Five minutes into the snowy path, Lily began to regret her life choices when she heard a long series of wolves' howls that made her shiver. "What the hell was that?" Rhye furrowed his brow, knowing exactly what the human had been asking as he adjusted their flashlight. His five guardians had been howling half a mile behind them. So he told them to stop. "What are you talking about?" "Those howls... those are fucking wolves, right? Jesus, I don't want to be eaten alive." "They are not harmless, Lily, they are the guardians of this mountain." "Guardian? Are you kidding me? That only happened in the fucking movie, and trust me, they aren't like Jacob, who had a great, amazing body and eyes to die for. I'm not going to risk being a fresh meal for those wolves." Rhye wondered and asked his five guardians if they knew anything about the Jacob she was talking about and all of them didn't have any idea. "Who is this Jacob?" Rhye halted on his walk and asked. "What? You believe those w
Lily couldn’t help but notice the impatience in Rhye’s jaw as he ground his back teeth and his shoulder blades tightened. She hoped she wasn’t reading something into his reaction that wasn’t there, because facing that dense mountain, going in willingly, had her doubting her own senses. The mountain seemed to be calling for her; it was like some primitive urges made her skin crawl. Something deep inside her was slithering like it wanted out. Her pulse was battered. A cold sequence of fear scraped around her heart. She’d traveled so far outside her own solace, away from her comfort zone, that her strengths were already fried. It was too much, too soon. "Wait... Are we going to the s-shortcut to your elders' manor now?" "Yes, it won't take time." He replied and stepped further, leaving her five steps behind. "Rhye? I-I'm scared… I heard wolves and it's too dark now." "Don't be scared, I'm here, Lily." He waited and took her hand and clasped it right around his. "Oh, are we going the
Walking along the modern, lantern-covered stone pathway towards the supposed little mountain cottage, Lily gaped at the beautiful scenery. With all the solar lanterns, little moonshine, and the smell of fresh mint and lilac. She was hell sure it was not worth such high drama. Because, being in the fucking mountains, she expected to dwell in an old rat-infested cabin where she would be attacked by some maniac with a bloody chainsaw and a fleshy mask, yet looking at the five-star garden-like landscape, it felt too surreal. It was like she was in another world. "Mr. Gosling, are you sure that is your cottage? And we are not trespassing on this mountain?" She asked, with obvious wonder. Rhye halted and raised his brow. "Of course, why did you ask?" "Well, it's quite strange. I thought this was a secluded mountain... or forest... or whatever you rich dudes called it, but I have seen too many beautiful cabins in the area, and a fucking ancient castle? Wow! It felt like a little community
Alpha Rhye from the Castle, a mile away from Lily, seated in the head council library, was able to read her mind and he wanted to smirk. She had very weird and very unusual thoughts. She didn't have a boring thought either. It was like she was a walking rainbow and sunshine, always brightening his day. Besides, even after they were in his pub, he knew she was different. A peculiarity among the rest. Of course, he intended to keep it that way. Lily's foolish imagination was beyond comparison. She was his happy pill. Her mind was like a race car, unbelievably busy thinking about mundane, stupid things. Yet he would not—no, he could not offer his mate that last insult. He would keep her forever. Rhye nodded at the old man, trying to understand what he was talking about as he sipped his tea. Earlier, after their dinner, he told Lily to wait for him as one of the female omegas offered her tea in the living room of his cottage. And now, Rhye was talking with the council of elders. The head
Two days later. Alpha Rhye had very specific plans for the evening after another council meeting. First up, late dinner in bed with a luscious, golden-haired human who tasted like strawberries and champagne and boasted skills that could make a wolf howl like a damned werewolf. Even without a full moon. Next on the agenda was a round of sparring with the latest batch of demons that had arrived in the mountain territory. In recent years, he had enacted a law requiring all newly created werewolves to spend at least the first decade of their lives being trained at his pack. And since Rhye was in charge of the demon issues as well as the council’s best warrior, it meant it was his duty to oversee the new pack member’s fighting lessons. And if there was time left before dawn, he intended to meet with the soldiers who had recently returned from their hunt in the western territory. Rumours of the demons' return had spread throughout the supernatural communities. He had sent out nightly pa
He should have been expecting this. Despite Alpha Rhye's fierce protests, the old man had invited their fellow werewolves, the nearby pack, to stay in the council mountain two nights ago, along with their companion, a female witch called Livia. Who disappeared before he and Lily arrived that same evening. And as per Dimitri, during the witch's brief stay, they’d discovered that the witch had a human mother being held captive by a Moonlight she-wolf. And Rhye was not happy upon finding out about it. Not that Alpha Rhye gave a shit, but Stephen had managed to convince Dimitri that this beautiful witch was somehow important to the future of their kind and that the witch's captive mother must be protected. "About this witch? What do I need to do about it?" Rhye gritted, even knowing it was a stupid question. What other nonsense could it be? Dimitri’s lips twitched as if he agreed with the stupid part. "Talk to her." "Can someone else do that part? I have a mate to train and to handle,
Lily yawned and extended her arms and legs as she took in her surroundings outside Rhye's Cottage. It had been hours since her alleged husband had not returned, and it was late afternoon now. Not that she was complaining; in fact, she preferred it this way because she couldn't bear him babysitting her like she was a mundane and vulnerable child. During their two days here, the man-made no mention of returning to the city, which Lily appreciated because she had grown to adore the lovely mountain, its garden, and its people. She also made some new friends from the neighboring cabin and the camping area two miles away. She smiled at a passing young woman with a basket of fruits in her hand as she disappeared into the gorgeous backdrop of gardens and lawns spread across the large mansion of Rhye's elders on her left; and yes, she'd met one of her husband's elders yesterday, a beautiful, gigantic old man who looked like a former wrestler. To say Lily was startled was an understatement; pra
What was she supposed to ask, anyway? Someone with a ridiculously familiar scent? Jesus! That was way crazier than asking if the kid loved BTS. Lily grumbled under her breath. "You would have noticed this one. I mean... someone with... um-vanilla and... um-spicy scent?" Damn if she didn't look crazy enough asking more stupid questions. "Lady? Are you on drugs?" The kid raised an eyebrow. "Of course not, and I'm serious here... I'm looking for someone with that smell... He’s very... distinctive." "Oh yeah?" The kid smirked. "There’s no one out here, and the scent led me here." Lily snorted. "Are you one of the... you know who?" The boy shuddered. "I have nightmares that one day I’ll look out there and nothing will be left but corpses and rotting tents and I'll be one of them." "Charming… but wait? What one of them?" "You know…" "Mafia?" "I'm sorry. What?" The chap smirked. The goofy smile widened. "You thought, up there in the manor, those weird folks were mafia?" "Obviously