*Poppy*I screamed as I immersed myself in a bathtub filled with ice. I was shaking and cursing while slowly adjusting to the cold. This should have been easy after repeating it for a long time; somehow, I cannot get used to it. Iris was sobbing from exhaustion but clenched her teeth and suffered the consequences with me.'I didn't think pain could be so painful and enjoyable at the same time.' I admitted, shaking under the pressure of ice filling my vast bathtub.'Think how sweet it will taste when you stare at the defeated asshole in a few weeks.' Iris reminded me, and suddenly, instead of satisfaction, I felt fear.'We can do it, Poppy. You heard what Logan said; we're as strong as Alpha; we'll kick his ass.' She motivated me by repeating words that were important to me.I rested my head on
*Poppy*While once I wouldn't even dream of letting someone look at me in my underwear, now I can't imagine not having Anastasia with me when I almost have to crawl to the shower.King Alexander's words were prophetic, too. Not only did Gemma become so close to them, but so did I. For over two months, I have been with the King and Queen on a first-name basis, treating them like family. They pamper my daughter as if she were an actual princess. Apart from the moments when I saw Lex or Anastasia get angry and cause fear among people, I discovered that they were cheerful, regular, and accommodating people.Our acquaintance became a friendship almost immediately, leaving only one problem between us. Prince Logan. Although I finally managed to say his name without the title after his many corrections, I still don't know why I can't bring myself to relax around him.
*Poppy*The dinner was awkward, at least to me. I couldn't look at Logan, and Iris couldn't stop reminding me of his words before he stormed off, leaving me stunned. Additionally, Gemma decided to have her worst day today and refused to eat, sitting with arms crossed over her chest, unsatisfied with the King's refusal to allow her to ride on his lycan. Although he promised her to do it one day, I convinced him to change his mind, explaining that it wasn't good for Gemma. Not because it was dangerous, or I didn't trust him, but because lately Gemma was acting more like a spoiled brat than ever, and that wasn't my intention to raise her as such."So, how's it going with the training, Poppy? I heard from many that you have improved tremendously, and the duel would be a cake for you or Iris." Lex asked, breaking the awkward silence."Well, thank you, but I wouldn't be so confident. The fir
*Poppy*My heart pounded in my chest, not because of his words but because of how he said them. It felt almost like he screamed his frustration out at me for not noticing his feelings towards me, but I was not his mate. Iris sat quietly, not commenting or joking about rushing to console the frustrated little lycan prince. She understood him better than anyone. Despite his flaws, Ezra was her everything, and not even his flaws were able to stop her from loving him. She would choose him every time over someone better."Mommy. Why is Logan angry?" Gemma asked, a little scared.I rushed to her and hugged her immediately. I knew she was sensitive to similar situations, as if my fear of being disposed of by Seamus had been projected onto her and instilled in her a fear of angry alphas. I kissed her head before smiling at her."Honey, you know Logan would neve
*Logan*I hit the punching bag with great force, but even that didn't bring any relief. Furious, I let out a roar and allowed Gunnar to come out momentarily. With his sharp claws, I tore the hard leather material into shreds, scattering all the sand on the floor."Great, that's the fifth one. I hope Your Assholeness will buy them all for me." Andrew, the owner of the gym in vampire territory, clapped as he approached cautiously."Don't piss me off too. Or I'll count your bones instead of that miserable bag. What happened to those strong dragon skins you were so proud of recently?" I hissed, breathing deeply, trying to control my anger and Gunnar's desire to kill.Andrew snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, showing off his tattooed forearms. The contrast of the black ink on his pale, almost snow-white skin always attracted my attention. I have a few tattoos, but none look as great as his. Maybe it's because of my sun-kissed skin; the tattoo doesn't stand out as much as it does
*Logan*When I entered the training field, I had a clearly defined goal. Still, after just a few seconds spent surrounded by this most beautiful smell, tantalizing my senses, I had to double my effort not to throw myself at her and tear off her tight training outfit, emphasizing her tempting curves.Gunnar was no better; if it weren't for the fact that I was the dominant part, he would have long ago assumed his intimidating Lycan form and forced the shift on Poppy and would have copulated day and night with Iris, marking her as ours in more than one way.But today, something changed. Not only the time of our training, which I may have forced Poppy too coldly and rudely, but her attitude, definitely her attitude towards me and, to my surprise, her training outfit. I stopped beside the sparring ring, set down my towel and water bottle, and watched my mate hit the heavy training dummy in the middle.Her focus was absolute, and her strokes were precise and calculated, precisely as I had t
*Tanner (Poppy's Previous Gamma)*I glanced into the rearview mirror, feeling like someone was following me despite having been alone on the road for at least twenty miles. I hadn't seen anyone, and this road is usually well-traveled, although perhaps not at night. It was just past one o'clock. I looked again and slowed down to make sure that no one was following me, whether in a car or on all fours, lurking in the darkness of the forest."I must have gone crazy," I whispered, shaking my head, but my wolf Otis was growling a warning in my head.'Hurry up. Something is wrong.' He warned me, and I immediately accelerated towards the human city.His senses have never failed me yet, and if Otis feels something is wrong, it is. The first time this happened was when, a few days after making the oath to my Luna, Otis started acting strange when Seamus began to send me on resupply missions to the human city. I didn't understand why he needed such large amounts of opioids, but I didn't questio
*Poppy*I had a dream last night that started with me running through a field of wildflowers, the sun shining, and the wind in my hair. I was chasing after love, and it felt exhilarating like I was on the brink of something unique. But as I ran, the scenery around me began to change. The once vibrant field turned into a desolate wasteland, the sun disappeared behind dark clouds, and the wind turned into a bitter, cold gale.Suddenly, I was alone in this barren landscape, with no one in sight. The love I had been chasing after had vanished, leaving me stranded in a lonely, loveless world. The feeling of loneliness and heartache was overwhelming, and I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of despair.In my dream, I realized that sometimes, the pursuit of love can lead to a nightmare of loneliness. It was a haunting reminder that love is not always guaranteed, and the fear of ending alone can turn a beautiful dream into a chilling nightmare. It was a jarring and sobering experience that