Sophia’s pov.“This is very weird.”The sun is brilliant today. The air from the open windows is borderline rejuvenating, but Alora does not hesitate to say whatever is on her mind and I hate her for it.I glare at her, and while she returns my glare she thankfully leaves me the fuck alone.She turns to Caelum instead,“Why is she blushing? And… is that color on your cheeks, Mr Maximoff?Did you two bang last night?”Caelum’s head snaps up from his book immediately and there’s a very dramatic rise to his nose. He looks like he’d strike her down with thunder from his eyes if he could.Alora scoffs and before I can tell her maybe she’s poked him just enough, she remarks in a biting tone, “The book you’re reading, it’s in French.”Caelum’s response is sharp, “I understand French perfectly.”“And it doesn’t matter that it’s also a collection of fairy tales, does it?”I want to say she has him but again Caelum’s response is just as sharp, “I like a good story where I can find it.”Alora sm
Alora does not trust me. And that's so smart of her.Right as we leave the house, she lets me take control of the wheel even when I tell her I might not be the best at driving. She tells me quite frankly, "I don't believe you", and I chuckled at the time…“Hey watch it, lady!”The man’s angry shout goes right over my head because he was the one not in his lane!"You really don't know how to drive do you?"I shrug and keep a firm hold on the steering wheel so it doesn’t veer off track. I wouldn't want us to get to our destination looking all bloody and in pieces.My plan for today revolves in my mind and I can't say why but it annoys me. It doesn't just annoy me, it makes me feel like this won't work.I thought going to Alvin had been the best choice earlier - thought he would at least look at the fact that he has known me for a far longer time than he did Ulric, but instead, he tried to lay his hands on me.I also thought Alvin would have the common sense to know that siding with me
Alpha Joran and Luna Margery of the SIlvershine pack live in a place that’s the picture of grace and perfection.Every single time.I hear Alora suck in a breath as we break out into the indoor garden and a butterfly flutters near her. She’s fascinated, the same way everyone else is when they come here.I look at this place, these constructions, beautiful, all of them, from mine and Ulric’s home to Ariana and Alvin’s, then now to this, an older werewolf couple who appreciate beauty as much as much as everyone else, even more. I wonder at the vanity of it all.I’m not saying people shouldn’t enjoy nice things. I enjoy nice things myself.I’m just saying there’s an obvious extravagance to the lives we lead, and while the exterior might look pretty, the interior holds a lot of nasty things sometimes.Luna Mar’s eyes meet mine and I walk over to them. No one would think for a second that this woman was older than I was. No one would believe it… and why should they?She only looks younger
~~~~~~~~~~~In the world of shifters, there are certain rules that are not meant to be disobeyed.Certain rules that are meant to keep us in check and balance how we use our powers.It is especially so, when it concerns those in positions of power, and one of those rules is that under no circumstance, under no circumstance should a Luna be taken captive by anyone of another pack. Be it the Alpha.Be it the Beta.Be it a fellow Luna.I direct my gaze to Luna Margery to find a smile on her face, not the kind smile now, this smile is different. It’s the smile of a woman who has dreamt of doing this for a while now. I want to smile back but I can't, because Alora’s here.I don’t want to endanger her more than I have. Luna Mar makes a tsk and shakes her head derisively,“Let me guess, you thought you would waltz in here, get a seat, engage in that little battle of wits with me, and go home.”I try to keep my voice mellow as I respond, “I came to ask to see Malachi. Nothing more than that
c“Luna Sophia!”Alora’s voice is tinged with panic as she exclaims and I can tell that the same thing happening to me is what is happening to her.Rough hands grab me from behind, hoisting me up by the hair painfully before capturing my arms behind me and holding them there. I can already smell the rank sweat of a male thug, I can already feel the heat radiating off his body, and then there’s that light scent that comes into the air.Alpha Joras and Luna Mar sit with smiles on their faces. Only Alora’s struggle can be heard but I know she can’t escape. I can tell her how futile making an effort will be already, because I've been in this situation before.Countless times even. It’s always just a different genre of the same situation.“You and your little minion will be escorted to a room, here, in my mansion. You will stay there, at my mercy, and then when either I or my Alpha decide on what to do with you, we’ll contact Ulric for the go-ahead. It’s obvious he has no further use for y
Caleum’s pov.It’s dawn before Alora returns and she doesn’t come back with the car, or my mate.Sebastien restrains me with an arm on my shoulder, his words echoing through the mind-link I have with him as he tries to speak some reason into my head. He says,~She could just be chasing something of her own.She’s a grown woman, Caleum. She can keep herself safe.She’s probably catching some rest.~I shrug his arm off as my mind says the things he can’t.~Or Maybe she’s with Ulric, and she’s not meant to be with Ulric.~She’s not meant to be chasing something of her own. She’s not meant to be keeping herself safe. She’s not meant to be in a hotel.She’s meant to be my mate!She’s meant to be with me. She’s meant to be by my side. She’s meant to leave me to chase whatever it is she wants to chase.She’s meant to have me keeping her safe. I don’t believe she can’t do it herself, but what am I for?What am I here for?My heart attempts to mock me for those thoughts, but it can’t because
Luna Margery comes to see me the next day.I’m awoken with a bucket of water being spilled on me. It makes me gasp and sputter because the water gets right into my nose. I feel some of that water snake up my airways and go right into my head. By the time I'm done trying to cough most of it out, there’s the force of a stare on me. Her chuckle and scoff come next,“The mighty have truly fallen.You look horrible Sophia.”I want to speak but what comes out is a cough. I let that cough take its toll, trying to get as much as I can of the water that went up my nose out of my mouth. I see when she takes a look around, I see the contempt that lines her face, and when she looks at me, I can see the haughtiness in her eyes. Her comment is simple,“He wasn’t lying after all. Your little friend did escape.”Luna Margery of the Silvershine pack sees when the hate I’m trying to keep under the surface surges forth. She sees how hard I try to keep the disgust I have for her off my face, and she sm
The iron bars come open again hours later and I know I'd be a fool to think it’s food, but I still hope it’s food anyway.My mind tries to drag me back to the last breakfast I had, and though I fight it, I still find myself going back there. To the table.To my second chance mate.Thoughts of Caelum swirl around in my head and I feel my body almost mourn the heat of his gaze, mourn the intensity of his stares.I shut the thought off because thinking of that will only make me wonder where Alora is right now, and it’ll only make me wonder if Caelum will do what I asked him to do.The Silvershine pack is formidable. Trying anything against their Alpha and Luna would be futile so I know it’s an almost impossible task. A mosquito buzzes by my ear and I slap it away, but then my eyes see bare feet and they’re bare feet I spent all night wondering about.My eyes snap up just in time to see Dimitri’s but his question is like a smack to the face when he asks it,“They said my mum cheated on my