Deacon The room’s dimmed to just a whisper of light, casting soft shadows across Chloe Jane and our daughter, both of them sleeping soundly. It’s quiet now. The earlier flurry of visitors with their well-wishes and blessings has ebbed away, leaving just the three of us in a peaceful bubble. I’m sitting in a chair pulled up close to the bed, elbows on my knees, chin on my hands, just watching them. Chloe Jane’s got this peaceful look on her face, the kind of serenity you don’t often find in the waking world. And our daughter, nestled in her little bassinet next to her, is just as tranquil. It’s a picture I wish I could frame, keep safe forever. I lean back; the chair creaking softly under my weight, and let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. It’s moments like these, rare and fleeting, that make you ponder the grand scheme of things. The Creators had a plan for me, a path laid out since the dawn of my existence. Being a Horseman comes with its burdens, its expectatio
Phoebe The forest always feels like a different world, a place where I can shed the weight of expectations and just be Phoebe. Not Phoebe, the daughter of Horseman Conquest and A Fate, not the leader-in-waiting of the next generation, just... me. Here, I can escape the destiny that’s been mine since before I was born. It’s a heavy crown, one that requires me to be more than I sometimes feel capable of being. My parents, Goddess bless them, they try to understand, but there’s a part of this journey I have to navigate alone. My brothers, too, they’re caught up in their own destinies, each of us a cog in a machine set in motion before we were even born. Today, the forest feels alive, almost buzzing with a silent energy that speaks directly to my soul. I wander, letting my feet guide me, drawn deeper into the heart of this secluded place. There’s a part of me that dreads returning home, to plaster a smile on my face and pretend all is well. It’s exhausting, playing that role when in
Chloe JaneDarkness has been my constant companion ever since the fateful day my sight was stolen from me. Six years old and not knowing any better, the ones I thought I could trust turned out to be my father’s enemies.Kidnapped and blinded at a young age.How does someone remain positive after a traumatic experience? How do you not feel sorry for yourself after your childhood is perpetually ruined? I suppose if it was anyone else other than me, then that would have happened.But I’ve always been extremely positive in the face of adversity. My mother used to call it my gift from the Goddess, but from a young age I’ve just never been one to wallow or be sad. I knew losing my sight would hinder me, but it would also strengthen my other senses.My hearing and sense of smell are a step above the rest. I can pick up on people not being truthful and condescending toward me, and I’ve helped out my father with a few people and allies lying to him.Is my father a powerful man? Well, he’s an o
RuinWar-torn battlefields and the stench of death have been my home for centuries, carving scars on my soul that mirror the carnage I’ve witnessed—and caused. A creature of destruction, condemned to forever walk this earth.Before this lifetime they used to speak my name in whispers. I was known as Conquest, the rider on the white horse. The first Horsemen to signify the end times, but oh, how wrong they were. We’ve been here since the Gods created us; watching, waiting.Now they call me Ruin; Wolf shifter and Beta to Alpha Ryker, or rather, The Pale Rider. Every few millennia, we reincarnate as different supernatural creatures, coming into our true power when our human vessels reach the age of eighteen.Beneath my hardened exterior lies a heart burdened by the weight of the lives I've taken. I am the aftermath of chaos, the aftermath of war, and the start of it all.How many people can you kill before you become disillusioned with everything? I know The Creators had a purpose when t
Chloe JaneThis dress feels like it’s sitting too tight on me, but Kim assured me that it’s not. I’ll be meeting my supposed fiance in the next few minutes and for someone who is calm most of the time, I am feeling incredibly nervous.Not because I’ll be meeting him, but how uneasy I am about the entire thing. I understand why I need to do this and why it’s been decided for me. But it feels like I’m about to be a pawn in something major and I have no idea how to stop it.I hear my sister’s heart picking up its pace and once again, I wish I could see her. “Are you happy about this, sis?” I ask the question that has been playing on my mind since my father announced this.She’s sort of been avoiding me, and I know it’s guilt on her part. I doubt she wants this for me, but I’m sure she thinks I’ll be safer in a pack with a strong Alpha as my husband. Again, I catch a spike of anxiety in her scent, but I know my sister … she won’t be honest about her feelings with me. Taking my hand, she
Chloe JaneLast night’s bodyguard introduction went as well as you’d expect. From my father introducing me to the man who has the charming name of Ruin, to him grunting in response. My sister led me inside and didn’t even ask why I’d been there in the first place.Now it’s morning and I’m blindly staring up at my ceiling, knowing he’s on the other side of my bedroom door. My father apparently trusts this man for some reason, and since he’s seemingly making decisions for me, there’s not much else I can do. Besides, I got more of an odd feeling from Alpha Mason than … Ruin. Gods, I don’t think I can call him that name. Does he have a normal name, I wonder?My stomach rumbles and I breathe out an annoyed sigh, knowing I’ll need to go out there to eat something. Well, I’ve never been one to back down from a confrontation, so here goes nothing!I get up from the bed and inch forward towards where I know my door is. My hands are shaking so much from nervousness, and that anxiety just incr
RuinI’m pacing the bedroom that will be mine for the next few months, trying to keep my cool and failing miserably. “WHY DIDN’T YOU BLOODY TELL ME?!”I’m on a call with Ryker right now and I don’t give a shit if he is my superior, he knew what he was setting me up for when he sent me here. He knew this woman was my biggest regret and still he sent me here.“Can you calm down so I can speak?” he says in a low voice, quelling my anger with his tone alone. “I told you to keep an open mind, didn’t I?”I scoff. “An open mind? That’s what you call this, mate? You knew what I was walking into and you kept quiet about the entire thing!”“What does it matter whether I told you or not? You would still have had to go on this fucking mission, Ruin,” he says, bordering on a growl, then he sighs. “Listen, I know this is going to be difficult, but it’s only for six months.”I sit down on the bed and pinch the bridge of my nose. “No, it’s more complicated than that,” I say, gritting my teeth. “Turn
Chloe JaneI didn’t think things could get any worse, but now I realize that my sister has been keeping things from me. It’s not only the fact that she kept the baby thing from me, but I could tell there’s more. Kim isn’t being honest about things for some reason, and she’s mad at me for something as well. I wish I could tell what was going on, because now it feels like everyone is lying to me.Well, everyone except Ruin.I don’t know why that even counts. He’s just my bodyguard, paid to look out for me, protect me and keep me alive. Basically a glorified babysitter. No, I can’t depend on him, either. I need to find out what’s going on before I go insane and preferably before I get married.I can hear footsteps approaching my bedroom, one foot slightly dragging and I know it’s my father. Great, Kim must have told him that I knew about the baby thing now he’s coming to explain himself to me. Guess I have to get my nod and smile routine ready.Three knocks. “CJ honey, can I come in?” M