Luca caught Arlen mid-air, landing lightly on the roof while Arlen demanded to be released. "This is why I told you to stay home," Luca grumbled. "I would have a better shot at it if you stopped hounding me around. I do not need your help!" Arlen barked in his partner's face. Earlier, he felt a burning sensation spreading in his chest. It caused him to lose sight of his surroundings - which nearly cost him. Zavian soldiers were yet to arrive, and the people were in a panic. No one was safe in their homes. The undead monsters had no qualms about breaking down buildings to find prey. Luca had a plan. Taking down the biggest threats would ease the pressure, but Arlen chose to digress. "No. That will be messy, and you can’t save everyone. Let’s lure the ghouls out of town. Then we can finish them off," Arlen proposed, believing this idea was the better option. Luca: "How do you suggest we do that?" Arlen: "Blood spells. I will be the distraction while you-" Luca: "No." Arlen: "Thi
The sun had graciously reclined when the rains cleared. The servants stared at the cellar doors in anticipation, half scared and confused. There were no signs of their masters' return. Hart manned up, volunteering to go out there to check if the monsters were gone. A few others agreed to go with him, armed with pitchforks and any hard, swingable objects they could find. They spread out through the compound, careful and afraid. It was a slow journey until they made it to the main gates. Their hearts lurched when there was a sudden bang. Hart hesitated, wanting to be sure these were not more fierce corpses. "Is anybody home?!" There was a thick voice, more alive than dead. Against the others' suggestions, Hart clung to his weapon and approached. He slumped against the door, relieved to find the king's men had come. They received the much-awaited news: the situation had been tamed. When the guards inquired about the owners, Hart explained that they had gone out during the a
The journey out of Cloverdale was not so stressful. Luca did not worry so much because his mate ‘behaved’. The omega was glued to him at all times, which brought peace to his heart. But that was before they entered a small town in the neighboring kingdom. Arlen was back to his old tricks in no time, and Luca had to keep him on a leash. The town ran on a curfew due to frequent paranormal attacks, which affected their livelihoods. Arlen and Luca decided to dine outside their place of rest. Unfortunately, Luca could not stand the eyes following his omega. And the waiter was too chatty for his liking. “Let’s eat elsewhere.” Luca stood up out of the blue. “Huh? But the food just arrived.” “It’s not to my liking,” Luca insisted. He paid for what they ordered and then took his bride away. Arlen, hungry and tired, was a ticking time bomb when his mate forced them out of other joints in a similar fashion. If Arlen laughed at anyone’s harmless compliment, Luca would lose his appetite.
Ingram There were unsettling things happening in the shadows. Things that soon became clear to General Zariah after being attacked herself. Going to the King without concrete proof would worsen her image and relationship with another member of the Braddock family, so she continued her investigation discreetly. Zariah trusted the elite beastmen she had trained in the past. But now she began to feel that their loyalty had been compromised. “The Crown Prince left the capital days ago, and none of you thought it wise to inform me?” She sat in the throne room, supporting her head with her knuckles, trying to conceal her anger. “We assumed the General was already aware of this,” said the guard under query. “And you’re sure he left with Reed?” Zariah was baffled as to when these two became close. When the Prince returned, he swore nothing but hatred for Reed and his group. “Send word to the men at the border. No one grants the Prince passage.” Zariah said. While the soldiers acted on
Agnor, Sutcliffe, Beaumont, Ajax, Loughty, Braddock. These were the households ruling the six great kingdoms in Slora. Headed by some of the most muscular werewolves to walk the land, the clans lived in harmony, feared and revered by all. When famine and a mysterious disease break out, everyone- be it a beastman, a unique or an ordinary person, is at risk of being taken by the icy hands of death. The Braddocks, regarded as the weakest amongst the six great packs, rose above all and sailed through the crisis like it never took place. However, that success brought about unsavoury suspicions. Rumours about their leader using dark magic to grow his kingdom diffused into the air until it no longer became hearsay. At the tiniest hint of proof, all but the house of Loughty schemed and attacked a family, accusing them of causing the deadly plague. Caeser Braddock stood his ground, but his wife did not survive the ordeal, leaving behind an eight-year-old yet to present. Heartbroken, the wid
"Arlen." Ari's voice echoes through the room until her figure comes into view. Setting the basket on the table, she approaches the person lying on his belly, stripped of his upper garment. Julius placed another hot towel on Arlen's back and stepped aside. Ari was the elder of the Loughty siblings. Her calm and loving nature was compared to no other. As an omega, Ari loved caring for the people around her, especially Arlen. She was his biggest weapon against Rufus. "Sister." Arlen conjures an ugly cry when Ari feels his forehead. "Arlen, you shouldn't have snuck out...and swimming? You could have gotten hurt," she said. Ari removes the towel and dips it back into warm water. After a couple of squeezes, she lays it on Arlen's waistline. "Auch! Rufus punished me for nearly two hours," Arlen said. "Rufus does so because he cares. You should have seen how distraught he was when he discovered you were not home." "Hmph!" Arlen grunts. It's not that he was oblivious; he was only playing
"That was close!" Julius fell beside his master. Stealing two bottles of wine from the cellar was the easy part. Nearly bumping into Rufus was their reason for running. " How come you're not out of breath?" Jules consoled his heaving chest with deep gusts. " I am a Braddock; I never get tired," Arlen smirked. His profound boasting nearly earned him a knock on the head. This was his doing. "Whatever, let me quench my thirst. Here, have this." Julius drowns that urge with mercy. He handed the first bottle to Arlen and rushed the second down his throat. Arlen wiped the excess booze trickling down the corner of his mouth. A silent grin perched on his face when he tried to determine why that alpha looked so stiff. 'Luca Beaumont, I bet you would look scarier with a smile on that face. Who else can survive such a miracle if not me?' He sent the bottle to his lips, keeping to his thoughts. *** Claude Loughty was a quiet man, kind and understanding. Many say his lack of a strong personal
Three days later... Arlen woke up way past his usual time. Julius saw him wince in response to the painful throb in his head. "Finally awake? Have some camomile tea. You look like you pulled an all-nighter, yet you slept early last night," Julius said. As the Master sipped on the hot contents in his cup, Julius went for a basin and a towel. 'I should take it easy on myself.' Arlen hissed, overthinking it worsened the pain. "You seem unwell. I'll send for the doctor." Julius wiped the other's cheeks. " Auch! There's no need for that." Arlen flinched when the towel ran over his face. "Sorry." Julius slowed down and dabbed gently. Arlen was not sick at all. He suffered the consequences of using another strategy to see the Widower of Beaumont Castle at night. Shapeshifting into rodents and insects gave him the privilege of spying on Luca. Such methods came with high risks. Although Arlen could regenerate, whatever happened to him in that state would reflect on his original body. Not