¡ª" Elodie whined when Malika pulled back from the kiss for a few seconds. "I''m going to need you to stay shut alright, E?" Malika said softly though there was a stern tone in her voice. One that Elodie knew well enough not to mess with at the moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Yes, ma''am," Elodie said, and Hawi snickers. These two were sickeningly adorable. "Alright, anyone still have something to say before I say anything?" Hawi asked and Zane raised his hand like he wanted to say something. Maybe he did, or maybe he was just part of the bandwagon of misfits who were here to tease the fuck out of each other. "What is it, Zane?" Hawi asked. "Well, I heard a little rumor that you''re nning a mass wedding, can Ie to the wedding too?" Zane asked and Hawi stared at him in confusion. When the fuck had that even happened? "A wedding?" "Yes, a big ass werewolf wedding," Zane confirmed. "I will have to confirm with my mate, but you will definitely be invited to the wedding, Zaniel," Hawi said as she looked at her mate who was looking everywhere but at her, with a sheepish smile on her face. So, her beautiful mate was already nning a wedding without her knowing. It was a beautiful idea and for a moment there they wondered what her Ruru would look like in a long wedding gown, one that hugged the floor as she walked over to her. She wondered what wedding color her mate would choose, even though she knew so well that whatever Ruru wanted Ruru would always get. It was a beautiful thought and a happy one because Hawi was always thinking of their pups running around when they were at the wedding. Or maybe they would wed first and have kids. That didn''t matter, as long as she had her Ruru. as long as her world never was without the Greyson girl. She was down so bad for the woman it was agonizing to even think about. Their love was perfect to say the least and no matter what happened and how things went, they would always find a way. "Thank you, Alpha. Now you can continue," Zaniel said, though Hawi was still trapped in the fantasy of her and Rukiya Greyson. The kind of family she would have with her, it wasn''t going to be a normal family that much was certain, but Hawi knew she would burn the world for her mate. However, she had a feeling that when they were done with all of them, there wouldn''t be a need for them to burn the world. Perhaps they would be the ambassadors and make the world a better ce like they haven''t found it. Maybe it would be a happy ce, but damn was it a beautiful thought that Hawi was engrossed in. A world with her people and everyone else happy. A world without vengeance, a world without bloodshed. A world of dreams. If only that was possible at the moment. But then maybe they had to endure this so that when the time came when they would be happier and a time when they would love and not worry about their loved ones getting hurt. "Alpha?" "Oh yes¡­ you''re invited. Now back to what I was about to say¡­" Chapter 393 Teach Me Love [RUSSEL] And so, for the rest of the night, the team caught up with each other''s lives, reminding each other what was important to them and what wasn''t. It was a wholesome reunion, one that sure put a break to the madness they had all endured to get to this point. It wasn''t easy, but they had known that going in, so this wasn''t surprising. By dawn, Malika created a second batch of portals to get everyone back to where they had been, which was all good, but the same couldn''t be said for Amina and Mbali. Amina had left sure, but she had spent the entire night staring at her mate who was determined to ignore her. It was like Mbali didn''t want her there. "Maybe in another life, you and I would have been happier. Maybe the skies could have been kinder to us, but I guess this is it for me and you mi reina. Until the next life, hermosa," Amina had whispered in Mbali''s ear that night. So, when the portal opened for her to go through, she didn''t look back one more time like she always did. She didn''t try to convince Mbali of anything. She had epted her face and she understood that her mate didn''t meet her so there was no point in holding on for the both of them when it was a lost cause. And fuck, Mbali felt that to her core when Amina had left. But then what else could he do when everything was messed up in its own way anyway? "You''re back so soon, sister," Trey said to Amina when the portal opened and sister was back in his room. She looked different, cold even. She looked like she had gone through the worst stages of grief and that there was nothing that she could have done to make the station any better. Maybe she had given up way too fast, but then it wasn''t like Mbali would have changed her mind if Amina had started a little longer, right? There was no reason for her to linger in the rooms that she wasn''t wanted. She had been brought up better than that, but goodness, why did it hurt so bad? "Trey¡­ It''s over," Amina sighed as she plopped on the ground. She had been strong for the entire night but perhaps she was bound to feel things eventually. She couldn''t exactly go to her other brothers for this because she wouldn''t ever be able to understand her. But then with Trey, it was different, so here she was, letting her defeat and tears show in front of the brother who could easily rte to her. Maybe they were always meant to be broken after everything they were dealing with at the moment. "Oh, Amina. I''m so sorry sister," Trey said as he rushed over to give his sister a hug. It was a soft hug, a delicate one that let themmunicate a lot, but even that was never going to be enough to fill the dent Amina had in her heart. She had tried to fight for her mate, but then it seemed like the way or reason for her to fight. No matter what she did, the oue would always be the same, and maybe it was better for her to make the step away before Mbali actually hated her for real this time. It was a cruel sentiment, but it was what life actually had turned out to be for them. "I just need to sleep it off. I will be okay," Amina said to her brother though it was more to herself because she wasn''t sure how the hell he was supposed to get through the day like this. She had tried everything and still failed. And now she had to join her brother nursing a broken heart. There were so many things hindering them that for a moment, as Amina thought back to Hudhayfah and Elodie''s conversation about Perihan, Amina almost didn''t tell her brother. She wasn''t sure that They would be happy with what she had found out, but then given it was like Hudhayfah himself had been looking for Trey, maybe it was right for her to tell him the good news, right? Seven hundred years was a long time to sit and hope for a mate. "By the way Trey, I found Peri¡ª" Amina begum right as the door flew open and their excited brothers stepped out, dly staring at her like they noted more answers. They knew she had to have gone to her mate because that was the only ce she would have headed after all that happened. Her mate was her conciliation and the fact that her brothers weren''t even bothered by Amina''s mate bond, went on to tell a lot about what they thought of her as their sister and warrior. They trusted her not to be blinded by emotions and while that was right, Amina hated that part of her reality. Whatever the fuck was going on here, she wanted no part of it. She didn''t want to be strong anymore, though she didn''t have that much of a choice given her siblings were depending on her like they were all depending on each other. "Damn, Amina. What did your mate give you for you just to be disappearing like that," Sebastian teased and Alex joined in. They were having the time of their lives, until Alex noticed the tear streaks on Amina''s face. "Did she do that to you?" Alex asked and Seb stared at their brother wondering what was going on. Maybe they were all reading the situation a little differently. But now that they looked at their sister, in Trey''s arms, there were only two conclusions. Either Trey had been the reason for Amina''s breakdown, which is impossible because Trey hated violence and fighting with his brothers. He preferred to walk away when the situation was heated because he refused to use all of his years in training just to hurt his siblings. "Who did what?" Amina asked as her eyes cleared like she didn''t know they were asking about her. Her brothers were psychos, but they were psychos who would burn the world down for her. They had lost Razia but they sure as hell swore to avenge their fallen no matter how long it would take. That was also how Amina knew if they made assumptions they would probably go after Mbali and that wasn''t what she wanted at the moment. Everything was just fucked up in its own way. "You found who?" Trey asked as he looked at his sister, gently lifting Amina''s head off his shoulder to stare at her sister and see for himself if what he had heard was real or was just a figment of his brain. A lot of things had happened along the way and Amina knew better than to mess with him. So, Trey needed to know. "My mate," Amina answered thest question, intentionally ignoring the first one, she knew it wasn''t going to be easy, but what else could she do when the worlds were shing at the same time? She had wanted to be happy, but that was now an impossible dream for her. Perhaps she should have wanted till the battles were over, but her heart had melted when she met Mbali and even saw how pretty she was, not to mention his powerful woman. Amina was attracted to everything about Mbali and hells be damned if she let her go in the next life. She would fight tooth and nail for her. "Is she here?" Alex asked and Seb smacked the back of his head while Trey forced a smile. This conversation was far from over, but for the moment, he needed to save his sister from his brothers who were determined to make a fool out of themselves. "It''s too early for you all to be here. If you''re worried about us, no need to worry. We are fine. Amina is fine, and you hoarding her space won''t make it any better. Now go and leave us be. "We will meet youter," Trey said and their brothers looked at them one more time. "Alright, alright. Just let us know if we are to smash some heads. By the way, we got a signal from Nik. It''s faint, but it will work for us to locate the psychos who are holding him," Seb stated, making Amina lift her head to her brothers. Surely they weren''t saying what she thought they were, right? "Nik? He is alive?" Amina asked curiously. She hadn''t seen him earlier when she had been with the misfits, but then again she had been so preupied with everything that was happening that she didn''t look for her brother. "Yeah. He''s at the sacred altar in the west. I bet that is where they''re headed. We must beat them to it," Seb said as the truck kept moving. They had nned to rescue their brother and were determined to never lose him again. "That''s a death sentence!" Amina sighed as she got up and began pacing. The sacred altar was the one ce their parents had watered them against going to. There was too much magic there, magic that was only ever responsive to the white wolf. If they were headed there for their brother, then this was a suicide mission.N?v(el)B\\jnn They would nevere back and she would never be able to tell her Mbali how she felt. Fuck. "We would do the same if you were the one captured there Amina. The coordinates are set and the trucks are headed there. If you don''t want toe along, that''s on you. We will go get out brother even if it will be thest thing we do," Seb said with a tone of finality as he left the chambers. Chapter 394 Only Love Can Hurt Like This [HAWI] They had been walking for hours since morning. Unlike thest three months when they were domesticated and looked sick as hell, this time they looked motivated. If anything, it seemed like they had gotten to the point they had all been yearning for at some point in time. They were trying to live their lives as simply as they could and hope that things would be alright. Then again, who are they kidding, they were the ones tasked with making sure that all would be alright at the end of the day. It didn''t matter how long it would take because they had to do it. There was no room for failure. "She knows," Malika spoke as they watched the ship meant to cross to the other side of the seae. They had been nning this for a while so when the captains got the word, they had set sail immediately. It was not something that Hawi had expected, but when Malika had run the n with her she had epted it. Besides, it was easier than going on foot around theke because they didn''t even know how much time it would take them.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Who knows what?" Mbali asked as they waited at the shore for the ship. They could see it from a distance and knew there was a chance that the people on that ship were pirates, they were out of options. Malika had told her Mistress that they would only ever use the ship to cross fathers if their mission waspromised. And sure, enough it was just like she had predicted. "Amina¡­ She knows we kept Nik in the sacred temple and she is taking her brothers there. That is if they haven''t gotten Nik''s magical signal yet. "The Russels always call out to each other with a beacon, and I''m assuming that the de she left us earlier was the one thing we shouldn''t have epted," Malika exined and Mbali stared at her sister in confusion. There was just no way that the woman who had been pining over her all this time could betray them. Then again as she thought back to the words Amina had spoken that night, she knew that there was a possibility. Surely Amina wasn''t a traitor, right? Perhaps she wasn''t, however at the end of the day, Amina was always going to be a Russel and that was a truth that Mbali needed toe to terms with to avoid chaos and the kind of shit that was ongoing at the moment. It didn''t matter how long it would take, but there was no way. It wasn''t possible. Oh, but denial was something that was fucked up especially when it came to the people they loved, though right now everything was pointing towards the woman they had invited to their home. "But you invited her. You called her here," Mbali tried to make it make sense. No matter what scenario she yed on her head, a part of her refused to believe that Amina Russel would betray her. Granted, there wasn''t much between them at the moment, but the woman had been loving and caring. She had been there for Mbali even when Mbali didn''t know. Someone who hated all that shit just to make sure she gotta Mbali surely couldn''t be the same one to break the heart she was about to protect right? "I had my suspicions, but I didn''t think she would actually go on with it. The usations against her add up though I didn''t think she would live up to herst name," Hawi said earnestly. She wasn''t apologetic or anything, just inly disappointed that this was the kind of shit that was going on in her backyard. She despised such situations and he''ll be damned if she let this go on for a bit longer. No matter what was in y, she would always consider her people''s safety. It didn''t matter how long it took because, at the end of the day, they would have to make sure that everything was done right. "Wow, what the hell is even going on? Was that what the reunion yesterday was about? Was that why you brought everyone else thinking this was just going to be some good time for everyone? "Were you assessing us? Is that what we have been reduced to? People who have no clue what the fuck is going on and who have to put their trust blindly in you?" Mbali asked angrily. She had been through a lot in the past three months and the one night that should have been happier that Amina was there with her, she had fucked up by being all bitchy to Amina and shit. Now she was hearing that the people she trusted were betraying her and making ns behind her back. Whatever the fuck happened to them being a team or was that one gigantic like they told each other to make themselves feel better about a bundle of nothings? Oh, Mbali was disappointed, but even then, she needed to be careful, because with every word that came out of her mouth, came a reaction from Hawi; a reaction that didn''t look so promising because no matter what happened she would have to figure out her shit. This wasn''t how to start dealing with Awuor Hawi and she had to have known that, or maybe she needed a reminder? "Lihle¡­" Malika said, the subtle warning in her tone for her sister who was solely crossing lines. Maybe she really was, or maybe this was all just not fair to her regardless of what angle they looked at it from. They had all done their best, they had tried to make it world and yet even then it had all gotten them to this point. But did that warrant the chaos Mbali was gently throwing herself into? "No, Freya. If she wanted to do that, she could have at least said something, to us, to me. I am her damn fucking mate and I didn''t even know shit about this. What do you think that even showed? "And did you ever stop to think of how that makes me feel¡ª" Mbali asked enraged and Hawi let out a warning growl. She had listened to the warrior and she thought this was probably hershing out. But then Hawi wasn''t here to y a game of chess with the spawns on her board. They were either in or out. There were never going to be any in-betweens no matter how hard it was for Mbali toprehend. The sooner they got on the same page the four of them, the better it would be for her. "I am your leader on this mission and you can either follow my lead or go back home, Jabali. I have no problem dropping you on the side if you decide to be a heavyweight on my back; especially a useless weight. "You are not in the capacity to question my decisions. So, either get in line, or take your ass back home. Whichever way, we are going ahead with or without you. If you decide toe with me, I don''t expect stupid questions. "Your mate is a Russel. She is and will always be the enemy no matter how alluring she is. Don''t forget about Razia and Atticus, or even Nik. Your mate betrayed us, and if you can''t stomach that, don''t fucking get on this chip with me. "I don''t have the time for your questions," Hawi said sternly as she stared at Mbali. She was done being nice because she wanted to go home. But then she couldn''t go home because she had to get her vengeance and make sure The realm was safe for everyone, things that were bound together and were messing with her mind. There was only so much that Hawi would ever be patient and regardless of the hows and whys, there was no way that they would get far if the team members were asking questions. "I''m sorry, mistress," Mbali said after a long silence but Hawi didn''t even bother to acknowledge her apology; which meant that Mbali had to work her ass off to prove to Hawi that she was worth it. This wasn''t the easiest of times to do what she had done and she had been emotional about it. "The ship is here," Ruru said as she watched the beautiful white ship reach the dock. It was a medium-sized modern ship, one that could carry at least twelve people on board. The crew was waiting for them and they looked a little apprehensive. From their scents it was clear that they were wolves, wolves who Malika had gotten to get them the ship. It hasn''t been easy but then with money and a little conviction, there was nothing they wouldn''t ever get. "Awesome, let''s get going then," Malika said, as she tried to sound enthusiastic, but there was nothing there. She knew how tense the citation was and as much as she wanted to protect her sister, this time, Mbali had crossed a line, one that even Malika herself couldn''t save her from. Perhaps she was lucky that Hawi loved having her around because all of this would have turned out quite differently for her. The woman in question was never one to take disrespect from anyone, so Mbali was seriously lucky. "Greetings your highness¡­ My name is Drew, your captain for the day," Drew greeted as he made a full bow at Hawi who just stood there with a nk unreadable face. She looked like she had better ces to be and boy was it scary. "Meet me inside,'''' Hawi said as she headed to the ship, ignoring the captain. Chapter 395 There Had To Be A Different Way [HAWI] Ruru looked at the captain sadly, her heart breaking for the man who hade to do his duty to the realm. It wasn''t easy, she understood that this was not what hair was used to, but Hawi was angry. She was disappointed in her friend even though she cared. Ruru knew that it wouldn''t take long and that no matter how angry she was, she would always find a way to make things better. She understood that and could only hope on their behalf that all of this was fine in the end because it would be messy if it didn''t. "She is a little angry at the moment. She will have a fine though, not to worry. At least she won''t explode at the moment," Ruru said to the captain and the rest of the team as if that was supposed to make them feel better about having a pissed Hawi on board. Well, she was disappointed, so maybe there was still a chance that things would be alright then, yeah? "Well, whatever it is, I am staying clear of her. Thest time I saw her rip the heart out of someone, and I''m still haunted by that reality. I only came along because I was scared she woulde for my head and rip my spine out of my back I would hate to be the first person she does that to. "Imagine having your spine off your back and there isn''t shit you can do about it¡­ goddess grant me the strength to not piss her off," Drew said as he walked back to the ship. He was horrified clearly and when he had spoken of what he was scared of, the Savasci knights couldn''t help but think back to Atticus whose spine had been ripped from his back. Atticus had been left a greasy mess that no one would ever want to live through again. That shit was fucked up. But at least there was hope for better days, no? "Come on, let''s go," Malika said right before Drew shouted from the ship, "hurry up. I saw three ships heading towards the ind too. We might find them there or maybe it was all in my head, I don''t know." "Oh boy, that doesn''t sound good at all,'''' Mbali said as they rushed to the ship that was ready to leave the pier. She had to make up with Hawi and knew that it wouldn''t be easy finding a way out, not like this. But then maybe she just had to try her best and remind Hawi that she had just made a mistake and she was willing to make amends so it wouldn''t affect them, right? "Hawi!!" Mbali shouted when she got on the ship. She wasn''t sure what she had been expecting of a ship that looked a little more of a ssy boat, but the interiors were perfect as hell. It was like a whole new world here. Well, that was good and all but they had not traveled far from home just to be out here living on water, right? "If your sister is here to try and mess shit up, Malika¡­" Hawi warned and Malika stood on her side as she waited to see what her sister had for Hawi. When Mbali had shouted Malika had portaled to where Hawi was. If it was true the Russels were here then there was no use for them to keep hiding their magic. They would need it in the flight anyway. "I hope not, Mistress," Malika said with cruelty as she waited. "Lift all the magical constraints, now!!!" Mbali shouted to the captain who had long steered the ship from the dock. They were not sure how fast they were going or how long they had been in theaters for, but the look on Mbali''s face didn''t look any good. It was like she had seen something that shouldn''t have happened. "What the fuck are you on about?" Hawi asked even though she had been expecting that they left the constraints. They were going into the deep sea where there would be no reinforcements. They were their own reinforcements and if they went in without any powers to their names, they would be fucked a little too faster than they would everprehend. They had to do the math and make sure that at the end of the day, everything was alright and they didn''t lose anyone. Not their team and definitely not the crew on the ship. It wouldn''t be a damned mission. "The Russels¡­ they know we are here and their ship is heading towards us," Mbali said and Hawi snickered as she peeped and couldn''t see any ship. Sure, the knights were still in the distance, but then they could have surely seen whether there were any converging ships on their end, right? This woman was just a tad bit more delusional and she needed to snap out of it. But what were the chances that she was ying games with Hawi to see whether they would react? As much as the Savasci nights were always together and trusted each other, their pranks were always the worst of the world. If anyone didn''t know what they meant, the parks would always lead them into traps that they always had to work their asses off. And right now, Hawi was calling the bluff. "Nice try to make me forgive you," Hawi snickered and Mbali sighed as she turned to her sister. "Freya, please. If not for our sakes then for the sake of the wolves on this ship. The Russels areing and they wont stop until we are out of the waters. This is going to be messier given it also takes a while to conjure a little thing like a boat or even a ship. "And mind you we can''t fly and we can''t portal to the ind because to the regtions by the old religion. Help me out here please," Mbali insisted and her sister stared at her skeptically. They were literally walking on thin ice around Hawi at this point, especially after the little stunt that Mbali had pulled earlier. If this was just another stunt, she wouldn''t be able to save her sister no matter what the situation ever was and Malika hadn''t worked her ass off trying to save her sister from herself only for the woman to wet herself in more trouble like this. "Calm down, Lili. Where the fuck did you even get that information?" Malika asked and Mbali sighed. It is almost like she had a source but couldn''t divulge that because of how Hawi would react. But then what else was there for her? She hade up with a suggestion that she needed to be honored for some reason and if she called it off, Hawi would never trust her again. Hawi would never look at her the same way and Mbali had fought alongside Hawi all those years just to separate in this little fucked up ce. She couldn''t afford that. "Amina. She opened a mind link when she was here thest time. I didn''t know about it, I swear¡­. Lycans always initiate the mind links, but unless she initiated it, I wouldn''t know until she used it a few minutes ago; "That was to either get off the ship or get our defenses up because her brothers sent a ship full of silver explosives and wolfsbane toward us. It is just a matter of time before we get hit. "I know what you''re thinking; if we arm ourselves with our magic, we will be giving up our position in the waters and then lead to more battles. But then if we don''t and Amina is actually right, we get depleted by a week.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "That is enough time for them to explore the inds and take on whatever the fuck they need. Remember we need to eliminate the entire family before the white wolf can fulfill her mission to make the realm better. "And even if we give up our position, the four of us are more skilled and are equipped enough to attack a thousand Russels. Surely you trust me on this, don''t you, Mistress?" Mbali asked desperately as she looked at Hawi. She knew she was asking for too much, but then there weren''t that many options for them at the moment. They needed to make a decision and fast because otherwise they would be fucked and the mission botched, not to mention everything they had worked so hard for, to make sure the realm was safe would be reduced to loads of nothing. The Russels would take down the realm and they would do it with a vengeance to make sure that no one ever rose against them. There was no telling how many people they had or even where, but word had it that the Russels had managed to recruit so many people across the realm and beyond. So there was a chance that some of the crew members were sleeper agents for the Russels, just like the mission had been fucked which resulted in Adolf and a lot of warriors dying more than a year ago. That was something they didn''t want a repeat of, but then they had to decide, and fast. "You realize I have no reason to trust you, especially with your inclination to the woman and your mate bond that you openly reject and wallow in private?" Hawi asked Ruru gasped as she stared at her mate. If this were any lighter situation, she would have told Hawi that she was being mean, but now that she couldn''t, she simply rubbed Hawi''s shoulders gently like that was supposed to make things right for them. Well, it wasn''t for the best, but at least it got them hopeful that maybe, just maybe it would lessen the tension in the room at the moment, right? Chapter 396 Help Me, Please… Just This Once [HAWI] "I understand, Mistress," Mbali sincerely responded. She knew she had fucked up but damn, they were running out of time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "All the restrictions were pulled down the moment the spell was cast and everyone brought together. If they want to attack, let theme and try," Hawi said as she looked into the water. She had expected this long before she had even met Amina. She knew that the woman may have had good intentions for Mbali, but there was no good when it came to the people who killed her sister and brother, not to mention tortured their little brother. They were bound toe for revenge one day or the other and Awuor Hawi was always prepared. "What? Why didn''t you¡ª I''m sorry, I just meant that I had expected that¡­ but what of the mind link?" Mbali asked, the confusion clear. She knew there had to be an exnation for it, but she couldn''t exactly ask Hawi to her face, perhaps that''s why she asked thest bit softly and with uncertainty. She knew she wouldn''t get an answer for it, but damn did she hope for better. "I may be your mistress, but I''m not a monster to keep mates away from each other. It''s obvious you both love each other. Whatever is holding you back, you can figure it out, but don''t expect me to be the one who will stop you for your happiness. "If you want to go and fight on their side, I won''t stop you because I know what love means, Jabali," Hawi said as she looked at her mate, the beautiful woman massaging her shoulders even though Hawi knew that was to keep constant. Ruru had learned that being closer to Hawi always kept her mate away from breaking things and personal contact always kept Hawi''s focus on her instead of the anger and emotion that could result in a thousand terrible things. It wasn''t easy, but it had to be done no matter what happened along the way. ''Jabali¡­ she''s calling me Jabali again,'' Mbali sighed inwardly as she looked at the woman she had gone to different levels for. Mbali wanted to hate Amina for putting the rift between them but deep down, she knew that the rift wasn''t Amina''s fault. She had been the one to put it there and she only ever had herself to me for all the shit that was happening. It didn''t matter that they were at war or anything, she should have handled herself better. "Thank you," Mbali said, not sure what the fuck she was supposed to say to that. She didn''t want to piss Hawi off, so she excused herself to go sit with the captain below deck. She needed a change of environment that didn''t involve pissing off the woman who meant well for all of them. "Send out the first re," Hawi instructed as she looked around them. She wasn''t going to wait for anyone to attack so she would defend, if they wanted war, then there was a woman who had been yearning for the final battle with the lot of them for so many years and had never quite gotten in. This time, she would do whatever it took to make sure she finished them without thinking too much about it. Besides, it was the best strategy, seeing as Hawi was always a hunter. This time, she wanted to see how those who thought they were hunting her would respond to their res. "Yes, mistress," Malika responded before excusing herself and stepping out to go on the deck of the ship. It was the easiest point of contact for her to send the re without inconveniencing others, even though they were out at sea, right? "I want to go on deck too, Your Highness," Ruru whispered in Hawi''s ears once Mika had stepped out. It was just the two of them at the moment and Hawi could feel the temperature of the room they were in change swiftly. She could tell what this would lead to, and she had to make the choice between taking Ruru out on deck to enjoy the view, or take her in here and right now, as she was assigned her. It was tempting but fuck everything else, they were at war. "I have a deck here, you can sit on it too, my beautiful," Hawi responded softly as she tapped herps as if to remind Ruru that this was easily the best of t ces for her to sit on. Frankly, it didn''t sound so dangerous anyway. Besides what was the worst that could ever happen then? "Are you sure you want me to sit there when there could be a war submarine headed to us at the moment?" Ruru asked, as she kept massaging Hawi''s shoulders. This was fun for her and torture for Hawi, who was already nursing a hard-on thanks to the thick scent of Ruru''s slick that was invading her nose. She was doing alright up until then, but how long was she supposed to hold onto this when everything else was about to go to hell? "I have a better idea," Hawi said as she instantly got up, making Ruru let out a shriek. However, she didn''t even have enough time to process whatever was going on because one moment she was almost falling to the floor, and the next, she wasid on the couch and Hawi was sniffing her cunt. "We are at war, you animal!" Ruru said when she felt Hawi tear through her pants and spread her legs. Ruru knew that there was no stopping, but maybe Hawi would stop for the sake of rationality, right? "And yet you are not only so wet and dripping, but you didn''t wear any panties today. Who''s at war again? Or maybe I''m at war with my sanity," Hawi chuckled as she licked a long stripe along Ruru''s cunt, not even giving the woman a chance to respond. Oh, this was so not good. "The crew might find us¡­ nghh, fuck," Ruru struggled to spell out as Hawipped at her leaking cunt. "Tell me baby, what got you so turned on, that the entire ship could smell your slick that is meant only for me?" Hawi asked possibly as she peppered kisses on Ruru''s cunt. She was overstimting Ruru with her tongue and Ruru was sure she would lose everything today. "Nothing," Ruru responded, and Hawi chuckled before she took Ruru''s clit into her mouth and began sucking like it held Hawi''s breath of life. The thickvender scent was all over the room they were upying at the moment but that didn''t matter. What mattered was that even though Hawi was kneeling on the floor, with her head between Ruru''s thighs, she was having what she had wanted since they had fucked for hours yesterday. Perhaps she was an animal, but anyone who had ever tasted Ruru, would think the same. At that thought, Hawi let out a low growl before she went on to overstimte Ruru''s clit, while her long fingers found their way into her throbbing cunt. "Tell me, or I''ll stop," Hawi said as she flickered Ruru''s clit with her tongue, ying with it even though she knew that Ruru had to be sure by now. Well, all she could do was answer the question, right? "You wouldn''t," Ruru said right as Hawi pumped three fingers inside her at once, making Ruru arch her back in pleasure and need for more. However, what Ruru didn''t expect was for Hawi to pull out her hands right when she was about to hit Ruru''s sweet spot. "No¡­ Noooo¡­ Put them back in, please," Ruru pleaded as she sat up to look at Hawi, but she couldn''t even find the strength to sit up properly so she plopped on her back as her cunt ached with desire while her juices leaked and Hawi wasn''t doing shit about it. Her mate was cruel, but was she? "Answers, my beautiful answers," Hawi said as she blew cold air into Ruru''s cunt, making her clench and unclench around nothing. Oh but she knew what she was doing at this point. "What the fuck is wrong with the both of you!!" Mbali''s shouts could be heard as she made her way to the room where Hawi and Ruru had been the entire time. She hadn''t even been gone for thirty minutes and they were already at it. "It''s not me, it''s Ruru," Hawi said even though her fingers were tracing circles around Ruru''s cunt, while she peppered kisses on her clit like it was nothing. This woman was nuts, but they loved her for it, didn''t they? "You have three seconds to put on clothes!" Mbali screeched and Hawi let out augh, the vibrations from her lips that were currently on Ruru''s cunt, making Rukiya Greyson writhe in lust and a desire that was being hep back. "We are dressed, that shit is all in your head," Haw said and Mbali hoped to the goddess that they were well dressed. Technically, Hawi hadn''t lied. They were crossed, though very few seconds away from beingpletely naked with impending war. "Great, we spotted a¡ª What the hell is wrong with you two!! Can''t you keep your hands off each other for two seconds? Two fucking seconds?!" Mbali scolded and Hawi stared at Ruru who was close to crying in desperation. "She was about to get me off and you interrupted us. Fucking go away!!" "What?" "Wait¡­ now that you''re here, please tell her to put them in, please? Tell her I need her," Ruru pleaded and Hawi held back augh at her mate''s desperation. She knew Mbali was about to smack the both of them into seven hells if they didn''t get up. Read exclusive content at empire "I''m sorry, what now?" Chapter 397 Welcome To Wonderland [HAWI] "Wait¡­ now that you''re here, please tell her to put them in, please? Tell her I need her," Ruru pleaded and Hawi held back augh at her mate''s desperation. She knew Mbali was about to smack the both of them into seven hells if they didn''t get up. "I''m sorry, what now?" Mbali asked as she looked at the Greysin alpha like the woman had just lost thest piece of brain cell that was supposed to keep her sane. Surely this could happen to the best of them, right? Mbali stared at Hawi and Ruru, her gaze shifting constantly between the two like she was trying to figure out if they were in heat or something. If that was true, then they were a hundred levels of fucked, because they may not have been headed into a crazy war, but they would have to fight their desires too. Because they would find themselves wanting a taste of the two crazies and that in itself was too dangerous a war that not even the magic they had would ever be able to get them out of. The universe surely couldn''t be that cruel to them right? There had to be a way out of this. "Please Mbali. If you''re worried about her forgiving you, she forgave you the moment she saw how sorry you were," Rukiya rambled and Hawi kept breathing on her, making her spam from desperation. She was going to go crazy because of the woman between her legs but damn she wouldn''t have anyone else there. "What is it, Mbali?" Hawi asked calmly as she looked at one of her best warriors. She could tell Mbali was skeptical about stepping too close to the two, and she didn''t really expect the warrior toe that close to them because if that happened, Hawi would break her neck and talk to herter, which would be a good thing at the moment for them. "The res worked. But instead of the shipsing towards us, they are drifting away. I don''t quite understand what the fuck that means but Freya sent me to tell you that. If I had known I''d walk into your horny selves I wouldn''t havee," Mbali sincerely said. At that, Hawi chuckled knowingly. If there is someone who hated walking in on Ruru and Hawi''s private moments then the youngest Jabali sister had to be her. It was like she was haunted by a lot of things that she didn''t need more scarring. "It''s alright, I understand. You''re dismissed, warrior," Hawi said to Mbali who hurriedly locked the door to that room, before she turned to Ruru who was ring at her like" Hawi had something she needed and the woman hadn''t forgiven her. "That means we have the entire day, my beautiful." "Please¡­" Ruru begged as she arched her back to do her cunt was in Hawi''s face. She was so desperate that she was willing to rub herself on Hawi, which didn''t seem like a big deal for her given the mad woman had told her that everything she had belonged to her. "Please what, baby?" Hawi teased as she gently straightened Ruru on the couch like she didn''t know what her woman wanted and what she would do to get it. Rukiya Greyson was wild and Hawi loved her like that. "Please fuck me, alpha," Ruru said as she stretched out her hand to touch her cunt, but the Haw stooped her before she could get there. And that was also how Ruru knew this was going to be a long day for her. "Nu-uh, sweetheart. Don''t touch, unless you want to give me a show. Maybe, just maybe I could fuck you if your show is good," Hawi said and Ruru red at her even though her eyes were filled with lust. Hawi could tell that her mate was already delirious and could do whatever it was that Hawi wanted just to get that dick in her. Well, they had all the time in the world at the moment, didn''t they? "Please," Ruru begged when she couldn''t take it anymore. She was all for giving Hawi a show but right now she wanted the woman to fuck her senseless and stop ying with her. It wasn''t fair to both of them but damn, Ruru wanted it so bad. "Because you asked so nicely," Hawi said with a lightugh as she roughly thrust three fingers back into Ruru''s cunt, making the wild woman let out a soft groan as she acknowledged the one thing she had wanted all this time. "Fuck you smell so damn good," Hawimented as shetched her mouth on Ruru''s cunt licking the juices that dripped from her hands thrusting into Ruru. "More¡­ Alpha," Ruru whimpered and Hawi didn''t stop. Instead, she kept her focus on helping her mate get to her pleasure. She loved Ruru and each time they screwed around they always reminded each other of just how much they did. Today was no different. Your next chapter is on empire "Don''t hold back sweetheart¡­ let go. Let me drink you up," Hawi said as her fingers worked Ruru''s cunt. She could see Ruru''s thighs shaking, a sign that her woman was hitting her orgasm soon. She loved seeing this, so right before Ruru came, Hawi pulled her fingers out andpped at her cunt, stimting her and eating her out while she got high and came from her high. Oh, Ruru tasted so divine that Hawi got seven orgasms out of her with just her fingers. At Ruru''s eighth orgasm, the Greyson alpha fell unconscious from the pleasure and the simtion. That should have stopped Hawi, but she was an addict. She had tasted heaven and wanted more from this particr heaven. So, she kept at it, fucking her fingers in and out of Ruru, getting endless orgasms out of Ruru like a maniac. Perhaps she was a maniac. Thest time they had gotten together was a really long time and the previous day, they had not done much, at least ording to Hawi''s count. So, she had no reason to stop. The rest of the day went by fast but one thing that the entire crew in the shop didn''t do was knock on the door to the room where Hawi and Ruru were. They didn''t want to have to deal with the stench of desire those two women had for each other and frankly, they were right not to. "There hasn''t been any sound in that room for the past twelve hours, do you think they are dead?" Drew, the ship captain, asked if she looked at Malika and Mbali who were busy eating the food Malika and conjured. Apparently, the food in the ship was so terrible that even rats would never have fed on them. Funny how that was what had kept the ship crew alive from the moment they had left for sea months ago. "Dead? More like fucking each other''s brains out," Mbali snickered as she looked at the door staring at them. They had been waiting for Hawi and Ruru to step in but then there was nothing there. It was like they had gone eerily silent and found a way through the mess that was at the moment; but what mess was there, especially when the Russels had run the moment they saw the res Malika sent up? "I think Drew is right. They are a little too quiet for people who had been fucking each other earlier. Thevender scent in the air has fadedpletely. "Step back, I''ll break down the door," Malika said and her sister wanted to stop her but the rational side that they all learned to listen to was telling them all the same thing. It was impossible for the loudest of their group to suddenly go quiet.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Maybe something had happened there. "They might kill you," Drew tried to warn and Malika justughed. "Then I''d die a loyal servant and you can pray for my soul or write my name in the book of martyrs," Malika said right as she sted the door with her magic, forcing the door back into the room. There was a wave of dust with the explosion on the door, and theck of a reaction from inside the room had gotten her even more worried. This was so unlike Hawi and Ruru, so it was normal for Malika to think of the worst of the worst. There was just no way the two were crazy and decided to take a sabbatical, right? "Mistress?" Malika called out, but then there was no response. The dust and fog in the room cleared out and there was no sign of Hawi or Ruru. It was like they had disappeared and they didn''t know where the fuck they had gone to. Malika sniffed around for the scent of a portal having been created out of the ship but there was no such indication. If anything, it was like there was never a portal here in the first pce. "This doesn''t look good," Mbalimented as she looked at Drew who was worried about their safety. Without the white wolf they were baked already and there was no way that they would win this. The woman was their way out of the mess that the Russels had put the realm into and now she was suddenly gone, just like that? "Tell me about it," Malika sighed as she looked at the captain of the ship as if she was ready to ask one of the target''s questions that lingered in the air. "Drew¨C" "I swear I don''t have traitors on my team. I vetted them personally and they are not traitors. They couldn''t have, and even if they wanted to, they wouldn''t have been able to, because I¨C" Drew defended right when a portal opened and through it came a very wet duo. Chapter 398 Obstacles With Familiar Faces [HAWI] "Do you think they noticed we were gone for so long?" Hawi asked Ruru who was still trying to catch a breath. The portal they had used wasn''t the steadiest of them all and she was certain she was about to puke her guts out. While she waited for her mate, Hawi looked around the room they had left earlier. It looked different and dusty as hell. Perhaps they had blown up things they don''t know of. Or maybe someone had attacked the ship and they had defended themselves. Explore more stories at empire But in that case there should have been leakages in the ship, yet Hawi couldn''t see any of them. It was like all of this was in their head, but was that it? "Were they attacked?" Hawi asked as she readied herself to smack the shit out of someone into oblivion. She was so done with bastards trying to ruin what she had and this time she would hold back. Maybe she was losing her mind, but then all those months away from home were bound to test her patience, no matter how patient she had forced herself to be. Regardless of what happened along the way, they had to be on the same page. "Attacked? What the fuck? I hope we run into them because I need to kick someone''s ass after everything we went through out there. Stupid bastards won''t let me take a breather even for a moment," Ruru grumbled as she straightened up and walked beside Hawi towards the door. They weren''t entirely sure where the fuck that was, but then given how when they were at the moment, maybe it was all in their head too, right? Perhaps they were experiencing hypothermia and shit, right? "Stay behind me, Ruru," Hawi said and Ruru smiled at her. "We protect each other sweetheart. Come let''s kick some asses and reunite with our team. I don''t know who gave you the idea of shops though," Ruru said with a frown and Hawi just smirked at her. "I''m going to count to three. You had better show yourself up then. I am having a very shitty day and your necks might be the only things to quench my thirst for blood at the moment," Hawi said, and Malika, who wasn''t sure she had heard the woman well, stepped back. She was in shock because given the current state, Hawi should have been able to see them, even through the fog, and that raised the question of where the fuck the duo had been. It didn''t look too good and frankly, they needed to be worried if that was the case. "Mistress?" Malika said as she walked through the fog towards the woman she should have been protecting. "Holy fuck Malika, what the fuck are you doing and what the heck happened here? Did you find those who attacked? Are they the bastards the Russels recruited over the years? What the hell happened here, and where is Mbali? "Did Aminae for her? I swear to the gods if that woman hurts my warrior, she will hang her by the tits," Hawi said frustratedly as she looked around. She should have rxed when she saw Malika but she couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more to what she was seeing. "What?" Malika asked as she shared with her Mistress in confusion. There were so many things that could have happened in the little time they were together but this hadn''t been part of any of the considerations. It was almost like the universe was ying long games with them, but was it really? "Where is Jabali?" Hawi asked. "She is here," Malika stated as if that was meant to tell the white wolf that they were all ounted for. "Art you sure this is her? No offense but your sister has been acting a little too strange since that Russel bitch left this ce. Are you sure she is your sister? Have you tried your sibling bond and confirmed it is her? "Or are we talking yo¨C" Ruru said frustratedly and Hawi cut her midst. She was aware that her mate wasn''t in the best state and she could be med, really because after what they had witnessed out there, there was no telling whatever the fuck had happened. The universe was a dark ce and they were slowly learning that in ways that they hadn''t expected. "No, baby¡­ go easy on her," Hawi said before turning to Malika, "where is Jabali?" "Right here," Mbali said and Ruru instinctively stepped in front of Hawi, a move that got Drew stepping back and Malika stared at the Greyson alpha like there was a lot of shit that needed exnation right now. Surely there was just no way that they were thinking her sister was a threat to Hawi, right? "Stay back or I swear to the goddess I will blow you and this damn ship out of the waters," Ruru said as she pointed her de at Mbali, not to mention her spare hand already had a fireball in warning. Malika was surprised at the reaction. Granted she had seen Hawi be mad at Mbali earlier, but she knew that Hawi wasn''t the kind to leave her crew like that. They hade to these journeys together and they treated each other, so if this was happening right now, there had to be a mistake somewhere. It didn''t matter what the fuck was happening around them, because this state was never supposed to happen between the Savasci knights. And the fact that Ruru had stepped in front of Hawi, was meant to show that she was protecting her mate. But from what? "Mistress, what is happening?" Malika asked, anxiously as she tried to reach out to her sister using the sibling bond, but it was faint, something that only ever happened when they were distances apart. It was impossible at the moment, because she would have sworn she had been with Mbali the entire time. There was no way that her sister was an impostor. Surely that was a far stretch even for them, right? "What was our first battle together, Jabali?" Hawi asked and Mbali stared at her like she had gone bonkers. Surely that wasn''t the kind of question someone she trusted would ask, right? "What?" Mbali asked, the confusion clear on her face. Maybe she was losing her mind in the process or maybe she was just not sure what the hell was going on. So, she turned to her sister, the one person who should have been there to protect her, someone who would defend her first and then deal with whatever Hawi was asking, however this time, Malika was staring at her sister with a nk face. It was almost like Malika was slowly buying into the narrative that Hawi hade with. She knew Hawi so Ellen and she was sure hair wouldn''t ask stupid shit if it didn''t mean anything. "Answer the question, Lili," Malika said, her voice stern as she looked at the woman who was supposed to be her sister. The truth wasing in a heartbreaking wave and Malika felt her blood boil. She wanted to ask so many questions but then her mistress was in charge and she had to be patient and wait it out. Whatever happened right now was messing with her mind and boy was she ready to throw some souls overboard. "Seriously, Malika? I thought you of all the people would be on my side," Mbali said and Malika''s heart broke even more. She had never imagined that she would ever miss her sister calling her Freya. It was something that they had gotten used to each time Malika called her sister Lihle, Mbali would always respond with Freya. It was in their subconsciousness and a reminder of how close they had gotten and how far they hade. It wasn''t easy for her too, but damn this was breaking in her fragile heart. If this woman here was an impostor, where the fuck was her sister? "You have two seconds before I blow you into oblivion, sweet cheeks," Ruru said sarcastically as she called at Mbali. She hated how this had gotten and he had been hoping for it to be different but then what else was it when they had managed to get to this point? Their little mission had left them with so many empty spaces and the fact that this shit was slowly adding up was breaking Ruru''s heart. They had suffered through the months only for their hard work and efforts to be reduced to them pointing des and readying themselves to st familiar faces. This wasn''t fair but since when had anything been fair when it came to the realm? All of this was always going to be the greatest gambler of all time and there wasn''t shit they could do to make it all stop. Perhaps the world would be better with this, right? "Overreaching much? Fine. You want to know the first battle? We were in the humannds and you didn''t want to bring the war there because you were worried about the human, pesky little things. "Your humanity cost us so much fun that day," Mbali said and Malika felt her heart sink deeper into her stomach. Her sister had never taken the battle to the humannds. The mad Sicario girl had never fought anyone in the humannds no matter how tempting it had been for her. The fact that Mbali was tantly lying like this reminded Malika that this wasn''t her sister.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Does she speak the truth, my love?" Ruru asked as Malika stared sadly at the woman paradigm as her sister. "No¨C" Hawi began and Ruru didn''t wait before she sted Mbali with her magic, before the woman instantly reduced to ashes, without so much as a fight. "Where''s my sister, Mistress?" Malika asked sadly. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 399 More Fuel To The Sputerring Fire [HAWI] Hawi looked at her protector who was worried about her sister. She had every right to because even Hawi didn''t know where Mbali was. The sibling bond could have made it easier for them to track her, but if Malika herself couldn''t even feel the bond, what the fuck were they supposed to do about this? They had agreed to leave no one behind and that was what Hawi was foreign to do. They had already set course and they were going to do whatever it took to make sure that they got her back and that this time she didn''t lose anyone. "She''s alive, that''s all I know. Amina must have done some swap while we were sleeping and excused herself," Hawi said sadly as she looked at the mess that was left in there. She wasn''t sure how the fuck she was supposed to make her protector feel assured, but one thing was certain, Malika was never going to let Mbali suffer and Hawi wasn''t going to stop her. "Pull all the stops you must, Malika. We are not losing anyone today," Hawi added and Malika stared sadly. She had promised her sister safety. She had promised her sister that everything was going to be alright. She had known Mbali was apprehensive about the mission and she had let her tag along because she had promised to never leave her side. And now someone had taken her sister and there still wasn''t shit she could do about it. Maybe they were doomed but no matter what happened Maika refused to lose the onlyst living family member she had. She hadn''t home through hell and back just to be messed with like this. She wouldn''t stop, and even if Hawi had told her to take a break, Malika would have found a way. "What happened out there, Mistress? And where were the both of you?'''' Malika asked her to worry about making a show. She knew that there had to be an exnation for all this and she sure as hell hoped that somewhere in between that exnation was the possibility of knowing where her sister was before they took the long road to where she was. "The ind¡­ the sacred ind," Ruru stated as she lowered her weapons before she sat back on the couch where she had been fucked senseless by Hawi a little earlier. Then again that wasn''t the time for them to think of the could have and could nots. They had a lot of things to be worried about at the moment that if they weren''t careful they would lose more than they had anticipated and that never really ended well for them or for anyone on their side. They had to figure this out and fast. "The sacred Ind? Am I missing something here?" Malika asked again. She was worried about her assignment and at the same time, she was scared for her sister, and anxious too. The fact that she had sniffed the room and couldn''t sense any portal out until they came back in worried her, it made her wonder what the fuck had happened but there for them to be like that and in that state. Perhaps there we smoke that they hadn''t explored yet? "Sit, because your head might spin once we''re done," Ruru said and Malika sighed as she sat down. She was scared of a lot of things at the moment really because for the first time in all of history, Malika feltpletely vulnerable and it wasn''t good. She never felt like this and never knew what to do in such situations. The fact that they were far from home and they still needed possible reinforcements made her head hurt. Whatever the hell was going on at the moment needed to be exined in simpler terms before she had a meltdown, which was where she was headed if this wasn''t sorted out as soon as possible. "Nik reached out. Strange, I know. But he reached out using the bond he shared with Ruru and for the first time he sounded scared. At first, I called it a bluff because I was fucking my mate''s brains out; "But then when Ruru snapped and told me that Nik was turning to send a message, I figured it was worth knowing. So, we waited for the next message and got nothing and considered getting back out, y''know. "There was a surge of memories, a little too many for Ruru to handle, so she shared them and it was creepy as fuck over there. Some people looked like the three of us. A truckload of them. "It was like seeing replicas of us, but then it wasn''t just a dream, it was a reality. Of course I was skeptical, but Nik said something about keeping hisst promise to Razia about keeping Rukiya safe even if it cost him his life. "That shit sounds fake as fuck, given what he had done through and through. However, there weren''t many options at the moment, besides, it wasn''t daily that we saw truckloads of me, you, and Ruru in the same ce. "It is sickening, but what we noticed was that there were no replicas of Mbali," Hawi began and Malika got up and started pacing this shit is insane. It sounded like some fucked up dream that Hawi or even Ruru had had. It sounded delusional on so many fronts and yet as delusional as it was, Malika knew there had to be a truth to it. She had heard of what the Russels did when they were outnumbered. They always found a way to turn their enemies into their allies of sorts and use the divide and conquer method. She had realized that the easiest one ended with the Mbali replica. Then again, the Mbali that had been sted knew a lot of things, so it just didn''t make any sense up until she was sted to ashes. Malika had cast an immortality spell on her sister to the point that no one would ever make her bleed, or even blow her up, unless Malika herself approved it, and today she and approved of that hit, which was why it was annoying to know that her sister was kidnapped probably somewhere of the ind. "Anyway, Hawi and I took the chance. We had to make sure you didn''t follow us in case it was a trap. We cast a protection spell on the ship and took an untraceable portal to the ind. What we saw there is something that will forever haunt my days. "The replicas looked so real. So damn real, and they talked and walked like us. We had to inject ourselves with silver and slow down the healing process to remind us who we were before we got there. "They are equipping the replicas with weapons and assets that they can take us out with. As for Nik, he killed himself right after showing us what he did. He is crazy for that though. "He was nuts, and I really hope I don''t turn out like him," Ruru said sincerely and Hawi sighed. All of these were crazy. Each day on this damned mission they were realizing that there was always going to be more of them to deal with. If it wasn''t the psycho brothers there was always crazier shit that they couldn''t even spell out in full. Whatever was happening here, wasn''t what was expected at all. "But Mbali¡ª" Maika asked, when she did not hear her sister''s name on the lips of the people she trusted the most. She needed to know. "She is with Amina. That is the only exnation for all of this. They would only make replicas of us if they had an insider. And before you think I''m using the young Lycan, I know what the Russel magic does, which is also why we will need the best of our best. "Going in blind just the three of us won''t do us any good. We need reinforcements from home and we need them fast. We''ll need the reserve SDT warriors to help with this. I would have gone for the Sicario warriors but I don''t think they will be able to take this on. "They are behind on years and years of training and I can''t risk losing Mbali too. We have lost enough. I did notice that she wasn''t there with them. So that is a matter to consider too. So, think, Jabali. "Who do you have ready when you cane and join us because they will mean no need for this boat. The final battle will eat the sacred ind, and it will determine a lot then," Hawi said and Malika sighed. Malika Jabali had dreaded such a day and yet it was staring at her in the face. She needed to think but was there even time for her to think?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The Russels had proven to be messier than she could have ever imagined and she wasn''t about to let them go like that. She refused to lose her sister in the wake of this mess and if Mbali was hurt, Malika would kill all the Russels herself even if that would cost her her life. "The cavalry. I''ll call the protector cavalry. Don''t call the SDT warriors. The protectors of Olyana have been trained for this day since birth. They are the only ones we need," Malika stated and Hawi watched her silently. "And how many protectors are we talking about?" Ruru asked. "There are eight hundred thousand protectors trained and embedded in the packs and the realm¡­ Should I call them all to duty?" Chapter 400 How Crazy Was Crazy, Right? * Happy 4th century to us!! Cheers to many more adventures! [HAWI] "The cavalry. I''ll call the protector cavalry. Don''t call the SDT warriors. The protectors of Olyana have been trained for this day since birth. They are the only ones we need," Malika stated and Hawi watched her silently. "And how many protectors are we talking about?" Ruru asked as she looked at Malika. She could see the frown on Malika''s face and frankly, she understood that the woman was having a hard time with everything that had happened. She wouldn''t be surprised if Malika decided to arm everyone just to get her sister. This was herst living family and if Ruru had been in her position, she wouldn''t have made a different decision. Life was precious and no matter what angle they looked at it all from, there was no turning back at the moment. They had to be at their best and make sure the entire team went back home however hard it would be. "There are eight hundred thousand protectors trained and embedded in the packs and the realm¡­ Should I call them all to duty?" Malika asked in all seriousness not paying heed to Ruru''s jaw that was bound to hit the ship floor at this moment. Surely there wouldn''t be that many people in the realm just to be at the white wolf''s beck and call, right? That was a lot of power, for one person. That was a lot of people and too many skills to be controlled by one person. If they were an army of regrly trained wolves it would have made sense. But then they were protectors, the most dangerous group of creatures in the entire realm. A team that was trained in the worst of magic and taught to hold their own no matter what happened along the way. They were taught resilience, the king that even dark magic would never win against. That was a lot of people. "There are eight hundred thousand protectors in the realm?" Hawi questioned sincerely she had heard of the protectors but no one had ever told her that they would be that many. Perhaps it hadn''te up, because she had never known who she was, but even when they had already known, Malika had only ever summoned three protectors in their presence which didn''t seem too many. Not to mention the first time they had crossed Olyana to go for training four years ago, she hadn''t seen that many protectors in Olyana. Goddamn. "You''re the savior of the realm, of course, you are bound to have an army stronger than the strongest of them all," Malika started courteously. She was proud of her team and knew they would never disappoint her. "And you''re the strongest of them all," Ruru whispered as she tried to make it make sense. For the first time since she had heard that Malika was a powerful and crazy protector, Rukiya Greyson wondered how strong the protector had to be for her to be the best of the worst people in the realm. It made her wonder what criterion they had used to train Malika to make her the most lethal weapon in the realm for the white wolf to use. Whatever the fuck they were up against, had to be high on steroids, because there was just no way that someone could be trained that lethally. "I am," Malika admitted before adding, "How many should I summon, Mistress?" "They are all trained the same way, or are they in groups?" Hawi asked as she thought back to the team she had spent her entire life training in Sicario. She had the best killing machines in the realm and Jeremiah Warner had reduced them into little shits that got bested at even smaller battles. The thought of what Jer had done to her team made Hawi''s blood boil to the point that she wanted to meet the bastard and square shit out. She didn''t care that Jeremiah Warner was bound to Atticus''s magic and was dangerous. Hawi would show him what danger looked like and she wouldn''t stop until she got what she wanted. Jer had fucked up a lot of her things and she wasn''t going to forgive that, other than the fact that she would kill Jer for merely messing with her entire family. Surely the bastard was a pawn in the game of the Russels, but the fact that he had been the face Hawi''s family had seen when the betrayal struck, was enough for Hawi to go all ballistic on him. She wouldn''t forgive him no matter what he looked like or what he said. She would fuck him up and she would take her sweet time with the bastard. Until then she would figure out what to do with such arge army. Granted, Hawi hadn''t trained the protectors, but she hoped that Malika was proof enough that the protectors were well-trained and ready for any battle that was headed their way, right? "The level of training is the highest for everyone. There had been groups initially but when the Russels killed all the previous white wolves, the training was heightened for everyone," Malika said as she looked at Hawi. She knew it wasn''t really the best of things to tell someone who was going to be in the same dangerous position as the rest of the other white wolves and she wouldn''t be getting even more chaos, but then Hawi wanted the truth, as always. Malika knew that Hawi had enough motivation to rid the realm of the Russels once and for all. They had taken something from her and given Hawi wasn''t the forgiving type, she was the best fit for the craziest and most dangerous job any wolf had ever had. "Alright, call fifty thousand to the shores," Hawi said. "The shores? Are we heading back?" Malika asked, as she tried to understand. They had been on the waters for over a day and there was a chance they were farther from thend as they could be given the ship hadn''t once stopped. If they were going back to the shore, then that was another day for them, and another day that her sister remained with the psychos on the other side of the waters. Did Hawi really want to do it like that? Was this the way forward for them?N?v(el)B\\jnn Oh, Malika had so many questions but what she had learned over the time she had served Hawi, was that the woman never made decisions on a whim. All her decisions were precise and she always knew what she was doing. It didn''t matter what direction they would take, because if Hawi said they would all be safe then they would be. Maybe Malika was too trusting of the broken girl with a thousand-and-one issues. However, that same broken girl had made the realm so secure to the point that the Russels never stayed in one ce for more than three weeks. That same broken girl had made the realm unbearable for the Russels, so she trusted the broken girl with all the issues in the world, because this broken girl was home to most of them at this point. "Yes we are. Don''t worry, we won''t take the entire day. Hudhayfah taught me a few spells in the early days and I n on using them for our benefit this time," Hawi said reassuringly and Malika just nodded. "Go, tell your team to brace themselves for a sudden shift. It might get ugly, so seatbelts are a must seeing as you guys are not immortal," Hawi said to Drew who was still confused as hell. Everything that was happening here made the ship captain wonder if they had reached the end of the world or if this was the kind of chaos that they needed to steer clear of and nevere back to again. There were so many things that screamed danger, but then maybe they just needed to trust in Hawi, right? So, Drew went to his crew and prepped them, while Hawi stepped back and created a portal so huge that the ship would easily go through. "Oh, hell no," Ruru said as she looked at what was about to happen. "Tell her she is crazy, Malika. Stop her¡­ tell her this is insane," Ruru said to the protector in the hope that she would convince Hawi to leave the crazed idea on the side. If they went through that thing there was a chance they would never walk again. Ruru was not ready to explore this adventure with Hawi and instead of standing beside her mate, she just stepped back farther than Malika. Maybe she was being paranoid, but even she knew that this was not normal for them all. "I think it''s best for you to brace yourself Ruru. She won''t listen to either of us and is clearly waiting to hear that the crew is strapped in already. I bet we will just have to pray a little harder this time," Malika said and Ruru groaned. This wasn''t the time for prayers and shit. This was the time for them to tell Hawi to stop, but then the determination on her woman''s face was scary enough that Ruru didn''t want to witness the aftermath of the madness, not like this. "Listen, sweetheart," Ruru said as she walked over to where Hawi was readying herself. She knew that they wouldn''t stop, but at least they deserved to put in theirst words, right? Surely even the dead had that right, no? "If we don''t make it out of here alive, please know I will love you in all my lifelines," Ruru said as she kissed Hawi passionately on the lips, making Hawi smirk at her. They would have the time of their lives if they survived. If¡­ Fuck. "I love you, always," Hawi said when they pulled back. "I think everyone''s ready¡­ Are you okay, Malika?" Hawi asked when she noticed how pale the protector had gotten. This was a dangerous thing she was about to do and she wasn''t going to me her protector for being humane and expressing emotions. "I think my stomach feels funny," Malika said earnestly and Hawi let out a deep chuckle. She was evil for this but then they were here to have more fun, in war, right? Perhaps this was the one trip that they would never be able to forget even though she had a feeling that she wouldn''t getid for months if she did what she had in mind, especially with Ruru. Would it be worth the risk though? "You''ll be fine, Malika. All of you will be," Hawi said as she strapped Ruru to her side with magic, so the woman wouldn''t leave her side. And once the crew was settled, Hawi pushed the boat through the portal, whileughing at Ruru''s screams and curses. Chapter 401 Listen… I Can Explain–ish * Happy New Month of May!! [HAWI] Three minutes. Three of the longest minutes of Rukiya Greyson''s life. "Tell me, Malika¡­ how the fuck can someone divorce their mate for an entire month?" Ruru asked angrily as she red at the protector who had enabled Hawi''s side and let her go crazy like this was their new normal. It wasn''t what Ruru ever wanted and she was going to make sure they understood that. Which part of no did they not understand and why the fuck was she the one left with a pounding heart? "Isn''t she a little dramatic?" Hawi asked even though she was still catching her breath too. She wasn''t sure it would work when she agreed to the portal. Portaling an entire ship required a lot of energy and there was much faith needed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Hawi had gone all in, ignoring all the warning signs and now, she couldn''t feel her legs. She was shaking from the anxiety of what had just happened. Granted, she was the one who had made the craziest of decisions, but fucking hell, she hadn''t expected that she would be affected too. Then again, the ship was huge for regr portals. It was not something that happened on a daily basis, so he understood how crazy this was. Perhaps she needed to get a grip on the new reality, right? "What the fuck was that?" Drew, and the crew asked as she bent over to puke their guts out on the shore, as the harsh waves swept their puke back into the sea. This wasn''t what they had signed up for when they had been told they were enjoying being on board with the Sicario girl. Granted, they had been told she was a few screws too loose in the head but they had expected that the entire head would be filled with loose screws. "Who in their right mind throws a damn ship, that is still running on water, through a portal and lets it halt at the shore, with ALL of the engines running? Whose idea was this and what the fuck was in their mind?" some of the crew members asked angrily. They were shaken because they felt like their lives had been shed from what they were used to, and turned into a madhouse. This here was one strange madhouse. Hell, some of them were probably scared of getting on a ship again with Hawi. Well, they were right not to even think of another ship with Hawi because the woman was never going to being up with any better ideas, not when they were right in the middle of a war storm with their replicas probably being shipped across the realm with portals at the moment. There were a lot of crazies in the realm but none was ever going to be crazier than the one that looked like Awuor Hawi Sicario. The woman needed psychological help, or maybe she was a psychotic maniac who took pride in making everything blow up and burnt, and asking people questions wasn''t what they lived for, right? "You people are being overly dramatic. Surely it couldn''t be that bad, right?" Hawi spoke again and this time everyone including Malika red at her like she didn''t just say it like they were on the road to some ce heavenly. "All of the food we ate is gone because of you," Drewined and Hawi shrugged. "The food on the ship was so bad that even the fish would choose to die before they fed on it. You can''t me me for your terrible choice of food," Hawi said with a shrug, and Ruru let out a low growl as she red at her mate. Hawi wasn''t helping the situation in any way and she was having fun while messing with them. Maybe she needed to get some sleep because the woman was unhinged and sleep-deprived. People who never slept always had terrible decisions, but fuck if they had known that Hawi would be this terrible with her decisions for them. Who the fuck was to even exin any of this to them? "I swear to the goddess if you don''t fucking shut up, you will be eating the rest of the sea food the captain and his crew had packed up," Ruru ward and Hawi''s insanity shut up as her eyes went wide form Ruru''s threats. She hadn''t imagined that her beautiful mate would want to punch her like that then again. This same woman had asked how to divorce her for a month and Malika was trying to give her the answer, right? "You didn''t give me an answer, Malika," Ruru said and Hawi sighed. Her mate was not being fair to her, right? They had been on the spaceship and now they were abandoning her because of one little shift? Oh, to be as dramatic as their damned asses. "Well, that might drive her crazier, don''t you think?" Malika said and Hawi stared at her protector usingly. The woman didn''t just point out her madness like they were all a bunch of holy saints at the moment right? Captain Drew and his crew could see that this was probably going to get a little messy for them, so he took his crew members to the side, and safely away from the lot of crazies. They had all heard enough rumors about the Savasci knights to get them to keep their distance if they wanted to leave with their lives and bodies intact. Theirs was always something that no one would ever dream of being in the middle of. Because they were insane. All of them. "She can''t get any wilder than this," Ruru retorted as she red at her mate who was looking at her with puppy eyes and putty lips as if that was supposed to make Ruru change her mind about the madness she had just triggered. "But she hasn''t slept since the mission began,'''' Malika said and Hawi let out a low groan before Malika released what she had just said. Oh, they were about to be in deeper trouble at the moment. "She hasn''t what?" Ruru asked and Malika took that as a chance to find herself a different hobby. "Oh, would you look at that¡­ I have to summon forty thousand protectors to this side of the realm. Please excuse me, Mistress," Malika said as she bowed curtly, ignoring the building nausea in her stomach. She would forever curse Hawi for pushing them through an entire journey within three minutes and feeling nor remorse for what they had shifted into on this side of the world. Whatever the fuck happened to rationality? "You take a step and I''m breaking your bones, Jabali Malika," Ruru threatened and Hawi let out augh at Malika''s state. They were always hopeless when it came to Ruru and now they were entwined in a web of what ifs. There was no way out this time. "But the protectors¡ª" Malika tried to make Ruru see sense like that was bound to make the woman understand how important their mission was at the moment. Oh, she knew how important the mission was, alright? But that wasn''t the time for their little reminders. "Can fucking wait until you exin to me why the fuck my mate hasn''t slept for one hundred and fifteen days!" Ruru red at Malia who sighed. This was not going to be easy. "Are we expecting more ships?" Drew suddenly asked, when he saw more shipsing from where they had just left. Chapter 402 Maybe In Another Life [HAWI] "But the protectors¡ª" Malika tried. "Can fucking wait until you exin to me why the fuck my mate hasn''t slept for one hundred and fifteen days!" Ruru red at Malia who sighed. This was not going to be easy. "Are we expecting more ships?" Drew suddenly asked, when he saw more shipsing from where they had just left. This wasn''t what they had expected, but then with everything they had gone through, if a goat showed up and imed to be the moon goddess, they would believe the goat wholeheartedly. "No, we''re not," Hawi said as she looked in the distance. She used her magic to sharpen her sight and what she saw wasn''t nning in any way at all. Everything was going to shut down today and they needed to think faster than their brains could ever process. "Malika, put the crew in the ship and send them to Sicario with a message for Elodie," Hawi said to the protector before turning to Drew and the crew, "if you fuck around n Sicario, then not even the moon goddess can save you from me. "Whatever happens in there make sure you''re not traitors or the world will be a really tough ce for you to live in, you cannot hide from me in any part of this realm. Don''t you dare try to mess my home up, because I wille after you and not even your nose hair will be found by the time I am done with you." Hawi''s tone was scary as shit. She sounded like one of those maniacal generals who had no regard for life when in reality she was protecting her people even from this end. Malika almost felt bad for the captain and his crew, but then there was no better ce for them to be other than Sicario at the moment. The ship was useless so they would take it too. "Yes Mistress," Malika said as she looked apologetically at the ship crew who looked like they had spent all their days farting and trying to make sense of whatever confusing reality they were thrown into. Drew looked like he wanted to protest, but then it was pointless because no matter what happened they were getting back on the same ship they hade from a few minutes ago, even though they hadn''t even gotten a break enough for them to catch their breaths. "Next time, please remind me to not take any mission with the Sicario psycho, pretty please," Drew said to his crew as they were forced back on the ship and in less than a minute they were out of the shores and in Sicario, thend that not even the worst could get into. **** Sicario was bustling with activity when a ship suddenly breached its borders andnded right in the middle of the pack, leaving the entire pack speechless. This was not something that happened on a daily but holy fuck, it happened. "Alpha!! Theo!!'''' The wolves called out to their alpha and her general as they tried to make it make sense. No one in the history of ever had ever seen a ship, an object meant for the waters, breakthrough andnd on thend. This was worse than any shit show they had ever witnessed. Or maybe the world was trulying to an end and there wasn''t anything they could do about it at the moment? Or maybe this was just an illusion, right? "Is something the m¡ª Holy fuck where the hell did thise from?" Elodie asked right as the Sicario warriors surrounded the ship and kept everyone back. They knew that this had to be special for it to break through the barriers and they needed to know if the upants were hostels or friendly. Then again, Elodie didn''t know if there were any friends they knew who were at sea for them to force their way into Sicario like this. "Tell your captain to step out, before we rain fire on your ship!" Elodie growled out, her to be making Drew and his crew almost piss their pants in the ship. It was almost like they were doomed to be threatened since the day began, but maybe there was hope right? Maybe this woman, this alpha wasn''t as crazy as the psychos who had forced them through the portal, right? Perhaps they would be safer like Hawi had said, but what if they were not? What if Hawi had sent them here to die? But then again, Awuor Sicario loved having blood on her hands, so much Drew knew of it, so there was just no way that she could have sent them here knowing they would be killed. "Wee in peace¡­ I need your word that you won''t shoot me if I get on the deck and you won''t blow my ship into oblivion!" Drew said, his tone shaky as he realized where they were at the moment. The Sicario pack. The darkest pack in all of history. The pack that screwed danger and death at every mention and smell. Oh, they were doomed, right? "And who am I talking to? How should I know you won''t try and hurt my people? I must warn you though¡ª" Elodie began and Drew sighed before interrupting her. He knew it was a risk for his people but what the fuck was he supposed to do then? "Listen, my people and I have spent our entire lives on the waters, dealing with pirates and not even camping on shore to refuel. We always did that on the waters too. Trust me,nd is not where we were nning on camping this time. "But it seems like we couldn''t have what we wanted because of the crazy woman with white and crimson hair who demanded that we be portaled to this ce because there were more people out there looking for them. "I know you didn''t trust me; you don''t have any reason to, and I don''t trust you either. The only reason I agreed to this is because it was either we agreed to the Asian woman''s portal or we would sit and have the Greyson alpha st us because the white-haired psycho hasn''t slept for over a hundred days. "It''s not looking good for the both of us, but at least we can agree that no one in their right mind would send an entire ship through a portal right? This is the second time we have been pushed through a portal and I don''t want any of us to be any more agonizing," Drew said, not mentioning any names. He knew they would look at him suspiciously even more and he had to try and remember the little details that these people would know about their friends. Perhaps that would make things a little better for them right? "The white-haired woman, describe her," Elodie insisted and Drew sighed. The temperature of the ship had shifted and the entire vessel smelled like the seafood they had not consumed and it had lost, not to mention they looked like they were about to lose their minds from all of this. "She is a lot of things, but would it help if I said she looked like all the screws in her head were loose because she pushed our ship through the portal and ordered the Asian woman to thrust us into another portal here less than ten minutester?" Drew asked, intentionally leaving out the letter they were sent with. "Her name?" Elodie asked not relenting, she wasn''t about to let anyone into the home they had worked tirelessly to protect. That was never going to happen and if she had to stand her and question the hell out of the captain, then she would do it. "Lady, can we first open the windows please?" Drew began as he looked at his hopeless crew. They looked like everywhere we were better than staying inside this ship that reeked of everything insane and unbearable. "This ship smells of the crazy woman''s sex, puke-destroyed chambers, terrible food, and fuel, not to mention the shit we were supposed to dump at sea?" Drew added with a plea and Elodie chuckled. She could hear the desperation in the man''s voice and given the descriptions he had given, they were friendly otherwise Hawi wouldn''t have told Malika to to send them through. They were in a lot of trouble at the moment, but a part of them had hope.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You cane down, all of you," Elodie said and Drew let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, at least one of the crazies still looks normal," Drew mumbled as they stepped out. "Elodie?" Drew asked in shock. Chapter 403 The Grey Army On Shore [HAWI] "How fast are theying?" Ruru asked as she looked at the ships that wereing from a distance. She was still mad at Hawi for not taking care of herself. But that would be reconsidered when they were done with this bunch of worse crazies. Rukiya Greyson had never thought that there would be people worse than her and Hawi, and yet each time they interacted with the Russels they were assured that they were saner and even better on so many fonts. This wasn''t the kind of shit to beforting for them, but damn, this was hell even for them. Whatever was happening right now, needed to be met with a full force and they were all ready for it. "Thirty minutes out. Our super sight makes them seem closer but they are a little too far from us. I will summon the protectors and make them know what to do with the ships," Malika said and Ruru stared at her, her eyes glistening with that new fact. They were not going to be engaging in the apple again? Well, that was somewhat interesting given they had fought tooth and nail for years just to have the ten seconds of peace they had enjoyed in the past few months. It wasmendable, how fast they had been and how dusty they were. Perhaps it was time for someone else to step in and fight the battles for them, right? Ot maybe they just needed the extra muscle as a wall? "They can do that?" Ruru asked excitedly. "Of course, they are trained to make sure the Mistress doesn''t set foot into the battlefield anymore. However, that alsoes with one disadvantage. Mistress Hawi won''t be here or on this side of the realm. "She will be in Olyana," Malika said as she summoned the protectors. She was aware that this wasn''t what Hawi and Ruru had expected, but then there was only so long before they could defy fate and ignore the calling that was there for the both of them given the fact that wherever Hawi was, Ruru would always be there for her. They were a team and one wouldn''t leave without the other; the only good thing about the fates really. Maybe they would be able to navigate this, right? Besides, didn''t they need a break after everything? "That''s alright, why do you make it sound like she will be gone for a long time?" Ruru asked and Hawi sighed sadly as she pulled her woman into an embrace. This was a conversation they had never had and now that it popped up, it reminded her of how close they were to everything that was happening. It wasn''t how she had wanted this but then time wasn''t waiting for any of them anymore, right? They had to work this shit out and make sure that things went ording to n. "Because it will be, Rukiya. She will have to be trained to be the werewolf queen and it would take a little longer especially for her, because the core of her magic is filled with rage and a lot of things. "I don''t want to lie to you, but for now, let''s focus on making sure the replicas make it ashore or even through any worries. It won''t be easy, but at least with that done, we can find Mbali and continue the long journey," Malika said earnestly. Ruru stared up at Hawi as if to ask her mate if that was the truth. Granted, they had known that they would be out of theirfort zones with this mission but they hadn''t thought it would be like this and here. It was crazy how things had gotten for a lot of them but then they had to see it to the end. They had to make sure that the mission wasplete even if it took them years and years. "I''m not leaving today, my beautiful. We still have a ton of things to do. Besides, if I don''t want to go to Olyana anytime soon, I won''t. I still have to bring Mbali back home, kill Jeremiah, punish the Russels and we have to avenge Adolf and the fallen who had trusted us. "Don''t worry too much alright?" Hawi said earnestly as she gently kissed Ruru on the lips as if that was supposed to be the best distraction for the woman. Then again they were all leaders and knew what war looked like. There were never going to be any shortcuts around and the sooner they came to terms with that reality, the easier it would be for them to navigate whatever the fuck wasing their way. "Alright, that can work for me," Ruru said softly. "Are they on their way yet?'' Hawi asked and Malika smiled before she pointed to the waters. There were little portals opening midair, something that got the curious. Of course, Malika was not new to all of this, but to Hawi, this was something out of the ordinary. She was happy to be a part of this mission, however unhinged it was. This tie they wouldn''t be without an army. They wouldn''t be easy targets and they no longer had to sit their asses on the sidelines just because they were bested by a bunch of freaks who thought nature was the only thing they couldn''t defy, And so, in awe, they watched as the protectorsnded on the ships, blowing them up while bringing down the barriers of the ships that had been protected. It was interesting really how explosive everything was. "Am I always that explosive?" Hawi thought to herself even though it was loud enough for Ruru and Malika to hear her. They looked at the woman who was asking the questions and a part of them wanted to ask her if she had even seen herself in the mirrors. Awuor Hawi was the best definition of explosive and uncontrolled and if they hadn''t known any better, they would have thought that she wanted to go there and have a lot of fun with the crazy protectors. Well in all fairness, she wanted to. She just could do that at the moment because she didn''t know the protectors and she didn''t want them to think that she was overpowering them and bringing her authority into their crazy ass mission. Even then, it was worth noting, right? "No darling, you''re never that explosive. You only make their explosions look like little dots on the surface. Other than that, you are the best thing that could ever have happened to anyone, and by anyone, I mean me," Ruru said and Hawi snickered.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Even at this point, her mate wanted to make her happy. She could see that Rukiya had yet to internalize the fact that there was a high chance even she would be able to see Hawi but then at the same time she wanted to be supportive. Maybe Hawi would make it easier for her, or maybe, just maybe when the sun went down they would all be fine regardless. "That''s actuallyforting," Hawi smirked as she watched the ships blow up. What she had noticed though was that most of the ships blew up easily. Creatures of magic, especially dark magic, never went down that easily. They were always marred with the desire to make things worse than they ever were. And that was also how Hawi knew what to expect when the first protector report came in. "Lemme guess, there was nothing on the ships, right?" Hawi sighed. Chapter 404 Of Favorite Hard Drugs [SICARIO] "Elodie?" Drew asked as she got off the ship first. He needed to know that his people were not going to be shot down, and what better way to test that than to check for himself whether the ce was safe or not. Maybe he was just thinking a lot or maybe, just maybe, there was a lot that needed to be faced before any of them did anything, right? "What the fuck are you doing here?" Elodie asked as she looked at the ship captain. The Sicario warriors could sense the indifference in their alpha''s tone and they stepped forward ready to defend their alpha if they had to. They were not going to let their home be turned into a warzone and they would apprehend Drew faster than the man could ever blink. The signs were all there for the man to see and if he tried anything he would be dead sooner than soonest. Drew looked at the familiar face, one that he had sworn he would never see himself. He had sworn in everything good and bad never to set eyes on the one woman who had taken him to hell with no consideration of what her he would survive there. She was the engineer of his doom and even worse the main reason he had promised to never live innd again. Funny how the universe was fucking with him at the moment. Surely, they could have seen the changes for themselves right? Couldn''t anyone ever have told them that they had nemesis? When Drew had been addressing Elodie earlier, he had paid attention to the woman''s voice. If anything, all he had done was try tomunicate. He hadn''t seen her too because the lighting in the shop was poor thanks to the damn crazies and all the shit they had done to their ship. That shit meant more work for the ship captain and his crew before they went back to the waters. But damn no one had ever prepared Drew for this moment here. It was insane on so many levels and annoying as hell too. "If I had known that this was where you were all this time, I would have chosen to die at sea," Drew said angrily as she marched his confused crew back into the ship. Of course, they didn''t try to fight him since he knew better but damn, they needed some rest. Captain Drew was painfully aware that he was being cynical but then what else could he do? He hadn''t known that this woman was the one he wasing to, and clearly she didn''t too, because if she did, then none of them would have been here at the moment. It was sickening and full of shit something they despised so much, because how the fuck were they even supposed to try and make it work? "Running away as usual, I see," Elidie said and Drew let out a growl an act that got the wolves of Sicairo growling at him too while the warriors readied themselves to blow the damn ship into fucking oblivion. They hated each other so much it was annoying to watch but then at the same time, it was interesting how fate was determined to bring them together no matter how hard it had always been for them to get along. "From you? Absolutely, and with pleasure. Even the devil is better than you," Drew huffed and Elodie chuckled at Drew''s statement. She hadn''t expected to see him here but then a part of her was d that he hadn''t changed as much. He was still the same after so long and she hoped that he was okay after all that he had experienced. It was not what anyone would have expected of Elodie given how angry Drew was but then there was always going to be a good day and a terrible one for everyone in the realm, right? Perhaps Drew was simply the good day for Elodie while she was his worst day. "Are you fucking serious?" Elodie sighed defeatedly as she watched the door of the ship close. The same ship that Drew had begged to be let out of. Their ego games were not making this situation any better but then it wasn''t like Elodie was the one trapped in a damned ship with the smell of a sewer, right? She wanted to go there and make amends with Drew but knowing the man, she was aware that this was pointless for the both of them. She could tell that her people needed answers so she turned to them, a soft smile on her face as she addressed them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Looks like we will be having the ship on ournds for a while. Be nice to our visitors alright. Something happened out there and Maika and Hawi got them through their portal to this ce. So until we figure that out, it is life as usual. "Don''t worry about the safety of Sicario. Everything will be alright. They are no danger to us. You can go back to doing what you were doing before the shop showed up. Theo¡­ assign six warriors to keep watch on the ship. "Let me know when they are sick of their stench and step out of the shop alright?" Elodie said. Theo nodded in agreement. He didn''t know what was happening here but one thing he had grown to learn with the Sicario crazies was that they always had a reason. So all he could do was listen to the alpha and do what she wanted him to do. "Are we really going to be stuck in here with this mess?" Rio, one of the crew members asked and Drew red at him even though he knew Rio''s question was right. "We won''t be here long. Those crazies will take our ship back to the waters and we won''t have to deal with this," Drew said even though it was more to convince himself than the crew he was with. There was so much history that was threatening to unravel and Drew was not ready for any of that. He didn''t know who they had gotten to this point but he sure as hell hoped that he wouldn''t be roped into the madness once again. He had done this once before, which was more than enough, and he didn''t want to do it again. He couldn''t do this again, and certainly not where Elodie Kane was. There were a lot of ces for him to be and he didn''t need the woman anymore. "What''s the deal with you and that alpha then? If we''re going to be stuck here in this stench then we can at least know why we are suffering, don''t you think that''s just what''s fair this time?" Rio asked. However, Drew didn''t give him an answer. How could he when even he hadn''t thought about the crazy state since thest time that he had seen the woman? What was he even supposed to say or exin to his people? "If you''re suffocated, go to the upper deck. They won''t shoot or harm us. And you heard their alpha too. If you need anything just ask the people around. Don''t ask me about that woman though," Drew said with a tone of finality. Rio sighed before he walked out and went to the upper deck at least there he could breathe the Sicario air just once right? "Fuck!" was all Drew could let out once everyone left for the upper deck. Chapter 405 Oh Hell No!!! Jump!!! [SICARIO] Drew was angry at how things had turned out for him and his crew. They had sailed the waters for years and years, and just one encounter with the cursed child of the realm, and here they were. He had known at the time that there would be great risks when he epted the damned mission but he hadn''t expected things to get thisplicated. What was supposed to be a one-way voyage turned out to be the craziest encounter they had ever had. Now barely days after they had gotten the people they were meant to pick at the docks, they were in a ship that was docked innd with nothing but the mess that they hade with from the waters. It was annoying as hell and infuriating as fuck because this was not fair. The mission was never supposed to be thisplicated. But a part of him should have at least been ready for the madness that came with the Sicario girl. He had downyed everything that had happened but now there was nothing left to downy. So begrudgingly, Drew began to clean up his ship. It was the only apology he could manage after what he had put Rio and the other guys through. It wasn''t fair but since when had life cared about what was good and bad for anything other than the intended subjects, right? "Do this Drew. Do that Drew. Sail here, Drew. Sail there, Drew, fuuckk!!" Captain Drew cursed out as he punched the nearest wall of the ship. He was sick of everything that was happening and he hated how things had gotten for them.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Maybe he should have just refused the order when Malika hade and made the proposal. But then again, it was a really good proposal for a mere wolf that he couldn''t have left, because if he didn''t take it, he was sure someone else would have taken up the offer. Funny how that turned out for him. "Hey Cap, are you okay?" Rio, one of the crew members asked as he rushed back into the ship to see what it was that had gotten his captain so frustrated. A lot was going on with them at the moment, but their captain had to have reached the tip of everything because he couldn''t handle the chaos anymore. Maybe it was a good thing for them to leave, but then how the fuck were they supposed to leave? They were not on water and they were in the most unhinged yet extremely securend in the realm. All of this just didn''t make any sense to the captain and he wanted to fight things, people, anything that he came across. And maybe that was what he was doing when he hurled a tray of fish at Rio who missed by an inch, cursing out the captain for something even he didn''t understand. Perhaps he could figure it out with his crew, right? "What the fuck man. What happened to you? Is the alpha that much of a bitch to have that effect on you? You do know you can talk to me, right?" Rio said as he jumped over the items on the floor. He could tell the mess was worse in the captain''s head, even as he headed toward the frustrated captain who was now slumped on the ship floor, thinking of all the decisions he had made in life that could have brought him to this point. Rio may not have known much about what was eating up the captain. But he could see enough to determine that the captain wasn''t in the right state of mind at the moment. The man had suffered and had gone through a lot of things. "Are the guys okay?" Drew asked as he lifted his head to look at his friend. He knew this was a lot for them all to handle but there wasn''t shit he could do about it. There was nothing at the moment, because even he couldn''t exin this shit. "Yeah, we are okay. Just worried about you¡­ what''s the deal with Alpha Elodie? Is she from a past you don''t want to remember? Is that why you didn''t want us to step out? You gotta tell me something man. "They seem like nice people, they didn''t shoot at us and they are even waving at us. I know that doesn''t make them saints and shit, given thend we are in, but the benefit of the doubt is bound to rise from the guys, you know that, yeah?" Rio said as he looked at Drew. Rio wasn''t sure if the captain needed a pat on the back for this, or if the captain needed to be left alone. There was nothing he could think of that could make the situation any better but then the captain was their pir. Seeing him that defeated was disheartening, especially since they were in a foreignnd and they couldn''t step out without their captain''s approval. Sure, they could press on and Drew could give them the go-ahead, but there was something else in the captain''s eyes. Something sorrowful and the king do shit that couldn''t be fixed even with therapy. But the bottom line of this madness was whether the alpha who had weed them so nicely was the one to make things thisplicated with a captain known to be the happiest of them all. "As long as everyone''s okay, nothing else matters. Tell them to get off the ship and go mingle. They are safe here and none of them will be hurt. And tell them I''m sorry I''m a mess right now," Drew said dismissively to Riio who stared at him in disbelief. In all the years on the water that they had known each other, Rio had never met someone as brave and strong as Drew. He had never imagined that someone would face things so easily like that and with smiles. Drew had always been their hope and the only reason they were sure that someday they would be able to make it home to their families in the middle of the war. They had hope because they trusted him, and now he was down, which was unusual. "Alright then. I''ll just ask her then. Maybe she can tell me why my captain is defeated for the first time in forever. Maybe she can give me the exnation that you don''t want to and maybe she can tell us what to do to make it all better for you," Rio growled as he left. Perhaps the happy smiles really did hide the saddest memories, huh? However, on his way out of the ship, he stumbled upon ss, something that was never there on their sip. The captain always hated having ss on board because it would make things a littleplicated during clean-ups and in case of idents. With wood, it was always easy because there wasn''t a high mortality risk when they were out there at sea. And the only ss they had on board was meant for the windows, and even that was essed by the captain alone. "Hey, cap¡­ what''s with the ss shards over here? I don''t see no broken windows?" Rio asked confusedly. "ss? That''s impossible¡­ Unless¡­ Fuck! Get everyone off the ship, now!!!!" Drew said suddenly as he rushed out. "Everyone, jump!!! Jump off the damn ship, jump!!!" Drew shouted right as the ship exploded. Chapter 406 The Streaks Of Failure * Mass release of 5 chapters begins! [HAWI] "Lemme guess, there was nothing on the ships right?" Hawi sighed as the reality of what she had expected came to fruition. Everything had happened a little too fast, especially for a group of misfits who had just had one of their replicas blown off the surface of the earth. They had responded a little too hastily despite knowing the person they were up against. This wasn''t about what was right or wrong, no. This was how they got to win the final battle and if Hawi and her crew kept the chaos ongoing they wouldn''t be able to figure anything out no matter how close they were to making it all right. There were pointers but they were meant for them to explore, which brought about the question of whether Hawi and Rukiya had beenpromised or if they had been thinking on overdrive. "They didn''t find anything," Malika confirmed and Hawi sighed before she kicked the nearest stone. She knew that this was an important mission and they stood a risk of everything that could be messed with. They couldn''t afford that, not at this point in time because then the Rema would know their saviors werepromised and they would have to air until the next thousand years. The thought of being a failure was something Hawi refused to internalize because there was just no way that she would lose to the mad crew. It was crazy how shit had turned out but no matter what happened along the way or how they were forced to live the crazed life they would find a way. They had to. There was nothing else left for them if they didn''t try to work this out and that was a risk too huge for them to even consider. Perhaps it was time for them to step back a little, right? "So, it was a trick all this time, but for what?" Hawi asked as she looked at the protectors who wereing back. The numbers were increasing and while that was encouraging, Hawi couldn''t help but think that she was missing something. Everything had been so smooth, and there wasn''t a reason for her to be worried, but why was it that she still felt like the entire world was doing squats on her sanity and there wasn''t shit she could do? "You address them¡­ I need to think," Hawi excused herself, as she began walking along the shore. She needed to figure out what had happened and whether all that she had seen was an illusion. That would make her a liability to her team. She couldn''t handle that because the risks were too high even for her, it was almost like nothing was making any sense for her but then she couldn''t afford that, not today of all the days. "Baby, wait," Ruru said as she went after her mate. She could see the stressors on her face and she knew that the woman was overthinking again. And Hawi always shut people out when she was in that state, which was not good for either of them. "I''ll be back¡­ you can start with Malika and the protectors," Hawi brushed her off, but Ruru wasn''t letting go. She knew she needed her to make this work and she wasn''t going to sit on the sidelines just because the woman didn''t want to stress her out. "Together, always, remember?" Ruru said as she rushed and hugged her from behind, making the woman stop. She could feel the uncertain wavesing from Hawi and she wanted to help her decode whatever was going on. Everything had happened a little too fast and now they had a ship sent home through a damn portal, there wasn''t shit that they could do about it at the moment, not to mention one of them was still missing. "Isn''t it a little hectic for you? I mean you didn''t sign up for this b¡ª" "Where you go, I will go. Even if it is to the deepest depths of hell, sweetheart," Ruru said as she pulled her hands from Hawi''s waist and stepped in front of Hawi. She could see the creases and she wished it could have been different for her. Life wasn''t being fair to them on so many fronts and no matter what angle she looked at it from, there was just no way to determine if there was even a future worth fighting for at this point, but then they had to keep going. That was the mission, right? "I¡­ I think we were yed, Ruru. I think someone messed with our reality and we are not in the real one, but then there are so many things that have happened already to even start thinking of what we need to fix. "We made the impossible possible today and I can''t help but feel like they expected us to do that, which was why they sent empty oats steered by magic. I just don''t get why they would go through all that trouble to keep us busy. "And why the fuck would they trigger a ship being sent to Sicario like that? I checked the ship, there was nothing suspicious about it. There were no signs of foul y really, so I don''t get what the fuck is going on. "And I also need to find Mbali. I can''t lose someone I care about again, fuck," Hawi rambled and Ruru pulled her into a soft hug. They had done a lot of things for the realm and they were burnt out. It was expected of them at some point in time. Looking at how frail Hawi had gotten, Ruru was sure that the break was something that they both needed and no matter what happened along the way, they could ease up on everything at this moment. "I know, baby, I know. As for the ship to Sicario, I think they wanted us to send it there for some reason. I don''t know what they want, but whatever it is, it is in Sicario. That''s why they did what they had to do. "Think of it like they had to make sure Nik was dead before they did anything, because with Nik in our hands, they would lose leverage on all fronts. Now they have Mbali, and we have nothing on them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sicario is where the battle is, my love¡­ and before you do or say anything rash, you need to also remember that at the end of the day, your people still need you, and they wouldn''t be bae to help, if you''re fatigued, alright. "You need to rest, Hawi. You have been on your toes for the past four years without a break. You have been protecting everyone, fighting for everyone, and not stopping. You have been running a lot, and you need to rest," Ruru said softly. Hawi understood her mate. She was sure that there had to be a reason for everything, but the possibility that she was the reason for the failures was something that just didn''t sit well with her, especially since it was a little too close to the truth. Nothing was making sense for the longest time and now here she was, with her mate, trying to figure out the ins and outs of a mission that had been fucked from the very beginning. Fate had thrown in the dice and Hawi was slowly losing herself in her fight for the realm and her vengeance. Granted, she had taken breaks before, but they had always seen busy breaks even then. "I failed our people, didn''t I?" Chapter 407 When It Hurts So Bad [HAWI] "I failed our people, didn''t I?" Hawi asked as she held onto Ruru. She had been scared of never being enough and now her fears wereing to life. No matter what rumor said to her, she knew she had fallen back. Maybe she wasn''t the right person for the job, no? "No, baby, you didn''t. You did everything possible to protect them. You did your best and you did well," Ruru said as she looked at Hawi when she pulled back from the hug. She loved this woman so much it was breaking her to think that Hawi was falling apart once again. Life wasn''t fair to the broken Sicario girl, and it wasn''t fair how every time she was building herself back up, everything would fall apart. "My best wasn''t enough, Ruru. Look at us now. Where did my best get us? On a damn shore, thousands of miles away from home, with nothing other than the reminder of how badly I failed. "Everything we worked so hard for. All that we did so far, look where I led us. Perhaps I was always meant to be a failure. A broken girl with nothing to live for other than the rage that came with vengeance. "Who am I without all of these? What am I really? Would anyone ever look at me if I wasn''t this broken girl with anger issues that scared the shit out of everyone including the powerful protectors of the realm?N?v(el)B\\jnn "Would they want to be around me if I wasn''t the one that scared them worse than the devil himself? Would they have chosen to be by my side if the unfortunate shit that happened along the way didn''t happen? "Would they have loved me if I wasn''t the Sicario girl with a destiny weighing over my shoulders? Who am I really? Other than the chaotic woman everyone has to be on the lookout for, because she might go nuts anytime? "You all trusted me, and now there is nothing here anymore. My whole life I sought the approval I was always denied by the people I loved, and look where that got me. With nothing, nothing to hold on to, nothing to show for all that I did. "The lives I ruined? What the fuck would I even say to that? How the hell am I supposed to look at the Sicario people who just saw a ship go through the portals? A ship that probably contains danger for them? "Are they even my people? What if Malika was wrong and I wasn''t the white wolf, Ruru? Would I have been of any use to any of you? Or would I have ended up a delinquent on the streets of the realm, hoping to fight anything and everyone?" Hawi asked frustratedly. She could feel the tears threatening to fall and she wasn''t ready for them either, so she lifted her face to look up at the skies in the hope that her tears would go back, but then that didn''t help, because they still fell faster than she had anticipated. She had tried to do everything and tried to hold on but Hawi was fighting a bigger war than she had ever fought. She had always been trained to win, trained that failure was never part of her life, that she needed to be the best. And yet here she was, with nothing to show for her best, with nothing to prove that she had done anything. The security in the realm had felt like a necessity and Hawi was certain the protectors would have done that on their own. Everything she had struggled to make a reality, could have easily been done by others and that broke her heart. She was doubting herself for the very first time and this didn''t look good for anyone, because if Awuor Hawi shut down, there would be nothing left. The realm would be in shambles, seeing as her magic was the only thing giving the warriors the courage to step up and fight her magic had made the realm safer, even though she didn''t feel like it. Her magic was keeping everyone sane and protected, but then to her, it was like anyone could do that. But then who was to tell them about the broken girl that she had done in less than a year what no one had ever been able to in the thousands of years of magic? Who was to remind her that she was the beacon of hope, the only reason anyone stepped up to fight with courage? That she was the reason everyone who hade out to defend their homes was even fighting in the first ce? She had given them courage and a desire to live. She had given them something to fight for, something to live for, something that could keep them alive, and yet here she was, breaking apart over one mistake. Granted, the consequences of what happened today were bound to be dire, but without her, all of this wouldn''t have even gotten here. She was the rightpetition and the sooner she understood that, the easier her life would be. "I would stay beside you, my love. I loved you before you were even an alpha, Hawi. I fell in love with you without knowing who you were and what you did. I fell in love with the beautiful nine-year-old who freely ran around the freends. "The girl who didn''t have anything but white lilies in her hands, as she ran through the flower garden like the world was worth living in. I loved you long before I knew what love was, and I know I would do it again. "It''s not easy doing this, I know. I understand how overwhelming it has been for you, but baby I would never leave your side. Title or not, mate bond or not, I would always be by your side. "I would stay even if the world shunned you and called you names. I would stay if the realm praised you and thought of you as the best thing that ever happened. I would always cheer for you at your lowest and highest. "Everyone understands that this is not easy, sweetheart, and they know that you do more than they would ever have done. But if it''s too much, if the pain is too much, if the pressure is a lot, then we can run, Hawi. "We can go to somece where no one knows us, a ce where it would be just us, to women living the lives they hoped for. If that is what it takes to see the smile on your face again, then we can do it. "I know how to create steady untraceable portals. Just say the word, tell me that is what you want and hell''s done, even the goddess won''t find us for the longest time. All you have to do, is say the word, baby, and I will make it happen," Ruru said softly. She was wiping Hawi''s tears, when she saw the protectors in the distance watching with sad eyes. They could understand what wasn''t an issue, but the fact that they understood the two women, couldn''t be ignored. "I¡­ I can''t leave without knowing if Mbali is okay," Hawi sighed as she furiously wiped her tears. Chapter 408 Always, My Beautiful, Always [HAWI] "I¡­ I can''t leave without knowing if Mbali is okay," Hawi sighed as she furiously wiped her tears. This was the first time she found herself so helpless and desperate. Her mind was filled with a lot of things that''s why I didn''t even know where to begin. "Then we''ll find her, I know we will. We have fifty thousand protectors, remember?" Ruru said as she looked at the mass of protectors who had shown up. They looked so ready to do whatever He told them to do. It was like they had been waiting for this day for the longest time. Of course, to them, this was the greatest honor in all of history for them to be working for the white wolf along with the protector Malika. It was something they all hoped for in their training. Funny how the first time they saw the crazy woman everyone was scared of, they found her at her lowest, head bent low because she couldn''t even figure out what she needed to do. Then again, they understood her. Hawi was merely twenty-eight with the responsibilities that she hadn''t signed up for. She had just been a kid when everything started going sideways and now here she was, a shell of who she once was. "I can''t go home, Ruru. I can''t go without winning this war. I don''t even know if home is even home anymore," Hawi sighed defeatedly, and Ruru''s heart broke for the woman beside her. She had never seen Hawi defeated. And it served as a reminder that at the end of the day beneath the powerful woman who knew what she was doing, was just a girl, one who never got to mourn properly. A girl who lost everything and waved it off because she had other thighs. That''s what I need to do. She had pretended like she hadn''t lost shit and kept hunting, and hunting and hunting. And now here she was, with a broken heart once again. "No problem, Hawi. Not a problem. Come with me, I''ll figure out a way and then we can make this better for everyone, alright? Just trust me, I won''t let anyone ruin everything you worked so hard for," Ruruforted confidently. "I''m sorry I''m a mess," Hawi apologized as she straightened up, lifting her head high as if to remind herself that she was done moping and needed to get to work. She hadn''t intended for this to happen, but then at the end of the day, she had feelings too. Perhaps she had stacked it all up for years and now she just couldn''t take it anymore and needed to let it all out. Funny how emotions never really had a timer on them because here she was, apologizing for feeling low. "You''re not a mess, my beautiful, and even if you were, you would be my perfect mess," Ruru said as she entwined Hawi''s hand in hers, before raising Hawi''s hand and kissing it in reassurance. She loved Hawi and she loved that Hawi had gone from not opening up and breaking things, to actually wanting to make things better without having to tear down a lot of things in her way. It was an improvement for them and Ruru was proud. It was obvious in her eyes, even as she looked at her like the woman was the best thing that the realm had ever been blessed with. Oh, she was down so bad for every version of Hawi. "You''re saying that because you''re mated to me," Hawi said with a lightugh before adding, "If it were any different, you would have thought I was ugly." "Back to your charming self, I see, huh? No one is allowed to call the woman I love ugly, unless they want to grow balls for me to string up alright," Ruru said, the soft warning in her voice making Hawi chuckle. "You look prettier when you smile, my love. I n on making sure that smile never leaves, and even if it leaves, then I will kill everyone that makes it leave," Ruru said, stopping suddenly, making Hawi stare at her like she was insane. There were forty thousand and one protectors lined up, watching and waiting for them and Ruru was stopping? What the hell was she nning this time, especially with the smirk on her face right now? "They''re watching," Hawi tried to persuade Ruru against doing anything that would get them both horny and bothered to the point that they would have to disappear to take care of themselves as usual. "So, I can''t kiss my girlfriend?" Ruru asked with a pout. "You know how we can get," Hawi tried to reason but then before she could even let out more words, Ruru smashed their lips together, ignoring everyone around them. She needed Hawi to know that she wasn''t alone, and she did express that in the heated kiss.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The protectors could see that this wasn''t going to help any of them, so they instantly changed their stances, and turned to look in the opposite direction until they were sure the duo was done. After all, privacy is mastered for the werewolf queen, right? "I love you, you know that, right?" Ruru asked when they pulled back, their lips were swollen and their foreheads resting against each other''s, while her hand was still at the back of Hawi''s neck like she was going to dive in for more. "Always," Hawi whispered. "That''s my girl," Ruru said as she kissed her again, this time more passionately, like she was the happiest girl in the realm at the moment. Well, each time she''s around Hawi, she was a happy soul who could do the impossible. "Let''s go kick some asses into oblivion alright," Ruru said and Hawi smiled at her, a smile that wasn''t forced by the situation. It was a genuine smile and fuck, Ruru could have sworn she felt her heart flutter again. "Thank you," Hawi whispered. "For what?" Ruru responded, the excitement in her voice as she kissed the dry patches of tears off Hawi''s face, determined to make Hawi feel better. She couldn''t have her love heartbroken and defeated again. "For not leaving? For staying? For everything¡­ I don''t know what I would have done without you. Maybe I would have¡ª" Hawi said and Ruru could sense her rambling iing, so she pecked her lips shutting her up instantly. "You would have done the same for me. I know you would," Ruru said earnestly and confidently. Well, she wasn''t wrong. Hawi would have done the impossible for her, just like she always did, so it would even be surprising. "Anytime you feel sad, just look in my direction and I will make it better, no matter how hard it gets. You won''t ever be alone. I won''t let you walk alone, alright? Soe along, pretty baby, we have assholes to fuck up," Ruru said as she pinched Hawi''s cheeks. "I love you," Hawi said as she kissed Ruru''s forehead before they began walking towards the protectors, ready to face the difficult mission with their new subjects who would walk on fire if they both wanted them to. Well, what mattered to the two crazies, was that they were together. "I love you, always, my beautiful. Never forget that," Ruru responded proudly. Chapter 409 Can You Hear Me Screaming, Please [SICARIO] It all happened too fast. One moment, Captain Drew was moping in his ship wondering why fate was a cruel bitch to him, and the next, he was watching his entire ship blow up into little pieces.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was unexpected and the thought that they had been on a ship that had explosives didn''t sit right with him, he couldn''t even think straight hell he couldn''t see what could have led to the explosion. Everything was alright when they had left their shore on the other side of the sea toe for the white wolf and even when they had left the share to head to the seaweed ind, the ship had been okay. "Rio! Is everyone alright?" Drew asked when he snapped out of his trance. He had never been in a state like this and he was issued. Hell, he had never thought it was ever possible to be that angry. He felt like growling out at everyone but he also had a feeling that Sicario needed answers and he had to be ready for a long-ass grilling of his crew members would be dead before the sun even had the chance to hit noon. That was how crazy this shit was. "What the hell just happened, Cap. Everyone is alright, but what the fuck?" Rio asked, his head hadn''t entwined on his head as he watched the ship that they had all lived on for the past sixteen years go up in mes. This was nothing close to what they had expected in Sicario but then who the fuck were they even supposed to make it make sense? They couldn''t me Sicario because the pack members hadn''te close to the shop since they had arrived here. There was no denying that they had breached the portal with the explosives on board but then again, Awuor Hawi wouldn''t have sent them to her dear home, a pce so fortified if she knew there was an explosive on board. Shit just didn''t make any sense, but then who the fuck was supposed to make it make sends for them when no one here really knew what the fuck had happened? Oh, Drew was scared and he knew it. "Everyone, get back inside!!" Theo''s voice came through as the wolves rigged inside the pack house, the one ce that no one would ever be able to breach. It was sad, really, how a pack so peaceful had been reduced to the one thing they had been avoiding the entire time. Thankfully for Drew and his crew, there was no harmed Sicario wolf and that would save them more than once. "Care to exin what the fuck just happened here?" Alpha Elodie asked as she got to the burning wreckage. She wasn''t really sure what to expect when she saw Drew walk out of the ship, but damn this was something else. "The ship exploded? I don''t know what you want me to say, because even I don''t know why the fuck it exploded. Is this the part where we line up as suspects and head to the Scenario dungeons?" Drew asked defeatedly, making Elodie look at him curiously. He had an entire crew depending on him and he was giving up just like that? Since when had they gotten to this point with each other? Well, there was a lot of history that was unspoken between them and it was crazy how shit was going on at this point. "Cap¡ª" "It''s protocol, Rio. I grew up here. I know what they do to suspects and sudden outcasts. Don''t fight it, it will only get worse," Drew said to his crew who were staring at him in disbelief. They had been through enough shit for a day and now they were headed to the dungeons? Whatever happened to sticking together and where was the benefit of the diet that they were meant to be given, seeing as they didn''te to Sicario on their own? "Protocol? Fuck protocol. We didn''t do shit, so why the fuck would we march to the dungeons? The only thing we did was respond to a call when protector Malika summoned us to be of use to the werewolf queen. "The queen herself sent us here, to her home because she owns the dangers. So why in all hell would she do that if she distrusted us? Why would she put her people in danger like that? "I am not going into any dungeons. If they want, they can kick me out. We have been traveling for months and years just to get to the shore, and suddenly we are thrust into this shit, because that Mbali woman disappeared. "We were sent here without an exnation and as usual. We trust the mighty queen of the werewolves, right? I''m not letting one of her subjects detain me. I choose death," Rio said. Theo just chuckled amusedly. Gasps were heard in the crowd of Sicario warriors that had just formed. They couldn''t believe this, but then the circumstances still didn''t make any sense. They didn''t have answers and they couldn''t lose the people that had been sent here to them. It was like they were burning the only link to remind them that Hawi was alive. They had to work a way around this and fast because seeing how aggrieved the captain''s crew were, there was no reason for them to keep this dragging on. It was a risky thing to do and they had to have known that, surely. "Don''t be stupid, Rio. death is not something to y around with. We are sailors, we only die in the water and get buried there. This is no water," Captain Drew said to the sailor who was determined. This was disrespectful to them because they hadn''t even absorbed the fact that they had been sent back to the shore without even prior warning and now where they were in thend that people only ever dreamt of. The worst part of all of this was the fact that they didn''t rest enough. They had been trying to survive and now they had to fight to keep their sanity too. That was the kind of shit that they weren''t going to allow, even if their captain agreed to it. "What else is there for us, huh? Their interrogation methods are dangerous, even the devil shivers at their damn methods. These warriors are obviously trained by the crazy queen herself. "Who knows what sick twisted techniques she drilled into them to make the entire pack submit and keep order? Or have you ever seen a pack this huge without any troublemakers? "They will interrogate us and make us want to die, on our own. So why not let them just do it straight up? Why not let them make this easier for them and us? I would much rather prefer an arrow or a sword to the heart over the Sicario interrogation," Rio admitted defeatedly. Maybe he was a coward for wanting the easy way out. Maybe he was not a good sailor for giving up that fast, but then what he had said was true. These people were monsters clothed by the darkest creature alive. They would be tortured to the ends of the world for something that even they did not understand. And so defeated, the sailors bent their knees and arched their bodies so their hearts were out and ready for the taking. "Do it," Alpha Elodie said. Chapter 410 Family, Is Everything [SICARIO] Elodie Kane had never seen people hopeless like the ones before her. She knew the rules were meant to be followed, but there was something in those eyes, something about the way they talked, and the way they handled themselves that got her to make a whole different decision. She had thought that being the leader was just about enforcing rules, about making sure the rod was long to keep the sheep in check, but right now all she could see was a group of men who hadn''t had a break in a long time. They sounded frustrated, hungry, and sleep-deprived, not to mention checked at the fate that kept begging them. They looked so fatigued, and Elodie''s heart broke for a lot of them. She may have had her shit with Drew, but she could see that the captain and his people had gone through enough. "Do it," Alpha Elodie said, and Drew just sighed as he closed his eyes, he had joined his people to kneel on the warm Sicario grass, letting themselves be swallowed by the spin of the new reality. They would never see their ship again and it would take an entire year before they could ever get their hands on the materials for their ship. That was if they ever even served Sicario. Right now, they were hopeless in every way and it was heartbreaking in the worst of ways. Nothing was ever going to be the same for them and they were giving in to the cruel resolves of what fate looked like for them. Perhaps they had just had enough of everything the realm could offer right? "Yes, alpha," Theo said as he nodded to his warriors who went to stand behind each and every sailor there. It was ironic and considerate for the men who had been ready to die, especially when the warriors tapped their shoulders and ushered them to get up. It was not something that anyone would ever expect of Sicario, thend that had no trespassers because the stench of death for the enemy was always so thicker than the stench of peace for the people that lived in Sicario. It was quite the home for most rebels but right now, there was nothing that could be said of this. Shit had already happened and a group of the people here were lining up for an execution which wasn''t as surprising anyway. "Please follow us," Theo said to the sailors who looked at them skeptically, even though they were currently on their feet. Sicario was no man''snd and now suddenly they were being excused?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rio himself had been so certain that he would be the first one to get the arrow to the heart and yet he was the first to be ushered to rise, not even his caption. Perhaps there was hope for them here, right? But then Rio had to remind himself that this was Sicario and these people were no one''s friends. They always had a trick up their sleeves no matter what happened. "Great. You can''t kill us now you''re taking us to the grinders to get us shopped to pieces? Damn your souls for evening up with that shit, you fucked up souls," Rio cursed and this time, Drewughed. They were in a predicament and yet even then Rio''s mouth didn''t stop running. Well, at least one thing didn''t change about them, right? If this was thest they would see of each other they would be fine with it wither away. After all, life was important for everyone, right? "Did I lie?" Rio asked while he looked at the Sicario enforcer who was staring at him. It was like there was more than they were letting known, but then the two had never seen each other, so it was impossible for them to take an interest in each other, right? But then there was a lot happening at the same time around them. Maybe they were just caught up in all of it. Theo chuckled again as he stared right into Rio''s soul. He found the man a little interesting, and defiant but interesting nheless. No one had ever been audacious like that in the face of death and yet the man was doing this. The Sicario enforcer was intrigued by the ferocious little devil that was with the captain, and for the first time, he wanted to know what it was like to be around Rio, a fearless man who had no regard for life or death. It was almost like Rio was a warrior somewhere in the long life he had lived, or the short life but then there was no telling given Rio looked almost the same age as Theo, though a little too defiant. "You''re not being killed, Rio. You''re being led to the Operations building. You will find clothes, food, and a bed there, if you want, you can visit the brothels, you look like you need to getid a little more. "We can share our women with you, just make sure not to hurt them because I wille for you myself if that happens," Elodie asked and the sailors let outughs at Elodie''sst statement. It was like they already knew what to say to Rio, but then at least they were not getting killed, right? That sure was something to look forward to because at the end of the day they needed to make sure that they had hope for the next day. "Why are you suddenly being nice to us?" Rio asked and Theo sighed as he looked at Rio. he could have frowned; he had never seen someone so audacious and a little nuts like Rio, well, other than the crazed alpha that held them, but damn. "Rio¡ª" Captain Drew tried but Rio was not having it. "No, cap. They looked at us like the enemy from the moment the ship docked on theirnd. They suspected us of everything and now that our ship blew up, they suspected us and are letting us go? "Hell, this Alpha woman clearly has something against you. Who knows if she is being nice to us because she wants to use us as pawns in the future? I just want to know what we are getting into. "The eleven of us have been together through thick and thin and I won''t let them separate us. We are the only family we have left for each other and if we lose that¡­ we can''t lose our family''s lives, Cap. "I can''t handle another loss. So, it''s either all of us or none. I can''t lose the only family that ever meant anything to the lonely lot of us. She just needs to be honest with us, we can take it, whatever truth there is," Rio said defeatedly as he ran his hands through his fingers. Elodie looked at the sailors and in them, she saw the Savasci knights. She saw the crazy crew that had walked hell and heavens with Hawi, and had followed her into the depths of whatever shithole they found themselves in. She saw what their family was like, their little family of misfits, a group that had done everything to stay together. She saw the sense of home in them. The kind of family that they had developed. She understood what they were going through and she would be lying if she wasn''t tempted to let them go. But even if she let them go, if she let them leave, where the fuck would they be headed? The realm wasn''t safe and as long as Hawi was given the order to bring down the domes, no one was leaving. Her sister had sent them here for a reason and she would figure that out regardless. "I won''t separate you from your family, Rio. They will be safe and unharmed and you will be together. They will be here until the mad queenes and releases you or gives an order for your release. Don''t worry, the operations building is not a prison. "You can interact with each other¡­ and I''m sure Theo is looking forward to interacting with you too, Rio," Elodie said and Theo stared at the alpha like she had gone bonkers. Surely she wasn''t setting him up with the troublemaker of the sailor team, right? "Oh, please, anyone with eyes can see the way you''re both fucking each other with your eyes. Just do us a favor and close the doors to your room while at it alright?" Elodie teased. "We''re out of here," Theo said, not responding to his alpha, while Elodie just smiled softly. ***** [A/N] * End of Mass Release, whew! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 411 Until The Next Time, Right? [HAWI] "Greetings. I want to first thank you for showing up without hesitation. Maybe that is how you were trained, but you showed up nheless, so thank you. I believe by now you know who we are up against and what the stakes are. "The Sacred ind is our target destination. Whether this is a hallucination or a tricky theme, that does not matter. We will all go there and check the scopes ourselves. No stone is to be left untouched. "If you have any problems while in the mission, or feel differently, make sure to let Malika know, then we can see what to do about that. Best believe none of you will be abandoned on the inds in case you arepromised. "We will take you to war and bring you back. It will be a challenge but it is a hope we all can have at the moment," Rurur said as she stared at the mass of protectors. She was really proud of what was happening. She hadn''t expected that he would ever see this many protectors in one pce. Funny how the people she had only ever read about in books had made an appearance and were answerable to her and her mate. No one could have prepared her for that feat. It was worth noting in every single way because this couldn''t be done by just anyone. And Ruru hoped that she wouldn''t disappoint her mate who had let her take the lead. "Howrge is the sacred ind, Malika?" Ruru asked. "Five thousand square miles," Malika responded and the protectors began chattering in excitement. That was a lot ofnd for them to go check out and it would make the hunt even more interesting. They were fifty thousand, enough to canvas the ind no matter what they ate along the way. It didn''t matter that there would be crazies to deal with, as long as they were what the white wolf was, they had all the motivation they needed to make this work for them. "Alright. In that case, divide yourselves into four teams. You will all canvas the Ind from all corners, and meet at the center, where the sacred temple stands. That won''t be easy, which is why there arethe numbers here. "Your work is to make sure that nothing goes wrong when we get there. You have five days from today to meet us at the sacred temple. Whoever doesn''t make it to the temple on time, will be considered a failure and will be sent to Olyana. "So, divide yourselves. Malika, Hawi, and I will make our way to the sacred temple. As I said, if there is anything you think we need to know, make sure to integrate it and let Malika know. "Be careful with the Russels. They have a lot of people working for them. I hope none of you are on their side, because I will find you if that happens, and there is no telling what Hawi will do to the lot of you. "I look forward to our interactions. Make sure to eat at the right time and stay alert, at all times. May the moon goddess be with you all," Ruru said earnestly as she looked at the protectors. They looked so excited it was heartwarming. However, Ruru knew that there was nothing heartwarming about this admission. She had read the books on the sacred ind and she knew the numbers that were leaving would probably never make it out of the ind. It was a dangerous thing for her to do, but then they all had their roles to y in making the realm a better ce and their biggest foe was the Russels. The damned group of sickos who weren''t about to stop anytime soon. They were worse than any dark magic experimenters out there and that made them the primary threat to the realm''s peace and their ability to live happier lives. They were cruel but damn if they won the battle that hadn''t even started well. Perhaps the protector could all make sacrifices, but then there were just some things that even the goddess would frown upon if she set her sights on. And the Russels were one such bunch. They were dangerous and they needed to be stopped no matter what happened along the way. It didn''t matter how many lives would be lost. They could sound their losses at ater time and the best vengeance for the lot of them was the death of all the Russels. "You need to gear up too sweetheart," Ruru said to Hawi who was watching her with admiration the entire time. It is like she had seen Ruru and was falling in love for the first time again. There was a lot that they could do in the little time they had left between the chaos they were bound to trigger and the life thaty beyond them. But then they couldn''t do that this time, because they needed to have their minds in the game. "Yes ma''am," Hawi said with augh as she looked at her mate. She was wafer to see what the future looked like for the both of them and no matter what they had to endure, she down there had to be one for them. If there wasn''t an adapter for her with Ruru and a happy one, how would hunt the moon goddess done and square it with her. The first time she had mentioned that to Ruru, Rukiya was scared of her and who Hawi would be without her. Perhaps that was also why Ruru had tried her very best to stay alive and to have her sights on Hawi all the time, because without her, Hawi would spiral and the realm would be hell for everyone in it. "How are you holding up, Malika?" Hawi asked as she looked at the protector who was trying her best to be professional. She could see Malika be at her best but deep down, she knew Malika was worried for her sister. The protectors didn''t know of her rtionship to Mbali and that in itself made it harder for Malika to let them into the little secret of their mission. This was also a rescue mission for Mbali but damn, Malika was hurting.@@novelbin@@ She had promised to keep her sister safe, but then here she was, without her sister. The sibling bond she had trusted in had grown so faint that she couldn''t even use it to track anything. It was like she was going to be in the dark until they came face to face with the Russels but even then, there was no assurance that things would be alright for them. They would have to try and make things work and she would keep pretending. She had to., because there was no other option for her, since the rules demanded that she put the white wolf first before anything in her life. Damn, she wanted to break the rules, and she could have, if Hawi didn''t care about Mbali. "I''ll be fine¡­ shall we?" Malika said as she handed Hawi her armor, ignoring the fact that she knew Hawi wanted to know more about how she felt. But then even if Hawi knew what she was feeling, would she bring her Mbali back now? Chapter 414 Every Corner of This Haunted House [HAWI] The skies grew dark as over fifty portals were created on the shores of and no one knew yet. They were precise, each with coordinates that would determine how sessful the rescue mission could be. Hawi looked at her mate and her protector, the two other souls who were left on the shores of the waters. They looked ready to cross over to see for themselves what the fuss was about on the inds without a name. It was really crazy what everyone was willing to do for the sacred ind, not to mention the temple, but then as the portals the other protectors created got too close, the three knew that they had to make a way for this to work for them. It wouldn''t be easy, but then it wasn''t like they were asking for the skies to open up and give them any sign of hope right? They were already past all the traces of hope and were on the battlefield, the one ce that shit would either go so right or so wrong. "Ready?" Hawi asked as she looked at the remaining Savasci knights. She could see the determination on their faces and the desire to put an end to this. It would take them a while to make it work, but they had to. They had to try and make it make sense because otherwise there was nothing that would be left for them to fight for or even over. They had to make sure that they did their final touches with one big blow to the enemies without a soul. "As we could ever be," Ruru said softly. She had taken charge and made sure the protectors understood what was at stake and the rules. But here and now, left with Malika and Hawi, Ruru was intelligent enough to know this wasn''t her forte. Granted, she would make sure Hawi was safe and protected, but that was all she could do. The mission was for Hawi and Hawi alone and they were just tagging along to make sure Hawi made it to the end sessfully. Perhaps it wasn''t what anyone in their right mind would offer to tag along to, given how crazy things had gotten in the past few years, but then there had to be a reason for every sing and right now. Ruru was choosing to believe in her love for Hawi. Maybe she was a little too feeble-minded to think of it like that, though time was something they may have had, but then they didn''t have the pleasure of letting the Russels grow strong, or not to mention the fact that they had to find one of their own.@@novelbin@@ Jabali Lihle. "Let''s do this," Hawi said and Malika created the portal that would take them to the sacred temple. There was no telling what, or who they would meet there, though they were certain that this was the final battle in the great war. But was it though? If they conquered the sacred ind and secured the sacred temple, would that be the end of the road for them all and they could go back to their home? Would that make their lives a little bit easier or would it just remind them of a life they would never have? Oh, there were so many questions, and so many spections that hung in the air. They had to work this out, the same way they had been trying to fix everything that had happened over the years. Perhaps this time, they would really win. Continue reading at empire As they went through the portal, holding hands as if they were worried there was some magic that would hold them back, Hawi hoped to the goddess that all of this would be worth it in the end. They were all broken in one way or the other, desperate to fix each other, while they hoped to get the answers to the things that haunted them for the longest time. They had to hope, because without hope, they had nothing, literally. "Shit," Ruru said when the portal closed and they found themselves at the borders of the sacred temple. The energy here was intense and wanting. It was like there were so many things that were kept off the ind. Funny how the Russels had gotten there and there was nothing to stop them. Perhaps the barriers were meant for other creatures and not the bastards who had really fucked them up this time. "It is magnificent," Hawi let out, taking in the sight around them. It was like they hade for vacation and were being introduced to the best side of the ind. This was what heaven was supposed to look like and even the heavens were no better. "It really is," Malika added, like she had nevere here or even that she hadn''t seen how perfect this ce always was. It seemed so warm, so inviting, and like the world was just another ce for them. This ce felt like the safest ce for anyone to settle in and now it all made sense why everyone who had made the journey west had either not been heard of again, or hade out talking about the prettiest ce in the entire realm. Well, to be fair, the only people who had ever gone through the whale-infested waters and made it through, never made it to the ind. The waters were too harsh the deeper they went in and the closer they were to the ind. This was the most protected ce of all time and now they were where, on their own, and hoping to find one of their crazed family members and get the justice the universe had so denied them in time. "Let''s get to work, the Russels are somewhere around here. Also, we need to find Niki first. He should be the first reminder of whether what we saw was an illusion or if it was true and there really are replicas of the entire Savasci Knights team somewhere in the realm. "We need to be fast too, because time isn''t really on our side here,'''' Hawi said and they looked at her in understanding. They had a lot of things to do and they had the most powerful obstacles standing in their way. So together, the trio walked through the bushes that the portal had led them to, and headed towards the temple. The sacred temple was a beautiful old temple that stood on a hill on the ind. It had so many steps and it would take a while for them to get there, seeing as there were over seven thousand steps. No one was allowed to portal to the temple because it was impossible and the magic there could turn the person who tried that into crisp. "Isn''t there a shortcut up this damned hill?" Ruru asked with a whine when they got to the hundredth step. They had walked up the stairs in silence but right now, there was just too much. The stairs were not just many, but they were wide, with the distance between the lower step and the higher one being almost fifteen inches. This was a walk of hell, but then weren''t they here to make sure the hell they weren''t thest road for them then? "Nope. Come along, just sixty-nine hundred steps left," Malika encouraged and Hawi gave her the stink eye. Chapter 416 A Whole New World [HAWI]@@novelbin@@ "Get up, we''re leaving," Hwi said as she looked at the stairsteps behind them. It wasn''t a decision she hade to light but then she had to let them know. This was the only chance they had to make things right because, at the end of the day, it would boil down to them still. "Great," Malika said as she excitedly walked down the steps and Hawi let out a softugh. "You''re going in the wrong direction, Miss Protector," Hawi said and Malika froze. "What do you mean?" Ruru asked. "We''re climbing the stairs. We''re all qualified to brave whateveres our way. Nowe along, we do this all day. Seven thousand steps, we can do that in a week, but we didn''t have a week. "We have to clear the in thirty-six hours," Hawi said and Malika could have sworn she had heard the woman wrong. Thirty-six hours, to defeat the chaos that had their way in the name of bringing at the damn temple? She and Ben are ready to go up there but in three days and not damning thirty-six hours. Hell, that wasn''t even two days. "I''m sorry, what?" Malika asked as she steered at Hawi and then at the longest stairs of her life. That was impossible. Hell, the seventy-two hours that Malika had been ready for wasn''t even enough. And now they were talking about thirty-six hours? "Last I checked, two days is equivalent to forty-eight hours?" Ruru asked as if that was supposed to make her mate change her mind, this was insanity at best, there was no other way to describe what the fuck was going on inside Hawi''s head. This woman had to be nuts, and that too on a level higher than what they had thought possible. Surely there was something wrong with her? "Keep walking, sweetheart. We have a long way to go. I''ll answer every question you have as we talk, ahead and not backward. We have thirty-six hours. If we did make it there in that time, then we are not ready for whatever hell is waiting for us with the crazed Russels," Hawi said. Malika cursed herself as she looked at Hawi. She wouldn''t have thought of that shit, but then there was no way that he was able to read her mind. Even then, this was out of this world, and they needed to talk her out of it. How though? "The first one to hit the five hundredth step can ask me any question andin all they want," Hawi said and Malika and Ruru stared at each other thepetition in their eyes as they had so many questions for the unhinged woman. Perhaps they had also lost their minds in the process, but what else could they do when shit wasn''t even going right for them at any time? "And ten minutes of rest if you reach the thousandth step," Hawi suggested, and this time, the duo didn''t waste time bickering and got on with their mini-mission. They had a long way to go either way. So, this was no time for them to be bickering. As they rushed up the steps, Hawi didn''t even increase her space. She didn''t try to reach before them or even tell them to slow down. She had other things to worry about, things that she wasn''t sure were real or not. Oh, but it was a tad bit tiring. When she had been on the ship, Hawi had seen her mother, her very dead mother, Luna Eni Sicario. She had seen the woman who meant the world to her and it had been an illusion, that much she was certain of, but it didn''t change the fact that she was risking a lot. She had read so many books on having the spirits talk to people like her and frankly, nothing about the things she had learned were good for her or beneficial for her sanity, she was risking going crazy because of them but then what else could she do? Hawi wanted her mother. She missed Luna Eni and if she was given a chance to go back in time and be nothing but her mother''s daughter, Hawi would. Maybe she was being a weakling for thinking like that but then her mother had been snatched from her when she was too young. She wanted so much from the fates even when she knew that she wouldn''t ever be able to get them. Maybe it was too much for her, but then everything had been too much for Hawitely. "You''re thinking too much¡­ go after them," a voice spoke to her, and when she looked to her side, Hawi saw her mother, the prettiest Luna she had ever seen standing beside her, holding her hand as if to give her the motivation she needed. "I will. I just need a little more time," Hawi said even though she was sure she was reaching for the impossible. She didn''t need a little more time. She needed to finish the missions and get this over with. She needed to be the hope of the realm and if she wasn''t careful, she would lose more than she had bargained for. That''s what she needed and nothing more. "You don''t have a lot of time though,," Luna Eni said to her daughter who was fatigued and losing herself. "Because I see you?" Hawi asked, even though she knew the answer. She was hallucinating. She was losing her mind and there was no one to tell her that. She knew it herself and it haunted her. Maybe she shouldn''t havee along. "I shouldn''t be here and yet I am, baby," Luna Eni said, making Hawi sigh defeatedly. She had tried to voice a lot of things but in the end, she lost. She was bound to lose no matter what happened, so why would she fight, right? "You don''t know that. You''re my mother, of course, I''m always going to need you. I''m always going to miss you no matter what," Hawi defended as she watched Malika and Ruru''s figures disappear the higher they went. The reality was too cruel, and Hawi was never going to be ready to face that. Perhaps that made her even more of a coward than she had ever thought possible, but what else could she do? Your journey continues on empire She had to be the person the goddess and Olyana wanted her to be. She had to be whatever they needed, even when she was hurting and when her heart was breaking tenfold. "I know, baby, I know. But we both know that the longer I am here, the longer you see me, the worse you get. You need to tell them the truth, Awuor. you need toe clean to them no matter what happens. "They will understand and they won''t judge you," Luna Eni said and Hawi looked at her mother sadly. They were walking up the steps but at an agonizingly slow pace. It was almost like Hawi wasn''t even sure if the steps were going to be worth it. She had wanted to walk down the steps and go back to Sicario, but when she saw her mother, and changed her mind. Perhaps she was insane for deciding on a crucible thing because of a hallucination. But that hallucination was her mother. "No, mother, I can''t tell them," Hawi said right as she heard Ruru calling out to her. Chapter 417 You Chose Everyone… Over Me [HAWI] "Hawi! You okay?" Ruru asked when she noticed her mate was not following the as they had expected. Hawi was alwayspetitive, always, and there was never a day she had posed a challenge just to lose, high right now, she used to be the one losing. Rukiya had never seen this state so she was worried about her mate''s welfare, especially when she saw how Hawi was making slow steps. It was like she never wanted to catch up with them, but then that wasn''t supposed to be the case, right? "You should be focusing on the steps, Ruru, I am much faster than you, my beautiful or do you not want that ten-minute break?" Hawi asked and Ruru let out augh as she gave her mate a thumbs up. It seemed like Hawi was okay and yet at the same time, Ruru had a feeling that there was something more to this. However, she didn''t ask or even push on because she was sure if Hawi wanted her to know, she would. After all, it wasn''t like the woman was in danger when left alone, right? "You used to hate your middle name¡­ now you use it?" Luna Eni asked when Ruru disappeared and Hawi picked up the pace up the stairs. She knew they had been slow enough and Hawi didn''t want to be faced with questions that even she couldn''t answer. She refused to be part of that at the moment. "People change mothers," Hawi said and Eni stared at her daughter, the disbelief clear on her face. She didn''t trust Hawi when it came to that. In their culture, the name Hawi meant blessing and Hawi had never seen herself as one to her family. she always felt like the outcast, the person people feared and the woman that everyone never wanted to interact with for fear of what she could do to them. Maybe that was why she had decided to use her first andst name all the time with everyone except for the Savasci knights. The Savasci knights made her feel like she was worth something, like she was someone who could be fought for. They made her feel wanted and belonging. She was safe with them, always and she never doubted that. "Not that fast, baby. I am your mother, I know you more than you know yourself," Luna Eni said and Hawi scoffed at that statement. Surly her mother couldn''t be trying to get to her like that right? There was just no way. "Oh yeah? Are you sure about that?" Hawi asked as she turned to re at her mother. "Hawi¡ª" "You don''t get to call me that. Not right now, not ever. You never get to call me that because you''re not allowed to. Never," Hawi growled as shended a punch on her mother''s face, only for that action to remind her that it was all just a hallucination. This was a costly hallucination for her in so many ways. Nothing was ever going to be the same, but that was something that Hawi had gotten used to. No one would ever understand her and now her mother''s ghost was making her life a little harder than she had anticipated. This was the kind of shit that she didn''t need, not when she was here. "You''re climbing the damn staircase when you know very well that none of your powers are left when you came on the ind. You know you can portal into the temple but you''re not dining it. You can get there in an instant and yet you hold back. "You''re holding yourself back, Awuor. You''re not letting yourself reach your full potential," Eni said and Hawi let out a loud growl. She didn''t care that she could be heard by the entirety of the ind. That didn''t matter because right now, she wasn''t ready to face that truth with her mother; Not like this. Her mother was dead and she needed to be dead. "Shut up, alright? Shut the fuck up!!" Hawi growled again as she fell to her knees, the pain in her heart worsening with every minute. The world was going around and she wasn''t even a part of it, or maybe she was out she didn''t feel like she belonged. Her mother''s ghost showing up was never supposed to happen but yet here they are. She missed the woman so much that her subconscious decided to help her through it by creating something that was not real. There were consequences to that and Hawi knew it, but why did it make her feel worse than she already was at the moment? "Tell them the truth and I will leave, Hawi¡ª" Luna En said and Hawi cried out in pain. "You always leave, Mother," Hawi whimpered as she sank her head between her knees. She was tired of everything, sick of whatever was happening, she had been healing, she had been trying to survive and over the years she had survived. Her friends had helped her, her mate had held her hand and Hawi had been certain that she was fixed. Find more chapters on empire Funny how the only thing it took to undo all of that was the woman who was beside her, watching her in silence, someone that no one in the world could see except for her and it was eating her up. "Hawi¡ª" "You always leave. You say you know what''s best for me, and yet you left. You chose to leave me alone in this world. You knew what was bound no matter what happened. You saw what I would turn to. "You knew it would ruin me if you left, and yet you still left anyway. You let them take you away from me. All you had to do was be my mother, and yet you didn''t even have the guts to do that. You abandoned me like they all did, Mother. "You were supposed to protect me, to be the mother I needed and yet you chose to leave. SO no, mother. You don''t know what''s best for me. You didn''t know how hard I worked to pick myself up.@@novelbin@@ "You have no idea what you took from me. You took everything, everything mother. The person who was supposed to love me the most, broke my heart into shreds, and didn''t even think of what that would do to me," Hawi cried out as she locked herself with her magic. She knew that her friends wereing down as she knew the protectors had heard her growls, not to mention the Russels who were possibly on the ind were already tipped off. But what could Hawi do? What the hell was she supposed to do to make herself feel like this wasn''t all in her mind? How the fuck was she to express that everything still hurt even though she was so close to healing? She had epted her mother''s death and faced her truth as the cursed child. So why did it still hurt? Why the fuck was it so hard for her to forget and focus on what mattered to her? "You know I mean well, Awuor. You know that," Eni said as she bent to hug her daughter. She hated seeing her daughter like this but what else could the mother and daughter do? She was just a figment of Hawaii''s subconscious in the end. Chapter 420 Giving In Or Giving Up? [HAWI] "Mother, can I ask you something?" Hawi asked as she turned to look at Luna Eni. She had slowly made peace with the fact that this wasn''t real, but that didn''t mean she had to y the lonely girl anymore. She would try her best to maximize whatever this was and no matter how it turned out, she didn''tin because she had no right to. This here was like karma for her, and she wouldn''t embrace it wholly. "Sure, what is it?" Luna Eni asked, looking at her daughter, the lovely child that she had hoped to be with for a long time. Funny how fate had messed that up for the both of them too. It wasn''t right, and it was unfair, but then weren''t they already past the regrets and maybes that they could fill their stomachs with? Wasn''t it enough that the universe was still a lonely ce for the both of them? "Am I going to die? Well, everyone dies, but you know what I mean¡­ Will I die because I''m seeing you constantly?" Hawi asked, her reality staring at her. She knew it wasn''t right for them to hope especially with how crazy everything had gotten, but what else could she do? At the end of the day, she was also just a person, someone who needed people by her side, someone who knew how to fight, and someone who hoped that whatever she was fighting for would be worth it in the end. Maybe it was an insane choice for Hawi, seeing as the time she had spent with her mother had been too little, but it wasn''t like the answer would be as bad as the one she had already thought of, right? She couldn''t leave her friends and her family like that. However, if there was no other option for her, then she would be at her best and try to make things worth it for them all. Granted, she already suspected that the chances of her going back home to see her friend''s family had grown thinner over the past four months, but perhaps it wasn''t wrong to have that little hope keeping her sane. Maybe it was the only way for her to keep herself intact and not break because she refused to be the broken piece of the group that her friends would have to work so hard to piece up together. She couldn''t be that cruel to them no matter how things turned out. There had to be another way to abound all of this. "I don''t know, child. But from everything that has happened, the chances of you never going back home are high. People tend to hallucinate about their loved ones, when their souls are on the bridge to the afterlife. "Maybe that''s why I am here and not your father. Maybe it is because you have a lot to say to me and you were hoping to have a chance just one more time," Luna Eni said and Hawi sighed. All her life she had hoped that things would get better for her. She had tried to be the person who made things better for everyone and now she was going to die without reason, just like that? Hawi couldn''t think of anything that had gone wrong in her life for her life force to fade that fast. It just didn''t make any sense. She had done everything they had wanted her to do. She had been the good alpha. She had made sure her people were safe. She had fixed it all for them and so it just didn''t seem fair to her. Perhaps there was something she had missed. Or maybe she just didn''t deserve to live through what she has suffered for, right? "I bet I expected that. But I''m not injured, mother. I have no wounds and I feel okay. Why would I be dying then?" Hawi asked the confusion eating her up. It wasn''t a fair thing on her end, because all her life she had done what was needed. What the hell had she done that was so wrong they had to take everything from her the second time? "No one is killing you, Awuor. This is all your doing, child," her mother exined but it wasn''t enough it just didn''t exin anything that was happening to her at the moment. How the fuck was she supposed to believe that all of this was real and not just another phase of her hallucinations? Oh, Hawi had so many worries but even she was smart enough to know when the roads were closing on her. The way she had hallucinated on the ship and the way she had started seeing her mother''s face years ago. Perhaps it was just too much for the girl who only ever wanted to live and wanted her madly back. Perhaps anger and rage did a number on her and there was just no other way out for the girl who had lost everything along the way, right? Maybe she had to lose herself in the process for the fates to be satisfied. But was that even logical in any circumstance? "Well then, I''ll just sleep and wait for my imminent end it seems," Hawi said defeatedly as shey on the ground, shifting a few times before she finally let sleep take her. She was fatigued and had a lot in her mind. There was no telling what he would do next, but then maybe this was the only thing for her to embrace. Perhaps it would get her to the afterlife and to the family she had lost unjustly. Enjoy more content from empire No one ever deserved to go through what she had and she hoped to the goddess that this was the same fate for anyone out there. It wouldn''t be fair to lose everything. Hawi was alright with it though, because she couldn''t fight it, but she hoped that they would get a fair trial no matter how things got. "Always the sacrificialmb," Hawi heard her mother say one more time but she assumed it was just in her head again, so she wasn''t bothered. Perhaps if she slept the entire time, all of this would fade and she would realize that her being the white wolf and every little shit she had gone through was just a nightmare that she could wake up from. Besides, no one ever really killed their mother just because they could, right? Oh, but they were just wishes. "You fucking had your magic and you couldn''t use it to help us cross?" Ruruined when Malika portaled them to where Hawi was. She sounded so offended by the fact that she had to sweat it out through and through, but Malika just shrugged like this was the only option for them. Then again, looking at Hawi''s sleeping form. It was like they needed to get to this point as fast as they could. But now that they were here, what the fuck were they even supposed to do? Ruru still had a lot to say to Malika, but the uneven breathing from her mate got her attention. She had slept beside Hawi long enough to know that Hawi''s sleeping patterns were not this. "I''ll count to three and if your eyes are not open by then, I will cut your hair," Ruru warned and Malika let out a gasp. Surely that was¡­ extreme?@@novelbin@@ Chapter 422 No Tears Left To Cry? [SICARIO] When she had taken on the job as the alpha of Sicario, Elodie Kane had been sure she had seen all the phases of crazies possible. Her friend group was filled with an unhinged set of misfits that nothing was supposed to be surprising anymore. Enjoy more content from empire However, when a ship blew in the middle of her pack, and one of her best friends turned up as a body Elodie wasn''t sure she wanted to do this anymore. There had been a lot of possible oues for this mess. She had expected everything along the way, but staring at the body that wasid there carefully, like it was something that even the CSIs were scared of embracing, Elodie felt the life leave her. "Mbali?" she asked again as she took a closer look at the girl who was supposed to be on the other side of the world with the rest of the psychos. She was supposed to be everywhere but Sicario and even worse, was the fact that her eyes were shut. "What happened to her?" Elodie asked the denial so obvious. She couldn''t hear any heartbeats and even she knew what that meant. She wasn''t ready though. It was impossible for something like this to happen. Elodie had been there when Malika had cast the spell to protect her sister from every little thing on the face of the earth. Malika was an experienced protector and there was just no way this was the future that she had thought of for Mabli. "We think when the ship blew up, she had been unconscious in the ship, and¡­" Olga trailed off, not sure if she wanted to be the one to break the news to the alpha. This woman was equally as crazy as the psycho that rules the realm at the moment. Olga was sure she would never live to see the rest of her family if she ever chose that out, so she just peed the nket that had been converting Mbali, as if to tell Elodie to see for herself. It was not fair, and it was definitely not the best of things at the moment. Hell, even Olga knew the realm would feel the brunt of the Savasci knights if the image before them was a reality in Sicario. No stone would be left unturned and more than anything, no one would survive the wrath of the crazed Savasci knights. There was just nothing that would ever make it better for them regardless of everything they had tried to make of it at the moment. "Alpha, what do we do?" Olga asked when thirty minutes passed by and Elodie was still silently stringing at Mbali, no emotions on her face and no nothing. It was like the alpha had be a stone that didn''t understand shit. Well, loss sure did that to people most of the time, but why did it have to be this kind of a loss? What part of their fight to make the realm a better ce had gotten them here? Life was not stic and this had to be an illusion. But was it? Was that it really, when Mbali was still in the clothes that she had been wearing at the surprise party Malika had brought them over for? It was like the world had decided that peace was never an option for the side of the realm, and boy was it sad. "What?" Elodie asked, as she stared at Olga, the reality, something that she refused toe to terms with. There was never a way that Mbali would end up dead and that too in the same home that was sent to protect her. This was uneptable. "What do we do about Warrior Lihle?" Olga asked for the hundredth time in the past half hour, hoping that maybe, one of the many times she asked, Alpha Elodie would have an answer for her. But would she? "Give her a change of clothes. Make sure she isfortable. Actually, there are clothes in her room in the pack house. Carry her there, and dress her up in pajamas. Make sure she is clean, very clean. "She would kill you if she wakes up and finds herself dressed in anything that she doesn''t recognize. And prepare a tray of hamburgers for her just in case she wakes up hungry. And leave the light on. "One more thing, no matter how tempting it is to explore her room, do not dare do it, because Malika will have your head for that. Alright go on, take the warrior to bed and we will talk to her about what happened, tomorrow," Elodie said dismissively. Her heart was aching but nothing hurt more than she had ever imagined and she was never going to be ready for anything without the rest of her team members. This wasn''t the future they had imagined. Olga looked at her alpha, the questions clear, but held back in the silence that spoke louder than the worlds that lingered. The wolves were talking, the forensics team was standing back instinctively. They all knew what could happen and how this could happen. There were a lot of things that were at stake and they couldn''t deny that this chit was not in the right manner, but who had the guts to tell that to Elodie Kane at the moment? "Alpha?" "Make sure the bed sheets are changed to. Get to work, Olga. She is getting cold," Elodie said and Olga''s heart broke for her alpha. She had seen Elodie try to be at her best in this pack and now here they were with a broken Elodie once again.@@novelbin@@ Some of the warriors who were watching were worried for the sake of everyone. They had seen what had happened when Hawi had lost control and was brown, and frankly, that wasn''t the kind of future they hoped for at the moment. "Yes, alpha," Olga said, seeing as there was nothing else that she could do. Soon enough the operations to get Mbali to the pack house and clean up began. Elodie stood by and watched as the warriors did everything they could to make Makati Tal better for the rest of Sicario. It wasn''t daily that this happened, but even the hells would be a better ce when the sun would set today. There was a desire for answers, a desire to get to the bottom of this, and Elodie was going to get her answers. It didn''t matter how long it took because at the moment, the first set of people she would look out for were the sailors who had arrived in the biome ship. So, she watched and waited for insurance, not getting in the way of the investigators. The CSI conversations of the ship were done three hourster, when she soon had started going down. Elodie was curious to know what it was all about, because they held the answers to what had happened in this pce today. That investigation would tell her if this was an ident or if this was a deliberate attack. But even that would never exin why the fuck Mbali had turned up lifeless, not that Elodie considered Mbali dead at the moment. "Alpha, we have the result of the investigation," Olga said in the fourth hour, once she was mentally set to talk to the alpha. She was still scared, but she had to do this regardless of what happened. "What is it?" "This was a setup," Olga confirmed. Chapter 425 Killing Me Softly [SICARIO] Captain Drew could see the change in the Sicario alpha and he was sure that it had to be serious. He was confused at first, when Elodie let him hug her, when she had never been done for physical touch. Elodie Kane was the one puzzle that the sailor had never once understood no matter how hard he tried. However, seeing her here, so lost and so angry, Drew could tell that she needed someone to hold her. Continue your journey on empire Something had happened out there, something that got her like this and he would figure it out. But first, he needed everyone to leave, so he did just that.@@novelbin@@ "Everyone, give us a minute," Drew said and Elodie didn''t say anything. She could have contested this and made it out to be a long road that they could fight on and forget about everything but it wasn''t that easy. "She will probably start a fight and make it like you started it. We''re not leaving," Rio, the captain''s second said as he looked at Elodie. He understood that there had to be a reason for Elodie to be there like this but even that was never going to be enough to make him ease up on Elodie. The woman could turn their captain into a barbecue and they wouldn''t be able to do much about it because she had the strongest army in the world to back her up. She was crazy too and that frankly didn''t sit well with Rio. That was not something he would let go easily. Elodie may have despised the captain, but the captain was everything to his team and Rio refused to jeopardize that because of an apparent low moment for the crazed alpha. It was just too much of a risk and there are so many odds that this wouldn''t even be worth it in the end. But what if it wouldn''t be worth it? "We''re not leaving too. There is no telling what you lot will try without alpha given how unhinged everything has been since you breached the borders and didn''t give the most proper of expansion to the alpha," Theo bit back. Rio stared at the man he was mated to like this was some sort of shit show. Granted, they were still not ready to explore the basics of the mate bond given where they were at the moment, but damn if they started crashing this early. There was no telling what would happen when the sun went down, but then what else could they do other than be there for their leaders? "''What the hell?" Drew asked as he looked at the two warrior generals. They looked dead serious about not leaving that for a moment, it felt like they were in a stand-off. It was unsettling but at the same time, it was interesting to even know it. There was just no way that this would end peacefully if their elders didn''t intervene. Elodie sighed as she looked at her warrior, reminding herself that she hadn''te here to lean on Drew, but to get some damned answers for what had happened. She hade here to figure out how the fuck Mbali had managed to die in the process of all that. She couldn''t ept that because, at the back of her mind, Mbali was alive, just unconscious. Elodie was more than ready to believe that there was always a way around the immortals. Perhaps she had hung around immortals for so long that she had lost track of what could be and what could be. But it was worth hoping for, right? "What in the goddess''s good realm is going on here?" a disappointed Hudhayfah asked when he walked in and saw the sailors and the warriors of Sicario in a standoff. This wasn''t good for anyone, even though Hudhayfah already knew that if there was a fight that broke out, the Sicario warrior would win clean and easy. Then again, they weren''t here for war and Hudhayfah refused to think that their people would be getting to such a point. They had worked so hard to make Sicario a violence-free ce that it wouldn''t make any sense if they decided to mess that up. It did not make any sense to them and in no world did it seem like it was all in order. This was not what life was supposed to be like, but then Mbali was never supposed to die and she seemed very much dead back there anyway. "We''re not leaving him without a leader," Theo stated and Hudhayfah sighed. As if that wasn''t enough, Rio spoke those same words, clearly expressing how he couldn''t leave his alpha with a woman who wanted him dead. Elodie couldn''t help but roll her eyes at the situation at hand. It was like life was really going on and her friend was not having any life. Everything had stopped for her and her people in a moment, and she wasn''t even sure of how the Savasci knights were coping. They had been a team and with one of them down, they wouldn''t be able to function properly. Everyone in that forsaken team had a role that kept them together. Elodie was always meant to pump reason into Hawi and make her understand some of the things in life that Awuor Hawi never understood with ease. Mbali was there to be the warrior that Hawi needed, while Ruru was there as the mate and the other piece of the prophecy. Malika was there to make sure the prophecy we protected and even more she was there to nurse that no matter what happened the mission went on. Hudhayfah was part of the team because he made it easier for the kids to understand what life was and Hawi was the leader because of the prophecy, and almost because she fought well. If Mbali was down, then an aspect of the team they had forged so dearly would be broke and that didn''t seem like the best thing at the moment. "You little bastards," Hudhayfah sighed as he walked over to where Theo was, and grabbed the warrior by the ear before walking over to where a surprised Rio was and grabbed the sailor by the ear too. Hudhayfah looked like he had just found the troublemakers he had been looking for and frankly it was beautiful and crazy at the same time, especially with how calm the healer was. You would think that this was just normal and that these two people hadn''t just met first today. Then again, even if that was the case, Hudhayfah Karim didn''t care about shit. "You can''t do that!" Rio said and Theo sighed as he looked at his mate. "Will you just fucking shut up?" Theo retorted while staring at Rio who was defiant and protecting. Granted they both didn''t know why they were being dragged by the ears, but one thing that the Sicario warriors had long learned, was to leave when Hudhayfah stepped in because the man was a hundred bouts of crazy, it just didn''t make sense and yet made sense most of the time. "Did you tell me to shut up?" Hudhayfah asked and that was the cue the Sicario warriors needed to run out of the operations building. The sailors followed suit even though they didn''t know why they were running. One thing they were sure of though, was that they needed to do it. Chapter 428 Even The Prisons Were Not That Cruel [SICARIO] Drew should have expected that same question again, but it didn''t make it any easier for him. So, he ryed the shit that had happened to Elodie one more time, while the woman stared at him like he was the spawn of Satan. Maybe he was or maybe, he was just a man who had been out on a mission and didn''t expect to be entangled in all of this. But then even as he ryed it to Elodie. Again, the woman had a nk face, one that seemed to be judging him with every ounce of her being. She despised him, that was no secret but to do, and if she said it to him without expressing it like she always was doing at the moment. There were days when all that Drew had wanted was to see Elodie again, but today, he wasn''t so sure anymore. This kind of bullshit made him want to forget what it felt like to have the sun rise and set on the same day with him. It wasn''t healthy at all, but then it wasn''t like he had found himself in the healthiest of the packs, right? There was trauma upon trauma in this one and regardless of how he chose to look at it, nothing was ever going to change. "There, are you satisfied now?" Drew asked and Elodie still stared at him nkly. She wasn''t getting any emotional show, or maybe it was because she was still beating herself up for leaning on the nearest avable shoulder for her when she saw Mbali''s body. Perhaps that was not what should have happened, but who was to tell what the fuck needed to happen in this space? Who was to exin to him the basics of humanity let alone the basics of the Savasci brains? There was no real way of figuring them out and so he had to wait for whatever judgment Elodie Kane was about to pass on him. Oh, how it was crazed. "So Mbali was off the ship, or she was turned to ss?" Elodie asked after a long silence and Drew sighed dramatically. No matter what he did, this woman was always going to suspect him. There was no denying that already. It didn''t matter if he was here for the best of the best or if he was here as the captain. He was always going to be a sinner and the sooner he realized that the crazier his life would be. It didn''t matter how long he stayed here and tried to defend himself because the woman was slowly making up her mind and this captain was not a part of the manning deal she had apparently tried to make sense of anyway. "Are you sure the woman you saw was Mbali?" Drew asked when he ryed that the back and forth wasn''t getting them anywhere. He wanted to rest and think of how to make his sailors feel at home or how to prepare them for their next exit seeing as they were clearly not wanted here in Sicario. But then was that ever really going to happen now that Mbali had apparently turned up dead? Oh, but Drew could only imagine what his crew was thinking of. This right here was going to serve as a lesson for them never to ept just any call, but then there was no telling what the next owner would look like, so perhaps it was all just so unfair a treatment to generalize, right? "Show me the body," Drew added when all he was met with the judging silence.@@novelbin@@ He was confused and wanted to know what was happening here because in the cer they were just wolves who didn''t have any magical abilities other than the regr abilities bestowed to any werewolf out there. It didn''t make sense for them to be under the lens this much, but maybe there was a better expectation for it, right? Maybe somewhere along the way, there would be someone brave enough to tell him what he could understand without making him look like an idiot on steroids, right? Oh, but they were wishes, mere wishes that probably didn''t mean shit to the woman staring at him at the moment. But it all had to count for something, didn''t it. "No, I won''t let you near her," Elodie said, the anger still evident in her voice. She didn''t trust Drew enough to let him close to her friend and even more she knew Mbali hated having a stranger in her room. If Mbali was simply unconscious like Elodie so desperately wanted to believe, then she would kill Drew when she woke up. As much as Elodie hated Drew with every fiber of her being, she wouldn''t deny the sailors their captain. That would be like taking the chicken from the mother hen, something that Sicario had sworn to never do, without even saying anything. It was a silent promise, a promise that came after they had seen the amount of chaos they had been thrust into when He had lost eh family. They didn''t want that much chaos in someone else''s life. Besides, Elodie had seen how much the sailors trusted Drew and it reminded her of who they turned Hair with all of them. It was like Hawi could say something that didn''t sit right with them and they would trust her nheless because she always knew better. She always never wanted to put them through pain as they had no reason whatsoever to distrust the one person who led them selflessly, however crazy she was. The same applied to Drew and his people. Explore more at empire "What?" Drew asked, not understanding the woman anymore. "Go again. I need to hear the details," Elodie insisted and Drew tried to protest only for Elodie to drink darkly at him as if to tell him that he didn''t have much of an option at the moment. "What the fuck do you mean, woman?" Drew insisted even though he thought it was pointless. He wouldn''t be forced to this, but was there much of a choice for him at the moment when the sun was already down? "I said, " I need to know what happened. So go again. Tell me what happened with my sister and the knights. Is that too hard for you to do or did you have shit in your ears?" Elodie asked boredly and Drew sighed. Defeatedly, the captain recounted the events of the early morning as many times as he could. Each time, Elodie insisted that she needed more. It was like torture for Drew, but then he couldn''t me her. He knew she just wanted to know why her friend was hurting and that was okay. Perhaps Drew was a little too unstable to understand the woman, but what else could he do if this was what penance looked like for him? So he went, again, and again, and again, that he could almost know the words that woulde out of his mouth next. He sounded like someone reciting a sonata, only that this was the kind that tortured him endlessly. At the thirtieth recap, Drew was done trying to understand. Not even Awuor Hawi Sicario could be this cruel to him. "I understand you, Elodie, I really do. But sweetheart, prison is a better ce than what you are putting me through right now. Take me to the dungeons, it''s a better ce than all of this," Drew sighed. Chapter 429 The Frustrated Alpha [SICARIO] "I understand you, Elodie, I really do. But sweetheart, prison is a better ce than what you are putting me through right now. Take me to the dungeons, it''s a better ce than all of this," Drew sighed. He had been trying to hold on to his reality, but then it was getting a little hard with the way things were. He understood her, but this was just too much for him. He couldn''t do this anymore, not like this. "I know," Elodie sighed as she got up and walked over to the window. Her heart was already shattered and she was trying to make it all make sense. Her mind was wandering and she had questions about how her friends were doing. She wondered if they were okay or if they were suffering because then that would mean that Mabli had really died. Elodie had so many worries and it was eating her up in ways that she had never thought possible. How was she supposed to deal with this part of her reality, when life itself had be a thrill that she didn''t feel like taking part in? She wondered if there was ever going to be a way out for her with this. There were so many things that could take ce to align the way and if she was being honest, all of this wasn''t making any sense for her. Maybe she needed time, but how much longer before reality dawned on her and it was the ugliest of them all?@@novelbin@@ How long before life decided to look at her in the face and made her feel like the worst person in the world for making Drew give her exnations that were insanely long? She didn''t have options and at the same time, she had options. But right now, maybe letting Drew go was the easiest way out for her, right? Did she want an easy way out though? "I''m sorry, Drew. Excuse me," Elodie said, giving up her quest for answers. She had done so desperately to find inconsistencies in Drew''s statements, but there were none. It was like the world had be a circus for the both of them and she was on the losing side. It wasn''t fair in one too many ways, but what else could she do with this? What was the assurance that this would make sense to her? How was she supposed to even hold on to the chaos that had long taken ce? Or was there something she had missed? "What?" Drew asked, the confusion clear on his face. He had tried to be nicer and express himself but now she was feeling guilty for wanting the torture to stop. Perhaps it was insane, how things had gotten, but what else could he do? How else was he supposed to make Elodie understand that what he had revolted against was simply because he wanted her to have an easy way out and wanted her to embrace the reality that was staring at her and one that she refused to acknowledge? How was that supposed to make her feel any better about the mess she had created? Was it her fault? "You''re free to go. I''m sorry about all of this; for questioning you a little too intensely than demanded by the Sicariow books. It wasn''t fair to you in so many ways, and I understand if your hatred for me just keeps growing. "I wouldn''t me you for it, really, and thank you for your time," Elodie said and Drew watched in silence as the defeated alpha walked out the door. He knew it wasn''t going to be the easiest for the both of them, but what else was there? However, he knew better and he wasn''t taking it to heart. This was Elodie''s way of coping with the chaos that had taken over her life and he hoped that she would find whatever it was that she was looking for in that moment. There had to be a way out for them. "You will be okay, Elodie¡­ Everything would be fine," Drew said as he followed Eldie outside the operations building. He didn''t know what he was supposed to do, but he was sure that the both of them needed to make it out at the same time because their teams were still on different rides and they needed to understand that love was something they could believe in this time. "What is happening here?" Elodie asked as she looked at Hudhayfah who was currently seated between the Sicario warriors and the sailors. They were quiet, but then Hudhayfah looked like he had the roughest of days with the set of warriors. He looked like there were better ces for him to be at than here with these people. They had to be insane with the way they had dealt with him. There was just no other exnation for this mess. "Honestly? I am thankful that I don''t have my mate yet because I am determined to be child-free for as long as I possibly can. There is just no way that I am getting myself into a craziness like this," Hudhayfah said dramatically. Elodie snickered as she looked at the frustrated healer. She wasn''t sure what she had been expecting, but this was way better than it. She had imagined that things would be a little less sane, but this was epic, way too epic and she loved it. Drew on the other hand, looked like he was fighting back hisugh. They all looked ridiculous there with Hudhayfah and it was like the man had started a school for the kids he heard and forced them to be right there with them. It didn''t make any sense whatsoever but it seemed like fun nheless. Surely Hudhayfah wasn''t opposed to making happy memories, right? "Did you reach a conclusion or did I suffer for no reason with these kids?" Hudhayfah asked Drew and Elodie before adding with a slight warning, "Because I might turn them into goats for the entire week." At that, the sailors let out grumbles. They knew it was impossible for anything of the sort to happen because it wasn''t realistic in any universe. No one in their right mind had that much power to waste around, right? The Cicero warriors, on the other hand, were silent. They had seen enough crazies in the damn pack to know that there really was a high chance that Hudhayfah Karim could turn them into goats. It was nothing out of the ordinary but damn if it was the truth, yeah? "He can''t do that, right?" Rio asked horrified and Eldeughed lightly. Explore more at empire "Unfortunately for you, Hudhayfah is a literal guy, and if he says things he would truly do it. He could turn out into goats," Elodie said and the sailors looked at the healer, the rxation dawning on them that they could tell it was in trouble. So, they shut up instantly. "Goodnight all of you. I will take a rest for now," Elodie added before they could say anything more. She was tired of everything that happened during the day really bad she hoped that it would all be better "Alright, good night too," Hudhayfah said and Elodie walked away. She didn''t have the energy to stay and bicker with the whaler or even the warriors who were celery worried for her. "We need to talk, Drew," Hudhayfah said. Chapter 430 You Got It In You, Always [HAWI] Morning dide by so fast for Hawi, Malika, and Ruru. They had been trying to get through the night but nothing had worked so they had stayed in silence with their thoughts. It was almost like the silence they were at was something that they couldn''t break for whatever reason. They still had a long way to go and it hurt to know that they were missing one person despite everything they had done. It was a strange feeling, just sitting there through the night not living a finger. They had been used to winning battles and eating her; they were in silence, watching even as the sun shone. They literally still had five thousand steps to go up, and it wasn''t making shit any better. No matter how much they wanted to pretend that it was all going to be okay. "Mother?" Hawi whispered when she was tired of sitting on the cold staircase. The entire night she hadn''t seen the image of her mother again, it was that the woman had disappeared, but how the hell was that supposed to happen? The woman had been real to her, hallucinations or not. She had done her best to try and make herself understand that no matter how things were she would be fine and her team would be okay, but waking up to nothing was scaring her. The woman had been herpany for over four years and now she disappeared? There were never any goodbyes from her. She had just left, like that. "Ma? Please don''t leave me again," Hawi whispered in the hope that she would be able to appeal to her mother. She had been holding on so well so far. Her mother had helped her through things that she wouldn''t ever be able to voice out loud, not to her team. "Mistress?" Malika called out at the same time that Ruru sat up and watched her mate in silence. She had been doing that a lot in the night and Hawi had felt the stares Ruru was giving her. She had been worried for her and it was still obvious despite everything that had happened. It was like there was never an off button with them. But then mates never really came with off buttons right? They were always just trying to live through the days in the hope that when the day opened up they would have gone on a step ahead, right? Your adventure continues at empire "How long have you been seeing Luna Eni, Hawi?" Ruru spoke as she looked at her mate. She was scared of that truth, but even then she hoped that Hawi wouldn''t lie to her. It wouldn''t be right, not for their mate bond.@@novelbin@@ They had to be there for each other. Ruru looked at Hawi like she knew something that Hawi didn''t, and for a movement there Malika felt like she was intruding. However, she had to admit that she was also curious to know who Hawi had started seeing her mother. Things like this were not normal and needed attention, so to think that Hawi had been in this alone to this point made Malika wonder what use she was to Hawi as her protector. Then again, were protectors meant to protect Hawi for her mind?? Would they all ever be able to fix the girl who had lost everything or even take away the pain that had remained when she had lost everything? Of course, she had managed to learn to live with the pain, but this felt like something else. It felt like there was some sort of a trigger because none of this was supposed to happen to them. None of this was supposed to put Hawi in a binder like this and it was not okay. "I didn''t know what you''re talking about," Hawo said as she looked up at the skies. "Baby¡­ We can do this all day, you know that too, right? I gave you a pass yesterday, but if you don''t say anything today, we walk down this long aisle and go back home. The choice is yours," Ruru said, her tone soft and stern at the same time. It was almost like she was luring Hawi, daring the woman to refuse and see what would happen now that they were not even halfway through the long staircase. It wouldn''t be fair if they went back down after how much they had suffered to get to this point, but Rukiya Greyson was always a woman of her word and Malika knew that too. Perhaps that was why she was horrified by all their behalf. They hade here on a mission and Hawi surely wouldn''t risk that, right? The other protectors were still scouring the ind for any signs of the Russels and they were yet to find any. If Malika was being honest, the other protectors were here just because she wanted to make sure Hawi did not feel alone. They were useless in this quest, but then Malika needed Hawi motivated. If she didn''t have someone to keep her origin, there was no telling what Awuor Sicario would do. It was a huge risk and Malika didn''t want to even think of that possibility, not at the moment. Hawi needed to see this through. "But the protectors¡ª" Malika began and Ruru red at her forcing the woman into silence. "What''s the point of this mission when one of us is not okay? The protectors are her subjects, right? And if Hawi leaves the ind they will have to leave too. The time we spent here will just be passed up. It won''t matter anyway. "But don''t me me for that, the decision is in Hawi''s hands. She can decide to get us to the top or have us all go home," Ruru insisted and Malika sighed. She had been hoping Rukiya was firm in her stance and the white wolf''s mate hadn''t disappointed her. They were right about Ruru''s importance in Hawi''s life and for the hundredth time, Malika reminded herself to thank the protectors for not taking out the entire Russell''s family and the Greyson heiress. "You didn''t mean that," Hawi tried to negotiate and Rukiyaughed shallowly. "Wanna bet, my beautiful?" Rukiya asked and Hawi stared at her with wide eyes. Rukiya Greyson never yed when it came to Hawi. The white wolf already knew that Rukiya Green would burn the world just to keep her warm and this was of no consequence to Ruru. So Hawi figured she would save the wolf and the protectors the energy that could have been wanted if they went back home. "Promise me you won''t freak out," Hawi said, making Rukiyaugh, again. "Your time is almost up sweetheart. I see you miss home so and because you''re trying to negotiate with me. Want us to go home without finding Mbali?" Ruru said and Malika felt like that was the worst of gut punches. She had been trying to reach out to her sister, but the higher they had gone up the stairs, the weaker the connection she had with her sister had gone and then itpletely disappeared. If Hawi and Ruru left without finding Mbali, then Malika would use all the protectors there to find her sister. She wouldn''tpromise. "Since the day of my banishment from home. I thought I was hallucinating to keep myself sane¡­ and maybe I was, because she never left, not even when I made peace with her passing," Hawi said with a bowed head. She wasn''t sure if Ruru would ever be able to trust her now that all of this was out there. It was like she had opened a vulnerable portal and let herself bare in front of her mate who would probably reject her for her endless troubles, but then what else could Hawi lose anyway? "I''m proud of you, Hawi¡­ You''re ready now," Luna Eni said and Hawi looked up at her mother, the desire to reach out to her making her want more but then Hawi just watched as her mother smiled proudly at her like she always did in Sicario before. "That was¡­" Ruru trailed off as she looked at her mate, her heart once again breaking for Hawi. She had tried to be the best of mates out there and maybe she had been, but how had she missed that? Well, it wasn''t like Awuor Hawi was the most open of books for everyone in society, right? "What do you mean I''m ready, mother?" "You''ll know soon enough. Goodbye, my little girl. You got it in you, my queen." "Mama¡­" "Until we meet again, my child," Luna Eni said as she disappeared. "Ma!" Chapter 432 Love, Ive Been Jealous [HAWI] "Is she dying or not?" Ruru asked impatiently. She had been trying to hold her back but then the silence wasn''t doing her any good. She didn''t need to overheat, but there was something about Hawi that she didn''t know and they had to face that too. "No, she is not," Malika spelled out and Hawi sighed, relieved. She had been so okay with anything and everything along the way that the fact that this time she would live made her feel a little better. Of course, even she knew that there woulde a time when she would be forced to make the decision of whether to save herself or everyone. But until that day came, she was going to enjoy the serenity of whatever this shit brought her. She could reel in it regardless of everything that wasing and what the future held for the both of them. "Is that a momentary thing or are we past the fates testing my patience with whatever de they have been having on my mate''s neck?" Ruru asked as she stared at Malika, daring the woman to say anything about Hawi getting hurt or even during the fire. It was a risky time for Malika, but she herself understood this so well. She knew that no matter what happened, the reassurance was something that even Hawi needed. Sure, Hawi wasn''t as vocal with it as Ruru but even the blind could feel the aura around Hawi. She was anxious not knowing how this would turn out for them and no matter what happened it was a choice that would breed better situations for the both of them, right? "No, Rukiya. Hawi managed to make peace with the one thing that has been haunting her over the years so she is not dying. She never was. She misses the white wolf. The only person who can kill her is me. "¡­ And I can''t do that without the long chain ofmand''s approval. And before you have my head into the ground, I wouldn''t obey them for this one, despite the consequences that would follow. "You and I both know she is unhinged and special in ways that none of us could everprehend. She is never going to die, so you don''t have to worry about that. The queen will live until the end of time with you beside her," Malika said. Hawi looked at Ruru, the smile on her face so evident. She had never been happier to hear those words.@@novelbin@@ Sure, this also meant they would spend their lives fighting the impossible demons, but that was honestly a better option than standing here and hoping that the deities would have mercy on them and their desires for the future. "Now that makes me feel better. We can keep going up the staircase," Ruru said as she looked at the long ass walk that was sitting for them. She hated these stairs but none of that would ever match the excitement she had after knowing that forever was almost worth holding on to this time. Perhaps the universe was not that and all the time, right? "Actually¡­ we never really lost our powers. I just dampened them to be sure Hawi was brave enough to lead us up there," Malika said as she stepped a few steps back. It was like she was expecting a tornado, but was that it? "Oh, that''s alright. It''s not that it could be helped¡­ WHAT?" Ruru asked, her tone going from calm to raging really fast. "Yup, that''s my cue to leave. See you at the top, mistress," Malika said as she created a portal and disappeared through it right as Ruru jumped at her, the rage so evident. She couldn''t believe that this was happening to them. "Please tell me you heard what that damned protector said," Ruru stated and Hawi looked at the stairs and then at her mate. She knew this was an expected reaction, but it had been a while since she had been with Ruru just to spend a moment alone without her mother lingering in her head. Now that she looked at her mate, Hawi felt something she had never felt before. It was like she was finally seeing the result of what the band had given her and boy was she falling in love again. This time she didn''t have doubts. She wasn''t scared of what the future held for the both of them. She wasn''t worried about losing it all because her mother was okay. And she could be okay too. She had a real shot at happiness and she wouldn''t ever let anyone take that away from her. "What did she say?" Hawi teased and Ruru red at her. "You lit¡ª" "Mine," Hawi said as she shut up Ruru with a searing kiss. It was like this was the first time she was kissing Rukiya Greyson as a free woman and boy was it worth the wait and everything else. Hawi felt like she didn''t have a burden on her shoulders anymore. She felt light like this was the first breath of air she was taking. She felt like she was capable of doing anything they wanted her to do withoutining. Breathing in Ruru''svender scent made Hawi happier. She had always had wishes, wishes to love and hold. Wishes to cherish and never let go. Wishes to never let everything disappear and now that she had Rukiya Greyson, she was never leaving her. Enjoy more content from empire This woman was her light and love. She was her bane and strength and nothing would take that away from her anymore. "I¡­ What was that f¡­'' Ruru struggled to ask as her head felt lighter and her legs felt jelly and weak. She hadn''t been kissed like that since she had started knowing about kisses and Ruru couldn''t deny that something had changed. "You''re so fucking beautiful, Princessa. So beautiful and mine, just mine,'''' Hawi said to a confused Ruru, before capturing her lips in a kiss again. This time, it was rough on the edges, the kind of kiss that got Hawi holding so tightly onto Ruru like the world was about to keep them apart. It felt like a lot of things jumbled up altogether and Ruru didn''t try to resist it. She didn''t want to. She wanted to be held that rightly, and kissed senseless for hours on end. The world could go on a fucking break if it had to, because, to Ruru, this was what perfection was like. "Nothing¡­ I just wanted to taste the woman I love," Hawi sand "and before Ruru could say another word, she suddenly sat on the stair step, with Hawi spreading her legs roughly yet gently. It was an insane feeling, one that Ruru wasn''t familiar with. If she was being honest, this side of Hair was raw, unfiltered and she had so much yearning for Ruru in her eyes, something that Rukiya Greyson would never forget. Hawi had looked at her in all the ways that screamed love and just, but this was different. "I''ll have a taste¡­" Hawi said, her words lingering as a confused Ruru tried to make it all make sense. But then she wasn''t even able to, because one moment, Hawi was talking to her, and the next, Hawi had stripped herce panties and was eating her cunt out. "Oh¡­ Oh shit¡­ oookaayy?" Ruru let out before she eventually learned that heaven could actually look like someone. Hawi. "I''m jealous of myself," Hawi asked along the way before diving back in. Chapter 433 We All Need Someone To Stay [HAWI] "Hop on, my beautiful," Hawi said to Ruru who was still ring at her. She couldn''t believe that she had orgasmed four times and Hawi still managed to force a fifth one out of her. It was not what Ruru had nned for, and definitely not here. No matter how things got, there was no telling when Hawi would dive and eat her up. Oh, she wasn''tining, alright, but she couldn''t walk and Hawi knew that too. "You didn''t just ask me that," Ruru said as she looked at Hawi. "I love you, always," Hawi remembered and Ruru blushed as Hawi carried her bridal style before they rushed past the stairs, up to the sacred temple, where Ruru was not sure she was even ready to walk. "Give me a minute, please," Ruru said to Malika when Hawi settled her down on the ground. Ruru was not sure what she looked like at the moment, but she had a feeling that by the judgy gaze that Malika was giving the both of them, she didn''t look too pretty for them. Everything else was just making noise to her and she wasn''t sure if she was ready for this. Oh, Ruru wanted to disappear, but she had Hawi to stay beside her. It was like there was nothing she was to be scared of. Then again, Ruru wasn''t scared, she was just flustered. "She looks so damn beautiful, right? Have you ever seen her like that too?... To think that all these years I''ve been with her and never really paid attention to her as I should have. I bet I''m the luckiest person in the universe right now," Hawi said. Malika looked at her like she couldn''t believe this was happening. Of all the ces, why did it have to be here, when they were probably about to get thief hands on the worst of the worst people? Stay connected through empire "I''m not answering that, Hawi," Malika said and Hawi just chuckled. She knew Malika had given the right answer because if Malika said she looked at Ruru differently, there would be a lot for them to work through. No matter how close they had gotten and how much they had gone through together, hair wouldn''t take anything that meant disrespect to her mate. Well, perhaps it wasn''t like that, but for Hawi, it was what she needed not to hear from her protector. "You look happier. The smile reaches your eyes this time. I''m sorry it took me too long to notice," Malika apologized as Hawi held Ruru gently, waiting for her to regain her bnce. She didn''t mind because this meant that she would be around her mate for a few more minutes. Maybe she was insane for that but if anyone saw the hearts in Hawi''s eyes when she was around Ruru, they would think the same too. This was a different Hawi and everyone could see clearly who her heart had chosen and how proud she was of her body with Ruru. Hawi was whipped; it was achingly obvious. If she had been possessive earlier about Ruru, there was no telling what she would do to anyone who looked at her Ruru differently. Perhaps this was what her freedom really looked like and Malika loved that for her. "If I had opened up to you in the freends that day, all would have been better. Perhaps it had to be like that. We shouldn''t think of the past, Malika. Let''s focus on eliminating the bastards that think they can just take everything and we will forgive them," Hawi said earnestly. She had not thought much about the mission in the past few seconds but from what she had in mind, she knew what to do and where to look. Perhaps it would be okay for the both of them to get through this together, right? "You''re right, Malika. She looks happier. If she wasn''t mine, I would have fought her mate to the death just to have a minute with her," Ruru admitted and this time, Hawi smiled heartily at her mate. She had heard everything from Ruru before but she couldn''t deny that this was the first time she was truly internalizing it. All those years it was like someone had ced a block between her and Ruru, one that controlled the emotion and made sure that Hawi hadn''t managed to express herself fully to Ruru. That wasn''t an issue this time though, because everything could go to shit and they would be left standing here. "Are you okay now?" Hawi asked once Ruru stood confidently. She loved the long hair on Ruru, the dark eyes that looked at her like she was the center of her universe. Hawi loved the way the woman was built and it had taken every ounce of her self-control not to mount Ruru on the stairs. She had wanted to, so badly that right now, she was sure she had blue balls. But then what mattered was that she was here and free. She didn''t have anything to run away from, or even ghosts to deal with, she didn''t have pain pulling her back. She had managed to get to the side of life where everything is blooming.@@novelbin@@ Funny how she was happy that things were blooming and they were right in the middle of a bloody war. A war with the outcasts of the realm and a bear with the people she was never going to lose anyone else to. "Never been better," Ruru said as she sensually licked her lips. "How about we win this war then you can fuck each other away from my innocent eyes, pretty please?" Malika begged and Hawi let out augh at how dramatic her protector was. Well to be fair, Malika read them right. She was so close to losing her mind by just standing next to Ruru. Their scents that had emerged was making Hawi think about spending the entire day and eyes with Ruru in bed, beside her. Just mating, marking, mating and marking until the end of time. Oh, but it was a beautiful fantasy that was twirling in Hawi''s head. Perhaps she could make that a reality once she was done with this battle for real. "You''re such a party pooper," Hawi teased right before they heard a sound in the nearing bushes. It''s crazy how the temple was so high up and someone still managed to take these stairs toe and hide. Surely, there were better and more ideal ces for them to hide, right? Well, no one could be med because this temple was filled with old treasures. But then was anyone ever here for the treasure or were they here for good fortune? "Did you hear that?" Ruru asked and Malika looked around in the direction of the bushes. She didn''t have anything to fear anymore now that Hawi was in her full form and free. Malika knew Hawi would keep her safe, so she went to see for herself what was there. "Yup. I would know that stench from anywhere. I just didn''t expect that he was the first one I''d see or hear from this time," Hawi said disappointedly as she stared in the direction Malika went. "Your mother was truly out of names to have named you Sebastian¡­ but that is not even important right now. Why are you here, Sebastian? Come to see if I''m hoarding more treasure?" Hawi asked with a chuckle. Chapter 435 Taking It Real Slow [HAWI] "Hey, Seb," Hawi called out and the man instantly turned back with a furrowed brow. "You never call me Seb," the warlock noticed and Hawi just smiled right as Malika threw a punch at the man and knocked him out. Rukiya looked at Hawi and Malika, shock clear on her face as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing, she knew her mate and the protractor are batshit crazy, but a part of her always hoped that the crazies didn''t always go full-on psycho. Hell, she had seen Hawi vibe with the man, so what the fuck had changed along the way? "What the hell did you do that for? Weent you talking like old friends a few minutes ago?!" Rukiya shrieked as she looked at the passed-out warlock on the ground. The man was bleeding on his head and Ruru felt terrible for him. The poor man had probably trulye here for a treasure hunt and found himself in the hands of the psychos of all psychos. Ruru didn''t understand and it was confusing as hell for him no matter what the fuck happened there. There had to be a reason, right? "Fuck. It''s been a while since I punched the shit out of a warlock. I should do that more often. I missed the crunchy sound of their fucked-up brains and their useless bodies every time., or I should go on a warlock hunt. Read new chapters at empire "What do you think, mistress?" Malika asked excitedly as she hovered over Seb who was still unconscious. There was nothing that could tell Ruru what the fuck was going on here but judging by the spite in Malika''s voice, perhaps the man had been someone they needed to take out? Well, it was not even getting easier for her mind at the moment. "I think we should take a few steps back before his apparent treasure hunters show up for him. Perhaps we can grill his mind and see what''s in there?" Hawi asked like she was talking about the weather. This was insanity at best and Ruru was still feeling wobbly. Granted, she would fight if she needed to but she just needed to jumpstart a little. Maybe it would take a while for her, but her pending question got her thinking about a lot of things. "Who is he, Hawi? Why did you let Malika punch him like that?" Ruru asked again. "He''s a Russel, baby. The eldest of them all¡­ Sebastian Russel," Hawi stated and Ruru sighed. She had been hoping that the day would go on well and that the mission would be a little more fun, But meeting the Russel like this made her wonder what was next. "Bet he didn''t see that oneing," Malika said as she fist-bumped the air. She looked lively, a little too lively for someone who had punched the shit out of another. It was like she had waited years to do that. "Are you fucking serious?" Ruru asked. "What? Who knows if he had a hand in manipting my sister''s mate bond and forced my Lili to be mated to his psycho sister? And by the way, for someone who always looks out for Mbali, his sister sure is missing. "Can I kick him a little more mistress?" Malika asked and Ruru facepalmed. The Russels had fucked up the already insane people she knew and now they were creating real-time monsters. This was more than just about vengeance and power. There was more to this, and as interesting as it was to always be on the murdering team, Ruru felt like it was her responsibility as the only sane one to make sure that everything was alright with the team. They were all psychos, including her, but she was the white wolf''s mate for a reason and perhaps she could make them see sense right? "I say we fry him and then ask him questions; he might turn out better than Atticus did. Who knows, we could have another Russel bastard under our belt. Perhaps we should start a count on how many we have killed already, right?" Hawi asked casually. To her, this man was nothing other than just a pain in her ass and with everything that had been holding her back, everything had been making her feel like the world was giving her a lot of shit to deal with. Hawi was free to think.@@novelbin@@ Looking at Sebastian, she hated the reality this man had thrust her into. She hated that she had known him and even gone on missions with him. She despised the fact that the man had been somewhat of a friend to her. She despised traitors and yet each day she seemed to be unlocking a newer bout of them. They were endless and she despised everything about this. But at least she was sure that she was never going to be alone. "That wouldn''t be easy. He is well-trained. Didn''t you read the books on the worst warlocks to ever live and how they trained their kids? The firstborns always had it the worst and they turned into worse psychos than everyone else," Malika stated. She was not going to sugarcoat anything because their war was still on and they were not even halfway to the peace they were all aiming for. The only barrier between them consisted of siblings who didn''t know when to give up. Oh, how Malika despised the Russel siblings. She wanted to make sure that they never saw the light of the day but then those fuckers always found ways to rise. It was even surprising that he had managed to kill Atticus and Razia without a hitch. "Ah fuck¡­ cut off a head and two more will grow in its ce. How about we cripple him so he won''t die but he won''t be able to use his magic?" Hawi asked excitedly, her tone telling Ruru that they had long crossed the line between sanity and insanity. Ruru wanted to keep her mate safe from everything. She wanted to make sure that the world didn''t make a monster out of the love of her life and yet each day, Ruru was learning that Hawi would always have greater battles to fight than the rest of them. Hawi was a warrior in one too many ways and the best of them all in every capacity. Even if she didn''t want to be a monster and make life a little too hard for everyone and anyone who was not on her side. Fate was determined to make her that. The universe was messing with her life in one too many ways, not that there was anything that Hawi could do about that. Rukiya felt defeated as she watched them talk about Sebastian like the man was just a pea in a pod. Whatever the fuck happened to slowing down and making things right one at a time? Was that all something that they could only ever imagine or was it never going to be worth it at the end of the day then? "Exactly. He should be waking up anytime now. Perhaps he can answer the question of where my Mbali is before we find the remaining siblings yeah?" Malika said with augh and Hawi joined in maniacally. Meanwhile, Ruru just stood there wondering if she was trapped in another world. Chapter 437 Take Me To Church [HAWI] "Is he really not going to wake up even after realizing what a mess he is about to be in?" Malika asked as she watched the man on the ground not even move. It was almost like he was desperate to have Hawi stomp on his face, a truth that wasn''t so truthful at the moment. But then it wasn''t like anyone cared about that right now. They needed answers and this bastard was one of the many bastards with the answers they needed. Funny how the sacred ind, the one ce that was supposed to link the Savasci knights with their humanity had be the one ce where they had unlocked all their crazies. His was what their normal once was and Ruru had been hoping for something different. However, a part of her was d that she got Hawi back. She could deal with every version of Hawi except a self-hating and self-despising Hawi. That was the one person that Ruru hated and she hoped that this version that he was seeing wouldst longer than all the chaos that had dealt with over the years. She hated that version of Hawi and she was willing to sacrifice the entirety of Greyson just to make sure that he didn''t see her again.@@novelbin@@ "Maybe we should consider ying rock, paper and scissors. Each time I lose we step on his face and each time I win, we bite off his fingers, right?" Hawi suggested and Malika starred in excitement. Oh, she had even definitely missed the unhinged version of Hawi, it wasn''t what she had imagined when they came to this ce, but everything turned out way better than anything. It was like life was worth living in so many dimensions and this was just one of them. "We have nothing left to lose anyway. But to make it all so exciting, let''s use the magic de that leaves a thousand cuts on the body that should be enough to wake him up," Malika said. Hawi nodded before they started ying the most dangerous game for all of humankind. This was insanity at best, it is unhinged in one too many ways but what else was there for them when they had all the time in the world to eliminate the Russels? When Luna Eni had disappeared, Hawi had be free and at the same time, Malika had fortified the ind to the point that no amount of magic would be released out here. The only person who could get them all out of the ind was Hawi, and only if she gave Malika the order, or they would be stuck here it was interesting and exciting and dangerous but it wasn''t like these people were saints anyway. "Rock, paper, scissors," Hawi said and Malika excitedly positioned herself. When she was released, Hawi had paper, and Malika had scissors, which meant that Malia won the first round. "Well, well, well. I won. So, we get to slice him up! I love this game!" Malika said as she grabbed the de and pointed it towards Sebastian''s'' neck, ready to get the man the worst pain that anyone could ever feel. It wasn''t nice, but it was worth it. "A little closer to the visible artery,'''' Hawi said and Malika chuckled safely. She was loving this truly and she was excited to see how long Sebastian could y things out. Malika could already hear the erratic heartbeats of Seb and she wanted to ruin the man. No matter what happened along the way, she would always be excited to see the woman or the person who would bring down the Russels. So many protectors had tried to defeat the Russels and they had spectacrly failed. However, the psycho with zero normal brain cells beside her had managed to take out three of them in less than two years. Hawi''s progress was like a breath of fresh air to the realm and Malika had a lot of faith in her. It was exciting to be around her. "Here?" Malika asked as she pointed the de against Sebastian''s neck. "Wait!" Ruru said and Malika groaned as she looked at Hawi who stared at her mate amusedly. Hawi had seen how Ruru had gotten ufortable with the situation and she loved that one of them still had her humanity intact. Hawi wasn''t sure what she would do to the Rules but she knew she could do worse and make them wish for a quick death, which she was never going to give them. Ruru was the only good thing in her life and she loved the fact that Ruru was trying to stay sane for the three of them. It wasmendable really, given Rukiya Greyson was also known as the insane alpha on her side of the realm. She was always naked second to Hawi''s intensity, which was nothing good. Perhaps the self-control that Ruru had at the moment was all they needed to, right? "What is it, baby?" Hawi asked, her tone dragging as she watched the man who was busy pretending on the ground. Or maybe Sebastian was hoping that they would be distracted long enough for him to find a way out of this ce. It was a terrible idea for the man, but anyone stuck with the crazed psychos could only ever think of their freedom in cases like these. It wasn''t what anyone would have thought of but what else was there for him? "Don''t you with his life like that¡­ he may be a bad person but that is not who you are, Hawi. You can''t let himfort both of your rage like that, he doesn''t deserve your attention," Ruru said and Hawi looked at her mate like they had lost her mind. Surely there was no way that Ruru was siding with their enemies, right? It just didn''t make any sense, no matter how inhumane they had gotten. It didn''t matter because at the end of the day, these people were the worst. "You have to be joking, right? These people took half your army from you. They took your best friend and eliminated every ounce of love that you could have grown up with and you''re defending them?" Malika asked with a chuckle. She wasn''t even angry at the situation right now. She was simply amazed that of all the people who would have wanted to see the Russels alive, her Ruru had to be one of them. If this was a part of some sort of a cult, then it was the dumbest of them all, because no one in their right mind would ever consider forgiving the bastards who were with them. This is impossible and if Malika was being honest, she wasn''t buying this bullshit. "I know what he did, but you need to focus on me, Hawi. We are so close to a better life baby. We are so close to our freedom. We are so close to being rid of the anger and rage. "We can''t go back to that because of a bastard like this, please don''t let him take that away from you, please?" Ruru pleaded and this time, Hawi chucked emptily. This was insane and one of the worst things she had ever imagined she would have had to deal with. She expected this shit from everyone but the love of her life and the one who had experienced another greater loss. All of this was not making sense to her. What the fuck was Rukiya Greyson ying at? Chapter 440 No Tears Left To Cry [HAWI] "Or we could just kill you since you''re the only weak link to the crazy psycho," Alex said and they all looked at him like he had lost his mind even though they were all thinking the same thing. "What? Don''t tell me we came all this way for a family reunion with the girl whose mother we killed indirectly," Alex added as if to prove a point. He hated everything that his siblings had forced him to join and he wanted out. However, he couldn''t get out right now because three of their siblings were dead and these women were the yers in that mess. There was just no way to tell what the fuck woulde from them next and Alex hated it. He despised the fact that they had been bested and her family had been split into half. Maybe if they had killed the baby before Razia went back to Greyson they wouldn''t have had to deal with all of this, but then they were way past that point and they needed to manage all of this. "For someone who has been hiding his entire life, you look a little too brave, Alexander Russel. Or should I call you ''Xander the bitch'' seeing as you stayed indoors through the years while the other came to fight me and lose? "Well, they did lose but at least they showed up," Malika stated as she and Hawi walked towards the Russell siblings. Hawi could see the way they were not even bothered. Hell, even Amina looked like she had better pales to be and that got Hawi wondering if this woman knew where Mbali was. That would help their case, but at the same time, she had a feeling that Malika would choose to work on the mission first and then find her sisterter.@@novelbin@@ Besides there was always going to be a thin line between sanity and insanity and right now they were looking at everything that could have been wrong and right with them at the same time. Perhaps if they hadn''t been born to murder each other, they would have been friends and even formed the most powerful alliances, no? Then again, someone had to be the bad guy and someone had to be the euro or the universe wouldn''t have been bnced. Stay connected through empire Oh, what a pity. "We didn''te here for lectures. Decide if you''re killing Razia''s daughter or if we are killing the woman first. Whichever it is, make it quick. I have other things to deal with like my Perihan instead of being here with a lot of you fighting for shit that doesn''t even matter as much," Trey said and his siblings sighed. They couldn''t me the man though, he had always hoped to find the love of his life and this was just reducing his chances at that, for some reason, trey was determined to find his mate and he wanted to make things right. That was strange as hell seeing as he had hibernated for years and years. Or maybe it was because he had seen just how Amina had worked to make things right between her and Mbali. But did Amina even know that Mbali was dead or was she ying coy and was making the rules of their damned engagement at the moment? "With that brain, it''s no surprise you are the hidden one," Hawi said as she looked at Trey. She could see the man had been tracking for years but she didn''t look the least bit bothered by all of this. "I thought it was Alex with the way he was talking, but then looks like exposure couldn''t even open their brains that well," Malika said and Ruru snickered, making Sebastian st Ruru with his magic, making Ruru let out a known chuckle. "I guess my work is done here¡­ I''m hungry, Hawi," Ruru said with a pout as she dusted herself, making the Russels stare at her like she had lost her mind, the magic she had been sted with had to have hurt, and yet her focus was on food. Trey was confused but then it took him a moment to realize what Ruru had just said, before his eyes went wide realization. Their niece had been setting them up and it had worked because everyone knew no one embossed with anyone that Hawi loved. "Are you okay?" Hawi asked and Ruru just smiled. "No¡­ I''m hungry. Can you get me food, please?" Ruru requested and Hawi pulled her into a hug, while Malika was shocking Sebastian with her magic. Everything had happened a little too fast and none of them had had time to think. The only obvious mistake that the Russels had made was to take a jab at the psycho''s mate, now they had to deal with the consequences of it all. None of this was going to be better for a long while, and they all knew that here. "Fucking hell," Trey said while Amina watched in amusement as Sebastian, who was supposed to be the strongest of them all was forced to his knees by Malika. The girl was tight, but it wasn''t the kind that was meant to kill him in an instant. Everyone already knew that the Savasci knights never killed the people they despised the most. They always tortured the shit out of them and made life something like an illusion to the point that none of them would ever have considered taking a breather from it all. The chaos was something that came with them but then here they were, with Ruru hurting in silence white Hawi tried to make it better for them. "There''s going to be some blood bath here, Ruru, and as much as I would love for you to join the fight, you can''t this time, baby. Only at least until you eat and get enough rest. Let me take care of you, alright?" Hawi said, like there wasn''t already a band of misfits in the distance. She wanted to make sure her mate wasfortable. Ruru may have been powerful and very defensive of Hawi, but at the end of the day, she was Hawi''s love and Hawi wasn''t about to get her out there like this. "I know¡­ Go on. I''ll join you once I regain my strength," Ruru said and Hawi sighed. However, she didn''t want to ruin their little moment, so she just kissed Ruru on the lips, before she created a barrier around Ruru. It was the kind of barrier with a bed for Ruru toy on, nkets and a table with food. It was every girl''s dream, and Hawi was handing it to her selflessly. The barrier was also meant to make sure that none of the psychos they were about to fight could ever try to mess with Ruru this time. It is already a night that Sebastian had tried but then he would pay the price for that regardless. "I love you, never forget that," Hawi said earnestly as she got up to leave. "Go get them, baby," Ruru shooed and Hawi smirked knowingly, before she created a portal to Sicario and sent Ruru through, surprising not only Ruru but also Malika. This was definitely not part of the n, but Hawi wasn''t going to lose this battle today. "Heard you wanted a piece of me. Come get it then." Chapter 442 When Crazy Meets Psych Patient [HAWI] At Malika''s statement, Hawi signaled Amina with her hand as if to tell the woman that they needed to hold on for a moment and catch their breaths. She looked like she had heard Malika wrong and she wanted rification. "I said hold it¡­ We will keep on fighting for the next minute. Catch a breath, woman," Hawi said casually and Amina sighed, she hadn''t imagined that this psycho would be this crazy, but then it wasn''t like she had expected the unusual form from them. "Why the hell are you pausing?" Malika asked as she stared at Hawi, as if she was trying to understand the woman too, but then again deep down they knew it was hard understanding Awuor Hawi. "I just sent her home. It''s not like I could let her fight these savages with us? Why would she leave me with blue balls?" Hawi asked and Amina could have sworn their entire lives were a joke to Hawi, which was true, but she had probably hoped otherwise. Trey and Alex who were fighting Malika looked alike whenever they heard such absurdities in their lives. This was insanity at its peak and Hawi was not even joking when she stopped fighting Amina and walked over to where Malika was. "Isn''t that how rtionships are supposed to work?" she asked nobody in particr as she stared at Malika who was exasperated, there was always something with Awuor Hawi and he was one of them. Then again the woman always knew what was best. "When you''re in a rtionship, you listen to what the other person wants and youe to a consensus instead of pushing them away," Malika said as she looked at the Russels, hoping that one of them would answer that for Hawi. "Is what she''s saying true? I know we are supposed to be killing each other but do you guys think I''ll not getid when we get home?" Hawi asked seriously as she looked at the Russels who were not sure if this was just some game. However, they could see that she was genuinely interested in the topic, which was even more unsettling because this wasn''t the kind of shit that they had enacted to deal with at the moment. Maybe there was another you through this. "You are crazy, both of you," Alex said as he twisted his leg back into position and tried to use his magic to heal himself. It wasn''t easy but it would take some time even if he was helped, but she had a feeling that that wasn''t important at the moment. "Come on, man. Help a girl out," Hawi said and Sebastian coughed as he sat up, regaining consciousness. His siblings and the two Savasci knights had been fighting for ten minutes now, though Seb hadn''t expected to wake up to a truce. Was this some sort of a game for them or were they just bonkers because frankly, there didn''t seem to be a fight going on here and they needed to take that chance. Then again, as Seb looked at his siblings he could see that they were not free at the same time. "What is happening here?" Sebastian asked and Amina stared at Hawi as if to tell the women to exin the situation in even better words for them. This woman was unhinged in one too many ways and even mania had never seen such. "Go on¡­ tell him, maybe he has the answer you seek," Amina said to Hawi who looked at her hopefully. She looked like Sebastian was her only hope out of this, it was do dumb idea but what else could Hawi do when she needed answers? "You sure he might have the answer?" Hawi asked hopefully. "Of course. I know he has the answer," Amina urged and Hawi nodded hopefully. Trey and Alex were watching in shock while Malika was watching in amusement. It was interesting what Hawi was capable of, however dumb and unhinged. "Alright," Hawi said before turning to Sebastian, "do you think Ruru will not want me back because I sent her home so that she couldn''t join the fight?" "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Sebastian asked, clearly not understanding shit about the situation. How the fuck how they had gone from wanting each other dead to this¡­ whatever this was? "Dude, answer her, we need to get going and we can''t do that unless we fight them," Alex said grumpily and Sebastian sighed. He had never subscribed to this shit and the fact that Hawi was asking in the kindest of tones didn''t make him feel any better. "Did you think she was weak to fight?" Sebastian asked defeatedly as she struggled to get up. Malika had made him feel a lot of things and while Seb wanted to go to Malika right now, he needed to take advantage of this little truce to recharge his strength. "No¡­ she is strong but you are her rtives and it won''t be fair for her to see me kill all of you. I don''t want her to have nightmares about this so I sent her home in a nice bed and with food. Surely she understands right?" Hawi said and Sebastian looked at the skies. There was a difference between insanity and Awuor Hawi. While Malika was enjoying the shit show, Sebastian was determined to pray to the goddess to open the skies and take him. This wasn''t what he had subscribed to when he was told about the woman. "Goddess take my life, pretty please," Sebastian huffed defeatedly, looking between the skies and the temple as if he was about to get his answer while the others were defeated and Malika was watching amusedly. "That is an answer, right?" Hawi asked earnestly. "Kill me, please, Sicario," Sebastian said and Amina snickered. They had been in all sorts of difficult situations but this had to top them all. There was just no way it was real and that they were witnessing this. "I definitely will, but help me with an answer, please," Hawi said like it was the most normal thing and this time, Malika burst out inughter as she watched Sebastian''s horrified face. Experience tales at empire It was like the man had met the grim reaper, only that this particr grim reaper wasn''t right in the head and didn''t know what the fuck was the difference between right and something they needed to work out. "Gids are you an infuriating mess!!" Sebastian sighed as he got up and gently grabbed Hawi by the cor, looking into her eyes only to see her desperation with the issue at hand like she truly needed his help. "Listen, and listen well, Sicario," Sebastian said and Hawi nodded excitedly as she kept her focus on the Russel warrior. Maybe she was risking everything, but then Hawi was immortal and couldn''t be harmed by any sort of magic in the realm. "You sent her away, but you didn''t exin to her shit. So, she will definitely be mad at you, but you can fix that if you be a nice person and take her out on dates and all that shit that partners like. If you fail then you will lose her," Sebastian exined. "Well, damn. I really messed up, didn''t I?" Hawi stated. "You did."@@novelbin@@ "Well, thank you for the tips, Sebastian. Now we can go back to fighting," Hawi said as she punched Sebastian in the throat, forcing the warlock a few steps back with a broken trachea like they hadn''t been closed barely seconds ago. Chapter 445 Nothing Was Impossible With Them [SICARIO] "Did I have too much to drink or are things falling from the sky?" Elodie asked as she looked outside. She had never seen shit like this. Hell, even when Drew and his huge ass ship made it to Sicario there was nothing like this. This right here was insanity at best and Elodie wasn''t sure if this was real or if they were trapped in some state they needed to work their way around. Whatever the fuck was going on here wasn''t good and she needed to snap out of it. "No, I''m seeing the s¨C" Theo began before she returned to look at his alpha, the stench of the beer at the local taverns hitting their noses. He hadn''t expected this, but then again it wasn''t like anything had been normal since Hawi had left. They had been running on straws and were doing their best to make it through the day. Maybe they just needed to hold on for a little longer, maybe they would be fine then, right? Besides it wasn''t like they were about to get to the end of this damned world, right? "You reek,'''' Theo said to his alpha who just stared at him as if to ask if that was the only thing he had in mind, Hudhayfah on the other hand was watching the shit that was falling from the sky and it was hard to exin. He knew that things that only the crazies sent woulde through, yet at the same time, it made no sense that How would send in a ship and then send in a bed as if Sicario was running low on bets. All of this was confusing as hell but then suddenly everything stopped. The time stopped and it was just Elodie and Hudhayfah who could move. "I am definitely high on shit this time. Did everyone just stop, or should I seek a therapist''s attention?" Elodie asked when she walked out of the pack house corridor and stepped into the field that was right before them. This was the same field that had a broken bed and the same field that seemed to have everyone frozen. Hell, even the trees were not swaying and the winds couldn''t be felt. "I think we just triggered something evil?" Hudhayfah said even though it came off as a question rather than what he had intended for it to be. But even if there was some other intention behind all of this, there was no valid exnation for the kind of things they were seeing at the moment. It was like someone was fucking with them, which was really daring because all the enemies of Sicario had either been apprehended or had steered clear of the pack in every way. This was insanity at best, and it was a strange thing that got Elodie and Hudhayfah staring at the beauty that was Sicario. Granted time has stopped, but damn if this was the reality. This pack had already gone through hell and even to hell itself and now they were stopping time? What the fuck were they even on? "I don''t think so. I read the old books and thest time something like this happened the white wolf''s mate was where she didn''t need to be. Maybe it''s just Hawi''s way of getting Ruru safe," Elodie said and Hudhayfah looked at her surprised. It was almost like she was speaking a newnguage that interested him. Hudhayfah had lived long enough to know the history books by heart and he had already thought of that possibility, but he was worried that saying that would get Leode worried. Funny how that worked for them when she had been keen with her books. Perhaps that was what life was meant to be about, right? "So, you do read?" Hudhayfah stated and Elodie chuckled. "Come, we don''t know what is happening and we can''t stay in a frozen Sicario for the longest time," Elodie said right as they heard Farida calling out Hudhayfah''s name. She wounded so frantic and worried that the duo rushed to where she was. "What happened Farida?" Hudhayfah asked as he looked at the woman who looked like she had been having the worst of days suddenly. Life was good in Sicario and since He had mended it, they truly had no reason to be worried. They had been living life that many packs had long wished for and never were able to make real. It was a gamble with the worst of the fates and yet here, in this moment, the only thing that mattered was the fact that they had defied a lot and got to this point. But was that all there ever was to their bond or was this it''s another game by the fates for them? "I think I have Rukiya Greyson in my house. I may be hallucinating but she looks awfully like Hawi''s mate. I hope I''m high on shit, because she looks so angry like she could tear me limb from limb," Farida said and Hudhayfah sighed. Of course, only Rukiya Greyson could be doing that and scare the woman that much. Well, they had to go check it out before the timer stopped because there was only one other exnation for that and frankly, it didn''t look too good, because that would mean that Sicario would brace for war again. Oh, to be in a peaceful Sicario for just five months. "That is the craziest shit I''ve heard since learning my sister was alive. Let''s see for ourselves, perhaps she can also exin why the fuck Mbali is unconscious in her room," Elodie said as she led the way to the ice cream vendor''s house. She was not even over the fact that Mbali was here, and now there was a chance that a raging Rukiya Greyson was here with them. There had been levels to insanity with Hawi and the Savasci knights, but then it was impossible to tell which side was crazier because each day life was giving them the worst of the word. It was like there was smoke that they could deal with and life itself was not as kind as they had imagined. "I don''t even know what to think," Farida said as she looked at her and the alpha. So much was sharpening in Sicario that even though time had stopped there was no telling what to expect. Explore more adventures at empire@@novelbin@@ If anything, at the moment they could have asked thieves why the fuck the three of them and Ruru were the only ones who were able to move around instead of everyone else. But then they had seen their fair share of impossible to not even question it at this moment. No one knew what any of that would ever mean, and if they were being honest, perhaps it would have been better if they didn''t know as much because that would make their lives a tad bit easier. "We''re here," Farida said as she stepped back. She couldn''t find herself walking in there because the moment she had seen Ruru, she had run to look for help in exining whatever the fuck was going on here. Maybe she was a coward for that, but it would have been easier if the person in question wasn''t one of the craziest creatures that the realm had brought into existence to eradicate all evil. "Create me a damn portal to the sacred ind, Hudhayfah. And be fast with it." Chapter 448 No Matter What Happens… Always * You can refresh the past chapters now, this is edited along with the others. Thank you for your patience. [SICARIO] All her life, Rukiya Greyson never knew calming down could be such a daunting task. After apologizing to Farida for the way she had fucked up her house, Ruru tried to fix it with magic, before she began her breathing lessons as by Hudhayfah. She had tried and tried, but thirty minutester, she was done trying, she hated failing and this was what it was for her. She looked at the people of Secor and she knew Hawi wouldn''t have liked this so she tried again, only to fail. Defeatedly, she walked to the pack house, to Hawi''s chamber that had her scanned print reads. Only when she was locked in Hawi''s chambers did the time move forward. That was the only room that only Ruru and Hawi could open to allow others in, so the moment Ruru walked in and the door shut behind her so harshly, there was no knowing what the fuck had happened. "What did we say about Mbali? She seems to think Mbali is missing and apparently the sailors are safe. What the fuck is going on, healer?" Elodie asked frustratedly as she looked at the door that had closed on them. Her friends had so many questions and the only person with the answers was locked in that room, definitely by magic, it just made no sense whatsoever to her and she was certain she would go crazy. She didn''t understand why the fuck Rukiya and the others would be looking for Mbali, and if there was a chance that Mbali''s time had been stopped like Ruru''s earlier. What if that was what was happening, but what were the chances that Ruru and Mbali shared the same fate? Oh, but this was not fair to them, not like they would ever be able to make things work any better for them. "A lot is going on in this realm that''s for sure. Let''s wait and see what happens with Mbali. Maybe now that Rukiya is here, she might be awake, or we can start nning the funeral at the moment," Hudhayfah said, not sure what the fuck they needed to do. He had lived so many lives and none of them had been thisplicated and unsettling. Maybe it is because everything was happening that day and they didn''t even have enough time to catch a break. This was nothing close to the dream they had all had. Perhaps it was their chance at a betta really, but then, that was never supposed to go like this. "How about Drew? He might know what is going on?" Elodie asked and Hudhayfah just shook his head. "I talked to him yesterday and he doesn''t understand anything happening. He said that all he did was follow instructions and everything was confusing as hell. He wasn''t lying¡­ I had magic to coerce him. "We just need to keep on going like nothing is wrong and hopefully this will eventually make sense," Hudhayfah said. Elodie stared in defeat. She was supposed to be the alpha, one of the strongest wolves in the pack but now that she thought of everything has needed, she wanted to disappear. Maybe she was a coward for thinking like that, but then it wasn''t like anyone would evere and console her or even make her understand the chaos and everything that was constantly happening to them. They just had to hope, but for how long? And what were the chances that it would all pay off? "Oh hey, there you are. Where did you go? The beds that fell from the sky are gone. Did we just hallucinate it all?" Theo interrupted, his words catching the attention of the trio. It was not usual for this to be happening, but they were in Sicario, right? "I think we are hallucinating, all of us," Elodie said as she patted Theo gently on his shoulders, making the warrior wonder what the hell was going on. It was hard to exin but then everyone would need answers for him. "It probably suits the Russels trying to throw things. Don''t worry too much and tell the rest of the pack members that everything is okay and there is no reason for them to be rmed," Hudhayfah added. Theo just nodded while they walked out of the pack house. *** While the team was trying to figure out what the hell was going on and make things better, Ruru was confused in Hawi''s chambers. Your next read awaits at empire Everything was not making sense to her, but the fact that everything in this room was calm as shit made her owner with this was the bed she had asked for. There was food on the table and it wasn''t food for a long time. There was still steaming from the te and food, so it was food that had been prepared a few moments ago. Ruru looked around, trying to see whether there was anything that could exin why the fuck she had been brought back to Sicario. She thought it was not making sense and the confusion was not helping her one bit. This was not how she had imagined that things would go but then what else could she do. "What are you up to, Hawi?" Ruru asked, looking around. Nothing was out of the ordinary here, and it made her wonder what the reason was for her to be here like this; it all didn''t make any sense and frankly, it got her worried.@@novelbin@@ "Where are the answers, Hawi?" Ruru asked no one in particr right before she heard a squeak from under the bed. The same bed that they shared with Hawi. It should have been creepy if she didn''t know that under the bed was a dungeon filled with prisoners and everything insane on the face of the realm. That is one hell of a dungeon and Ruru had never thought that she would ever go back there on her own. It wasplete and frankly, Ruru was scared on behalf of the prisoners there some of them had been there since the time Hawi had learned to talk and could hold her sword. It was a long time and yet they were still there for some reason. Maybe they weren''t the worst of the traitors, or maybe he just didn''t want to take them out just yet. It was quite a daring move for a woman who believed in vengeance and not forgiveness. Surely there had to be more to this, right? "The hell is happening?" Ruru asked as she tried to push the bed and a note suddenly appeared on the bed. ''Eat first, before you do anything. Malika says you will hate me, but I truly hope you don''t, and you understand why you had to go home. I love you more than life, my beautiful. With all my love, the mate you probably hate right now¡­ please don''t hate me.'' Ruru stared at the ck piece of paper with golden writings and she sighed her mate was a dramatic piece of ash and she loved her even then. She was crazy, but they could explore their crazies together, a reality that got Ruru smiling like sheep. "Fine¡­ as you wish," Ruru muttered and the letter disappeared, before she sat and began eating. She hadined of hunger earlier and it was interesting to know that the love of her life was never so forgetful. "The tunnel will open itself when you''re done. Whatever I See there I truly hope you don''t despise me. I love you, always. Hawi," another letter popped up and Ruru was curious to figure this out even more. She had never imagined that this kinda shit would happen, so she hurriedly cleared the dishes and drank water. It was almost like she could feel Hawi''s presence around her,forting her and still making her have even more questions. Hawi was far from home, and yet here in this room, she could feel her mate taking good care of her even when they were at war, and it was heartwarming and crazy at the same time, because of how it looked. Ruru wondered what had forced Hawi''s hand to this point and if there was a person that she needed to be protecting Hawi from. Maybe he was deported to find the faults or maybe Ruru was just worried for the love of her life. They had gone through a lot and needed a break, so this was her attempt at imagining that things would be alright even when the fates had tried their patience more than once and seeded. It wasn''t the best motivation, but it was the cold truth. "Let''s see what''s under here," Ruru whispered once she was done. She pushed the bed to reveal the entrance to the tunnels under Hawi''s room. It was something that she had never gotten used to because it never made any sense to her. However, right now, she felt like she needed to be there for Hawi''s shake and for her to figure out whatever the fuck was going on down there. It wasn''t easy and she had to hope and trust that all of this was worth something and that it wasn''t her family again. Ruru''s oath to Hawi may have faded what they were omitted, but then it didn''t make it any easier for her to sit by and watch people want to take the one thing that she loved with everything she had and didn''t have. This was the greatest gamble of all time, but she had to trust herself and Hawi right? Maybe that was why she willingly went into the tunnels that led to the dungeons, only that this tunnel led to a different dungeon. When she opened the door to that particr dungeon, Ruru felt the breath get knocked out of her lungs. "I always hoped you would find me," a familiar voice said and Ruru fell, unconscious. Chapter 449 They Wanted A Devil, So She Rose [HAWI] Hawi knew this wasn''t easy for Malika so she wasn''t even going to push. The fact that they were here and not home was enough proof to her that the war was taking a toll on them. They had been divided more than once and now on the worst battlefield, only she and Malika were left standing. It wasn''t easy especially with the risk of loss continuing with every breath that they took. They had sent everyone home, and away from the war that would consume them. It was a lonely risk and yet even then they struggled to hope and believe that someday they would go home. Experience tales with empire There was no talking when they would but hope was the one thing that was keeping them a little sane. "You can''t lose yourself if we''re going to find Mbali. The risks are not great right now but we have to at least have one alive to keep the truth intact. You know more than anyone how much Mbali loves Amina. "If you take her out then you will have a problem with Mbali and that is too great a risk to the bond of family and sisterhood that you fought to keep. Now focus, Malika," Hawi said as she pulled back from the hug. She knew this wasn''t the easiest thing for Malika and she understood her well. Hell, Hawi would burn the world for Elodie without so much as a second thought. But here and now, Amina was important to Mbali and as much as killing Amina was appealing, they needed to make sure Mbali didn''t hate Malika for that. It was too big a risk and it would keep them apart for ages. Hawi didn''t want that for the sisters. "They''re here for the Sifir," Malika said and Hawi looked at her as if she was talking in a differentnguage. However, it was obvious that whatever that was, it had to be so important that they risked ying games with Hawi and Malika just to get here. It was a costly trip one that Eman they would probably never be able to go home. This was not what Hawi had expected but then in this war, she had long learned to never hope for anything. Everyone here always had something to look for something that would make it easier for them to live their lives and it didn''t matter that there would be lives in danger along the way. The only thing that entered was that at the end of the day, there was a winning side. "What''s a Sifir, Malika?" Hawi asked and she went the way Sebastian and Amina were ring at Malika before they turned to look at the temple, almost like they were praying to the goddess that their brothers got whatever that was. It was a tough stage of the war and no matter how they looked at it, this was the war that would eat them up one by one until there was nothing left for them to consume. Fate was a bitch in one too many ways and it wasn''t surprising that they had gotten to this point. Perhaps there was no other way or image; this was their way out. But how important was this Sifir then? "A cipher to the Cezaevi, the only ce that can forever hold them if ever the white wolf decides not to kill them. The Cezaevi is a prison worse than death for creatures like them. "And from the way things are and their adamance, it seems like they have figured that you won''t kill them. Or perhaps they are trying their best to cover their bases," Malika said angrily as she watched Amina and Sebastian. She was mad at everything that had happened and that Amina hadn''t once asked her about her sister whether bitch was always singing about how she loved Mbali calling her sister ''princess'' and ''mi reina'' and a lot of pet names that never once made any sense to Malika. And yet even then, Malika had let everything be. She hadn''t tried toe between them because this psycho was the one person her sister had epted. It was not the best of things but Malika wanted to see her sister happy. Funny how her desire to see her sister happy hadnded her in a ce where the universe didn''t care about them or her sister. What the hell kind of bond was this that Malika and Amina shared then? "Well, well, well, isn''t that the best thing I have heard of since this war ever started," Hawi chuckled darkly as he looked at the temple. She knew what it meant to lose everything, how it felt to be on the side of history that had nothing of love and pain. She had suffered because of this particr family and if there was an eternal prison that she could send them to, and watch them suffer for all eternity, then that was an option Hawi was very much open to. The memory of her father in the Sicario dungeons because of Jer came back to her. The way her father had suffered, the pain she had felt when she stood there and watched helplessly as her father drifted in and out of consciousness, with just her name on his lips. She remembered how they had made her hate her father when in reality, her father was just another victim.@@novelbin@@ Oh, they had ruined her father. The rage that Hawi had felt that time came back and the clouds began gathering, as the skies grew darker in the morning that had been so warm and beautiful. The pain she had felt in that time when she watched her father fade, and she couldn''t do shit other than watch as the people she had trusted turned against her. The pain she had felt when Jer wasn''t even bothered about how harshly he treated her father. Hawi remembered it all. The rage was so pure, and the anger had a direction this time, the pain she had felt, had something to be replicated into, and even as her eyes went dark and her hair turned red with rage¡­ Hawi knew she was never going to be the woman who forgave people she was never going to be the girl with the dreams that many would ever consider normal. She was always, always going to be the broken girl, but this time, she was the broken girl who would get her purest form of justice. The vengeance that had gotten her spiraling into endless rejection. The pain she had felt when love and life had started fucking with her. Hell, Hawi was raging so mad that Malika had to take a step back, when the skies started bleeding, and the rains fell in the form of blood, while the hills were not as icy as they were long known to be. Instead, the hail was literal rocks, and there was a storm of it all. These people had taken everything for her and she may have been lenient, and humane because of Rukiya, but as she watched Malika and then the siblings, Hawi knew that humanity is only the worst game ever. She was the great evil and they would know why she was that. "It''s a time to party sweet cheeks," Hawi said with a smirk as she stared at the Russel siblings who had just stepped out of the temple. Worried about the intense storms in the morning that had been as clear and had no signs of chaos. And the beast or the worst part of it all¡­ was that the entire realm was experiencing this. Even Sicario. "Trey, no!!" Amina cried out as she watched her favorite brother get swung against the wall, the sound of Trey''s breaking bones making even Malika cringe. She had the displeasure of watching as her brother''s bones were torn like he was just a piece of clothing. Amina definitely lost her mind there. She hated this. She was more than ready to switch ces with her brother, but what else could she do when the acid on the walls of the damn cage was determined to drive her to insanity? The blood rain wasn''t even making it easier for them in that cage and she was certain she was bound to lose her mind. That was the only other exnation she could think of at the moment. "Please don''t hurt him," Amina begged but Hawi was way beyond what anyone could bargain with, she had seen prey and she was angry, everyone knew what happened when Awuor Hawi was mad, and Amina knew what was bound for her brother too. She had seen the chaos that Atticus had gone through in her mind and she was still haunted by that truth to this date. She knew that shit couldn''t get any worse than it already was. "You have no right to strike a bargain right now. You had all the time in the world and you didn''t bother to make it right. Why the fuck should I listen to you? You took everything that I loved; "... You left me with nothing so why should I be merciful just because you''re begging?" Hawi asked furiously and Amina felt her heart sink into her stomach. She had never wanted this to be what she spoke of, but she didn''t have a choice at the moment. Looking at Hawi, Amina took a deep breath, before she spoke the words that could either doom her, or the words that could save her brother. Oh, how she hoped it would save her brother, because this, this wasn''t it for them. "He''s Hudhayfah''s mate! If you kill him, you will not only be going to war with the greatest healer of all time, but your mate, Rukiya Greyson will never forgive you for that!!" Amina shouted and everything came to a standstill. Chapter 450 Found Love On The Battlefield [HAWI] "He''s Hudhayfah''s mate! If you kill him, you will not only be going to war with the greatest healer of all time, but your mate, Rukiya Greyson will never forgive you for that!!" Amina shouted and everything came to a standstill. The grip that Hawi had been having on Trey loosened and the Russel brother dropped to the forums along with his jaw. He was not sure he had heard his site right and assumed that maybe it was because of the heavy blood rain and the raging red-haired wolf. However, as he looked at his sister, he couldn''t breathe. Trey felt like everything was falling apart. There had to be a problem somewhere because this was impossible. There was just no way that this was real. Your next chapter is on empire They had seen the healer of Greyson one too many times and never once figured shit out, so there was just no way that Amina would know before him. But then again, Amina herself knew how important it was for Trey to find his Perihan, the man who had evaded him for more than seven hundred years. He had the fastest and had to meet his mate, and Amina knew that firsthand. The was just no way that Amina fucked with him like that, right? "What did you just say?" Hawi asked as she walked over to where Amina was. Some words were too important to let the winds carry, and while the storm had slowed, the anger was there and the confusion was still visible on her face. Of all the things she could have thought possible, this way definitely not it. And judging for the shock on Trey''s face too, Hawi could see that none of them had known this. Hell, Alex and Sebastian, along with Malika were staring at Amina like she had a lot of exining to do. Even then how the fuck could she have stopped Hawi from killing her brother then? "Trey¡­" Amina began and Trey, who had struggled to cast a spell to fix himself up, looked at his sister, the shock still on his face as he tried to make it all make sense. He wasn''t sure if this was the truth, but then Amina wasn''t the kind to bber like that. "Answer the woman, Amina. What the fuck did you just say?" Trey insisted and Amina sighed. She had nned to tell them the truth once they got out of the ind, but then things had gottenplicated and she couldn''t feel her mate. She had been preupied. In all fairness, Amina hadn''t thought that Hawi would be this angry with them. Well, they had taken her family for her, surely she didn''t think that they would all be cuddling under the sun just because life was filled with love and light on the other side, no? This was not something that happened regrly and it was unsettling, to say the least. Either Amina was a good illusionist or this was what she hadn''t imagined. At least she wasn''t alone in that anyway, right? "I''m sorry, Trey. I know how Perihan is important to you, but I couldn''t let her kill you without knowing the truth about him," Amina sighed as she ran her fingers through her thickened hair. She felt sticky, but that wasn''t even the issue right now. Her reality was distorted already and there was a chance that they would never be able to survive this but what else could she do? Her brother was someone important to her. Hell, her family was important to her and she couldn''t lose another brother. It was already bad enough that Jeremiah Warner was in the woods with Kurt, while the other three had died. They couldn''t afford more losses, which was why they were here. Perhaps they could have just avoided this damned ind altogether, right? But then the cipher was important too. "Who the fuck is Perihan?" Hawi asked and Amina sighed. This was not going to be easy. "My brother''s mate, Hudhayfah Karim. You don''t have to trust me, and I honestly don''t need you to trust me, Awuor. The only person I need to trust me, is my brother," Amina said as she looked at Trey who was still trying toe to terms with her words. It wasn''t an easy thing for him to do and it hurt a little. He was already wondering when the fuck his sister had found the love of his life, and how the hell they had gotten to this point without Amina ever mentioning him. It sounded so selfish of Amina but perhaps she had a good reason. Then again what reason was there when she herself had joined the battle because she wanted to see Jabali Lihle, who even she couldn''t feel at the moment. "Why now? How long have you known? I poured my heart out for you. I told you things I never told anyone. I told you just how Perihan was driving me crazy and how desperate I was to find him. You knew it from the onset. "I never hid shit from you, and yet you found him and still didn''t bother saying a word? Who are you and what the fuck did you do to my sister?" Trey asked earnestly, the pang in his heart making him feel like he needed to jump over a cliff to feel something. His heart was breaking and he still wanted to know more. He wanted to understand that there was a truth to this. Hudhayfah was important to them and slowly they realized that the universe was a botch for pairing them with each other when they were supposed to be the best of enemies.@@novelbin@@ This wasn''t fair in any way and it broke hearts all over. "I learned about it the day I went to the party for the crazies, Trey. I didn''t know that he was your mate. I didn''t expect that it was him, ever, but then when he said I smelled familiar and he looked at me and called me Perihan, I knew it was him. "I wanted to be wrong so badly, but then the signs were there. I looked into him, the most eligible healer of all time who could fix himself up. He had changed, and he smelled just like you had described he had gone back to being the twenty-six-year-old he had been when you met at that ball. "He was who you had described and I was scared of telling you. I didn''t know it would be like this, Trey. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I care too much about you to break your heart," Amina said, her tone changing as she looked at her brother who wasn''t even looking at her this time. It was like Trey Russel had gotten the worst realization and he needed time to think. Then again., they were at war, so there was just no way that they would finger this out like that. "She''s got to be lying, right?" Hawi hoped. "No, she isn''t Hawi. Hudhayfah was looking for Perihan. Elodie mentioned that that was why he had gone back to his younger self, in the hope that his mate would find him. "He thought his mate was human and was reincarnated, until Farida told him that his mate was one of the Russels," Malika responded gently as she studied Hawi. She had known the woman so well and knew this would not go easy for her. "I guess he doesn''t want me then," Trey sighed defeatedly. "Impossible. You''re everything he ever thinks about. Elodie said that he was so obsessed with finding you that he cast counterspells just to figure out who you were. He knows you are a Russel. But that does not seem to be a problem for him. "Hudhayfah has always been a sucker for love. His kind heart is the one thing that sets him apart from every other warlock out there. I bet he is the light to your darkness. It''s just sad that you had to be enemies," Malika said. Hawi stared at her protector, hands on her waist as if to ask the woman what the fuck she was doing. They were at war and yet they still managed to give each other reminders of who was the enemy and who wasn''t. What the fuck was even going on here at the moment? "The greatest force in the universe is love¡­ you taught me that!" Malika said when Hawi''s re made her feel like she was suffocating. "Take me and let them be¡­ I orchestrated everything to ruin your family from the very beginning," Sebastian''s five interrupted the confused bunch, reminding them of why they were here in the first pce. damn. Chapter 453 Just So Anyone Could See You [HAWI] "Look at them, Malika¡­. Perhaps they should join the circus in the town hall, what do you think?" Hawi asked and sheughed heartily at them, making them wonder what the hell had gotten into her. It was ironic really how this was the first time they were seeing this other side of Hawi, and they were worried about what the fuck could happen to the lot of them, because honestly, they didn''t know if Hawi was going to forgive them, or let them burn in hell. There were so many things that they had to admit they never ounted for and right now insanity was peaking at them once again. Surely they didn''t expect that thend would be filled with flowers when they had taken all that could have meant life for the woman who was holding them captive, right? "Whatever decision you make is the right one," Malika said as she looked at Amina and then at Sebastian who was holding on for dear life and one who was ready to give it all up for the sake of Trey''s happiness. For the first time since she began going on the long trail of madness with Hawi, Jabali Malika was conflicted about what to do with all of this chaos, and Hawi knew that from the way Malika was staring hopelessly at her. ika was hoping to see her sister again and at the same time, she didn''t want Mbali to be heartbroken when she eventually reunited with her. If she was being honest, Malika was tempted to free Amina, but her sister would undoubtedly hate her for that. She was at a crossroads for so many instances that it was tearing her apart in ways more than she had ever anticipated. Perhaps she just needed to face her truth, but what kind of truth would that be? Betrayal? Well, even so, the fact that Amina was closer to her sister than she ever would be was haunting Malika, especially since this right here was her only chance to know where her sister was. That shit was eating her up, but they couldn''t deny the truth that was ring right at them with the markers that she needed to pay heed to as always. The chaos had already started and it wasn''t possible to back down at this point. Besides, the white wolf would always be able to find anyone, right? "Alright, I''ll just lock them up since they want to die together. Maye that will give them the chance to use their heads ad figure out whatever the fuck is wrong with them that they are hated so deeply by many. "Hell, even those who didn''t know their names hate them," Hawi said while Alex looked at her like she had gone bonkers. They hade this far for the Sifir and now they were being locked up in a damning cage that would probably end their lives in days? This wasn''t fair. "I''m not going in there unless you release Trey to go be with his mate. You more than anyone know what love means and how love can be so addictive. Let him have a taste, even once. Or don''t you want your dear healer to be happy? "What will he do when he realizes that you were the one who took out his mate?" Alex tried to reason and Hawi chuckled in realization. They were all ready to do anything for Trey. The youngest Russel was clearly their weakness and it was more than obvious to them which was also the turning point for Hawi. "What do I get if I spare your younger brother then?" Hawi asked amusedly. She knew this was not even what they had imagined, but she could see that these people were willing to go to war for Trey. Explore new worlds at empire "Whatever you want from us. Be it our heads, or souls. Anything, just please, let him have a chase to know his mate. We won''t mind whateveres our way after that, as long as he is happy," Sebastian said. Hawi let out a lightugh. She could rte to their loyalty, because even she would give the world for Elodie and Dom, if her brother were alive. Sure, they had their disagreements and shit, but she wouldn''t even hesitate to protect her sibling. Now all she had left from the bond was Elodie Kane and Hawi would die first before she let anyone cause her best friend pain. Perhaps it was the kind of loyalty that fucked up, but then at the same time, Hawi was fiercely loyal to the people who were loyal to her, and Elodie Kane was definitely that person. "Y''know, I read the books and studied you a lot for years. I learned that Trey, your youngest, spent his entire life training. He is your best warrior; he is the most skilled among you. "He can defend himself and the fact that you''re willing to beg for me to let him live, means that you want me to release him to Hudhayfah and then you''ll use their bond to break all our hearts, just like you used Jer to fuck us up," Hawi said calmly.@@novelbin@@ The Russels were staring defeatedly at her like she was bonkers. They knew she could sense the sincerity in their voices and their intention was as pure as it could be for their brother. They could tell she understood the repercussions of the bond and yet even then she was still not willing to strike a bargain with them. Perhaps this was because of the pain they had forced her into, or maybe, just maybe Hawi was truly a cold-hearted ice queen. But was that all there was to this? "Oh,e on, Awuor. You can feel the sincerity and we''re on sacred grounds. We can''t lie if you haven''t figured that out yet. The three of us, for Trey''s life. Isn''t that too hard a bargain for you? "Even if it''s humiliation you desire for us, we are willing to take that chance and be humiliated for as long as you wish, just let Trey go," Amina insisted defeatedly and Hawi chuckled. She couldn''t believe that they were willing to bend the knee to her in the temple just to see their brother happy. Happiness was the one thing that had evaded all of them, be it the Savasci knights of the Russels. Now here they were hoping to the goddess that there was more to the lives they had fought to live then what was really there for them. Perhaps it was a cruel fate they refused to give into, but even then, how long were they supposed to keep up the fight? How long before the skies turned against them and the realm''s need overpowered their wishes and desires? "I need a better deal than that, Amina. You know you people dying doesn''t mean shit to me. I already nned to kill you all away, so asking me to spare his life for yours doesn''t give me shit," Hawi said like they were talking about the weather while they were covered in blood. It was an insane ry but insanity was Hawi''s favorite position in her own life. Perhaps this would help these crazes remember who was the most unhinged of them right? "We''ll hand over the Sifir," Alex said and this time, Malika let out a heartyugh. Chapter 454 The Beautiful Face Of Retribution [HAWI] "We''ll hand over the Sifir," Alex said and this time, it was Malika who openly let out a heartyugh as she looked at the Russel brother who seemed so convinced that he was doing them a favor. They were way past all the possible stops and the sooner they realized that, the sooner this would be over and done with. There was no way they could be pardoned after the mess they had oh so created and willingly engineered. This family had messed up a lot of things for their people and regardless of what happened, there was no turning back and the sooner thy faced that reality, the easier it would be for them to cope with whatever the fuck Awuor Hawi had nned for them. There was one thing that they were sure of¡­ it wasn''t going to be easy regardless of how they chose to look at it. "Your people are dead, Alexander. You have nothing to bargain with. The people you hid in the wood are dead and you would feel the stench of death in the air if there wasn''t a blood rain. "You should have known better than to try and fuck with me more than you could handle," Hawi said with a lightugh as she squeezed the blood of oh her hair, she looked like a blood queen and frankly, it suited her even more given the circumstance. She had done the impossible and made the possible a challenge for even those who hadn''t thought it was workable. Here with Russell, she could see the wheels in their heads spinning but she had all the time in the world to mess with them this time. Her mate was back home and in the safety of Sicario, not to mention no one would ever be able toe out of Sicario, unless Hawi was the one who wanted them to. Not even Ruru was able to get out and Hawi was d for that in every way. She loved how disastrous everything had gotten, at least if she was being truthful with herself. She loved the chaos and the reminder that this was a battle that she didn''t even have to deal with once and for all. She could stall and take her time because this time, she truly had nothing left to lose and that was the one thing that made her a feral and a happy one. "What do you mean by our people? Are you high on shit or something?" Alex asked as he looked at his brother''s like this was new to him. Then again, there were so many things that the house Russel had to deal with that they wouldn''t all have to think of the same thing at the same time. There was more than needed their attention and it was easy for them not to know the whole n because it was the safest way, but then Seb knew. He always knew everything because he was their strategist. So, Alex looked at him as if he was waiting to hear his brother deny what had just happened to the lot of them. "Looks like you have more to discuss with your brothers than I do. I''m going into the temple, and you are young to sort yourselves before Ie back. Whatever you do¡­ Please don''t run away¡­ "Or even better, just run, and make sure I don''t catch you, because if I do, the universe won''t be too good a ce for you," Hawi said with a smirk as Malika grabbed the Sifir from Alex who was still staring with his jaw open.@@novelbin@@ Your next chapter is on empire Awuor Hawi Sicario woman was surprising them each time and no matter how much they tried to best her, they always managed to fail spectacrly. Perhaps there was more that they needed to work through because at the moment, there wasn''t a thing that they could do to make her understand them. Hawi was one who believed in unconditional love and yet when the subject of mates, her friends'' mates came up, she had acted like this was just another game for them. Perhaps it was the result of all the pain she had had to endure over the years, the trust she had struggled to get rid of, and the reality that always reminded her of a life that doesn''t mean much. She was unhinged sure, but she was also someone who had one believed in humanity and these Russels had taken everything from her. This was their turn and she wasn''t going to sit here and act like the sun was about to rise from the south and set in the middle of the chaos. She was the chaos, and there is nothing funny about it at the moment. "Hold on, Mistress, are you sure about this? They could breach the borders. They might run even without the Sifir. They might y a rough game with us," Malika stated the obvious. However, Awuor Hawi wasn''t here for peace. That was all gone the moment they had made it up to her and the moment she had decided to keep Rukiya''s humanity and make sure her mate didn''t witness the chaos. Here in this temple and high up above the ground, Hawi was going to deal with the lot of them. She wasn''t going to stop and she wasn''t about to show mercy to people who didn''t show her any mercy. They had taken everything for her and she would take their will to live. That was the one promise she swore to herself and right now. She couldn''t give a fuck about a bunch of Russels who were already dead meat to her. Maybe she would get hungry enough to feed on them and remind them of what happened when anyone fucked with that which was hers. She was love, and even more than anything, she was the face of retribution. "I don''t care. Let them do whatever they want. It''s not like I hate being the one doing the chase. Besides, how far can they run from me, Malika? How long will it take before they realize that their lives are mine to fuck with, mine to ruin and mine to end. "They can do whatever. As for me, myself and I, we''re going to the temple to get some food. It''s been a while since Ist ate anything. And by the way, for the Sifir, just leave it to Alex. "They will need it to escape this ce by the time I am done with them. Consider this a head start that I am giving you, Sebastian," Hawi stated thest bit as she stared at Sebastian and Amina who were still in the cage she had thrust them into. They were in shock, even as the cage''s door opened, granting them the freedom to do whatever they wanted to do. Hawi was ying with their lives and they were slowly releasing it. She could have killed them if she wanted to. She could finger her family the moment she arrived here on the ind, but as she walked inside the temple, the Russels realized why she was called the mad alpha and right now, she was more like a mad queen. "Have fun you," Malika said as she gently ced the Sifir on the ground and followed Hawi into the temple. Chapter 458 You Dont Need To Run [SICARIO] "Mbali is in Sicario? Are you certain about that?" Rukiya asked, the disbelief on her face so evident as her eyes softened and she took a step back from Rio, making the sailor breathe in relief. This was not what any go them had expected and Elodie wanted to know how the fuck the woman had managed to get out of Hawi''s suite when they had been so certain the door was bound by magic. Then again, the woman was Hawi''s Mate so this was something that they should have expected nheless. Nothing was ever going to make any of this right if they didn''t work together anyway. "She''s in her usual chambers," Elodie added like that was supposed to make Rukiya understand. Well, the reaction they were expecting fell short of what Ruru showed them because instead of rushing to Mbali''s chambers to check on the reality of what Elodie had just said, Rukiya just stood there like she was deep in thought. Whatever was happening wasn''t easy to understand because the dots weren''t even connecting in the fort''s ce. It was all so confusing to her and she could only imagine the confusion the sailors were experiencing at the moment. "I need to catch a breath. Meanwhile, the rest of you get back to your duties. No one is leaving Sicario so you might as well get along with each other. And don''t follow me, any of you," Rukiya said. Hudhayfah''s shoulder sagged. He had been hoping to get a moment to talk to Rukiya but the woman had made herself clear. It was so stern and obvious that Hudhayfah himself knew he couldn''t defy that. She had spoken with a tone of finality and they all didn''t have a choice but to listen to her. Hell, even Rio who was already known for his constant nagging wasn''t saying shit at the moment. Perhaps this was the truth of their new lives but then again everyone who knew Hawi and the Savasci knights already knew that the mad woman and her team were determined to make the realm a better ce. Perhaps that was why the sailors didn''t put up a fight, because at least with Rukiya around they didn''t have to worry about their safety or even the realities that always got constantly twisted. If anything, Sicario felt honey for them for the first time since they hade here. "Hey kid... You know that if you need me..." Hudhayfah said and Rukiya nodded with a smile. "I know. Didn''t worry too much. I just need to make sense of everything that had happened today. Once I figure it out, then I''ll let you know what we need to ask while we wait for Hawi toe back," Rukiya said earnestly, making Hudhayfah sigh in relief. This wasn''t what he had hoped to hear but the fact that she was even considering letting them into the filthy reality was all that he needed to know, for him to rx. Besides, while they were opposed to Hawi thrusting people through portals, they all knew that Awuor Hawi never did things just for the sake of it. She was a strategist and they were to trust her given that she was their only way out of this madness. "Alright let''s get back to work people," Hudhayfah said while Rukiya walked to the park where Hawi always sat with her to watch the sun rise, the sun set, and even the moon and stars in the night. This was the one ce that reminded her of Hawi even more than Hawi''s suite because it was in the times that Ruru interacted with Hair out here that she got to bond more with the crazy girl. She loved her and Hawi loved her. Hawi adored her so much that Hawi had gone from being the psychotic maniac determined to die, to actually wanting to live for the sake of Ruru. That was an achievement so intense and Rukiya was counting on thefort she had found in this particr side of the Sicario pack''s park. "What did you intend, Hawi?" Rukiya asked herself as she sat in one of the benches there. A lot had happened in the past three days that she wasn''t even sure if this was rxing or a part of her mind but at the same time she couldn''t deny the relief that came with knowing that Adolf was probably alive. None of this made any sense to her, so she started thinking back to the strangest things that ever happened with the strange girl. Of course, this meant that Hawi was hallucinating. This entire time didn''te easy for Ruru. Experience exclusive tales on empire She had sworn to protect the wild woman, and yet she hadn''t even been able to spot the changes. However, at the same time, now that Rukiya thought back to everything, she had to admit there were days she wondered if Hawi was in the right kind. The woman always did things that were out of order and away from what many would condor normally, so it shouldn''t have been surprising. But she should have paid more attention to Hawi then. Maybe her days would have been easier and the moon wouldn''t have made her feel like the world was an entire circus for them to reign in. Did that matter at this point in time though? "I should have been better and more careful with everything," Ruru sighed as she put her head between her hands in defeat. When she had saved Hawi from self-destructing in the rkson pack; she had sworn to protect her and be there for when Hawi needed her the most. She had promised to be her shield against every evil that was targeted towards Hawi. And while Ruru was pushing herald into regrets right now, she had done a lot for Hawi. She had been there one too many times to hold the fort when Hawi wasn''t herself. Rukiya Greyson had done what no one could have done. Instead of forcing herself to fall short of what she had done so spectacrly, perhaps it was time she understood that she was a pir and had yed a huge role in Hawi''s link to humanity and her sanity. "I thought I said I wanted to be alone?" Rukiya grumbled when she saw Hudhayfah take the seat next to her.@@novelbin@@ It was almost like all she said had gone over the healer''s head, but at the same time, a part of Rukiya was d that Hudhayfah was here with her. She wouldn''t survive this alone and that in itself was a truth that would forever haunt Rukiya Greysin. "I raised you, kid. I know when you have more than enough in your head. Soy it on me, kid. What is it that got you thinking so hard you didn''t even want to see Mbali''s body then?" Hudhayfah asked and Rukiya looked at the healer beside her. She was struggling a lot at the moment but Hudhayfah and Adolf always found a way to make her feel better. Maybe if she took Hudhayfah with her to the dungeon she would be able to tell if that had been her hallucination or if this was just something that only Hawi could exin, right? "I need to show you someone. Maybe if you see him too, I won''t be going out of my mind," Rukiya said. "I see you finally found Adolf, huh?" Hudhayfah said. Rukiya paled. Chapter 461 War Was Always War? [SICARIO] "...She made sure her mate would stay out of the battlefield so that she wouldn''t have to worry about Mbali being used against her. But the only question is, why did Amina go to such great lengths for Mbali?" Rukiya asked while Elodie listened intently. They all had their suspicions about everything that was happening, but this had to be the greatest of them all.@@novelbin@@ There hadn''t been anything like this for the longest time and no matter how hard they tried to make it make sense, the more they realized that maybe, just maybe, the enemy was never the one wearing the fur coat at all. It didn''t matter how long it would take them but then the answers were staring right at them. This shit also made them wonder what the price was and why this had to happen like this. It wasn''t what anyone would consider normal and even the blind could tell that there wereyers andyers to all of this. Would they get to the answers through? "What if she is an ally? What if this entire time she wanted what was best for Mbali and that included saving how Mbali would give her life for Hawi? What if that is the reason she made Mbali stay behind?" Elodie asked. She had been thinking on overdrive since Rukiya turned up in Sicario through the uncouth ways and frankly, this was the first time any of the things that were happening in Sicairo was finally making sense to her. The past three days had been literal hell and she couldn''t deny the fact that regardless of how they wanted things to turn out, there was only so much they could all contribute at individual levels. Life was never going to be the same and they were already aware of it at the moment. Perhaps they just needed to figure out a way to make things better, but how long was that supposed to take for them? What were they supposed to deal with before shit went sideways for them all? Would it ever make sense to them at the end of the day? "That could also be a reason, or she didn''t want her feelings for Mbali cloud her judgment in war. Think of how Hawi threw me back home because she knew I would try to appeal to her humanity. The same for Malika. "She easily let you stay behind in Sicario when she knew Theo could be the Alpha and keep the pack alive, not to mention the healer could keep the reign alive. Whatever is going on on the sacred ind; "¡­Only the goddess can make it better for them now because one thing is certain. Someone is going to lose and we don''t know which side just yet," Rukiya exined frustratedly. She hated how things were turning for them and she hated that in the middle of all the possible messes, their mates were still considering them people to be protected. It just didn''t level the yfield seeing as they were also equally strong. But even in the face of the hardest choices love would always have a solution. Emotions were a distraction and they could make both sides make the worst decisions that would impact everyone around them. By eliminating the emotions, they had been left out there as soulless creatures who had nothing left to lose but their lives. That in itself was a reality so cold, but they had toe to terms with it regardless. "Goddamn. That sounds like the most dangerous battlefield in all of history, don''t you think?" Elodie sighed. She was trying to keep her cool but each word that came from Rukia''s mouth was enough of a reminder that they were dealing with crazy psychos who wouldn''t fall back no matter how they had to deal with the chaos. "It is. Without you and Mbali, Malika is a killing machine. Without me and you, Hawi is a crazed death master. Without Mbali, Amina doesn''t have a reason to keep hope for her people. And without Mbali, Amina''s siblings don''t have any leverage on her. "Think of what I was when I lost Adolf. Everything was suddenly ck and white and my mind was fixed on the dark side. Hawi did help me get out of it, the same way the Savasci knights helped Hawi snap out of the first blood rain; "¡­And the death of her father," Rukiya exined as she grabbed a chair to take a seat. This wasn''t ever going to be normal for them and yet at the same time, it was the kind of normal that they would have to deal with along the way. "Let''s go talk to Mbali then," Elodie said as Rukiya watched her keenly. She knew Elodie meant well but then there were just some things that didn''t make sense to her too. They had been at this for the longest time, and yet never once had Elodie asked about Malika. Stay connected with empire Was she supposed to be worried about that or was she supposed to assume that maybe the responsibilities were a little too much and that they just needed to figure out a way to make it all better? How was she even to make assumptions when they were not sure what the fuck was waiting for them? Then again, Rukiya knew Elodie was loyal. At least that would be the only thing at the moment. But she still hoped Elodie would ask about Malika. "aren''t you worried about Malika?" Rukiya asked, breaking her line of thought. She knew just what Malika meant to Elodie and it was strange that she was this nonchnt. Someone had to try and make sense of the madness they were dealing with. "I am, but even if I worry about her, it won''t make her firing tray easier. I just want her back and making her worry through the mate bond, even if we haven''t marked each other isn''t something that I want to put her through. "Besides who knows if she wille back years after my werewolf lifeline is over and I will just be part of her painful history? I don''t want that for her, not like this. Come on, let''s go to Mbali. "Maybe we might find a way of understanding everything that happened here," Elodie said as she got up and headed for the door. She didn''t want to answer any questions about Malika because if she did, she would be depressed. She knew Malika was meant to protect Hawi and she knew that Malika''s life would forevere second if they were with Hawi. While that was the same for Elodie, this didn''t make it any easier for her. She just wanted their little band of misfits back home so they could at least experience what life looked like away from the chaos that had been following them like a damned curse the entire time. Maybe if she pretended like she didn''t miss Malika so much it was hurting her heart, maybe she would be okay, right? Maybe time would go by so fast and her love interest would win the war alongside her sister and thene home. They had to win, there was no other way out of this, because if they didn''t win, the Russels would descend on them like never before and it wouldn''t be a walk in the park anymore. "Alright, as you say," Rukiya said, unsure of what she was supposed to respond to. Chapter 464 War For You, With You, Never Against You [SICARIO] "Hawi didn''t send me home¡­ It was¡­" Rukiya trailed off, as she racked her brain and the impossible realization. She had to be wrong, because there was no way that she was thinking like this. But what if it was true then? "Malika," Hudhayfah concluded, making the women turn to look at him. He had portaled into Mbali''s room and with him, was beta Adolf, Rukiya''s very dead best friend, or rather the one person she thought she would never see again. Rukiya Greyson had mourned Adolf for an entire year. She had been in pain and had med herself for his passing. She had gone crazy and tried not to show it because the mission would alwayse first. She had been suffocated inside, not being able to have her best friend ck, but each time it was like she would never be truly happy. Hawi was the love of her life, sure, but she had felt the void that Adolf had left and it broke her even to this day. Even when she had seen him in the dungeons, he had refused to ept the truth because there was a chance she had been hallucinating. However, looking at him standing there next to Hudhayfah, dressed in the normal clothes he always served Rukiya with, the Greyson alpha wasn''t sure if she needed to be happy that it was real, or mad that she had been kept in the dark for over an entire year. They did her dirty, but was it worth it though? "Why would she send me home? It doesn''t make any sense. And if she wanted to send me home, why not Greyson, why here?" Rukiya asked and they sat down as they struggled to make sense of the chaos. There had to be a rtive exnation because otherwise, this was insanity they were living in. but at the same time, this wasn''t going to be the first time all of this happened. So, what changed this time? "How bout we get the facts straight because at this rate my head will blow up?" Elodie said as she grabbed the nearest seats for Hudhayfah and Adolf. She wasn''t able to handle any of this anymore. She needed rity. "Mbali is alive, Adolf is alive, Rukiya is in Sicario and the sailors came with Mbali''s body, and the ship blew up. Is there anything I''m missing?" Elodie added as she stared at them like there was more but she had forgotten about it. "That''s pretty much it. But it doesn''t make any sense why Mbai would be here or Rukiya or even Adolf. So, what now?" Hudhayfah said as she looked at Mbali who was clearly healthy and undead. She looked like she had had enough too. Hell, they needed to be on the battlefield and they needed to make things right for the realm. They couldn''t sit by and watch as if this was some sort of circus that they were waiting for things to be right for them. "You really don''t see it, do you?" Adolf spoke and they like to him as if to ask what he meant, when he had been in the dungeons for an entire year and never once came out of there to tell his state. "What is it we don''t see, Adolf?" Rukiya asked and Adolf let out a sigh of relief. He had missed hearing Rukiya call him by his name, but now that she did, he felt a little relieved because to him this was a step in the right direction. It showed that the Greyson girl wasn''t eliminating him from her life. White that was something that wouldn''t matter to many, it was a reminder of heaven for Adolf and he hoped to never get to the wrong side of Rukiya again. "All of this. It''s so evident. The history books have always talked about the white wolf fighting the seven. Sure, she has her protector, but she always fights the Seven on her own. "And then here we are, the five of us, a team that is willing to burn the world for the sake of this particr wolf. But we are not going to war with her because she is the white wolf. We are not loyal to her because she is the white wolf. "Hell, we don''t love her because she is the white wolf. We adore her and serve her on our own volition, because she is our friend, and family and she means something to all of us, something beyond her being just the alpha of a pack that shunned her; "¡­Or even the girl who was betrayed by the universe one too many times. We love her because she is Hawi, or Awuor Sicario, and not because she is the white wolf. That''s why the protector devised everything to get us back to the safest ce in the realm right now," Adolf said. Hudhayfah watched as if reality was suddenly hitting him too. All of this was fucked up in was more than once. If only it was just as easy to understand the shit that was happening around them and the way the war was getting moreplex and forcing them to use their brains instead of just their weapons. It still didn''t make any sense as to why Malika would bring them back home like that. They had sworn fealty to Hawi and that wouldn''t change, even if she was the girl without a rank or powers or whatever the hell was at stake right now. They were here for her and that was never going to go away. "Still doesn''t exin why we are all here. If she is protecting us then that''s the dumbest thing Malika has ever done. We are capable of protecting ourselves and fight battles to the very end. We never lose," Mbali said and Adolfughed sadly. "You still don''t understand. If the white wolf wasn''t Hawi, would you still go through all these just to see her ascend the royal queenship? Would you do everything possible even if it cost you your lives? "Would you live for that white wolf like we all live for Hawi?" Adolf asked and they red at him collectively with using eyes. However, deep down they knew the questions that had been missing were that. They had sworn fealty for Hawi and were fighting this war as any family would. But that didn''t mean that there was an ounce of loyalty to the white wolf. They are here for Hawi and not her position. They obviously didn''t care for what position Hawi held and that was the question Malika was giving them this time.@@novelbin@@ "Well, that doesn''t matter right now, does it? It ain''t an excuse enough for my sister to tell the truth is all back here when we could help win the war," Mbali argued and Adolf facepalmed as she looked at them. "We''re all able to live without fear because of Hawi''s power. Because we feed off her energy. We are here because her magic keeps Sicario safe, her courage keeps the soldiers going, and her determination makes her a leader worth following. "Her magic has us stable, but what if we didn''t have her magic over us? What if we were just in wolves and Lycans and healers, would we still want to join the fight? That is the question we are all needed to answer," Adolf said as he looked at them. He knew this wasn''t the easiest question, but it was so they needed to answer because otherwise they are going in blinded by their loyalty to Hawi. The war was more than just Hawi and it was somewhat ironic that the man who was making them see sense was the first one to meet Hawi in the freends and send her to Greyson. But perhaps that was also how fate worked. No one ever really knew what tomorrow we would like and they all just had to live their truths, right? "Absolutely." "I fought beside her long before I knew she had magic." "Even without the mate bond, I would fight for her." "She''s power even without the power she has as the white wolf." "She has proven herself to be a worthy leader. Even if she wasn''t the white wolf with so much responsibility, I would trust her with my life," Elodie concluded with pride as she threw back to the woman she had loved like a sister. It was obvious how far they would go for Hawi, with or without her powers. It was something either stupid or very brave, seeing as she had protected them all in ways that no one had ever been protected. They had been loved by her and kept safe by her because she was the girl scared of losing. And subconsciously, they had all let her protect them without releasing that what she needed were people who would fight beside her, regardless of the risks. Enjoy more content from empire People who would remind her that they didn''t have a reason to fear anything. That they could do this together, even if it meant that they would eventually die. They were warriors and the battlefields were their gravesites. It is all just a matter of time anyway. "Then we all have our answers," Adolf said just as the Sicario bells began ringing a little too loudly. It was not something they had expected and the surprise on their faces as they looked at Adolf was obvious. "That''s not my doing," Adolf defended. "What''s happening?" Mbali asked. "The protective domes areing down," Elodie stated in surprise. Chapter 465 This Was What Life Would Be [SICARIO] "What''s happening?" Mbali asked. "The protective domes areing down," Elodie stated in surprise. Stay updated with empire The Sicario dome had been active for more than a year now and it was impossible for it toe down. The fact that it was down when they were right in the middle of a war was something that they needed to think of. There was just no way that they had to deal with this too. So hurriedly, the five knights stepped out of Mbali''s room to see for themselves what the fuck was going on. This wasn''t part of the n and they were all confused as to why in all hell it was happening.@@novelbin@@ Perhaps there was a better exnation, right? "What could have triggered this?" Mbali wondered when she stepped out along with the Sicario wolves. They were all having the same confusion on their faces as the warriors readied themselves for a war that was probably inbound. The dome had been held together by Hawi and the first instinct was for everyone to assume that he was a goner now, but was that rying it? Was the Sicario alpha ry dead or was there something that they were not understanding? Perhaps they needed to find a solution to this, but how else were they to do that? Why didn''t they even know what had made this into what it was at the moment? "First the blood rain and now the dome ising down." "Is Alpha Awuor okay?" "What if the alpha is dead?" "She is immortal, she can''t die." "Then what is happening?" "Maybe the royals will let us know." The ongoing whispers and murmurs weren''t making it any easier for the Savasci knights, they had never seen anything like this and no matter how hard they racked their brains, they wouldn''t make sense of it. "Is Hawi really dead?" Hudhayfah dared to ask as he looked at Elodie and Rukiya who were more closely linked to Hawi than they all were. If Hawi was dead then the spell cast on Elodie would be weak and she would start feeling queasy, and Rukiya Greyson would rage but then none of that was happening to them. It was like they were living in a dysfunctional side of the realm, one in which they had to decide whether to keep the fight or if they wanted to save themselves. But then even if they saved themselves and if Hawi was truly dead, the realm wouldn''t be livable for anyone. It would mean the Russels won and the realm would burn, quite literally. That was not anyone''s wish at the moment and it didn''t help that they were desperately clinging onto whatever was left of hope for them. "No, she isn''t. The mate bond is still active," Rukiya said before she turned to Adolf, "do you know anything about this? Isn''t it strange that you came back to life and all of these strange things are happening?" Adolf wanted to say that he knew nothing of this, but as he looked at the crowd that was forming around the leaders, he knew that he had to speak or let Sicario burn with uncertainty. That in itself wouldn''t mean well for anyone because if it happened then the world would feel the wrath of Awuor Hawi, which was not on anyone''s bucket list ever. The woman was like a butcher and people did love their lives a little too much to even sit by and watch it happen. "There is no need for the dome anymore," Fold said and they looked at him like he had lost his mind since he had lived in the dungeons for the, longest time. Maybe he was right, but what if he wasn''t? What if all of this was just a part of some game with the fates to see how they would cope? Would it make them feel any better about the madness that was soon going to ensue? "Speak clearly, brother. This ain''t the time for you to thrust us into riddles and whatnots. What the fuck is going on?" Rukiya asked impertinently as she looked at Adolf while the rest of the Savasci knights including Drew looked at her curiously. She hadn''t even realized it yet but her words had made Adolf''s eyes soften, like they were the breath of life that the Greyson beta had been shopping for. It was almost like insanity but what else was there? "What is it now?" Rukiya asked and they just sighed. "You called him your brother. You haven''t done that for a long time, not even when you talked about him in his passing," Elodie said. Rukiya stared at Adolf who was looking at her like this was new for them. Perhaps this was the reminder of a life that would be better for them right? At the end of the day, they were a team, weren''t they? "That doesn''t matter right now. Can we all focus on the mess that we are staring at?" Rukiya said and Adolf just smiled sadly. He knew this was too big to be easy for the lot of them but what else could they do if they hadn''t managed to outlive the chaos? "The dome is down because you finally have faith in yourselves and understand what it means to have someone rely on you and what you are fighting for. You aren''t scared of what ising anymore and you are the army Hawi trusted for the longest time. "You can fight for the home you believe in and you don''t have to be waiting for Hawi toe and save you. The army is finally ready to make things right for Sicario and the realm. "You have eventually found the missing element in the chaos that you all lived in. I guess my work here is done," Adolf said and they looked at him like he was bonkers. It was almost like they were in some sort of reality that was a little too fucked up for them to even understand how the hell they had gotten here. "What does that even mean?" Drew asked earnestly, the confusion on his face clear. "I''ve been out of the training sessions for the longest time, and I can''t be as useful to the realm as I was when I was beside my alpha. I have to step up my training and Malika said to leave when the dome was down, so I could go to Olyana. "She told me they would train me for three weeks and after that I would be fit for the battlefield. I will be back, so you don''t have to worry about me. Meanwhile, you can decide on what you want to do with the new reality that is here. "You can go join Hawi and the crazies on the sacred ind, or you can wait to fight the Russel army that ising to Sicario. They have been on their way for months now and they are almost here. They tried to invade the other camps and failed. "Their numbers have dwindled because of the formidable army that they were met with, so the number that will reach here might be less than the million soldiers that were sent to eliminate Sicario. "I can only wish you all the best in this war. I''ll see you soon.," Adolf said before adding, "I''m ready." with that the warriors watched as a portal opened and Adolf went through it, leaving the knights wondering what the fuck happened. Chapter 466 One More Time, Away From Home [SICARIO] "Sound the war bells," Elodie said to Theo while the rest of the knights just stood there,prehending what they were dealing with. None of this was making any sense but at the same time, it made so much of these it was frustrating. A mission that was supposed to be simple and not prolonged and turned into one that involved madness upon madness. It wasn''t the kind of mission that any would have signed up for, but what else was there? "Yes, Alpha," Theo said as he left without even asking questions. Perhaps even he knew there were just some things that needed to be done without even thinking of what they had to deal with. If Adolf''s word was the truth then they needed to brace themselves. Of course, there was also a chance that the Adolf they had was someone who had been brought to them by the Russels, but then that was impossible. Maybe they were trusting them too blindly, and maybe it was risky for them. Perhaps it was a good thing that the Sicario army had regained its position and rank as the strongest and most lethal army in the past years, right? They had worked a little too hard to take back their position and their names and they hadn''t done it by threatening people or even doing thighs that would remember the enemies of the realm. They had done it so simply and made sure that everyone had an impact. There was no denying that. "Captain Drew, how well can your people fight? Are they trained?" Rukiya asked the captain who was still reeling from the effects of what he had just heard. He had always heard about the wars Sicario fought and how relentless they always were. They had always heard about the imprable pack long before the rumors began talking of the wolf who was promised,ing from their pack. It was not easy, but they had dealt with more than they could have in the waters. But was fighting the pirates off good enough to get the sailors to be at par with whatever wasing? "Yes. they are well trained. Malika gave us the order seven months ago and she mentioned that we were going to be fighting with evil. The sailors are prepared for battle, anu beetle," Drew confirmed and died listening proudly like she had been hoping they joined. Maybe she had things to work out with Drew, but right now, with what wasing, even she knew that they needed to have all hands on deck. "Perfect. The Sicario army is always ready for a battle, so that only leaves the four of us to decide on who stays and who goes," Rukiya said and they nodded in understanding as this was curric for them all. "Hudhayfah, Elodie, Theo, and Drew will take care of things here. You and I need to go back to the ind as we are needed there. We have to make sure to help my sister and Hawi to win the battle there. Only then will we be able to reunite," Mbali said. "That''s settled then. Is there anything you guys will need?" Rukiya asked as she looked at Drew, Elodie, and Hudhayfah. She knew that this wasn''t what they had all expected, but then they couldn''t wait for Hawi and Malika toe and save their ess each time. They had to get up and fight because that''s what they had been trained for the entire time.@@novelbin@@ "Just one," Elodie said. "What is it?" Mbali asked. "Win. We must all win both wars. So go out there and fight with all you got because you''re the best. We will also do the same. If we clear them earlier than you, Hudhayfah, and I wille and join the battle with you guys," Elodie said. Mbali just hugged Elodie. She knew it wasn''t easy for Elodie to be without Malika for so long and she wanted to say something, anything that would make the alpha feel any better but then nothing would work this time. They had all been trying to make the debts of the time they had and right now the hour hade for onest goodbye. After this, they wouldn''t have to anymore. And that was why it was so critical that they won. It was the only way for them to get their lives back regardless of the madness they would have to drown themselves into. At least they understood that life was worth living and they had to fight for it. "We will beat them, don''t worry. We will win ande with our friends home, without any pressure. We will fight even if it''s thest thing we do. We will make sure they know they made a mistake by trying to mess with the people we love, so don''t worry. "We will win and thene back home with our family," Mbali reassured and Elodie breathed softly. She wasn''t sure how much longer she could go without seeing Malika. It had been days since their little meet but Elodie was sure her mind would explode if that wasn''t controlled. She wanted Malika in ways that no one would ever understand just yet and it was eating her up. But once they won the war they would be in a better position. "Okay, we''ll make sure home is safe for us all to live in too," Elodie said defeatedly. She was sick of having to let peoplee and go because of the war. She had nearly had my interactions with her sister and she felt like they needed more. However, the war they were fighting wasn''t one that came with some sort of a manual that could help them. They just had to hold on and figure out what the fuck was happening as time went by. It was the only way to make it all make any sense to them because otherwise, they would be losing. But then again, they hadn''te this far just to fight a losing war. They had to win it, there were nopromises. "I guess this is to see you soon then," Rukiya said earnestly as she hugged Elodie when Mbali pulled back. They understood her and knew that this wasn''t easy for her, especially being a first time alpha without her sister around. But then she had to have been prepared at least, right? After all, they had to be responsible for a lot more than met the eyes. "No guesses, Elodie. We will be back soon," Mbali admitted and they all pulled each other into one hug, including Drew. This wasn''t the time for them to be thinking of what they had against each other but the time to make sure they worked their shit soon enough to make sure that nothing was out of ce. Perhaps this was the time for all of that, right? "Great. Just a few more weeks or months. It doesn''t matter how long; we will all be fine. And as Hawi always said, family was worth fighting for. So, let''s go and fight for ours and see to it that we are happy when the sun goes down," Elodie said as they pulled back. Your journey continues with empire "Good idea," Mbali said as she created a portal. "You ready Mrs. Sicario?" "Never been more ready," Rukiya said and together they went through the portal. "I hate goodbyes, fuck," Elodie admitted defeatedly as the portal closed. Chapter 468 Some Things Had To Be Done [RUSSEL] "Now what?" Amina asked once they were out of the cage and she held the Sifir in her hand. She could tell that this thing was of more value to them than it ever was for Hawi even though the mad woman had left it out there for them. Awuor Haw didn''t care what they wanted to do with the Sifir, because she knew they couldn''t hold her anywhere with it. She was born with the power to decide the fate of so many people and this time she had given the Russels a chance to choose. They could either run away or stay and wait for Hawi toe back for them once she was done with her little adventures in the temple, which clearly could take Hawi longer than they could ever think to consider. Well, the woman was a psycho after all. "We make the toughest choice," Sebastian said, his tone cold as he looked at his siblings who could tell that something was wrong here. Usually, Sebastian used that tone with them when they were in the wrong, but here and now, they were on the same page, no? "What do you mean by that?" Trey asked and Sebastian looked at him like this wasn''t exactly what they had wanted or hoped for. They hade here together and were supposed to leave together. And well it would have gone ording to n, if the fact that more of them were getting mated to their enemies wasn''t a fear they had. The Russels had long been shaken by that same group of misfits and to think that they would be bearing the same cross with the Savasci knights was something that Sebastian considered so dangerous. It wasn''t easy for them and it was understandable, but even that was something that they had to hope would work in their favor. This wasn''t the time for them to start thinking about more than they would take in, but it was the only reality left for them at the moment. None of this would ever make any sense if they were being truthful. The fact that they were being bested was the worst they had ever encountered in all of their existence and that was something that Seb clearly had tried to figure out along the way in the hope that it would yield better results, but had it? "You know what I mean, Amina. You and Trey have be liabilities to the cause we are fighting for," Sebastian stared ever so calmly as he took the Sifir from Amina''s hands. He knew this wasn''t what his sister had been expecting, but then they had been forced to lead lives they never wanted for the longest time, right? The past five years had been chaotic for them because the girl they were scared of had finally found footing and couldn''t easily be destabilized, because she was way unstable even with an entire day of the chaos in her life. They had been thrown in front of the broken girl who had nothing to live for let alone die for. They were dealing with someone who didn''t have any value for her life and that in life was the scariest aspect of nature at best. "So, what? You want to kill us? Lock us away? What the fuck, Seb? We have been fighting the same war for years. We have been on each other''s side for the longest time and now you just decide that we are suddenly not useful to the cause?" Amina asked. Her frustration was clear on her face as she looked at Trey who seemed to be still stuck in the throat that he had a mate for real. He was still processing the fact that his Perihan was a real person, even if he was supposed to be the enemy. It was a truth that haunted Trey more than he ever wished for, because for the first time, he wasn''t sure he wanted to fight alongside his siblings anymore. Trey had lived to train for extreme sights just like this condition right now and he was the best warrior on the field. They needed him, but Sebastian was right. They had no use for a warrior who would be distracted by his feelings for the enemy. It was a truth that they all despised but a truth they had to live through nheless. "You took the words out of my mouth, sister. We are at the most crucial stage of the war at the moment. If we let you and try out you will be consulted on whether to fight for the cause or to save your mates. "We all know that no one in their right mind can ever fight the mate bond. Even the inane ones who tried to fight never really got to the point of winning against their mates, because love is just like that. "It is not easy to see your other half getting torn to pieces. And I don''t want to put you and Maina in that state, because I know I would be conflicted if I had to meet with my mate on the battlefield. "This is nothing personal, Trey and you know it too" Sebastian insisted and Amina sighed. This wasn''t part of the n, but then so much had been fought wrongtely that it was almost impossible to tell of they were on the right side or not. It was something that they had to think over but just sign from the locks on Sebastian''s face, it was pretty obvious where he stood with that thought. Seb had long decided and Amia knew that fighting her brother would be futile and pointless. They may have fought so much as siblings, but on one end, there was her brother looking out for them and what they believed in. Mates were never as forgiving as siblings and perhaps Seb wanted to take that option away from his siblings. He didn''t want to put them in a predicament that would force them to decide on something that even needs that much decision-making either way. "Where will you send us then?" Amona asked defeatedly. She wanted to fight her brother and tell him to wait until she knew where Mbali was, but then she couldn''t. She wouldn''t that long and she also knew that Malika and Hawi would find Mbali.@@novelbin@@ Granted, she had sent Mbali away and hoped that she was alright, but then even that was never enough for Amina. She missed her mate and wanted to be with her. She wanted to see the fierce warrior''s smiles and her being so carefree even if it wasn''t because of her. She wanted to be able to watch over Mbali like she had done for the past three hundred years. It was a lot for them to handle and regardless of what the world looked like, there was just no telling how things would get for the both of them. Life wasn''t as easy and never came with a manual. So, they would have to try and make things right for themselves either way. "The Cezaevi. It is not the best ce for both of you, but I promise it won''t be for long, I wille for you. Alex and I have to finish fighting a battle on our own. You held on and fought with us for long, but you have let us take care of you this time, yeah?" Sebastian said. Trey sighed defeatedly. He had never wanted to punch his brother in the face so hard like he wanted to right now. He hated that this was what had to be done and he hated that it wasn''t even the time for them to be making their own decisions. Trey knew that Malika would always protect their own, so he was banking on Hudhayfah being safe until the time he officially met him. He hoped that if ever that time came, he would be happy. They would be happy together and there wouldn''t be a reason for them to stay apart anymore. Perhaps it was a long wish for a soul that had been used to this song, but they had to hope, right? If anything, for their hope in the bonds that they had been granted, a bond so precious and one they had both held onto subconsciously for the longest time. they would be fine, it was the only thing they could tell each other at the moment anyway, yeah? "Fine, if that is what you think is best," Trey sighed. He didn''t have the energy to fight his brother, because he was busy scouring brains for anything about Hudhayfah. He had heard the name one too many times in his time, but he had never imagined that he would be his Perihan. He could tell that his sister had also had a hard time telling him about that particr truth because they had been born vines. There was never going to be a chance for them to have any happy memories together. It didn''t matter that they were trying their best to hold on, because, at the end of the day, they would always have to choose. Hopefully, when the war was over they would have to choose. But what if their mates did that to them? What if they didn''t have the strength to get things done for them? What if they didn''t have that much energy left to even fight for their beloved? Would it all have been worth it? "Do it," Amina said as she looked around. Perhaps in another lifetime, they would be happier and without constricting choices, right? "See you soon, dear ones," Sebastian said as he cast a spell with the Sifir and sent his siblings through. Read new chapters at empire However, before Amina could go through, she caught a whiff of Mbali''s scent. She wasn''t even able to ask about it because her brother had forced her to get into the Cezaevi. Fuck. Chapter 470 The Greatest Showman?? [SICARIO] "Are you sure about this Sebastian? You release once we make that next step, there is no going back, right?" Alex asked as he looked at his brother who seemed strangely determined to make the next step into the unknown. This wasn''t how it was supposed to be for them but then the mating bond had fucked up any trust they had in their siblings. Maybe it was a cruel thing for them to do, but what else could they do to ensure that they both survived and that their siblings didn''t have to bear the brunt of the madness that they had long been dealing with? No one knew what wasing anymore save for the fact that Awuor Hawi would be the face of retribution this time. If she got here before them, she would ruin them but if she didn''t then they would have a chance at fucking everything up and regaining their control as the part of the realm that had remained feared for so long. It was a gamble, a dangerous one at best, but maybe it was what they both needed to give into just this once, right? "We have Trey and Amina''s magic, not to mention little Kurt''s too. We will be fine, Alex. we are stronger than we have ever been, because of thebined magic running through us. We can defeat them and take back our title in the realm. "Nick is dead, Atticus was murdered, Razia was reduced to ashes. We have to make certain that everything is alright with the system. It doesn''t matter how many times we try to fight Awuor Hawi. "She is always going to be the formidable force that is meant to take us out. If you''re scared, I can do this on my own, at least if I die, you can go back and bring our siblings from the Cezaevi," Sebastian defended and Alex sighed. They were so close to the border of Sicario. He wasn''t sure this was the smartest idea because of how things had been between them and the others. It was a huge risk, one that would definitely see them dead, if not as soon as possible. This was the sort of gamble they could take on and yet they were still here hoping that things were right for them. It didn''t matter that the realm was crying because of them and that the warriors had been trained to keep the Russels out of Sicario. This was a risk they had to take, but was it a must? They could easily leave everything and live their lives. They could choose to live like there was no tomorrow and like there was no white wolf. They could choose peace, but that in itself was a dream. "They still have a barrier up. You know what that will do to us since the barrier is stronger than any of our magic. Is this still something you want us to get into? We can choose peace, Seb. "We can go back home and move to a faraway ce, away from the people who are the realm in itself. Maybe we can go into hiding and nevere out. Isn''t that the easiest eye out of this instead of dewing with the warriors like they are waiting for us?" Alex asked. Sebastian felt his heart shatter for his younger brother. Alex had always been the diplomat other than Atticus and Nick. He had always stood to make sure things were right and there was truly peace between the realms. He had always wished for the day when they could all interact peacefully. Sebastian had seen the way his brother''s eyes lit up when he realized that Amina was mated to Mbali and that Trey had been mated to Hudhayfah. Alex had seen hope and love. He had seen a family that could be saved. He had seen bonds that could be taken as a treaty. He had seen what life would have been if they didn''t have to be enemies of each other. Alex has seen life beyond the chaos and frankly, it was something that Sebastian had been tempted to lean into. He had one temptation to make things right for his siblings, truly he was more than ready to forgive what Hawi had done to his siblings because they had done worse to Hawi. He was ready to call it quits and find a happy ce for himself and his siblings. A ce where they could live happily ever after, even if it meant being alone. but that couldn''t happen. "We can''t quit right now, Alex. We have to see things through, and think of the sins wemitted since the realm was set up. Think of the sins of our parents, the same sins that carried the cruel reputation. "Think of all the things father and mother did so that the seven of us would survive and not be looked at like fragile people. Think of the hurt we caused the realm. Even if Awuor Sicario chooses to forgive us, we wronged so many people in the process, Alex. "We killed over ten protectors in our lifetime alone. What of the ones that mother and father killed? We are prisoners of the realm even if we choose not to think about it. There is never going to be a happy ending for us. We are doomed. "Even in our rtionships, we won''t be looked at with love. I know you want to hope for a better future, but nothing is ever going to be better, Alex. Nothing is ever going to be the same for us. "We are monsters, and that is the truth we must bear, no matter how heavy it is. That is a reality we have toe to terms with because at the end of the day, we have to make sure that life doesn''t turn out for the worst for us," Sebastian exined. Alex felt like his heart was going toe out of his chest. He was worried about the oue of this. If the barrier was still there they were toast even before they could make a step towards the duelist pack. They already knew that the current Sicario wasn''t the Sicario that Jer had manipted in their favor. It wasn''t the Sicario that was easily defeated and done that they could do in and spew their magic around only for the warriors to fall dead. Enjoy exclusive content from empire This was a different Sicario. It was way more dangerous than the original Sicario because while the original Sicario was ruled by Hawi''s desire to make her pack the best of the best, this version of Sicario was cruel. They were ruled by the desire to get their child home. The desire to make sure the realm was a better ce for the broken Sicario child. They were warriors who would cut down any tree that stood in the way of Hawi, and burn down every little thing that would stop Hawi froming back home and living her life as a normal Sicario wolf. They were a pack that was ruled by vengeance and the burning desire for justice for the house of Sicario. It was one that was undefeated, even without magic and Alex and Sebastian knew that. However, for the sake of their other siblings, they would be fine. They had to try their best to make this a reality worth living in. They had to fight for their ce in the realm and regardless of what happened on the way, they would have to deal with it. "Is that why you forced Kurt into the Cezaevi too? But what about Jeremiah Warner? Isn''t he with Atticus''s magic? Won''t we channel our brother''s magic too?" Alex asked and this time Sebastian wished he could exin it in simpler terms so he didn''t have to break his brother''s heart a second time. It was a gamble they were both trapped in and one that they had to choose. But more than anything Seb wanted to tell his brother that regardless of what happened when they were headed to Sicario, they would be fine. They had to be. "Jeremiah has his mission. Atticus demanded that he kill Awuor Hawi. That is his cross to carry. You and I are here to make sure our siblings do not hide anymore. "We are here to either be the people who pay the price for the sins of our parents or the people who make sure our siblings never have to go into a Cezaevi because of what the realm thinks of us. "We are bad, but maybe with this shit we are to do, they won''t have to worry about what wille next. They won''t have to worry about looking over the shoulder. We can always find people to be friends with and mate with, but we can''t do that if we don''t fight for our chance of a life, Alex. "Do you understand me?" Seb said and Alex sighed. Perhaps he just had to trust his brother and hope that at the end of the day, justice prevailed. Funny how he was thinking of justice when they had been the terror managers in the realm. They had made every family and every faction bow to them more than once. They had reduced the once-feared realm into a ce where no one was ever going to be free. If Hawi hadn''t been born to fight them, and if Hawi hadn''t lost so much to the point that she was controlled by rage, they would have been able to win the realm over with fear once again. But then, Hawi existed.@@novelbin@@ "Hold on¡­ there is no magicing from Sicario. Not even a dome. Did they bring it down?" Alex asked. "It probably was the only way for Rukiya and Mbali to make it out. That means we can go in brother. Our army is already at their gates," Seb said. Chapter 472 The Reunited Band Of Misfits [SICARIO] "...We will be your executioners if need be. And if it so happens that we fall at the opposition''s execution table, then let it be known that we fell with honor while fighting for the greatest wolf to ever live," Rio said confidently. He sounded like this was the one time he didn''t have to think about anything, and his captain stared at him and then at the remaining dailies who were in unison with the agreement. It was a generous one no doubt, but Captain Drew knew it was better than he had expected and the only thing he had left, was nothing but pride in the team he had chosen to cross the seas with. Perhaps in another life they would have peace and love their days on the water as they had nned and hoped for, right? "That is settled then," Hudhayfah said before he turned to Elodie; "We need to get the people of Sicario out of the pack. This won''t be a war that will be easily fought, it will be messy, and given the shit we are dealing with, there is only one ce that can hold over millions of people at the moment.'''' He was clear and wanted to deny the possibility that the people would be hurt. She wanted to say that the Russels wouldn''t try to y dirty and do things that would force the Sicario civilians out on the streets where they would be forced to live the worst of experiences. However, she knew that it was a truth that was still staring at them and they had to make sure that it happened, regardless of what they had to do. "But we don''t have the time to evacuate the entire pack to Olyana. That will take a while, don''t you think? Elodie said as she stared at Hudhayfah. She knew this wasn''t the best of ideas and they were truly out of any possibilities. "There was a chance that they would have to take the risk, and the chance that they wouldn''t be able to get the Sicario citizens out in time," Elodie said as she tried to think. . The more she forced her brain into work, the more she realized how terrible an idea it had been for them to give up the magic that Hawi had kept on them to protect them. Maybe they were overthinking, but whatever it was, this wasn''t the time or even the ce for them to start asking the dumb questions. They had to act before the Russels found their way into their home because that was the one thing they were certain would happen. It was just a matter of time before everything went to shit anyway. "We can channel our strengths and make it happen. I''ll create the portal and we will hold the portal with your strengths to make it easier," Hudhayfah said and Elodie looked at the warriors in the room to ask them if they were open for this. It was probably too hard on them a lot and it would make their lives a little harder if the battlefield was staring at them. But then perhaps it was just what they all needed to get clear of the chaos by the Russels either way. Besides, whatever got the job done, right? "Great. Let''s get on with it then. Time is not on our side," Elodie said as she led the way out of her office. She hated that this was happening, but at the same time, she knew that it was a necessity for her and that no matter how they answered things would go. Nothing would ever be alright because eventually, they had things to consider. However, as they braced themselves, a portal suddenly opened right in the middle of Elodie''s office bringing the warriors to a halt. They suddenly went high on alert, readying themselves to cross anything that came out of the portal. It wasn''t much for them to consider, but this time, as they stared at the portal, a part of them hoped that it wasn''t filled with their enemies. There was a lot for them to consider at this moment sitting down with people who wanted the worst for them wasn''t exactly making things any better. "Olyana?" Hudhayfah asked right as the Lycans and Adolf, who had left earlier, walked out. They looked like they had seen hell themselves and like there was still more that they needed to figure out. Life itself wasn''t exactly being kind to them and no matter how many times they tried to pretend that this was what normal looks like, they knew it wasn''t. This wasn''t what the future was supposed to look like. It wasn''t how life was supposed to feel after so many things that had happened in the realm. Hell, if this was how the sun was supposed to rise or even set on them because it wasn''t pleasing at all. And the fact that it was evening and darkness was nearing, didn''t exactly sound like the best of ideas at the moment. Perhaps there was still some way they would be able to make sure the realm didn''t explode under their care, right? "What do you mean Olyana?" Rio asked and Adolf and the Lycans stared at each other like they had just missed the train station to hell.@@novelbin@@ Perhaps they had stopped in the right ce, but was that supposed to beforting or crazier than the fact that life itself had turned out to be messy and shitty from the onset of the chaos? Was that supposed to make them feel like the world was theirs to conquer or was it meant for them to realize that perhaps at the end of the day, they all had more to keep and hold onto than they were ever going to let them cleave into? Oh, the burden of a fate so simple yet so sophisticated at the same time. This wasn''t what life was supposed to be like and there was no telling what it was meant to be, after all they had endured over the years. Perhaps retributions did have better angles than this? "Is everyone alright? Are you grazed or anything?" Zane asked and the Lycan warrior just nodded as if to confirm that they were in fact as healthy as they could in the middle of the madness that made their lives a little hellish than they had anticipated. Life was a game of chess and they had all graduated from being pawns to being some of the key chess pieces on the board Hawi was always holding. This in itself was near convincing for the call of an eternity, but at the end of the day, the skies would always find a way of returning back to blue, no matter how long it took, right? "What the hell is going on and why the fuck are you here?" Theo asked as he looked at Adolf who had already settled. He looked like he had seen the version of hell they were all not ready for, but then at this point in time, there wasn''t even going to be a king of hell that they all didn''t experience. They always had to work things out differently and make it right, but here and now, there was seemingly no difference between right and wrong, because, at the end of the day, it seemed like the oue would involve a lot of losses for either side. Was that a risk that they had to consider at the point though, or were they still trying to feed into the possibility that life wasn''t a game for them? "Your dome came down and the distress rm was sent to Greyson. All the Greyson civilians are in Olyana as demanded by alpha Hawi in such cases and we came to help you take the Sicario wolves to Olyana too so the battlefield was levelled. Readtest stories on empire "There have been signings of the Russell army headed this side, and boy are they a lot. They look like they have been in hibernation for thousands of years and have just been woken up from their sleep to ensure theplete and utter destruction of the realm," Zane said as he paced. He couldn''t believe that this was happening, and that too at this point in time. All of this felt like an illusion and frankly, Zane wanted no part of it. Then again, he was a warrior sworn to the white wolf, and these were the white wolf''s people, so he had to be there and make sure that all was done in the right way. "The protectors are all back in Olyana too. All of them; which is weird for a poption of almost half a million," Adolf mentioned. The warriors all looked at each other as if to ask the question of whether Olyana would be big enough for the people of Sicario and Greyson, not to mention the fact that there was a chance that they had a million protectors on there. This just didn''t look like the perfect escape n and Elodie was thinking it too. She couldn''t imagine the lot of her people cramped up in Olyana, however safe that space would be, so she asked the questions she had been thinking of for the past few minutes. Perhaps, it would exin to her what the hell she needed to expect because at the end of the day, she had people to protect and keep sane. She had to make sure that there was a difference between right and wrong, however the lines had gotten for everyone at this point. "Is Olyana really huge to carry people?" Elodie asked, even though she was wounded. Well, this was the time for her to hope that all would be alright, especially given the enemies they were about to face. Chapter 473 Surprise, In The Name of Love? [SICARIO] "Is Olyana really huge to carry people?" Elodie asked, even though she was wounded. Well, this was the time for her to hope that all would be alright, especially given the enemies they were about to face.@@novelbin@@ She needed to be certain regardless of the chaos that was lingering. She was the alpha tasked with making sure their people were safe and she wasn''t about to take a chance on that possibility. This was what the truth was meant to look like and she wasn''t about to gamble it all away. "It is big enough to hold the entire realm, Elodie," Zane exined, making Hudhayfah stare at the Lycan like this was more than they had imagined was possible. But at the same time, they couldn''t deny the fact that it was this little truth that seemed to make them buy into the possibility that Loan was an entire world on its own. "What?" Elodie asked as she waited for more information. "Olyana, thend of the protectors was created as a passageway between the realm that the moon goddess created in case evil reigned in this realm and she needed to keep her people safe. "Everything that is done here is replicated up there to ensure that the wolves and the other factions find it safe to be there. And don''t feel like they''re too far from home. It was the best invention by the goddess, frankly. "The little camp we call Olyana is just a passageway. The real Olyana is filled with everything that anyone would ever need. It is almost like an afterlife, but it also isn''t. Because the dead don''t go to Olyana. "They go to an entirely different ce," Zabe exined and Elodie was certain she was going to die from extreme brain farts. She had always strived to make sure that there is nothing that would harm Sicario, but right now, she was certain that inanity wanted ry levels because each time she thought she had seen enough, she was proven wrong once again. How the hell did they have an entire realm dangling above them like it was nothing? And what the fuck happened to transparency? Well, there are so many questions and very little time as she could already ascertain. So, she just stared like she wanted to take a breather. "I know it is a lot for anyone to take in at the moment, alpha, but we have to hurry. If the Russel army gets here they will try to use the civilians to win the war. We all know Hawi''s first rule of war is to never harm innocents. "If we fail to protect those very innocents, it won''t be the Russels on the stakes outside, but our heads. Now please?" Zane said as he looked at the sailors who were watching in silence. They were solely learning the differentyers to life and freely, it was even more horrifying. Of course, they knew the option to let go was also there so they could go and witness what this new realm was that was so better and well equipped, but they also knew that they there were warriors and they wanted to see the end of the Russels because they didn''t want to live the lives in fear anymore. This was a brave decision, really because this wasn''t going to be the easiest of wars. But then perhaps history would be a little kinder to them given theirmitment to Hawi and the cause they were about to set their weapons on, right? "Alright. You know where they are, take the Lycans and Hudhayfah with you. I will stay up here to ensure that all will be well," Theo said, leaving no room for argument with his Alpha. He knew she was in charge but he was also the strategist in there, and he knew that there were some things that even Elodie Kane, however skilled she was, was never going to be ready to face. There was always going to be some sort of a shadow in the air between them and frankly, Theo wanted to get this shit over and done with because he wanted to live a normal life. But then did they all want to live a happy and normal life? "Fine. Stay alert," Elodie said as she left with the designated team. "Rio¡­ can we talk?" Theo asked earnestly, the worry in his voice obvious, yet deep down there was still pride in his voice as he talked to his mate. He knew that this wasn''t the easiest thing for them but then what else was there to be so uncertain of? It wasn''t like the world was ending¡­ right? Well, they are probably headed in that direction, but maybe if they acted like it was all sunshine and shit they wouldn''t have to live through the madness at the end of it all, yeah? "We''ll stay on watch with the rest of the army," Drew said with a tone of finality as he stepped out of the office with his sailors. Rio wanted to go with them too, but Theo had asked him to stay back in earnest. It wasn''t because they had shit to fight over but because they also had to figure out a way through this this was obvious to everyone, but then they had to simply hope that they made it till the end of the war. It was probably a long pipe dream at the moment, but what was so bad about hoping there would be better days, right? "You look tense, soldier," Rio said as he walked over to where Theo was standing. He had been studying the warrior since the news of the Russels outside the gates came and Rio knew this probably wasn''t easy for the warrior, seeing as they had fought all the major battles with Hawi around to help them. She had yed a key role in their sesses and Rio wasn''t about to say that he understood whatever the bond that the warriors had with the psycho wolf was. He could only hope that they were okay when the war began. Besides they had to have a little faith too; but was he to tell Theo to have a little faith? Was he to tell the mate he had been avoiding to have some father and that the war wouldn''t be as bad when they had seen firsthand the kind of chaos that came with the Russels? Oh, but Rio was conflicted. "Just a little," Theo said, taking Rio aback like he hadn''t expected that. Well, to be fair, Theo didn''t exactly look like the person who could express his emotions at every whim. He looked conserved and like he could only ever do things if they were necessary. Theo looked like he had never been exposed to emotions and wasn''t sure what the fuck he was supposed to say. Well, his training as a Sicario high warrior never came with the manual of what happened in the event that he found his mate anyway, right? That was a good enough excuse, no? "You''ve been to war zones with worse, right?" Rio asked as if that was supposed to make Theo feel any better about the little predicament they were both in at that moment. Then again, there was a chance that this wasn''t even the kind of predicament that they would be able to talk of because at the end of the day, what mattered the most was the way they could the wade through the mess. "Yeah, most of the time, but none ever had psychos like this. Anyway, I wanted to ask about you. Who are you feeling about this? Do you¡­ I mean¡­ I''m sorry. I just¡­" Theo rambled nervously as Rio walked closer to him. He wasn''t sure what he needed to expect, but his mate releasing calming hormones in the air to help him wake up was certainly not what he had thought of. He had never even thought it was possible, but here they were. "You''re one of the greatest warriors that ever lived, Theodore. If you''re worried about my choice, I will let you know that I wouldn''t have agreed to the battle if you were not part of it. "And before you start overthinking in case anything happens to me on the battlefield, and you me yourself, I am doing this¡­ for us," Rio said. Theo lifted his head to look at the sailor who was talking like he had someone else in his body, the Rio he knew would have referred to choke on spikes before he admitted to doing anything for anyone outside of his responsibilities or even his team. Hell, with the way that they had interacted at first, this looks like the most absurd of pairings and even voices buy the fates. This was insanity, and yet they had been used to so much insanity that this was meant to be normal. Was it right? Was it the kind of normal they wanted to reign in? "For me? You barely know me, Rio. For all you know, I could just be another shithead warrior who does things to please his master and misses ass at every corner of the world?" Theo stated, though it came off as a question. He was not sure he understood what his mate was intending with this, but he hoped that they wouldn''t be as wild as the chaos that was looming. There was never going to be a way for them to tell whether they would win or lose and that was probably Theo''s greatest fear at the moment. Continue your adventure with empire "I may be an ass, Theodore, but even I am not that much of an ass to be cruel to my newly fated mate," Rio said as he pulled Theo into a hug. Chapter 475 Yours, Always In Forever [SICARIO] "Is it too soon to say I want to spend every passing day with you, and that you''re the love of my life?" Rio said and Theo just chuckled. This conversation was so unreal yet it was giving him butterflies. "Is that a confession?" Theo teased as he kissed Rio''s lips so gently. "What if it is¡ª" Rio began, only for the bells to ring. They are the bells that notified the entire pack of the possibility of enemies, which was not even supposed to be surprising anymore, because right now, they all knew what they were about to deal with. "I love you, so very much, baby," Rio said as he pulled his mate into onest hug before they would go out there and fight for the peace of the realm and possibly for their lives and their sanity. "Rio¡ª" Explore more at empire "You don''t have to say it back. And I would very much love to hear about your day and every little thing in your life that you want me to know. So go, baby. Go be the warrior Sicario needs," Rio said, interrupting Theo. He knew the warrior would start rambling again and while he found Theo''s ramblings to be cure and the opposite of what the warriors deemed to be known as, right now, they were both needed out there. "And you¡ª" "I''ll be right behind you, love," Rio said as he released Theo from his arms, the beautiful blue eyes staring into his eyes, making the sailor realize how beautiful these eyes could be when the sun rose. Oh, how he wanted it to be morning already. Well, they had to get through the horrifying night to make sure that they got to live the ice they wanted, right? Besides, it couldn''t always be that bad for them. After all, they had been to battlefields before. That may have been true, but they had never been to battlefields with their hearts beating for each other hoping to the goddess that the war be kinder to their bid and that they didn''t get to lose the people they cared about. With onest kiss, Theo ran out the Alpha''s office, while Rio slumped on the nearest couch, the devastation of their situation making him want to curse out the universe for this. He had never nned taking a mate and it was obvious that Theo hadn''t thought about it for a while. They were being brought together at the darkest of times and Rio could only imagine what this could mean for Theo. He knew his mate was powerful. Hell, he trusted Theo and he was sure his Theo would be out there on the first battle line. But that wasn''t even making him feel any better because the past few days he had been thinking about this and the ending wasn''t all that applied for them. He had to tell them that all would truly be alright, but he wouldn''t even find it in himself to confirm that. Perhaps he had been truthful with himself and his mate, but was it going to make things any more realistic and better for them? Was this the kind of life had wanted for his mate? Devastated, Rio let out a muffled scream of anger. He couldn''t take this anymore, but at the same time, he had posed to be there for Theo. So, taking onest look at the room he was in, the sailor rushed out to his fellow sailors who were already lined up with the rest of the Sicario army. "Are they always this many?" Rio asked when he saw the army get bigger than what he had cone seen. Sure, he knew that Sicario had one of the greatest armies, but this was a little too much, even for them. you would think they were here to protect some sort of gold that was hidden or a treasure that no one was meant to find in Sicario. "No. The other warriors are from Greyson. They share the same uniform since the white wolf mated with Alpha Greyson," Drew exined casually like it was supposed to make Rio feel anyfortable but the chaos within. "You look like shit. I take it the talk with your mate didn''t go well?" Drew asked like this was the most normal of times for them to be talking about his sailor''s live life. But then there was never going to be another chance because they would all probably end up dead anyway. "Told him I loved him," Rio breathed and the sailors looked at him like they had heard him wrong. Well, they were right to be skeptical because Rio was aplicated being, he was repulsive when it came to emotions and the fact that he was admitting to dropping the love bomb first was enough to make his fellow sailors worried about him. Expectedly, they stared at him like the sun was about to shine from his ass, even though that wasn''t making him feel any better. This was insanity at best, but weren''t they all in some sort of insane situation at the moment anyway? "Looks like the world is healing, my dear sailors," Drew said and they snickered at the statement. It was always a statement that the captain always told them when they witnessed what always seems to be like a miracle. And if they were being honest, Rio and emotions in the same line wasn''t something they had expected. That in itself was a miracle on its own at the end of the day.@@novelbin@@ "Aren''t you going to ask me if he said it back or rejected me?" Rio asked his excited friends. "Anyone with eyes can see just how low the high warrior is for you. It''s like the sun rises in your face and sets right here. He looked at you like the world could go to shit and you''d still remain the brightest star in his universe. "He loves you, and probably can''t live without you. We all see just how much he tries to tone down for you, how much he wants you to afortable in Sicario. His reputation as Alpha Awuor''s most trusted warrior could to get the blind to see, because of just how scared they are of him. "You defy him at every possible turn, make yourself a nuisance to him and yet here you are, standing on your two feet and without any bruises. If he wasn''t in love with you, you would be camping in the dungeons that you wanted to be in earlier," Drew said. Rio squinted his eyes at the captain. He hadn''t even paid attention to how terrible a guest he had been to Theo, but now that his captain pointed it out, Rio wondered who else knew that the warrior was down so badly for him. Perhaps he would have to figure it out, or maybe he just had to keep his promise to the warrior, the promise to make things right, and the promise to protect the warrior with all he had and didn''t have. It wasn''t such a hard bargain, but it was one nheless. "But¡ª" "Oh, please. Why do you think the rowdy Sicario warriors have been nicer to you? They see you as one of their own, as someone important to them. They know what it means to have a mate since they are a part of a pack that believes in the sanctity of the mate bond, so this isn''t surprising. "You, my dear friend, are the luckiest sailor in the world right now. Who knows, the warriors might form a barrier around you to make sure you don''t fail because they care about you and their leader," Drew added and Rio wanted so desperately to deny it. He hated to say that that was all in Drew''s head. He wanted to say that this was not what the truth dislikes but even he knew that it was what the truth looked like. He had done all sorts of things and didn''t even get a reprimand from the alpha herself. He had been crazy and yet he had been free the entire time. And even the warriors stood there waiting to fight, there was an obvious warmth from the warriors toward Rio, almost like they wanted nothing less than happiness for him and their leader. Perhaps at the end of the day, happiness wasn''t the one thing that would evade the sailor. He would always have a choice and a voice and if he failed to use it right, he would be aplete fuckup. Well, maybe it was a good thing that Rio wasn''t nning on screwing Theos'' life at the moment. "Well damn," Rio sighed before adding, "the Alpha and the Lycans look like they areing to a ughterhouse." At Rio''s statement, the warriors and the sailors looked at the leaders who were headed this way. With them was his dear mate, his Theodore, the man he had sworn to protect. They looked like they were ready to rain hell on earth on the Russels and Rio felt himself a proud mate. He had known that Theo was already powerful and strong, but even with his armor, Rio couldn''t help but get attracted to the warrior. And the fact that Theo''s lips were still swollen from their kiss made his heart flutter, you would think that the warrior was like that because Rio had given him armor to keep him safe. Well, a love confession looked like a thousand reasons for Theo to fight the battle so well and win, right? Besides, they loved each other there was nothing for them to deny. "I swear to love you all my life," Rio whispered as Theo neared him, smiles on his face like he was going to the training room. "Always, Cinnamon, always," Theo said as he stood by just for a moment, to peck Rio''s lips delicately before he pulled back gently and shouted at the warriors, "For Peace!!!" "For Peace!!" They all chanted. Chapter 478 War, Was War… But The Costs?? [SICARIO] Hudhayfah was not bending the knee like Alex and Sebastian had thought. He was fighting them relentlessly and clearly being the first real threat to them. He was determined to end them, something that would scream the brothers'' failure to everyone who could see them. It wasn''t what they had throughout was possible, but surelying after a healer who was never truly out of magic was the dumbest of things, right? "Shit," Sebastian sighed as he chipped in to help Alex, but then the Savasci knights were not giving them any peace. Adolf and the Lycans were on their feet and making sure that none of the Russels were going to leave here tonight. Frankly, as they fought and the moon shone bright right above them, they could see the remains of what should have been their team. Their warriors were falling like they were pieces of wood that were standing as obstacles. They were being eliminated in the worst of ways and it was a sad sight, but then they should have expected this when they came to fight the Sicario warriors. This was not the ce for each or for them to be acting like the sunshine was about toe out of their asses. This was the ground of the dead, and with no civilians as coteral damage, this was a warrior''s best wet dream. One in which they had to fight with the enemy without worrying about anything. "Do you think they ever use their brains?" Elodie asked as she used her sword to cut off one of the Russel warrior heads. She could see the head roll in the direction of Sebastian, but that didn''t stop her from stabbing the next warrior who hade to her. This wasn''t the time for them to be ying nice with each other and someone had to remind the Russels of that. Life wasn''t the best of ces for anyone at the moment and frankly, if the new realm existed in Olyana, they could all only ever hope that they made sure their people would never live so far from the unknown. This realm was there to live in and just because a crazy family had decided to throw their weight around and hurt people, didn''t mean that this was going to be easy for them. Some of the warriors were already wondering whether Hawi knew what was happening here but then would that even matter when they had been trained by how to be the best of the best? "If they ever do, then I will be using my finger to think on my behalf," Drew said with augh as he fought right beside the woman he had always wanted dead. Then again, that wasn''t a far stretch, seeing as they had all been in worse situations. War had been the order of the day for the Sicario warriors and the Greysons and this moment didn''t surprise them. But then it was new to the sailors and they could only hope that all was well. Then again, they were at the seventh hour of their fight into the night and they didn''t seem to be relenting anytime soon. This was hopeful for them and it was what anyone would ever want. A fighter who wouldn''t be ashamed to fight for their home was every nation''s greatest asset. And right now, as Adolf and Zane fought wars beside each other murdering the warriors like this was Christmas they all had the hope of seeing their masters. "Well then, in that case, let''s make sure they don''t grow any wiser on the battlefield, right?" Elodie said with a smile and once again they joined in. There was never a time to take a break, and it was all so hectic and scary. The string of arrows on the battlefield and soldiers who had des in their hearts and who were screaming for mercy a little too loud. Granted, some of the Sicario and Greyson warriors had fallen in the hands of the Russel warriors, but such was the nature of the war. They had to be ready to give up their lives for as long as the mission waspleted. They had all known that. But then to Rio, Theo was never meant to do so. He refused to let his mate be hurt by anyone, and perhaps that was also the reason he was fighting alongside Theo, like they were suddenly the perfect duo. Well, when it came to their swordsmanship, they were the best. They were in sync. It was scary as they bested their enemies with the strokes of their swords and des. They were lethal and more than anything, they were slowly bonding over the death of the warriors. It was not exactly how they had expected to embrace their mate bond, but thentely anything was normal in Sicario. Hell, the moon goddess would probably show up and the people wouldn''t be as excited because they had learned to deal with the worst of the wrist and the craziest of things. Besides, there was nothing that could be crazier than the alpha they had been granted and one who would always protect them with their lives. It was probably too much of a risk, but then it wasn''t like anyone cared enough to consider that at the moment, right? "You really think you can defeat us?" Hudhayfah asked the Russell siblings who were slowly getting drained because Hudhayfah had managed to cast a spell to protect Sicario. He had channeled it such that it was almost impossible for anyone to get through it, but at the same time, it was a powerful spell that was linked to his wife.@@novelbin@@ The more he fought the closer he got to losing control of the spell that protected Sicario and the sooner the wolves would be back to their normal lives. It was risky and Hudhayfah knew it, but what else could he do when he was the only person who could cast a spell that powerful over Sicario? "Oh yeah? Well, I''ll give you something to hold onto then," Alex said before he began to cast a spell that got Hudhayfah smirking at him. This wasn''t what he assumed but then Alex was just getting started. From the looks of things, Alex was determined to make sure Hudhayfah didn''t have the hold on Sicario and didn''t save the warriors from the Russels. It was probably a cheap shot, but then it wasn''t like Hudhayfah was the kind of person who would give up easily. So, with pride, the healer fought the Russel warriors around him, before he suddenly felt an ache to his heart. It was one that he had never thought he would feel and he ttered in that moment. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go. This wasn''t how their reality was supposed to be and yet as he stood there, choking the Russel warriors with his magic, he couldn''t help but feel that this was thest thing that Alex could ever have done. Hell, it was the worst that anyone could have done to him. It didn''t make any sense but he knew this was war and these were the kicks of a dying donkey. The Russels were losing. They knew they would lose and they were ending whatever it took to keep their victory on the right path. But would it ever work really with the Savasci knights as issued and were tearing through their warriors like fire to a piece of paper? There was no mercy on the field and it was somewhat scary howfortable they all were with this. But then at the end of the day, they have to think for themselves, don''t they? "You''re a coward, Alexander," Hudhayfah said as he loosened his hold on the Russel warrior. It was as momentary and while the warriors wanted to rx because Hudhayfah had let them be, the Lycans were already on them and had strangled them with magic, making Hudhayfah''s fight on that was worth it. "Do you need help, healer? We can get together," Elodie said and Hudhayfah justughed even though his heart was shattering like it was the worst of things that could happen to him. It was hectic, it was not what he had wanted, but then what else was he supposed to do when the mess was already staring at him right now? Would it be any better for him or was this something that he could truly handle? "I''ll be fine, kid. Go fight the rest. I''ll deal with this one," Hudhayfah said even though his words are starting to sound like vibrations he didn''t want to interact with. This shit was wild as hell and he hated every bit of it. Perhaps in another life he would be better, right? Funny how they had all gotten to this point. Well, it was war, and he was a warrior who had mastered the art of war. "Alright," Elodie said, even though she was skeptical about leaving Hudhayfah alone she truly wanted to help, but even if Hudhayfah left her, Elodie couldn''t help him with anything, because the bastards in front of him had triggered his mate''s bond. He had used his connection to Trey to foster the one thing that could truly weaken the whaler. Alexander was ying dirty, but war, was war, yeah? "How does it feel to know your mate is dead because he doesn''t have his magic?" Alex said once he was down casting the spell. "Trey isn''t dead. I know it," Hudhayfah said. "That is true, healer. But then you can''t prove it. Anyway, good luck proving to your body and the bond that my brother is alive," Alex said before he sted onest spell at Hudhayfah, knocking the healer unconscious. Chapter 479 Taking Everything From You [SICARIO] "How does it feel to know your mate is dead because he doesn''t have his magic?" Alex said once he was down casting the spell. It was one that even he knew it would take a while for Hudhayfah to snap out of, which was the most hectic a war could ever get for the both of them anyway. But then what else did Alex have to lose out here when everything was going just as he and Sebastian had nned it? "Trey isn''t dead. I know it," Hudhayfah said defiantly as he looked at the Russel brother who looked like he wanted to do whatever it took to make sure that nothing ever worked for Hudhayfah. Perhaps it was a cruel thing for him to do, given Hudhayfah was mated to Trey, but then Alex was done. He had been part of the war for so long that he just wanted a break. He wanted to live his life like any normal person would, even if they weren''t normal. It was a reality that would forever haunt him, but it was also a reality that didn''t stop him from wanting to reach out and be loved. He deserved love and a family. How long would it take them though? Or were they only close to the end of it all if the Savasci knights were defeated out here? "That is true, healer. But then you can''t prove it. Anyway, good luck proving to your body and the bond that my brother is alive," Alex said before he sted onest spell at Hudhayfah, knocking the healer unconscious like a sack of sand. Elodie, who had been watching this, was so tied up and recharged at Alex. However, Sebastian stopped her and decided that she had be a nuisance too. So, with onest look at Elodie, Seb sted magic towards the alpha. It would have worked and it would have been the worst of the games on the battlefield. but then Zane and the Lycans created a barrier around Elodie, effectively shielding her from him, something that the Russels hadn''t truly considered. Well, whatever it was they had failed to do their homework well. Surely they didn''t expect a woman who had been able to march with the Lycans on her side to be fragile right? Besides some of the warriors in reasons had been Lycans since Mbali had decided to go and be on Hawi''s side. That was how they were loyal to, and if Sebastian didn''t understand that, then he was in for the longest ride of his life. "Are you okay, alpha?" Adolf asked and Elodie just nodded, even though she was in shock. She knew he would target her since she was the closest thing to family that he had and she was the one person other than Rukiya who would bring out both Malika and the crazed white wolf out here. It wasn''t going to be easy, but then Sebastian was just getting started, right? Perhaps the cocks crowing in the distance were the greatest reminder that Sebastian and his army had spent the entire night fighting the crazies and yet none of them had managed tond a hit on any of the Savasci knights. Granted, Alex may have surprised Hudhayfah with the spell, but even that wasn''t able to join Hudhayfah down, because a few minutes after being knocked out, the healer got up and he was filled with so much rage that Seb was scared for a moment there. "Let''s keep fighting," Elodie insisted as she red at Sebastian who wasughing at them. It wasn''t something they were used to, but it sure wasn''t something that they would pay any heed to. These two misfits and their army had invaded their home for some reason and they were done waiting to get the answers from them. And so, with the help of Hudhayfah, the Savasci warriors fought back. They were doing so well, until Hudhayfah fell down, weak from the impact of the pain he was feeling. His wolf was mourning their mate and no matter how many terms Hudhayfah tried to think positively and focus on the fact that Trey was alive, the spell was stronger than he had imagined. This would cost them a lot and he knew it. "I''m so sorry. He cast a spell on me to suffocate my werewolf abilities and now I can''t do shit to help. I really am sorry, kids," Hudhayfah sighed as he dragged himself off the battlefield. There were Russel warriors who tried toe at him, but Zane and the Lycans had had enough. So they put Hudhayfah in a magical barrier close to them. "You need to keep your magic to win the war. You can''t focus on me. I am old and you kids need to live your lives to the fullest," Hudhayfah whined and they just stared at him soflty, while ignoring every word that came out of his mouth. They were at war and shit always happened but they couldn''t lose the one person who had yed a key role in helping them fight in the night. The moon was slowly fading to allow the sun rise and frankly, with the way they were tired, it would have been futile to fight in the dark. Perhaps the goddess understood that and daybreak came a little too fast even as they kept their ground and fought for everything they loved and believed in. "How many of our men are fallen?" Elodie asked Theo hourster when the morning sun was hitting their skin. There were several bodies in Sicario that had fallen and thankfully, most of them are the Russel warriors. This wasn''t how they had intended to keep Sicario sacred, but then what was the point of holding on when they had a lot that could go wrong and so fast? They had to agree that this was a different kind of war and if the fates were on their side, perhaps this would be thest war they would ever have to fight. Maybe they are thinking too much or maybe they were right to hope for the best. Maybe when the war came to a halt they would have won, right? Oh, how they needed that win so badly. "Around thirty. The rest are badly injured but will heal after being taken care of,'''' Theo said as he fought the warrior before him. He hated the Russel warriors and he couldn''t, for the life of him, think of any reasonable thing that could make anyone in their right mind stand by the crazy family that had probably fucked up the life of everyone including their ancestors. But hey, they had to have something to give them a reason, right? Besides, it wasn''t easy to be epted into the Greyson or Sicario army. But even that didn''t sound like a good enough excuse to mess things up.@@novelbin@@ "Alright, let''s finish this," thedy said as she fought like the rest of the warriors. However, as she fought her way back to where the stubborn brothers were, Elodie felt her heart sink into her stomach at the sight before her. She had known this was war, but everything that was right before her was insane. This wasn''t how it was supposed to be. "No¡­ NOOO!!!" Rio cried out suddenly, making the warriors look in their direction. The sailors were all dead. All, except for Rio. Chapter 481 The Ultimate Game of Chess [1] [SICARIO] "I swear to the fucking goddess if it''s another spell again," Rio cursed. "Trust me, you''ll love this," Sebastian said. "The mating spell?" Alex voiced, in defeat and his brother nodded enthusiastically before casting the spell that would fuck up more than they had bargained for. But at the same time, it was the only spell that could give them the go-ahead in this war. They hade into y in the dirty war and they had to win it regardless of what they did. It wasn''t even up for discussion anymore because the realm would burn before any of that shit was made into a reality. The Russel brothers had grown desperate and it was getting more obvious. Granted, they hade with the im that they had the best of the best tactics out there and would win the war without so much as lifting a hand. But then here they were, seventeen hours into the war. They had lost most of their men and were getting frustrated by the Sicario warriors. Hell, they looked like they were fighting their equals, and in the training they had given their warriors everything they needed to defeat the Sicario warriors. Well, perhaps they just needed to think faster because this wasn''t what any of them had on mind. "Let the fun begin," Sebastian said as he finished casting the mating spell on the Sicario and Greyson warriors. It was the worst of things that could have happened in war because this spell was easily the cruelest of them all. This was the spell that would make the warriors think that they were mated to each other. Sebastian was forcing the mate bands and it was crazy. The warriors looked at each other and their mates on their sights even though a good part of them knew they couldn''t get their mates among their fellow warriors. The goddess was never that mean and even the fates knew it wasn''t trying to pair a warrior with another warrior, save for asions that were unhinged like the elites of the Savasci knights. "This is wrong, brother," Alex said as he looked at the Sicario warriors embracing themselves, lowering their weapons as they took in the scents of their parent mates who were certainly not even real. "Rx. They don''t know shit about the spell. Besides, this is our chance to fuck them up. We have to win this war, Alex, otherwise our siblings might never be able to live their lives happily. "We have to keep them busy and eliminate them all to clear the barriers. We deserve to live, don''t we?" Sebastian asked his brother who was in shock at the sight before them. This was never what they had hoped for. This wasn''t how they were supposed to do this and yet here they were with all the madness in the world dangling before them. They had fucked up more than once and this was something that even the fates wouldn''t ever be able to forgive them for. This was devilish, that was the only thing that Alex could think of.@@novelbin@@ "Still¡­ we weren''t given our powers to use like this," Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair. This shit was fucked up in one too many ways and they would never be forgiven by the goddess if this was real. Then again, they were at war, one in which they were getting their asses kicked by warriors who didn''t even have magic with them, but just their skills. They were being tested and it didn''t look good. "We can worry about the consequencester. Now fucking pick up your weapons and fight," Seb said to Alex who defeatedly listened to him. The Russel warriors also picked up their weapons and readied themselves to fight the Savasci warriors. This was the worst test of time and fate and if they won, then the history books would have a lot to say of the dirtiest war ever in all of history. "You lot are so fucking low," Zane growled as he and the Lycans sted the brothers with their magic like the war had truly gotten personal for them. This was that they were supposed to fight and yet the brothers had made sure to mess them up. It was not fair on any front and Saniel was pissed. Hell, he wanted the head of Sebastian and Alex. He wanted to make them pay the price for it. "They went too far this time," Elodie said as she watched the warriors act like they were obsessed. Oh, how Hawi would have been disappointed in all of them. Was this the kind of war they hade over to fight? Was this how they lost the one war that had taken them years and years of nning? Was this it for them? Was this how they managed them is or was this just another day for them to be messed up with? "Don''t tell me you didn''t expect this. This is one of their dirtiest tricks in all of history. This is how they struggled and defeated the other white wolves," Rio said as he walked forward to where the Lycans were sting the two brothers. Sebastian and Alex went to even try to fight. They were simply defending themselves and it wasn''t as pretty as they would have ingrained. This wasn''t the kind of life they had yearned for and it was so fucked up that life itself was not even as lonely as they would have expected. This was hell and yet at the same time, this was the greatest test of knowing how prepared the Savasci warriors and knights had been for this war. Then again, are they prepared for this particr trick? "Look around Sebastian and watch what is done to your warlock warriors whose magic is just there for show," Adolf said with a smirk and the lot of them tried to see the Sicario and Greyson warriors fighting. The Savasci warriors looked like they had just been ying games with the Russels warriors and themselves, almost like they had been taught to all the possible tactics that the Russels had used and would probably use in the war against the realm and the white wolf. It was truly a shame for this to have happened like this. But then again, who the fuck did they even think they were up against when they had decided toe and fight the warriors? Everything Savasci was never going to let them win and they should have known that, but had they had that without Hawi, Rukiya, and the Jabali sisters they would have a chance, yeah? "Impossible," Alex said, even though there was a smile on his face. Like he was d his brother hadn''tmitted the greatest sin before the moon goddess. They were being defeated, but there was only one person they wrote other than Awuor Hawi anyway. "Oh yeah? Something tells me you''re more excited than us to fight this phase of the war, Alexander Russel. Or are we reading it all wrong this time?" Theo said as heughed at the brother who was staring now with a grim face. Trust and realities are always going to be allowed, but clearly, no one would ever outsmart the Savasci teams. "Is that true, Adolf?" Sebastian asked with a smirk, right at the same time that Adolf spoke. "Mate." Chapter 483 Break My Heart, As Always [1] [RUKIYA] Night had birthed day and even then Mbali and Rukiya didn''t see any sign of Hawi and Malika. They had gone inside the temple, but stepped out when the sun rose because it was dark and there was nothing they could do. Even when morning came and they went to sniff around, they couldn''t get any hints of the two women. It wasn''t what any of them had anticipated and it was safe to say they had gotten to the point where they were panicking. Rukiya had been trying her best the entire night not to go back home, but then right now with no sign of Hawi or even Malika, the only thing she could think of was that they had left. But how was that even possible when there wasn''t any other portal that had been created outside of the sacred ind? They had gone down the thousands of stairs ande right back up and they didn''t see shit; it was like the two women had decided to go to some damned vacation and forgot about the part where they had people relying on them. It was crazy to some extent, but was that that they had always interacted with? "Do you think they¡­" Rukiya asked softly as she looked at the Sifir in her hands. She had been holding onto it for the entire time, like it would suddenly tell her of where her mate was, but frankly, there had been nothing. She was out of options and the possibility that her mate and the protector had been forced into the Sifir were growing higher and higher. It wasn''t even helping their case anymore. What the fuck was even happening to them at the moment anyway?@@novelbin@@ "Don''t finish that sentence, Rukiya. Don''t. We have seen that duo do worse things than disappearing. They have to be around here somewhere. Besides, we still haven''t explored all the options we have left," Mbali said. Rukiya stared at her like she had grown another head. They had been at this for the entire evening and night, now it was morning and their search had yielded nothing. It was like they had been hoping and hoping for shit that would never be a reality. That was the worst of things that they could encounter and yet somehow, in the middle of that mess, Jabali Lihle was already hopeful, again. Find more to read at empire "What other option is there, Mbali? I didn''t take you to be the sentimental one, but hey, looks like you have a range of options on you, don''t you?" Rukiya said and Mbali just took out her de and stared at the white wolf''s mate. Rukiya could already see where this was headed, but she didn''t like it one bit. This was insanity and they could all lose their sanity because of this. If Mbali was trying to do what she thought Mbali was doing, then they wouldn''t even have to worry about the Russels and their warriors anymore. They would have to deal with a very pissed of protector and she didn''t want the goddess to kill Mbali because she was a good person. This right here was the worst of all temptations. "No, Mbali. Don''t even think of what you''re trying to do. Getting your sister riled up will only fuck up the realm and leave everyone with a thousand and one regrets after the obvious massacre that will have taken ce. "Look for another option before we go through the rabbit hole. You said it yourself there are so many options and this¡­ FUUCCKKKK!!!!!" Rukiya rambled only to let out the loudest curse that reverberated across the ind like a beat that had been lost in the season. "This was your fucking n??? Holy shit woman, you are scary as fuck, what the hell? My goodness that fucking hurts so much., and where the fuck did you even get that stupid de form? "My lord¡­ this works fast," Rukiya said, her voice going form cursing out Mbali to focusing on her pain to wondering what the fuck the woman had just done to her. Well, thest one was easy to answer because Mbali''s de was lodged in her thigh, and it wasn''t healing, which also meant that Rukiya Greyson was experiencing the worst of pains at the moment. If Mbali wasn''t careful, she would be dead and then the realm would definitely spiral into the chaos they had both been hoping to keep in check. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know what else to do. Besides, my sister believes I''m dead and she is grieving, which means that she will not be too focused on me no matter what I do. "She will think that it''s all her imagination and guilt," Mbali said apologetically as she bent down to blow some air on the wound she had forced on Rukiya. The woman in pain, was however staring at her friend like this was the worst of all ideas. Frankly, it was worse than the Russels and if Mbali was someone else, this could have easily been her ticket to the afterlife if a different hell, deepening on whatever the fuck Hawi would decide to do to her. "Well, a heads-up would have been nice. This shit hurts as fuck. What the hell did youce your de with?" Rukiya asked as she watched Mbali''s eyes widen as if she had just realized that they hadn''t truly thought this through. "Ruru¡ª" "Don''t you dare say poison," Ruru growled as she clutched her thigh, as if that was supposed to make her feel any better. The pain was still excruciating and she figured this was going to be herst breath. Well, it would have if she wasn''t mated to the white wolf. There were a lot of things that were happening around them and there were so many improvisations that caught their attention and yet each time they managed to make a mess of their lives and everything around them. "Well¡­ it''s not poison, but it''s not healthy either. Especially at war," Mbali said as she took a few steps back to make sure that Rukiya didn''t try to wring her neck. She would let her, but then that would just waste their time and it wouldn''t help their chances of finding Hawi or Malika. They had to make a lot of decisions out of the battlefield and it was all so fucked up at the end of the day. "Keep talking," Rukiya said as she gritted her teeth. She had never felt a pain this unbearable in a really long time and she hoped that it would be over soon enough, because she was getting to the point where she wouldn''t be able to take it anymore without passing out. "It will give you lots of hallucinations and make you think that¡­ I''m sorry, Ruru," Mbali apologized earnestly. "¡­ it''s to make me relive my worst pains¡­ just great," Rukiya sighed as she looked at the apologetic warrior beside her. "Will it at least get Hawi to know where we are?" "Yes. it will bring her to you, whether she''s chained in the Cezaevi or anywhere." "I see. I hope it works for your sake, or I''m going to tell your little Amina that you spent an entire month crying over her," Rukiya threatened. "You wouldn''t." "You fucking stabbed me without casting a counterspell on the de¡­ I definitely would." "Fuck me." "Respectfully, no," Rukiya said before she was thrust into her worst nightmares. The saddest part of all this, was that even her worst fears and pains were linked to Hawi. Chapter 485 Break My Heart, As Always [3] [RUKIYA] [FLASHBACK] [Still, five years ago, The day of Malika and Jer''s Wedding - evening] "What happened to you? You fainted at the wedding, it''s a good thing I got you here on time. You were hyperventting, and calling for¡ª" Rukiya began, before stopping mid-sentence and Hawi looked at her like she was bonkers. "Calling for who, Rukiya?" "Your father, Hawi, Alpha Sicario," Rukiya said carefully, worried that Hawi would snap, only that this time, she wouldn''t me her. "What about him? He abandoned me, remember?'' Hawi bit back like she wasn''t already aware of the pain that was breaking her heart worse than life itself. "Hawi... Alpha Sicario, was murdered," Luna rkson choked out sadly and Hawi looked at her like it was a lie. Surely, it had to be, right? "I''m sorry, Jaberna," Rukiya added defeatedly, her head bowed in sadness. She knew what it felt like to lose a father, to lose the one person she cared about. She herself had never healed from the loss she had felt when she was told her father was dead. It was a reality that Rukiya had kept flicking through, hoping that it would fade each time, even when she knew it would never go away. However, seeing Hawi in this state because of her father, reminded Rukiya of what pain truly was.@@novelbin@@ She could have offered to take up Hawi''s pain, but how the fuck was she supposed to feel shit she didn''t even heal from herself? What the hell was she supposed to tell Hawi when she knew that nothing would ever be better at that stage? She was hopeless, but Hawi''s words reminded her just how hopeless her desire to be with her was. Perhaps she just needed to take a hint, but would her heart let her leave the beautiful woman before her? It was like Rukiya lived for Hawi, but did Hawi even bother? "It doesn''t matter. Anyway, I need some air, I''ll be back," Hawi said stiffly, as she pushed the covers off of her, before rushing off the bed. She had insisted that she needed air, but it seemed like there was more than they could begin to fathom. Rukiya wanted to hold her back, but this was a kind of pain that she could be able to save Hawi from, so there was no point in trying to hold Hawi. it was clear that Hawi would make a run for it, but this time, Rukiya hoped that Hawi would run to her. Would that even be a possibility? Hawi had had a good rtionship with her father up until thest day that she had left home. She hadn''t wanted him dead, but then she had lost, again. She wasn''t sure what life would ever be like anymore because, in the end, she always found herself on the losing end. Defeatedly, Hawi ran off in her wolf form, racing against the wind. While Rukiya followed her closely like the hopeless lover she was. She had wanted to help but she couldn''t help Hawi with her pain, because that was the kind of pain that never went away. Sure, time would forge new bonds, but that pain was one that would never leave. Ruru could feel her paws hurting, probably because she had been running after the love of her life for long and the friction had gotten her paws bruised. But that didn''t matter. Hawi was facing worse, in her opinion. The Greyson alpha knew Hawi was in the same state as her, but she hoped that when this was over, that Hawi would be okay. The pain should have distracted her but it wasn''t enough. It didn''t seem to be enough for her to forget the pain she was feeling in her heart. So as Hawi ran like the world wanted her dead and like it was thest time she could do it, Rukiya ran right after her. The both of them ran like they were in apetition, even when it never truly was, especially with Rukiya keeping her distance just to make sure Hawi was alright. This shit was eating her up but there weren''t that many choices for her. "Fuck, how long have I been running?" Hawi asked when she finally shifted into her human form. She was tired and spent, even though she didn''t mind running again. "That would be six hours, thirteen minutes, and forty-eight seconds," Rukiya responded to Hawi, who didn''t even turn to look at her. Maybe it was because a part of Hawi knew that Rukiya would be tailing her. Or maybe it was also why Hawi had kept running, and running in her white wolf form, despite being awfully aware of the risks that would pose to her. Even if Hawi would never say it out loud, she was safe with Rukiya and she knew it. "Rukiya fucking Greyson. Aren''t you a sight for sore eyes?" Hawi said as she panted heavily. She was still trying to catch a breath but she felt like everything else didn''t matter right now. "That I am. Though I must say I almost won the race. Your wolf just couldn''t take thepetition. Just to let you know, next time I will race you and make sure I win," Rukiya said nonchntly like it was themonest thing for her. Then again, Hawi had already expressed hate for her, and nothing would change that. For Rukiya, nothing would ever hurt her more than the fact that Hawi had told her point-nk that she hated Rukiya. It honestly couldn''t get any worse than that, and maybe that was consoling to Rukiya. The fact that Hawi had always pushed her verbally and never forced her away was something she was counting on. Maybe Rukiya was deluded, but who could me her for wanting to be with the woman after her heart? Rukiya Greyson looked like nothing could scare her anymore despite the fact that she was alone with the wildest woman she had ever met. But what was Rukiya to do? Give up on her heart''s greatest desire, or live like shit wasn''t about to hit the fan literally? "Are you okay? I noticed your paws were bleeding. Seems like it was so intense because you have scratches on your legs," Rukiya voiced worriedly as she walked towards Hawi who seemed determined to ignore her. Well, that wasn''t new to Rukiya, she just wanted Hawi to be okay, even if there was a higher chance that Hawi would push her away, again. "No shit Sherlock. Mind your damn business, will you?" Hawi retorted but Rukiya just stared at her with a smile and loving eyes. She had known that falling in love with Hawi had to be the craziest of things that she''d ever done, but she wasn''t going toin about that, because each time Hawi pushed her away, Rukiya wanted to get closer and closer. Maybe Hawi was challenging her, to see how long she would hold on in the pain, but damn, she needed to make a decision real fast, because Hawi wasn''t going to be as nice and as forgiving to her. The woman was detached from everyone except for Malika anyway. "Oh, but I am, even if you hate me and want to kill me," Rukiya said with a lightugh, even though the pang in her heart wasn''t making her life any easier. Chapter 487 Break My Heart, As Always [5] [RUKIYA] [FLASHBACK] [Still, The evening of Malika and Jer''s Wedding] "D¡­ Don''t say anything about it. Assume it didn''t happen," Hawi said after their heated makeup session. She was still reeling from the aftereffects of the contact and the fact that this time, she had gone in like she owned Rukiya Greyson. The fact that the Greyson alpha hadn''t once objected to the contact was something else, but then they both knew that she was down so bad for Hawi, the woman who wasn''t even sure what she had done right now. Maybe it was just Hawi grieving and Rukiya was the closest person to her at the moment, maybe it was because thest time she had run away and today she couldn''t, or maybe it was because she didn''t want to keep specting about the kiss that never was. Then again would it make it any better especially now that they had clearly crossed a line? Was it ever going to be just enough for her to tell the alpha to forget the kiss ever happened? What of their swollen lips? What of the sparks that had erupted at their contact? What of how much she had loved the kiss? What of the emotions she had been feeling when she lured Rukiya in? And more than anything, would Awuor Hawi deny the safety she felt when she was around the woman? Was she going to be at it again? "If that''s what you wish, Awuor," Rukiya said softly as she turned her focus on the mad woman''s leg that was slowly whaling. She had done a good job fixing her earlier and they just had to wait for her to feel a little better before Hawi went back to the rkson pack. "Your leg is healing pretty well. There are some issues I need to sort back home, so I''ll take my leave," Rukiya said as she got up and dusted herself up. She had taken the hint clearly and she knew that there was just no point in her pushing forward her attraction to Hawi. She had been through enough rejections with the woman and while this time, Hawi hadn''t quite rejected her, Rukiya figured that she could at least leave with some of her pride. She loved Hawi, but the woman was stubborn and a pain. Granted, Rukiya had always wanted to stay beside Hawi, and she wanted to be there to console Hawi, especially now that her papa was dead, but then Rukiya was smart to know when she wasn''t needed. Maybe she wille back at another time. Perhaps her advances this time were wrongly timed. She would just wait for the day Hawi wanted her to show up, and she woulde, after all, they had a blood oath between them. Then again, there was a chance that Rukiya would stille even without the blood oath. "You''re leaving?" Hawi said, her voice so soft and different from the prideful one she had been using on Rukiya in the past few weeks. "Yeah. My people need me," Rukiya said, her tone so neutral that Hawi felt a pang in her heart for the first time in so long. She couldn''t exin the sudden emotion and it was new to her, but would she express it to Rukiya this time? "Oh," Hawi let out defeatedly. "Take care of yourself alright? And stay alert," Rukiya said, as she kissed Hawi onest time on the forehead and began walking away. It hadn''t been her intention to leave Hawi like that, and she wanted to go back, but she needed to leave. She needed to choose herself this time. She had always shown up for Hawi and fought her battles and right now, Rukiya Greyson needed a break. "You too. Be careful on your way home, Ruru," Hawi whispered softly as she watched Rukiya leave. "You still with Hawi?" Malika asked Rukiya barely twenty minutes after Rukiya had left Hawi. She had fixed the woman and hoped to the goddess that Hawi went back home to rkson. She was safer there and would possibly be happier. "No, she went to rkson. You shouldn''t worry too much, it''s your wedding night," Rukiya said tiredly as she looked at the reflection of Malika standing before her in her room. She had already reached Greysin and just wanted to forget about today. "She called me for help, and I heard waves of water behind her. Was she close to ake when you left her? Is there ake close by? Or a source of water? The winds are pretty harsh on this si¡ª" Malika asked. That was all it took for the tired Greyson alpha to rush out of her room through her window, and in her wolf form. She could hear her warriors readying themselves to follow her, but she ordered them to stay back. It wasn''t the easiest of days for her, but what the fuck was she supposed to do when Hawi was busy testing her patience and fate? Was this all that they would always be reduced to? One was on the verge of insanity while the other was going insane with worry for the other? Was this what Rukiya wanted? "You didn''t answer me, Rukiya Greyson," Malika stated again, this time, getting into Rukiya''s head like it was the easiest of things even though Malika was in Sicario and Rukiya was in Greyson and headed for theke near rkson. "There is ake. I''m heading there now. Come with me, please," Rukiya said before she locked Malika out of her head and made it to theke. There, she saw the sight that would forever haunt her life. Hawi¡­ Her Hawi was drowning. Rukiya was too shocked to even say or do anything. She had never thought Hawi was in such a terrible state. She had been an alpha for so long and yet when the woman she loved entered her, she had failed to assess the situation. "Oh, you poor thing, falling in love with the craziest of them all,'''' Malika''s voice came through and Rukiya just stared sadly as Malika ran into the water and got Hawi out. It wasn''t as hard, but Rukiya snapped out of her trance and joined in to help. "She''ll be fine, young Greyson. She''s immortal, she can''t exactly die," Malika said and Rukiya just stared at Hawi''s unconscious form. She looked so pale and lifeless. Her leg was still unhealed, and that haunted Rukiya even more. Hawi had jumped just after she had left. What if she had stared longer with Hawi, would Hawi have done that? Would she have tried to hold on to whatever was left of life? Would she have let the young Greyson help her? "I''m sorry," Ruiya said, as she wiped her tears that were threatening to fall. "Let it all out, kid. It''s okay to feel," Maika said as she hugged Rukiya, who let herself bawl on Malia''s shoulder. It was a hard thing for Rukiya to do, but then who the fuck was she supposed to go crying to? Her mother? The one woman who never looked at her with love unless she wanted something? Her people who depended on her to keep them safe? Her beta who already had his fair share of hell?@@novelbin@@ "I''m so sorry," Rukiya cried while Malika held her without judgment. Chapter 490 Break My Heart, As Always [8] [RUKIYA] [FLASHBACK] [Still Five Years Ago, A day after Malika''s wedding, rkson Pack] "I''d run, if I were you, all of you," an awfully familiar voice said, making the warriors turn to look at the source. It was unexpected, especially here at the training grounds, but the warning was so clear in that voice that the warriors were sure they wouldn''t want to stay if they wanted their lives. "Or do you want to test how powerful me and my army that is a few clicks away from here, are?" the voice asked again and the warriors, including Lihle, ran off. They were injured and slow, but they knew they had to leave that ce as soon as possible because the woman who had just walked in was the very definition of hell, and the mother of ''fuck around and find out''. She was dangerous and could easily bring them down, because this very woman knew all the secrets of the rksons, and for that very reason, they were sure she knew what their weaknesses were as a pack. It wasn''t that hard to tell, but damn, the disappointment in the woman''s face as she looked at Hawi''s broken self on the ground, made the skies want to open and cry for Hawi. "I leave for a week and this is what you do, huh?" Rukiya asked, the disbelief on her face not even matching the ache in her heart for the wild woman on the floor. This woman would definitely be the death of her. "If you aren''t here to beat me up, leave me alone. You always spoil my fun, Rukiya,'''' Hawi said as she struggled to open her eyes. She couldn''t even get herself to trigger her werewolf abilities anymore. That was how terrible she had been beaten, and boy did she look like she was stoned in the pit of the unwanted. Hawi knew that Rukiya wasn''t going to let this go, and expectedly, the ultimatum came, something that made Hawi smile at how protective her Ruru was. If they had met under better circumstances, they would have been best friends, and even more, but was that off the table now? "You have two choices, baby. Eithere with me and I figure out a way to fix you up, or dare me to beat you up and watch me burn down the rkson pack here and now. And trust me, not even their name will be left in the minds of everyone when I''ll be done with them. "Dare me, love. Try me and see what I will do, hmm?" Rukiya said angrily as she took in Hawi''s appearance. She felt a stray tear fall from her eyes at how vulnerable Hawi had let herself be. The vulnerability was never a problem, but the kind of vulnerability that Awuor Hawi had subscribed to, was one that would forever break Rukiya''s heart. "I''m fine." "Adolf, go find me Mbali. Seems like she and I have a lot to talk about. Bring her, whether you have to drag her by her hair or ws. Bring me Jabali Lihle. "And do remind alpha rkson and his luna, politely, that I had warned them against seeing so much as a scratch on my woman; if they might be tempted toe to save Jabali alright. "I see more than scratches, hell I see a shitload of scars waiting to show up when she heals. So, remind them politely, alright?" Rukiya said to Adolf, her tone so cold that Adolf was worried for himself and the rksons. More than anything, the man who never cared about anyone, was suddenly worried about the fate of one of the great warriors of the realm. This was bad. Explore more at empire No, this was terrible, like an invitation to hell kind of terrible, only that this wasn''t an invitation. This was Jabali''s summoning to hell. "She didn''t do anything. You''re being dramatic, Ruru. Besides, my wolf will heal me soon enough alright? I don''t need a babysi¡ª" Hawi said and Rukiya turned to her with a full-on re like she was daring Hawi to say another word. And well, Hawi always would be Hawi. "You make me look like a weak alpha wolf, Ruru. I wanted to do this. I t¡ª" "You wanted to do this? Was that why Malika had to get me out of a meeting and tell me that you needed the both of us but she couldn''t make it, or even make me a darn fucking portal so fast? "Was that your reason, Hawi? Don''t fuck with me woman, fucking stay silent," Rukiya said and Hawi gulped like a deer caught in the headlights. She had never seen Rukiya Greyson that pissed and hell, she was sure it wasn''t the damn blood oath anymore. ''I think I fucked up big this time,'' Hawi thought to herself as she watched Rukiya give instructions to Hudhayfah who carefully walked to Hawi, ready to heal her. Hawi wanted to object, but there was a pissed alpha wolf on the same ground as her, and she honestly didn''t have the strength to fight anymore. So, she waited for Hudhayfah. Hopefully, that would calm Rukiya, right? Rukiya paced as she waited for Adolf toe with Mbali. Everyone here knew that Adolf was stalling like he didn''t want toe with Mbali immediately for obvious reasons. He knew that Rukiya was not in her right senses and was blinded by rage and a possessiveness over Hawi and that in itself made her a ruthless predator. If she saw Mbali like she wanted to, there was a chance that he would murder the warrior just to prove Hawi right, and that wasn''t why they hade here. It was quite the sight, seeing Adolf try to save someone''s life, that wasn''t Rukiya or a Greyson wolf, but then tough times did call for tough decisions, right? "Ow," Hawi winced when Hudhayfah tried to clean a wound on her arm, and that got Rukiya turning to Hudhayfah like she was about to make her healer take a long trip to the afterlife. "I doubt you want to piss me off even more Hudhayfah, no?" Rukiya spelled out, word by word like she was not in the mood to put Hawi in pain even more. "Y''know what, leave. Go find me Mbali and tell Adolf to stop stalling, that won''t let me save her life," Rukiya said as she grabbed the supplies that Hudhayfah hade with and sat next to Hawi, ready to treat the elf woman''s wounds herself. "Tell me when it hurts, alright?" Rukiya said and Hawi moved away from her, breaking Rukiya''s heart. However, the sheer determination on Rukiya''s face was enough to tell Hawi that they could y this game until the moon goddess came herself, and she wouldn''t even be able to do anything to stop Rukiya. "I''ll let you treat me on one condition." "You''re not exactly in the position to tell me what to do, love. I need to know what triggered this, and why you let them hurt you. I need to know why you didn''t fucking fight back and don''t give me shit about wanting to feel the pain so bad because your mind was clogged. "Don''t even think of bargaining for Mbali''s life," Rukiya stated, and Hawi stared nkly, like she was just caught in a lie. But then she knew that Mbali wouldn''t hesitate toy her life for Hawi, and that wasn''t what Hawi wanted. "Well then, seems like you''re okay with me being this far from you, right? Besides, who knows, I might just fall in love with Lihle since she gives me everything I want, unlike you," Hawi pouted, and Rukiya flinched like she had just taken a hit in the heart.@@novelbin@@ Of course, she had, and Hawi knew that what she was doing was low, but damn, this was the only way for her to make a negotiation. "Your call," Hawi added stubbornly, like she didn''t just give the mother of crazies an ultimatum. Then again, weren''t they both wild? "Fuck me. What''s your damn condition?" "You don''t hurt anyone in rkson, and I let you take me with you to wherever you want." "Only if we leave this instant, and you don''t talk of falling in love with Lihle EVER again." "Like I said, your call," Hawi insisted. "You will be the death of me, fuck. We have a deal then." *** [NOW] "Fuck, Rukiya, arte you okay? You''re sweating loads," Mbali said as she looked at the alpha who was struggling to control her breathing. But even then, Rukya knew her horrors would never leave. She couldn''t handle losing Hawi again, that much she was sure of. Chapter 493 Back From The Fucked Edge [HAWI] "We did it, Ruru. She''s here now¡­ Actually, both of them are here" Mbali said as she pulled the de from Rukiya''s thighs, making the woman cry out in agony. It was the kind of cry that would forever haunt Hawi for noting sooner. "They''re here, into the Cezaevi," Mbali breathed while Rukiya struggled to open her eyes. She had been standing, enduring all the pain while waiting to see Hawi again. It was the worst gamble for her, because this could have gone wrong in so many ways. But then what mattered was that they had made it to the right side of what they needed. They had figured it out, right? Oh to be strong and yet in so much pain. "Finally¡­ I thought you were¡­" Rukiya trailed off as she looked at Hawi, before she fell unconscious, with Hawi holding her so close like the wolf had just decided to y the worst of tricks on them. Her body was worn out from trying to hold on for so long and for convincing herself that the pain she had been feeling was just an illusion. The past was meant to be the past, and yet that single de had unearthed Rukiya''s greatest fears. She always hated losing Hawi, or even Hawi pushing her away, and that de had given her the first experience of the cruelest pain. She had always imagined that she could heal bit by bit now that she bore Hawi''s mark and was truly and definitely loved by the women, but some things were always going to be hard to understand. "Baby¡­ No," Hawi pleaded as she stared at her unconscious mate. Ruru was sweaty and clearly tired from whatever the fuck had happened. Her hair was tousled and her body was frail for the energy that had been drained from her. Somehow, even in that state, Rukiya Greyson was the prettiest woman Awuor Hawi had ever seen and she was thankful for the hundredth time, that this was her mate, the love of her life and the woman she would wage a war for. And speaking of wars, Hawi was emitting so much rage that Mbali felt herself curling up because of it. It was a little hard to understand because of the severalplexities around them but damn this was one hell of a fucked-up game for them. Regardless of everything, her mate shouldn''t have been forced to go through that.@@novelbin@@ "I''m so sorry I camete," Hawi whispered as she sat on the ground that had dried blood on it. She didn''t care how she looked or what she appeared as, because the only thing that mattered more than life was already in her arms. "Mbali¡­ Care to exin what the fuck happened here?" Hawi asked as she looked at the warrior who was staring softly. They had all been through so much shit, and as Hawi''s aura grew calm, Mbali felt her anger towards the Russels pop back up. This couldn''t have happened if they hadn''t been forced to have a war with the Russels, and if the Russels hadn''t done shit that the goddess decided to make them the frontline of the realm. It wasn''t fair on so many instances and Mbali felt like she wanted to fuck the Russels up even more. Granted, she was feeling the pain of losing Amina, the pain of her mate possibly being dead, but she refused to showcase it. They had to fight them and then think about losingter. Mbali knew this was their test by fate but goodness, it was a hard one and they needed to think. "Hawi¡ª" Malika tried but then Mi wasn''t about to let her sister take the fall for her deeds this time. They had been apart one too many times and had endured the kind of madness that no one ever bargained for. The least they could afford each other was the truths, right? Besides, what else could they do without having to deal with the fact that sometimes the universe was a piece of shit and the goddess was what many would refer to as a coward, right? "I''ll do it," Mbali said and her sister sighed. Then again, Mbali could see the questions in Hawi''s eyes that needed answers so desperately almost like Hawi needed a reason to keep her wolf calm and not pounce on Mbali because of Rukiya. It wasn''t the easiest of things that they had done, but they had been a team for the longest time, not to mention the trust they had in each other. All Hawi wanted was to understand what the fuck had happened and how they had all gotten to this point. Then again, they were racing against so many things at the moment that it was almost impossible to tell if they even had the time to work through that. Did they though? Did they have the time to work around the specifics of who did what and why? Was that what was going to work for them this time? Oh, but there were a lot of things that they needed to fix and Mbali knew that too. "The Russels made it through the gates of Sicario, Hawi. We don''t have enough time, because the war is full-blown there," Mbali said earnestly, her words piercing Hawi''s heart like the worst case of a broken heart. Catching a break in this realm was proving to be a wild sport and Hawi despised that reality for them. Hell, it was like they would never get to have a peaceful day because of the Russels and she could have killed them earlier. Then again, where was the fun in killing them fast when that family had spent their entire lives haunting the realm and making people worry about them and look behind their backs for the rest of their lives? The Russels deserved no one''s forgiveness and Hawi wouldn''t be the first to forgive them. Hell, she wasn''t even considering getting on the forgiving list this time. "Fuck," Hawi grumbled as she stared at the unconscious woman in her arms. She knew there had to be more to this, but Sicario being in danger and them being here at the moment was just not adding up. Perhaps there was a way for her to work around it, but what the fuck was she supposed to do about it? Everything was fading slowly and they didn''t even have time to make do with what they had. Happiness was proving to be an uphill task for them as warriors and even as wolves and Lycans. This wasn''t fair on any level, but were they supposed to go and cry about it in the distance? "I know you have so many questions, so I will try to summarize the little we got from there. Sebastian and Alex are in Sicario. As far as we know, they trapped their other siblings in the Cezaevi and left the used Sifir on the ground," Mbali said as she pointed to the artifact on her hands. They hadn''t even had time toprehend what had happened. They had been out here for several hours, as they tried to make everything make sense, but frankly, this would take them all more than just a minute to take in. It was a lot and they couldn''t even be med for it. This was bullshit in so many ways, but perhaps they had to wait it out? "What the fuck?" Malika said as she looked at her sister. Chapter 494 Let Me Make It Right For You [HAWI] "What the fuck?" Malika said as she looked at her sister who was staring at Hawi softly. This was just not what either of them had nned, but then the time for recollection wasn''t now, at least that much was obvious. Whatever they had to do, they needed to do it fast because the sun was starting to go down and it wouldn''t be a pretty sight to fight for the second night. Sure, they all trusted their army, but with the Russels, foul y was something that was bound to happen. There was never going to be an easy way out of this, and the sooner they came to terms with that, the easier they would understand the dynamics of the battle that they had to fight regardless of how long they had been doing this. "It just doesn''t make any sense," Hawi said as she looked at Mbali. For someone they had presumed dead for weeks, this woman here looked healthier than they had ever seen. She looked like she hadn''t aged a day and didn''t even know of the troubles that were lingering in the hallways. It was somewhat a shame for them to be here at this point, but what other thing could they do in a time when war seemed to be the order of their day? How the fuck were they to reel this when life was starting to look a lot like love on the sidelines? This wasn''t how they had nned for this, but then life didn''t exactlye with a manual, right? Malika had always wished to see her sister again but fuck, the circumstances were just not right at the moment. There was a lot that Malika felt like she had missed out on and while she was tempted to look into her sister''s mind, she could tell that Mbali would kick her ass if she so much as even tried it. Perhaps she would just wait it out and see what she had to do to make things happen this time. "I know it is a lot. I am still wrapping my head around what is going on right now. But like I said, we don''t have time. We have to get back to Sicario and make things right. And as for Ruru, I''m really sorry about the de. "There was no other option left for us. We had to figure out if you both were dead or alive and the easiest way was to trigger her worst of pains. I''m so sorry, Hawi," Mbali said and Hawi just sighed. What the fuck was she even supposed to make of this? Her entire life she never had to deal with a lot of crazies and yet just five years after her life went to shit, she had managed to change the bnce in the realm. Perhaps that was the higher calling she had always hoped for? Oh, but it was confusing as hell and she hoped that all would be fine. "Did she¡­ did she say what her worst pains were when you stabbed her?" Hawi asked. Malika stared at the white wolf as if to ask her what the fuck she was trying to do. Anyone who had known the two of them knew so well that their pains were easily linked to each other. Hawi always knew that but she needed to do it. She needed to find a way to channel her rage because otherwise, she would lose her mind with them. This wasn''t how she had nned to make things right for herself but even hell wouldn''t be this wild, right? "Hawi¨C" Mbali said as she stared at the woman on her knees. She had always known theplexities that had been between Hawi and Ruru earlier on and she could tell what Hawi was expecting, but a part of her couldn''t take it in. She couldn''t be the reason Hawi went back into the ce they had gotten her after years and years of battling Hawi''s subconscious and fixing her line of thought, it would be too cruel a thing for them but then it wasn''t like Hawi was thinking the same. She just wanted answers. Surely that shouldn''t have been hard for them to wrap their heads around, right? After all, life was always going to be as fickle as possible so they just had to live it, no? "Tell me, Mbali. Was it¡­ Me?" Hawi asked inplete earnest. She knew it wasn''t going to matter to their mission since it was the east, but she also had a feeling that this was a past she needed to atone for. But then why the fuck would Hawi atone for things that happened when she was low in her life? Why would she even consider trying to exin shit that even she had no way of working around?@@novelbin@@ The past was a bitch, sure but that was the past and Hawi needed to gauge that. Well, that was simply easier said than done, really. "Hawi, it''s n¡ª" Mbali began and Rukiya let out a groan, turning Hawi''s attention back to her, like that was meant to keep Hawi from asking the questions again. It was going to shut the woman if she got her answer and that was the one thing that Rukiya didn''t need for her mate. She loved Hawi, whether Hawi was broken or patched up, because that was the girl she had fallen in love with over and over. Love hurt, but Rukiya was willing to endure whatever the fuck happened as long as she found her way back to Hawi. Hawi was her home and she would be damned if anyone tried to take that away from her. "Surprise! I''m not dying," Rukiya said enthusiastically, her voice going horse as she tried to sit up, but Hawi wouldn''t let her. She had cast every healing spell known to the realm on Rukiya in the silence that she had been in. She had done whatever she needed to do through the bond that they shared, to the point that she wasn''t even surprised that her mate was awake. She was however d that Ruru was awake because she was losing her mind with the chaos around them. "I''ll kill you if you don''t start talking," Hawi said to Mbali, even though her focus was on Rukiya, taking in the sight before her like this was the best of things that could have ever happened to the both of them. It was a wild state, but then didn''t they have a war to fight in the distance or even join their warriors in winning? Perhaps it would matter if an exnation was given, but Hawi didn''t care for much. "Why wouldn''t you just ask me if my worst memories had you in them," Rukiya asked and Hawi stared at her, lips sealed like she was scared of the answers she would get from Rukiya. It was easy for her to take the me if it came from Mbali, because they had to be honest with each other and Hawi wasn''t exactly the most stable of the group. There are things that had to be sorted and they couldn''t even deny that this time anyway. Explore stories on empire "I''m sor¡ª" "Kiss me, baby. I missed you," Rukiya said, interrupting Hawi''s apologies, while the Jabali sisters let out a sigh of relief. Chapter 498 Shouldve Left Town Forever [HAWI] It took around twenty minutes for the entire Russel army to be reduced to bones and limbs that didn''t have any particr owners. They had been ruined, to say the least and the perpetrators were proudly covered in blood and body clots. "That was epic," Rukiya said as she looked at the mess they had managed to cause. It looked like the prettiest photo for them and they didn''t mind having memories of this, especially with the tech they had in Sicario. But was that all there was to this? "You people are the devils," Alex forced out when he realized that it was just the two of them left of the Russel army. They had hoped to defeat the wolves but then the psychos entered the chat and they had been reduced to this. The warriors in question were still on the other side of the barrier and they looked like they would have nightmares for at least seven hundred years toe. It was truly a good thing the civilians weren''t here to witness this madness, because there was just no way that they would ever be able to exin to the locals that the crazies had done this for the sake of the pack they loved with everything they had and didn''t have. It was a crazy time for them but they had been used to it. "We''ve been called worse, Russel. Now now, what should I do with you two, huh?" Hawi asked Ash''s stare at Sebastian who was visibly shaking. If someone told her earlier that the Russel brothers would be like to someday because of Hawi, Hawi would have called a bluff. But then it was no longer a bluff. This was a reality that was fucking with them and Hawi loved every bit of it. This was what they had wanted and they had got it. There was no point in fighting their fate, right? "Get it over with then," Sebastian said and Hawi let out augh as she stared at the brothers who were standing like the world was ying a long game with them. But then again Hawi didn''t give a shit about the brothers. She would kill them and she would do it in the worst of ways. That much at least was certain anyway.@@novelbin@@ "Warner?" Alex suddenly said, making everyone look at him like he was bonkers for mentioning the one name that could surely get them all eliminated at this point. They hadn''t seen Jeremiah Warner for months and years now, and it was not something that they expected, squally here, on this day of the realm. Jer was the one person who knew when to disappear and with the Russels defeated he surely had to have been smart enough not to be on the battlefield, right? "No fucking way," Mbali said, herughter making the Russels nervous and the warriors excited though worried about what was going to happen. Find exclusive stories on empire They knew what the Savasci knights would do and they knew that Jeremiah Warner was the one person who would ever be allowed to see the light of day, ever again. It was something that had been hard for some to understand, and when they finally understood the things that were happening in Sicario, they could only ever wish all the enemies of the Savasci knights a good ride to the afterlife or hell. Whichever way, those were the only options that they would ever get on this day of the realm anyway. "And here I thought stupid people were over when we murdered thest of the Russel warriors," Malika said as she stared at Alex and Sebastian. She wasn''t sure what the fuck was going on right now but at the moment this was golden. "Warner! There''s no point in ying dead! They already smell you, now get the fuck up and keep your promise to Atticus!" Alex called out and Jer groaned as he got up from the pile of dead bodies he had stuffed himself under. He looked pathetic., like he had just realized that the universe was filled with fucktards who couldn''t find their ce in the world. This was not what anyone wanted for themselves, but Jeremiah was strangely motivated. With the magic Atticus had left him, Jer cleaned himself up, going the extra mile to clean up the blood of the Savasci knights and the Russel brothers. It was almost like he was suddenly allergic to blood when all his life he had been a pawn in a game that had always had blood lingering around. Perhaps Her was forgetful but he damned if he thought he could win against Awuor Hawi. "Gee fine. At least now you all look presentable. What was that about the battle and debt owed to Atticus?" Jer asked proudly as he stared at Hawi who was staring amusedly. She had seen Jeremiah in every shade and she had known more about the man than he even knew of himself. She had everything to bring him down regardless of what he tried to do and right now, however important Jer wanted to think of himself as, he wasn''t. He should have figured that out already for the moment that Alex called on him to fulfill the promise he had made to Atticus. It was a mad man''s errand really and the sooner he figured it out, the sooner he could probably save his life. "You look good, crazy pants," Jer said to smirking Hawi who wasn''t even the least bit surprised about this her face was emotionless save for the knowing smirk on her face. She looked like she knew what Jer was going to do next and when Jer charged at her with a full-blown rage, Hawi smiled sinisterly, making Malika''s heart beat in worry. This was the first time that Malika was getting worried for Jeremiah Warner, the same man she was bound to kill if it handed to Hawi wanting him alive. She didn''t like him, no. She knew what he would face was worse than what Hawi had put him through in the dungeons two years ago. It was a game with the worst of all creatures and Jeremiah was a loser by default when it came to Hawi. Perhaps that was also why Hawi didn''t bother to pay any attention to him. The Savasci knights on Hawi''s side of the barrier were watching with nk faces as they waited for Jer to have his ass handed over to him, for the hundredth time by the same woman. Surely a man had to know when to give up, right? "Looks like we have a party to keep going," Rukiya said, snapping Mbali and Malika back into action. They could have stopped and watched Hawi and Jer, but then Hawi wasn''t even bothered, so they figured they could keep fighting the Russel brothers. "Anyone ever told you never to go back to your murderous ex? Or are you confident because of Atticus''s powers?" Hawi asked nkly. Jer was punching her with all of his might, however, for Hawi, those punches felt like she was being squished by the softest teddy bear. She didn''t feel shit and she was actually amused by it. "Has anyone ever told you how unhinged you are?" Jer asked as he kept punching Hawi even running his word through her, but Hawi was just standing amusedly and unfazed, another thing that got the warriors beyond the barrier truly scared of Awuor Hawi Sicario. "All the time, Jeremiah," Hawi said with a creepy smile. Chapter 499 Brought The Heat Back [HAWI] Staring at a confident Jeremiah, Hawi thought back to the times that this man had been the love of her life and it made her cringe a little too hard. She couldn''t believe that there was once a time that she wanted to spend her life with this man, but at the same time, she was just d that she had managed to snap out of it. Now that she looked at him, she couldn''t help but wonder what kind of brain cells Jeremiah Warner had to be used like that. She wasn''t pitying him, no.@@novelbin@@ She was truly curious because there was nothing about Jeremiah that screamed intelligence and even as Hawi beat the shit out of him, there was no denying that life meant a different thing for Jeremiah. "You think your magic will help you?" Jer mused as he tried to block Hawi''s hits and failed. He was fighting for his life and if it wasn''t for the magic from Atticus, Jer would have long lost his life in the hands of the woman who hated him in ways more than life would ever be kind to him. "Oh, please. Even without my magic, you''re no match for me," Hawi said and the warriors looked at her like she had lost a part of her mind. That had to be it because no one in their right mind ever tried to give up their defenses right in the middle of a war. That was unhinged and Awuor Hawi had to have wanted that too. She was truly something else. "You wish," Jer said confidently, making Hawi smirk at him. She was pissed about a lot of things and had been looking for the perfect way tosh out. Murdering the Russell warriors was just not enough for her and she needed more. Fighting with Jer was something that Hawi hadn''t nned for. Sure, most of the time she was doing things for the sake of it, but then as long as the Russels were still alive her vengeance against Jer wouldn''t mean shit, it was a difficult decision she had forced herself toe to. Hawi had assessed the citation and everything that she would gain by eliminating Jer. Granted, she just wanted him dead, but if Jer was dead earlier than the Russels, they could always find another person and make into a Jeremiah. And Hawi would have a never-ending supply of enemies to deal with. That wasn''t there she intended for, especially now that she had mat that she was never going to let go. Rukiya Greyson was the reason she was more determined to end this war as soon as possible. Hawi knew it would take time, but damn if she said she didn''t think it was the craziest thing for them out there. Perhaps that was why she did what she did while she fought with Jeremiah Warner, the man who had jauntse to raise that Hawi was fighting him, but it wasn''t a fight to the death. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jer asked as he took a break from his fight with Hawi like there was a reminder that they needed a break in the war that had cost the Russel brothers their entire army. It was pathetic of them really, given the protectors had already eliminated the army on the sacred ind, not to mention the fact that right now they didn''t matter as much. Or maybe that was what Hawi intended to make them feel so they could question everything they believed in and more. "You''re useless," Hawi said as she kept sting him. She didn''t have the time to deal with him, but then at the same time, she was excited for some reason. It was crazy how she had done everything to clean up the bunch of people who had fucked her up. Yet the one person who had been right there when it happened, the trojan horse that had been nted in her life was still existing and breathing with so much audacity. But was that something that Hawi wasn''t aware of at the moment? "Watch this," Jer said as he sted his magic at the barrier making the warriors and the Savasci knights behind the barrier. It was almost like Jer was tired of living his life, because there was no logical reason for him to try and fuck himself up like that. ''Oh, he didn''t¡­'' Hawi said to herself as she watched throw far on the faces of the warriors. She couldn''t believe that Jeremiah Warner wanted to take more people from her life just because he had tasted some magic. It was something that she wasn''t about to forgive and she hated him for that. And as she stared at Jeremiah throwing magic balls at the only people she had left to call family Hawi''s pain came back to her. The raw pain and the shit she had gone through when she had lost her mother hit her like the first time like she had never truly exhaled, and perhaps that was it, because there was never a day when she had stood to think too much about the past. Whenever there was a mention of Jeremiah, Hawi acted like life was always going to be filled with butterflies and pretty unicorns. However, right now she knew that He wouldn''t stop, and she hated him even more for that. And so, in her rage, she shifts into her wolf, something she hadn''t done in ages. Read thetest on empire "Holy fucking shit," the warriors on the other side of the barrier facepalmed as they looked at the bear-sized white wolf in front of them. She looked so huge and pretty you would think that she was friendly, and perhaps she was. But this time, as she looked around to see the reactions to her white wolf, Hawi had long made the decision, she would not back down from a mere Jeremiah. She hadn''t endured all that shit only to be bested by a half-wit rogue she had given a status to when she epted him as a mate. Oh, but she was raging. "What the hell?" Jer asked, taken aback by the size of Hawi''s wolf. He had done his homework on the white wolves that came once in a lifetime and he knew damn well that they are not this kind of big. Grants were cow-sized, but that was all that Jer was to them. The white wolves from the previous lifelines had however been bested by the Russel evil and they never made it to their full potential. It was like the Russels had long learned to and eliminate them when they were kids, and boy did that save them a lot along the way. "I think we''re fucked," Alex whispered as he watched the white wolf before them. From the look on his and his brother''s face, it was obvious that they had never seen a fully grown white wolf like Hawi. Hell, she wasrger than a fully grown Lycan beast. No one could have prepared them for this, because even Malika, Mbali and Rukiya were surprised to see Hawi like that. And when Hawi let out a warning growl as she red at Jer who had long stopped basting the barrier with Atticus'' magic, Jer was certain he was screwed. "That''s our cue to get behind the barrier," Malika said and Mabli and Rukiya followed her. Chapter 500 The Devil Doesnt Bargain * Cheers to 500 chapters, 3.1k collections and 1.1M views! Thank youuu [HAWI] "They''re leaving?" Sebastian asked as he watched Malika, Mbali, and Rukiya make their way to the other side of the barrier almost like they were leaving them in the hands of the devil they had all wanted this time. It was not what anyone who had seen what Hawi could do, wanted to be a part of but then they had started the war with her, right? They could as well finish it and make peace with the fact that this was never going to be easy for them regardless of what happened along the way. "We can''t let them get away," Alex said and the brothers decided to use Hawi''s distraction as she looked at Jer, to try and fight the three women. It was a dumb idea because the three women weren''t even thest bit bothered by them. If anything, it was like they hadn''t even been a part of the battle at the moment. This in itself was infuriating to the Russel brothers because they hade all this way to make the lives of the white wolf and her people a tad bit hard and yet as time went by, they were getting proven wrong every time. Stay tuned with empire Perhaps they should have learned to keep their distance when they realized that the crazy Sicario child was the white wolf they would have to deal with. The girl was unhinged from birth and they knew it too and yet they had thought that by breaking her they would win the battle like the other times with the other white wolves. And boy were they so wrong. "No. Go away!" Jer said to Hawi who was stalking him. He could feel his breaths hitch in his throat at the sight of the boat that was constantly hovering over him, almost like she wanted to eat him, but would she? And even if she wanted to, who was going to stop her when he had fucked up her entire family, and ruined the little happiness that she had known in her life right? She had deserved to grow up with a family like any other child and yet Jer had let himself be used to screw her over. That wasn''t the best of things that could have happened to him and her because now he was a direct target of her rage. "Let''s get out of here, brother. We can devise other nster, but we can only do that if we''re alive," Alex suddenly said and Sebastian looked at his brother hopefully. They could see the odds were not on their side, seeing as Hawi had grown impervious to magic the moment she had shifted into her elf. It was a crazy moment, but then it wasn''t like life had been this easy for anyone, right? The battlefield that was Sicario was still covered with blood clots and shredded body parts, making the stalking of Her an even scarier moment. The warriors were watching while the Russel brothers were hoping. "Yup, I''ll get us out," Sebastian said as he created a portal. It was the easiest way out of Sicario and when he created the portal, he dragged his brother with him, because this wasn''t where he would leave his brother. This wasn''t where they would tell what the fuck needed to happen because, at the end of the day, the psycho white wolf who was stalking Jer was bound to make a mess of their lives. That wasn''t what they wanted. "Ah, finally some peace," Sebastian sighed in relief when the portal led them to a different ce. But a few sniffs in an attempt to get fresh air was enough to remind them of the worst joke in all of the realm.@@novelbin@@ The portal hadn''t taken them out of Sicario. If anything, it had brought them awfully closer to Jeremiah who was a target of the white wolf. This was madness at best and so the brothers created portals, or time hoping that this would be thest time they ever food themselves Sicario, and yet when the portals closed, they found themselves on the same battlefield they had been running away from. To say they were fucked would be an understatement and they knew that too, because this was their fate and they had to deal with it. "Please, don''t make me do this, because it will hurt you," Jer said as he looked at Hawi''s beast form. He wasn''t sure what Atticus'' magic would make him into. But he hoped to the goddess that he would be stronger and more powerful than Hawi, so that she could back down. Hawi didn''t even try shit with him, instead, she just stalked him, until Jeremiah Warner shifted into his wolf, in Sicario. It was a dumb move, especially on the battlefield that had people fighting their human forms. This was probably one of the worst of ideas he ever had, but maybe it wasn''t so bad, right? After all, only in his animal form would he ever be able to deal with Hawi, right? Oh, but it was the worst thing that he could ever think of, because this woman before him, hated him with everything she had and didn''t have. She despised him worse than the moon goddess despised misfits who were fucking up her people. Perhaps this was Jer''s chance to make things better, but what were the chances that it would ever make any sense to them this time? "Gotcha," Hawi growled inughter before she shifted back into her human form like she hadn''t just made the man stay in his wolf form. She was crazy but then he knew that too, and they hated what she had for him that the entire realm probably knew of by now. It was all a scheme to make him pay the greatest price for what he had taken from Hawi and it was just finally starting. Hawi had been patient with Jeremiah for years, almost like she was giving him time to rx, and maybe this would be Jer''sst day, but then at the same time, where would the fund be for Hawi if she just took him out right now? "What did you do to me?" Jer''s wolf asked and Hawi justughed again. This was hell and fortunately for Jeremiah Warner, this was probably the closest he would verb to a formal introduction of this hell, right? "Be a good wolf, Jeremiah. I have a present for you, and I know you will most certainly love it," Hawi said as she looked at the brown wolf next to her. Jer was stalking her this time but Hawi didn''t even give a shit about it. She had waited for years for this moment, and she wouldn''t stop, not even if her conscience wasing at her for how unhinged she may have been over the past years she was, after all, what they had all forced her to be. She had tried to be happy and yet they had fight so hard to fuck her up. This right here was the result of the madness that had exposed her to and boy was it not what Jer had expected. "Oh, he will not like this," Theo said knowingly as he watched the chaos before them. "What?" Rukiya asked and Mbali just snickered. "One of the many reasons I am d Hawi is not my enemy," Hudhayfah said right as a portal opened, and through it came Jer''s battered parents. Chapter 502 Her Wannabe Devil Or His Ruler of Hell * Happy New Month of September! Cheers to the 2nd half of the book yhii!@@novelbin@@ [HAWI] Awuor Hawi was cruel, but she was what they had forced her to be. This was the version that Jeremiah and the Russels had selflessly created. She had long thrived and they had made her into the monster they were shocked to see. It was almost like she had no soul and frankly, there were so many factors that had yed into that, not that they didn''t know of it anyway. "Don''t even think about taking a pause, Jeremiah," Hawi warned and Jer could have sworn his heart was exploding into tiny little bits that will never be matched. He had never thought that this was possible and for that he med himself one too many times. He had never thought that the girl he had been mated to, would one day turn and force him to do this. Anyone would think Jeremiah Warner was innocent, when he was in fact the one person who had managed to bring out the worst in a girl who had only ever wanted to be with her parents. A girl who only wanted to be with her family, who wanted to make fun of her brother for when he got a mate, a girl who wanted to see the world brighten and their people safer. Jer had fucked that up and surely, he shouldn''t have expected that mercy was somewhere waiting for him on the corridors of the most impossible of hopes, right? "She is insane," Alexander Russel said as he looked at the sight before him. Hawi was holding Jer''s mother in ce with magic, while her screams filled the air from the way her son was feeding on her. It was a painful sight for everyone, even the strongest and oldest of warriors. The Savasci knights knew that this was bound to happen someday, but they hadn''t thought they would be witnessing it like this. All of this had once seemed like a distant dream and the plight of vengeance that they had been so ready to help Hawi thought was slowly staring back at them. Humanity was something that Hawi had had for the longest time and Jer had messed that up for her, and this was the result of it. The Greyson and Sicario warriors were mute you would think they had ever been here in the first pce. They were scared of the wild alpha before them, the coldest of all creatures because of how she wasn''t even disturbed by the squelching sounds or the cries from Warner; Jeremiah''s father. The poor thing was watching his only son feed on his mate and it was something he would never recover from. This was the worst of punishments for anyone. "I hope this serves as a reminder of what you did to my every innocent mother. All she had done was bear me and you all ruined her life for that. You punished her for having the strongest child in the realm. "You med her for something that the moon goddess had given her. You made her feel like her life wasn''t worth it to the point that she had to sacrifice herself in silence to protect me. "You took my mother for me in the worst of ways, Jeremiah. You took everything I love and turned me into the loner that people were scared of. I hope you keep that in mind. I hope you never forget¡­ fuck hoping. "I will make sure you never forget what you did to my mother and your own mother. Let''s see if that will make things right with your father," Hawi said coldly, her voice so foreign to her own ears as she looked at the sight before her. She thought back to how helpless her mother had to be even when Jer and Dom had gone in. She wondered what the fuck had happened that night and even though she knew it so well because of what she had learned and filtered over the years none of that made it any easier for her to embrace that truth. She could never get over the fact that the man who has taken everything from him was once the one her heart had beat for. She hated him. She wanted him dead, but first, she would make him suffer. She would make him live in a part of her horrors because that was the only way that He would v be able to rte to the pain he had caused her. Oh, Hawi was so done being the good guy and she will stop for anything, not even her mate. Perhaps that was also why it was easy for Rukiya Greyson to step aside. She had seen everything she had had to deal with and she had learned of the impossibilities that she had fought to make possible over the years. "You are the cruelest of them all, Awuor Hawi Sicario," Sebastian spoke as he watched as Jer struggled to fight back the urge to feed on his mother. It was a cruel sight but then Hawi had endured and seen worse because of them. She had been to different hells and no one had ever been able to sessfully get her out of that hellhole. Perhaps she was just insane from the beginning, but then it wasn''t like she had tried of rid of who she was, right? "He can still save his mother, you know. I can let him use Atticus''s magic to fix her up and give her life back to her. As a matter of fact, I can bring his mother back to what she was before he began feeling on her," Hawi said calmly as she looked into Warner''s eyes. The poor old man was watching as his son tore through his mate and it wasn''t something that he wanted to do, so his desperation worked up when he heard Hawi''s words. She was the only one who could stop this. She was the one who could stop the war, and the mad shit that was going on. Only she could fix their lives, but then that didn''t even mean that she was willing to do that for them. His son had ruined her life, surely, he didn''t text that there would be rainbows and shit along the way, right? "What? What should he do? What should I do?" Warner asked desperately. He wanted to save his wife, his beautiful wife. The love of his life was being mauled by the son they had born over the years. It wasn''t something that they had ever expected and clearly, from the dark angry eyes on Jeremiah''s face, he couldn''t believe this was happening too. His heart had long stopped thinking of anything other than vengeance against Hawi now that she was making him do, which was somewhat hrious, because all of this, was Jeremiah''s doing. He had started the endless chain and he had screwed up first. Surely, to think that he would win against a girl who had literally nothing left to lose was dumb and pointless, right? Your journey continues on empire Hawi had all the time in the world for her hate for Jeremiah. She had all the time in the world to make sure everyone that hurt her never got to hurt her ever again. She was going to win this for herself and for her parents. She was doing it to make sure that no one would ever be able to kick her when she was down again. She would fight back, she would never forgive and more than anything, she wasn''t going to step back. There were lines she had long drawn in her life, to keep her from losing her mind, but as time went by, Hawi realized that it was almost pointless for her to be doing this. Sanity was not a thing for her and he had released it when she had gone to the sacred temple. Perhaps that was why it was easier for her to stare at Her with a red face even though she knew he was hurting. But nothing will everpare to what he had forced her to go through. She would never forget, but so would he. The shit that tied them would never let them be apart because of their cruelty. The only difference was that Jer was a wannabe devil and Hawi was the ruler of hell. "Jer here, needs to kill you, like he killed my father. He needs to demonstrate it and make sure it matches what he did, otherwise, you all will die and I will bring you back to life just to kill you in worse ways. "I am immortal and I have nothing but rage to keep me going. I could do this for the rest of my life and I wouldn''t mind it. After all, you caused me so much pain that I didn''t even know what life looks like anymore," Hawi said proudly as she looked at Jeremiah and then at his father. She didn''t care anymore and it was growing more and more obvious to everyone here. The Savasci nights had expected that this would happen someday but even then, they hadn''t expected that it would be like this. This right here, was a different kind of pain and Rukiya felt it the most. She had been all for Hawi regaining control of her sanity, but this wasn''t it. This wasn''t her plight she had struggled to fight to get back the girl she loved with all of her being. This wasn''t how she had intended for the rest of their lives to be. As much as Rukiya wanted to call the bluff, she knew that Hawi was never going to let go of her anger and rage. And that hurt. "Fine. I''ll do it." Chapter 504 Tell Me Where You Got The Nerve [HAWI] "You listening to them, Jer?" Hawi asked with augh as she looked at Jer, whose focus was on his father. He was hurting deep inside and it was ruining him to even think that this was something that he had to do. His father was family and the family was to be protected. That was quite the issue, but it was sad to even think that after all of this, there was nothing that he could do about it. "Fuck you," Jer said to Hawi who justughed at him like he was out of things to say to her to make her change her mind. That may not have been what he imagined but Hawi didn''t care about that. All she wanted was to make sure that everything was going in the right way. She wanted to make sure she never got to experience any mercy. "I do the fucking, but don''t worry, Ruru gives it to me good. I could show you, but you don''t even deserve to have eyes to look at the love of my life. Now, back to where we were, are you going to kill your father or should I?" Hawi asked amusedly. She loved what she was doing. She was enjoying every bit of it, and when she forced Jer to shift into his human form the Savasci knights could tell that shit was never going to be the same anymore. Forcing Jer to shift like that was symbolic of what they had done to her years sign with her mom. They had made her plunge her ws into her mother and set her up. If the ws had been that hard and hurt for days on end, then Jer would definitely wish he was dead for this one. It was more than obvious, but Hawi didn''t just care. She was way past that. Oh, but Hawi knew it had to have hurt because it was never easy to be forced. A forced shift was the worst thing any wolf would ever have to go through because then it would make them feel the worst of pains. Hawi however didn''t care about that. All she wanted was blood and revenge and right now she was about to get it. She didn''t care that she could lose herself in the process, because frankly, she couldn''t see if there was anything left for her to lose. She had suffered in the hands of so many people in her life that she couldn''t care if they wanted her gone or to stay with them. What she wouldn''t do was to let Jeremiah Warner think that there was still a hope for life. Oh, Hawi would take it all away from him and she wouldn''t even flinch while at it. That was just how much she hated Jeremiah Warner. Explore more adventures at empire "Great! Let the games begin!" Hawi announced and Jer stared at his father apologetically, as he knew that this was a different kind of hell for the both of them. He knew that shit would never be right unless he fixed it in the way that he could. Jer knew that this is probably going to be hisst day alive, and yet he still hasn''t seeded in fulfilling the main purpose of the magic that Atticus had given him. He had made an oath to kill him and right now, why there was nothing he could do, he wasn''t sure that the crazy Savasci teams would leave him be. They would definitely do worst to him if he tried to fuck up their leader, which was even a worse fate than what would happen to him if he didn''t go through with the promise that he had made Atticus. Funny how he had one of the strongest Russel warlock''s magic and yet he couldn''t do shit with it because the crazed psycho who was before him, was greatly impervious to magic and didn''t give two shits whether the sun rose in the west or set in the north. Poor Jeremiah. "I''m so sorry, Father," Jer said to his father whose eyes were still on his mate who was on the ground unconscious. The poor woman had endured the worst of the worst and now she was about to be the victim of what looked like the worst break in any family. They probably didn''t deserve this, and were suffering because of their son. Then again, Hawi couldn''t give a rat''s ass about that. The pain was something their son had forced on her and she would make them feel it too. She loved it, watching as he circled his own father, while the Russels who could have helped stood so close and yet so far. They wouldn''t ever be able to help Jer because regardless of what happened, they were in the same situation. They were all here because they had tried to fuck up Sicario and the devil herself hade back to find them on here. The dome was up so they couldn''t even leave unless Malika opened it for them, which was something that wouldn''t be happening, ever. It was a fruitful starting moment, even as He apologized for the hundredth time to his father. This was cruelty at best and simply what he had ousted Hawi through in every way. "Be quick with it, son. I wait to be with my mate," Jer''s father said and Jer felt his heart clench a little too hard. He had sworn he would protect his parents from everything and now it looked like he was the threat that he needed to protect them from.@@novelbin@@ He was failing, hell, he had failed and yet he wanted to still fight back. This was not what he had had in mind, but as he watched the Savasci knights watch sadly, he knew that there wasn''t much they could do to help him. This was the one time that he would never forget in whatever was left of his life. "Are you going to kill him or are you going to y the long game here too? We don''t have enough time, Jer. Kill your father or I will kill both your father and mother, and then kill you but bring you back. "This is not the time for you to be having a conscience and do it so damn well that no one will forget about it alright? Therger audience is gone but the audience that matters is right here, so get on with it," Hawi said and Jer felt the life leave him. He hadn''t wanted to do this, and he wished that he could convince Hawi to change her mind. However, he was way past that and he just needed to ept his fate. So, with onest look at his father, Jer apologized as he ran towards him, tears clouding his eyes as he neared his father, and his long ws made a show. He didn''t want to do this, that much had been obvious from the onset, but Hawi didn''t give a shit about it anymore. The Savasci knights who were watching could feel their hearts shatter for the old man whose only sin was to have a son like Jeremiah. It was too great a price to pay, but it was what it was. "Goodbye, father," Jer said as he wed his father''s neck, but what followed was the worst lightning strike that any realm had ever experienced, aligned with a loud scream and pain-filled scream that tore through the dome and broke all the barriers¡­ ¡­In the entire realm. Chapter 507 How Did We Become… This? [HAWI] Hudhayfah looked at Adolf, the words from the young wolf''s mouth reminding him of what he had once gone through. He knew deep down that this wasn''t meant to happen and he understood very well the consequences of this shit. But even then, he didn''t deny the pain that it was giving him and them. They had been here and they knew what to do. And perhaps they wereing off as ungrateful for the sacrifice the girl had made, but surely, they had grown together one too many times to understand what was needed for them and how they always worked, right? "What now..." Elodie said as she watched her sister on one end and her mate on the other. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire This was something they were desperate to avoid but it was there with them, staring at them in the face ever so harshly you would think that this was somepetition they had managed to fail at so spectacrly. It was a heartbreaking moment for all but none would evere close to the horrors that they had to deal with. "We bury her since we can''t burn her," Hudhayfah said and Elodie barfed. She had never thought that there would evere a day that they would be having this discussion about one of them. It was cruel and it wasn''t something they wanted to face. Then again, no matter how long they tried to hide their truths, this would alle to pass. They had to deal with it before the madness grew, and then wouldn''t be able to find their way around it all. It was cruel, but it was what life looked like. It was the reality and they had to face it. "No. That is too soon. The Russel brothers haven''t even burnedpletely and you want us to bury her? I suggest we clean up the pack while we wait for a Hawi to wake up. "That will give us time to take a break since none of us is feeling sleepy anyway," Mbali said, voicing what had truly happened for the first time since they had been staring at each other in shock. They had all been scared of voicing it out because if they voiced it out, then it meant that it truly happened. That in itself was a reality that was so full of pain and they could only ever hope that all would be well. What would be the cost of all that though? "I''ll take both Hawi and Rukiya back to the pack house. If this is going to be theirst goodbye, then we atst leave them be for onest time," Malika said, ignoring the pang in her heart at the mention of the goodbyes. They had all believed that Rukiya Greyson was the best thing for Hawi, and maybe she had been too good for all of them. When Hawi had given Jer themand, Rukiya had breached. She had rushed to whet thy wet and grabbed both Sebastian and Alex, and stood right in front of Jeremiah. It all happened too fast but what had happened really happened. None of them could tell if this was something they needed to cry about or even feel relieved about because two more Russels had taken the hit. It was a confusing moment for them both because in all their lives they hadn''t ever anticipated a moment like this. The obvious decision that had happened was obvious, true even if they med each other, it wouldn''t change the fact that Rukiya Greyson had sacrificed herself to make sure the two Russels didn''t take away her mate''s humanity. Rukiya had assessed the situation and she knew that Hawi wouldn''t have stopped at just Jer. She would have done things that would have made it harder for her soul to even find relief. It was a sad moment for them but what else could they do? Rukiya had made the choice and while it was not clear how the hell, she had managed to figure that out, they still couldn''t understand what had been her motive for all of this. Oh, but it was a time that they all wanted to be free of, but then people didn''t always get what they wanted, right?@@novelbin@@ "We''ll get on with the cleaning," Adolf said sadly as he looked at the woman he had served his entire life. She was his best friend and that one person he was certain would burn the world down for them and all that she loved. It was just sad how she had sacrificed herself in the process, to make sure the realm was working well. It was a sacrifice that will forever haunt the Savasci knights, because they didn''t know what would happen with Hawi. Or maybe they knew but they just couldn''t ept it that soon. epting this would also mean that they were ready for Hawi to have the longest grieving period in all of history, but then what else was there for them? They didn''t have a choice in this. They never had, and the more they tried to work things out, the more it was obvious that shit was always going to be insane for them for the longest time and they had to be ready. "War really is cruel," Elodie whispered as she watched them get back to cleaning up the pack. The Russels brothers were slowly getting reduced to ashes while they were not sure how the hell they would live the rest of their lives. Granted, this team had been formed because they had all lost something and they didn''t want to lose more than they had lost the pin of the greatest pirs. It was impossible to tell what they had to wait for because this time, it was different. It was not even about the Sicairos anymore because the fate of the entire realm depended on the unconscious white wolf who chose darkness over her reality. She couldn''t be med though. This wasn''t what she had imagined and this was the kind of history that no one had ever prepared her for. Perhaps that was a good enough excuse for the depressive looks on their faces, right? "I''m sorry," Jeremiah Warner said as he watched them get so defeated. He hadn''t intended for this, but at the same time, this wasn''t anything different from what he had been tasked with. It was insane really how he had gotten like this and annoying as hell. He was supposed to be the one who was defeated and the one who got the brunt of his karma. However, as the Savasci knights tried their best not to watch as Malika picked up both Rukiya and Hawi and carried them to the pack house, they couldn''t help but wish it was Jer instead. This was not fair and even Jeremiah Warner could see it all celery. Then again, his apology wouldn''t ever fix shit this time, or maybe he was apologizing because he could see that he was at his weakest, right? What the hell was he supposed to even do for them now that he had managed to fuck up? "Walk yourself to the Sicario dungeons or I will take you myself, and I swear on everything we already lost, that you will never get to use your eyes and limbs again," Zaniel warned and Jer forced himself up. He could feel the rage from Zane and he knew he wasn''t bluffing. Maybe this would get him grace from them? Chapter 510 How Unfair, Its Just Our Luck [HAWI] The night was long for the Savasci knights as they cleaned up the pack as a way to distract themselves from the worst reality that could hit them in the morning. They turned the pack upside down, cleaning it so well that anyone wouldn''t even think that the Sicario pack was once a battlefield. They made the right adjustments and the pack was finally what it had always been. A single clean and powerful pack. It was what people had always wished to see when they came for Thor tours and frankly, if there were tourists who intended toe visit Sicario at this point, they would have the best view of the greatest of all packs. "Are you sure about this?" Theo voiced with worry once they were done with their cleaning. It had taken them two whole days to finish cleaning up the pack and restoring everything like it was. However, then that didn''t make it any easier for them to embrace the little truth that was lingering in the air for them. Granted, they were clear now, and looked healthier and without any scars, not to mention, Jer was in the dungeons where he had walked himself into, but still, it wasn''t enough. "We can''t hide forever. Besides, there are only two Russels left for us to go after. The Sifir is here with us, so that can only mean we control when they wille out of the Cezaevi. "Besides, it''s not that bad an idea, we need fresh air and we actually need the real feel of the sun on our bodies. We have been at this for days on end and it''s crazy how we haven''t lost our minds yet," Elodie said as she looked at their team. This team had made the impossible possible and it was not one to be messed with, atst by now the realm knew that. The battle of Sicario was one for the history books and it was so that it would forever haunt those who read the stories or even heard of them because of how gruesome it had be. Of course, Malika had worked on the reports while Mbali and Zaniel had written of what had happened in the Sicario books, which were now avable in the pack library. All of this was just an attempt for them to embrace their truth, or a part of it. Perhaps if they started with what seemed impossible, they would be able to figure out what the world looked like for them and what they really needed to do this time. "Amina and Trey are out of the Cezaevi. When their brothers died, the prison world that they had created crashed, taking with them the young boy. The two others survive and are in Sicario as we speak," Hudhayfah voiced and there was an ultimate silence. Nothing had prepared them for this part of the truth, and it was like they were getting ambushed from all ends which wasn''t as exciting as I would have been for the lot of them. This wasn''t the time for them to be bargaining with the impossible. This wasn''t what they needed to deal with right now and honestly, it was already the most hectic of ideas. "How long?" Mbali breathed lowly, like she was scared of what this would mean for her and Amina. She knew what the situation was and part of her head to the goddess that Amina wouldn''t take them all to hell with her, but at the same time, Mbali couldn''t help but wish in silence that she could see Amina. She was tired of the war and she wanted to be held, canoodled or whatever the fuck it was that she was yearning for from Amina. It was a long thought but it was one that was keeping Jabali Lihle hoping so this mention of her erasthai being out there in the pack was the only thing she needed to regain her sanity. "That doesn''t matter. What matters is we do what we need to. The people of Greyson and Sicario need to know what happened. We need to bring the dome down and then see what happens next," Malika said as she looked at her sister. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire She knew this wasn''t what Mbali wanted to hear but then the war still was not even over the fact that the war hadn''t ended well for them. They should have won, and while they had managed to get the upper hand, they had lost. It was a shame, because this wasn''t how it was all supposed to be. Perhaps having Her in the dungeons was a win? Well, that could have been it, if he hadn''t walked himself there. "But Freya¡ª" Mbali voiced as she looked at her sister. She was desperate to know what would happen to Amina and Trey and she could tell that Hudhayfah was curious too. But then they had made a pact to fight together against all that was a threat to them. So, when Malika interrupted her, Mbali didn''t think too much of it, perhaps because she had expected that this would happen. Maybe in another world this would be able to make lives better, but until then they had to let themselves live in the moment. Even if it hurt more than they could everprehend. "We have been fighting for days, Lihle. We have been living in an endless nightmare these past few days and I know it hurts to know that your mate is in Sicario and hasn''t shown up yet. "It is not what we need right now. If it''s any constion, the Russels are strategists, they won''t attack us right now when they are at their weakest. We can''t go after them right now too, because we don''t have the energy to deal with them.@@novelbin@@ "Let''s bury our dead and mourn our fallen first, then we can always go back to the battlefield. The great war has been won, what is left is the final battles of thest war. "We can always do thatter, but until then, we need a break from the madness, little sister," Malika said reassuringly. She could see the bags under their eyes and she knew they were more than suffocated by being here. They were frontline warriors and they had to be at their best, but if they were hurting like this, then there wasn''t much they would be able to do. Perhaps it was a terrible idea to open the dome because if they did, then it meant that the Russels would be able to escape. But then, like Malika had said, they had enough time in their eternal lifetimes to fight them and make things work. Until then, they needed to rest. "What if we are wrong, Malika? What if all of this just brings us more trouble in the end and we are not able to make it right the chaos? What will we do then? Will we pick up arms again? What will it be like for us?" Elodie asked. She wasn''t sure what life had in store for them and she was trying her very best to be positive about all of this, but then she just couldn''t. Her sister was hurting and it was soplicated that she wouldn''t even find someone to kill right now. All of this was just a different hell. "Then we will fight when that dayes," Malika reassured her. Chapter 513 Denial Was The Cruelest Pill of Time [HAWI] "What the fuck just happened?" Theo asked as he watched the dying man on the ground, with no one to even help him. They were the most powerful creatures in the realm and yet as they stood there they were as useless as they could ovee. It was like their lives didn''t have meaning and for some reason, that was disturbing more than any possible reality they could have found themselves in. it is like they didn''t have a say and yet had a say but didn''t know how to be expressive. "Why aren''t you helping?" Adolf asked as he looked at the mess before them.@@novelbin@@ He had long known that insanity was bound, but this was not one he could have imagined. It was like the whole world was some circus and they had to be there just to see how hectic it could ever be for them. This was not fair to anyone, but what were the standards of fairness when his alpha and best friend had died in a battle that wasn''t even meant for her? What the fuck was he even supposed to express, and to who? "He''s dead. There is nothing we can do about it," one of the horsemen said before he looked at the other one, and together, they pulled the masks off their faces. They were awfully familiar to the Savasci knights starring pitifully at the man on the ground. They were protectors from Olyana. They were the people who had been sent here and yet they didn''t defy any rules andmands. They had the power to defy what Hawi said, but the repercussions would be worse than anything they would have ever seen, because the head protector was there with them and she knew it was them. Malika was intelligent enough to know how her people dressed up, smelled, and whatever the fuck was in them, and what they held. So she wasn''t even surpassed, and as she walked forward to her fellow protectors, they stared at her, respect in their eyes as their friend on the side evaporated like there wasn''t a thing that could be worse than that. They were a little toofortable with life and the shit that life came with, but what if that was why this was happening in the first ce? "What do you want, Kadiam?" Malika asked as she looked at herrades. She knew that there had to be a really good reason for them to be here and while she had a pretty good idea what this could be, she wanted to hear what they said. She wanted to know that she wasn''t hallucinating, because this would be the worst of things that could happen to them but at the same time, perhaps it was the only thing left for them to do, right? Or was there another way around it that she had tried to make sense of over the past three months they had been living in an empty pack? They had been together but they had been lonely and so fucking depressed that it was not even surprising that the protectors were here. But Malika wanted to hope that it was for a different reason. "You know why we are here, Leader. You more than anyone should have prepared them for it," Dumi said and Malika sighed. Her worst fears wereing true and she could already feel their eyes on her. Then again, how the fuck was she supposed to tell them what was expected when they hadn''t even mourned Rukiya properly? They had taken turns taking care of the beautiful body, but that was because a part of them had hoped that things would be alright. They hoped that someday Rukiya would wake up and call the bluff, but no heartbeats for three months in a world where life meant everything, was not something that they could hold on to any longer. It was the worst of scenarios, but the time hade to a stop for them. This had to be done. "It''s too early. We need more time, Dumi. we haven''t even had the chance to mourn. You can''t being here like this," Malika said tiredly as she looked at herrades who were staring at her softly. They understood what loss was and they knew firsthand what it felt like because they had lost more people than they could ever count on their hands. But was this what they hade to really? Was there no other option for them? Surely in the cache of madness, there had to be something they could hold onto. Something they could use to breathe through the cruel if they had led for those three months. Grief was the one thing that the Savasci knights had been all too familiar with in one too many ways. They may have been the strongest team out there in the realm, but they were also the most broken of all the teams. They had lost more than anyone couldprehend and it could exin why Rukiya was such a shock to them. Then again, would it evere close to the sorrow that linked them to this? Would it be worth it at the end of the day? "You know we can''t let you have more than three months, Malika. We have to do this before they send more after us, because they will. Kira is dead so they will want to question us. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire "We can shift the me on the Russels, but that won''t be enough to keep them away from here. We have to take her," Kadiam said as he looked at Hawi who was standing there looking like a ghost. She looked so terrible it was impossible to tell whether this was the same girl the prophecies had talked of. She was different. Way too different that it was a heartbreaking sight. None of them deserved this, but then what else could they do about it? Time was of the essence and the wolves had toe home someday. The Greyson wolves needed to know of the misfortunes and frankly, this was something that they had or have felt. A lot was happening but then they hadn''t even embraced the chaos. Perhaps that''s why it was getting a little hard to get emotional with a lot of them. "Please show us where Rukiya Greyson ''s body is," Dumi said and Hawi''s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. She had learned what they hade from the moment she had read their minds, but she refused to ept it. There was never a life without Rukiya for her, she believed that there wasn''t a thing she would do to make things better for Ruru. it was strange really, given how things had gotten for them but then Hawi couldn''t be med. She had been hoping all this time that her Rukiya was alive and that she just had to wait it out a little. But now with these warriors here, Hawi was being forced to ept a reality so cruel. There was nothing that would stay for the sake of them and boy was it the cruelest of all things. Perhaps they could find amon ground in between? But how long would themon groundst when the rules this time won''t ever be broken? There were so many risks involved and there were people who needed to get back to their normal. Life was shit and they had long known it, but damn if they failed to understand the chaos that had lingered from the moment, they had brought down the dome. But even with the dome up the protectors would have found their way because of Malika and her link to the realm. This was all just so fucked up. "Don''t even think of taking my Ruru," Hawi wanted and the Savasci knights watched in shock. They hadn''t seen this side of Hawi in a really long time. Gartner It was just three months, but that was like hell for them. They had struggled to make ends meet one too many times and yet even then there wasn''t much they could say about it. What else was there for them this time anyway? "Hawi¡­" Malika began, her voice soft and filled with defeat and reassurance. It was almost like Malik was trying to tell her in the softest way possible that the protectors wouldn''t be able to leave without Rukiya, no matter how many of them Hawi killed as they came. It was a ry that Hawi needed to keep. But then how the fuck was she even supposed to do that when she was still in denial about what had even happened? It was like they were buying time but they were out of their premium because this was the one thing they couldn''t ever deal with that easily. Oh, but it would hurt for some time, or maybe it would hurt for as long as they lived? "I can''t let them take her. She''s Not dead. She is just sleeping. I need to be there for when she wakes up," Hawi insisted defeatedly as she looked at Malika, hoping that her protector would be able to speak the words that could breathe hope into her. It was a struggle for her, and it was one that made Hawi feel like her chest was constricting. There wasn''t much that she could do and it broke Hawi silently. Was this the end of the road for her and the love of her life? Was this show things would be for her and Ruru or was this just a bad dream? "I''m sorry," Malika breathed before turning to herrades, "Proceed with caution." Chapter 516 Regrets… The Burden of The Past [HAWI] "We don''t have control over what happens, Rio. We are only here to deliver the message. And let you know that the Greyson and Sicario territories have been merged to form a bigger Sicario¡­ "That means that the freends are the barrier between the new Sicar and the rest of the world," Kadiam added as he stared at the eight crazies who looked like they wanted to kill them. Well, that wouldn''t be a far fetch for them because even the protectors of Olyana hadn''t expected what had happened. No one had ever heard ofnd moving, not to mention the fact that the territories were separated from the rest of the realms by the freends. This would simply mean that the new Sicario would be thergest of all the territories in the realm,rger than the humannds and almost half the realm. It was insane on so many frets and it was clearly a lot for the Savasci knights to process. But even with that being dangled in front of the events they wanted to fight and do something, they all knew that the decision had been made and there wasn''t much they could do about it. "What are we supposed to do then? Smile and wave as the new Sicario is allowed to bloom? We lost one of us, we lost some of us, we lost people. What the fuck are we supposed to do in that time? Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire "How the hell are we supposed to rule over and so big with broken hearts and empty minds? Don''t you think you guys are being too much right now?" Adolf asked. He couldn''t understand what the fuck was happening right now and it was frustrating the hell out of them. This was insanity, that is the only exnation possible. No one in their right mind would ever step up to join this band of madness. Granted, this team was full of misfits with crazier-than-craziest mindsets, but there was nothing that would make any of this reasonable and presentable for them. This was not fair, at all. "We have to leave now. You''ll get the instructions after we leave. For what it''s worth, what Rukiya Greyson did, wasn''t ever in vain. I know it doesn''t ease the pain but it should offer you some closure to know that there is still a lot you don''t know and will have to figure out. "All the best, all of you, Savasci Knights," Kadiam said before he created a portal and went through it with Dumi. It was all just so sudden and Hawi didn''t get a chance to go with them. Or maybe she truly had the chance to go but figured that it was all pointless for her. Even if she went on with the protectors, what the hell would she do? She would probably be on a rampage again and that wouldn''t do anyone any good. "I''m going to bed¡­ or wherever," Hawi said like she didn''t want to be here with them. She wanted to stay and ponder over what the fuck had just happened, but in her shitty life, she had learned that nothing was ever happened without a reason. She hated that Ruru was not here with her and that there was an empty space that she would never be able to fill for a long time. But even then, she couldn''t deny the fact that she had a feeling that whatever wasing would have so many answers for them. Maybe that was why she walked away when the portal closed. She didn''t know what to do or what to say to her friends. They had been with her for the longest time. They had watched the sun set one too many times with her. They had watched her in her defeat as she shut them out and they had been there for her regardless. Perhaps this time all Hawi wanted to do was give them some peace of mind too. Surely that wouldn''t be too hard for her, no? "You''re leaving? Just like that? What the hell, Awuor?" Elodie asked as she looked at her sister. She had never gotten over the endless chains of changes that had happened to her friends, Hawi but damn was this the one that scared the living daylights out of her. What the fuck was she supposed to make of this? "You heard the guys, this is beyond what we can do. We have a responsibility to the people who have been left for us. We can either wallow in sorrow or get to work," Hawi said and Malika choked on air. She had never thought that there woulde a day when Awuor Hawi was like this, she had seen enough madness in her time but damn had none of that ever matched to what she was seeing right now. This was a terrible phase; they were fucked and if they didn''t find a way out of it as soon as possible, they would be screwed beyond how they could get to it. This was not how things were supposed to be but even then, they didn''t have much to go on at the moment. "But mistress¡ª" Malika began, only for Hawi to shut her up instantly. "Prepare the pack. Our people will being in an hour''s time. Let them go back to their lives and not have to worry about anything. As for the people of Greyson, I assume they have managed to bond with their friends. "They will be back as one and you can help each other out. Adolf knows the Greyson pack members and Hudhayfah too. That is enough for the leadership of Greyson. They will be sitting at the high table anyway. "Actually, let''s just get this done with at the moment," Hawi said and they looked at her like she had lost her mind. She was insane for this, there was no denying that. But then Hawi was also in denial and it was once again showing. So much had happened in their lives and yet each time it seemed like they were discovering different aspects of life that kept them sane enough to match the insanity that came from Hawi. What the fuck were they even supposed to do with whatever they were hearing now? Was it going to be any better for them or was it just the nightmare they could never be able to wake up from? Was that what it was for them? "You can''t be serious right now," Rio voiced, and Theo held him back.@@novelbin@@ They may have been the Savasci knights but Hawi was their leader. They had to listen to whatever she had to say no matter what they thought. If shemanded them into a war, they could only ever ask what time the war was scheduled for. That was all there was for them and boy was it scary to some point. Anyone would think they were empty heads when it came to Hawi, but then was that it for them? "She''s our queen, Rio. Listen to her," Theo voiced and Rio growled slowly in frustration. Of all the things he had expected, this wasn''t it, even though a part of him had been able to expect anything with the Savasci knights. They had lived for Hawi, and they had sworn their loyalties to the mad woman. Right now, there didn''t seem to be much they could discuss anyway and How was starting to sound as unpredictable as possible. She was crazy for this and there was no denying that. "It''s called hierarchy, Rio. Don''t worry your head about it too much anyway. You''re mated to the Sicario warrior general. You will learn eventually," Hawi said and Elodie choked on air. Her sister was crazy¡­ they already knew that but damn. "You''re insane for this," Zaniel voiced and Mbali red at her enforcer as if to warn him, but then what was the point? They were going to be here running the new Sicario anyway, right? They had to be able to voice their thoughts without having to stomp on each other. Besides it wasn''t like Zaniel had said anything that''s the opposite of the truth, no? "I know. I wish I could have been better, but Jeremiah took my Rukiya from me. So, you can either ready yourself to y the role of Her in my life, or you can listen and let me leave while I don''t feel like punching someone. "I have a man to y with and it certainly won''t work with you given you''re Adolf''s mate, Mbali''s enforcer, and a member of my knight''s team. I hope that tells you where your importance is, Zaniel," Hawi said and they stared at her in surprise. Hawi was unhinged. They could confirm that now and the fact that Rukiya was taken from her had made her into an unbearable shell of a person. This wasn''t how life was supposed to be and yet as they stood there watching her be careless with their worlds like she was truly calling for a fight. Actually, begging for one they couldn''t deny that she was unhinged and loss had fucked him up big time. "Alright alright. What was it you wanted to say, and before you say it, I promise I won''t try shit with you if you don''t hibernate for long wherever you are beheaded. If you stay in there for long, I will cause chaos; "... and Mbali will have to kill me, and that will leave Adolf without a mate, and Adolf is Rukiya''s best friend and brother," Zaniel shrugged. Chapter 519 The Devil Who Bargained For Hell [* THREE HUNDRED YEARS LATER ] [SICARIO] "Did you hear the news?" a frustrated Adolf said as he plopped on the seat in the council room. It was the room they had set up for all their meetings and for anything that mattered to the pack they had been left to handle. "What did you do this time?" Zaniel asked as he walked in towards his mate. He knew Adolf was always finding himself in trouble, but when it was expected. The man was a perfectionist in most cases and they shed with Elodie one too many times. However, thankfully there was nothing they couldn''t handle really. It was like they were siblings just bickering at every chance they got and the Savasci knights had already gotten used to it.@@novelbin@@ It wasn''t new to them and it wasforting, to say the least. It reminded them of so many things that they had been doing long before they had been left to run the new Sicario. It hadn''t been an easy task for sure. "Don''t look at me¡­ I haven''t bickered with him for two days now," Elodie said defensively and the group justughed. They had been so used to Elodie and Adolf bickering that this wasn''t news to them. "Alright then, Adolf, what news is it this time?" Malika asked once everyone had settled. Adolf had been the one to call them and he sounded like the world was copsing at their feet, and even worse, that it was his fault that all of that happened. "The werewolf queen has to be a devil, you know? She said that we need to do the evaluation again and send the reports in two weeks. We have thirty thousand wolves in the new Sicario. "How the fuck are we supposed to do the submissions in that time? And do you know the worst part of it all? She wants me to meet Kadiam at the border of Olyana. That woman is a devil, I swear," Adolf whined, and the knights stared at him in confusion. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere. That was not possible. What the queen was asking of them did not make any sense, logically and in any manner. That was a lot of work to handle in two weeks, given how rigorous things had gottenst. "She must hate us so badly that woman," Rio whined as he stared at Malika, almost like he was asking Malika to intervene for them. Ever since Hawi had left them, their lives had gotten awfully difficult because of the new queen. Of course, at first, they had thought that Awuor Hawi was the queen. Seeing as it was her birthright as the white wolf, but the entire realm hadn''t seen Hawi in over three hundred years. The officials in Olyana had stopped sending the warriors a hundred years ago when they had failed to find her for over two hundred years. Bounties had been provided, so many people had been given the chance to find Hawi, and none of them had shown up with Hawi. Hell, they had even put up a rumor that Jer had hurt Elodie, seeing asthma was the only thing that could get Awuor Hawi out of hiding or whatever she was doing, but Hawi never once showed up. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire It is like she has disappeared. Granted, they could have thought that Hawi was dead, but really, for the Savasci knights, she was still alive. It was dormant, but it was there for them to feel. It was the easiest way for them to know if anything had happened to Hawi, and if they had gotten anything. Oh, they had suffered in the hands of the new queen. "Can you talk to her for us, Malika? When you go for the monthly briefings, please tell her that Sicario is a good ce and we haven''t had any trouble with anyone since Hawi left. Tell her that we will follow all the rules like we have always been doing. "Hell, tell her that the poption has grown by five thousand in the past three hundred years. Surely, we controlled everything, she can''t be making us suffer like that, right?" Theo pleaded and Hudhayfah just chuckled at their statements. He understood them well and he knew that this was the craziest they had ever gotten to a queen. The werewolf queen was out for them and their blood, there was no doubt about that. Everything they had done ording to the rules. It''s like nothing ever made any sense to her and she was praising them for too long. "Come on Hudhayfah, surely someone can make this better, right?" Adolf pleaded and the healer justughed again. So much time had passed and they had been good, but the queen was not seeing that. The fact that they never knew who the werewolf queen was, save for Malika was also eating them up. Sicario was thergest territory in the entire realm and yet the werewolf queen had never once set foot in the pack. It was like she hated Sicario for some reason. But then that wouldn''t even make any sense because they hadn''t done anything that would warrant the harsh treatment, right? "We can''t do anything to stop her, we just have to endure it for a while longer. She has just been the queen for two hundred and forty years and she is probably learning what it means. "Besides, thest time we were at the council table, they said that Sicario hadmitted so many crimes that they were under watch all the time. They wanted to press on more regtions to us, but I bargained for that. "They wanted us to never leave Sicario and be tapped, which is something you wildlings wouldn''t ept. I knew that would result in a revolution and then she settled for this. We can hold on for a little longer. "Besides, don''t you guys want to see Hawie and defend us from the queen?" Malika asked and they stared at her like she had just used them of the worst of things. Then again, they knew she was right. The rules were a little challenging for them and they have always been on the wrong side of everything. With Hawi, there was never a red tape for them. The Savasci knights were always free to do whatever it took as long as they enforced thew. There was never someone to determine what they did was right or wrong, as long as the oue was what was desired by their mission Hawi was thew and Hawi was not with them anymore which was more depressing for them. "You don''t have to say it like that. This queen Kia is a bitch, that is the simple and in truth. I bet you a thousand gold bars that she doesn''t treat other factions like this, she just wants us to be suffering and in pain all the time. "How the fuck can a queen just be that cruel. Surely the moon goddess can give us someone who loves her people right?" Zane said and they all sighed collectively. There was always more to this and they hated that this time, they were being micromanaged. This new queue had been a pain in their ass from the moment she had ascended the throne. She had done everything to make it seem like the leaders of Sicario weren''t doing enough for a poption that big. They were suffering, there was no other definition for what they were going through, and the fact that Hawi was never showing up for them was a bummer. That girl had inspired courage and strength in them but there was only so much that they could keep at this when the new queen was testing their patience all the time. It was like the woman was enjoying making them suffer like this. "Malika is right. If Hawi woulde back and realize we are just wimps who can''t even lead our people right, she wouldn''t be disappointed. If we want her to show up for us and fight for us, then we need to be resilient and prove to the queen that we can do this. "That we can exceed the expectations. We have to be within the rules and see to it that our people don''t suffer. Besides, it''s not like she is terrorizing Sicario. She is just terrorizing us, the Sicario leadership," Sherry said and they stared at her in defeat. They knew she had a point, but that didn''t make it any easier for them to ept the fact that the woman was a bully and a big one Queen Kia had made the suffering worse than all the wars Hawi had made them fight through. They shall endure lost dog shit in their lives, but none would ever be a match to the madness they had been exposed to because of this insane queen. Someone truly needed to keep Queen Kia in check¡­ but who was that courageous? "So, we all agree that this queen is the devil, right?" Adolf asked and they justughed again. This wasn''t as easy for them as they would have thrift and they couldn''t deny that their lives had gotten a lot harder without their friends. "What if we give her Jer? That man is in the dungeons and hasn''t said a word since Hawi left. Maybe we can offer him up as a trade, and say he was the one who killed Rukiya. Surely that should get that queen off our backs, even for a moment, no?" Theo asked earnestly. Chapter 522 I Waited For You, For Years [SICARIO] "No¡­ Impossible," Hudhayfah breathed as he faltered in his steps at the sight before him which seemed so unreal. There was just no way that HE was here and no way that HE chose toe for him. So many years had passed, so much time had gone by, and yet he was still stuck in the same cycle with the love of his life, a man he had never seen face to face again. He had wanted to see him again, he wanted to breathe him; Hudhayfah had dreamed of a day like this more than once. But when seeing him here, as he removed the hood over his head, Hudhayfah wasn''t sure if this was just a dream. Surely it couldn''t be, right? "I''ve been called so many things, angels, but impossible has never been one of them. I bet I''ll take that one for you, yeah?" Trey Russel said as he looked at the most beautiful man he had ever seen. Hudhayfah was like his breath of fresh air, and seeing him stand there, being the one to check on them, was something that They had never anticipated. He however couldn''t deny the way that his heart was beating so fast as he looked in the flight of the healer. Oh, but Hudhayfah was perfection. He was what Trey had dreamt of for years and more. He was everything good in life and Trey instantly felt like he was the luckiest man for having such a mate. Bit by bit, the world around them disappeared and suddenly it was just Hudhayfah and Trey, standing there, hearts in their hands as they tried to embrace the reality of things. "You can''t be real," Hudhayfah voiced and Trey smiled sadly but proudly. He had expected this when he had chosen toe back. It was a risk that he had willed himself to take because there wasn''t much he could do without thinking of his mate. Granted, Trey hade with Amina after so much persuasion, but he hade mainly for Hudhayfah. If they hadn''t found Hudhayfah here, his sister would have truly decapitated him, given how hard they had struggled to get to Sicario. It hadn''t been a walk in the park and this was worth it for Trey. "Come on, darling. You and I both know that I''m as real as we both can get. I am here, food you, Perihan. I came to look for you, and I understand that you won''t be running into my arms anytime soon. "Which is why my sister and I came to be surrounded by the Savasci knights," Trey said in earnest, his eyes holding Hudhayfah''s shocked ones. He could see that the healer was having a hard time processing this and he couldn''t me the man. Life had exactly been a hawk in the pack for the both of them and they had been lonely for far too long. All of this was found to happen one way or the other, but Hudhayfah hadn''t once thought that it would be like this. Hell, he never thought he would see him ever. "Why now?" the Sicario healer asked, not relenting in his desire to get the truth for the Russel brother. Deep down Hudhayfah knew that Trey would never harm him, even if the war was just between the two of them. It was crazy how their groups had always hated each other, how they had always been at war, and yet even when Hudhayfah had been fighting with the Russels years and years ago, he had known deep down that they wouldn''t have dared to lift a finger against him. Perhaps that was also why Sebastian and Alex had chosen to keep them in the Cezaevi for as long as he could. But then the war had amended and the brothers had died. The Sifir had unlocked the Cezaevi and had been thrust into Sicario then. It had been a walk in the pack, that one was for certain, but damn was it a tempting thing in life for them. "I got tired of waiting for you to look for me, Perihan. Twelve hundred years, angel¡­ I waited for you. I thought it would be easier to get to you when the war ended. I considereding back here and letting you take me as your prisoner; "¡ªbut I couldn''t do that to you. Your alpha had just died, my niece had been murdered and there was nothing I could do. I knew you would hate me, which was why Amina and I left. "I wanted to stay for you, just like she wanted to stay for her princess, but life didn''t exactly pan out the way he wanted love. For three hundred years, I walked these gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of you. "I heard your voice, one too many times, and on most days, that was enough to keep me going. Knowing that you were alive was all I needed to keep going, but then learning what the amnesia queen was doing to you and your people, I knew I had toe. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire "I had to be there for you, even if I was in the dungeons of Sicario. Of course, I know you have the option of killing me, and I won''t fight you, Perihan. I won''t lift a finger. I will let you be my judge, jury, and executioner if you must. "I swear on my life and everything I hold dear that I won''t fight you. I just missed you, so so much, my Perihan. I felt like I could die without you. I''d honestly rather die by your hands, in your arms, than away from you and of loneliness," Trey admitted earnestly. His words spoke to Hudhayfah in ways that Hudhayfah had never expected. For years, he had tried to suppress the urge to go after his mate. Hudhayfah had wanted to seek him out and ask so many questions. On days that he was desperate enough, he was tempted to beg Trey to tell him where Hawi was, but he couldn''t do that. He was a healer that had vied for years and years and he knew that patience was more important in any battle that he was headed into. It wasn''t much for him, but Hudhayfah had dared to hope in love. Now that the man he loved was standing before him, in all his tall, dark, and handsome glory, Hudhayfah felt fuzzy. He had never thought about this day like this and it was disturbing to him. "I waited for you, for years¡­ I hoped you woulde for me, I prayed for days that I would see you and you left me, alone. You didn''te for me. Your brothers had learned about the bond that had forced you to keep your distance;@@novelbin@@ "¡ªand yet when the Cezaevi was broken and the Sifir deactivated, you never came. You left¡­ actually, you ran from me, and never once stopped to look back for me, didn''t you? Hawi told me she had seen you and that she had set you free; "But you never once one for me. You talk about waiting for me four twelve hundred years and yet I''ve been here all this time. You knew where to find me, you knew I was bound to Sicario because of my oath to Rukiya and Hawi. "You knew I was here, but you never once rang the bell. You didn''te¡­" Chapter 525 Together, Always… Even If From A Distance, Angel [SICARIO] Sighing, Hudhayfah braced himself for condemnation. He knew they had all seen what he had done; they had seen him get ravaged and lost in a kiss. They had watched him make a fool of himself in the name of love. They had seen him lower his guard just because the enemy had called him "Perihan". He was a goner for the man and he couldn''t even deny it. Oh, he was screwed this time. There was never going to be a way out of this for him. T "Yeah¡­ Let''s get this over and done with," Hudhayfah said as he walked into Sicario, while Trey walked closely behind him. He was too ashamed to even look up, but then he also knew he had to be careful. "You worry too much," Trey said lightly and Hudhayfah scoffed. "If you so much as try anything funny with my people and friends, I won''t hesitate to kill you, Trey. Keep that in mind," Hudhayfah said to Russel who was just expecting that. It was like that was an issue because Trey Russel simply smiled. "I like the sound of my name on your lips, Perihan. The goddess definitely made the right choice for me," Trey said and Hudhayfah could have sworn the man was nuts and had managed to slow his mind in the little span of time they had been together. "I''m going to get banished because of you, and that''s fine. I''m not suicidal, but if you try to fuck Sicario up, I swear on that mate bond you hold so dearly, that I will kill myself," Hudhayfah warned, and Trey stopped in his tracks. He had been okay with Hudhayfah killing him really, because there wasn''t a thing that he wouldn''t do for the man. Of course, Trey had known that he didn''t need to do anything to fuck things up because he wanted to be in Hudhayfah''s good graces, but damn him for suggesting that little threat. Now it wasn''t going to leave Trey''s mind. "Youing or what?" Hudhayfah asked and Trey just stared at him as the gates of Sicario closed. This was not what they had anticipated, the both of them, but what else were they going to try and work out when they were already here? "Only if you swear to me that you won''t hurt yourself. I can take anything, you want me to, Perihan. I can do whatever you need me to and be whatever and wherever you want me to, but only if you don''t hurt yourself. "Please¡­" Trey trailed off, and for a moment, Hudhayfah wanted to call the bluff. He wanted to say that this man was so good at maniption that he didn''t even care that he was trying to manipte his mate. However, looking into Trey''s concerned and pleading eyes, Hudhayfah saw sincerity in them. It was like Trey was truly willing to be water as long as Hudhayfah was happy. "You¡­ You mean it," Hudhayfah sighed with relief, even though it was the kind that scared the living daylights out of him. He had never thought mate bond could be this scary and so demanding, but here he was. Then again, for someone who had waited twelve hundred years for his mate, he sure wasn''t acting like the world was at his feet this time. Perhaps it was what life was dishing out at them right? "I don''t want you to hurt yourself because of me, angel. I couldn''t take it. I know that probably means little to you, but you are my world. I would do anything just to see you happy even if it''s not with me. "If you want me gone so you don''t hurt yourself, just let me know, and I promise I will leave and never look back. I won''t cause you or your friends any pain¡­ but please, don''t hurt yourself because of me," Trey pleaded and Hudhayfah stared in surprise. He hadn''t expected this, the Russels were well-known killing machines and they were without a doubt the realm''s worst nightmare. Hell, the Savasci knights had seen that for themselves. But none of them had anticipated the fact that the strongest warrior of them all and the smartest one would be here pleading with Hudhayfah of all the people. It was insane and it made Hudhayfah confused and excited for sperm reason. If all he had had to do was threaten his own life to make the Russels surrounded then he could have done it earlier had he known this. It was a cruel way of thinking, but then war was war, right? There was no right or wrong anymore, just wars that had to be fought and Hudhayfah could have straight-up manipted that. Perhaps that was why Sebastian and Alex had kept their siblings with mates because love was the strongest weapon in war. "I¡­ I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to. I just¡­ with the history your family has of maniption, I just didn''t want to be the reason my people got back to the warring periods, not when they are still mourning the absence of Hawi," Hudhayfah said earnestly. He was probably divulging too much to the enemy, but if Trey Russel had been monitoring him for the past three hundred years, then he had to have known that Hawi and Mbali had left. There was no point in hiding the truth from the man anyway. Besides, fate had wanted them here and there wasn''t a thing they could do about it anymore. "I understand, I truly do. Just don''t threaten your life again, please. You''re the most important person in my life, my beautiful angel. I wouldn''t want anything happening to you. "Come along, let''s get this over and done with," Trey said as he walked towards the healer. This was a lot for the both of them to keep up with and they couldn''t even be med for it or how shit had turned out. On one hand, Trey had stayed in his chambers for years training and hoping desperately for the day there would be a sighting of his mate. On the other hand, was Hudhayfah, the man who had been certain that fate would never work in his favor after he learned that he was mated to the enemy. This was a littleplicated, but perhaps they would both find footing eventually. "I didn''t mean to upset you, truly," Hudhayfah apologized for the nth time as they headed over to the council room. He knew that shit wasn''t going to be easy, but just this once., he wished that they would all be fine. Surly happiness didn''t always have to be hard, did it?@@novelbin@@ "Don''t apologize, angel. Nothing you do will ever be wrong in my eyes, my Perihan. Whatever it is that you do, I will support you fully," Trey said and Hudhayfah sighed in relief, which was weird, but he couldn''t pay too much attention to it. "Hudhayfah Karim." Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire "What?" "My name." "Such a perfect name for my Perihan. Thank you for allowing me to hear your name," Trey said with a smile before they walked into the council room, even though he had long known the healer''s name. However, even Trey couldn''t deny that hearing the name directly from Hudhayfah sparked something in his heart. Oh, he was whipped for the healer. Chapter 527 Caught The Air In Your Woven Mouth [SICARIO] "Sebastian and Alex handed over Jer, to save their two siblings. That debt was long paid, and given the remaining siblings never oncemitted a crime against Sicario, there are nows that demand their prosecution," Elodie began after a long silence. She had been watching Hudhayfah and his interaction with the Russels and her heart was full. It was like she was seeing the possibility of life blooming in their team again despite the wild werewolf queen and her antics to make their lives hard. Forgiveness was not supposed to be hard with the determining Russels because they hadn''t been in the direct path of hate and firepower that was directed at Sicario or the Savasci knights anyway. "What does that mean?" Amina asked, clearly wanting to get this over with. She had been dragged back to Sicario because her brother was desperate to find Hudhayfah and now it seemed like the couple she had been forced toe and watch was slowly fading. It was crazy how much hate would cost lives and happiness, but then this was something that was beyond Amina. She had to wait and see for herself what they would try to do and then protect her younger brother no matter what decision was made here. "You and your brother are free, Amina. We have nothing to hold against you. You didn''t pull the trigger on the war thatsted longer than our whole lives. You all were just trying to survive and you were kids. No one mes you for that. "Your siblings already paid the price for it, and well, Hawi said to let go. She didn''t want us holding on to hate to the point that we forgot what was right and what was wrong," Elodie said as she looked at the two siblings who had juste to Sicario. This could have gone wrong in so many ways and if they were being honest with each other the Savasci knights had been a little terrified of what they needed to expect. It wasn''t like both siblings were the most stable of them anyway. They were just as unhinged as their dead siblings, but they hadn''tmitted any crimes against Sicario. Forgiveness was something that they didn''t even need to earn unless they had other people they powered it to. "Now what I expected, but I''ll bite," Amina said emotionlessly as she looked at Elodie and then at Malika. The protector didn''t have any spit in her eyes and Amina wondered what was going on in that head of Malika. The women were always thinking of something, always ready to do more than possible and ready to protect their own. As she sat there, Amina couldn''t help but wonder where Mbali was. She already knew that Hawi had left the team to go on some adventure, but she hadn''t heard shit about Mbali. Oh, but Amina wanted to ask about it, she wanted to know where her erasthai was and she wanted to know what the fuck had happened. She could see Malika staring at her, knowingly, almost like Malika knew what was going on in her mind.@@novelbin@@ Well, it wasn''t that hard to guess why she hade back to the one pce that didn''t have anything for her. Sicario was a dead zone for the Russels. Most of their family members died right here in this pack. Hell, they had been murdered in the worst of ways, which was why it made no sense for them to just be there acting like all was just rainbows and sunshine. But at the same time, it wasn''t so easy to be what they were right now. "What about the healer? Will you punish him for falling in love and epting the mate bond you all have? Will you ostracize him for the mate he was given as if he has a choice in who bes his and who doesn''t?" Amina asked, her voice cold and threatening. It was like she was ready to jump in front of the de for Hudhayfah Karim which was one of the strangest things that could ever have happened. "What are you talking about?" Zaniel asked as he looked at Hudhayfah and Trey. Trey was more than ready to fight for the man he loved. He was willing to do whatever it took to make sure Hudhayfah was alright. "Oh, please. Let''s spare each other the games alright? You heard him when he walked in with my brother. He was ready to take whatever punishment you''d decide was fit for him even though he was one of you. "He is one of you. And he will always be one of you. So, tell me, Malika, will you punish the most loyal warrior of Greyson for the longest time just because he finally found the one his heart yearned for? "He spent years doing what was good for the bunch of you. He protected Rukiya with his life. He sacrificed a lot of things for you. He sacrificed his youth and took age progression pills just to fit the profile of the healer of Greyson. "He still wears that face even with his mate. Your healer friend stopped aging at twenty-six and we won''t sit here and lie that none of you has ever seen him like that. He changed so my brother, his mate would find him. "He dared to love, just like all of you dared to love. Will you judge one of your own because his heart beats for someone you don''t approve of? Is that what your logic pines for? He gave up everything for your cause, so you will ostracize him for having a mate? "You all are monsters on the normal scales. You havemitted sins worse than him. You have murdered more than he ever has in his lifetime. Hell, who am I kidding? You alone, Malika. "You have murdered millions of people; the hands that you use to hold your mate, the hands with which you serve your mistress. You might cover it up and deny it, but you all are devils. "So are you going to judge one of your own for that? Is this what love is meant to be like? Will you force him into a rejection when he just found a reason to keep going? Or will you throw him in the dungeons for daring to have that which you all have? "Is that what this is? Is that why you walked away and left him outside? Was it why you told the wolves to go back to whatever they were doing like it wasn''t important? Will you hurt him for the crime of loving and daring to feel loved?" Amina asked, her questions tearing through the room that had gone silent. They were looking at her like she was the height of shit, literally. It was almost like the world was going by and all they could afford right now was the insanity of having Amina Russel on the same table as them. Then again, her questions were right. She was right to want to know what the fate of the kind healer was. Amina knew Hudhayfah on so many scales and she knew that the man had a heart of gold. Hudhayfah had sacrificed everything for Rukiya and her family. Hell, he had given up everything for the sake of Greyson, and that surely had to count for something, right? Oh, but Amina was ready to fight for Hudhayfah, something that everyone in the room had seen, and one that got Hudhayfah wondering what in the hell had gotten into Amina Russel. Surely the woman couldn''t be that insane, right? "You seriously think we could abandon one of our own for loving someone else? We are not saints and Hudhayfah deserves happiness more than we all do. Why the hell would we take that away from him when he just found his happiness? Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire "You''re crazy, Amina Russel. You need to get your head out of the gutter and see clearly what has happened. We didn''t leave, to lock him or your brother outside. We sent people away because Hudhayfah deserved his privacy with his mate. "He deserved love just like us. We didn''t close the gates because we never close gates on our own even if they mated with the enemy. Love doesn''t work like that," Sherry said and Hudhayfah released a sigh of relief. Hudhayfah had been so sure that they would banish him, that they could convict him for loving Trey. He was not sure what they had wanted to do, but damn was it a scary moment for him. He had been overthinking so much that his head hurt, but hearing Sherry talk like that and the other knights agree was something else. He couldn''t believe that this was real and so he just stared at Malika and Elodie, like they had the final say on what happened. Of course, they did. "Then what was that silence earlier?" Amina asked angrily. "We were just teasing him. We didn''t know he could be that serious and when he spoke earlier, we didn''t know what day we had to leave it to the adults to speak on our behalf," Adolf said looking at Malika, and Hudhayfah chuckled. "Don''t tell me he forgot what we had sworn to do to him when Trey came," Rioughed. "Holy shit," Hudhayfah let out with augh. "Thank you, Hudhayfah, for making me ten thousand gold bars richer!" Adolf added with excitement as he brought out his phone from his pocket and yed the part where they had made the promise to Hudhayfah. "I can''t believe I fell for that," Hudhayfah sighed and Trey smiled cheekily. "Does that mean I get a kiss, angel?" Chapter 528 Love In The Maddest of Markets [SICARIO] The council room that had been filled with cheers and chaos once again quieted down, the weight of the sudden truth making it harder for them to focus. Reality was something that they had been sure they would deal with, and yet right now, that wasn''t a given. Trey had been excited to see his mate, excited to see where this led them but then, even he knew that there was more to the sudden change in attitude. There was something missing, and while they could tell by the three empty seats in the room, Trey had silent wishes.@@novelbin@@ "How should I be creative that you''re not tolerating my brother because you don''t want to start a fight with me?" Amina asked, and silence enveloped the room. She had always been straightforward, which made her question even more pressing. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire For a moment, Trey turned to look at his sister, the disbelief on his face making a show and the truth of what was toe, making him wonder what the fuck was going on Amina Russel was never the kind to make a run for anything. She always faced her truths and everything, but right now, as she looked at her brother holding Hudhayfah''s hands gently, there was an emptiness in her eyes. The kind that Trey had been so familiar with until he met his mate again. He knew what was toe and boy was it something he wished he never knew of. His sister was leaving, which was why she was determined to gauge what would happen. "Your brother is mated to one of us. Like it or not, there won''t be much we can do to him, because if we hurt him, we will be hurting Hudhayfah. We may be cruel and unhinged, crazy, and love ying with death, but causing pain to one of our own is a line that we have always drawn. "That is also the only reason we let you walk in," Elodie said and it took a moment for Amina to register what she was talking about. They had been kind to her, because of Mi. Because they knew Mbali would throw a fit if she was hurt. This was a revtion that Amina had not expected and it made her sit back upright. She had always had everything in control and yet when it came to her precious princess, nothing would ever make sense. She wanted her in ways that no one would ever think was okay and it was a mystery that she was hand able to solve for a hundred years. "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Alpha Elodie," Amina said, her tone nd, like she refused to let them know how much she had been affected by those words. But even if she tried to hide it, even if she fought her feelings, it was obvious in her eyes. She was a warlock who only ever wanted her mate, that was the only possible reason that he had agreed toe to Sicario. Nothing had been alright for her ever since she had left and frankly, the burning ache in her stomach each time she thought of Mbali wasn''t going away soon and it hurt to even think about it. Her mate was somewhere in the world, unknown to their friends, unknown to her and she couldn''t even find a way to track her. Mbali''s scent had faded over the years and all that was left in Amina''s memory was the faint scent ofvender that had made her want to nt the flowers around the world. It hadn''t been easy, holding back the urge to do something so tragic that could get her mate back, but even she wasn''t that stupid. If the Sicario wolves hadn''t been able to get to Mbali and Hawi, when they had the strongest connection to the two, then Amina wouldn''t ever be able to. She just had to wait for as long as she could, but how long was supposed to be long enough? Her heart was shattered one too many times and she only ever got the courage to piece it up for the sake of the wild Lycan she had been mated to. Oh, she loved her alright, and she was not going to sit by and wait for help toe. No matter what happens here and in the realm, she would set on that trail and look for them. One thing that Amina was certain of, was that her mate wasn''t on the freends, or even the other side of the realm that had divided up Sicario¡­ the new Sicario anyway. She hade here, hoping to see her, hoping that her mate had just turned the links and her scent so Amina wouldn''t find her. She had hoped that Mbali was just ying games with her because they were supposed to be enemies. But when she got to Sicario and saw the empty seats, Amina was convinced that they weren''t here in the werewolf realm. She had to go looking for the tow on the other realms, and if she had to be the devil Russel sibling that her name made her into, then for Mbali, she would do it without question. "You will," Elodie said in earnest, her tone not matching that of Amina. Perhaps because she knew that the woman was feeling despite all that would transpire in their lives and the links they had all had to each other. "You didn''t answer my question," Amina reminded and Elodie let out a soft chuckle. "You both must have traveled far and long. Hudhayfah will take Trey and show him where to rest. You, on the other hand, will take Mbali''s room. That is all I can offer you at the moment, Amina. "I know it doesn''t make up for much, but you and I are in the same predicament at the moment. So, let''s make do with it for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself if we are not despised by queen Kia anyway," Malika started with finality and the Savasci knights let out a series of groans. They had just started to take relief in the fact that they didn''t have to deal with the queen, but the subject that they had been discussing before the Russel siblings found their way to their gates, was still a matter of concern. They were but subjects of a queen they knew nothing of, other than the fact that she had something against them and they did have the brevity to march forth and ask her. It was a death sentence and they couldn''t even deny that. Oh, but it was a scary moment. "I thought we were free from that crazy woman, aye," Adolf whined for the hundredth time as this time, instead of indulging him, the Savasci knights got up and made their way to the door, making Adolf re at them. "You guys are meaner than that queen, you know that, don''t you?" Adolf whined as they justughed at him like it was all they could ord him, this wasn''t fair, but what else could they do? They had a lot of work to do and whining the entire day wouldn''t get shit done. "Amina¡­ This is just a heads-up. He could spend the entire season whining about the cruel queen. So, unless you want your ears to bleed,e along and leave him be," Rio teased and Aminaughed earnestly for the first time in a while as she hurried after the knights. "Great, so you''re going to leave me too?" Adolf whined as he looked at Zaniel who was staring at him like he was the only person in the room, despite the fact that Hudhayfah and Trey were still seated in the counsel room. "Not in any lifetime, my little wolf. Wherever you are, I will be there. I won''t leave you at any point in time, so you need not worry about that. But I do believe that we have spent enough time in this council room. "Let''s go get some air now, hmm?" Zaniel said and Adolf stared at him like there was a constetion in his eyes. They were so in love it was sickening, but they couldn''t be med. Hawi had done them justice by leaving them together, hoping that someday, if she had learned to let the people around her love just enough, she would be bae to meet a reincarnation of the only woman she had ever loved. Her beautiful Rukiya Greyson. "Okay, let''s," Adolf said excitedly, leaving his mate outside the council room like that was the only thing left for the both of them to do. "I''m d they are happy," Hudhayfah smiled proudly like he was d that this was happening. He could be med though. The entire team had gone through hell and back and they deserved to be happy. Sure, it wasn''t an easy task given the reputation they all had, but they had learned from the best that happiness was something they could have, even if there were wars that brewed. Happiness was never a choice; it was something they all deserved. "What about you, angel?" Trey asked in earnest as he looked at Hudhayfah. He could see the same man he had fallen in love with all those years ago and honestly, he was d that nothing had changed. Trey knew that some things had to be done for their union that made sense to many, and he was willing to go through the very depths of hell just to see Hudhayfah smile. It was easily Rey''s most precious possession right now. "What about me?" "Will you let me make us both happy?" "I have waited twelve centuries for you, Perihan¡­ of course, I will say yes to us, always," Hudhayfah reassured. "I love you, angel." Chapter 531 Lets Test All The Waters, No? [SICARIO] "Well, you can go fuck yourself in the Sicario brothels," Hudhayfah growled. He couldn''t stand the fact that Trey being around him was making him uneasy. It was eating him up and he needed to focus on his anger, but damn this man for smelling so damn good. There was just no way that he could survive another hour surrounding this man and yet at the same time, he didn''t see himself doing anything other than smiling and waving at Trey at every instance he got. It was messing with his mind one too many times and hells be damned if he let himself try to keep fighting. Well, he needed to keep fighting, for his sanity. He needed to see to it that nothing was ever going to change and yet as he looked at the man before him, the smile on his face like Jiminie was the best thing he had ever seen, Hudhayfah was at a loss for words. This wasn''t how shit was supposed to be and he hated himself for not being strong enough to fight. "Oh Hudhayfah, my precious angel¡­ I never go to the brothels, y''know¡­." Trey trailed off softly, as he held Hudhayfah''s chin so gently and turned the man to face him. He was risking a headbutt, but it wasn''t like that was a bad thing or that he didn''t deserve it, yeah? They had to work through this and make sure that they were on the same page but right now, that seemed like the worst possible thing that could ever happen to Hudhayfah. He still despised how his body responded to Trey. "Do I? And even if I did, what do I care?" Hudhayfah asked angrily. He was done trying to be the bigger person. He hated that this was somehow going to affect his rtionship with his friends and he hated that no matter what he did, nothing was ever going to make it better unless he was in the same space as the bastard right now. "Are you sure about that, angel? If I walked into the Sicario brothels right now, would you stick to your stance at the moment? Would you stay neutral and never care about what I did there? Are you sure about that?" Trey asked and Hudhayfah red at him. They both knew the answer to that, but Hudhayfah was adamant. He refused to let Trey have control over him. The man had juste today and now he was trying to make him feel a lot of things. Who the fuck even made their mate jealous on the first day of their meeting? What kind of mate bond was this? It was like Hudhayfah had been thrust into a torture chamber and he wasn''t even being given the chance to live the life had always known. This was torture. "You wouldn''t," Hudhayfah said and Trey chuckled. "Are you sure about that Perihan?" Trey eased and Hudhayfah held his eyes defiantly. "Hmm¡­" Hudhayfah trailed off, before adding; "Even if you go to the brothels, you''ll just be fucking what I have been fucking all these years. If you want a taste that much, I''ll guide you and let you know who gives the best head, who has the best pussy, and who knows how to ride that dick so well. "I would show you things that you haven''t seen. Honestly, the brothels are nothing new. I am a man and over twelve hundred years without a mate wasn''t as easy, but at least the Grayson and Sicario brothels gave me a way of relieving myself," Hudhayfah loved the way Trey''s anger was showing on his face. The more Hudhayfah talked about the brothels, the longer Russel''s growls were getting, they were possessive growls, jealous, and murderous growls and even then, Hudhayfah wasn''t fazed by them. It was like he was in his own world and he didn''t give a shit whether this was him trying to do the pack they had worked so hard to protect. Surely there had to be a way out of this, right? "So, you love the brothels that much, angel?" Trey said after a long silence. It had been a haunting silence that made him want to rip through the greatest pack that ever existed. Oh, but Trey was willing to take on the wrath of Awuor Hawi if that meant letting everyone know that Hudhayfah was his.@@novelbin@@ This beautiful man belonged to him and there wasn''t anything that could be done to make him change his mind. And yet even then, Hudhayfah was trying to mess with his mind and make him feel all sorts of things. It wasn''t for at all had Trey hated it. He wanted to say a lot of things, but instead of saying anything, he just grabbed Hudhayfah roughly by the neck, closing the distance between them and making sure their faces were really so close they could breathe each other. It wasn''t supposed to be as hard really but what else was Trey supposed to do? "You should try them sometime¡­ really good ces to get your lease without anyone judging you. You wouldn''t even have to worry much about anything there. No catch, no attachments, just pussies being fucked¡­ "...And dicks being given the release they so need," Hudhayfah whispered lowly, his lips gently brushing against Trey''s when he spoke while he didn''t do anything else. He didn''t take the initiative and Trey didn''t either. It was like they were both waiting for the one who could either break the tension between them or the one who would make them take on the next step. They were all so pent up with emotions from ages and ages ago and frankly, it was frightening to even be in the same space with each other. Perhaps there was another way to deal with this, right? Surely it didn''t mean that they would be here staring at each other like the world was just ying games with them, no? "Hudhayfah¡­" Trey trailed off, his hand still holding Hudhayfah''s neck in ce like he wanted to kiss the man till he dropped, but at the same time, as if to tell Hudhayfah that there was always going to be more to whatever the fuck the universe was determined to show them. It wasn''t the easiest of this and honestly, it scared the living daylights out of Tray for a moment there. He knew that if this line was crossed then there wouldn''t be any going ck. This was different from the kiss they had outside the gates of Sicario and they both knew it. This right here was a kiss that would happen when they were both conscious and not because of some pinup tension that had been driving them nuts for the longest time. Maybe it was easy to deal with the chaos this time, but would it be any better if they understood that the chaos was not just around them and that this time, they both were the sources of the chaos? Would that make any difference to them? "Let me go, Trey. We have more pressing matters than being here wasting time in the name of a mate bond," Hudhayfah says and Trey scoffed before he leaned close to Hudhayfah''s neck, where he wouldy a mark, and Hudhayfah stiffened. "Really now?" Trey asked amusedly. "Or you can¡­" "Can what?" "Kiss me like you mean it." Chapter 534 Baby Steps, Right? [HAWI] "We go there as men. Human men and our hair color will be brown¡ª" Mbali began and Hawi burst outughing at what Mbali was showing her. This wasn''t expected to happen, but Mbali was just too adorable either way. "That''s blonde¡­ not brown, Mbali. What will I do with you?" Hawi teased heartily. "Fine, we''re not going with that. We''ll go with ck hair then. That is easier to exin with the tuxes I brought for us anyway," Mbali said and Hawi gently patted her back. They were changing a lot of this and it was interesting. They both had the magic to make them transform into whatever the fuck they wanted to be and yet here in the dressing room, they were trying out tuxes because Mbali was trying to teach Hawi what normal looked like. It was boring, but humans were boring and they had to blend in.@@novelbin@@ "No scents?" Hawi asked the obvious once they were dressed up. "No scents and no magic, unless it is really important and we have to," Mbali said and Hawi stared at her like Mbali was scolding her. It wasn''t that far a stretch because Mbali knew Hawi so well and she knew how shit always got with her. "This is going to be some boring mundane work," Hawi signed defeatedly. "I know, but it''s better than drinking like camels and not even feeling what we want to feel. If we get the job, then we can punch a few faces on the job and feel better. "Besides, they will be supernatural, so we can beat the shit out of them and make them forget as fast as they can''t even have imagined," Mbali shrugged and Hawiughed at the idea. Her friend was full of so many good ideas and frankly, it''s more than exciting to know what they were in for, this time. This would be the perfect revenge to the moon goddess and Hawi was all in for it. "Awesome," Hawi said as she punished the air and Mbali stared at her skeptically. "What now? Don''t tell me you have more rules," Hawiined. "Just one more," Mbali teased. "Fine, out with it." "You must not lose your temper¡­ heavy on the MUST," Mbali said and Hawi rolled her eyes at Mbali. What the fuck did her friend think of her this time to evene up with such a ridiculous rule? "That''s the simplest one of them all. None of these pesky little shits we''re about to send the bitch can make me lose my temper. Don''t worry too much about that, I assure you," Hawi said and Mbali stared at her nkly as if to remind her friend what was at stake. Hawi was explosive. She could go from smiley to deadly in an instant. Mbali had seen it one too many times and this wasn''t going to be a false rule. Hawi was dangerous¡­ hell she was the most dangerous creature of the moon goddess and they both knew it too. She was always uncontroble and lost her temper as easily as anyone could breathe. Hawi was dangerous and the fact that her friend had to remind her of that was just insane. But then surely the message was home, right? "Oh, really now? Is that why you made that woman trip since she looked an awful lot like Ruru but she wasn''t Ruru?" Mbali asked and Hawi stared at the ceiling as if she wasn''t going to answer that at the moment. Then again, Mbali was right. For this to go well for them, they had to keep their tempers in check. They were the Savasci knights and they had an insane temper that could bring the mere human realm down. It wasn''t that hard for them and they knew it, but for the sake of coexistence and embracing changes, they had to agree to this. "I didn''t do shit. She fell. Ruru wouldn''t have fallen that easily. She would have seen meing and jumped thene to¡­ she would have run towards me and held me close and never let go. "Ruru would have let me bathe in her scent and she would kiss me like I was the only person who mattered. Ruru would have kissed the mischief out of me and made me feel better. She would have embraced me, Mbali. Ruru would have never let me go. "My Ruru was precious, she was so precious and they took her from me. How was I supposed to live with that y''know when she first died, I was so sure that someone was pulling my leg. "I wanted to scream at the goddess, but I had felt her breath leave her. I was there. I was supposed to be the most powerful wolf to ever live and yet in the face of everything, I had failed my Ruru. "I hadn''t even managed to give her the breath of life before she was gone, Mbali. She was the love of my life and the goddess and the fates took her like it was nothing. They wanted their mission in and I did it. Ipleted the mission. "I ended the war and yet I lost her," Hawi said, as streaks of tears showed up on her face. she had been trying to hold on for so long and it was just never enough each time she tried to breathe, it hurt. Everything always hurts because Ruru wasn''t here. Ruru was supposed to live and she was snatched from her. That wasn''t the kind of pain that anyone survived and Hawi knew so damn well that she wouldn''t live as long as she thought, even with immortality. Maybe her body would be alive over the years, but her soul was dead. It had died on the day that Ruru had died and there wasn''t a thing on the face of the earth that could make her feel any better about it. "Hawi¡­ we don''t have to do this, you know. If it''s too much we can try other things. Hell, we can stay here for as long as you want us to and then we can go back home, I won''tin, I promise," Mbali said softly as she pulled Hawi into a hug. They almost never talked about the madness back home, because they were desperate to move on. But even moving on was proving to be such a hard task for them. Maybe in another life, all would be well, right? But what other life was there when they were immortals? "We have to, Mbali. we can''t always stay indoors and as much as it hurts, as much as it is a little overwhelming right now, I think we truly need this. Amina would be disappointed to see us like this, hell, Ruru would have wanted us to be better. "So, get ready we have to go get that job and start today," Hawi said heartily, sniffling away as she wiped away his furious tears. She would cryter, that was one thing she was certain of, but until then, she had to try and show his friend that this was something that had to be done. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire "Okay. Do we teleport¡­ or do we get a bus?" "I agree toe along not to be stuffed into a moving container with people who smell like rats." Chapter 536 In The Arms of The Saint, Im A Stranger [HAWI] Club Hernia was boring. That was Hawi''s first impression of it. It was like she didn''t want to be there, but at the same time, she had to be there because it was the only way that she would be able to get out of the cruel bubble of life that had been on her. "Why Are we here again?" Hawi asked and Mbali smacked her in the head. She couldn''t believe that this was happening to both of them. They were the best warriors out there and yet they had been reduced to whatever the fuck this was.@@novelbin@@ "Keep going and smile like a normal person. We are men right now, Hawi. We have to sell it otherwise we are fucked," Mbali reminded as they walked through the pile of bodies that smelled like shit. Hawi was trying her best to stay put and not fuck things up. She wanted to make sure that things went right but damn the stench of wolves who were around them. How the fuck did people even survive the ugly ass cents in here? Oh, how Hawi cringed so hard this time. "Can''t we just walk out of here? This is not a ce I want to be in, Mbali," Hawi whined once they made it to the door of the HR room and Mbali red at her like that was the worst thing that Hawi could have ever voiced. Surely there was a chance for her to voice her thoughts without getting smacked again, no? Well, that was just her wishful thinking, because Mbali strapped on her feet, hard, making her squeal, before she began coughing like the world was on fire. "What the fuck is wrong with you? I just¡ª" Hawi whined, ready to smack her best friend''s head, but then the door to the HR room opened, and right there in front of them was a wolf¡­ a rogue who smelled worse than the sewers of Sicario. "Khalif and Rafael?" the woman at the door asked and Mbali stared at Hawi, gently nudging her as if to remind Hawi what this was happening no matter what happened along the way for the both of them. "I''m Rafael, and he''s Khalif," Hawi said, her voice deep just like any man''s voice. Mbali stared at her in awe, even though she knew Hawi would probably have her head off her neck in one of these many days that they would be working here. "Oh great. Nice to meet you. Come on in," the woman said before adding, "I''m Samia. Your guide, thought Khalif here already knows how the club works. She told me a lot about you, Rafael. She just didn''t mention that you were this good-looking in person." As Samia rambled her ears off, probably praising Hawi at every chance that she got, Hawi''s thoughts were elsewhere. She pondered whether her Rukiya would have loved what she was doing. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire This was the first time that Hawi had been told that she looked good, even though it was somewhat interesting that even under the shadow that she was wearing, she still managed to be attractive. It was never going to be easy for them and there was no denying that. "Thank you, Samia. Rafael is not used to talking too much. She will definitely do well as one of the bouncers. Thank you for giving us this chance to work here at your prestigious club, hernia," Mbali said, as she grabbed Hawi''s thigh stiffly. That was all they needed to snap Hawi out of her trance this time. She looked at Mbali like the woman was trying a little too hard to make things a reality when they could just sit and pretend that none of this ever mattered to them. However, at the same time, this was the perfect distraction for them both and they couldn''t deny it. Hawi was tired and wanted to leave but one look at Mbali was all she needed to snap back into action as the human who hade to seek a job. "Thank you for the chance, Miss Samia," Hawi said and Mbali stared at her in shock. "All the best in your job. And if you need anything, Rafael, you can always reach out to me. Here is my card," Samia said and Hawi held back a scoff. She couldn''t believe that this was actually working. How feeble were these wolves with the humans, and how easy was it to y with their minds? It was something amusing to her, and she reminded herself of her mission here. Oh, she knew that this was going to be the easiest way for her and Mbali to fuck up the moon goddess once and for all. "Thank you. We will get to work now," Hawi said before she and Mbali got up. However, before they left the room, Hawi walked over to where Samia was and kissed her gently on the cheeks, making the woman blush like a tomato. "Ha¡­ Have a good day, boys," Samia said, and Hawi wicked at her before she had Mbali left. It was so strange and act that the moment they stepped out of the room, they could see Samia giggling like she wasn''t a wolf who probably had a mate. That thought in itself was disgusting to Hawi and she wanted to walk back in there and let the woman know that sometimes life was meant to be respected as the humans too. But then she had no right to do that. "I never thought you would do that. You keep surprising me, Hawi. How do I know what''s going on in your mind?" Mbali teased and Hawi just sighed. This was just so the n would work. They needed to get eerily close to the humans and the wolves to make sure that they had the goddess at the palm of their hands and if kissing some random hoe in the middle of a club was it, then Hawi would do it no questions asked. She would get the answers she needed for her mate and she wouldn''t stop, not if the world de and there was nothing left. She wouldn''t stop until she got an exnation for what had happened to the love of her life and hells be damned. "It''s all a part of the n. Don''t be too excited about it, alright?" Hawi said and Mbali just nodded casually. She was just d that Hawi had decided against burning the humannds again. This was progress for them, however fucked up it was. "We are to stay on the lookout for any troublemakers and see to it that all is safe if we do well, we will be promoted to the entry zone. That is the pce that we need to be so that we can get the answers we need," Mbali said, almost like a reminder. Hawi smiled at Mbali who was trying her best not to sound too excited for the chaos that was headed their way. But then again there was no point in even bothering to hide, because they would do so well. Well, three hundred yearster, they were still Rafael and Khalif, the best bouncers of Club Hernia. They changed their faces every thirty years, and their names were eventually reduced to boss and boss. That was progress, and all those yearster they were here no. Chapter 538 Were All One Step From Grace [HAWI] Three minutes was all it took for Hawi and Mbali to kill all seventeen wolves that had been sent after them. They had expected more but thanks to the spell they had cast on the bodies, no more of them hade. Otherwise, Hawi would have been forced to cast a spell to bind her in ce because she just wasn''t in the mood to deal with pesky little shits. She knew that this was her chance for the perfect revenge because earnestly, it seemed like taking out the goddess''s chosen werewolf queen was the only way for Hawi to deal with the menace of a goddess that was making her life a little too hard. That woman deserves to meet every karma and Hawi was foreign to figure out a way to give it to her tenfold. "Looks like their queen isn''t here yet," Mbali said as she wiped the blood off of her clothes, and then cast a spell on both her and Hawi to be other wolf warriors; two from the pile of people they had just murdered. It was getting normal for them but they didn''t care this time they were on a mission and none of that would hinder them. They had waited enough times anyway. "She''sing, I know it. Samia was scared when she came to talk about the queen. Whoever that woman is, she must be some scary ass woman," Hawi said and Mbaliughed at the irony. "Thank you?" Mi teased. "I am just a man trying to get through the day, bro. I have kids I need to feed and a wife who is waiting for my sry at the end of every two weeks. I don''t have the slightest clue what you''re talking about," Hawi said and Mbali burst outughing. Theirughter got the attention of Samia who had been waiting for her warriors to clear the mess and the smile on her face when she saw the two, was clearly a smile of relief, especially when she didn''t even bother to ask whether the bodies were disposed of. Maybe that was a task for tomorrow orter, yeah? "Her Majesty is here. Don''t fuck this up or let any more annoying humans to mess this for us. This is our chance for her to give her approval of Hernia. I only hope her damn amnesia doesn''t screw us over," Samia said before she left Hawi and Mbali standing there surprised. This was the one thing that they hadn''t heard from anyone all the time they had gotten from the club on the wolves had only ever mentioned the werewolf queen and not much could be said after that. Well, their ranks in Hernia didn''t exactly scream the power they already had anyway. This was the first time they were learning such a crucial set of information. If the queen had amnesia, then how the fuck was she the werewolf queen? Surely the moon goddess wasn''t as dumb to just put anyone on the wolf throne, right? She had to have known that Hawi would someday just wake up and decide to want her throne and no one would say shit about it, no? "What the fuck just happened, Mbali? Amnesia?" Hawi whispered and Mbali stared at her in simr disbelief. This was crazier than all the things that had ever run through her head, because right now, all that Awuor Hawi had were questions. She needed answers and oh so desperately because there was just no way that this was the kind of madness that the moon goddess was ying at. Hawi had checked the memories of the face she was currently wearing and there was no mention of the queen other than what Samia had mentioned, so that was just as unsettling. "I don''t know, Hawi, but we will find out. Samia said the queen is here the least we can do is act like the fools we have morphed into and then we can see the woman for who she really is. "Maybe there was a reason for what the goddess did, which doesn''t even make sense because the woman knows we both despised and won''t respect her in any lifeline, at this point," Mbali said frustratedly. Nothing was making any sense and she hated what the uncertainty they had was so close to winning. This was not what the world needed to look like, truly. They deserved better on all fronts and hells be damned for whatever the fuck was going on here. "Get in position," Samia''s voice was hard through the walkie-talkies that the human and wolf bunchers always had on them. For a moment, Hawi felt like her heart was about to thump off her chest, and she wasn''t even sure what was happening to her. "Are you nervous like I am?" Hawi asked earnestly and Mbali stared at her skeptically. Hawi was never the kid to be scared of anything and yet for the first time since Ruru had died, Mbali saw Hawi get nervous. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire On any normal day, she would haveughed at Hawi and d her paranoid, but with the way that Hawi had been getting angry and unsettled in the past week, this was the kind of thing for Mbali to ignore. She couldn''t understand what was happening to Hawi or with Hawi, but she knew that no matter what it was, Hawi wasn''t going to be alone in this, ever. "I''m here with you, Hawi. No matter what the queen does or what the oue is, I am going to be beside you, just like we swore as the knights to serve you. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine. You''ll be fine," Mbali insisted and Hawi stared at her softly. She had never been nervous and this was Hansel creeping her out. If this was another doing of the goddess, she would curse the woman out and murder people just to spite the barbaric women even more. There was never going to be a justification for what she would do to the moon goddess and she just didn''t care about the possible consequences. She had lost Ruru, there wasn''t a thing left that she could lose this time.@@novelbin@@ "Okay¡­ Please don''t leave me," Hawi whispered right as the doors of the Hernia Club opened and everyone got into attention. The humans had been told that the VIP of VIPs was here and the wolves knew well not to mess with their queen. "I won''t, Hawi. I won''t ever do that, I swear it," Mbali reassured as she watched the queen''s guard walk in and make their way into the club, assessing it before they talked into their walkies for the others to let the queene in. Hawi, who was within the tri routine, felt like her heart would hurt and the blood was whiting in her ears a little too much. She had never been this nervous in her life; not even when she had proposed to Ruru, so what the fuck was even going on here? "All hail her majesty, Queen Kia, of Olyana Kingdom!" Samia announced right as the queen walked in. She looked gracious in her outfit, like a real queen who deserved to sit on that throne that Hawi wanted to burn. Hawi didn''t get to see her face at first, because she was thinking of where she had possibly heard of the damn name that the queen bore. There was never such a queen in the books of the old and no white wolf was called Kia as far as she knew. Maybe she was overthinking it, or maybe she was just in so much denial that she couldn''t ept what was right in front of her. Someone had truly reced her andmanded the army that was hers tomand. But was that what stressed Hawi out, or was it the steps that the queen made and the scent that hit her nose that got her thinking on overdrive? Surly she was overthinking this time too, right? "No," was all Hawi let out when she caught a whiff of a familiar scent and lost consciousness instantly. However, that wasn''t the only thing that happened. The spell she had cast on herself and Mbali instantly wore out and her scent was out there for the wolves to smell¡­ ¡­ For the queen to smell. "Fucking hell," Mbali cursed as she created an instant portal out of the club to one of the many houses they had owned in the three hundred years. But even she was shell-shocked. That woman couldn''t be the queen. It was not possible. Chapter 539 A Queens Rise From Comfort [KIA] Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire [Hours earlier] "Do I really have to go? Can''t I have someone go? What of you and Dumi?" Queen Kia asked Kadiam who was currently in front of her in the throne room. She had been seated there, pretty as ever with a mind as sharp as always when the protectors came to her to tell her of their findings. It wasn''t what any queen wanted to hear, but then it seemed like this was one that she had to deal with, herself. It was insane really, how the two protectors had insisted that she go to the humannds and not see someone. What kind of shit was even this? "Freya Malik Jabali is the best protector of the realm ording to the history books. She can go and deal with the nuisance you speak of. Besides, I am the queen, I don''t have to be out there," Queen Kia whined to Kadiam.@@novelbin@@ Of course, anyone who witnessed this would think the queen was strange, but she wasn''t. In the pce filled with protectors who wouldy their lives for her, Queen Kia only trusted two protectors and those were Kadiam and Dumi. They had been beside her for years on end to the point that they had developed a cordial rtionship, a friendship that was special to the queen and to them too. "You have to go, your majesty. This wolf has been evading the protectors for over three hundred years. If Malika goes after her, she will hide her and we didn''t want that to happen. "Shemitted so many sins against the realm and she has to be right to justice. No one in the realm can get to her or even touch her other than you," Kadiam insisted, and the queen stared at him skeptically. Kadiam had been insistent on this wolf for years and Kia had always refused. She didn''t want to be invoked with a wolf who was outside the realm. She didn''t care, truly because wolves were free to be wherever they were. Besides, nothing about the wolf Kadiam was mentioned, which seems threatening. She had killed people, just like every wolf had. She was a rogue wolf, just like all the rogue wolves who had run away from home. There had never been an instance of this wolf being erratic, which was part of the reason Kia had declined the endless requests by Kadiam and Dumi. However, there was something about it today. There was a sense of urgency in both the protectors'' voices and it wasn''t something that Kia had heard for years and years. It was like this was an introduction to the worst of the worst in the realm. "What is this wolf''s name?" Kia asked, intrigued by the insistence of the two people she had trusted in her kingdom. Granted, Kia knew that there was someone else who was deserving of the seat she was in, she had vowed to make the kingdom better. If ever there came a day for the deserving wine to sit on that throne, Kia had promised to leave the throne to her without question. It was the one thing she had lived by all these years and with her memory of the past gone, she could only hope that the woman who was meant to sit there was a kind one, because it would be a shame to have a devil on the seat that she had tried to protect. Then again, would it ever matter even if the throne holder was the devil of the devils? It wasn''t like Kia could say no and refuse to get up from that seat, right? "Rafael. He is with another wolf, Khalif. They are parading as humans, and have been causing trouble in the human hands. Today is the only time we can truly get them because they will be too busy acting like humans to even think that you will being for them," Dumi said and Kia sighed. She could tell that there was more to what Dumi was saying and she couldn''t help but feel antsy. There was something about leaving the kingdom that scared her to the core. She wouldn''t admit it out loud, but a part of her was worried about the unknown beyond the borders of the werewolf realm. When she had taken over the kingdom, Kia had been told of the great war that had seen Sicario and Greyson uniting. She was told of the Savasci knights who were currently in Sicario. But the people who talked to her about the war had intentionally left out two of the Savasci knights, or traders, the leader of the Knights and the one who gave them so much confidence in life and war. They knew that shit would get6 fucked if they mentioned the two to their queen, so for all the years they hadn''t talked to the queen about those two. Ever. "Well then, since it bothers you so much, let''s get going then. I want to be back before dawn. I have things to do and the Sicario reports haven''t reached my desk. Those knights sure are a stubborn bunch, but I will show them who is queen," Kia said and the two protectors stared in silence. Perhaps it was because they knew the truth, a haunting one that even they were scared of talking about. They had hidden the true identity of the werewolf queen and given her a mask of another, in the face of everyone else. It was the kind of mask that no one would ever see through, not even Freya Malik Jabali. Perhaps that was also why Malika had been haunted by the possibility that she kept the werewolf queen more closely than she had anticipated. In another world or lifetime, perhaps, no? "What about¡­ her?" Kadiam asked, careful not to say anything that could cage the queen''s mood. It was a very very delicate moment, one that even got them wondering if they would ever convince Malika to leave Sicario ande switch ces with them. "She''s fine. Leave her be. Tell the others to keep an eye on her and make sure that not a hair on her is out of ce. Remind them that I will burn a lot of them without question if I find a strand of hair out of the pce alright?" Queen Kia said and Dumi gulped loudly. The woman in question was the only person that Queen Kia cared about more than her own life. Maybe it was because she was scared of what life would look like for that woman or maybe it was because Kia was protecting that woman with her life. She had murdered hundreds just because of that woman and if she had to kill the entire realm for her, then she would be a wolf. It was an instinct that she would never let go of and Kia knew that too. This was more than she had anticipated, and it worried her that this was the first time she would truly be out of touch with that woman. Then again, she would be back by dawn, and that time would find if her favorite woman was still sleeping, no? "Yes, Your Majesty," Kadiam responded, seeing as Dumi was too scared to let out another word. "Good, let''s get going then," Kia said as she walked out of the throne room, her royal guard following them through the portal that Kadiam had created for her. Chapter 542 And In Every Lifetime, I Hoped To Be Yours [SICARIO] "But what of the queen, won''t she make you¡ª" Hudhayfah asked, genuinely worried for Trey. His family background wasn''t exactly the best of them all and frankly, he would be more of a risk of elimination by the werewolf queen than anyone else. "She has no power over me or anyone. The entire realm answers to the white wolf and the white wolf alone, not her amnesiac of a m¡ª I mean, the queen won''t do shit. Besides, she is out of the realm because some rogue wolves were spotted in the humannds," Trey said. He was looking at the ceiling, avoiding Hudhayfah''s eye, almost like he had said something that he shouldn''t have, or triggered something that Hudhayfah Karim wouldn''t let go. The identity of the werewolf queen had been a mystery to many and yet it seemed like Trey was more aware of who the queen was, more than the people that the queen ruled herself. Perhaps it was because the Russels had always been vagabonds, but Hudhayfah could sense that there was more to this.@@novelbin@@ The werewolf queen wouldn''t have allowed the Russels near her, and even if she did, the protectors had been told of the history of the Russels and the rulers of the realm. So, it was just right that they be kept away. So how the fuck did this even happen? "You know who the queen is, don''t you? Like who she truly is beyond the amnesia¡­ you''ve seen her face, haven''t you?" Hudhayfah asked as he looked at Trey who was staring at him in earnest. He wanted to say a lot of things and ask the right questions, but there were just too many of them for Hudhayfah to make into a reality. It wasn''t the best of times, and the questions would probablynd them all in more trouble than it would ever be worth. But even then, there was no denying that at the end of the day, there were sanders that could either free them or tie them into a different Cezaevi that they would never be able to get out of. "It doesn''t matter, angel. Besides, it''s not like it will change anything. I know you are curious, but this is one that I cannot tell you. I would dlyy down my life for you, but this is one that I must sit out. "The werewolf queen is outside of the realm. Something that has never happened since the beginning of time. Perhaps it''s because none of the queens eversted longer than three years, but this time, the queen is out. "Everyone will be curious to know what she went for, which is also how I know she will be back sooner than possible. She will not want to mess things up because fate is a son of a bitch; "...and with the stories that have been altered in the past three hundred years, there is no hope and there is also hope at the same time," Trey said and Hudhayfah sighed. His mate wasn''t making any sense. "You''replicated," Hudhayfah sighed and Trey chuckled sadly. There were times he would have found everything to be consideredplicated, but right now, all he wanted was his mate. All he needed was the beautiful angel resting on his shoulders. He loved him and he wouldn''t stop. All he could hope for was that the universe be kind to them, seeing as they had waited an eternity to get to each other. It hadn''t been easy, but it was definitely worth it, the long road filled eth everything that fucked them up. "You''ll be fine," Trey reassured. "Well, I have to go and check on the others, because if I felt the shift, then they felt it too. Something is going on and I have a feeling that it is more than the queen going out to find two rogue wolves and bring them home. "No queen has ever done that and it doesn''t make sense, though if I think about it, it makes sense in the weirdest of ways. I''ll see you around love," Hudhayfah said as he got up from the bed begrudgingly. He wanted to stay longer in Trey''s arms, but he was a leader and there were over ten thousand wolves in the new Sicario that depended on him and his psycho friend group. "Be careful, angel. If you need me, I''ll be there for you. Just call out to me, it doesn''t matter which part of the universe I will be in or which realm I will be in. I will alwayse home for you," Trey said and Hudhayfah paused for a moment. What Trey was suggesting was impossible. No one had ever been able tomunicate with the other when they were realms apart, or even beyond the boundaries. Granted, Malika and Hawi had done that when they were home, but they were special, and there was limited to a protector and the white wolf. So, this just didn''t make any sense whatsoever. Maybe there is another way around this, no? "That can''t happen," Hudhayfah said and Trey just smiled at him. "We are the Russels, baby. We have done the impossible and managed. Well, except the wild girl who could kick our asses in her sleep," Trey said, his admittance of how powerful Hawi was, making Hudhayfah smile. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire The kid he had taken care of was powerful and while they may have lost Rukiya to the chaos in the war, Hawi had done more than enough. That was why they were not going to bother her, because grief took time, and the knights would let Hawi grieve her mate for as long as she wanted to. Meanwhile, the knights would hold the first for her, no matter how long it took. "Alright, I''ll get going. Be nice and you can take a walk around the ce. I trust you," Hudhayfah said, making Trey stiffen. The Russels were hated everywhere they go. They were feared and despised by so many people and they were never trusted. It was a truth that They hade to ept as he grew up over the years. They hadn''t been saints, and Trey was merely asking a lot from the people around them, but the fact that Hudhayfah, one of the people who was supposed to be the enemy, was trusting him, made him feel like maybe there was a shop for him and his sister. They could be good people, or maybe it was a test. Well, whichever way, this was a step in the right direction for Trey. "I love you so much," Trey said in response as he leaped to her Hudhayfah was standing and pulled the healer into a kiss, one that was so intense that Hudhayfah was a bit shocked by it. Then again, he didn''t know what to think too much of it this time. He had found love and he wouldn''t fuck this up. "I love you," Hudhayfah said when they pulled back. He then went on to dress up and ready himself, before leaving Trey in the room, smiling like an idiot in love. Well, he was a man in love with the danger that he had seen. However, that didn''t matter, because today, he would be Hudhayfah''s mate. Chapter 545 And I Hear, Storm Is Coming In [SICARIO] The council room was quiet as the Savasci knights stopped one by one. They had all felt the sudden change, thanks to the magic that bound them together and right now, they all had the same questions. Nothing had been brought to their attention a little too fast like this and frankly, it was not something that they would embrace easily. The past and present were at a risk ofing together and why that was a desired oue for many, it was not as stable on any front. That would be the engineered chaos and they needed to find a bnce before they thrust themselves into a world that would have seen them all dead. "It''s the queen¡­ she left the realm," Hudhayfah said when everyone was already settled. For a bunch of rowdy wolves and Lycans, the Savasci knights were a little too quiet right now. They looked like they would pay loads just to not be thrust into art again, and while that was a possibility, they had to have faith. On what though? The queen who was supposed to keep the realm safe and yet had left the realm? There were many people like the Russels who had decided to fill up the space left by them and they had been holding back because the werewolf queen wasn''t exactly the kind of person to mess with. Everyone knew that a little too well and that had followed the will of the goddess. "Great. So, we have to ask people toe and they break into Sicario again," Malika sighed and Elodie just rubbed her shoulders gently. They had been stressed about the queen and her insane demands for the whole day and now she was adding them more work. Honestly, the more the Savasci knights interacted with the queen indirectly. The more they were certain that the woman hated them and wanted them gone, because why the fuck would she leave at such a moment? The new Sicario was easily the most protected part of the realm and only the insane would try that, which meant that self-control would be something that they had to force themselves to deal with today too. "If Hawi were here she would have killed the trespassers and let us have our beauty sleep," Elodie wined and Sherry just chuckled amusedly. Even with all the time that had passed, they all depended on Hawi. They all hoped that she woulde home, which was sweet and all, but the tightness of the impossible having to see light was something they had learned to not focus on a little too much. "So, what are we supposed to do now? Deploy warriors to guard the realm?" Zaniel asked and Adolf stared in earnest. He knew how hectic this would be and he understood just how hard this would be for them, especially with the workload that the devil of a queen had left them. It wasn''t easy, but they had to embrace it. Maybe if the queen came back, they would forget her and tell her to stop making their lives harder than the others, right? Perhaps that would buy them a few months of freedom or maybe evenplete freedom like they had been with Hawi. Then again, with Hawi, they were not even free, they had reigned the realm themselves. Everyone who heard of the Savasci knights always made sure to steer clear of them and that was something that the knights had gotten used to. Sure, they were still feared, three hundred yearster, but they hadn''t been sighted out of Sicario from the month at Hawi and Mbali had left. Which made the people around them and beyond the borders start wondering if they were still the same. Well, if it was any constion, the knights were the same, just that they were all anxiously waiting for the day that Awuor Hawi woulde back home to them and protect them like they always did to and for each other. "Actually, there is something else I just learned," Hudhayfah said and they looked at him keenly. It is obvious that it was important which was why they had been called into the council room instead of using the mind links like they always did. "Who did the queen kill this time?" "What did Adolf do then?" "Why am I always suspected?" "Please tell me that the queen changed her mind about her assignment."@@novelbin@@ "Can we go back to sleep happily?" "All of you are wrong¡­ anyway, the queen went to the humannds, because of two male rogues that had been spotted in club Hernia, and who had caused a lot of trouble for the wolves on that other side. "She went there to make sure they came home," Hudhayfah said and the room went silent which was a whole new page for them, seeing as they had been ready to burst Hudhayfah''s eardrums barely seconds ago. "What should we care about if there are two rogues?" Sherry asked since it seemed like she was the only one who didn''t understand what was going on. The realm had been stable and the queen had been intact all those years. "Queens never deal with rogue wolves," Adolf said slowly, and Sherry stared at him still. "Rogues are always the problem for the warriors and the protectors. The queen is never called to answer the call from rogues because no rogue is worth the queen''s attention," Zaniel exined. Sherry stared at them, but this time, she was understanding. "You think it''s them?" Rio asked the question that is in everyone''s mind right now. There were so many pointers, but they had to spell out the words because otherwise, they would be hoping for nothing. None of that shit made any sense, truly. "There has only ever been one group of misfits in all of history to give the crown a run for its money and attention," Malika stated as she looked at the knights in the council room like she was waiting for them to make a guess. "Well, good for them. I hope they unmask that queen and send us a photo of her face that she has been hiding all these years. I need to have a one-on-one with that woman and make her understand that she should not overwork us. "Hawi would never have let us suffer like this," Adolf said confidently as he ended his attempt with a whine that the entire team knew wasing. Adolf had always lost the bets when it came to the work the queen handed him, which was why he was so bitter about it because he knew that with the current workload, he would lose a bet with someone and he would have to do extra work. That shit wasn''t pretty but they were a team and they all loved each other like family. Hell, they were probably more than family by now. "Adolf¡­" Hudhayfah trailed off like he was waiting for Adolf to catch up too. "No way," the former Greyson beta said in disbelief. Then again, the team around the table probably agreed with him, because there was just no way that this was true in the entire realm. That was pure madness. "Agreed. It''s impossible and doesn''t make any sense." "Well, it is the truth. The only team that scares even the moon goddess is¡­" Chapter 548 Light Me Up, Again [SICARIO] "I am sure of that, Hudhayfah. The queen may not have her memories right now, but if she saw Hawi and Mbali there if the rogues are really our friends, then it''s just a matter of time before everything goes back to what it should have been in the first ce. "Trey won''t be harmed, I can swear that. You will see him again, no matter how long it takes, and he won''t be gone for too long. Maybe three months or four at most. But you will see him again, that is a promise," Malika said and Hudhayfah stared at her curiously. Hell, the entire room was staring at her like she knew something they didn''t know of. Elodie herself was wondering what Malika meant by that, which was strange because they were supposed to all be on the same page, right? Malika''s confidence was strange, and there were things that they wanted to ask her, however, right now they were still wrapping their heads around the fact that the Russels wet her and we were about to leave too. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire "You people are depressing a lot," Adolf said and they turned to look at him incredulously. It is like he wasn''t even a part of the depressed group. But then just because everything was slowly going to shit, didn''t mean that they couldn''t embrace what was with them at the moment.@@novelbin@@ They deserved to be happy, even if there was a price that was hovering over their heads. The uncertainty that surrounded the werewolf queen was something that they would think ofter, because right now, as much as it was interesting to want to have the answers, maybe it was just right for them to change the subject, even for a moment, no? "What? You guys didn''t even see the pretty mark on Hudhayfah''s neck. You are just focused on the damned queen who will juste and make sure all suffer. Oh, I never thought our healer here would be this hot with his mark," Adolf said and Zaniel red at him. He was possessive over the former beta, but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t aware of Hudhayfah not being a threat to their bond, if anything, Hudhayfah Karim was the absolute definition of loyalty. He had been there for them in all stages of their bond. When they had been awkward around each other because of the way they had found out they had been mated. Hudhayfah had been the one to exin to them that the Russels hadn''t trulypletely fucked up the bond. It was a long stretch for them and no matter how many things they had to deal with along the way, they had to embrace the fact that nothing would change what they shared. They were a unit of love and Hudhayfah Karim was part of that unit. "You''re mine," Zaniel growled and Adolf swatted his hand softly as if that was supposed to make him rx. Zaniel didn''t mind, truly, but there was always room for light moments like these, right? "Easy there you wild beast. I am yours, the entire world knows it and I am proud of it, but that doesn''t mean we can''tplement the one person who has been with us all this time. Weren''t you taught how to be nice?" Adolf scolded as he looked at the entire team. They knew what was going on and even though they wanted to say no to it, they could do what they wanted, and no one would be able to do shit about it. Adolf was a wild one who loved to party and this, for him, was just another excuse to throw extravagant parties in Sicario. "This calls for a celebration!" Rio called it, making Adolf pinout just for a moment, before the room that had once been filled with concerned faces, turned into one that was chaotic as always. They had always been suckers for happy moments and white Hudhayfah wanted to protest what was happening, he knew he didn''t have the power to control them at this point, not that he wanted to anyway. Sicario had been sad for the longest time, and they needed awesome good news. As if on cue, Elodie announced in the mind links of the new Sicario that there would be a free day because Hudhayfah was mated. She had made it certain that the wolves could have the night of their lives without thinking too much about the repercussions. It was going to be chaotic, but then with the wards up, there was nothing that could harm Sicario at this time. Not even with the queen out of Sicario anyway. "Now that the announcement bit is done, let''s get back to our special party," Elodie said and Hudhayfah groaned. He knew that this would be a really long night, but he appreciated the fact that his friend didn''t seem to hate the idea of him having a mate. He had expected a rebellion, truthfully because none of them had ever gotten over the fact that the young Greyson had died because of the Russels. It had been the hardest thing that they had ever had to deal with and it hadn''t been fair on any scale. Right now, the only thing Hudhayfah could do was hope that the mission tomorrow would be okay and that his mate wouldn''t be long, because otherwise, his heart would be shattered into different pieces this time. "I''ll jointer. I still have to talk to Trey and tell him of the decision we made here today," Hudhayfah said softly, his tone lowered like he was scared of what Trey would think. He had just gotten him back and now it looked like then would have to part again. It wasn''t going to be a walk in the park for Hudhayfah, now that they were omitted, but then what other choice did he have? He had to be the healer that Hawi had left home and he couldn''t fuck shit up for Hawi because then a lot would go wrong. Maybe this was a terrible idea but then what other choice did Hudhayfah have? He trusted the man before he had even met him. He loved the man just from the first scent and now that they were together, he was horrified at the possibility that this was just another attempt at maniption by the Russels. It wasn''t going to be easy and he should have known that already, but what other choice did he have this time? So much had gone wrong and right at the same time that it was almost hard to have hope in anything. "You sound sad, Hudhayfah. Rx for once and let things be. You won''t be hurt, that I can promise. Not that I know he won''t hurt you, but because if he tries to hurt you, we will all protect you from him. "Besides, he looked so much in love with you to even think of hurting you. I know we have the trauma of getting fucked up by our realities, but then let yourself be happy. You deserve that too, no matter how crazy it sounds. "You earned a chance at happiness, so don''t ruin it by thinking too much," Theo said, making Hudhayfah look at him in shock. Theo had always been the quiet one, so it was almost hard to tell, but judging from the looks on the faces of the other Savasci knights it was obvious that this was what they all had in mind. "Okay¡­ I''ll bring him over," Hudhayfah said with a smile before he left the council room. Chapter 551 Dont Wanna Know A world Without You [KIA] Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire Anyone in her position would have been shocked or even fortune defensive of their position at the mention that they were just standing in for the craziest of the bunch. It wasn''t something that anyone would have epted with ease. And yet as Kia stared at her protectors, she didn''t look surprised. If anything, she felt relieved, almost like a part of the puzzle that had been eating at her was finally making sense. She felt whole, and happier even. It was strange, really, for a woman who had the slightest clue about her past to be this happy. Maybe it''s because of what Thando had said and right now, Kia seemed to like the title of Mrs. Hawi more than her title as the werewolf queen. It wouldn''t matter soon though, right? "Why?" Kia asked. She had read a lot about Awuor Sicario. She had learned the things that the woman had done and how she had busted the worst of the realm''s enemies. She knew everything about Hawi that had been written in the books and she had mastered them by heart. Granted, the books had intentionally left out the name Hawi, for some reason, but even then, Kia had loved what she had read about the woman. If anything, she had hoped to meet her someday when she came back to the realm. It was something she had looked forward to with so much pride and there wasn''t a bone in her body that was against meeting the craziest wolf in all of history. Hawi was known to be insane, she was unhinged, and yet as Kia had read the books, the only thing she had seen was a girl who had given up everything just for her people to betray her in the end. She had been so angry the first time she had read the books and that was why she had made it her mission to take revenge on Sicario on behalf of Hawi. Now that she had seen the woman, she wouldn''t stop. She would make sure they felt the pain of loving her just like Hawi had felt. Oh, how Kia had gotten defensive of the woman whose name made her feel so many things at the same time. "Why what, your majesty?" Kadiam asked carefully. He could see the wheels spinning in his queen''s head and he could only hope that there wouldn''t be much for them to lose at the end of the day because this was not the time for them to be out here like this. It was dangerous, even so for the queen herself. But then she didn''t know the truth, so it was easier to convince her of the enemies that had been lurking around. "You know what I mean. If she is the white wolf¡­ hell, we have already figured out that she is. The white wolf never leaves home like that without a good reason. Why did no one try to stop her from leaving the realm? "She had to be the queen and you all already knew what. So why did the books never talk of anyone who tried to hold her back? Didn''t she have a mate? What was her mate doing then? Did they fall apart? "Was there something that could have kept her from fulfilling her desi city? And why did the moon goddess let her leave when she was that important to the entire realm?" Kia asked her questionsing out so fast and at the same time, they were making the wolves ufortable to some extent. Kia could sense the difort and she just didn''t care this time. She needed answers. She felt like a huge chunk of her life was missing. She was tempted to ask about her rtionship with the woman, but she had a feeling that they would lie to her like they had over the years. So much time had passed and so many things had happened that she didn''t know of. She could feel the weight of it all, but even that would never be enough for her to face her worst fears this time. Perhaps there was always going to be a way around all of this, right? "Awuor Sicario is dangerous, Kia. She is not good for anyone. She ruins everything she touches, and she will ruin you too if you get too close to her," Dumi said honestly and Kia stared at the man like this was unbelievable. She hadn''t felt this content for the longest time and they were suddenly telling her what she had already read in the books? They were all aware of that little truth and frankly, repeating it countless times to the woman who had mastered the books like her past was not something to work with right now. They had to find a way around it without viinizing Hawi because Kia looked like she was about to go to war for Hawi and it was not even surprising to the protectors. "h h h. What else is there? She had to defend herself, alone, and she had to fight for what she believed in. Of course, she would be truthful or she wouldn''t have defeated the Russels. "You alone told me of whatever menace the Russels were to the realm. Don''t tell me you forgot that fact and want to me her for the cruel oue of everything. Besides you tell me what I wanted to know," Kia scolded harshly. Dumi stared at Kadiam, exchanging nces like what they had been scared of had finallye to fruition. It wasn''t the best of things for them right now because they needed this woman to run the woman. They needed her to keep everything and everyone sane. She was the source of peace in a world that had been to so many battles. They didn''t want another war and frankly, with the way that their women as talking, it looked like she was ready to trigger one for Hawi and that wasn''t what the n had demanded. "What?" Kadiam asked defeatedly. He could see that there was no point in lying to her anyway, because he was a strong woman and a reliant one, she would look through the realm for every answer and she wouldn''t stop until she got what she wanted. "Did she have a mate? And who was her mate? Other than Jeremiah Warner, did she have someone she could rely on? Someone to help her ease the weight on her shoulders? Even if you say she was that bad; "I doubt she wouldn''t have people lining up to be beside her," Kia said and Kadiam wished that the woman would lose her memory again. This was not the time for all of this and this wasn''t here for them to be ying coy with the answers. So, in silence, Kadiam turned to Dumi, before he started using the mind link they shared, just the two of them. ''What do I do, Dumi? She will figure shit out and the Sicairos wille burning everything in their way to get to her. How do we counter this?'' Kadiam asked as he stared at Dumi, hoping that there was an answer for them. The cost of the truth was way too expensive and they couldn''t afford to have her out there alone and with memories that wouldn''t help her or them. The woman was an amnesiac and for years they had taken away her memories at the first show of her regaining them. It was something that was never up for debate. For the first time since they started forcing amnesia on the woman, Kadiam felt a pang of guilt. Maybe it was because they had seen Hawi or maybe it was because of how excited the queen had been to see Hawi. She had been meant toe and capture Hawi and bring her home and yet as they stared at her, she looked like she was ready to give up everything for the girl they wanted her to keep clear of. ''Erase her memory again?'' Kadiam asked as if he needed to be sure, even though he was asking to ease his conscience. Maybe if he thought of it as a necessity, it wouldn''t haunt him as much, right? ''Yeah. tell her what she wants and then we erase her memory like always. It''s not like she will remember anything anyway,'' Dumi said and Kadiam sighed before turning to the queen who was staring anticipatorily.@@novelbin@@ "So, what have you both decided on?" Kia questioned curiously. "She had a mate¡­ but her mate died three months before she disappeared," Kadima said and Kia felt her eyes getting teary, before her tears began free falling down her cheeks, making her even more confused. "What the fuck?" Chapter 552 I Lost Who I Am In The Process [HAWI] "Don''t you dare die on me," Mbali mumbled as she paced around the room while she stared at Hawi who was still unconscious. They had both been shocked by what they had seen or rather who they had seen and it was hard to exin how the fuck life could y such sick games. So many years had passed, so many empty years that had been marred by depression and loss; the longing of the one woman who could have kept them sane. It was a time that they had all felt, a time that had forced them to try and forget about who they had been, what they had stood for, and even what they had wanted in life. Happiness had be a distant dream for them because there was nothing that would make their lives any easier. There was only ever option as they had walked away from home, choosing to never look back no matter how long it took. Funny how fate worked and got them to the particr point with many questions and zero answers. None of this was making sense, and Mbali hated that in the middle of all that, they were not sure whether to be happy that she was alive or angry that she hadn''t tried to reach out for over three hundred years. What kind of a cruel fate was that? "Fucking hell, slow down on the pacing. You''ll knock me out again at this rate," Hawi whined as she struggled to sit up and Mbali stared at her defeatedly. She had seen the worst of the worst happen to Hawi and yet in all that time she had never fallen unconscious. Then again, for three hundred eyes, she had lived her life mourning the girl of her dreams, the love of her life and the only woman who ever made her home. She had prayed for years and years to the moon goddess to give her mate even in another life, and she hadn''t expected it to be like that. One thing was certain though, the moon goddess was always dumb and insane, but even she wasn''t insane enough to have a reincarnated wolf sit on the throne of the most powerful woman. ¡­Data only gave Hawi one choice left, which was the horror that she used to think about. "I''m sorry. I just didn''t know what to do after what we had seen back there. I don''t know whether it''s an illusion or we were too excited to kill the queen that we three gut she as who we had missed," Mbali said and Hawi chuckled sadly. "You won''t even say her name?" Hawi asked and Mbali red at her as if that was supposed to make the wolf girl back down. After all they had been high, after all the tricks they had been exposed to, it was just right that Mbali kept her distance. Heartbreak was the one thing the both of them had been so used to that it never would have made any sense regardless of where they were. The pain was part of them and they refused to experience it anew. "It''s a trick, Hawi. They knew we wouldn''t go back home and decided to bring a clone looking like her. I have seen the moon goddess do some wild shit and the magic in the realm can literally morph anyone into whatever they need to be. "The moon goddess must have figured that we were so close to sending her fucktards back to her and decided to pull all the stops by making her. Who knows if she is even alive for fucks sake?" Mbali whined and Hawi sighed. Her enforcer was making a lot of sense and there was a chance that what she had seen was unreal. The moon goddess was always a botch on so many fonts, but on this one, Hawi was tempted to hope that it wasn''t what they were both thinking. Surely that wouldn''t be fair to Hawi and all they had the world on for years. Right? They deserve a break from the madness and the chaos. They deserved to rest regardless of what happened and how. But why did it seem like there were no bricks ted back there? "I sniffed her scent, Mbali. She smelled like my baby. She looked like the love of my life. I could feel her heartbeat and she even had a container that had food from the ce we had our first date in this realm. "She was sad and confused until our eyes met. I saw relief there, Mbali. I saw her and she is mine. I know it in my heart that she is," Hawi said softly, scared that her world would truly be an illusion like Mbali had been warning her. They had suffered on the side of the realm one too many times that it just didn''t make any sense for them to be exposed to shit like this again. Surely the moon goddess had to have known that there were entwined fates that didn''t need to be messed with, right?@@novelbin@@ But then would the goddess who had created soulmates really be the one to y such a cruel game no matter how chaotic Mbali and Hawi had been in the human realm? Would it ever make any sense? Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire "We are dealing with a powerful bitch that we have spent the past three hundred years defying. She knows what will happen if we bring Hernia down and start killing wolves. "She knows how things work and she knows damn well that we lost what was important to us and we don''t have a tether to humanity. That woman didn''t like that we left home to stay away from the people who could keep us sane and link us with our humanity. "You still think she wouldn''t decide to fuck things up and force a past on us? Come to think of it, who would orchestrate that shit so well and have Dumi and Kadiam working together again? "It all just doesn''t make any sense I know, but I also know that the moon goddess is a bitch and can do whatever she wants. I don''t trust that she bought her back. The person we loved DIED. "We mourned her for three lonely months. We were there, Hawi. We were ruled by pain the entire time. We didn''t have anything to hold on to and then she took her away. Who knows what she did to the person we loved? "I refuse to believe that the woman just grew a conscience and decided to have us on the same page that she wants us on," Mbali rambled angrily. She was sick of the mind games. She was also scared of what the truth was and more than anything, she was worried that this would push them into a deeper rabbit hole. Bringing back the person they loved and lost back was fucking shit. It was a cruel lifeline for them to deal with and if Hawi ever believed that the queen was the girl she had loved so badly, then she would step aside and let fate do its work. And if the woman was not real then Hawi would have to be forced down a depressing her again. So much would be lost and there wouldn''t be a thing that they could do about it. This right here was both the fate of the realm and their people too. "But what if she is her, Mbali? What if she is the girl who owns my heart? Then what?" Chapter 554 Maybe She Wasnt As Bad As They Knew [HAWI] It had been a while since she had been addressed like that and it took a moment for it to sink in. Hawi had been used to everything but the thought of being addressed by her mother, had never been one for the books. She had always never considered it, not once. "Is that how you greet everyone you force into this shit show?" Hawi asked, her voice cold and devoid of amusement. It is like she had had her fair share of mad women and she refused to be a part of the charade that this one was putting on for her. It wasn''t always that someone had the courage to step up to her, and maybe that''s why as she walked towards the woman, Hawi could tell that she wasn''t her mother or even an aperitif of her father. This woman was someone else. She was someone that Hawi had spent her entire life hating on and it was just a matter of time before a fight ensued and Hawi would fight to win. Maybe she is overthinking it all, or maybe she was just losing her mind countless times to even consider the threat. But even if that was so, was Hawi supposed to make a run for it? And even if she did, where the fuck would she be headed in this vast lonely emptynd that she had no idea about? It was a cruel fate but Hawi was done pitying herself. She could either fight or flight. There was nothing else there. "I see you know me even if we haven''t made a formal acquaintance yet," the woman said and Hawi shared with her that this woman was losing her mind. Maybe being alone in thisnd was the one thing that she had been hoping to never encounter. However, what was that supposed to mean for Hawi, the girl who had been away from home for more than three centuries? It wasn''t like the universe was suddenly being nice and giddy for her, right? "I''d say nice to finally meet you, but the urge to strangle the life out of you is just too intense. So, tell me, what is stopping me from murdering you here and now?" Hawi asked sincerely, the thought of her hands on the neck exciting her even more. She had always been angry and now that she stared at the woman, she knew that this was the right time to let out all the anger she had been feeling for years and years on end. She had never been happy and it was this woman''s fault. This right here was her chance at normal that didn''t make sense, but an abnormal that would forever make her feel better and have her at peace despite everything. She just had to take a leap of faith and embrace it all at the same time. "I see you still have that rage towards me. We both know that Rukiya made her decision and she never let anyone in. it was the spur of the moment thing, that even I had expected," the woman said and Hawi snickered in disbelief. This woman had to be really high on shit to think that all of this was supposed to make her feel better. The universe was nothing to her anymore and Hawi wanted out of it. She had lost Rukiya and nothing would ever make her feel sane again. "Is that why you brought her doppelganger and made her queen hoping I would contest or perhaps recall my decision to burn everything down?" Hawi asked angrily. She needed answers and the longer this woman seated at her, the more she was enraged. This woman had all the answers he could need and now she was saying that the decision by Ruru was a selfless act? But for what? Everyone who had loved Ruru was hurt by the decision the Greyson alpha had made. Yearster nothing had changed and the pain was still there, so what part of the fucked-up reality was this supposed to make it all better? This was insanity at best and Hawi despised it more than anything she had ever despised. They had made loneliness herpany and nothing had saved her from it. It was like a curse she had been forced to deal with because she was supposed to be the strongest of them all. Then again, what about what she had been feeling? Did that not matter at all? "Is that what you really think?" the woman asked and Hawi scoffed at the simplicity of her tone. This woman had manipted lots of things in favor and surely, she couldn''t be expecting Hawi to turn a blind eye, let alone act like all of that was mere confidence, right? "You tell me. You have the tendency to show up when you''re not needed and then when you''re actually needed, you bail. What the fuck is your problem with me, woman? What is it you want from me and why the fuck would you choose to torture me with Ruru? "You and I both know what that would do to me, how delicate a situation it was and yet you went on and acted like it was just all sunshine and rainbows for me, right? Was that what you intended? "Does it make you happy to see me suffer or is it just a thing you do to the people you are unable to control, huh?" Hawi asked with a smirk, even though her heart was shattering at the thought of what she was saying. She knew it would ruin her if the woman was afraid to do all that like she imagined but at the same time, Hawi refused to be as pitiful as this woman wanted her to be, she wasn''t going to let herself take the bait. Perhaps that was why she was wearing an empty bored face while her insides were charging with disgust and pure hatred for the women right in front of her. Perhaps there woulde a time when she would be able to make amends, right? "You don''t do emotions, so let us spare each other the possible emotional shit because you simply didn''t give a fuck. You turned your humanity off the moment you went through the portal, which is how you ended up here. "If you had done that, maybe you would be with Mbali and the queen in club hernia. But you''re not going to Hernia to talk to the queen, were you? You wanted her dead so there wouldn''t be a reminder of the greatest love that you lost, Hawi. Readtest stories on My Virtual Library Empire "Am I right or am I right?" the woman said and Hawi chuckled loudly, making the woman smirk at her. It was like they both knew what this was and frankly, that was easily the worst of things, especially at this moment when they were alone. "In another world maybe, I would have liked you for being on the same page as me, Islinda," Hawi said and the woman stared at her amusedly. It was almost like she had expected this from the wild girl and it wasn''t even surprising anymore. "Careful, Hawi. No one who knows my name has ever lived to talk about it," Islinda said. "I bet you would prefer that I call you the almighty moon goddess. Are you right?"@@novelbin@@ "Nah¡­ everyone calls me that. I haven''t heard my real name in eons anyway." "That''s settled then. Talk¡­ Islinda." Chapter 555 Little Do You Know [HAWI] Deep down, Hawi knew this was a risky chat with the woman who had created her, but then she wanted her Ruru. All she wanted was the love of her life back and no more games that this woman had spent ying with her for years. She hated her with passion and she needed an ind to know that. Maybe it wasn''t right that a creation could refer to its master with her name, but what other choice did Awuor Hawi have? She wanted to leave the ma so badly and reunite with her women and if this was the way around it, then she was down for that no questions asked. When she reunited with Ruru, Ruru would understand the process of getting there, right? "Alright. What do you want to know?" Islinda said casually before she conjured a table, two seats, and a shelter. There was food on the table for them to eat whale. They talked almost like this was going to be a long chat. Maybe it would be all that. "What happened to Ruru?" Hawi asked the simplest of all the questions. She just needed to know where her mate was, but she couldn''t ask that straight up. She had to understand what the fuck had happened. To this day, Hawi had never understood what was so important that Rukiya had to sacrifice her life and save the realm. It just made no sense, when the war was over and there wasn''t much left to fight for. The Russels would have been murdered by Hawi as their fate was meant and the realm would have been the happiest of them all. Everyone would have had their happy ending with the enemies eliminated and yet none of them had a happy ending. For a war that had torn into their realities, it had cost them a lot more than they had thought possible and Hawi still med herself for the oue. Maybe if she hadn''t let them bring down the dome, they would have been safe. "Are You sure that is your first question?" Islinda asked and Hawi growled at her, but the woman wasn''t even faxed. It was like she was dealing with a kid who was having a temper tantrum and one she was certain would learn to behave sooner thanter. "Yes, I am. What happened to the love of my life?" Hawi asked again, and the moon goddess sighed. This was not going to be as interesting as she had imagined or maybe it was just the start of what could be a long rtionship, right? "If I tell you, you must promise to never want to kill me," Islinda said and Hawi Turned out in frustration. No one was ever strong enough to kill the moon goddess, so what the fuck was this woman even on about? She was stalling and Hawi hated that because this way was just proving to be pointless with every minute that passed. Perhaps she just needed to shove the woman into a version of hell that she wouldn''t evere out of, tight? "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Hawi asked sincerely. She couldn''t believe that the greatest moon goddess, the woman loved and around by many, was giving her such a dumb ultimatum. Then again, with Hawi being an abnormal creation, there was no knowing what she was capable of, when she was angry and perhaps that was why the woman wanted to ensure her own safety. Oh, the irony of it all. "That is not an answer, Hawi," Islinda insisted and Hawi sighed. "Fine. I won''t try to kill you. Now please will you answer my question?" Hawi pleaded. "She didn''t die. She is your mate, and you''re the most powerful and most sessful savior project I ever designed for my people. Your immortality is something that will never fade and so will the immortality of your mate and your cycle," Islinda began. Hawi was listening intently. She didn''t ept that the woman would admit to that but at the same time, it scared her of what was ahead for her and her knights if the moon goddess was this confident about them. Anyone would have been happier that they were immortal, but having the entire team be immortal could only mean that there was moreing. There would be storms that she and her team would have to wade through. It is just her reminder that they will spend their lives saving people over and over and boy was it an annoying concept. However, at the same time, Hawi was d that she wouldn''t lose her people along the way. Life was sometimes a crazy concept and whale Hawi was supposed to be used and being tortured by truths she couldn''t control, she was always thankful that her misfits were beside her, because without them, her life would have never had a meaning. "That still doesn''t answer my question," Hawi said, even though she was d that she had gotten that little ounce of truth. It was heartwarming, however unhinged it seems for the moon goddess to be admitting that openly.@@novelbin@@ "She made a decision for all of us, Hawi. The Russels were defeated, but Sebastian was aware that they would never be pinned down unless they werepletely eliminated by¡­ by Razia''s daughter. "Rukiya was the only one who could defeat them. And in the war, she had released that and acted upon it. Your vengeance against her wouldn''t ever have meaning if the Russels stayed because at the end of the day, they would always show up in different forms. "They had to be eliminated, but there was no way for me to do that without hurting Rukiya and causing a rift between us," Islinda admitted sheepishly and Hawi let out a scoff that he had beheld. This discussion with the moon goddess was so mundane that it got Hawi wondering what the fuck kind of criteria existed for people like the woman to be considered deities. Surely there had to have been a mistake somewhere, right? Still, denial was the only thing Hawi had at the moment that was a little summer than her desire to meet Ruru again. She was angry at the oue and the fact that the goddess was editing this chaos wasn''t even making her feel any better. It was almost like she was just listening to a recap of her unfortunate love life that had never even managed to see the ends of a life that should have been nice to them. Immortality was a gift with a price that Hawi despised as much and the goddess knew that too. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire "So, you chose her to sacrifice herself? Is that what this is?" Hawi asked angrily. She hated everything about this woman and right now, listening to Islinda, Hawi just revealed that her desire to kill the woman was never misced. Someone had to smack the shit into this woman''s head to make her see that life was worth living however unhinged it was for so many people. Hawi had never even mourned and she wanted to strangle the goddess for that right this instant. "You''re not listening, Hawi. Rukiya made her choice on her own. There was no push for me or the fates. It was her decision and we were all blindsided, just like you and the knights were," Islinda insisted sincerely. Chapter 558 Im Feeling Just Fine, Fine, Fine Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire [HAWI] "She is why Ruru sacrificed herself to save you from yourself. And now, you have to save them from the rogue protectors, or lose them along with the entire realm. The choice is yours," Islinda said calmly. Islinda''s words were honestly very foreign to Hawi''s ears. They made her wonder what the fuck the woman was on, because there was just no way that this was true. So many things had managed to shock Hawi, but this was a tant lie that she refused to buy into. The moon goddess had had it all out for Hawi for the longest time, and frankly, Hawi wouldn''t be shocked if this was just another game by the woman to try and desperately keep her in check. So many people had wanted her to submit and yet most of the time, there was never a reason for her to do that. It was almost like they were all counting on the possibility that she had something to lose so desperately and he was more than willing to do whatever it took to make things better for herself and the people she loved. The truth was a lot of things for them and right now, Hawi felt suffocated by the woman who was supposed to make sure that all the creation was okay. Perhaps she was giving Islinda a benefit of doubt, no? "How much longer am I supposed to be here? Or are you going to bring back my mother and use her as bait? Or lemme guess, you''re going to try bringing back Father dearest now that your plot with a kid didn''t make me submit, no? "You really are pathetic, Islinda. I know everyone who knows you reminds you of that on a daily basis. Because I have never met a woman as pathetic as you, and I have met so many people along the way," Hawi said angrily. She couldn''t believe the woman was doing this to her, because it pissed her off even more. What the hell was even going on? Of course, the kid looked a lot like her and Ruru, but there was just no way that was possible. Hell, it had been a while since¡­ oh but Hawi refused to think of her very dead mate. He would let Ruru rest in peace while she trusted to lead a life that didn''t have her mate in it. It wouldn''t be the easiest but it was the only option for Hawi at the moment. "You should learn to trust people, Hawi. Otherwise, all that you are fighting for won''t make any sense at the end of the day," Islinda said as she stared at the girl before her. She knew what troubles Hawi had and frankly what she was doing to the girl was straight up mean.@@novelbin@@ Hawi chuckles sadly at the Ind''s words. It is ironic for her to be hearing that kind of shit for the women who had screwed her over one-too-many times. It was almost like the only thing Islinda ever cared about was screwing her however, which was not cool. "Oh, yeah? Maybe you should have chosen someone else for the right job, don''t you think?" Hawi bit back, her anger showing again. She was tired of everyone trying to tell her what she was to do. She had done her best over the years and most of the time it had proven to not pay. This woman had fucked her over with her mate and now she was thinking it was possible to fuck Hawi over with the notion of a kid ¡ª the one thing Hawi had mourned for years on end. What the fuck was Islinda even aiming for this time? "Maybe you''re really right this time, Hawi. Maybe I should have let you live the normal life that you were destined for instead of giving you a task that was so befitting of you and that you blended a little too well into. "Maybe I should have chosen your brother for the role, and broken the cycle of the weak white wolves who had been females. Maybe that would have just been the best of ideas and let the entire realm know that women were never fit to be in power, right? "Maybe I should have just let them stomp over you and take away your freedom and force you women to simply be brainless breeders. That would have been quite the setup., don''t you think?" Islinda asked calmly as she got up. She was struggling to understand why it wasn''t so easy to get Hawi to do what she wanted her to do. This woman had a weak mind, and Islinda had done everything possible to put her in that state and yet she was once again proving difficult. It was almost like Hawi was trying her very best to have an anchor in thend of the living, because otherwise she would have nothing to live for and she would truly be a monster. So much had happened but Hawi was stronger than many had thought of her. Perhaps that was her only redeeming feature in the game of cards that the moon goddess was ying with her destiny, right? Perhaps it was the one thing that made her a different person and made her that strong. But what about the endless pain she had endured over the years? Wasn''t that really supposed to make her feel like shit? Oh, how the moon goddess missed the girl who could spend days wallowing about shit she couldn''t control. That version of Hawi had always been easy to manipte and control because she was reckless and had nothing to hold onto. It was almost ironic how she had managed to snap out of that state so fast. Or perhaps Islinda had juste knocking on the wrong door, yeah? "You''re insane," Hawi sighed. She had never thought this was ever possible but then here she was, staring at the woman who created her and calling her unhinged in the worst of ways. But then Hawi couldn''t be med for this. The woman had brought her with different notions and clearly, she had an ulterior motive. Hawi didn''t care for all that shit right now. All she wanted was to go home and keep on swallowing because her mate was dead and she needed to mourn Rukiya. It was her routine, each time she came from the club. Granted, tonight was supposed to be a normal day, but what had happened to her today was just the reminder she needed, to snap back into her abnormal life. It had all been the reminder of what her life had always been like; one that didn''t know any normal aspects whatsoever. It was crazy how shit had gotten but then what else was there for Hawi? What would she hold onto this time? "Am I? You should have not been a good fighter then. You shouldn''t have embraced the alpha position. As a matter of fact, you should have let your brother take the alpha position because he was a man and stronger, right?" Islinda said provokingly. She wanted Hawi on her knees and this woman was a stubborn piece of shit who couldn''t submit. Hawi had sworn to kill her and there was no way he would do that if she was weak, right? This goddess needed to take notes on ruling her madness from Hawi. Chapter 560 So Many Impossibles Were Seeing Light [HAWI] Hawi was slowly losing her patience and she hated the thoughts that were creeping in her mind right now. They were so dark that if she gave in to them, then this would be thest time the moon goddess would ever want to create white wolves to help her with the realm. She had to be careful, but damn Islinda for making that nearly impossible for her. "Come, let me show you something," Islinda said calmly ignoring Hawi and her plight to be left alone. Either the goddess was deaf, or she just didn''t give a shit about the things that Hawi cared oath this time. And that was dangerous. "What is it this time?" Hawi asked boredly. She didn''t want to y the women''s game and yet she had a feeling that this was something that would have her greatly interested. There was something about the moon goddess and how she was so rxed despite all that was here but then what else could she do? It was like Hawi would never be able to snuff the life out of her. It was a risk though, seeing a woman who was still mad at her, but then at the end of the day, Hawi wasn''t a threat to the woman, unless it came to her creation¡­then Hawi would be the greatest threat to her precious realm. "Here, watch this," Islinda said and he sighed as something simr to a portal opened before her. She didn''t have the slightest bit of interest in it, and clearly a former face, she wasn''t even the least bit bothered. However, as he kept looking and watching through, she could see familiar spots. This wasn''t like the Olyana pce which had been something that the goddess had been dangling before her, no. This was almost like the truth¡­ Almost because Hawi still did trust the woman she was standing beside. This woman was maniptive and Hawi refused to be just another person in her game of fates and destinies with the universe either way. "That''s Hernia¡­ and Mbali too?" Hawi asked even though it was more of a statement. She could see Mbali in the same clothes that she had been wearing and there was a lot going on in the club. The high guards were hunched over and had what seemed like green poison filling their lungs and bodies. They were getting paler by the second and yet no one seemed to be ready to help. Even Mbali was just standing there watching amusedly like this was the one thing she had wanted to do for the longest time. The other woman in question, the werewolf queen, seemed to be ring at Kadiam and Dumi, which was strange since How could have sworn that the woman loved her protectors. What in the hell was happening and why the fuck did Islinda think it was a good idea to show this to Hawi when she was clearly very far from the club? "What the hell is this supposed to mean?" Hawi asked as she watched and listened carefully. She hated that she was this far from Mbali and that there was a high chance of her being bested by the royals, but she was shopping so that Mbali wouldn''t let her guard down. "Listen, young Sicario. Listen and watch. You might want to take a seat this time," Islinda said and this time, Hawi didn''t even try to argue with the woman. It was like she had finally started piecing up signs together. It was an agonizing watch for her, but none more than the fact that she was staring at a look-alike of the love of her life. It was a lot for her to handle, but she had to be patient and see things through. It was the only way out for her and for the ones she loved, even though she wasn''t even sure if that would ever matter to the werewolf queen right now. All of this just wasn''t making any sense to her, but she had to wait and hope, right? "What the fuck did you do to Hawi?" Hawi heard the werewolf queen say and for a moment she wanted to call the bluff. Sneb wanted to say that it was impossible; however, the fury on the woman''s face was way too simr. She had seen that face each time that Rukiya was pissed off and was protecting Hawi. She had seen that reaction whenever Ruru was in charge and boy had it always turned on for Hawi. Hell, even right now, even though she was in denial, Hawi couldn''t help but wish that it was all so true and that they would be together when this was over. She wanted to run to Ruru so badly, but she felt like there was a piece of the puzzle missing. That was the most crucial piece of the shitshow and she wouldn''t be able to make sense of anything without it, so she stayed and watched. "Impossible," was all he could manage as she watched Mbali''s shocked face. It was simr to hers, and she was trying her very best to gauge whether there was a truth to this moment that he was watching. The protectors were being held hostage by the queen and she was seething even as she hurt them, in demand for Hawi. The tone that the queen had used wasn''t one that demanded to know where Hawi was just because she wanted to take out Hawi. It was a concerned tone, a tone that was filled with warmth like she was totally in need of Hawi in that moment. She looked heartbroken like the only thing that mattered to her was Hawi and that she wouldn''t stop unless she found her and made sure Hawi was okay. That in itself got Hawi on the edge of her seat because this was not supposed to be possible. Not like this. Rukiya Greyson was dead. Hawi had seen the body and for three months had slept beside that very body in the hopes that she would wake up. And for three whole months, she had never woken up. So, this just made no sense to her. "I won''t ask again, Kadiam. You and I both know I''ll burn this realm just to find her, and if I so much as find a scratch on her I will send you to that damned moon goddess. Now¡­ I''ll ask again, and you had better be quick; "... Because your precious high guards are choking on poison," Queen Kia said and Kadiam''s eyes widened as he looked at the queen before them. There was an obvious shock at how long she had stayed like that and they couldn''t imagine what they needed to do. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire "We didn''t do anything to her!!" Kadiam was forced out as he struggled to breathe. But that didn''t seem as convincing to the werewolf as Hawi had noticed. She was being cruel to them because of her and damn was it making Hawi even more curious.@@novelbin@@ "Come on Greyson, you know we wouldn''t do anything to her!" Dumi said, his words slicing through the tense air as queue Kia stared at him angrily. She seemed to hate that answer as well, because she dived to strangle Dumi, and Mbali stopped her. Chapter 562 Lovers Are The Ghost of It [HAWI] "Are you fucking serious right now? What the fuck do you want?" Hawi asked angrily. Her eyes were focused on the frame with the little girl. Maybe the girl was her daughter and there was a chance that the girl wasn''t even hers to begin with. However, she could see herself in the little girl; a child protected so much, and yet left alone to be hunted. It was almost like the step out by the queen had been strategic, seeing how Kadiam and Dumi had insisted she be the one to deal with the rogues. This here was a coup and Hawi was not ready for it or even what it came with, and Islinda was clearly baking on all of that. Oh, but Hawi could feel her rage rising so fast that if she wasn''t careful, she would let out a fire breath here. That was insane. "Have a seat, Hawi," Islinda said and Hawi stared at her like she was losing her mind. Three ways, just no way that this woman''s in charge of an entire realm. She had a few too many nuts loose in her head. That was the only possible expansion for Hawi right now. "What?" she asked even though she was sure it wouldn''t mean shit. The moon goddess was proving that a lot of things that Hawi cared about, didn''t exactly mean shit to her, and using a child as bait was the lowest of all the willows. "The clock is ticking. You can only save one of them. You can save your precious mate from having her conscience haunt her for the rest of her life or you can save the little girl your mate cares too much about. "You decide, and maybe if you decide well, I might give you a reprieve," Islinda stated casually making Hawi re at her for the hundredth time as if that was supposed to remind Ind of who she was to the realm. Were all goddesses like this one? This woman was insane. It was the only possible exnation for the madness that Hawi was witnessing and listening to. No one in their right mind would be this willing to fuck shit up for people that she cared about. What in the world was even going on with the woman? "Why the fuck should I care? Clearly, you have been manipting both sides to have leverage on me. If you want you can take them out. What do I care about? My mate died three centuries ago; "... And I have mourned her and will continue mourning her, as always," Hawi sneered and Islinda let out an evilugh. It was almost impossible to tell that she was the moon goddess. Oh, this woman was unhinged. Hawi had never thought that there woulde a day when she met her insane match. She had never once thought it was possible for her, the girl who had been too unhinged and had broken all the scales of insanity, to be this choked by anyone. The moon goddess had done that skillfully and Hawi was stuck between worrying for the realm and worrying about what the hell was inside the moon goddess''s mind. Clearly the woman needed an immediate admission into the psych wards of Sicario. "If I let them into that room, they will kill the girl and Rukiya will forever hate you for it. Is that a risk you want to take?" Islinda asked as she watched the hingese off the door that stood between the precious little kid and the barbarians out there. This wasn''t who Hawi had prayed to, for years on end. Surely this couldn''t be the person that the entire drama was holding fast for, just so they could get answers. This woman was somehow the scariest creature of all the deities and Hawi was baffled endlessly by her. "You wouldn''t," Hawi whispered even though it was more to herself. She was trying to reassure herself that the moon goddess wouldn''t be that cruel to a little kid. Children are supposed to be protected and loved. They were the best reminders of purity and yet this unhinged woman was willing to put the life of a child at risk just to get what she wanted. It was not normal and Hawi would forever despise the moon goddess for that little act of stupidity. "Oh, but I would. The kid will reincarnate eventually anyway. Besides, I am her creator, and I have ever said in her life" Islinda shrugged as the barbarians pushed the door, before they broke it, allowing themselves in. Hawi was on the edge of her seat, silently pleading to wherever else was out there listening to save the girl. Surely there had to be some other people out there who had kinder hearts than the barbaric woman with her here, right? Or maybe this was just the power show that the goddess was determined to show Hawi and remind her that no matter what she tried to do, there wouldn''t be a change unless the wild woman approved it, and boy was it unsettling to listen to and even watch.@@novelbin@@ Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire "Fine, wait. Don''t hurt the kid. I''ll do whatever you want, just not the kid, please," Hawi pleaded disparities and the goddess just smirked at her. Hawi knew that there could be worse tribtions for her than the kid, but she couldn''t take back her words. It wasn''t because of the thought that the kid was hers and Rukiya''s or even that Ruru would hate her for not saving their possible child. But it was because Hawi didn''t want to see the kid suffer. It was the one thing that had been her greatest weakness for the longest time. Perhaps her offer was one that could make the moon goddess change her mind because at the end of the day, there wasn''t ever going to be a thug that she could be saved from. It was true that she was slowly learning herself. "Are you sure? Or is this a momentary thing?" Islinda dared to ask and it took everything in Hawi not to bathe the woman''s face against the tube that she had conjured. Patience was owing to be Hawi''s greatest test right now and boy did she hate it. "Fucking hell woman, which part of what I said doesn''t make sense to you?" Hawi asked defeatedly. She hated what she was feeling and she hated that they were all answering to this crazy woman. There were different ways of dealing with people and Hawi had thought of so many of them that would help her deal with Islinda. Maybe all she had to do was hope and trust in time, seeing as the woman they all trusted couldn''t give a shit how they all ended up, yeah? "You always change your mind. Besides just yesterday you wanted to kill my humans, why should I trust that you won''t kill them when you leave here," Islinda retorted as if that was supposed to make Hawi smile and wave at her like an idiot. It was disheartening on so many levels, but Hawi was done ying the long game with this woman. If she wanted war, then Hawi would give her war. If she wanted to see what it was like being on the other side of Hawi''s weapon, then she would show this crazy woman just that. "I''ll ask you onest time, Islinda¡­" Chapter 564 Wasting The Days To Forget Losing [HAWI] "They''re killing everyone who supported you, ever. They are clearing them hit by it, and given the trajectory they are on, the final destination is the new Sicario," Islinda voiced carefully. She knew that this wasn''t the kind of thing that made Hwi stay at ease. It was a reminder that whatever happened always had consequences and with the disappearance of Hawi, a lot had been triggered. In the war, Hawi had taken out a lot of people. She had ruined families and while they had been enemies at the time, and all that Hawi had cared about was Sicario, it didn''t change the fact that families had been torn apart for Sicario to bloom. Granted, it was the fault of the Russels, but ording to all the news in the werewolf realm, the Russels had all been eliminated, which was supposed to make the realm feel safe, but it only isted the other people. "And how is it my fault?" Hawi asked even though the wheels in her head were spinning really fast. She understood the reaction of the Salvadors. They had no one to me for the shit that had happened. Sure, the Russels had brainwashed their kin to join the war and form the greatest enemy army, they had heard that Hawi would have them. After all, the white wolf they had was tight; it was always meant to save the ma¡­not thrust it into sorrow. The final nail in that hopeless coffin was when Greyson was the only pack that had been merged with Sicario. It was a clear identification of the disparity in the realm and anyone who had lost their kin in the war wouldn''t take it lightly. From their perspective, it was like the white wolf had ruined their lives and made the lives of only packs better. That wasn''t what had been meant to happen, but the world was a cruel ce and some people always had to end up as coteral. "Hawi," Islinda called out softly. She could see the wheels spinning in Hawi''s head and he knew that the girl in front of her head made the connection. Life wasn''t supposed to be that cruel and yet Islinda had made it cruel. She had managed to make the realm that had once been so damn beautiful into a hell hole that no one wanted to be a part of anymore. The Salvadors were reigning terror on everyone and there was no disparity. They were doing that to send a message to Hawi, who wasn''t even in the realm. And the worst part of all that was that the intel never once reached Sicario, so the Savasci knights would save the realm. It wasn''t fair and Hawi''s heart broke for everyone who had lost something in the war. "The warriors at the kid''s door¡­ they had to have known that the kid protected by the amnesiac queen was special, right? What are you doing?" Hawi asked in earnest. She already understood what was happening, but she needed her answers. She needs to know what the hell was fogging on there because if she didn''t, then she would be worse than she had been when she was eliminating the brussels. It was already bad enough that they were dead and the ghosts were haunting the realm indirectly. "Hawi¡­" Islinda tried again, but Hawi wasn''t having any of it. "If you want me to save your precious realm again, answer me," Hawi insisted. She had to know what the fuck was going on. She had to know if the moon goddess was that cruel a person that she would want to screw with a kid who was innocent. That was the kind of thing that Hawi couldn''t forgive and Islinda had to have known that by now. Or maybe she knew and just didn''t give a shit. After all, Hawaii was just her servant like all the other wolves in the Olyana kingdom. But at the same time, there was no answer. "They are not there to harass the kid," Islinda said and Hawi stared at her in disbelief. It is like this woman was not even on the same page as her anymore. Th again what the fuck was Hawi supposed to expect from a woman who was more than willing to ruin her realm? Oh, but it was a disappointing reality that Hawi had found herself in. It wasn''t fair at all and it made Hawi''s heart sink into her stomach. Islinda was supposed to be kind, and caring. She was supposed to be loving and yet here Hawi was leaking to the devil deity. "Oh, really now?" Hawi sneered, clearly not in the mood for more chaos. "Look closely, Hawi. Look at their faces. Their clothes. Focus on the details," Islinda spoke and Hawi sighed. She didn''t know what the woman was ying, but it did hurt to focus on e, right? After all, this was the only way for her to know if the moon goddess was just the devil they didn''t know of or if this woman was truly as kind as everyone talked of her. But then that would never change what Hawi had seen her do anyway. "They are Sicario and Greyson wolves? What the fuck?" Hawi asked as she looked at the clothes that the warriors were wearing. It was unsettling and it made her wonder why the fuck her people would be that dumb to terrorize the kid. Oh, but Hawi wouldn''t forgive them for what theta had been doing. This was something that she would sort out the moment she went back home, because she couldn''t have child terrorists in her home. She may have been gone for three hundred years about that was not a good enough excuse for them to shift and be that disgusting set of people. It all made no sense and Hawi felt her breath leave her. "They were sent by Hudhayfah," Islinda said and Hawi felt her world go still. "What?" she questioned even though it was a soft murmur of disbelief. There was just no way that Hudhayfah Karim would have sanctioned a girl for warriors to terrorize a kid, when he had the kindest of all hearts. "Keep watching the room closely," Islinda insisted and Hawi wanted to punch her into silence. She didn''t want to listen to Islinda anymore. The night was cruel even to the kids and now one of her best friends was sanctioning insanities? What was even going on??? "I''m sick of your game. Hudhayfah wouldn''t hurt anyone. He wouldn''t dare to send anyone to hurt kids. He is the greatest protector of children, so if you want to turn someone into a terrorist, it is easier to love me as one than forcing Hudhayfah into that shit. "Try again some other time, yeah?" Hawi stated dismissively. She wasn''t going to allow this crazy woman to force her to discredit one of the most loyal and kindest people she had ever met. She had known the man so well that it was just impossible. Besides, Rukiya had been the first one to vouch for him, and Rukiya Greyson never vouched for anyone easily. Ruru had trusted Hudhayfah with her life even until thest minute. She wouldn''t have let a horrible person into Hawi''s life. Oh, how Hawi was certain of that. Then again, three hundred years was a lot of time for someone without a mate, right? It was enough for even the kindest of hearts to run into devils who were uneptable in society, no? "Focus, Awuor. Focus and clear the fog in your eyes. You are their ruler; they answer you regardless of where you are. You should know your people better than me, because you are linked to all of them. "You know them truly, so focus. Do you really think your people would try and cause harm to kids? Do you think they would be the Salvadors? Do you think they would want to hurt that which was important to you?" Islinda asked and Hawi sighed. It was like there was something else in the moon goddess''s tone. She was daring Hawi like any protector would for her subject, only that was how her creation was. Islinda was being careful and caring and Hawi was confused for a moment there. This wasn''t what she had expected but regardless of what happened, she wouldn''t change her mind about the whacko beside her. Even then, she chose to give the woman a chance. She wanted to see for herself if there was truth to what the woman was saying. Besides, it wasn''t like she would lose anything if she focused or did focus, right? All she had to do was see through the fog that was right before her. But why did the goddess use the term for exactly? What was she aiming for? Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire "Oh, shit¡­ they are dressed like the Salvadors," Hawi said and Linda smacked her head. "Of course they are. Now focus, Awuor," Islinda insisted and Hawi truly focused this time. The longer she stared at the scene before her, the more she ryed what this was for her and her people. They were not trying to break down the food, instead, they had been opening it gently, while using the kind of magic that would make anyone think that they hade for the person the werewolf queen cared for the most; the kid. The kid was on the bed sleeping softly, while to anyone who was watching, it seemed like she was being torn apart by the barbaric men who had stormed the pce to her. Maybe not all that was visible to the eyes was the truth, right? "They are there to protect the kid," How sighed in relief as the fig cleared eventually.@@novelbin@@ "Exactly." "But why?" "The Russel lover siblings are back in Sicario, and Trey told Hudhayfah of the danger." Chapter 565 Perhaps There Would Come A Better Choice [1] [HAWI] "They are there to protect the kid," the white wolf sighed in relief as the fog cleared eventually. She had had her doubts and was ready to be very irrational with the goddess, and while that could have cost her an arm and a leg, she wasn''t about toin. "Exactly," Islinda stated a matter of factly, even though it was like she was telling Hawi that she wasn''t that cruel. Perhaps Hawi would have believed her if Hawi didn''t have quite the shitty life and love life in the past three centuries. She had lost more than the moon goddess would ever be able topensate her for, and regardless of how this shit turned out, she wasn''t about to go face-first into anything the wild woman was representing her. It was quite ironic, really, how the first instance that she finally met someone who matched her madness, she saw her as an even more unhinged version of herself. Perhaps that was all that there could ever be for them, right? "But why?" Hawi asked curiously. It just didn''t make any sense and clearly, this wasn''t the MO of the woman who had sworn to make their lives difficult. It was all a little too easy and that got Hawi worried. This woman was not to be trusted in any way. "The Russel lover''s siblings are back in Sicario, and Trey told Hudhayfah of the danger," Islinda stated calmly. It is almost like she was talking about the weather that had been shitty to Hawi the entire time. So much time had gone by, so many things had happened and if the Russels made their way back to the one ce their family had been ughtered then it either had to be important or an insane dare. Hawi wasn''t sure what to count on those two, because unlike their other siblings these two who were apparently in Sicario, were more of lovers than fighters they had let their guards done, so they would walk back into the one pack that could alter them. It was a risk, and the worst -party very exciting not of it all, was the fact that they had gone back there for their mates, who were part of the unhinged misfits manned by Awuor Hawi. What the fuck were they aiming for this time then? "What is that even supposed to mean?" Hawi asked, having had enough of the games. "It means that the Russel siblings came out of hiding to protect their mates from the Salvadors. That is how dangerous this group is," Islinda said, as she stared right into Hawi''s eyes, almost like she wanted to see Hawi''s reaction. The Russels were supposed to be a sore topic for Awuor Hawi, given all that she had lost in their hands but who was to tell Islinda the blind, that Hawi had intentionally left the two Russels alive because she couldn''t bear to see her friends grieving their mates? Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire Who was to exin to this overhyped woman that no matter what the chaos was in the pack, Hawi wouldn''t dare to raise a hand against the two siblings because they were the symbol of loyalty and love in a home that had been nothing but terrorizing for them then? It was a gamble, a long one, but perhaps this time, the goddess had to cast her dice too. She had to make her decisions and see for herself whether it would be worth it in the end or if this was just another game for the lot of them. "But my mate¡­" Hawi trailed off. She didn''t know what the hell she was supposed to do at this moment even though her heart was beating with desire for the woman she loved with all of her. She wanted to be with Ruru. She needed to breathe Ruru in, but the longer she listened to Islinda, the more Hawi realized that home was probably going to be a lonely dream again for a little longer. Would she be able to take it though? And would she ready herself to pay the price for saving the life of a kid that probably wasn''t even hers, to begin with? What in the world was happening and why did it seem like the world was just another yground for Islinda as she nned on running Hawi''s life again? "She will be fine. I know you want to go to her and tell her that she will be okay and that you love her. I know you want to run into her arms, but Hawi, you can''t with the Salvadors taking out everyone, you just put your family first," Islinda said calmly. It was strange really, how she was trying to be the voice of reason when the entire time she had been the one reigning terror on Hawi and everyone she had loved. It was a cruel truth, but sometimes, fate wasn''t in the hands of the moon goddess and Hawi had to learn that there were so many factors at y. No god wanted to see the creation suffer, but then each creation had its fate and that was a reality that would forever sting. Of course, Islinda could have saved herself the trouble with Hawi by telling her that, but she was certain that Hawi would at least try to strangle her if she said things that ruled her up. It wasn''t fair, but nothing in the world was fair to anyone right now, yeah? "I should be there with them. I should be protecting her. I should be there," Hawi rambled in earnest as she stared at Mbali and Rukiya. She wanted to run and hug them both, to tell them that she was okay and that all would be well, but deep down, she felt held back. There was clearly more to this than she could put her hand on and it scared the fuck out of her because the thought of being someone''s prisoner didn''t sit well with her. She was always the free woman, the girl who had feathers and wanted to fly freely. Perhaps there woulde a time for her to embrace all of that, right? And perhaps time and fate wouldn''t be as cruel to both of them as they are at the moment. Maybe this was a reason for Hawi to hope and keep fighting.@@novelbin@@ But what if at the end of the day, it was all a hoax by the moon goddess? Would she still ept that? Or would she finallysh out at the woman? "The Salvadors know that she is Rukiya, but they also know that she has no recollection of her link with you. That is the only thing keeping her safe and protecting the entire realm right now," Islinda stated as a matter of fact. The truth was a bitter pill that she had to help Hawi take at the moment because otherwise, she would be losing her mind. She knew that it wasn''t for what had happened to the both of them, but Islinda had done her best to keep Rukiya safe. She had been the guardian of the woman who had lost hope and a woman whose fate had been thwarted one too many times. Maybe it was because she was the mate of the white wolf and Islinda couldn''t have Hawi burning down the realm for Rukiya. Or maybe it was because, at the end of the day, Islinda had truly seen the kind of pain that the two had gone through and she just wanted them to have their lives freely. It was a desire that they had been unable to fulfill for the longest time. It wasn''t easy, and it wasn''t what she had expected but then she had expected that Hawi would defeat the Russels like that. The wild girl had done things that he hadn''t thought possible and that made her respect the rebellious little shit even more. "That is too much of a burden for her. You just saw it. She recalled everything. She knows who I am to her. She understands what is expected. She will not stop looking for me, and you know it too," Hawi rambled again. She was worried for the love of her life, and it was only because Islinda seemed to have another agenda with her here. If Islinda had truly wanted to reveal Rukiya to Hawi with ease, then they would have been reunited long ago. However, right now, it seems like the only thing that mattered to Islinda was the hold she had on Hawi, which was strange and unappealing at the same time. This woman had the chance to make things better and she was fucking with her. It wasn''t fair. Perhaps it was a choice that Hawi would have to make eventually anyway. "Which is why I need your help this time," Islinda said softly, her tone different from the other times that she had been talking to Hawi. She sounded lost, and defeated, which for a moon goddess, didn''t look too good on her. It wasn''t the best of ideas, truly, holding the world woman caprice and yet it was one thing that the goddess had done. Funny how he was telling Hawi she needed help when all had gone to hell already. Perhaps there was something to be salvaged, no? "I don''t like that tone, Islinda," Hawi replied simply. She was being honest with the woman who was holding her mate captive in that damned seat. She knew there was always a price to pay, but Rukiya''s part in the dumb game just didn''t make sense to her this time. "What do you mean by help?" Hawi questioned. Chapter 568 We All believed In Her [SICARIO] "I have to leave now, angel," Trey whispered to Hudhayfah who was still holding onto him. The healer had gotten attached to him in the past few hours and it wasn''t hard to tell that this wasn''t just going to be the end for the both of them. Theirs was a union that many would cheer for and that made it even more exciting because regardless of what there was, they had sworn to have and to hold each other until the very end of time. Hudhayfah had gotten clingy with Trey, which was understandable given they had been apart for over twelve centuries. That was too much time and Hudhayfah didn''t want to lose any more time. Maybe the moon goddess would be kinder to them when this was over, yeah? Or maybe they just had to hold on until life started making sense which probably would take a while, but they had each other until then, right? "Five more minutes, please," Hudhayfah pleaded and Trey nodded in understanding. He walked back to the couch that he had been sitting on before Amina had told him that they needed to leave as soon as possible. "I won''t be gone for long, angel. I''ll be back to you as soon as I can. You heard Malika¡­ this mission might not even take six months," Trey tried to reassure the Sicario healer like it was supposed to make it any better. Trey knew that this wasn''t going to be easy for Hudhayfah and while he hated the concept of leaving, he was looking forward to their reunion. Hopefully, the timelines would be like what Malika had said. Maybe if they helped the queen figure out who she was then all of this would end as soon as possible, right? And finding Hawi wasn''t supposed to be as hard seeing as the woman is as chaotic as she could get. "Don''t get hurt, Perihan. Come back to me in one piece or I will hunt down everyone whoys a hand on you," Hudhayfah warned and Trey chuckled softly as he held Hudhayfah''s face in his hands.@@novelbin@@ The healer was dead serious about what he had said and Trey knew that too. He knew that this wasn''t going to be the easiest of things for the both of them, but they just had to make do with what the goddess wanted, right? "I won''t. I swear it. When this is all over, your arms will be my first destination, my beautiful angel," Trey said in earnest. He loved Hudhayfah so much that he didn''t want to leave. But just like the fates had wanted, they had to leave. "You promise?" Hudhayfah pouted and Trey kissed his nose gently. "I promise, my angel," Trey reassured gently. He didn''t want to break Hudhayfah''s heart and he wanted to make sure that his little angel would be safe and wouldn''t wait for long for him. Oh, how he hoped that time would be on their side this season. Hudhayfah just nodded before Trey captured his lips in onest kiss. It was a soft kiss, one that shared all they were feeling, one that reminded them of that this time, unlike the other times they had someone toe home to. It was probably not much for anyone who didn''t know them, but this for them was all there could ever be. They were happier in each other''s arms, but goodbyes always did make the heart grow fonder, right? "I have to go now, or Amina will fry my hair. She can be mean sometimes," Trey chuckled when they pulled back. He wanted to stay longer. He wanted to hold onto Hudhayfah longer, but even he knew that the longer he stayed the harder the goodbyes would be. "I love you," Hudhayfah whispered as Trey walked toward the door. He knew he couldn''t follow Russel because then they wouldn''t be able to truly leave anyway, so this was his way of going, even if hope was screwing them over again. "Always, my angel. I love you always," Trey responded before he locked the door behind him, leaving his mate staring in since and defeat. This wasn''t how Trey had intended his goodbyes when he came to Sicario yesterday, but then fate was a bitch, right? ***** "You ready, little brother?" Amina asked when she saw her brothering out of the room he had slept in. She knew that goodbyes were hard, and while she had never said one to her mate, she understood just how much it would have hurt. Staring at a dejected Trey was the reminder that Amina needed to make sure that everything went well. She may have been going on this mission for the sake of Mbali and reuniting the knights, but deep down, all she wanted was to see her brother happy. She wanted to see the smile on his face and she had seen mortality with Hudhayfah. Amina had felt her brother''s happiness for the first time in over seven hundred years and she was determined to make sure he never lost it. "Yeah¡­ lets¡­ let''s get going," Trey replied softly and Amina sighed. "C''mere," Amina said as she opened her arms and her brother rushed to her instantly like he was being invited to a safe space. No one was around them to see their goodbyes anyway, so this was their moment, right? Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire Well, that could have been so, if the Savasci knights hadn''t been given extra abilities by the bond they shared, one that made them watch in silence as the brother and sister hugged each other. This was the goodbye that reminded them so much of thest time they had seen their friends and hoped for a return. It was not easy for them and they were honestly surprised that the Russel siblings hadn''t changed their minds about the insane mission. Perhaps where love was involved, everything was truly possible, alright? "I''m sorry, Amina. I thought it would be easier to say goodbye, but it felt like that night again. What if we don''te back? What if we are cursed and he forgets me? What if Ie back and they hear another rumor about us and he never wants me? "What if this is truly thest time that I see him? I love him, Amina. I love him so much it hurts to breathe. I don''t know what to do without him, or even how to live in a world that doesn''t have him in it," Trey cried softly on his sister''s shoulders. He had a lot of pent-up tension even from the partyst night and he hated that this was a risk for him and his mate. He wanted to stay with him, but at the same time, he couldn''t let his sister leave without him. One Russel alone in the world was not what they ended up with, because it could be easier for them to be targeted. At least with the two of them, they were a formidable team that no one would try to mess with. "Not this time, brother. They won''t let that happen. You are happy, they saw you happy and you made one of them happy. This group may be crazy and unhinged, but one thing they will fight for, is the happiness of one of their own. "And you make the kind healer happy. Trust me, if we are stranded out there, alone and fighting everyone along the way, we will still have the greatest warriors of the realm looking for us. "Don''t give up hope, brother. The new phase of your life is just starting. And I''ll make sure you are happy, just like I kept my promise and brought us back¡­ now cheer up, we have things to deal with, especially now that fate has changed," Amina said as she pulled back. She knew that her brother needed reassurance that she was desperate to see Mbali again. Her world had stopped the day she heard that Mbali and Hawi had taken the road away from home and to this day, Amina was still hurting. Amina Russel was determined to keep her promise to her brother and while there were so many obstacles headed for them, the only thing Amina could hope for was ast look at the woman she loved. The woman who gave her a reason to keep waking up and to keep fighting whatever came her way. The woman who made her believe in love and a mate bond that she had never once invested in. Maybe she was justified in her desire for more, but would it ever matter if Mbali didn''t want her too? Would she be alright if the world came together to heal and all she whatever was left with was a broken heart? Would it be worth it? "What do you mean something changed?" Trey asked as he wiped away his tears andposed himself. He hadn''t felt the change yesterday, but this change Amina was talking about was new, given the way her face had changed. "The memory wipe was done again, and this time, it was on arger scale," Amina whispered as she looked at her brother. She knew that this was not the time for them to get all mumbly and shit but it was not what they dealt with daily. "Large scale? There is no one alive who can do that¡­and even the wind Sicario girls can''t even trigger that unless she gets her permission from¡­" Trey trailed off, the reality hitting him a little too hard. The impossible was already possible one too many times already, thigh this was one that scared the shit out of her. If this was true and their hunches were right, then there were a lot of things that were going on that were truly blogger than the lot of them. "Islinda." "Holy shit¡­ let''s get going then." Chapter 569 Deeper Than The Ink Beneath Our Tattoos [1] [HAWI] "Who did you kill?" Mbali asked when morning came and she heard Hawi humming a song from the old Sicario musicians. It was so odd to see Hawi in that state and what was even worse was the fact that she seemed rxed, truly. Mbali had been standing by the door for the past ten minutes and all she had seen was the little Sicario girl she had once seen in Sicario twenty years before they hade to the humannds. That girl had always been happy, always had a smile on her face and even herughter back then was infectious. She had eyes that could pull anyone in and a beautiful aura that got flowers blooming around her. She was pretty, she was innocent and she was happiness personified. That little girl always loved to sing songs while watching her mother work or even while she yed in the fields with the other kids. She had been the best thing that happened to Sicario and three centuriester, even though the smile had faded, Mbali still believed that there was a part of that little girl that still lived in the cruel best friend fate had given her. "Why¡­ Do you have someone for me to kill?" Hawi asked enthusiastically as she turned briefly to look at Mbali who was still trying to s for herself if there was another loose screw in the head of the girl she had once seen. Perhaps this was what their fate had be, and even then, Mbali hadn''t been this surprised. That girl had a gentle heart and was loved by everyone in Sicario. She never had a burden on her shoulders even with her fate being a heavy one. And right now, Mbali was sewing that little girl again. Oh, how it was a pleasure for her to see her like that. Perhaps she had to hoe and wait for a switch again, but if Mbali had a choice between whatever fate was waiting for them and the sight before her, she would choose this. The happy girl before her was worth all the wars that they had fought and would still fight. "Maybe¡­" Mbali trailed off keenly. "Well, we will have to postpone thatst for a while seeing as the Russels are already here," Hawi said nonchntly before adding, "You want some pancakes? I''m making a lot of them since there will be four of us." If Mbali had been shocked by Hawi''s first statement, she hadn''t shown it, but when she heard the second bit, the part that scared the hell out of her was out there, and yet to Hawi, it seemed normal, which was unsettling. The Russels were their enemies, or so Mbali had forced herself to believe, even after all that time had passed. She had maintained her stance because it was the only way for her to forget the fact that her heart would forever call out to Amina Russel. It had always been easy for her because Amina wasn''t exactly the most open person. Of course, over the years, Mbali hated the fact that Amina always listened to her. Perhaps if Amina had stayed stubborn, she wouldn''t have needed Mbali when Mbali sent her away. It wasn''t supposed to be that easy, and yet when Mbali had pushed Amina and demanded space, the young Russel had given her just that. She had disappeared like Mbali had wanted her to, and now several yearster, Mbali''s heart still ached for Amina Russel. "Wh¡­ what do you mean by that?" Mbali asked, desperate to be told by Hawi that this was just a ploy and that Hawi was not serious about what she had just said. It is impossible that one of them was happy and excited while the other was a shell of what had once been. It wasn''t supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be happy together. They were supposed to be on the same page and right now, it seems a lot like Haw was happier and Mbali was the only one left to strive in depression. "Come in, the door is open and doesn''t have any magic to keep you out!" Hawi said, as she misled genuinely at Mbali who was staying with her jaw on the floor. There was just no way that this was real. Whatever happened to Hawi and her constant spite for the Russels? Why the fuck was this the time for them to be this fucked over by a bunch from a family they had eliminated and yet one that had cost them their peace? "Happiness, my sweet Mbali. Happiness is what I offer you this very morning. I may not know where my Ruru is, but that doesn''t mean that I will keep you away from the love of your life," Hawi responded nonchntly as They walked in first into their apartment. It was a sight that got Mbali frozen and she could feel her heart sink into her stomach, and at the same time, her what was beating a little too loudly. It was not supposed to be like this, not when she was so unprepared and never ready. She had struggled to make peace with the possibility that her mate''s bond was just an illusion and now that Hawi was giving her a chance at happiness, shock was all Mbali could feel on her body. "Impossible," Mbali whispered as the silhouette she had dreamed of daily walked right in after Trey. It was almost like a dream, the one thing that scared the hell out of her and at the same time, made her want to have hope. This was not how she had imagined the meeting would be, but when she caught a whiff of the cinnamon scent she had missed over the years, Mbali frozepletely. She just stood there like a statue, even as the scent invaded her nose. It was such a delicious scent that it got her wanting to move towards the person, but each time, it was a little too powerful for her. So instead of making the steps towards what her heart desired, she just stood there, rooted to the spot, while silently praying for truths. "You guys want pancakes too? This one''s frozen," Hawi''s awfully cheery voice invaded Mbali''s ears, but this time, it did nothing to ease the tension that Mbai was feeling. Thest time she had seen her, it had not gone so well for her. The goodbyes had been messy as fuck and now she didn''t know what to do. Perhaps he needed to make a run for it, right? But even if she ran, where the fuck would she even go this time? She had nothing keeping her rooted anywhere anyway. ''Oh, goddess,'' Mbali thought to herself as memories of thest time she had been with Amina and the rest of her team flooded her mind. This wasn''t the time to reminisce, but fate, as always, was being a bitch to her. So defeatedly, Mbali let herself lean into the darkness that was calling her, as the memories overwhelmed her along with regret for what she had done. But then again, given the chance to turn back time, would she have made a different decision? Perhaps she would find answers in her memories, no? ********* [The Lonely Night¡­ A MONTH BEFORE THE GREAT SICARIO WAR] [MBALI] "Who are you?" Ruru had questioned the woman who seemed to have a soft spot for Mbali. It was unusual really, especially seeing how Jabali Lihle was so open to affection with this woman. The same woman who hated affection didn''t seem to fight the affection this time it was heartwarming and so curious. "Her mate," the woman spoke with conviction as she looked at Mbali, her eyes never leaving the Lycan warrior. "What''s your name?" Hawi asked. "Amina. Amina Russel," Amina said. For a moment there, there was silence. Amina''s words had gotten them into a kind of shock, one that even Mbali herself, despite going in and out of consciousness, was very aware of, and boy was it something that she wasn''t ever going to ept. Her mate was a warlock from the same family that had cost them all lives in every dimension. The same warlocks who had been the root of their pain and the same reason they had been unable to embrace their humanity in peace. Those same warlocks had been proud in their desire to fuck up everything they worked for, and yet right now, they were standing face to face with one of them? If this wasn''t the worst joke of the century, then what was it then? How the fuck were they supposed to describe this? "What?" Hawi asked barely above a whisper as she took in the sight before her. "Russe?? No¡­" Mbali whined as she tried to get her hands off the Russel sister. She wasn''t about to let the woman share blood with her, and even if she had to die because she didn''t get help, Mbali was more than willing to let that happen. The universe was not being fair to them and Mbali didn''t have the energy to even stay here and deal with this shit. "Fuck," Ruru whispered as she stared at the chaos. "Stay away from my sister," Malika warned at the same time that Mbali spoke.@@novelbin@@ "Mark me, Malika. Put an end to all of this. Mark me so we can kill her alongside her brother. We need only one Russel to guide us to the west and where they are. We already have Nik for that. "So, mark me, please," Mbali begged her sister who was staring at her pitifully. "Lihle¡­" Malika said to her sister who had already arched her neck for Malika. "Please, Malika," Mbali pleaded again. Chapter 570 Deeper Than The Ink Beneath Our Tattoos [2] [MBALI] [Still The Lonely Night¡­ A MONTH BEFORE THE GREAT SICARIO WAR] Amina was seeing this and she was pissed about it.@@novelbin@@ She hated that that was the reason that this woman was giving up like this. She hated herself for a moment there because it hurt so bad that her mate was more than willing to bear the mark of her sister and a protector, rather than bear her mark as her mate. All of this was not making them feel any better but then what was the best solution to this when the Savasci Knights were all experiencing emotional turmoil? "Please, Malika," Mbali pleaded again. Mbali had always expected Amina to show up and teach her so many things like the words Amina always used with her. She had never been done with othernguages, but Mbali wanted to know more. She had always wanted to understand and even better, speak thenguage of the woman who made her heart beat so fast and gave her the kinds of butterflies that made her feel safe. But now as she looked at Amina, Mbali was not sure if this was what happiness was supposed to look like or if the universe had always hated her from the onset. They couldn''t find logic in this, but for Mbali, the pain she had grown up in, the loneliness she had be ustomed to, and the endless questions It had had simply got her to the one woman who was a part of the main problem. Fate was a fucked-up bitch no doubt. "You need to heal, mi reina. I can exin everything, but only if you let me fix you," Amina said, not paying attention to her mate''s demands. She knew this was expected the moment she knew who her mate was, but then she had hoped it would be different. Amina had hoped that her love for Mbali would make a difference. Funny how here they were and she was still at a crossroads, and unsure whether her mate would ever want her again. But then she wasn''t going to focus on that. She hade here to make sure her mate was safe. "Get off of me," Mbali growled in warning as she fought against Amina who held her down so she couldn''t hurt herself even more. But then Jabali Lihle was never a traitor to her people, so she wasn''t about to start right now. This woman needed to leave and if she could do so by herself, then Mbali would dly make her leave, otherwise she would find a way to make sure that there was never an ounce of life in those eyes that were still staring at her with love. "You. Need. To. Heal," Amina bit out, holding back the anger and disappointment she was feeling because of all this. Maybe she was also tried by her family or maybe she hade to use Mbali as a pawn. It was hard to tell with the way she was still holding steady despite the literal fact that everyone here wanted her gone, her brother was not even sure what was happening here but the Savasci Knights were willing to cast a death vote for her. Even that didn''t seem to faze Amina Russel. "And you need to fucking let me go. I''d much rather have my sister bite me than be your mate," Mbali growled out in anger, this time making sure the woman heard her loud and clear. Hell, even people who were in the distance had to have heard the tant rejection. It was a heartbreaking time for Amina and with the way she faltered, she had clearly been affected. She had not been sure how this was bound to be, but when the eyes that had wanted her turned to raging eyes, Amina knew it was time for her to leave. But then she couldn''t leave, not when her mate was in pain and not letting her heal her. Not when everything else was so wrong and she was the one with a hurting matte. But then Malika also had a hurting sister, didn''t she? "Holy shit," Ruru whispered in disbelief while Hawi stared in silence. "Leave this ce and don''te back. Or I will be the first one to kill you," Mbali insisted before she stared at her sister, tears in her eyes as she felt the pain in her body multiply. The poison was spreading fast. She was losing her mind and if they didn''t act fast, not that Hawi had stopped the siphoning. They would lose her for real. They would be digging a grave for one of their own and yet they were the most powerful creatures in the realm. "Fucking hell, Lili. Here, bite me," Malika sighed as she showed her wrist, seeing how pale her sister had gotten. She needed Mbali to have some of her blood in her system because then their sisterly bond would be reignited. "Please, let me fix you," Amina pleaded defeatedly as she slumped on the ground, watching her mate lose herself in the mess that had been there. She knew there were so many improbable things, but what else was there for her to do? "Fuck off," Mbali said as she grabbed her sister''s wrist and bit into it, while looking right into Amina''s eyes, breaking Amina''s heart. She thought this was the worst form of rejection and Mbali was sure she would regret itter, so she chose this. But would Amina leave like that and nevere back? Would she choose to leave her mate when Mbali needed her the most right now? "What do we do with her? She is a Russel," Ruru voiced when she saw Mbali heal a little faster than they had thought. "We kill her, it''s that simple," Mbali said when she realized they were hesitating for her sake. They were probably thinking that this would hurt her the most. Of course, it would. Losing someone she had started caring for was not going to be easy on Mbali. However, she was so angry at this new reality that she wasn''t even thinking straight anymore. Mbali was so blinded by the hate she had for the Russels that she wasn''t even thinking twice about sending her mate on the chopping block. "What?" Hawi asked in shock. "Oh, please. Don''t tell me you''re getting all emotional just because she ims to be my mate. Who knows if she used her magic and forced a bond so she could know where we are headed? "Besides, that stupid family ruined our lives. The least we can do is give them a taste of their medicine," Mbali shrugged once she had started healing. Her sister''s blood was making her stronger and she loved it. What Mbali didn''t realize was that the ce she had bitten was the one spot where the Jabali family always bit each other to maintain their bonds. Mbali may have thought that it was a mate bond like Hawi and Ruru, but it was more of sisters. However, Malika wasn''t going to correct her sister, especially not right now when she was still fuming about the mate she had gotten. Maybe she would, sometime in the future when Mbali had calmed down, but until then, she would wait it out. "She''s your mate, Mbali," Ruru tried, unsure of what she was aiming for. Maybe her humanity¡­ but was that something they would work around Jabali sister of all the creations in the realm? "She''s no mate of mine. I would rather marry Asmodeus than be her mate. I''d rather lose my life if I have to be mated to her," Mbali retorted spitefully as she stared at the mate who had presented herself. Betrayal had broken Mbali''s heart one too many times and while she hadn''t expected that Amina would be doing that to her, a part of her had always hoped that Amina was her chance at happiness. Funny how that turned out for her. "What do you think, Malika?" Hawi asked as she looked at her protector. "I say we kill her. One less Russel bastard to deal with," Malika said even though she could feel the pain that Mbali was feeling. Her sister wanted her mate, though she was too scared of the repercussions of epting her. However, what else could they do at the moment? It was like their worlds were shing so fast that they couldn''t even breathe with ease. Then again, the decision with the Russels had always been clear. No one would everpromise when it came to this family so would they start or would they go with the original n? "Well then, her execution is set for dawn. We need to get some rest. We''ve had a long day. Ruru and I will set up camp," Hawi decided and they all just agreed. "Aren''t you going to try and make a defense?" Malika asked Amina curiously. "Wait for me, you two. I''ming along. I would rather be everywhere else than here with them," Malika said as she looked at her sister who was having a bored face directed at her mate. At Malika''s statement, Amina let out a snicker, while Mbali just facepalmed at her sister''s bluntness. Maybe she would have to figure out a way to keep Malika upied because her sister could be a menace when she wasn''t busy protecting someone. "So, you''ll just leave me here with her? What happened to restraining her before we kill her?" Mbali asked Hawi who just stared at her softly. She was aware that there was more to the heart than Mbali was willing to admit, and maybe this time she would let it out to the right person. Chapter 572 Deeper Than The Ink Beneath Our Tattoos [4] [MBALI] [Still The Lonely Night¡­ A MONTH BEFORE THE GREAT SICARIO WAR] "You don''t need a stake for that," Amina said softly. A part of her was still hoping that all would be well, that the world would be all shiny for them. She knew it was a long gamble, but then she couldn''t help wanting to be there for her mate. She just wanted to spend more time with Mbali, even though shit had gottenplicated. Nothing she had done so far warranted the trust she was hoping for and maybe that was why she was pulling back too. Amina was a lot of things but then to Mbali, she was the one person Mbali didn''t want to see. "Great. I''ll just use my des then," Mbali said spitefully as she got out her des. She was sick and tired of being treated warmly by the person who had broken her heart. Amina was supposed to be a really bad person to make Mbali hate her with ease, and yet she had turned out differently. Amina looked like she would worship the road that Mbali walked and would now to her on every asion. Amina wanted Mbali for herself and she was willing to do whatever it took just to be breathing the same air as Jabali Lihle. Maybe that made her a little too hopeful in the face of chaos, but then what else was there for her? It wasn''t like they would be living in some sort of wonderful world now, or was it so? Amina could see the determination on her mate''s face and knew that there wouldn''t be anything to change Mbali''s mind anymore. She knew that that tonight would be thest she would see her mate and it hurt a little worse than staying away had. "Here¡­ A de that kills the undead. A de forged to kill my family; the only thing that can end us all. If you want me dead, you''ll have to use this, hermosa," Amina said as she handed Mbali a de covered in silver and gunpowder. It was obviously lethal and could cause more damage than anyone would have expected. Amina was here to hand Mbali the one thing that could end her and her entire family, thereby putting an end to the madness of the Russel house and Mbali''s response was unexpected. Maybe it was because she hadn''t really expected this, but then the night itself hade with so many things that they needed to work through. They would eventually find a way around it and no matter what happened along the way, both of them had to make a decision about them eventually. "Don''t think I won''t use it," Mbali said as she stared at the de that was calling to her. The temptation was there. The urge to take the de and use it on the woman who was here breaking her heart or even her brother who was almost a vegetable in the distance. It was something that Mbali would obviously consider, but then a part of her was hurt that it hade to this. How the hell had she gone to want the woman she loved and hoped to see again, dead? What kind of a fate was this that wasn''t even letting her have the choice of life and love? Why did it always have to be bloodshed wherever she and her friends were? Was that ever a fair fight anyway? "If I must die, then let it be by your hands," Amina said with a smile like her heart wasn''t aching so badly. Amina had only ever wanted to love Mbali but then circumstances were eating at her in ways she couldn''t have thought of yet. This was a fate she had not hoped for, but then she hadn''t be a good person over the years, right? She was just but a member of the rose family that had caused so much chaos in the universe for the past thousand years. "How noble. I bet you haven''t seen your dumb brother yet, huh?" Mbali said with a sinisterugh as she pointed at Nik who was choking on mud still, though the fire had been put out by Ruru some time ago when they were staring at Amina. "I''m not talking about Nik, mi reina. I''m talking about you¡­ About what you must do for your team. Here is the perfect weapon to put an end to all of us. This is your chance at peace, hermosa," Amina said sincerely as she stared into her mate''s eyes. She loved Mbali so much it was breaking her ever-cold heart. Ever since she had felt the mate bond endless years ago, Amina had tried to keep herself close, but with the protector around Mbali, Amina had known it was a suicide call. It was something that wouldn''t do the both of them any good, especially since Mbali hadn''t even grown old enough to know shit about mate bonds. That was a risk that Amina had wanted to take, not with the one girl her heart belonged to. "I hate you," Mbali said when she saw the sincerity in Amina''s eyes. She hadn''t been expecting it and it was screwing with her mind in so many ways. This wasn''t how her mate bond was supposed to go, but what could Mbali do? "And I love you, hermosa. I love you more than life can everprehend. I live and breathe you, mi reina. It''s okay if you hate me, because I can bnce us out with my love. "And if my love is never going to be enough for both of us, then knowing that you hate me, is love enough for me. At least then you will remember me, even if it''s to kill me, mi reina," Amina said earnestly as she reached out to Mbali. She wanted to touch her, and hold her for a while. She wanted to be there for Mbali and love her like the woman deserved to be loved, but then their fate was something that they couldn''t even begin to understand. Love and life were crueler than pain and anger. This right here was the result of things that neither of them would ever have control over a boy. Was it a little too much for their hearts that we''re slowly learning to love and live? "What the fuck is even wrong with you? What are you doing here? Why the fuck did you follow us? What the hell do you want?" Mbali asked frustratedly. Amina was making it was hard for Mbali to hate her, really. It was something that confused the hell out of Jabali Lihle, the one warrior who was known for always being level-headed. Jabali Lihle was the warrior who could figure out shit even at war. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire She always worked well under pressure but right now, she wasn''t sure what the hell this was. She didn''t understand what it was about her that got Amina risking her life like this. Her execution was set for dawn and Amina knew that already, yet she was still here. Anyone in their right mind would have made a run for it, but Amina was different. It was like she was ready to lose her life if that was all it would take to be with Mbali one more time. She was a little messed up in the head, but could she be really med this time?@@novelbin@@ "You, mi reina. You, dear, are what is wrong with me. I can breathe, or eat without thinking of you. I can think straight when you are not near. I thought it would be easy after Greyson, buttely, all I''ve been doing is thinking of you. "I wonder how your day goes by, whether you live well, whether you eat. I worry when you are hurt, and wonder if you''re safe. My heart beats for you in ways that I never thought possible. I can''t do anything right without you. "I am here for you, to be with you. It doesn''t matter if you hate me and want me dead, hermosa. The only thing that matters is that you''re near me. If I have to die, then let me die by and in your hands. "If I have to be a prisoner for me to be close to you, then consider me your prisoner. I can''t turn away because you''re all I think of. I followed you so I could see you again. I want you, mi reina. I want you in ways that would put love to shame. "I want to see you happy, to see to it that your path is not riddled by pain or anger. I want to see you breathe and not have to be strong anymore. I have followed you for over three hundred years and I don''t mind following you for an eternity. "Knowing you are alive is what keeps me sane, so don''t worry about me screwing up your ns of ruining whatever is left of my family. I will aid you, if that is what it takes to make you happy. "I am here for you, mi reina, just you," Amina said, her confession forcing Mbali a few steps back, again. Everything was confusing as hell when it came to Amina and frankly, Mbali hadn''t made a bargain this long for her. But then what else could she do when the heart she was supposed to burn to ashes was now beating for her? "And that is supposed to make me what? Feel bad for you? Well, I''m sorry you''ve had to live with the idea that I''m your mate, but I''m not your mate. My sister marked me already. So back the fuck up or I will actually kill you myself," Mbali warned. Chapter 574 Deeper Than The Ink Beneath Our Tattoos [6] [MBALI] [Still The Lonely Night¡­ A MONTH BEFORE THE GREAT SICARIO WAR] If Amina was to fight for Mbali, then she would do it, even if it was thest thing she did with her damaged life. She was bound to die anyway, so she could at least die when her mate was saved right? "What do you mean by that, Awuor Sicario?" Amina asked with a growl, risking her life even more. No one¡­ Absolutely no one had growled at Hawi and now faced the consequences of it. "You dare growl at me again and I will snap your sweet little Mbali''s neck. Don''t test my patience, Amina. And she is mine to do whatever I want with and whenever I want to no matter the ce. "If you choose to stay here, you will be a prisoner, so make sure you keep your mouth shut, unless you want to see your precious Mbali dead. I have no difficulty in doing that," Hawi warned angrily and Amina stared in shock. "Instead of killing her, you can have both of us. I am open to sharing," Ruru said, her eyes scanning Mbali like she truly wanted to have Mbali in their rtionship. "Are you two nuts? Mbali asked, confused.@@novelbin@@ "Careful how you talk to my wife, Jabali. Now go with Ruru and help your sister with the camp. If I catch you stealing nces at the prisoner, or if I catch the prisoner stealing nces at you, I will mate you right here and then. "Don''t test my patience¡­ Dismissed," Hawi said coldly and Mbali felt the air leave her lungs. This couldn''t be real, right? Hawi was never this cruel to her friends. Hawi was loyal to her friends. "Yes, Mistress," the Jabali sisters bowed while Ruru kissed Hawi on the cheeks and went along with them. This was going to be a long night for them either way. ***** "What?" Hawi asked when she reached her knights and they were staring at her like she had a lot of exining to do. She wasn''t sure who they were after, but then they were giving her the eyes that dared her to lie, and well, Awuor Hawi was a terrible liar. "I may have told Mbali that you didn''t mean what you said when you threatened to marry her and have her as a second wife," Ruru whispered and Hawi stared at her like she had lost her mind. "Why the hell would you tell her that!!" Hawi asked as she stared at her mate incredulously. They had a n, one that was supposed to work, and now her friends were looking at her like there was sunshineing out of her ass. "Oh,e on, she was already scared. And your tone, you could make even the older kings bow in horror," Ruru pouted as she leaned closer to Hawi and kissed her on the cheeks as if to calm her down, even though Hawi wasn''t mad this time. "Even then¡­ they both already know I would never give them up for anything," Hawi said with a softugh. She could see their faces rx at her statement and frankly, she loved seeing them this happy. "You kinda sounded like you would really force me to be your mate," Mbali said with a pout and Hawi stared at her apologetically. She hadn''t intended to scare them really. They were just having fun and now it had turned to something else. "See, I told you¡­ You were terrifying," Ruru pointed out, like Hawi wasn''t beating herself up already for that little mess she had oh so graciously created with her partner in crime who had been a little too quick to switch sides. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you feel like a lowly person who could be traded. I would give up my life for the four of you. You all should know that by now. We are a team, no matter how many things happen, and no matter what I say to strangers; "Please keep in mind that I will protect all four of you with my life if that is the only way. I love you all, you know that, right?" Hawi said and they stared at her, giving her puppy eyes as if to remind her that they were fine now. "We do, but it was nice hearing you spell it out," Malika said before they burst outughing like there hadn''t just been some tension between them. Then again, they knew each other so well, it was nice to know just how much. "If it helps, I think she is sincere about you, Mbali. I''m not telling you this to change your mind about her, no. She threatened me with Elodie," Hawi said and Mbali turned to look at her mate like the woman had lost her mind. "Has she no regard for her life? Threatening the one person who means the world to you? Goddamn, this woman needs to go," Mbali said as she got up to try and pump some sense into Amina''s head, but Hawi stopped her. "It was cute seeing how low she could go and how far she was willing to go for you. But she knows what it means and that will keep her in check. If she so much as makes you cry, she will suffer a fate worse than Atticus and Razia," Hawi said as she stared at Amina who just sighed, and sat down next to her unconscious brother. "Still, it was a stupid move. The next time she tries that, I will kill her," Malika said coldly. "Okay, enough about more murders. Can we start the fire, please? I''m hungry and I fear I might die of starvation," Mbali said dramatically as she pretended to faint, making her friend stare at her amusedly. "Ten gold pellets say she won''t hit the ground," Ruru suddenly ced a bet. "Fifteen say she will look at Amina while doing it," Hawi added dramatically. "I''ll start the fire," Malika said as she looked at her sister who was enjoying this. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire "You people are mean," Mbali said as she stared at Amina who was watching her in the dark. She was already wondering what was going on in Amina''s head. Maybe she was feeling lonely? Maybe she wished for love? "Let''s get some food into those stomachs. And you can call Amina too. I may not like her, but we can''t let her starve even if she is to be your prisoner," Malika said and Mbali groaned in frustration, though deep down, they all knew she was excited to be close to Amina again. "Always the sensible one, sister," Mbali whined dramatically as if that was supposed to make Malika change her mind. "One of us has to be, especially when your eyes are filled with hearts for Amina and you watch her wither in the cold. She hasn''t stopped looking at you," Malika pointed out what they had all seen throughout the evening. "You hungry, Amina? Care to share a meal with us?" Hawi asked and Amina just smiled sadly like she wasn''t one to impose on them. "Not tonight. Have fun though," Amina said thankfully as she kept her focus on Mbali. Oh, how she loved the woman more than she loved her life. "Your loss," Mbali said with a grunt, even though she wanted to beg Amina toe by her side. Mbali missed her mate, even though they were barely metres away from each other. Oh, the twists of fate. Perhaps tomorrow could be better, right?... If only. Chapter 576 Go Ahead, Watch My Heartburn [MBALI] "You look well, Mi reina," Amina said, her voice hitting Mbali''s ears like a breath of fresh air. It was so surreal even as Mbali stood rooted, trying to understand what the hell was going on. This wasn''t even supposed to be possible yet here they were. "You shouldn''t be here," Mbali spoke, when her mind finally caught up with her mouth. She had a lot to say to Amina, a lot to introduce her to, and explore with her. She wanted to introduce Amina to the realm that had the weakest of all creations. She wanted to let Amina know that there was more to life than war, that life on this other end was a little exciting, even though they were still on the hunt for their emotional well-being. It was almost like a gamble but one Mbali would never let go of. "Trey,e help me in the kitchen and tell me all about Hudhayfah," Hawi''s voice sliced through the tension, but it didn''t do much because Trey Russel was more than eager to leave the room where her sister was with her mate. It was suffocating to just stand there and watch them, not to mention the memories of what Amina had said about the mate bond and Mbali was something that Trey was not willing to bear witness to. Trey knew his sister''s heart would be broken again, and there wasn''t a thing he could do about it. And it hurt, but at the same time, he knew that whatever decision the two women made, it would be the best for them regardless of what happened. "Of course, shall we?" Trey said a little too excitedly as he looked at his sister who was staring at Mbali. He had heard the way his sister''s heart had been leaping from the moment she walked in here and Trey could only hope that Mbali didn''t hurt her. "I''ming along," Mbali said but Hawi cast a spell that took her and Amina into her room and locked them either with a boundary spell. Treyughed lightly at the gesture even though he was a tad horrified about remaining with the wild woman. However, he also appreciated the fact that Hawi wasn''t freaked out by the bond his sister had with her friend. It was one of a kind and clearly, they were all hoping for a better oue of the messy rtionship that the two were having right now. "Your room is pretty," Amina voiced, as she tried so hard not to focus on the displeased frown on Mbali''s face. Her mate still didn''t want her even after all these years and it was something that hurt Amina to the core. She knew she hade for the impossible, but right now, it was more like a torture chamber for her than anything else. He was trapped with the one girl she was certain would hate her until the end of time. "You little psycho! Open this door and pull down the damned boundary spell!" Mbali shouted at the top of her lungs despite the fact that Hawi could do what even if they talked slowly. But perhaps she wanted to emphasize her difort, yeah? "Hermosa¡­" Amina tried as she stared at Mbali''s angry face. She wasn''t even sure what to perceive from all of this and she was worried that her mate would reject her this time. It was one thing to have Mbali push her away all the time, and it was another to hear the rejection directly from her lips. That was the one thing that would break Aminapletely, and there was no doubt about that. Then again, it didn''t seem like Mbali would ever care about what the fuck this was right now with all the rage she had built up over the years. All she wanted to do was leave and get out of the same space as her erasthai. It was a curl thing for her to try and do, but what else was he supposed to discuss with Amina? How the fuck was she supposed to make anything make sense when life itself was a circus that had fucked the one too many times? "Why did youe here?" Mbali questioned with a huff as she settled on her bed frustratedly. Her room was devoid of life and it looked like she had never intended to be here for long. There wasn''t even a closet for her belongings. The only thing that was in the room other than the huge bed with ck sheets and pillows, was the bedsidemp that was on the floor. Other than that, the room was dark and devoid of any hope. It was the perfect expression for what she and Hawi had been feeling for over three hundred years. It was a fate that had haunted them even far away from home and nothing would ever be the same anymore. Mbali hadn''t wanted to get used to this ce because eventually, they would leave, so she didn''t see the need for her to make an effort here. But then she couldn''t deny that the cinnamon-scented warlock was making her reconsider taking camp here. "For the werewolf queen," Amina responded in earnest and Mbali scoffed. She had been hoping that Amina woulde looking for her someday, but given how harshly she had treated Amina, she had to have been insane to think Amina woulde for her right? Perhaps this was what fate was dealing with for the both of them because regardless of what happened, nothing was ever going to be the same for them. She had abandoned Amina and pushed her away one too many times so the warlock had probably gotten tired of her. That was a truth that hurt so much that Mbali subconsciously let out a defeated whimper. This wasn''t how she had thought her future with her mate would look like and now all she had was nothing to hold on to. Just the perfect misery. "Princessa," Amina called out when she heard Mbali''s whimper. It was a painful one and it got Amina wondering what was going on in Mbali''s mind. Of course, she could use her magic and read Mbali''s mind, but then Mbai would forever hate her for it. Then again, she was a Russel which meant that she could do it and get away with it. But was Amina that desperate to have Mbali out of her life by invading her privacy and even thoughts like it wouldn''t mean shit? She refused to let her desperation know what her mate was thinking of her, driving her into a pushing wedge between them. If Mbali was angry with her right now, then her hate would be tenfold if Amina tried such a thing. "You came to the wrong ce. Queen Kiya is at club Hernia. You and your brother should get packing already," Mbali said, not daring to look up at Amina as she spoke the words that broke both their hearts. This wasn''t easy, and Mbali dreaded what woulde out of this, but more than anything, she dreaded the possibility of never seeing Amina again, after she agreed to let her in. That was a costly price that she couldn''t afford right now. It was easier to have Amina go on with her duties and not focus on the matters of their hearts because they had been delicate for so many years and hadn''t even once found a sce regardless of how hard she had tried to look. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire "The werewolf queen?" Amina asked and that got Mbali to look in her direction. Amina was standing by the wall of Mbali''s empty room. She was leaning against the wall, like she was worried that if she made a step forward, she would be rejected for the hundredth time. Rejection had easily be Amina''s greatest fear and it was way worse than what she had been feeling over the years that she had missed Mbali. At that moment, she wanted to say so many things and express so much, but instead, nothing came out. "Are you deaf or do you need sses to hear?" Mbali questioned, even though her words held no weight. It is like she was just speaking to avoid the awkward silence that was threatening to fill up the space between them.@@novelbin@@ Maybe they were both doomed, but then fate had to speak something into their lives, right? Surely this wasn''t how their story ended, no? But had it even begun when they were awkward as fuck with each other? "I''m sorry," Amina whispered as she looked at her mate. She wanted to hold Mbali, to let the woman know that she was never going to be alone anymore. She wanted to stay close and let everything happen with ease, but she couldn''t. She was unable to and it was something that broke her heart tenfold. Even this close, with their scents mixing, there was still nothing for them to hold onto. It seemed like Mbali would forever hate her for being born a Russel. "For the werewolf queen? You''re crazy," Mbali huffed as she turned to stare at the dark wall before her. She always hated staying in this room when she wasn''t getting ready to go to club Hernia and now she had to embrace the silence and awkward sht. "No¡­ I''m sorry for being a Russel. Maybe in another life, you would look at me as someone other than your enemy," Amina said with a defeated chuckle. Her life was already a mess and she wasn''t sure how to deal with it. "What?" Mbali asked. "Trey is done eating with Hawi. I''ll just take him and leave for Club Hernia or Sicario. Once again, I''m really sorry, mi reina. Forgive me for being unworthy," Amina said as she pulled the door handle and the door opened with ease. "Until the next life, Princessa," Amina said with onest bow, before she left for Trey. Chapter 577 Added A Chorus To The Heartbreak Song [MBALI] Mbali stared at the empty space that Amina had left. It may have always been like that, but watching Amina leave had her feel some type of way. It was almost like her entire world wasing to a standstill. It was a reality that she didn''t even know how to exin just yet and it got her curious about what it would mean for her. She had always loved being in this lonely room because it was the one ce that should think of Amina freely; of course, without feeling guilty about the fact that she had just left home and never once tried to reach out to Amina¡­ despite the fact that Amina had been hoping to interact with her again. Perhaps it was because of the fear of attachment or maybe it was because Mbali wasn''t just sure what the hell she needed to say to the woman. It was something that she had struggled with and not seen like she was sealing her fate.@@novelbin@@ "Well, that was quick¡­ we just started focusing on the main dish," Mbali heard Hawi say, clearly to Amina who had left while talking about taking Trey with her. The idea wasn''t as bad as Mbali had imagined, but now the fact that she was leaving again, got her having so many questions. She had fought with all of her just to feel Amina''s presence again just to breathe the woman in and now that she was here, Mbali was being defiant again. She was scared of so many things and the possibility that Amina would betray them again. The horrors of the Russels were what Mbali had never thought to see past because it was the only thing that stood between her and her apparent spite for Amina Russel. It wouldn''t have any meaning at the end of the day, right? "We came to check on you, as the werewolf queen. Last night something had changed and it was different, so we had toe and see if there was anything that you needed help with and to reassure Hudhayfah that you were fine," Amina responded curtly. Her tone was that of respect and admiration for the woman who had killed her entire family, a reality so fucked up that even the goddess hadn''t dared to make sense of. But then this time, that wasn''t what Amina was shaving at the back of her mind. It was like they had finally seen the horrors that their family had forced the realm into and were hoping for better days. That was the only thing they could truly hope for because at this point in time, love and life were going rtive to them. It wouldn''t matter as much if the werewolf queen went down as they had nothing to hold onto anymore. Maybe that was why Amina was not waiting at Mbali''s side this time. It hurt her heart, but it was something she had to do for both of them. Amina Russel was keeping her promise to Mbali. The promise to never make her choose between Amina and her people and even better, the promise to never force her into anything she didn''t want. At the moment, it seems like Mbali didn''t want Amina and Amina had opted to respect that. She had long been expecting this rejection anyway, Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire "What do you mean by change?" Hawi asked as she stared at Amina. She knew what Amina was talking about, but she needed to hear it just to be certain. She was a fool queen after all and if this was about her pretty mate in Hernia, she needed to know what she could do. There is so much skepticism in Hawi after the conversation with the moon goddess earlier and she was right to not trust anyone this time. The woman couldn''t trust so many fates and feel no remorse for the oue and it was something the Hawi had learnedst night. She wanted to make sure that her Rukiya was safe and one way of making certain that was the case, was to see to it that no one tried to mess with her Ruru. She would bruise them well and offer no exnation for whatever she did at the time anyway. "The goddess changed a few fatesst night, and it got everyone worried. Your friends in Sicario wanted toe and check on you, but we figured we coulde to make sure that all was well. "Besides, no one would question anything a Russel does, seeing that we do exactly have the best reputation for anything. But people would question what got the Savasci knights out of Sicario for the first time in over three hundred years after you disappeared. "Then again, the Salvadors are roaming around, and that could put Sicario at risk and the realm at an even greater risk," Amina spoke earnestly. She literally had nothing left to lose even if he decided to hurt her or import her in a new Cezaevi with the Sifir again. There wasn''t a thing that Hawi could do to ruin her little heart that hadn''t already been done to her. The only leverage anyone would have had on her would have been Trey, and while that was possible with everyone else it wouldn''t be for the leader of the Savasci knights who adored her knights so much. Hurting Trey would mean hurting Hudhayfah, which is not something that Hawi would do to the good and kid healer who had given up everything for her. Perhaps it could have made more sense to say that Amina wouldn''t be endangered because of Mbali, but Mbali didn''t want her around and she had to take her leave as soon as possible. The longer she stayed around Mbali the more her heart called into her and the more it would hurt her. It was a sacrifice she had to make. "Oh. That''s interesting. Well. you have seen me doing fine, I assume that is the message you will send to the knights, no?" Hawi asked carefully. She could see the defeat of Amina''s face and she knew that Mbali had to be the reason for that. She could have tried to intervene, but then mate bonds were sacred and Hawi had no say in the mate bonds of her friends. She didn''t want to be doing anything that could cause a rift. If anything, she understood the loss and weight of the fury in several mate bonds, so she wouldn''t be the one to fuck things up for the two, or even try to make it all better for them. It would be pointless either way. "Yes. My brother will do that, as he has a beloved waiting back in Sicario for him. I promised he would go back to Hudhayfah, and we both know the healer will be waiting for him with bated breath," Amina responded softly. She was happy for her brother and it is obvious in the way that she spoke of Hudhafah being back in Sicario waiting for her brother. That was the only thing that mattered to her right now and she was d for it, truly and wholeheartedly. "Won''t you being with me, sister?" Trey asked hopefully. "Of course¡­ I''ll just join youter." Chapter 580 My Heart Skipped Eight Beats At Once [MBALI] "That is what I don''t want her to do, Hawi. I don''t want her to risk her life for me. I don''t want her to hurt me. I don''t want her to lose herself and all she believes in just because of me. I wouldn''t live with myself if anything happened to her," Mbali sighed. Hawi stared at her best friend and I could tell that Mbali had been thinking about this for the longest time. It was the kind of response that anyone who was scared and had thought of the endless possibilities has to have encountered at the moment. It was fortunate but at the same time, an unfortunate truth in the realm filled with love. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire "And you¡­ would you do the same for her?" Hawi asked softly. "I would do whatever it takes to keep her happy. Even if I have to give up my li¡­ oh goddess," Mbali stated confidently, the realization hitting her a little too hard. What her mate was doing was the same thing that she herself would do for Amina no questions asked. She was pushing away her erasthai for something that he would have done herself and even more. She was protecting her erasthai from a pain that had no end and yet she was talking of the same thing. "Exactly¡­ You both would go to the ends of the world for each other. You both care and love each other deeply. It is okay to love, Mbali. It is okay to care for someone. That is all that makes us human and not beasts," Hawi said in earnest. She knew that it would take some time for Mbali to understand what this was all about and that life wasn''t always going to be so easy. But she understood and eventually, Mbali would understand too. "But my mission?" Mbali asked and Hawi chuckled. "Don''t use the mission as an excuse to push away the love of your life, Mbali. We can always work hand in hand while protecting and loving those we care about. We have done it once and are still doing it back home," Hawi recalled and Mbali starred in defeat. She had so many things to say, and so much to express, but how the fuck was she even supposed to start? She had to make sure that her mission with Hawi wasplete but at the time, her heart was tearing for the woman she had just sent away. "But she left because of me already," Mbali said. "Did she though?" Hawi asked right as the door opened to reveal Amina Russel. "What?" Mbali asked, confused. "I''m going to Hernia to see who this queen is and why her face has been hidden for that long. Please when you''re done, remember to freshen up the air, or you will both walk to Sicario from here," Hawi threatened as she grabbed her coat and left. With Hawi gone, it was just Amina and Mbali. Amina stood awkwardly at the door as she waited for Mbali to kick her out or call her names again. She was so ready to be sent away that it was obvious on her face. Rejection for the love of her life wasn''t news to her and it shouldn''t have been like that. This wasn''t how they had to get through the horrors of the days that they lived in, right? Besides, it wasn''t like there was a lot to work with at the moment. No matter how hard things got, they would have to find a way around this. "I''m sorry¡­ she asked me to stay and I didn''t know what else to do," Amina voiced, bringing to light the fact that Hawi had been the one who told her to stay back. It was an insane choice that for a moment Mbali wondered what Hawi''s intention had been. Clearly, it seemed like the woman had intended to lock them both up in a room and leave them to their chaos. She wanted them together and that got Mbali thanking her in silence. If Hawi hadn''t done something, Mbali was sure she wouldn''t have seen Amina again. It was the one thing that still scared her to date and she was honestly very grateful that this was happening. "I''m d she did," Mbali voiced softly before adding, "Come¡­ sit with me, Cinnamon." ''Cinnamon?'' Amina asked herself, careful not to voice her sudden concern. But then it didn''t take long before he remembered her scent and once again, she was strong at Mbali like her world was suddenly filled with bright showers of love. This was probably the goofiest she had ever seen Mbali get and now she was left alone with her. Oh, how Amina was worried about what woulde of this conversation. Then again, he had to remind herself that he had nothing else that she could lose. Her mate had kicked her out earlier and she didn''t know what else could be sued against her, truly. Perhaps that was what life had in store for them, or maybe it was the storm that would eventually pass, right? "I can leave if you want me to, princess. You don''t need to let me stay here, just because your Mistress willed it, Hermosa," Amina said earnestly. She hated that there was a chance that she was pushing Mbali''s buttons. All she had ever wanted was for this girl to be with her, always and forever if that was even a thing. It was the only need for her and if she was being honest, breathing Mbali''svender scent was calling her even more. "I was going toe after you either way," Mbali admitted sheepishly as she stared into Amina''s brown eyes. They were easily the most attractive thing she had seen in the woman and they were once again pulling her in like the first time. This woman had done the impossible just to get to her and Mbali loved it, honestly. She knew it would all get awkward and shit, but then at the end of the day, she wasn''t about to let Amina go again. That was the one thing that she couldn''t afford. "Oh¡­ I thought¡­ I just figured¡­ I¡ª" Amina rambled only for Mbali to capture her lips with hers. It was a sudden kiss, one that Amina could have sworn she hadn''t seening. One moment she was seated a few feet away form Mbali and the next, warmvender lips were mating hers. Maybe it was a dream, as always, given the fact that Amina always dreamt of the day she would kiss Mbali for the first time. It was a wish that she had had for the longest time, and perhaps the stress of leaving had finally caught up to her.@@novelbin@@ "You talk too much," Mbali whispered for a moment, before she dove back in to kiss Amina like her life depended on it. And that was also how Amina knew that it wasn''t just her dream anymore. ''Holy shit,'' Amina thought to herself as she let Mbali dominate her. She had never thought that things would be like this, but damn was she d to be here, with the girl she was always obsessed with. "That was¡­" Amina trailed off, celery at a loss for words. She had never been kissed like that and she loved every bit of it. Maybe this was the home she needed to stay beside Mbali, right? Or was it all just in her head and there wasn''t much she could do about it then? "My apology¡­ I''m sorry I spent most of my time pushing you away instead of looking at all of this like you were. I thought I was sparing you the ridicule for being mated to me, one of the hunters of your entire family," Mbali said in earnest as she held Amina''s face close to hers. It was like she was still scared that all of this was an illusion and a figment of her mind, something that she absolutely had no control over. She was done running and it was obvious in the way she was looking at Amina hopefully. "This doesn''t mean that you can''t change your mind, Cinnamon. What I did, caused you pain. You don''t deserve to be roped around like some puppet. I love you, and whatever decision you make; "¡ªI will respect that," Mbali admitted as she leaned closer to Amina, before she pulled her into a hug. It was a soft hug, one that felt a lot like goodbye for Mbali''s needs. Perhaps it is because she was sure that meant she wouldn''t want her anymore. She wasn''t about to me the woman for choosing herself. Life was shit and Mbali had exactly been the greatest person to her either way. Perhaps the sun would rise and they would try again some other time, yeah? "I didn''t think I''d ever hear it from you, Hermosa," Amina said as she held onto Mbali too before gently pulling Mbali onto herp, so that Mbali was sitting on herp instead of kneeling on the ground before her. "I know, and I''m sorry. I never thought I would be telling you that I needed you to stay close either. It all just happened. I was always too worried about what this would mean for you, without hearing it for you and that was my mistake. "I should have given you a chance to tell me what you thought instead of just assuming that you wouldn''t want to be a part of the chaos again," Mbali said and Amina chuckled softly. It is almost hearty like she had been expecting a part of all this. Then again, it wasn''t like Mbali was the most predictable woman of them all, right? "I meant¡­ I never thought I''d hear you say you love me," Amina said and Mbali stiffened. Chapter 583 Trust Makes You Do Strange Things [HAWI] "I understand you, Mbali¡­ But I don''t want to burden our friends with the responsibilities that are mine just because I''m never going to be able to get over my grief. The realm still knows there is a white wolf somewhere. "I haven''t died, Mbali. I haven''t had a formal exit and there are the Salvadors. I learned that they are tormenting the people across the realm as they try to make their way to Sicario. "We fought to work hard for home to let a bunch of unruly wolves bring that. We can''t go back to war, Mbali, and you know that too. I just want to be back there, and live the rest of my days honoring the love of my life¡ª "... while I wait for the goddess to take me to her in the afterlife," Hawi responded and Mbali sighed. On one hand, it did seem like Hawi was ready to go home but on the other hand, it was like there was something that the white wolf was hiding from her, and for some reason she couldn''t quite understand why. Everything had been going well for them for the past three centuries, even if they had been heartbroken, and for now, Mbali was tempted to think that Hawi was acting like this because of Amina. Maybe that would be a sensible argument, but then she also knew who Hawi was and what she did. Hawi never had the time for mistakes or random decisions that didn''t have a basis. "Okay," Mbali agreed. She could tell that joke had been in Hawi''s mind for a while now and she wanted to see where this would go. She could only hope that Hawi would be fun when they made it back home. There wouldn''t be an easy day for her, given the way they had left, but time was meant to fix wounds, right? Perhaps this was Hawi''s chance at a new start, but damn. "Okay?" Hawi asked as she looked at Mbali who just nodded in silence. Mbali was shocked at the thought and even though she had agreed, she still couldn''t help but be suspicious. The Hawi she knew wouldn''t have wanted to head back home unless she had apelling raisin to. Honestly, Mbali didn''t see anythingpelling enough to drive Hawi to such a decision. "You know once we go home, they won''t let us leave again, right?" Mbali added after a while. She was currently seated next to Hawi, thinking of what it was that was waiting back home for them. It had been years since they openly talked about Sicario and what it meant to go back. They had avoided the subject like a sore wound and they had once considered it. This was also why Mbali was interested in talking about home. There was so much that was waiting for them home, and the fact that they were part of the royals of Sicario was just one of them. Maybe it was because of the idea that they would see the people they had saved in the great war that night, or they are going to face the Greysons and apologize for not being able to save Rukiya Greyson. It was a little hard to know what the fuck would be waiting for them, but they couldn''t deny that the thought of home was a beautiful one nheless. "Of course. I just want to go see them again. It''s been a while and I miss them too. Besides, we will be whole again," Hawi said a little too excited and Mbali stared at her softly. She had noticed that Hawi hadn''t talked about Rukiya this time and it was shocking for her. The woman was all that Hawi ever spoke of, lived for, and tried to survive for. Hawi had held on for so long because she wanted Rukiya to be proud of her, and yet she didn''t talk about her anymore. It was crazy. "Are you sure about this? Are you feeling okay? Do we need to help? Do you need me to summon her?" Mbali asked, careful not to mention the girl of Hawi''s dreams. It''s interesting how calm Hawi had gotten even though Mbali was so close to losing her mind over the spections and theories in her head that were not making any damn sense to her. All of this seemed so simple and yet soplicated at the same time, especially with what was at stake. Hawi going back home would mean restoring the bnce and the chaos would start over again, if not on a lower scale, then on a higher scale. Mbali wasn''t scared of war, no. She was just worried about another friend from their team having to make a sudden sacrifice again. It was the one thing that horrified her to the core, not that she would mention that to the wild girl.@@novelbin@@ "We''ll be fine, Mbali. I promise it. Come, let''s go pack up and pray that we leave this realm as soon as possible. We have been here for far too long," Hawi said as she got up before offering Mbali a hand. "You know you can talk to me if something is bothering you, right?" Mbali asked, as she took Hawi''s hand. She still couldn''t help the nagging feeling that came with Hawi''s sudden suggestion. She could only hope that at the end of the day, everything would be fine. "Of course," Hawi responded and Mbali just smiled as they walked back into the house. **** "We''re going home," Mbali said to Amina once they were in the house. "What?" Amina asked, unsure of what they meant by hoe. In her time away from the human realm as a way to give Mbali her space, Amin had done her homework on all the apples that the two had lived and spent their time. "We''ll be going back to Sicario with you, Amina," Hawi said, and suddenly it seemed like time stopped. The two mates had turned to look at Hawi like they weren''t sure what to make of her statement. Hawi on the other hand, seemed obvious to the reason for the silence, something that got her looking behind her to see if there was someone that the duo was focused on. Perhaps she had missed the memory or something, or maybe she had stopped time, but then as she looked outside, she felt the winds blowing and the trees were lively as well. Hell, the humans were going on with their lives as if nothing happened. "What is it?" Hawi dared to ask once she was certain that she hadn''t stopped it. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire "You didn''t call me Russel," Amina said carefully. She had always been referred to as Russel by Hawi, and most of the time, if not all, Hawi had sounded cruel to her to the point that Amina knew that she would never look at her with warm eyes. Maybe it was because of the history that they shared or the loss that had gotten Hawi running farther from home, in an attempt to leave everything behind her. "So?" Hawi asked clearly not understanding what this was about. "Go pack up, Hawi. Well do the same," Mbali said suddenly, and that was also how Hawi realized what Amina had meant. It was a simple gesture so simple, but then again, Hawi already knew that mine wouldn''t hurt her back. Amina wouldn''t cause her warrior to spin so they did need to go over the threats again. She had seen firsthand just how Amina was selfless when it came to Mbali. It was the kind of love that people went to war for and Hawi wasn''t about to be the reason they were never happy. All she wanted was for everyone in her friend group to be happy even if it meant being happy with the most unsuspecting of bonds. Fate always had a reason for everything and Hawi wasn''t going to question that. Besides, she knew that she would tear through Amina like a meat grinder if the Russell warlock so much as tried to hurt anyone she loved. The same applied to Trey too. "I have nothing that I want to carry home¡­ I''ll be waiting for you here," How said and Mbali stared at her softly. She could see that there was pain in Hawi''s eyes and she wished that she would have been able to make it all better. She had always wanted to protect Hawi from whatever it took even if they had be a family. They had braved so many things and there was no denying that life itself was meant for so much at the moment. "Alright then," Mbali said as she left, even though she understood what Hawi had meant. The port thing always carried shit wherever they went and she always brought them home for Rukiya. Her mate always got her best souvenirs from the battlefield, market walks, and anything that Hawi did. She always had Ruru in mind and right now, there was no Rukiya for Hawi to run home to. It was a truth that broke Mbali''s heart and she felt like she was not as useful to her friend. She had only ever wanted the best for Hawi., they all did as the Savasci knights, but then even with all their powers, they had been unable to save Ruru and keep her safe. That was the one thing that would forever eat at Mbali and the knights. "Great, let''s do this," Hawi said, one hourter when Mbali And Many hade back. Mbali was carrying a back that she had gotten over the years and it was filled with souvenirs for their friends. "No. you''re not doing that," Mbali said, and Amina stared at her mate in confusion. "What?" Hawi asked as she created a portal. "Amina will create the portal home," Mbali said with a tone of finality. Chapter 585 The Return of The Prodigal Queen [HAWI] "What is that?" one of the wolves who had seen the portal open asked as a figure stood rigid and unmoving from the point of the open portal. It was like whoever this person was, wasn''t sure whether the portal had led him or her to the right ce. This was not something that happened in Sicario as frequently as any outside would have imagined and so it made little to no sense and yet at the same time, it made so much sense because of who they had all been waiting for, for so long. "Holy shit," another wolf said as he looked above and around them. So much was changing and fast. It was like an apocalypse except for the fact that this didn''t feel dangerous at all. It was almost like a wee home song which was range because everyone we came and those that weren''t home were really away from them. Surely there had to be another tangible exnation for this mess, right? However, when the sky began to hang a little too low with the stars so close and the moon awfully bright for a dusk that had been uneventful, they all felt the massive shift in the air. It all began with the mind links being with one that they hadn''t thought would be possible for so long. It was like they were living in a dream only that this time, it wasn''t a dream. The universe and magic along with maniption were things that were always at y, but to think that they would try that with the army of the devil would be insane. They all knew it even as they tried to assume that this was impossible. There was just no way that she could go back home because when they leftst time, it felt like the world was over for them. This right here was an illusion. But was it, when the powerful knights known to be above so much magic were feeling what the entire pack was feeling too? Was this the kind of life though? "No way," they whispered among themselves as the winds began whistling so loudly and the insects of the night had gotten a little too excited. All of this was so sudden that it almost knocked out the entire werewolf pack unconscious. This was not what they had imagined but this was also the only way they would ever be whole again. It was up for debate and it was interesting as hell. The wolves fought to keep their consciousness as the energy got too strong for them. The Savasci knights were doing their best to keep the pack awake but even that was proving to be hard. Then again it was hard, not impossible, a truth that they had long learned when the werewolf queen began taking interest in them and their activities. Their attempt at fighting to stay conscious was a sess and when they managed to keep their eyes open, they felt more energized, anyone would think that this right here was a test of who they were and what they always believed in. It was insane a touch of fate but it was the kind that they would embrace and not waste any time around. It didn''t matter how hard things could get for them, because right now, with the merged mind links, everyone had the same thought but was too scared of speaking it out loud, because it just didn''t make sense. The figure was standing there, not moving an inch and if that was who they thought she was, then she would have long embraced the pack and done things that would make them know that she was back. But she didn''t do anything this time. "Is she¡ª" the wolves asked in silence right before the lights in the entire Sicario went on. All of them without even having to be turned on by anyone. It was too early for even the security lights to be on and yet right now the pack looked like the best of all sunny days, save for the fact that the moon was shining brighter and the stars were rejoicing. It was almost like an eclipse and perhaps it was because this was not something that happens daily. Hell, anyone who was outside Sicario would probably be worried for them given how lowly the sky hung around them. Did they have a reason to be concerned yet though? "Well, shit," was all that could be heard as the lights brought to life the figure that had been still there, and even the two figures that pooped out from the portal right behind the standing figure. It was obvious that it was not the two who had showed up that made the pack go silent ande to a standstill, no. It wasn''t in the way they hade back together holding hands like they were on a honeymoon that forced even the animals of the night to go dead silent and the winds to even stay quieter than usual. It was the way that the sight of that one figure had been the greatest reminder of what had once been in the realm, what was at the moment, and what would always be of the realm. "You okay, Hawi?" Mbali voiced as she looked at her leader who was standing like a statue, unmoving even when the portal closed and it was just the three of them being watched by the entirety of Sicario. This wasn''t even making any sense but it was also making a lot of sense, as Hawi stood still, not daring to speak, almost like she was scared that her words could never be enough for her people and her actions would never make sense for them too. It was the kind of fate that would forever haunt her and a time that would never be a distant memory for her. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire This right here was a lifetime ring at them.@@novelbin@@ "She needs time, let her be," Amina whispered softly as she and Mbali stood on the side, to let Hawi have the attention of the entire pack. Their eyes were zed over as they watched their savior stand there and it was obvious what they all were thinking. The queen was back. ''Oh goddess, help me,'' Hawi said a simple prayer as she looked at her people. She hadn''t realized it yet but she had been still and when she heard Amina''s voice, she figured perhaps it was time for her to seem like she had been living for a while now. This wasn''t how she had imagined shit would be but then no one had expected her to be back so suddenly without so much as an announcement. One look at the knights and it is evident that even they had not known that the world one wasing back home. "Smile, Hawi," Mbali whispered from where she was standing beside Hawi and the wild wolf sighed softly before she turned to look at her people, a smile on her face as she watched them unfold bit by bit. Her heart felt warm and she felt like this wasn''t as bad as she had thought it would be. Then again, to be fair, Hawi herself hadn''t once thought of home like this, let alone all that was happening around her. This was something out of her reach and her world was slowlying together. It had been so long since she had seen her people and much less like this when there was no threat of a war. She was honestly just d to be home and when thest of her knights teleported to the ce she had been standing, Hawi knew that this was thest time she would have left home. It was so obvious in the way that they were looking at her, that they wanted her to stay and Awuor Hawi knew that she wouldn''t ever have the courage to run away from home again. The happiness on the faces of her people was something that he had long dreamt of and now this was real. There was nothing like hate in their eyes and it gave Hawi hope. The pride she could feel oozing for them, not to mention the kid stares they were giving her, was so new to her even though she hadn''t done anything that would have made them disappointed in her. Maybe she was still trying to get toast to the fact that she had made them run away when they were not even home. She expected herself to be judged for it, but this hadn''t been it. Perhaps it was because she had sent them to safety so she could fight the war and bring honor to their home that had been tainted by Jer and his antics. ''No, not this time, no,'' Hawi thought to herself as the memories of the long night of war came back to her, threatening to attack away any sce she had started finding in the smell of home. She didn''t have the time to deal with the chaos that had broken her heart one too many times and she would do whatever it took to make sure that that horror didn''t see the light of the day even once. Honestly, she had cried enough times, and this time, she had nothing to cry about anymore. Sicario was still the same and her people were healthy, which was more than she had thought possible. And the best part of it all was that despite the time that had passed and the tears he had shed one too many times, her baby was alive. Her Ruru was alive and frankly, that was all that Hawi needed to find the courage to embrace home regardless of what was toe. "Awuor?" Elodie''s voice sliced through the silence. Chapter 587 Tonight We Learn And Love Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire [HAWI] "Felt like a million years, Freya," Mbali admitted as her sister embraced her heartily like it was the first time they were seeing each other. This was a sight that Malika herself would never forget, even as her sister returned her hug. "How have you been? Was it okay away from home? Did you hurt anywhere? Do I need to kill people for you on that side of the realm? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Do you need the dispensary? Is anything wrong? "Are there new fractures?" Mbali asked as she rambled on. She had missed her sister so much that it had driven her a little crazy. It was ever interesting how he had been the most stable of the entire Savasci knights. Then again, she had chosen to have help and not to act on what she was feeling. That shit took a lot of strength and Malika had done her very best. She had been determined to be the sister her sister would be proud of and right now, even as she pulled back from the hug, Malika could only say that she was the kind of sister that made Mbali pound. That was her only wish at the moment anyway. "I''m fine, Freya. I really am fine. Besides, I got someone to take care of mest week before we came home, so I promise, I am fine," Mbali reassured her sister as she turned to look at Amina who was just smiling at her softly. There wasn''t much that the Russel warlock could do right now, other than hope that her and her brother weren''t kicked out. A part of Amina was d that they were all happy but the other was anxious about the Savasci knights changing their minds, now that Hawi was back here. The girl had all the power and if she said the Russels were to leave, no one would offer questions about that, even if it meant heartbreak for them. But was Hawi that cruel a person? Was she maniptive of the bonds that had the people she loved and held dear? Was she really that evil of a devil? Granted, the ma considered her the devil but then was she going to be that to her people now that she hade home? "You okay?" Malika asked and for a moment, Mbali stared at her sister in confusion, only to realize that she was addressing Amina. It was such a small gesture but it made Mbali''s heart swell. Her sister was being warm to her mate and that was more than she could have imagined possible, given the way that they had interacted with her thest time. Perhaps this was all that Mbali needed to be sure that their lives would be better eventually, no matter what they would have to deal with along the way.@@novelbin@@ "Me?" Amina asked in confusion. "Of course. You brought my sister back with you, whatever the circumstances were back there or what actual reason they had toe back. What matters is you came back with her too, thank you," Malika started in earnest and Amina couldn''t hide her shock. This woman right here had hunted her and her family for more than ten centuries. Malika Jabali was everyone''s fear in the realm and for the Russels, she was the huntress who only waited to give the strike. If Malika had had the power to eliminate the Russels, she would have done it without so much as a second thought. It was a truth that seemed trivial, but it was the truth nheless. Amina and her family had changed locations more than ten thousand times in the years that had passed and Malika Jabali had been the cause for that. She had been a cruel hunter, one that preyed on their strengths and weaknesses. A huntress who made them relieve their worst nightmares just because it was fun to see them tormented. Of course, Malika had kept in mind that only the white wolves were tasked with eliminating the enemies, so Malika had made it her personal mission to drive the enemies crazy. If she couldn''t kill them, then she would hunt them for years on end and she did that so well that the realm had gotten to know her as the huntress that never missed. She was the horror of everything cruelty and Amina''s family had long lived in that for the better part of their lives. Oh, they had spent time running away from Malika more than the white wolves who were destined to eliminate them. So, hearing thising from Malika was just a dream she had never thought possible. Maybe time was all that they ought to trust, but even the fates had mentioned the mere fact that they would be spared of the cruel silence of death just because their fates were bound to that of their hunters. Quite the irony that fate had yed then, and Amina couldn''t help but stay mute. She wanted to say something, but she was worried that her words would irk the huntress and she would be back to being hunted again. Oh, how Malika was the cruel protector of the realm. "Uhm¡­" Amina trailed off and Mbali let out a lightugh. "You''re scaring my mate, Freya. That is not nice," Mbali said as she stood before Amina, as if to keep her safe from Malika and Amina didn''t object. If anything, she just let Mbali be her shield, because this time, this was one of the people that the entire realm would be fucked up first before a drop of her blood ever hit the ground. "It''s not intentional this time, I swear it, Lihle," Malika stated in earnest, her eyes softening as she looked at her sister who was smiling from ear to ear. Malika knew it had to be because of Amina and for the hundredth time in the few minutes she had seen the duo, she thanked the goddess for bringing them both back home. "It''s alright," Mbali said as she turned to her mate who was right behind her. She didn''t need to protect her from Malika because they both knew that this wasn''t the time for the both of them to start dealing with the chaos. They had to let themselves be happy, even if it was just for a moment. Surely that wasn''t a lot to ask, right? "Great!" Malika said as she stared at the two women in front of her. They were both wearing smiles and they were genuine through and through. This right here was the one thing that got Malika clinging to the hope that her sister was truly happy. Maybe it was a far stretch for the both of them, but something had to give this time, right? The three centuries that passed were the longest of all the centuries that Malika hadn''t seen her sister. Now she really did understand what Mbali must have felt all those years when she was alone in the world. "I won''t lose you again, Lihle¡­ never again," Malika added and Mbali stared at her in understanding. She knew where Malika wasing from and frankly, this was sweet of her sister. Perhaps this was also the start of a better life, right? "I know, Freya, I know," Mbali responded reassuringly, as she knew that her sister was speaking the truth this time. Chapter 590 Even Wild Hearts Had Hope Lingering [HAWI] "... What you believed in was worth giving up our lives for and that was what we did. Fate always has different uses for us, and that is what happened that night. All I can say is thank you for letting us all fight in your war, it was an honor," Rio stated with pride. He had no regrets about the war. Sure, he had lost his friend there but that was something they had to face. They had agreed to the chaos and they had reaped the consequences of it all. It was not like their friends were forgotten. If anything, in the three months that Hawi had spent mourning her Rukiya''s death in silence, Hawi had built a memorial park for the people who had been lost in the war. She had done it to make sure that the fallen are never forgotten. For someone who had been in her worst state, she had stood up for them and they had nothing but thanks for her. She had loved them truly and they did over her and her determination. She made them heroes in a world where he needed more, and they had stepped up in every way along with the warrior of Sicario. "I¡­ I don''t know what to say. I spent years mourning our fallen and preparing myself to let those filled with vengeancee at me. I thought it was the only way for them to ease their pain for their fallen friends, and now¡­ I just didn''t think you guys would forgive me for this. "I checked the links and tried to feel every emotion and yet all I get is love and love. It is too much and scary, and yet for some reason, hearing this from you makes me want to believe that the love felt real," Hawi admitted and the knights smiled at her. They knew how hard this had to have been for her and they appreciated all her efforts of trying to make it all better. It wasn''t going to be easy and they had long known that, but at least this time, they were together too, right? "Like I said, you gave us more than anyone would have in a time of war. Alphas are known to call for assessments and give speeches after wars and that''s all they can do. But you did more than that.@@novelbin@@ "You took care of us, and our wounds. You exhaled us even though you were writing to. It takes a really brave person to do that and we are well aware of that too. That''s why we strive to live better lives. I honestly have nothing toin about. Sure, I will miss my friends but I also got new friends, and a mate who cares about me more than I ever thought possible. This is the kind of love I never would have felt if you built us our ship and we went back to the waters. "So many good things came out of the war and we have you to thank for that," Rio said and Hawi visibly rxed. She was not sure what was happening, but she could only hope that whoever was in pain, would be able to heal. She had suffered for years on end because of her Rukiya and she understood well what grief could mean for a person. She wouldn''t fight, and she''s going to keep her word. Of course, not everyone could be as forgiving as Rio and Hawi braced herself for that too even as she smiled at them. "The¡ª" Hawi began and Adolf interrupted her. "I am the ddest that you are back," Adolf said and the knights let out knowing groans, almost like they had been expecting this from the moment that Hawi stepped foot into Sicario. From their groans, it was not something that was dangerous or stressworthy, but clearly, Adolf was stressed enough times for them to react like this. Deep down, they all were d that Adolf had interrupted Hawi. They knew she was always going to be thankful for them and all that they did, but they did to her to be sending her life wallowing in ingratitude for what they had done because of her. They wanted her to live her life which wouldn''t be easy if she kept on thinking that all they had done was a favor for her and that she had to pay her back. That wasn''t how things worked and frankly, they knew she was truly thankful for that. "We''re going to need a lot of food and music in the background if we don''t want people looking at us like we lost our minds. This man right here will make it so, so please, let''s get everyone food first," Theo said and Adolf just let out a whine. However, he didn''t mind that they were asking for some minutes of quiet for them to settle. They had been here for a while and clearly with the warm atmosphere for a night that usually has cold, they would have all the time in the world to make do with that. "Amina and I will get the food for everyone," Trey suggested and the knights just nodded. "Careful with the kids, they might eat more food," Sherry added. "No worries, we''ll prepare enough for everyone," Amina said as she and her brother got up, but not before she kissed Mbali''s forehead, a sweet little gesture that Trey also left on Hudhayfah. It was obvious that they were lovers in love and the knights were happier for them. None of the even thought to assume that the Russel siblings would want them dead or try to fuck around with their people. If anything, they trusted them wholly even with their food, which was something that wouldn''t have happened three hundred years ago. This was an improvement of the past and Hawi was a g at how everyone was rxed with the Russels. It gave her hope that someday home would beplete when she brought back her Ruru. This was proof of their humanity and she wouldn''t dare to question it. They were trusted by her knights and that was all that Hawi needed. "If you guys need help, we are here just let us know," Hawi offered and they gave her a thumbs up to let her know that they would if they needed to. And so, the siblings walked out and the knights just turned to Adolf the chief whiner. "Where was I?" Adolf asked and the knights let outughs as they stared at him incredulously. He was the one with theints and whatever he had in mind and was seeking help for that too? Was he perhaps losing his mind in the process? "You were d to see me," Hawi said, even though a part of her could feel she was opening an insane pandora. She knew it wouldn''t be dangerous, so what was the worst that her mate''s beta would have for her, right? "Ah, yeah. I have missed you with all of my heart. I have been waiting for you for years, my precious queen. Could you please¡­ pretty please go to Olyana and sit on your throne? That queen Kia is a pain in my ass each day. I think she hates us," Adolf began determinedly. Hawi choked on air. Chapter 593 Sinking Slowly Like In A Trance [HAWI] Night did change to morning a little faster than Hawi had anticipated. As her friends had partied and even found themselves sleeping, Hawi had stayed wide awake like she wasn''t in the mood to get some rest. Her mind was gued with thoughts of the girl she had loved with all of her. She wondered whether her Ruru was sleeping well at night or if she was tossing and turning wondering if her lost enemies would evere. Part of the deal that she had made with Islinda demanded that the queen be reminded that she had lost her memories and that they would eventuallye back to her with time. It was something that was meant to give her Ruru hope so that if she ever got shes of memories, she wouldn''t think that she was going insane. It was a selfless act but Hawi felt like she had been very selfish with her Ruru. She would have just made the decision herself and taken back her Ruru, but the humanitarian crisis beyond Sicario that she triggered was something that he was determined to fix first so it wouldn''t burden her Ruru. Maybe there woulde a better day for her and her Ruru but until then, Hawi would spend the rest of her lonely life thinking of the wolf who made her smile without putting in so much effort. "She didn''t sleep the entire night," the wolves whispered among themselves, their hearts shattering for the girl who had lost more than they could all ever imagine. None of them would ever bring her the sce she needed and they knew that too. Perhaps that''s why they had spent the night taking shifts to keep herpany, Hawi had already noticed that because even her friend had taken shifts in sleeping just to make sure she didn''t feel alone. Granted, they didn''t say anything in the time of their shirt other than act like they were staying awake and wanted to keep parking. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire But Hawi knew this a little too well. Granted, her heart had swelled at the thought of them keeping herpany, but she knew that they couldn''t do this forever. She didn''t want them to be walking on eggshells around her because that wouldn''t be fair to them too. They had families they needed to take care of and Hawi and the knights to keep her sane. Surely that was enough for her, right? "Good morning," she said to the wolves who were watching her intently.@@novelbin@@ "Morning alpha," they responded in unison before they went back to doing what they had been doing best, which was to watch over the broken girl. Hawi wanted to exin to them that she was fine, but she had a feeling they wouldn''t believe her. She wasn''t fine but only because she missed Ruru so much it was almost driving her nuts. ''They''re so kind, eh?'' Hawi thought to herself as she felt like everything was about to finally make sense. The wolves were treating her like she was not the girl who had fought the war and hurt them the most. But then like the knights had not talked about the chaos, so would Hawi not attempt it. There was no use going back to the past and depriving themselves of the possible happiness that the present would bring. However, deep down, Hawi was preparing herself for the moment that she would have to talk to them because they hadn''t been camping out there just because they had nothing better to do. They needed to tell her and she needed to say something, but would she be able to? Oh, it was a challenge and Hawi wondered if they would be satisfied with whatever they had to say to them. It was a challenge and she wasn''t about to act like it wasn''t scaring the fuck out of her at the moment anyway. "Good morning my neighbors!!!" Rio shouted, waking up everyone who had still been sleeping. His voice reverberated across the entirety of the new Sicario and it felt like someone was trying to blow their brains off, a gesture that they all didn''t appreciate. The knights were eager to react as they cussed him and threw pillows at him, making the poor warrior run to hide somewhere among the people, but the reactions were the same. And soon it was chaos because the entire camp was awake and they were after Rio or cussing him out for being insufferable in the morning. They ran around for half an hour before Amina silenced them all by offering food. It was an offer so simple but one that got everyone back in line, once again proving to the Russel siblings that where food was involved, the Savasci knights were goners. Anyone would think they were starving when in the real sense, they could conjure their food whenever they wanted to and felt like doing so. But where would the fun be in that, right? "Sit at your tables or you won''t get shit," Amina wanted with a smile and the new Sicario wolves obediently listened to Amina. Just like the previous night, they weren''t scared about getting poisoned by the Russel siblings. It was like suddenly they didn''t have differentst names and were just here as onemunity which was the new Sicariomunity. It was a beautiful sight, even as they faced each other and embraced the change like it was nothing. Hawi''s heart swelled at the sight once again, the unity making her feel steady once again. She wanted to say so much, and do so much, but she had juste back home, and she could tell that her people didn''t want her straining herself. What the hell was she supposed to do? ''Oh goddess, what is happening?'' Hawi asked herself when she felt her eyes water and her sight get blurry. It was honestly strange to her that she almost felt like there was somethinging for her people. So instinctively, she conjured her des, careful not to draw the attention of her people and her friends but they knew her a little too well. "You''re okay, Hawi. No one ising again, you''re okay," Elodie said softly to her sister who was looking at her in shock and confusion. It was ament of weakness for Hawi and it broke their hearts at how defensive she was ready to get. Mbali, who had been watching Hawi in silence, felt her heart break for the girl before them. It had been so many years since she had seen Hawi like that and she knew that it always happened because she was overwhelmed with emotions. That was also how Mbali knew that right now, the only emotion that could have Hawi in that state was rted to Rukiya Greyson. It was a thought that hurt to the core and Mbali could only pray to the goddess to heal her friend. "I¡­ I don¡­ I¡­" Hawi fumbled her words and Eelodiejust pulled her into a hug. She knew that this wasn''t easy for her sister and hoped that Hawi would let her in along with the others. They would find a way to help her, if she needed to. "I''m sorry¡­ I just¡­ Ruru would have loved to see us like this," Hawi sniffled. And in that gentle noon, Hawi shed her first tear home. Chapter 596 Ill Find You, No Matter Who I Fight [KIA] The pce walls were silent after the Queen''s return. Queen Kia had not said a word to her people like she always did which was strange and even more confusing because the pce was used to a beaming queen. Perhaps it was because of all that had happened in Hernia but even that made sense because Kadiam and Dumi had felt the memory reset. They didn''t say a word though because they had been here before and they knew the procedure. But Kia not talking to them made it harder for them to understand whether she remembered what had happened or if she was just the silent queen they had gotten to meet this time. "Your majesty, the girl¡ª" Kadiam began when the queen was heading to her chambers. That girl was the only reason that the queen would stop everything and change her mind but this time she just stared at him, her eyes empty and unreadable like the world was suddenly shifting from ck and white to a myriad of things that she couldn''t understand. It wasn''t normal but did Queen Kia even know that part of her life at the moment though? "¡­ Is asleep and you have no official business following me to my chambers. Get out," Kia said, her tone colder than Kadiam had ever heard from her in the past three hundred years. It was the kind that got chills running down the protector''s body and he faltered for a moment. This was something he had not expected, and the fact that there was no smile on the Queen''s face was also something that honestly scared the living lights out of him. This was not how things were meant to be and Kadiam didn''t see himself having a good enough reason toy forward to the werewolf queen.@@novelbin@@ "As you wish, Your Majesty," Kadiam said, only to realize that Kia had stopped or waited for his response. Instead, she mmed the door to her chambers so loudly that the pce walls shook. This was not supposed to happen, and that too at such an early hour of the night. Beyond her walls, the werewolves and protectors were not sure what the fuck had happened to the queen but they all had the same thought this time; the queen looked like Rukiya Greyson, even in the way that her eyes had scanned them earlier that day. There was the disdain that had always been in Ruru''s eyes over the years for what she despised and they had seen that today. An amnesiac queen wouldn''t know her true nature, so this was shut out of their reach. Would they be able to survive her though, if she happened to have all the memories? "Hawi?" the queen asked herself for the first time since the mind link had opened up suddenly. She hadn''t expected such a thing because of her amnesia, obviously, but the mind link that had been opened suddenly made way for all her memories toe back to her. She had seen the way the people around her had been aching when she was without her memories and it pissed her the hell off because they hadn''t even dared to mention that Hawi was back in the werewolf realm. Then again, maybe they hadn''t expected that she would remember anything just like she herself hadn''t expected it. All of that had been so fast and as she stared at the door, she had mmed. She wasn''t sure what else was being hidden from her. What Rukiya could appreciate herself for, however, was the fact that she had maintained herposure with everyone. She hadn''t slipped up and she had mentioned the fact that her memories had been forced back on her. "I miss you so much, my beautiful," the werewolf queen heard Hawi whisperzily, and that was also how she knew that the mind link opening up was never Hawi''s intention. The love of her life was so defeated that she had left herself in the hands of fate, which always happened whenever Hawi was tired or scared of losing Ruru and she didn''t know what to do about it. "I miss you too, baby, so much," Ruru whispered determinedly as she looked at the pale walls that stood between her and her woman. Her first instinct back there was to create a portal to the new Sicario and embrace Hawi. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire For three hundred years her mate carried the burden of her demise and it was something that Rukiya was starting to hate herself for. Her amnesia had made her mate disappear and run away, as she recalled what Kadiam and Dumi had told her of the most unhinged white wolf that ever lived. They had talked about Hawi so cruelly, like Hawi was just another social experiment by the goddess that had fine wiring. They spoke of the love of her life like Hawi was all insanity and unlovable when in reality Rukiya understood her more than anything. Her heart was broken for Hawi and as she looked at the walls once again, she made herself a promise to ding the love of her life and bring back her smile. It wasn''t going to be easy given Rukiya didn''t know that Hawi knew she was alive, but she was determined to let her know. She would do whatever it took to make sure that all was well for the girl she loved with everything she had and didn''t have. "I''lle for you, please wait for me," Rukiya said onest time before she shut the mind links. As much as she wanted them to open up for hermunication with Hawi, she wouldn''t want to risk having Hawi burn everyone who dared to mess with Ruru. I was the only thing that Rukiya could do for the both of them while she braced herself for the possible exnation of why she had made the sacrifice. For years she had questioned the cause of her amnesia and she had been told that she had been in the long war and that the crazy white wolf had hurt her. And for years she had spent her life worrying about the return of the crazy white wolf who was deserving of the throne. Of course, Kadiam hadforted her then, and told her that the wild woman never wanted the throne and that was why she was there, but now that Ruru thought of all the lies they had been spun to her amnesiac self, Rukiya felt herself gag. They had made her woman out to be the worst of all monsters when in reality she had given up everything so the realm could be bnced. "I''m sorry, Hawi," Rukiya whispered to no one as she thought of her mate. She knew she was the most important person in Hawi''s life and she expected that Hawi would burn down everything. Of course, there was no denying that the thought had obviously crossed Hawi''s mind, but the fact that she had chosen to leave, to walk away just to heal first, instead of burning down everything that reminded her of Ruru, spoke a lot of how Hawi had changed over the years. Oh, how Rukiya was proud of her mate. She knew it had to have taken a lot of strength for Hawi and she appreciated that fact a little too much. Then again, she was the girl with the most powerful mate in the entire realm, she had earned the right to be proud of Hawi, and the right to love the girl who had taken her to so many highs without breaking her heart. "I''ll find you, I swear it," Rukiya mumbled as he forced herself to sleep. She knew it wasn''t going to be easy and that all eyes would be on the both of them, but so much time had passed and Hawi had been hurt for the longest time. She had to make things right for her, for the girl who never stopped looking and hoping to see her again. She had to find the girl who had mourned her for three centuries and never once stopped because of her woman. That right there was the girl she loved and she didn''t care if the moon goddess would try to keep them apart. She didn''t care if the universe would try to fuck up their bond because she wouldn''t stop like thest time. This time, Rukiya would fight for Hawi. Chapter 598 Perhaps Some Were Just Daring? [KIA] "¡­ They did what no one had managed to do in tens of thousands of years and suddenly you are confident about what this could be for Rukiya Alone?" Dumi said with a disbelievingugh. He couldn''t believe how dumb this bunch of people were willing to be. It was one thing to be in denial and another to choose to be a piece of shit that was so dumb the universe wouldn''t align in their favor. No one in their right mind would want to be on the wrong side of Awuor Sicario and her mate and yet they were here acting like three hundred years had been enough for the crazy Sicario girl to have changed and gotten mute and soft. Perhaps it was the price of insanity for them because what the hell were they even supposed to make of this? "They had their time¡ª" the council member began, only to be stopped by Kadiam''s sudden m on the table. He looked pressed and defeated because he knew that this was not the time for them to be trying to make shit make sense. They couldn''t even reach out to the goddess because there were just some things that were too shameful for them to even start talking about with their creator. "That''s enough. We have our orders and we have an hour. If you want to risk the safety of your pack members you are free to do that but don''t think the protectors are going to join your insanity. "The protectors are sworn to protect the white wolf, and in case you forgot that, the White wolf in this case is Awuor Sicario. She is in the realm and just pray she doesn''t point us in your direction, because you won''t even have a tongue left to defy her if that timees. "Now finish your breakfast in silence and do what is expected of you," Kadiam said with a tone of finality. He was shocked at the exchange by Rukiya but he didn''t deny that plotting against the white wolf wouldn''t end well for all of them, especially if Baie already knew that the woman in the pce was her mate.@@novelbin@@ This was just him trying to save the lives of all the people at this table and more. The stakes were too high and the risks wouldn''t be worth it. The sooner they realize that, the easier it would be for them to get through theing days. They all definitely didn''t want to make an enemy out of Hawi. That woman was insane personified and she was a way for home for so long that no one honestly knew what she was capable of anymore. And that made her even more dangerous. "Fine if you insist. But I still think we could have gotten far by leveraging the amnesia queen. Besides, who knows if this is just another episode of hers when she has her identity crises and she isn''t sure of what that means and tries to wiggle her way with threats?" the councilman from earlier said and Kadiam tsked. This wasn''t the time for them to be taking such stupid gambles. There had been asions when Ruru regained her memory but in all those times she hadn''t threatened to go to Sicario let alone talk about the child they had forced on her. That was the only reason why Kadiam was sure that this time her memory wasn''t going to be fucked up again. It was impossible and they just had to wait and see. And so defeated they all dispersed after breakfast and readied themselves for whatever wasing. There was no telling what Hawi would do but one thing they were certain about was the fact that regardless of what needed to be done this wasn''t the time to be with Awuor Sicario. This was the time for them to be careful and steady in their ns. "Your majesty, it is done as you ordered," Kadiam greeted half an hourter when he was summoned by the wine to apany her to Sicario. It was an honor on one end but I thought it was a test for Kadiam. He knew that he could be killed by this woman since he had not been that straight up with her, but he was counting on the fact that despite what she had gone through as an amnesiac queen, she would remember the fact that they had nursed her back to life. And that too at a time when her immortality had be a pain and her bond to Hawi had been her greatest weakness. Still, there was no justification for what they had dined and that was what was eating at Kadiam even until now. Maybe, just maybe Rukiya Greyson wouldn''t doom him, right? "We''ll be going with my portal. If we go with yours, we won''t get through the wards of Sicario and you might actually really die from it all. As much as it is a tempting idea, I am not in the mood to soil my wear right now," Rukiya said ignoring what he had just said about the portal and the kid that she ordered returned, and Kadiam chuckled. Even when angry, Rukiya Greyson was still the same age. Maybe those were things that never changed because they were a part of who she truly was. The universe was a bit tricky for them over the tears but in all that time they had created binds that sanity would be jealous of too. Maybe that was also why a part of Kadiam was excited to see this new version of Ruru ¡ª well it was still the version he had known before the amnesia episode but still, it was new to them again ¡ª and see how it would impact all of them and the gates altogether. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire "Alright your majesty," Kadiam said. Rukiya cringed at that, like it wasn''t something that she had expected from Kadiam. Perhaps an aspect of her still looked at Kadiam like a protector who was simply doing his job and making sure the realm was in the right hands, right? "Just because I have all my memories doesn''t mean you address me like some soulless bastard," Rukiya said but Kadiam wasn''t sure if that was a good idea. He had seen the woman in action more than once and he couldn''t even think to say anything about it this time. Perhaps he just needed time to get through the day, no? Then again, no matter how things got this wasn''t going to be easy for him, seeing as he and Dumi were the ones who hade with her from Sicario back then. There were so many things that they needed to keep in mind and Kadiam was right to be scared. This was the craziest time of the year for him and no one wasing to save him. And so, in silence, he watched as the werewolf queen created a portal back to Sicario. He wanted to stay behind and not face the wrath of Hawi, but he knew he owed it to Rukiya to be the one to get her back home. After all, whatever fate there was for him he could only hope that Malika was there to save him. Maybe it was a crazy time to hope but a man with nothing to hold onto, Kadiam knew he had to think, and fast. "Goddess help us all," Kadiam said as they both went through the portal.