Seventy-two hours later
Sara and I ran past a bamboo brown forest. The tall stalks loomed over us, making creaking sounds that terrified Sara.
Three days of running, hiding, and trying to stay alive in this forest with no place to go. I never thought I'd get to this point. My evil pack mates didn't let me bury Marco and Ivan and this gave me constant nightmares.
Our stomachs growled with hunger. We'd been surviving on nuts and berries, but it wasn't enough to sustain us in our human form. Sara was exhausted, and I had to find a way to feed us soon.
My so-called Alpha friends rejected me. Like wildfire, the news of my misfortune spread. Nobody wanted to associate with an outcast on the run.
I thought that the bond between tribe members was unbreakable and that maybe one of the packs would understand my hardship, but I was wrong.
"Do you believe in Karma?" Sara asked me when we sat under a tree to catch our breaths.
I scoffed and looked down at the ground. "Not anymore. Karma is a stupid spiritual belief. In real life, good people end up victims."
Sara put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me with concern in her eyes. "These people hurt you, they're hurting the universe, and it will backfire. Sloane will suffer for her sins."
I gazed up at the tall bamboo trees."Do you think I'm suffering from karma? Do you think I deserve what's happening to me? Maybe I hurt someone and I can't remember."
Sara shook her head. "I've lived with you since I was eleven, Dakota. I'm eighteen now. You're the kindest person in this world," she said. "You don't deserve to suffer."
I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. "Well, my generosity and kindness just really paid off, didn't it?"
"The moon goddess… "
"I don't believe in the moon goddess," I snapped. "If she exists, why did she watch them kill an innocent one-year-old?"
Sara flinched at my tone but didn't stop talking. "I know this is a difficult time for you, and I can see the pain in your eyes. But you can't give up."
"There's nothing to hope for, Sara. I'm tired. I'm done fighting."
Her eyes narrowed with fierce determination. "Marco and Ivan would want you to fight."
I ignored her. Words were easier said than done after all.
We continued our journey. My eyes felt heavy and I let out a loud yawn, the sound echoing in the stillness.
I stopped at the sight of brilliant, fiery red leaves of a strange, unfamiliar plant. It seemed to grow rapidly, its vines creeping across the forest floor, dousing everything in its path.
I knew what it was, of course - the Alien Kudzu, a plant that had been discovered on a distant land. It was said to be deadly if consumed, but Sara seemed fascinated by it, her curious eyes taking in every detail.
"Don't touch. It's deadly," I pulled Sara away from the deadly plant. Her eyes widened, and she stepped back from the plant, but she was intrigued.
We kept going and Sara began feeling the effects of her omega blood. It weakened her easily, and I worried we wouldn't make it to the next mile before she became too tired to go on. But I had alpha blood, stronger and more resilient, and I was determined to get us there.
"Shift," I said to her. And then we both shifted, our bodies elongating and fur sprouting from our skin. As wolves, we felt stronger and faster.
We took off on a run, our powerful legs carrying us through the forest, the wind in our fur, and the moon overhead. We ran all night, heading to the Northern deserts.
*****
At dawn, I burst from the forest and into the open vastness of a sea of sand.
The never-ending desert stretched out before me, and the sun bathed the land in a warm, golden light.
A huge, gray wall made of stones with intricate brass carvings stood in the distance, giving me hope. Maybe I would finally find safety and peace.
Sara walked alongside me, her eyes wide with wonder. Together, we approached the border. Most packs hardly accepted rogues, but the possibility of them knowing us was slim.
The border guards were chatting noisily, their voices echoing off the walls. They were a rough-looking bunch, but there was a lightheartedness to their conversation.
One of the guards was telling a joke, and the others were laughing so hard that they were doubled over.
I mind-linked Sara.
" No one is paying attention. We can slip past them unnoticed."
"Are you sure?"
I nodded and we approached the border noiselessly. The name of the pack, the Desert Canines, was emblazoned on the top of the brass gate.
When we made our way past the guards who were completely unaware of our presence, a rush of relief washed over me.
We were in!
We wandered deeper into the desert and came across empty streets and houses made of adobe, their walls baked a deep red by the merciless sun.
"Why is it so quiet? It looks like an abandoned pack" Sara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I shook my head, fear creeping over me. "Something's not right. I can feel it."
Just as I finished speaking, a horde of cultists spilled out from one of the houses, their bodies twisting like cockroaches with wild eyes and moving in a frenzy.
Their leader wore a skull mask made of ancient metal, and his presence was so terrifying.
In fear, I grabbed Sara and we ducked behind a nearby rock. My heart pounded in my chest as we peered out from our hiding place, watching as the cultists marched past us.
The leader's voice was a rasping yell, and as he chanted, the crowd hung on his every word, their eyes reflecting the madness that seemed to grip them.
No wonder the pack was so silent. Ice shivers ran down my spine. We had to leave this place as quickly as possible.
My heart almost burst out of my body when we heard movement behind us. I turned, my hand still gripped tightly by Sara's, and saw a middle-aged female and a chubby male standing there, looking at us with curiosity.
"What are you doing here?" she asked her voice firm but her eyes widened in surprise, she gave me a once over, smacking her lips.
"I...um… am a rogue. I need a place to rest my head," I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady.
Her fascination grew. I wondered why and hoped she didn't recognize me. Her face, overly made up with contrasting colors of red, yellow, and pink was so loud.
"Who are you and where are you from?" she asked, her voice inquisitive.
" I'm Lucia and she's Mary," I lied, my heart pounding in my chest. "We're from the Lifelong pack."
The woman looked confused and whispered to the man beside her.
"Never heard of that," he murmured. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed? Don't you know you shouldn't be out here?"
I wondered why she was out here herself, but she didn't look like a cultist. Looks could be deceiving, however.
"We're sorry," I said, my voice shaking.
"I'm Madame. You said you needed a place to sleep," she said. "I can help you with that and in return, you'll do me a small favor. How about that?"
Suspicion gripped me. What 'small favor did she want in return? Sara mind-linked me, telling me she didn't trust the woman,but we didn't have much of a choice.
"Let's go, " I said to her, allowing her to lead us to safety.
Or not.
We got to an old, single-story building named "The Academy" Worry clenched my stomach. Before even seeing a topless girl beckoning from the balcony with breasts like ripe fruits waiting to be plucked, I knew this place was a whore house.Sara's lips curled with disgust and she turned on our mind- link. "What are we doing, Dakota? I don't like this place.""I know, Sara," I replied, offering a watery smile while maintaining a safe distance from 'Madame.' "We need some food to fuel our human bodies and I stink badly. I promise not to let anything happen to you."She stared at me like I'd gone crazy. Madame turned around, her clown faces morphing into a grin and eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come… come," she motioned with her hands. I stopped walking and her smile died. "Madame, I don't know how you intend to help, but we're not interested in selling our bodies."She exchanged glances with the male beside her and I stared past her to the peeling paint on the brothel's walls. "Hone
AxtonSeeing my mate left me stunned and frozen. My mouth hung open, forming a silent "O" of surprise.She was so damn beautiful. In my twenty-four years of existence, I'd never seen someone so unreal. Her piercing blue crystals locked onto my gaze as if they could see through my soul and her lips, plump, rosy, and puckered, were the exact way I anticipated my mate to be. I blessed the moon goddess. She must have been listening to my silent prayers because this woman was captivating in every sense of the word. Coming here at this hour was a blessing in disguise. Earlier, Elias, my best friend, and I snuck into my late dad's study in search of a copy of his will.The Alpha role had been vacant since he died six months ago, causing fierce competition between my brother and me. The wait for the official reading had me on edge and I was dying to know who'd be Alpha. Quiet as mice, Elias and I tiptoed through the halls to the study, hoping no one would see us. No one was allowed in there
Dakota "... I can never be your mate."The second those words escaped my mouth, a stillness fell over the room and several pairs of eyes turned toward me like laser beams The conversation faded away, replaced by a tense silence as people watched my every move. My mate grabbed my arm with his hands which looked like they'd been sculpted from stone, with thick veins that pulsed with raw power, making my skin prickle with discomfort and shameful desire. He was a tall and imposing male, with over six feet of sheer muscle. His eyes clouded in a sexual haze and a direct gaze that disturbed me. His skin had a sun-kissed, deep golden hue and looked like it had been carved from the finest bronze. The moon goddess must be crazy for playing such a nasty prank on me. The last thing I needed in my life was a mate, much less a foreigner. "Why not? Who are you?" he asked, huskiness lingering in his voice, like a clap of thunder, commanding attention with its deep, powerful timbre. Sara fidgete
AxtonRunning out of the academy with Elias and some other males following close behind, our footsteps echoed down the road.My face set in a fierce scowl. I picked up my sword from my van and made a quick stop at my arms dealer to stock up on silver bullets.Because I was allergic to silver, I threw on a glove to handle the bullets. Cocking my gun, I kissed it, sighing in satisfaction. headed to the warrior base."Listen up everyone! These bastards won't stop until they've taken everything we hold dear. But we're not going to let that happen. We're going to fight with everything we've got, and we're going to send their corpses back to their pack. Are you with me?""Yes, Axton!" They chorused and armed themselves, rushing to the border with intense ferocity.Crouching behind a barricade, the tension in the air rose."Watch your back, Axton," Elias pleaded with a low and steady voice."I've got this."Xavier was nowhere to be found. No surprise there. He'd always been a coward. I took c
Dakota Alone with Sara in the room, my headeservesdn't stop racing with guilt and fear. I had to find a way to escape this foolishness. Axton's muscles rippling beneath his shirt and how his light hazel eyes stared at me caused a burning desire between my legs. I shouldn't have such abominable feelings. My husband just died. He didn't deserve this. "Damn it," I groaned into my hands. My body was betraying me and the only way to push these feelings and keep myself in check was to leave this pack for good. I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sara sat beside me, lost in thought."What are you going to do?" Sara asked softly. "What else," I shrugged. "I can't do this to Marco."Sara's eyebrows twitched together and she tugged on her left ear. "But he's gone. You can't spend the rest of your life mourning him."My heart pounded with anger and I sat on the bed, wiping the sweat on my forehead. "Don't you dare tell me what to do? I'm not interested in having a mate. Not now, no
Dakota Standing before Axton, my heart raced. The hallway closed in around me and the scent of stale alcohol and cigarettes hung heavy in the air but my mating scent with Axton made it bearable. Other girls walked past, giving me the death glare.Axton stretched out his arm but I turned away. My body trembled with nervous energy, and sweat beaded on my forehead.His eyes, a swirling mix of desire and impatience narrowed and I could tell he was struggling to restrain his need for me. His smile was blended with a sensuous flame that made my courage crumble under the weight of his gaze.But I stood firm, refusing to give in to his charms. I'd never let my feelings for him cloud my judgment. This was all shades of wrong and sinful."What's the matter? Still, hate me?” “Definitely” I scoffed.His eyes twinkled like glassy volcanic rock and bore into me, revealing the raging beast of need within."Aren't you a stubborn little woman, Zina?" he said, his tone mildly condescending. "You know
AxtonWatching my mate flee my presence made my annoyance and impatience grow. The fact that she was a sight for sore eyes, a living work of art, yet rejecting me left a bitter taste in my mouth.There was more to her rejection. I could tell. Something was holding her back, but I couldn't figure out what. My heart went green with envy as I imagined another male in her life.I'd kill him with my bare hands. Thinking about it now, I wondered why she left her pack My fingers ached to touch her, to satisfy the longing in my heart. I sat in my van and stared listlessly outside the window. There was a burning desire to possess her and have her as mine, and it grew every second. But she was so stubborn and fearless with a maddening hint of arrogance.I wanted every part of her, from her ash blonde hair that cascaded down her back in loose waves, to her blue eyes that were clearer than the sea. And oh…her fucking curves. She was different from my pack girls, with their darker hair and skin
DakotaThe bell ringing echoed through the walls and I stirred, knowing all too well what that sound meant. Madame's voice cut through the buzz of excitement like a knife. "Get your lazy asses downstairs right now!" she screamed. "Tonight is the night!"I sat up and looked around the hall filled with chatter as the girls rushed to get ready with clothes and makeup scattered everywhere. Sara and I exchanged a look and my stomach rolled with dread. My eyes widened with curiosity, leaning in and watching as Olivia inserted something into her thigh. "What's that?" She showed me a small, plastic tube filled with a clear liquid with a thin needle at the end. "It's for vaginal cleansing."My mouth fell open. "Whoa, are you going to put that in there?""No silly," she laughed. The needle glinted in the light, and the sight of it made my stomach churn. "Well, we've got to protect ourselves.""Yuck," Sara said under her breath and she wrinkled her nose. I nudged her to stop.Olly walked in