RYKER “ I did what you asked. I sent her away to the city and asked Jacob to keep her… ” Zio trails off, not knowing how to say it aloud. I continue staring at the surface of my desk, never looking up, or paying much attention to the pitiable look he refuses to wash away from his eyes. “ I didn’t know she will do it again. I thought— ” “ You thought you will cover it up so good that I will never find out. ” I sigh, rubbing the shell of my left ear tiredly. “ I am sorry. I am…I don’t know what to tell you. I really thought everything was going to be fine and no one needed to get hurt. ” He lets out in a dull tone. “ I don’t want to hear excuses. ” I pick my head, directing my blank gaze at him. “ Alpha, I— ” “ Shut it, Zio. Do not cross the line again. ” I state, remaining calm but my eyes do flash grey as my wolf lingers at the edge of breaking out. “ Right. We have bigger issues to take care of. The council is on its way. They will be here tomorrow. ” He nods, his shoulders
NATALIE“ Did you really get rid of your sister, Zio? ” I ask, staring out the glass wall.“ She won’t interfere anymore. ” He sighs, repeating the same shit for the third time.I don’t know why I am not at ease even after finding out about it. I dreamt about something again and don’t feel good about it.“ Can you…do something for me? ” I whisper, facing him.Zio stiffens, his eyes fixed on me. He was tense when I first sent Jake to bring him to me but he looks better now, more composed and less agitated because he knows he doesn’t need to give me any explanations or excuses about what he did. It doesn’t matter to me.“ I will have to. ” He shrugs his shoulders.My eyes droop, my heart skipping a cruel beat. “ Kill the witch. ” “ What? ” He frowns.“ Send someone and get rid of Gertrude. ” I straighten up.“ But Alpha— ”“ She knows too much. ” I cut him off. “ Kill her before the council comes. You can ask Ryker if you want. I am sure he will want the same thing. ” “ So Alpha told
NATALIE“ Uhh! So you two knew you were mates yet you didn’t tell anyone about it? ” The twins snicker in unison.We just arrived at the official pack house of our pack and like Jake had informed Ryker, the four very familiar originals are already waiting for us in the main hall.Seeing their young faces make my insides twist with nervousness. My gaze lingers on Fredrick. His lips are morphed into one of the most horrible victorious smirks I have ever come across in my life. It’s the smirk that tells the opponent they have lost without even fighting.“ We suspected that much. ” The twins break the heavy silence and settle down on the couch, leaving Fredrick and Abraham standing near the window.“ What brings you all here in the middle of the night? ” Ryker questions, remaining as calm as someone like him can be right now.Fredrick’s smirk never falters as he directs his gaze at me. I breathe, slowly, deeply, and try my best to not let my heartbeat skyrocket.“ You proved to be quite s
NATALIE“ You planned everything. ” Fredrick hisses, sitting across from me in Ryker’s house.“ Of course I did. ” Ryker scoffs.I lean back, tilting my head and casting Ryker a side glance. He is smug because the originals took the bait and fell for his little trick.Now, the whole pack is witness to what I said, how I shifted, and how these originals couldn’t deny my claim.If they deny my claim now, they will be going against Moon Goddess’ will, and all that bullshit about always following the Goddess’ will end up being proved wrong. And if anyone of them tries to kill me or Ryker openly, they will end up in a fucking hilarious situation where no one will ever support them. Originals never turn against their kind, the Moon Goddess’ decision, and never try to hurt the other original ever. These are the operational rules that they all must abide by.“ Can you really talk to… ” Abraham trails off, catching my attention.My brows lift, wondering what he wanted to say, and refrained fr
NATALIE“ Now we only have to make sure there is no evidence, no witness and there is nothing they can use— ”Pacing around anxiously in our room, I gasp when I hit Ryker’s body. He catches me, his hands holding onto my upper arms to steady me.“ Calm down. Stress is not good for your health. ” He whispers.I pick my head, staring at him with my complaining eyes. “ How can I calm down right now? Did you really think it was necessary to shift the focus on you and get me on the council? ”Ryker throws me a tight-lipped, unsure smile. “ It was the best way. ” “ You used yourself as bait. ” I shake my head and step back.Ryker’s hands fall from my arms, allowing me to step back until my aching back is resting against the wall. “ Don’t worry, Babylove. There is no one testifying against me. They have no way to prove me a hybrid. Once you get on the council, the trial will only be a formality. We will know who did what and this war will end before starting. ” Ryker sighs, trying to convin
ANNE Something is going on. Zero is not in the pack. He left last night when I was fucking sleeping.I woke up today to find him gone and council puppets swarming the place. They searched the whole pack house, without the Alpha’s permission and no one from this Goddess damned pack objected. They all dislike Zero, it seems. Not that I care but still, there should be some rules even when it comes to being evil. “ Where is the Alpha? ” The old man, one of the werewolves who works under the originals to maintain the council’s order in the werewolf community asks for the fourth time.“ I don’t know. ” I shrug my shoulders, giving him the same answer.For some reason, he doesn’t believe me and has me tied to a chair in the dungeons, about to torture the unknown answer out of me.Now you know why I am so salty about it. “ Let me ask for the last— ”“ Fuck you! ” I cut him off, smiling sweetly at him while I twist my hands to get out of the silver chains holding me down.Uh yes. I can sme
RYKER “ So they took control of the North Forest Pack? ” I sigh, stealing a glance at Anne who is glaring at me for some reason. “ Of course. The Alpha was not there to stop them so they took control of everything. ” She hisses, answering me instead of Zio. “ Go get treated at the infirmary. ” I dismiss her. Her squinted eyes return to their original almond shape as she takes in a deep breath. Blood is dripping down her finger, her burned wrists, ankles but it doesn’t seem to be affecting her. “ Let me know if there is anything you need from me. ” She states before leaving me alone with Zio in the office. When the door closes, I turn to face Zio. “ Why did you go there? ” “ Luna asked me to bring her. ” He says as a matter of fact. “ I, too, asked you to call fucking Rhianna over here. Did you do it? ” I snap at him. “ Her phone was switched off. The people following her said she was at home so I sent someone to bring her. ” He whispers, the tension between us growing. I rub
RYKER“ Alpha. ” Zio tries to grab my shoulders and get me off Fredrick, whose face is now bloody, his jaw and nose dislocated.I lift my fist again, hitting him straight in his face, his eyes bashing in, the flesh tearing off. I can see his smashed bones now and it’s still not soothing, not nearly enough.“ Ryker. ” Natalie gasps from somewhere behind and finally, I find myself coming back to my senses.Dropping the asshole on the floor, I wipe my blood-stained hands on my jeans and turn around to face her.She is not looking at me. Her wide eyes are fixed on Fredrick. He is not conscious. I am sure his neck snapped. He won’t die though. Unless I get his head off his shoulders and burn all his filthy body down, he will come back to life. Fucking Goddess gave originals, vampire-like powers. The gift of immortality.“ What did you do? ” She rushes forward, pushing past me angrily and crouching down near the bastard.“ He is alive. ” I hiss, my eyes landing on Zio. He has placed Rhiann